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.

You have a good result too @IslandStars! 6 fertilized is great! Hope the next days will bring you some good news :)

The embryologist and my Dr called me this afternoon, and they actually froze the 6 embryos. Some are apparently at early morula and starting to compact. And they look good. Let's hope they will make good blastocytes.

We are completely shocked but happy, for someone with old eggs! This means i may not be allowed to have another IVF cycle (i am NHS funded at uclh/we are allowed 3 cycles)...... My consultant wants me to batch in order to get more to pgs test. He will discuss my case with the other consultants. If they agree, i will have a downregulation cycle when my periods return and then the stims, early March then.

Take care xx
S.

How's everyone doing? I got 4 blasts in the end from this cycle, so 13 blasts overall from my 3 cycles. I've decided to PGS 8 of the best graded ones for the time being and hope that's enough to find one or two normal embryos. Can't complain about how things have gone so far, just have to hope my luck doesn't run out yet! Have a very nervous 3 week wait now, as if the usual 2ww isn't bad enough!

That's brilliant @IslandStars and @Sophfr17 !! What a result!

The scans this week were more reassuring. Yesterday there were 7 follicles 16- 21mm, 4 at 14-15mm and a few at around 12mm. My partner injected the last menopur yesterday evening then the trigger shot very early this morning. Egg collection is tomorrow - fingers crossed it goes well xx

Well done @IslandStars! 8 to PGS test is so good!
Good luck for tomorrow @MrsC2019 :) i didn't feel a thing when i did it 10 days ago^^

I am quite depressed actually, cause what I have is only 6 embryos at day 3. And the NHS may refuse my second cycle.... how could 6 d3 embryos all reach day 5 and all be PGS tested (we will do the pgs privately)? The plan for me was to batch, and suddenly not anymore... all doctors will meet tomorrow to talk about it and make a decision... I am very pessimistic.
Xx

@MrsC2019 Thank you, good luck tomorrow, sounds like you will have a decent a number of eggs, at least 7 are at perfect stage. It will all be over quickly, I was quite nervous first time just while I was waiting to go into theatre, but the procedure itself was fine.

@Sophfr17 Thanks, I’ve been very lucky so far. I’ve had 6 left at day 3 a couple of times and did manage to get some blasts. A drop off rate is normal though so I understand getting all 6 blasts will be tough. You can still get good numbers though.

Really tough if they won’t let you bank anymore, seems unfair when that was the original plan. Hope you get some good news this week.

Take care ladies, let us know how it goes for you both xx

Hi everyone, that’s great news @IslandStars you must be so pleased. 8 is a great number for PGS testing. Good luck with it 🤞

@Sophfr17 congratulations on your embryos also, I hope you get positive news after the consultants discuss your care. It’s all so nerve racking isn’t it.

@MrsC2019 good luck for EC tomorrow. Ours is on Thurs at 9am. I took my triggers tonight. This is my second cycle. I’m hoping to have around 7 eggs fingers crossed. That’s how many I had last time and ended up with two blastocysts, one day 5 4AB and 1 day 6 3CC. I’m so hoping we can get get some more. I’m 41 so there’s a lot riding on these three cycles. Best of luck everyone xxx

@Sara279 Thank you, good luck for tomorrow, i was hoping for 2 blasts per round too. Ended up getting more, but i always thought in my mind 1 embryo plus back up per round would be my best hope when i started this at 41 too. You never know, you could get more. My number of blasts per round varied each time. Seems we're all having a big week! x

@IslandStars I know it does seem like we're all having a big week doesn't it. Fingers crossed for us all xx

Hi all,

My consultant just told me that i will do another cycle now to create more embryos :) we are so happy, it will increase our chances!

Big rollercoasters in our minds and bodies; dear god that is so freaking hard.

Xxx

@Sophfr17 That's fantastic, so pleased it's worked out, at least that it one less thing to worry about!

That's brilliant news @Sophfr17 I'm so pleased to hear!
Have you any idea when you might be able to begin your next round?

Thanks everyone - we got 10 eggs at collection today :-). Praying for good fertilisation news tomorrow! X

Thanks @IslandStars and @MrsC2019!

He wants me to have a month of downregulation with Norethisterone, and the stims early March then. Same drugs, 225 Bemfola + 225 Menopur.

I am glad it went well @MrsC2019, 10 is a good number! Now you can rest a lot and relax, and drink a lot of fluid. Lets hope for some good news tomorrow :)
X

And thanks also for your encouragements @Sara279; sorry, i am very tired^^
I feel less lonely being in this group

@Sophfr17 don't worry. I'm knackered too. EC tomorrow. New job started today. Loads of other stuff gong on.... I sometimes wish we could just concentrate on just one thing, like the IVF... sadly life doesn't work like that. Glad you find the group comforting and hope you get some good sleep tonight... and that I do too :0)))) xxx

Yeah it is never easy, always so much going on around, never only one issue at a time^^
Congratulations on the new job and best of luck for tomorrow @Sara279, keep us updated!

