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.

Thank you

Are the 3 of you going to Prague to do the FET or will you be going alone?

The 3 of us will go back again. We all went last time as well. My little girl is only 10 months and I haven't left her alone at night yet so not sure how she would cope with that. We will only be away 2 nights. Will fly out and stay in Czech the first night then have transfer the next day, fly back and stay at Stansted the night as it's a 3.5 hour drive home so will do that the next morning hopefully while she's having a nap. She was really good on the plane last time but it's only a 2 hour flight so just about got away with it I think. Im praying this next round works. It's our last tested embryo and then the other 2 are untested and it would make life so much easier lol.

I really hope it works for you too

Wow that’s amazing news twinkle. Am sure one of the current lot on board will take but how nice to have some back ups.

Keeping everything crossed for you lucie. You deserve some luck!

I ended up having a really heavy clotty period. It’s only just stopped. Feel quite good about having a cycle off - let’s see if I actually ov this time round!

Just joining to follow, I had DS in January from a donor egg cycle at serum Athens after 4 cycles in the UK (1 failed own egg, 1 cancelled own egg, 1 failed donor egg then 1 donor egg BFP but MMC) we have 2 frozen blasts at the clinic and whilst DS is only very tiny and obviously I need my body to recover from the section we are hoping to go back ASAP. It took over 5 years of treatment to have success so don't want to leave a big gap plus I have severe endo and had 3 surgeries before finally having success so don't want to risk it getting really bad again. Who else has left a small gap before TTC number 2?

Hi Lauren, I left a 9 month gap before trying again so I guess not really small but not massive either. I'm not sure I would have been ready much sooner as wanted to give my body a bit of a rest and there's so much to go through with a baby. I'm starting back to work next week and while ideally I would have been a few weeks pregnant by now I think it's around the right time to start trying as little one will be in nursery a couple of days and I won't be quite as active with her all week as I am at the moment. Also baby is only now starting to sleep part of the night in her own bed. I think they normally say something like 18 months before getting pregnant after a csection.

Snow, glad af had finished. Strange that you had a really heavy, clotty one and mine was barely there. Be interesting to see what happens at my scan on Wednesday.

Lucie thanks for the reply, I think maybe I'm just getting carried away as he has slept through the night the past few nights (nearly 11 weeks) I start my KIT days at work this week and go back in June part time so I would imagine once that's happens the reality of 2 so close together will hit and it suddenly won't be as appealing. I work in an IVF clinic so I know I'm going to be feeling the itch to start again especially when I'm back. I hope your return to work goes well

Lauren, sometimes you get lured into a false sense of security with the sleeping in the early stages and then the 4 month sleep regression hits and it never really goes back to how it was. Although fingers crossed you just have a really good sleeper on your hands. Oh wow that's amazing working in an ivf clinic. I would love to do something like that after all we've been through.

Thank you snow. Good luck for your next cycle.

Welcome Lauren. We started TTC number 2 when DS was 2. He's 3.5 now.

Lauren, I went to Serum too. Great aren't they? I have a slight crush on my doctor, he's such a nice guy

Lucie thanks for the warning RE 4 months, I know I have been lucky so far and I will probably be posting soon saying my LO won't sleep and I can't cope I do love my job and feel so lucky to be able to support people through their treatment, although I did have a few cycles at the clinic I work at before I got the job so it was a bit strange starting a new job where everyone had seen me with my knickers off! It's great being able to pick the consultants brains on everything too.

Twinkle was it Giannis?? I know he has a bit of a fan club Sofia is my consultant she was amazing, i rave about them to everyone, I can't fault my experience with them and we had a lovely break in Athens too

My doctor was Ioannis

Can't fault my experience there, everyone was so lovely. Find out next week if they've made it happen for me!!

Haha yes the 4 month sleep regression. Killer! But I had a few friends whose LOs slept through from 10 weeks or so -lucky bitches!-

That’s amazing you work in an ivf clinic lauren. You must have seen it all!

lucie I know. Keeping fingers crossed your lining scan looks perfect and you will be good to go. Will you get a debrief on last cycle whilst you’re there?

Snow, no not really. We discussed via email and it could be any one of a number of things really they just can't say. It could be the embryo was damaged during testing or maybe the test was inaccurate. It could be blood clotting issue but I was already on clexane incase of that. It could be immunes but I was on prednisone but will also do the intralipids just incase this time. It could have just been bad luck or maybe my hormone levels weren't quite right during the natural fet hence trying the medicated. That's about as much of a debrief as they can give.

Ugh how frustrating. Well FX this cycle works!

Yes fingers crossed we both have better luck next time. Is your debrief next week? Will be interesting to see if they have anything different to say x

Yes it’s next weds. I am still bleeding a little bit! Bizarre. We’ll see. I’ve also got really ill the last few days - am wondering if my immune system was a bit haywire during the 2ww. I definitely had a cold on the day of ET and the few days following.

I also had a cold for transfer and afterwards. Who knows there's just no way of telling what it could have been.

Well exactly. You can’t do all the what ifs. I think your approach of doing all the “extras” is really sensible so will be pushing for that if my doctor doesn’t suggest it.

Yes I just want to feel that if the next one doesn't work that I did everything that I absolutely could. I have one or two regrets from the previous round and beat myself up a bit that I should have done this or that and I don't want that to happen next time. I can't actually think of anything else to add that I haven't already so hopefully that's a good thing.

Good luck to you both for your next round. So hard this process, so many 'what ifs' and we blame ourselves.

Feeling totally convinced today that it hasn't worked

I hear you lucie.

twinkle agh the 2ww is the worst. Hang in there.

Hang in there twinkle I remember having hardly any symptoms with my daughter and telling my mum it definitely hadn't worked this time. You never know though.

Had my lining scan and all went really well. It was 11mn trilaminar and follicles were all quiet. Last time it was 9mm so I'm quite pleased. Flying out next Thursday so will start progesterone Saturday. Intralipids tomorrow.