5 x BFNs and Cycle 2 on the horizon - advice!

[Elly1685]

Hi all.

So, today was OTD of my final frozen embryo and it was a bfn. I kind of expected it as I didn’t feel any different.

On my second transfer I got a bfp and I knew it was going to be a bfp - I just felt it! Sadly it ended in an ectopic.

So .. here I am. One cycle down. 5 BFNs and trying to look forward to the next cycle.

We have an appointment with our DR in May to discuss next steps but the nurse told me today that because I’m NHS my second cycle will be the same as my first as that’s just ‘standard treatment’.

That made me feel like another number to them - gah!

What I really want to know is - who had a second cycle? Did you change anything? Try anything new? I did the whole healthy eating, giving up coffee/alcohol, taking vitamins etc but I didn’t go for the acupuncture? Should I?

What about medical interventions? The scratch? We would happily pay for add on treatment if it was offered but nothing is offered ...

I just feel so lost and want to make sure the next cycle is a positive step in the right direction.

Thanks x

Hi Elly - we've been on a thread before, haven't we? I think it was the 2WW torture thread. I'm so sorry you haven't had success yet - I haven't either, I'm on cycle 4, 2dp5dt of one hatching blast and yet again losing my mind!

I'm shocked that you've had five transfers and they're not considering doing anything different. Isn't that the definition of insanity?!

Have you considered private tests? Immediately prior to this cycle I went to Prague and did a hysteroscopy, endometrial scratch, sperm DNA fragmentation, immunology tests, MTHFR mutation, Karyotype etc. Tests showed I have elevated NK cell activation and I have the MTHFR mutation. Everything was less than half the cost of the UK.

HOWEVER . . . even before we got the results, my consultant suggested I take prednisolone and Inhixa. I was already taking methylated folate in case there was a MTHFR issue so I actually think I'm covered for the issues identified.

I would push push push for prednisolone at the very least. It's cheap and is prescribed empirically a lot because it doesn't do any harm, but could do some good.

I mean in the one sense, five transfers from one cycle is flipping amazing so at least another cycle has a good shot at producing embryos.

Most of the recent evidence I've seen points towards the scratch not actually having any impact, plus lots of women find it quite painful and there are (unlikely, not not nonexistent) risks to having it done, so personally I wouldn't go there - but do review the evidence base for yourself.

The main stuff a private clinic would probably be suggesting at this point is:

• Testing your thyroid function (the 'normal' range for fertility is narrower than for, like, ordinary life)
• Immunes testing (although be aware that there is quite a lot of controversy over whether elevated NK cells in your blood has any relevance at all to what's happening in your uterus).
• Blood clotting testing.
• Maaaaybe, depending on the clinic, endometrial receptivity testing to ensure the timing of transfers is appropriate.

5 attempts off once cycle is good. Tho sorry you haven’t had a success

I would be asking for an era.

Before you have another embryo put back

And maybe some other tests as below

Thanks for you’re replies everyone! Yeah I’m so lucky that one cycle produced so many embryos. We lost 4 embryos in the first thaw with fet so we were lucky the others thawed. Hopefully our second cycle will be successful but yes I will asking about all of the above that you have mentioned.

@red I’m also concerned aboutNK cells as I have Crohn’s disease which can apparently create cells which attack the embryo so maybe medication will help with that.

I will definitely be asking for ERA testing tho! It’s whether my clinic will offer it to me as an nhs patient!