Embryo Banking Support Thread / PGS wait

[ForeverAintEnough]

Hi all, I’ve just name changed but I’ve been on here loads and chatting to many of you under different user names ( irrational fear of being outed!). I wondered if there was interest in a ‘no transfer happening’ group? So those doing embryo banking or PGS or whatever.

I’ve just done one round of embryo banking and found the normal threads difficult with discussion of hoping for a Christmas pregnancies etc.

We are unfortunately taking the long way round with 3 rounds and no transfer. It looks like my first transfer might not be until June 2021.

If anyone wants to jump on feel free!

About us: Me 34, DH 36, TTC 3 years. Both male and female issues. x3 rounds of IVF all failed. Moved clinic to Lister for 3 rounds of embryo banking and PGS. One round of embryo banking just finished with x3 blasts sent off for PGS testing.

@Janefx40

Hi. I can completely relate to being worried about getting covid. I teach online and so pleased I do as it’s really bad in schools at present. I’m getting my booster jab tomorrow.

I was going to go out for a family meal on Boxing Day as life is difficult due to my Dad’s stroke and high care needs. My mum was going to have a couple of hours off from the stress of everything and I booked a meal at a restaurant but I’m cancelling as I’m so worried.

@Janefx40

I hope you’re still managing to do nice things for Christmas.

I’m taking dhea now just because of my age. I just wondered if you remember whether you were taking 75mg total a day of dhea, with food and whether you had to let them dissolve to absorb better. My dhea bottle says to take just in the morning, but the clinic say different things! Thanks so much for your replies.

Hi @2021ivfagain sorry I didn't see this post and all a long time ago now. I spaced my DHEA throughout the day yes.

Hope you had a good Christmas xxx

@Sarahk20000

Good luck with all the tests. Hope you had a good Christmas.

I’m worried about my next cycle. I took dhea even though my levels were good. I spoke to a different consultant who said with my results he would not have me take dhea. Anyway I was worried about taking it and my period has not turned up.

I stupidly decided to take 50mg instead of keeping with 25mg. But the clinic originally told me 75mg is fine. Anyway, I don’t think I even ovulated. I stopped tracking ovulation but just track my period dates. So feeling a bit fed up. I should have listened to the other consultant. It is a powerful hormone drug and can do more harm than good.

Anyway I hope you’re doing well. I would recommend having lots of avocados and warm food and drink. Avoiding foods which increase inflammation is good. So avocados are excellent as they decrease inflammation in the body. Nuts and seeds are also good.

Are you having a medicated or natural FET?

Keep us posted.

@Janefx40

Hi. Hope you had a good Christmas. Thanks for your message. Good luck with your FET.

I started taking dhea a few months ago and now my period is about 4 days late. I’ve not bothered taking a pregnancy test as I’ve not had symptoms. I’m convinced I did not ovulate. I had close to period-like symptoms start a few days ago such as tiredness and feeling upset. This always occurs at the onset of my period, but period never turned up. I might have to call the clinic when they reopen. Is that 30th December?

How are you doing?

@2021ivfagain hope you had a restful and good Christmas. The clinic dates are in the attached. I think you are with CRGH too. Seem to be back on the 29th but I do recall the nurse saying 30th to me. The DHEA impacts could lead to delay to your period (I remember researching it and getting put off by its impact on cycles but then there is a lot of positive about it too on how it helps so hopefully you will see the benefit) but you should do a pregnancy test to be on the safe side. If not pregnant, I hope the period arrives quickly! For my part I am on Northisterone right now and off it from 2nd Jan so hope a period arrives quickly after for me to start - it is a fully medicated cycle albeit with cetrotide rather than down regulation. I am trying my best to avoid covid right now with my husband a doctor in hospital he is exposed a lot seeing many patients. I really want to fast forward to the transfer which hopefully will fall around 24th Jan. Wishing everyone a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

@Sarahk20000 thanks for posting the clinic opening times. I don't think they've been very clear with sharing them. Really hope you manage to avoid Covid 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

I think we are all CRGH on this thread now.

I should be coming on sometime in the next few days then hopefully going in for a scan which should be 31st or 2nd. My consultant said I can do days 1-4 for this so considerable leeway.

@2021ivfagain I hope your period will arrive soon. The DHEA will hopefully not have delayed it for long and it doesn't mean it has done any harm. Fingers crossed all is well.

Looks like we'll all be at the clinic around the same time. No pressure as part of the point of these threads is to be anonymous but if anyone does want to say hi in person (if we're in at the same time) then drop me a DM

Xxx

@Janefx40

Hi. Thanks for your messages.

