Trying to conceive baby#2 following ivf treatment for #1

[lucieloos]

I thought I would start this thread as I can't see anything similar. We underwent many rounds of icsi and following a couple of bfns, and an ectopic pregnancy we were finally blessed with our beautiful daughter last year.

We recently started thinking about baby no 2 and had 4 frozen embryos of which 2 had been tested and found to be chromosomally normal so are meant to have a better chance. We didnt have the other 2 tested.

A couple of weeks back we had our first fet with one of the tested embryos and got a bfp super early at 4dp5dt. Sadly by 8dpt the line was barely visible and resulted in a chemical pregnancy. I've been feeling really down about it as this was meant to be a super duper embryo with no genetic problems which they said was the main reason embryos fail.

I thought it would be easier trying for #2 and of course it is in a way as I realise how lucky I am to have had a baby but I can feel the infertility fog starting to descend again as I realise although I've had a brief respite I will never be like my fertile friends and I do really want another baby and a sibling for my little girl.

Im feeling a bit negative at the moment. We will probably go back for the other tested embryo in the near future but I can't see how I would ever get lucky enough to get 2 bfps in a row. These things just don't happen to me so just not too hopeful about it at all. We said that if we used all of our frosties with no success we would be happy with what we have but already I am thinking should I do more fresh cycles. I will be 39 soon though so time isn't on my side for that.

Anyway just wondering if anyone else is in a similar situation and would like to share the journey. Please come and say hi.

That is great news @PonyPals, so pleased for you.

All the best for your scan tomorrow, @Snowdayfet.

Hi to everyone else

Congratulations Pony, that's wonderful news. Roll on next Wednesday.

Good luck at the scan today Snow - the sickness really is a mixed blessing isn't it!

I hope you get the results soon Lucie. How are you finding this pregnancy? Sorry, that's kind of assuming you found the first one nerve wracking.

I'm also glad I found someone else who's messaged Dr Sher!! My DH couldn't stop laughing at me when I told him that I had.

No news from me. DH travels a lot for work so I'm trying to block potential insemination dates in his diary. It's so depressing since it's such a guessing game for us at the moment.

Ghengis, I'm finding it ok. I found the first one nerve wracking and this one to some extent but as time goes on I'm relaxing more. Obviously in the back of my head there's always the thought that something may go wrong but I try not to let it take over. I've messaged dr sher loads of times! I don't agree with his opinion on everything but I think it's an amazing resource to be able to access and he is so good responding to so many messages so quickly!

Had scan this morning. One little foetus measuring bang on 7+1 with heart rate and sacs all measuring nicely too. Am relieved! And have a prescription for some antiemetics which after another sleepless night spent vomiting will be a great relief!

Aww that's really great news snow I'm really pleased for you!

That sounds perfect @Snowdayfet
You must be so relieved

Great news @Snowdayfet

Ugh had some spotting today. Only a little bit and brown blood so hoping all ok. What were the chances of that happening the day after a scan?!

Maybe it is happening because of the scan. Was it an internal one? It could have irritated you.

It could be the scan but I also had a little bit of watery pink a few times on wiping before scan. Everything was fine though. It's normal in the early days as everything's settling in. Brown or pink are normally fine.

Ah yes maybe it was the scan. Yes it was an internal one. I know it’s normal - just wish it had happened before a scan rather than after as now I’m stressed again!

snow great news on the scan, spotting so hard even though it is likely to be fine. I had spotting with DD a couple of times and found it very stressful.

Pony wonderful news! Lots of BFPs on the board now. Hoping the law of averages doesn't apply here and we will all get BFPs!!

I have had a rotten stomach bug, SO hard looking after DD while puking up everywhere. Must be so hard snow feeling sick all the time while caring for another child!

Re: running, honestly I could not run more than 1.5 mins in one go at the beginning of the couch to 5k. Would thoroughly recommend (when everyone has had their babies! )

Great news on the scan Snow though sorry to read about the spotting, that really doesn't help stress levels. Has it stopped?

Get well soon Jen - sounds rotten.

That's good Lucie, and yes about Dr Sher being an amazing resource.

Did anyone read the thread about IVF on the NHS in aibu? Reading some of the opinions there is horrible :( Also, I was really surprised at the amount of people who don't agree with IVF at all. I can't get my head around that at all.

Gengis I don't even try to get my head around it, honestly. People have different levels of empathy, understanding and dare I say it, intelligence. Not even sure why people start these discussions to be honest? It is likely that no one will ever agree.

