FET after 'freeze all' cycle

[bicyclesandbeyond]

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone can offer some thoughts if you've been through this?
I had egg collection a week ago and was advised to freeze all as my oestrogen level became fairly high during stims and they were worried about OHSS risk.
My first question is when to start my FET cycle - has anyone done this starting immediately with their post-IVF bleed, or did you wait another 1/2/3 natural cycles?
Also wondering about FET protocols people have tried, and pros/cons? I've got a consultation with my clinic next week, and I'm sure they will guide me, but I want to be as informed as possible before then.
Thank you!

Hi @bicyclesandbeyond , i went through something similar.. had fresh cycle which was freeze all due to OHSS and then frozen. My clinic was a bit careless to let me start next fet cycle with just one withdrawal bleed.. obviously the cycle resulted into bfn.. clinic later told me that they advise to wait for 1 natural cycle after withdrawal bleed..which they missed to follow in my case. My clinic ( woking Nuffield) has only 1 type of Fet which is for a duration of 2 months and includes down reg.. so i am not aware of any other type of FeT

This also happened to me. But I did a natural non medicated FET. From the date of egg collection to the FET was 6 weeks exactly and that's pretty much the quickest you can get it - I did short protocol ivf though so periods came back straight away- I had a post egg collection bleed 5 days after collection and then got my period about 2-3 weeks later I then transferred 5 days after I ovulated naturally on that cycle (so no drugs)

@duckhouse that’s interesting and I’m sorry you had that experience. Just after egg collection the Consultant mentioned that I could choose to start FET protocol with my IVF withdrawal bleed OR wait for my 1st natural period after that - apparently there is some new evidence that both can be equally successful. However he still suggested waiting until after at least one natural cycle.

Thanks @ivfgottostaypositive - good to hear your cycle came back quickly. I did ‘mild ivf’ short protocol with Ovitrelle trigger (at the point of trigger there was still some hope of a fresh transfer, otherwise they would have used buserelin). I’m a bit confused when I’ll bleed - the doctor said anything from 5-15 days? It sounds like your body did a great job getting back to normal so quickly.

I think my clinic is going to recommend a medicated FET with oestrogen tablets from around the start of my period, then adding in progesterone pessaries. I just don’t quite understand how they work out the optimum day for transfer. I know some people have an ERA but I think it’s too early days for us to consider this. Probably a question for the clinic!

@bicyclesandbeyond

I haven't don't a medicated transfer but I think they look for lining thickness and hormone levels to know when to transfer x

That sounds sensible, thanks @ivfgottostaypositive. Good luck with the rest of your treatment x

Ideally they look and find the triple layer

And check hormones

It’s usually day 19/20 in a medicated fet

Hi bicyclesandbeyond. I've wondered the same as you (how long to wait after IVF to do FET). Clinics seem to do it straight away starting from withdrawal bleed. My clinic seemed to say this is possible though couldn't get a clear answer as not at that stage. I'm actually in the process of doing a medicated FET. Cycle day 1 was yesterday (got my period). I started progynova (estrogen) yesterday 2mg 3x per day. They book me in for a scan around day 10 to check my lining is good which it always is! :-) Then they tell me to take 5 days of progesterone pessaries 3x per day starting cycle day 13. Then the embryo transfer will be cycle day 18. The pregnancy test is 11 days later. So my embryo transfer is on June 23rd I think and my test day is 4th of July. (I've done this exercise twice before so it's pretty simple). Any questions let me know. Good luck!

I've a similar schedule to @chatwithme I'm on CD 8 today, have been taking Progynova since last Monday and am booked for my first scan on Tuesday. They think the transfer will be 19th/20th. I've got Cyclogest, Clexane and Lubion to take for the second half of this cycle.

Our EC was changed into a freeze all due to Covid and we only have one day 5 blast. Hopefully it will survive the thaw!

I was told To have a proper period then start

Hi Rumtopf - I'm glad to see your name again (from end of last year's cycle together) and that you're doing an FET around the same time as me! Good luck. Yes I only have one embryo (5 day blast) so hoping we're both lucky this time ;-) Sounds like your test day is July 1st or thereabouts. Not long now!

@bicyclesandbeyond sorry I forgot to say that although my situation was different due to the lockdown, I was advised to have post EC bleed and then one natural cycle before commencing any more treatment. Fwiw both periods were awful and I still felt like I was incredibly hormonal and not my normal self.

@Chatwithme nice to "see" you too, I'm glad to have someone familiar to go through this with. My clinic mentioned testing a fortnight after transfer so I think they'll suggest July 3rd? Do we have another thread going for the women whose cycles were cancelled and changed to FET?

Oh I see Rumtopf that's interesting. Not sure about other threads. I hesitate to join one specifically to track eachother's progress cause it's a downer when it doesn't work but I'm happy for anyone to PM me if interested x

@chatwithme fair enough, I see your point. Was wanting to ask a Q without derailing the original thread. Will pm you instead.

@ChatWithMe that sounds like a very similar protocol to my clinic, thanks for the info and reassurance.

@Blondeshavemorefun and @Rumtopf sounds like your experience of waiting for a natural cycle fits with what I've been told too, makes sense I guess. In some ways I'm quite glad of the break as I still feel a bit bloated from EC and I want to be as well as possible for the FET.

Good luck all of your for your transfers! I think I won't be at that stage until late July at the earliest. x

That's cool OP. Yes a wait is good for the body. Mine feels much better as EC was in March so kinda glad lockdown made me wait a bit extra for this transfer. Fingers crossed for you x