We’re all at the same clinic! Unfortunately, I can’t start yet. I’m not on norethisterone until cycle day 14. The issue is my period came too early after my first egg collection, then I couldn’t do another one in December due to closure! Then my period got delayed due to dhea! I was taking too much. I increased to 50mg for 2 weeks but went back to 25mg and my period turned up. As my levels were normal, I’ve decided to slowly reduce it.

I came across an old post where someone ended up with high levels after two months. I noticed I had more energy but then it affected my sleep and today just on 25mg I woke up with the worst migraine ever! However, I’m on cycle day one of my period after the booster vaccine! I took the booster vaccine two weeks ago but feel worse today that after vaccines! I think as my dhea is normal I should not take it. I’m going to reduce slowly to 25mg every other day. I start norethisterone in 2 weeks.

I expect you’re excited it’s getting close. What protocol do you have? Are you being downregulated? It sounds like things are falling into place. I think embryo batching is so very hard as well. IVF is so intense. Keep us posted.

@Sarahk20000
Hi. Thanks for information. I need to call them to book a repeat blood test for dhea. I think my hormones have been affected. I woke up with the worst migraine ever!

At least I got my period but had to drop to 25mg. I’m going to stop gradually. From what I’ve read, it can really mess up menstrual cycles and if dhea level is normal, it should not be used or it does not take much to overdo it. It scared me so much.

I’m not stopping wheatgrass, however. That has been really good. That was something you could add before transfer. It’s more for egg retrievals, but I think it could also help with implantation. I also know that eating protein-rich foods is a good idea.

How is your preparation going? It sounds like you’ve had thorough tests. I completely understand that and I would do the same. Could you let me know your protocol for FET? Good luck and keep us posted.

@SarahK20000
Please note that wheatgrass must only be used before transfer. It’s not safe in pregnancy.

@Janefx40 good luck with the start of your cycle. Embryo batching is hard work indeed! It will be great to say hello if we are in the clinic at the same time. I will drop you a DM with my schedule when I know my baseline scan day etc. i finish with Northisterone on the 1st.
@2021ivfagain thanks for the wheat grass tip. shame you still have to take Northisterone. I have lost so much time in between cycles over the last year so it’s always frustrating to wait. My FET cycle is. Day 1-7 Cetrotide, Day 3 until pregnancy test progynova (both orally and vaginal use), around Day 15 introducing progesterone in the from of lentogest injection, Lubion injections, cyclogest suppositories plus inhixa injection (blood thinning), utrogestan tablets. This time I am also having prednisolone tablets steroid for my raised NK cells from the same time and an intralipid infusion around Day 8/9. A lot of these medicines continue if the pregnancy test is positive for up to 10 weeks! I have also taken antibiotics and will use vaginal probiotics before transfer for some infection they spotted. I think my consultant is throwing everything at it. Let’s see what happens. Atleast I know we are trying everything.

Hello. For some reason this thread has dropped out of my "threads I'm on" section so I sometimes miss updates.

@Sarahk20000 yes let me know your schedule. My period hasn't started yet but think it will tomorrow so should be in either 31st or 2nd Jan.

@2021ivfagain I've done all my batching then done ERA, Emma, Alice and NK tests and now on to transfer. I'm doing a natural cycle so have to have quite a few scans but very few meds. I'll do intralipids early on then a trigger shot then just cyclogest until test day.

Yes the delays are frustrating!! And I've also read not to take DHEA if your levels are normal so not sure why your consultant has put you on it but I'm sure they know more than I do!!! Sounds sensible to reduce. How do you take the wheatgrass?

Have a massive headache so not banking on getting through it without Covid!! But we shall see

@Janefx40
@Sarahk20000

Hi

If starting your cycle soon for FET, it might be best not to start the wheatgrass.

I have heard that nettle tea is really good to have. In fact, I drank it in the lead up to my transfer and early pregnancy. It is an acquired taste but is good for the thyroid. I also tried to eat protein-rich foods as well.

@janefx40

It’s strange that it’s not alerting you of new messages. I’m sorry you also had a massive headache. It’s a very stressful time especially with covid. I had the booster this month for extra protection. Do you work from home?

@2021ivfagain yes I work from home. I think it was just a menstrual headache. Period started today and am booked in for scan and appt on Sunday. Off we go...for now...until I get Covid 😂

I quite like nettle tea. I will try some although my thyroid is ok I think

Xxx

@Janefx40

I can empathise. Yesterday was the first day of my period and my migraine lasted 10 hours! If you work from home and you’re not really going out much, you should be fine.
Were you able to get your booster?

