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Original poster

Medicated FET with down regulation timings

17 replies

Avocadosmoothie · 10/08/2017 14:03

Hello, for anyone who has done a medicated FET with down regulation, how many days roughly was there between the first down regulation injection and embryo transfer? I am on NHS and I was a good responder to short protocol IVF if that makes any difference! Thanks

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Clickncollect · 11/08/2017 22:04

Hi avocadosmoothie
I did a FET through Homerton (IVF) resulting in my DS and I've just been looking this up as I want to go back and use one of my remaining 2 embryos

Medicated FET with down regulation timings
Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 11/08/2017 22:22

Thanks click! Did your FET run smoothly - did you have any delays due to lining? Was it your first FET that worked?

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Clickncollect · 11/08/2017 23:01

You're welcome! In my fresh IVF cycle, I got 5 x day 5 embryos - transferred 1 and it didn't work.
Went back for my FET and transferred 2 embryos, 1 took and he is 14 months old now. The FET ran smoothly - I downregged fine and then lining was thick enough when it needed to be. The only slight delay was embryo transfer - the hospital was so busy that it was 18 days in between the endometrial thickness scan and the actual embryo transfer. That was pretty torturous, to say the least!
When are you starting your FET? I think we spoke on a different thread (I remember your username as I love avocados!) re how many periods to wait between cycles.

Clickncollect · 12/08/2017 07:36

Just realised on my post of 22.04, I meant to put NHS in brackets, not IVF! Acronyms galore.....

Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 12/08/2017 10:39

Hi click, I did recognise your name but I've got a bit Mumsnet crazy and have so many threads running!

I'm waiting for CD1 any day now, so will hopefully start down regging at the start of sept.

Did you have to persuade the NHS to let you put two back? Were they 5 Day embryos? My doctor has said they will only let me put one back at a time which is fine for me right now but if I have a couple of failed cycles I bet I will want to try two!

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Clickncollect · 12/08/2017 10:57

Morning!
No, I didn't have to persuade them at all to put 2 back as I was 37 at the time so they said it was up to me. If you are under 37 then I think it's still possible but would require a chat with the doctors.
They were both 5 day embryos - 1 5BB and 1 4bb.
How many embryos do you have and are they 5 day?

Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 12/08/2017 12:17

Oh that's so good they let you do it! I have 8 blasto a, 6 and 5 day and 2 and 6 day. My doctor told me I would be allowed more than one 5 day transferred at a time. I am under 37 so that could be it. When are you going to do your next FET?

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Clickncollect · 12/08/2017 13:40

Wow, that is an impressive amount of embryos you have there!
I have an appointment at Homerton on 23rd August so I'm hoping to start as soon as they'll let me - obviously we have to pay this time which is totally fair enough but I did have an early natural miscarriage a couple of weeks ago so don't know where I am in my cycle. Hopefully I'll have had a period by the time the 23rd comes along.
Which clinic are you at, if you don't mind me asking?

Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 12/08/2017 14:24

So sorry to hear about your mc!

I'm at St Mary in Manchester. It's a massive NHS centre with a large catchment so things move quite slowly, but can't complain as it's free!

How much will your FET cost if you don't mind me asking? I think my doctor said it would cost me about £1k per cycle after I've had a successful transfer.

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Clickncollect · 13/08/2017 21:35

Yes totally agree - I heard on the news recently about IVF funding being cut yet again and I'm forever grateful that I didn't have to pay for mine. In my area it is 3 rounds (counting FET as a round) - what's yours?
I don't know the exact cost but they loosely said £800ish a while ago so I've rounded it up to 1k in my head.

Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 13/08/2017 22:06

I get funding for 2 rounds. When I read the policy I'm sure it said a round was completed at the earlier of a clinical pregnancy or when all embryos had transferred back. But I'm not sure that is right, could I have 8 FETs free if they keep failing? Anyway, hopefully it won't take that many!! We would like 2 children so I'm expecting to have to pay at some point. Do you know if a natural FET costs the same as a medicated FET?

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Clickncollect · 13/08/2017 22:45

If I remember correctly, the NICE guidelines are supposed to count a round as the fresh cycle and all frozen embryos created! But I don't think many CCGs have adopted that and it varies wildly from area to area.
As for natural/medicated, my clinic don't offer natural FETs as they can't accommodate them timing wise - cycles could get cancelled due to transfers needing to take place at weekends, for example. Strangely, I like the control of a medicated cycle and that flow chart I posted is right up my street in terms of having a (rough) plan!
If you don't mind me asking, what was your diagnosis for fertility issues? Mine is tube problems - diagnosed at the HSG stage of investigations.

Scottishgirl85 · 14/08/2017 07:21

Sorry to butt in ladies, but just to say the cost of a FET adds up if you do all the add ons and count the drugs etc! We've spent £1200 on current fet, and that's abroad where the actual fet itself is only £280 odd, so very cheap! Of course some of my expenses are flights and accommodation, which was £380, but shows how quickly the other bits add up! Scratch, embryo glue, drugs and acupuncture cost nearly £600. Just so you have an idea and can save for future if needed! Good luck xx

Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 14/08/2017 07:39

Strictly, mine is unexplained, that's what is says on all of my forms. But, every doctor I see says I'm borderline PCO (hence the high number of embryos). I had a HSG too, how horrible was that!! I'm thinking of having an endometrial scratch this time round but trying to find out if it's better or worse than HSG...!

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Clickncollect · 15/08/2017 21:01

That's a good point @Scottishgirl85 - extras can certainly add up. I'll add that to my list of questions before my appointment on 23rd.
My clinic is an NHS hospital and I'll be self funded, rather than a private clinic that will have all the latest add ons though, if that makes a difference. Two years ago when I did my last FET they didn't offer the embryo glue and I only got an endometrial scratch free because I got a place on their trial. I did have acupuncture outside of the hospital though and would like to again.
I fully expect it will be the same drugs as last time - buserelin suprecur, progynova tablets and good old cyclogest pessaries so I'll start pricing them up elsewhere rather than just relying on the clinics provider.
@Avocadosmoothie - the HSG was grim - eek!! I walked out of that totally shell shocked. The endometrial scratch is totally different though. Where the HSG was, to me, an intense cramping internally every time they tried to get the dye through and I was clinging onto the side of the bed, the scratch is 'just' a sharp scratch inside and is over and done with super quickly. Don't get me wrong, it's not a barrel of laughs but completely different and if it will help, it's worth a try!

EarlGreyT · 15/08/2017 22:33

Avocadosmoothie I second what clickncollect has said. I found the endometrial scratch WAY better than the HSG. The scratch is a bit uncomfortable, but nothing compared to the HSG.

Original poster
Avocadosmoothie · 15/08/2017 22:45

Thanks both, that's very reassuring to hear!! X

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