Oct/Nov IVF, ICSI & FET - Let's do this!

[Marmite83]

Hi all

I recently had a mmc from my first IVF cycle and am waiting for AF to appear (probably 3-4 weeks away) so we can do FET. I think we'll probably go for a natural cycle but am waiting for some information from my clinic to make a final decision. Had follow up consultation yesterday and will be having nurse consultation in the next couple of weeks hopefully. If anyone is happy to share their FET experiences I'd love to hear them. A little worried that a natural cycle might be the wrong choice. Anyway, if anyone fancies joining me for some support then join the thread.

Congratulations @LillyLeaf, so happy for you.

So sorry about the BFN @mincedpea

@sometimesalways, I'm glad you finally have an answer and it's not ectopic. Take it easy and treat yourself to plenty of lovely food and drink.

I've had such a bad stomach this evening, a bit worried it's a bad sign. My daughter's had a nasty cold too. Not great timing!

@mincedpea so sorry for the bad news.

@sometimesalways after my first MMC, I ended up in A&E as I was in so much pain - they gave me morphine and it mad everything seem so much better for a while! I would say to make sure your body is recovered properly from the MC before you try again - I didn't and my body just wasn't ready for another go.

I started getting sore boobs, but then yesterday had some cramping and my boobs are back to normal. I'm guessing this means a BFN. Distracting myself with DIY this weekend - I find painting really therapeutic.

@LillyLeaf that's great news, congratulations! I know this bit is nervewracking but hang in there!

@mincedpea I'm so sorry, that sucks. Are you on OTD already?

@sometimesalways you've had such a rough time of it! So sorry. But glad it seems to be resolving now without being an ectopic.

@Marmite83 sorry about the bad stomach, but could well just be the progesterone?

@ginandtonicformeplease distraction sounds like a good shout!

I foolishly tested today at 5dp5dt and it was a BFN, and of course now I'm gutted and looking at lots of google image search results of other peoples' pee sticks. Gahh. I know it's early but I'd really hoped I'd see a result already since my blastocyst had already hatched when they transferred it - should have been ready to implant if it was going to.

Thanks all for your kind messages, it was really cheering to read them just now and know that I'm not alone in this. Was surprised at how sad my OH was about the result too, I guess we'd both been a bit more hopeful than we should have been. Oh well, onwards and upwards.

@LillyLeaf Really hoping this one stays with you, when do you get a scan or update?

@sometimesalways Thanks for your message, when I read your update it definitely gave me some perspective. I hope the next few days aren't too hard on you and I'm very relieved to hear it's not an ectopic.

@orangefolly My OTD is actually tomorrow, which would be 12dp5dt, but I doubt things will have changed from yesterday. I'll find out tomorrow how long I have to wait before trying again. I'm sorry your result today was negative, but it's still early days and I've read that sometimes it just takes longer for the HCG to register on an IVF round so fingers crossed it'll be a better result next time you test.

@Russkispy How are you getting on? When will your next FET be?

@Marmite83 Dodgy belly is never fun, hopefully it's just a temporary bit of discomfort. I think you said you get strong symptoms from 6 weeks onwards, but maybe it's earlier this time around?

@ginandtonicformeplease Good idea with the DIY distraction, hopefully it's not a BFN for you, sore blobs might well be a good sign. What day are you up to?

Thanks again all, wishing you all that magical baby dust!

@mincedpea it's so hard not to have even a tiny bit of hope, don't be too hard on yourselves. I have no idea about a scan yet, I have my blood test tomorrow so I'll know more after that.

@orangefolly that does feel early? What test did you use? Will you test everyday or hold out a few more days to test again?

@ginandtonicformeplease are you on progesterone? I don't think we can pay much attention to symptoms while on drugs. I love painting, I think I might do some over Christmas.

@Marmite83 how are you feeling? I randomly had a bad stomach for 2 days last week, then it just went away.