I emailed the clinic today about dhea concerns. Only taking 25mg at present! They will let me know what to do.

Nettle tea is excellent for thyroid and overall health. When I got pregnant, that was one of the first drinks I could no longer tolerate drinking!

It’s good to stay in touch. I don’t know many still in this group. If you are going to the clinic at the same time, we’ll have to say hello.

@Janefx40 good luck with the cycle and Sunday’s baseline scan!! It’s good to get going. You are ahead of me and your non-medicated cycle seems much simpler. On your intralipids I will be interested to hear what that appointment involves, as have never done this and the steroids before. I come off the Northisterone on the 1st so think baseline won’t be until Friday or Saturday (7th or 8th) next week. I can totally relate to the fear of catching covid impacting the cycle. It’s literally all round and I also keep thinking I won’t escape it 😞 fingers crossed we all do escape it as it will be so frustrating to have any cancelled cycles 😢

I am back at CRGH. My jaunt around Europe to get PRP failed miserably, as I ended up in a quarantine there and once I returned to England.

I am at the clinic now having my baseline scan, starting my third oocyte accumulation cycle.

In terms of PRP I have had consultations with 2 clinics. I have a further consultation in a few days time and should be able to undergo treatment at the end of January/start of February 2022.

I wish each of you a very happy New Year.

@Sarahk20000 I just read you are on your eighth cycle now? That's a true warrior.

You have been through a very tough time and you have been patient throughout - I wish you the very very best of luck.

Happy New Year to you.

@2021ivfagain hello dear! I hope things are better now that you have petered off the DHEA.

Are you taking wheatgrass tablets or powders? Would you mind sharing the brand name with me? Thank you.

@Sarahk20000 I've had intralipids before but at ARGC so not sure how it will work at CRGH. I just had to sit there on a drip for an hour or so.

Do you know if we have to do a PCR at CRGH as part of an FET? I know we do for fresh cycles.

@Ivfhoper welcome back. Sorry you've had a hard time.

Xxx

@Ivfhoper oh it’s a shame about your PRP treatment but glad you can get to it later. Good luck with your latest cycle. And thanks so much for the very kind wishes 😊
@Janefx40 a drip doesn’t sound so bad! Assume it will be the same here as it says the process will take around 1hr 30 mins in the consent form literature. Yes they do ask for a PCR test strangely quite early in the cycle sometimes. Do remind them when they set up your appointment schedule if they don’t mention it (as they forgot twice with me). You can do it yourself or with the clinic - it was £150 with the clinic which I assume you know if you have done it before. Mine is a transfer under sedation so tends to be 72 hours prior to the procedure. But I think even a non sedation/theatre transfer needs one.

AF arrived today to wish me happy new year so egg banking starts tomorrow. Anyone else on a similar time frame?

Also can anyone give me levels/ranges for DNA frag test? Have been given results over phone whilst waiting for email copy but not quite sure what it all means.

@InvisibleDreamer I am waiting for my period but am on a frozen transfer cycle so different from you. Some people on here are doing egg banking though I think are slightly ahead of you in timing this month. For my part, we had some sperm issues in terms of motility but we never did a fragmentation test which I assume is what you may be referring to. I think levels over 15 percent are considered a worry from my research at the time but don’t know much about this area. It’s good you are having it checked out though as we lost a cycle due to some sperm issues and only when we used IMSI (basically a greater magnifying ability for checking sperm before injecting it into eggs) in subsequent cycles we got to blastocyst stage. Are you banking eggs or embryos?

@InvisibleDreamer AF arrived for me late today so cd1 will be Jan 2nd, should do first stim injection Jan 3rd.
I'm just freaking out slightly though as looking at the dates, if you go off of how many days into cycle I did EC last round, this round it would then land on a Sunday. My clinic only has the ability to PGT-A test on certain days of the week due to lab staff, and as I understand it Sunday isn't one of them, I will try to find out the exact days of the week that are blacked out but i have a bad feeling my cycle is going to fall flat bang on them this time. So, so frustrating that they can't do PGT-A for all days of EC.

@Sarahk20000 yes we are embryo banking just realised that the cycles will be back to back so hoping we can improve my partners results in time for last round.

@tulipsandsnow can they not delay by a day of that is the case and give you your trigger shot a day later? We are also PGTA testing.

Does anyone know if you can get a smear test done during ivf cycles? Or do I have to wait until we have completed all 3 egg collections?