So I had 9 eggs collected and my partner managed to do a fresh sample. We had a frozen one as back up because he struggles on the day, but didn’t need to use the frozen. We’ll get an update tomorrow to see how many fertilize. Now the nerve racking wait begins.... 🥺 @MrsC2019 how did you get on today? Xx

I know what you mean @Sara279 re the nerve wracking wait! The donor sperm didn't thaw well so I got a phone call yesterday at 4.30pm from the embryologist asking to do ICSI. I was totally shocked but apparantly it's not that uncommon..!

I didn't sleep well at all last night I'm shattered! We got an update today - 6/10 were mature and 5/6 fertilised. So we've got five embryos. Fingers crossed they rally through to day 5! Xx

Well done ladies, good results today!

@Sara279 glad it went well, 9 should be a very good start to get something from this cycle. Fingers crossed for tomorrow, it becomes such a relentless week waiting for updates.

@MrsC2019 The lack of sleep really catches up I find, once the EC is over. Too much anticipation leading up to it. Hope your partner’s feeling ok and your 5 progress well.

Funnily enough I had an issue with my donor sperm needing icsi, which totally threw me as you don’t expect it when you’ve paid for sperm lol. Didn’t affect things though, I still got 3 blasts that round and my next 2 cycles with the same donor did not need icsi.

Well done girls! I am very happy for you all :) you must be happy @Sara279 and @MrsC2019

Same here, the 1 hour window to produce and bring fresh sperm is apparently much more harder than I thought! Luckily for us we live close to the clinic.

I am looking forward to reading your updates! Mine are frozen so I will now more later^^

Take all care of yourself, you rock Xxx

How are you feeling @Sara279 ? I hope you're alright and your first day at the new job went well.

Thanks @IslandStars that's really good to know! You could have honestly knocked me over with a feather when the embryologist rang to ask for ICSI! I was so shocked but apparantly some clinics insist on ICSI with frozen sperm.

I'm feeling much more human today! It's nice to be back home. We took the train back yesterday. I'm looking forward to no work and a lie in tomorrow! My partner's doing well. She said the egg collection was painless and she felt well afterwards 😊 xx

Hi everyone. Thanks @MrsC2019 it went ok thanks. I’m just really tired tonight, absolutely wiped out, already fell asleep after dinner for 20 mins! I’ve just treated myself to some crisps and chocolate and I had a chicken kebab last night! It’s my way of letting loose after EC lol, rock and roll. I did have a healthy dinner though :@) we got a call first thing this morning about the fertilization rate: we had 9 mature eggs, 1 didn’t fertilize, 8 fertilized but 2 abnormally, so we had 6 as of this morning. Won’t get a call now until Sunday. It’s so nerve racking! hope your partner is feeling better today and you get good news. Will you find out tomorrow about your day 3’s?

I’m glad it’s weekend too! @IslandStars agreed about the tiredness after EC!

Xx

Morning Ladies 😊

Wow 9 out of 9 mature that's excellent! @Sara279 Great to hear so many fertilised! Will they update you tomorrow or Monday? Oh I love a chicken kebab especially if it's with a bit of garlic mayo and a few chips!! 😂😂 That's the real treat!

We got an update from the embryologist at 8.30 this morning. Im so pleased he rang early! He said we have 4 top quality embryos and the fifth embryo is lagging behind a bit at 4 cells. What a relief to hear they're doing well!

I never sleep well the night before they ring so hopefully I'll get my 8 hours tonight! Xx

@Sara279 @MrsC2019 Excellent news, you both still have a great number in the mix, everything looks promising for day 5.

Oh I’m a chicken kebab & chips fan too lol, I was planning what to eat for ages as my post EC treat, then I got so much nausea all I could manage was some toast and crisps!

@MrsC2019 oh excellent news. 5’s a great number, I hope they all keep going for you, it’s so nerve wracking!

Yes we find out tomorrow which is day 3... I do hope we get some good news. Honestly, there’s so much riding on all of this isn’t there. So much time, effort, emotion and money!

@IslandStars sorry you felt so sickly. I felt a bit sickly towards the end of stims but luckily had my appetite on EC day. I’ve always been a big fan of the chicken kebab and tbf I don’t think it’s really unhealthy and always ask for extra salad 😂 I made Thai green chicken curry tonight....

There is something I wondered tho. I’ve never, ever had heartburn in all my 41.5 years but since I’ve been taking all these supplements I’ve started to get it the last couple of months... I’m probably doing too much.... have you ever got heartburn from your supplements? I’m pretty sure it’s to do with them. On top of my supplements I also take a tablespoon of bee pollen, 1 tablespoon of wheatgrass, 2 x spoons of chia seeds and not every day but most days interchange with also 1 x maca powder and 1x hemp protein... plus my supplements... I realise this is slightly excessive! But hey 🤷‍♀️ Hope you’re all ok. We’re watching the masked singer and then watching Instant Family a film on C4 @9pm. Nice relaxing day xx

So update from the embryologist we had 6 at fertilization, 1 more has fertilized abnormally, so left with 5.
2 x 8 cells at grade 1
2 x 7 cells at grade 2 and 3
1 x 6 cells at grade 3

Found the call very stressful. Our next update is Tues, we’re letting them all try for day 5 like we did with the first round. The stress got to us today I won’t lie. Feeling happy with the news but also really anxious 😟 xx