@sometimesalways I hope you're feeling better physically. It certainly is a relief when a MC is getting to an end, it's such an awful thing to go through. Look after yourself.

@orangefolly I think it's too early at 5dp5dt to show on a test really. My last transfer the test at 11dp5dt showed negative - I was gutted, spent the weekend eating chocolate. My clinic likes you to stay on the meds for an extra 3 days and test again just in case: London and behold it was positive! I couldn't believe it and sent DH our for (multiple) more tests.

@LillyLeaf Yes I'm on progesterone - I know it's impossible to symptom spot with all these drugs in the system but I still do it! This cycle has been really weird: for the last three I've had side effects from when I started the progynova but nothing this time. Last time was my first on steroids - I put on tonnes of weight and was hungry all the time. Nothing this time. The only side effect I've had at all is the aspirin and now clexane making me bruise even more easily after acupuncture.

DIY was a fantastic way to get my mind off everything. FIL came and helped us - he knows nothing about the IVF (can't trust MIL to keep it to herself) but he's got such a calming presence that I don't get as annoyed at DH's general incompetence at anything practical!

Awful dream that this cycle didn't work as I got the meds wrong. DH just didn't get why I found it so upsetting. Gah!

Feeling much better thanks @LillyLeaf, we had a really lazy day yesterday and I'm working from home today as I don't want to risk spreading something round if it's a bug. How are you feeling?

I don't think it's pregnancy symptoms @mincedpea, still no nausea or anything other than slightly sore boobs. I hope the clinic says you don't need to wait too long to try again.

Dreams can feel so real sometimes can't they @ginandtonicformeplease, hope you're feeling a bit better now.

@Marmite83 I've not felt well myself. I woke up at 4am with cramps and (tmi) diarrhea, I felt awful, so I think I have a bug. I'm at home today so resting up. I had my blood test this morning and nurse wasn't too concerned, just told me to rest and drink plenty.

@ginandtonicformeplease I've got some lovely bruises from inhixa and acupuncture and random ones on my legs (I bump into things), I look lovely. Only one massive one on my stomach so not too bad.

So I had my final scan today - clinic confirmed LH surge this morning but also have me an hcg trigger as well (as read having hcg in system can also boost body receptivity) - transfer booked in for Sunday but still feeling a bit down about it all

Have opted not to have the blood test as confirmation as just want to do the test at home in OTD x

That all sounds pretty positive to me @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted, I'll have everything crossed for your transfer on Sunday. Sorry you're feeling down about it all, I hope time goes quickly for you and you're able to feel a little more positive about things soon.

@itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted I have everything crossed for you, I know it hard to be positive through all this.

@LillyLeaf
Did you get the results of your blood test? Hopefully a good hcg number 🤞🤞

@itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted Fingers crossed for Sunday, hope it's a successful transfer. It must be hard psyching yourself up for it, sorry you're not feeling the best right now. Sending a hug.

@ginandtonicformeplease Funnily enough I've been told off by my clinic (also London) for not testing today and for stopping my progesterone early. I figured that a 10dp5dt test result would be close to 100% accurate but they say wait a bit longer and test again. I am keeping my hopes low but anyway, nothing to lose really. And I'm pleased I made it to test day this time at least! I have to wait until the cycle after this one to try another FET, but I think we will probably wait until after Christmas and have a bit of IVF down time.

Hope you have a nice blood test result @LillyLeaf and that both you and @Marmite83 feel better soon.

Yes I got the results, they were really happy with the HCG level as well as the progesterone so no need for another test. I also took an FRER this morning and the test lines was slightly darker than the control line so I'm happy with that. Scan booked for 5th December. I really don't know how I'll keep my mind off this for 2 and half weeks.

I've had my trigger shot and egg collection is Wednesday morning, yay! And ahhhh! Eek! I hope I did the trigger shot right, a little bit of it was left in the vial when I took it out, but i pushed the plunger down fully. Over thinking this now!

