3 or more failed IVF cycles?

[RedPandaFluff]

Hello . . . I wondered if anyone would like to join a thread for those who have undergone three or more unsuccessful IVF cycles? I think it can be a particularly lonely place - I certainly don't have my initial hope or optimism anymore, but I do have moments where the despair lifts and I'm keen to keep trying.

I'll give my history . . .

38, premature ovarian failure, menopause
1 very early miscarriage, 2 chemicals in my late twenties/early thirties
Cycle 1 - donor eggs - 2 excellent embryos transferred but failed
Cycle 2 - donor eggs - 2 excellent embryos - took aspirin and prednisone - chemical pregnancy
Cycle 3 - donor eggs - 2 excellent embryos - failed

We have one frozen embryo that I'll transfer in Jan/Feb.

I want to do something, though . . . tests, investigations; I just don't know what. I'll definitely take the aspirin and prednisone again next time too.

Welcome @Blondeshavemorefun - was that extra days of progesterone prior to embryo transfer?

YES THE 2mg tablets you take for a fet. CALLEd progynova

Usually start on day of period and fet 19/20 days later

One showed needed more

NOT SURe what they would do for a fresh cycle. Assume same drugs

Oh you had to take more oestrogen, @Blondeshavemorefun? That happened to me too - my endometrial lining wasn't thick enough at the scan so I had to take a double dose from that point until the FET. I wasn't overly concerned by that; it seems like it happens a lot. They just want a nice, thick lining to be ready for the embryo. Congrats on your 5th cycle success - have you had your baby yet or are you pregnant at the moment?

Sorry I’m rubbish with drugs. Just R.E.M. the name.

Weirdly enough my lining was always good on my 3 fresh cycles 1.1 and think they advise /want over .8

The era somehow showed that although o had a thick lining
And even triple layer , that it was non receptive on day 19/20
When they usually do a fet

So I ended up taking think for another week /ten days as was on holiday - got scammed. Lining still 1.1 and had fet

Dd is now almost 21mths and our miracle baby

I would def look into having an era

www.igenomix.com/tests/endometrial-receptivity-test-era

Hello, may I join? I’m sadly in the same situation. My history - endo, only discovered/ diagnosed 3 years ago. Had surgery to remove a couple of endo / chocolate cysts. It seems this has damaged my ovarian reserve so AMH levels are super low - was 0.8 last year.
1st round - 4 eggs, 2 fertilised, transfered 1 embryo at 3 days. BFN
2nd round - 5 eggs, 3 fertilised and frozen on day 1 for later FET. Thawed all a couple of months later and none survived the thaw.
3rd round a couple of months ago - disasterous. No eggs collected so game over.
Consultant feels my eggs are crap and we should move to a DE. We’ve decided to give it one final round with me in the new year before going to a donor just to be sure.
All rounds have been different protocols - going back to the 2nd one - short antagonist - as this yielded the most but fresh transfer this time if we get that far.
Feeling sad that we’re in the same boat this Christmas as last year as hoped we’d be celebrating some good news!
I suppose good news is that we’re able to continue.....sorry this was so long!!

Hi @TheGlitterFairy - I know that feeling; I was so hopeful I would be pregnant by this Christmas.

I'm shocked that you weren't advised to go straight to donor eggs - my AMH was less than 1 and they wouldn't even contemplate attempting IVF with my own eggs.

Hi RedPandaFluff - yep - rubbish isn't it! But trying to be hopeful for 2019. Was failing miserably on this yesterday but better today.

There was a thought that the surgery I had to remove the cysts damaged the egg reserve (hence lack of quantity) though there was no reason at the time to suspect that the quality was bad, just that there weren't a lot knocking around.....so we proceeded on that basis.

The last protocol we did - short flare - is a bit controversial from what I understand anyway when you have a low reserve - so, given it's spectacular failure, we were in a quandry about whether to move to DEs on this round, or give it one last shot with me - to see if we can achieve some sort of miracle - or not. I guess that its more ensuring that we've done all we can with what I have available before we move onto that step. If we have the same result this time and/ or don't get to reach a BFP then we'll be moving forward with DEs. Tbh it's taken me a while to get my head around it so wanted to be sure that I was in the right head space with it too before going down that road.

Good luck for your transfer in the new year x

Sorry you've had such a tough time @theglitterfairy. I'm really hoping the next round works out but good you have a plan B.

@blondeshavemorefun - that is really interesting about the ERA. Did they not give you a specific day you should transfer on? I think this is something we might think about after another fresh round - if I have anything to freeze I might think about testing to see whether the lining in receptive.

This time of year feels really poignant doesn't it. Our first failed round was a year ago and although I was sad, I was really hopeful that things would be different this year. I am finding it hard to get my head around the fact that we are no further forward, and I can't even bring myself to hope things will change - apart from taking us closer to the end of the road.

They said I needed another day or two As womb wasn’t right

At the time we had a holiday booked for June and then the clinic shuts for 6w over summer mid July to sept

So they gave us a choice to take the medication progynova and then after holiday to be scanned and if lining still ok as had think 10 days extra then could go ahead

If lining wasn’t ok as may disintegrate due to too many hormones - then would scrap the fet. Stop taking hormones
And start again for sept

So we literally
Flew home. Got scanned following day at local clinic - as did ivf abroad - and then they emailed results to my ivf clinic who then rang me and said all looked good

To which I then started to take pesseries and think flew out week later for fet

I will never know if the extra hormones made it work

Or if it would have stuck anyway

The way I see it if you’ve had several failed ivf then have an era before trying again with precious embryos

It’s basically like a smear and take a scape of your lining and send it off

But know that the era showed not to transfer on the typical 19/20 day

Ugh.

Is anyone else feeling a little bit down? I remember being so excited last Christmas because we were just about to start IVF; there was a real possibility we'd have our baby in our arms by now.

Many, many thousands of pounds and much heartbreak later, we're right back at square one . . . minus the hope and optimism 😔

Yup, same place @RedPandaFluff
It's horrible isn't it.
Can't bear the thought of being here again this time next year.

I even sobbed through the nativity service when they talked about the immaculate conception and even 'barren old Elizabeth' bearing a child... pathetic and embarrassing.

Take care and be kind to yourself x

Big love to everyone - I know today is hard for lots of us. I remember thinking last year "surely this time next year I'll have a baby or a bump", but nope. I can't even bring myself to have the same thought about next year.

Merry Christmas @redpandafluff @botanica @dudewheresmybaby. I feel exactly the same. The milestones are so difficult aren’t they and I am worried next year will have bought us to the end of our journey rather than closer to what we want. I am dreading the year ahead.

Hope you all manage to enjoy the day a littlw bit xxx