One thing I might argue is that in some cases the NHS could spend more time outside of the 'standard' investigations trying to help people conceive without going down the IVF route. I have an autoimmune disease which seems to wreak havoc on various aspects of my health and fertility but the help I got with this was/is completely inadequate and I have learned the most about my health through reading and learning myself. Rant over!

On another note, I was thinking about you ladies on this thread and how you have helped me to move on from my anger and frustration about infertility. I used to spend a lot of time in a 'why me?' place. I realise now that this is an energy drain, and I am much more accepting that this is our journey and that's just the way it is. The positive "let's get through this" attitude on this board has helped a lot. So thanks guys 😀

jen yes vomiting is the worst. My son came into the bathroom yesterday when I was vomiting and gave me a little pat on the back and stroked my hair whilst I was doubled over the toilet bowl, which was kind of cute! The good news is that the antiemetics are working - only vomited once yesterday thank god. Just hope there is still a healthy baby in there.

Spotting has stopped but I had a couple of small clots yesterday afternoon which freaked me out so called my clinic. Doctor said to stop baby aspirin and get some rest (ho ho). And will have another scan next week so that will be good - waiting until 12e for the next scan might have been a bit too stressful.

I don’t read those sorts of threads usually but had a quick look. My goodness people are thick and nasty. My favourite is that “not being funny but isn’t it going against natural selection to let infertile people breed and pass down their genes?” Usually juxtaposed with “we need to do more for cancer”. Along with the old adoption chestnut. This is why I don’t go to the rest of mumsnet much!

Ugh spoke too soon. Spotting has started again. I hate this!

How are things going now snow? My spotting was around 7 weeks too and I found some info to say which said this was a really common time for spotting as apparently the embryo starts burrowing in even further around that time. Hope it's stopped now. Could you get a private scan at somewhere like babybond a bit sooner to put your mind at rest?

Thanks for asking lucie. It’s stopped again now. Am really hoping that’s it. I have the scan next week and I’m going to try to stick it out until then as I can feel myself going down into the crazy early pregnancy place and am trying to keep that at bay. If it is going wrong there’s not much I can do about it so trying to take a deep breath and hope for the best.

Am really hoping it’s just a bit of spotting and all is well!

I also have a vicious uti so am starting some antibiotics today. Am just generally feeling blah - still vomiting up my dinner too, weirdly the drugs work during the day but not at night.

Sorry meant to ask - when are your harmony results due back?

Aww sorry to hear that snow but I'm glad the spotting has stopped. I had really bad sickness during my first pregnancy until about 26 weeks so I can sympathise. I hope it passes soon. They said about 7 working days for my harmony and it's been 5 today. I might email them anyway though just to see if they have any update.

Thanks lucie. Had a tiny bit more spotting but it was only small. I am slightly relieved by the fact that the bleeding isn’t getting any heavier - am thinking if I was miscarrying it would probably carry on?

I was sick the entire way through my last pregnancy (including labour - I vomited on the midwife ) so was expecting it. But had forgotten how awful it is!

Yes it would be a lot heavier if you were mis carrying and with painful cramps. A little bit of spotting is normal.

Got harmony results back today and all low risk less than 0.01% so that's really good news. Just the 12 week scan on Tuesday now.

Lucie just wanted to hop on to tentatively congratulate you and to wish you well for Tuesday’s scan. I remember you from the conception boards back in 2014/15 when we were both ttc#1. I was lucky last time round and despite a cp and an ectopic along the way, managed to conceive my DS naturally after 11 months of ttc.

This time has been a different story (hence my lurking on the infertility boards). We’ve been ttc #2 with no luck whatsoever for 19 months (or 22 cycles). Issue is potentially MFI which could always have been there, but I was only 32 when we first started ttc 4 years ago and had both my Fallopian tubes, so I suspect that might have made the difference.

About to take the plunge and start IVF which I’m a little petrified about, but stories like yours give me hope, so thank you.

Oh that’s such a relief lucie. Congrats. Did you find out the sex?

Yes I am hoping it’s just spotting. I’ve got the scan next week so will try to stay calm until then. I will be glad when (if) I make it through to the 12 week scan!

Thanks cariad I remember you too and am really sorry to hear that you are struggling with number 2. The little one I am carrying now was conceived via ivf when I was 36. You have a really good chance if your main issue is male factor. Physically I found ivf fine but mentally it's a bit of a drain. You may need more than 1 round and you have to kind of go into it with that mindset. If you do I'm positive you will have success. Wishing you lots of luck. Stick around on this board its great to chat to others going through the same.

Snow, no we said we didn't want to find out the sex. We didn't last time and really enjoyed the surprise on the big day. Not enough surprises left.