@lillyleaf great news on your darker lines. @marmite83 how are you feeling? @lucyinthe how are things with you? xx

Pretty certain I had the same thing when I did my trigger @Roobles79, didn't do any harm. I'm feeling ok thanks, tummy is fine now. Just wish I had some more symptoms to help put my mind at rest a little.

How are you doing @sometimesalways?

Great news about the hcg @LillyLeaf

@LillyLeaf good news about HCG. Hope those 2 and a bit weeks pass quickly for you!

@Roobles79 good luck for Wednesday! 🤞🏻

@sometimesalways how are you doing?

Nothing to report here. Just plodding on. Still trying to work out why first DE cycle failed. Other than that it's just shit. Sorry for being a downer

Thanks everyone, I honestly don't know how I would get through this without you ladies.

@Russkispy @Marmite83 I am alright, processing and sort of getting back to normal. DS's 3rd birthday is coming up and trying not to let our ivf troubles overshadow his big day. It's hard but this business just seeps into every aspect of life somehow! And it's not fair to him.

Have the final blood tests tomorrow and hopefully they will be fine and we will then book a dr's consultation with the clinic to discuss next steps. I think I'd like to do exactly the same thing (natural cycle) as I felt really calm and weirdly in control with it. I think the big question for us would be whether to take steroids or not.

We might be overthinking and I know many people take them but we read that there can be side effects and it scares us (speaking of long term for my health and baby's health, not short term thing while I take them).

Either way we prob will be looking at next cycle in January to give me time to recover etc and also cause of the holidays (sounds like we might coordinate again @Russkispy ?)

In the meantime I am keeping my fingers crossed for all of you having scans soon! It's so exciting and you getting there gives us all hope I will keep checking this thread for updates

Will someone please give me a slap! Did a Clearblue digi this morning because I was hoping it would give me a little peace of mind but it still shows 2-3 weeks. Was really hoping it would show 3+ as that's how far I should be. I've now convinced myself that it's all going wrong again. I know the tests are a guide but now I can't help but think that my hcg isn't increasing enough if it still says 2-3. Did this in both my last pregnancies at the same point and it said 3+. Why do I do this to myself!

@Marmite83 I'm sure it's fine, they are never going to be accurate, there's way too many variables. But if you are worried maybe contact your clinic and ask for another blood test, I'm sure they would do it just to put your mind at rest.

I have no tests left in the house. I'm wondering if I should buy anymore or just wait for the scan.

Insomnia has truly kicked in, maybe it's the hormones, the drugs or anxiety, I don't know, I'm so tired now.

@Marmite83 I hear the clearblue one with the weeks is notoriously unreliable cause of the big hCG differences between pregnancies. Only a blood test can be truly accurate, so don't worry too much!

@Marmite83
How many days post transfer are you? What was your starting hcg blood level and on what day? If you double the number every 2 days at what point does the number get over about 2700 (this will give you an idea of when you should expect a 3+)

I wouldn't normally advocate this but I have been known to do it in the past (and the only time in 7 pregnancies has clearblue been wrong has been my 2 ectopics) so I can hardly say don't stress/panic as I'm the worst!

Take the test apart - to get a 3+ all 3 lines need to be super dark on the two test strips inside (one will have 2 lines on it and the other will have 1) - if one of the lines is a fair bit fainter you'll know you're a way off getting a 3+

Thanks for the info @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted. Based on the hcg doubling every two days I should have gone over 2700 today. I pulled the test apart and all three lines were fairly strong. I'm hoping that if I take another test on Thursday it will say 3+

Hey guys, another BFN for me today. OTD is tomorrow so I think that means we're out now for this cycle. Still taking the drugs, but coming to terms with it not having worked. Gutting. But I know I am lucky that we still have some embryos frozen.

@Marmite83 I totally understand the anxiety but it sounds like you are on track, those digital weeks indicators are notorious for being unreliable and generating worry!

Hope the rest of you are all doing well