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.

All - I thought I should share the latest with me incase any of you have miscarriage experience. I have found black clots (just one or two quickly in shower last night - sorry for sharing too much information) and some light pink/brown bleeding when wiping with toilet tissue. I am in week 5 to 6 of pregnancy. My husband (he is a GP) thinks it’s a threatened miscarriage so am bracing myself for the worst. The notes from the clinic clearly say not to contact them but EPU in the case of any bleeding but do you know if the clinic may provide a scan before the 6 week one or should I just wait and see what happens between now and my heart beat scan on the 22nd and confirm any miscarriage at that appointment. This was my first pregnancy so I have no experience of pregnancy or miscarriage. Thanks for any advice.

@SarahK20000
Hi Sarah

When I was in week 6. I had blood and a lot. I also had really painful cramps which felt like a bad period. It turned out a had a subchorionic haemorrhage. I had a scan at CRGH and everything was ok. They could see a heartbeat. I did need close monitoring and had lots of scans weekly at CRGH until bleeding stopped. I had to come off blood thinners. It’s such a worrying time I know but don’t give up hope just yet.

Please take care xx

@Lola245

I’ve just been told that dhea could not have affected egg quality if my testosterone was too high because they do not prescribe dhea if there is a deficiency. They prescribe it for women over 40 if there is a deficiency or not.

@2021ivfagain I need to have my FSH tested before each cycle to make sure it's low enough, but the oestrogen priming should make sure it is. This is CRGH protocol given that I had high FSH to begin with (though my AMH is fine, confusingly).

I took the melatonin from a week before stims and during stims, but this time I might just wait until stims begin. All the conflicing advice is definitely confusing!

I can't imagine eating ten servings of vegetables a day...

Hi everyone. Sorry I missed so much today.

@2021ivfagain my comments were meant to be reassuring. Sorry if they weren't. I just meant that you may still see some impact of the dietary stuff you have done the past months. It sounds like you have done loads diet wise! As @Dochas1211 it's not really well evidenced and it's just tinkering at the margins so do it (I did) but don't panic about it.

@Sarahk20000 I'm so sorry you have this stress. Yes I have had a miscarriage before. I had no bleeding at all until after my surgical management. The awful truth is that there is no way of knowing. Loads and loads of women have bleeding and successful pregnancies. Sometimes even a lot of bleeding. My friend bled so much it went through her trousers and all over the floor - healthy baby. Other women miscarry and there is no sign whatsoever. So bleeding can mean something or can mean nothing at all. It's impossible to be calm but just do whatever you can to get through it.

If you have heavy bleeding or shoulder tip pain then yes you need to go to EPU quickly in case of ectopic but there is no reason to think that is happening at the moment.

You can have a scan from about 5 weeks 4 days if your clinic will do it. This won't show a heartbeat but may show the location of the pregnancy. From 6 weeks it is clearer and most private scanning places will see you. You may not get a heartbeat that early. I'm not sure that scans will reassure you.

Best of luck. Thinking of you xxx

@Janefx40
Thanks for your messages. I understand what you meant afterwards. I’m not really thinking very clearly at present. Xx

I had my consultation today and as I did not do as well last time due to egg quality my protocol has been changed to estrogen priming flare. I’ve got normal amh and I’m not DOR, but just do not respond so well to the cetrotide. Apparently cetrotide can affect egg quality in some women.

I’ve been reading a lot about flare protocol and it says it can affect egg quality. Has anyone had a good or bad cycle with the short flare?

@Lola245 A friend of mine from another thread has just been diagnosed with something called lean PCOS and one of the markers was highish FSH alongside a relatively high AMH. Usually higher FSH goes with lower AMH. Does that resonate with you? Shall I introduce you just in case? Not trying to panic you - it just struck me that you had similar hormones.

Also I panicked about the 10 vegetables per day but it's easier than you think!

@Sarahk20000 I'm so sorry that you've had some light bleeding as I know how anxiety-provoking it can be, but please do be reassured that bleeding is so common in early pregnancy, as well as miscarriage. I've had two miscarriages and had no bleeding at all. And I have lots of friends who experienced bleeding in their first trimester. The 22nd is less than a week away but understandably you might want reassurance before then. Could a blood test help? (I don't really understand this since my pregnancy wasn't monitored, but people talk about beta levels in early IVF pregnancy?) I'm crossing fingers for you that all is okay...

@Janefx40 that's interesting about your friend. I looked up lean PCOS though and it said common signs include irregular periods and mine have always been completely normal. I also think my AMH of 12 is more normal/good for my age (40) rather than particularly good.

I just got some acai bettery extract from Holland Barrett since I read a study by the top IVF clinic in the US that found it made a real difference in IVF outcomes when taken 6-8 weeks before cycle. No idea if this will help but thought I'd share: www.ccrmivf.com/blog/ccrm-study-finds-that-high-doses-of-acai-berry-can-improve-ivf-outcomes/#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20by%20CCRM,undergoing%20vitro%20fertilization%20(IVF).&text=Mean%20number%20of%20eggs%20retrieved,cycle%2015.8%20with%208.1%20fertilized.

@Lola245
Thanks for this. What does did you buy from Holland and Barrett and was it powder form or tablets? Thanks

@2021ivfagain they are just acai berry extract pills - 1500mg each. It says to take 2 a day but that seems quite high so I'm just taking one.

@Sarahk20000 I'm keeping everything crossed for you. As others have said, bleeding at this stage often isn't significant in terms of loss. I really hope you get good news at your scan.

