IVF cycle buddies June/July

Hi everyone. I wondered how those of you whose cycles failed are doing and if you have a new plan? I'm still in limbo waiting for AF so I can get going with my FET but some days I wonder if I should take the rest of the year off to lose some weight and chill out but I want to get pregnant so much. I'm just aware I've been doing back to back ivf since March and it's so stressful. I keep dreaming I'm pregnant but that I start bleeding again.

Hi geeup - I started stimming again on Saturday (on short protocol) and am currently sitting in waiting room for first scan after starting meds. They upped my gonal f dose from 300 to 450 this time. I know what you mean about wanting a break! Part of me thinks I should've had a longer break, but the other part just wants to get pregnant!

Hope the limbo ends for you soon xxx

That's exciting. How did you scan go? How are you feeling?
I was so much more relaxed on my second cycle. Are you? The first time I ate a regimented regime, didn't drink, stayed in and didn't socialise, took 2 weeks off work, worried constantly about drinking Pom juice and castor oil packing my uterus but was a bfn. The second cycle I knew what was coming and I didn't change my life - ate normally, went to work, had a drink or two and forgot to castor oil pack or put legs up the wall a single time and got a bfp (although it obviously couldn't stick around). My mental health felt way better on the second one!
I think I've come to terms with the fact that if it's going to stick, it'll stick. What we do has little impact...

Scan went ok - 7 follicles which is 2 less than last time which is annoying as I'm on a higher dose of gonal f, but am trying not to let it get me down! I'm experiencing a few more side effects this time - moodiness, bloating etc, which I'd be fine with if I could see it was making a difference!

I'm weirdly finding this cycle more difficult than the first one - at least with the first one I had the excitement of doing something new, and now all I feel is fear of the end because I know how much it's going to hurt if it doesn't work :(

Hey, just seen these new posts. Good luck you two. I'm taking a little break. Third BFN really hurt, and the numbers (eggs produced and fertilised don't exactly give me much hope for a further go). We're going for more tests to rule other health things out and then may give it one final bash nearer Christmas. xx

Good to hear from you LoPi and sounds like a good plan. We haven't ruled out doing a break too as we are flying long haul in November so can't fit a FET in before then without flying in first trimester. Can't work out how I'd feel if I got a bfp then miscarried after I flew. I think I'd put it down to the development of the embryo but maybe the flying would make me feel guilty...

Yeah, I think it's really in the lap of the gods regarding if they develop or not - but it's important to recognise that you may not be able to think this clearly during the process... and have no regrets about what you do or don't do.

How did your consultation go about immunes hobbes?
Hi everyone. Sorry I've been quiet. We've decided our plan for the FET now. I'll be starting downregging when I get AF at the beginning of Nov (8 weeks away ), and having the transfer at the beginning of Jan. Urgh the process takes so long. We're working it around a long haul flight in Nov. The clinic said they wouldn't want me to fly if I got a bfp so we can't transfer till after that. The things we are doing are: scratch (again), aspirin (again, but this time only from when I start oestrogen tablets), transfer 2 embryos this time and then progesterone pessaries 3 times a day instead of 2 times. In the meantime I'll focus on work and losing some weight ideally before my holiday! God I hope that combination works as now even my two friends that were fellow infertile too have got pregnant so it's only me left with no baby

That's really interesting. My clinic said the same - expensive and unproven (they don't offer it though). In fact my consultant said someone died after it so they would actively advise against it. Tough when my friend just got pregnant after immunes at another clinic he did say however that the intralipids are basically soy flavonoids (I think that's correct) and effectively are like taking oestrogen. Something like that anyway. He spoke to us for ages - well over an hour - about every piece of research out there globally for the past 30 odd years and said as a result the only actual evidence based recommendations with randomised placebo trials should be the scratch and possibly aspirin and slightly possibly heparin (although he is still on the fence with that and didn't recommend).

Hi Hobbes, hi gee-up. That's interesting reading, and definitely reassuring. We are going for a sperm DNA fragmentation test - due to the fact OH's cancer (and surgery) may have caused trauma in the area. If his sperm is fragmented, they may be able to improve it - thus increase our chances of getting good fertilisation/blasts. We will give it another go regardless. But we are having conversations about donor and adoption options now.... as I would like to move forward in some shape or form next year. Hugs to you xx

Good luck Lopi. We looked into the fragmentation too although haven't gone ahead. Hope it helps you.

Hi all, havent been here for long and just caught up on all the posts.. hope everyone is doing well.

I am devastated and been in a right mess ever since this morning. I had the embryo transfer 14days ago.. grade A high quality blastocyst and docs had all my hopes up.. did a home test yestetday, came out negative.. BT confirmed bfn with hcg levels below 1.. i have been told to stop taking meds and wait for AF.. so gutted.. i only had 5 frozen and it just feels like if the top quality one didnt make it, what hope do I have.. i just feel like crying it out loudly and getting over it so I can prepare for round 2 but I am so drained right now. Nurse said I will have to wait 2cycles before I can start again but the waiting list is huge due to xmas break.. so i might be looking at mid next year.. i feel like the wait is going to make me go mad.. a lot of you are going through SO much and I really wonder how you do it.. i really take my hats off to u guys.. its my first IVF and I feel like I have been on the scariest maddest roller coaster for the last one year and all that for nothing at the end :( .. so disappointed

Really sorry to hear your news @Glamm it is devastating. I can certainly reassure you though. A friend got pregnant with a 3 day embryo that the doctors said wasn't worth putting back (and she'd had failed 5 day perfect blasts) and now she's about 5 months gone. Don't read too much into quality. It's a luck and numbers game.
Lick your wounds and be kind to yourself but then take however long off and get back on the horse. And I say that approaching my third cycle after two failures of perfect hatching blasts. Good luck and sorry again - I know it's so so sad.