@Lola245 re your DHEA question - I'm currently alternating two tablets of 25mg per day with one tablet per day - so 75mg over two days rather than one day. I've been getting my testosterone measured, and I believe from my results that my current dosage is correct to keep me in the 1.5 - 2 p/mol zone that some clinics say is the optimum. I'll retest again in a few weeks to check it hasn't gone too high.

Can anyone remind me how I take noresthisterone? Is it one at night and one in the morning?

@Janefx40
Hi. It’s one at day 8am and the other at 8am. They have to be 12 hours apart.

@Janefx40
Sorry. I’ve just seen the typo! It’s one at about 8am and the other at 8pm.

Thanks @2021ivfagain !!!

@2021ivfagain @Janefx40 @Lola245 @Rosemarypots thank you so much for your kind words and sharing of experience. Unfortunately, the bleeding got much much worse and is now very red with a lot of clots. Think I am miscarrying for sure. Just not sure of next steps. Would like to just wait for my scan on Tuesday to confirm the miscarriage completed and maybe I should stay on my medicines until then. The nurse at the clinic told me to get referred to the EPU but I prefer going to CRGH and letting the bleeding run it’s course, so not sure what is best and whether the clinic will see me. For those of you in the know, do you know the gap recommended before a miscarriage and another FET transfer. I am in two minds. One is to take a break and return to normal life for a while - and the other is to do a transfer whenever is earliest so I can close this horrible IVF chapter and move on from the idea of having a child, after what has felt a very difficult year and half. Sorry if I am sounding negative, just feel quite down and tired.

@Sarahk20000 I'm so sorry to hear this. Although it feels pretty definite, you can never know for sure until you get those scans. If you are bleeding heavily you probably should go to EPU just to check this isn't ectopic. My local one needs a referral from the GP so that may be your first port of call depending where you live.

When I was miscarrying I found the Miscarriage Association really helpful. You can ring them and just talk (or cry in my case) and they also have a FB site that I found helpful.

After a chemical you have to wait one full cycle and can then start again. I'm not sure about after a miscarriage as we weren't thinking about starting again for quite a while anyway. My periods usually take a while to come after a miscarriage or chemical anyway.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. It's really unfair and such a horrible thing to go through. I have been there and come out the other side. I'm here to hold your hand while you go through it if you want me xxx

Ps still hoping for a miracle for you tho xxx

@SarahK20000
I’m really sorry. Are you still on your blood thinners? When I started bleeding, CRGH told me to stop them but every case is different.

I think a blood test as well as a scan might be useful. It might be best to have two scans just in case.

Keep us posted. We’re here for you. Xx

@2021ivfagain I am sorry to hear the outcome of your last cycle, it sounds like DHEA is responsible. I asked my Dr at CRGH to check my testosterone levels before prescribing DHEA - she flat out refused! I took the DHEA for a few months but I think it made things worse for me, it messed up my cycle and made me moody.

I had an egg collection last week and managed to get two more mature eggs. I had a PRP procedure done in North Cyprus on Monday.

Good luck with your next cycle x

@Ivfhoper
Yes. It messed things up so much that now I’m doing flare next time. It’s so annoying as I did really well without dhea. Then when I took it I did not respond well. It gave me intense migraines, anxiety, affected my mood and delayed my period.

I’m also doing estrogen priming with flare. My consultant says I have good levels, but I’m not always a good responder. I’ve looked up melatonin but too scared to take it. I’m just keeping it simple with what I did for first cycle.

Could you tell me how many eggs were retrieved and how many mature ones you had? Did the estrogen priming make a difference? Do you take norethisterone?

I’m doing my next cycle in April but doing estrogen priming next month. Good luck with your next cycle. Xx

Hi @2021ivfagain

I had 7 follicles but only two were large enough. Two eggs retrieved and both were mature. I luckily seem to retrieve all my eggs mature, but that is probably because I don't get too many in the first place.

I did not take Norethisterone - this is because research shows it suppresses the ovaries and leads to a lower follicle count. I also did not take Estrogen. I kept it simple.

Next round starts end of this month with egg retrieval in March hopefully. This will be my sixth cycle .

Right now I am estrogen priming and taking melatonin. The Melatonin has made me sleep a lot better and generally reduced anxiety. I am hoping the priming will make a difference.

Good luck with your next cycle.

@Ivfhoper
I know. Norethisterone always suppresses my ovaries a lot. I had 13 follicles last time without estrogen priming, but will be doing estrogen priming to give it a boost next time. My consultant always gives me norethisterone.

Can I ask if you are doing estrogen priming do you have to go to the clinic to work out when you ovulate? Or do you just take progynova from day 21 of your cycle? Let me know how you get on with the melatonin. Are you taking it with the progynova?

Also are you taking zomacton? You are doing well to do this 6 times! Good luck for next one.

@2021ivfagain

I have had back to back cycles, which means a cycle every single month [save December] since Sept 2021, I did not need to work out the ovulation date yet. This is my first estrogen priming cycle and my Dr told me the exact day to start.

I am taking Zomacton during the cycles, I don't know whether it is making a difference, time will tell.

Thank you for your good wishes.

@Sarahk20000 so sorry to hear your news, this process is just so brutally hard & unfair.

Anyone else about to start another egg collection cycle? Been waiting 6 weeks to go again but now really wishing didn’t have to do it. Will probably be ok once I get started but can feel the stress building already.