Trying IVF again for baby #2

[FingersXssd83]

Took 4 years to have my first baby, including 4 rounds of IVF. She arrived last summer and hoping to get two rounds in this year. I'm breastfeeding atm so will be stopping that next month, trying naturally for a few months to appease DH (it'll never work), and cracking on with a round in before my birthday as I'll be turning 38 this year.

I found IVF a very tortuous slog the first time around. Kind of feels different now that we are a family and trying for a sibling. Have suffered with a bit of PND over be last few months so hoping IVF doesn't set me back but I feel super excited to get going tbh!

Going to contact Access Fertility soon to find out what packages they can offer us.

Be great to hear from ladies in a similar position! x

good luck @FingersXssd83! I haven't done long so can't help you with any detail there but am thinking of you! A friend did it recently and it didn't seem as bad as I had previously imagined.

@BeHereNowx32 have you taken any supplements for lining etc? I took vitamin E, there's very minimal evidence for it tbh but I like to feel as though I am doing something... l arginine and acupuncture also maybe help according to the bloody ISWTE book! Or its a whole load of nonsense, who knows?! I'm really sorry that we didn't quite end up in synch.

I don't actually plan to wait 2w... last time I tested 7 days after transfer and got a clear second line, so I might even test this weekend . Need to make sure the trigger has gone though!

I don't have any particular plans, just carrying on as normal really and trying to avoid the wine. Seeing family at our house this weekend so that's going to be a bit tricky in terms of not drinking as I have no excuse re driving or anything! I wouldn't mind if I knew I was pg, but when it's just a maybe I don't want anyone noticing and getting excited.

@whatcangowrong I drink pomegranate juice and raspberry leaf tea (Altho not very much) I was going to get vitamin e, but I forgot and it it’s too late 🙈🙈 did you feel like it helped with your lining?

Oh good luck with hiding the drinking. That’s a difficult one. Non alcoholic wine, and just hide the bottle? I haven’t ever tested early, because DH doesn’t want me to. But I might this time round. Good luck!

@BeHereNowx32 who knows, probably not! I believe everything I read and pretty much rattle as I walk along these days. I have done it before all my 3 transfers, so I can't tell if it makes a difference and tbh there was never any issue raised with my lining in the first place.

Yep, alcohol free wine is a good plan. As we are at home I can indeed hide it, but then have to keep a close eye on my glass! Might need some appletiser too (then I can pop open some bubbly - they'll never think I'm not drinking that!!!)

I'm itching to start testing. I know it's a bad idea. It will tell me nothing, any positive test could/would just be the trigger shot. Negative will just be depressing even though I know it's too early. Talk me down someone!

@whatcangowrong when is your OTD?
You just gave the best reasons not to test yet 😆 The 2ww is the worst!

My lining scan is tomorrow morning. Feel a bit nervous today

@BeHereNowx32 good luck good luck!

I think OTD is a week today... But I won't be able to hold out beyond Monday as I got my bfp 7dpt last time...

@whatcangowrong good luck! I've not been too active on this thread as we won't be doing our FET until at least Sept we don't think...DP wants to enjoy the summer and we are hoping to move house.

FWIW, I had two cycles, the first where I caved and tested early (putting myself through an emotional wringer) and the second where I hung on, kept myself busy and pushed all thoughts of IVF out of my head as much as possible, I can confirm the second was much healthier mentally! But you knew that already!

@LlamaGiles - I know!

BUT - I was actually the other way around. The first I was really good, but then had waited all that time just to get a negative. The second I was naughty by a few days, and got a positive. So reverse from you. To be honest I think it's more the outcome that defines how you feel about it afterwards. If it's going to be negative I'd rather start preparing myself for that asap really :-/

I totally get you with waiting the summer, I would ideally have wanted to do that too and possibly would have if we had more frosties or they were pgs tested or something. I just wanted to get on with another full cycle as soon as necessary if it doesn't work :(

Quick update, lining is 7.5mm. So, transfer is booked for Thursday! 🙈

Great news @BeHereNowx32 !

How are you feeling about it now it's really happening?

@whatcangowrong I have been feeling weirdly positive today. I was nervous in the waiting room, but looked at photos of my DD, and felt so much happier. I do want it to work. But she is helping me through this process! My OTD is 8th of may. I really want to test early 😂

How are you feeling?

@BeHereNowx32 I don't think mine has worked :( there was a very very faint line on an FRER yesterday but it's literally the faintest of the faint (like when someone posts a picture and there is literally nothing there!) I assume must be the trigger. OTD not until Thursday so I guess it's still possible, but I think it would be showing something by now. I might test this morning, undecided. I've got my head around it being a no now, there would be some advantages to leaving a few more months gap so a bit of time before I start bumming out, hopefully!

All the best for you over the next few weeks, let me know how you're feeling / getting on!

@whatcangowrong how many days past transfer are you? A faint line could be good news and it’s just too early yet. Hoping for good news for you!!
My clinic do a blood test at 9dp transfer. They don’t recommend a HPT before. I am very very tempted to though.

Wishing you all the best! Waiting for the result is the most stressful part of ivf! X

its 7 days post 5dt today. Though transfer was late in the day last week. With my last pregnancy it was such a clear result by this point. I guess it depends on when implantation occurs, etc, and this is a slower growing embryo in general. So I will still test on Thursday but have very low hopes now. I'm glad to know now though tbh. It's so crap waiting!

Reading your messages again I've realised you haven't had your transfer yet? I got confused by you saying feeling positive in the waiting room. Wishing you much luck this week with it!

Good luck and stay strong

@whatcangowrong I had BFN on the morning of 8dp5dt and only the faintest BFP that evening so it's too soon to know for sure. It doesn't matter what happened for you last time. Keeping everything crossed for you 🤞

@whatcangowrong my transfer is this Thursday. I had my lining scan last week.

You definitely still have a chance, but I know you won’t want to get your hopes up. Good luck xx

Thanks all, but another BFN just on a cheap stick last night. Can't possibly see that it can have worked unfortunately so am starting to think about next steps :(

Anyway - just in case anyone had forgotten that fertility treatment is a slog and hardly ever works, thought I'd remind the group

Sorry to hear it was a BFN last night @whatcangowrong It sounds like you feel this transfer is definitely out and I'm sorry to hear that. Did you do a single or double transfer and do you have any frosties left or will you do an EC if you choose to go again?

You're right about it being a huge slog but eventually it's very likely to work. Think it's important to keep that in mind but for us all to allow ourselves to believe we'll get there. Of course that's easier for us on this thread as we've already been very lucky.

Best of luck with your transfer tomorrow @BeHereNowx32 Do you have any plans to keep yourself busy in the TWW? Having a baby is key to a positive attitude and IVF. I'm so grateful for that.

I've been down-regging since Friday. Had a very hormonal weekend but think I've levelled off now. Mood has definitely improved and I've been having lots of fun with my baby. My down reg scan is 6 May so fingers crossed I can start stims 🤞🏻

Thanks @FingersXssd83 and good luck with your cycle. Hope the hormones stay level.

While i'm here, good luck tomorrow @BeHereNowx32!

I need to decide what to do - we have one frostie left, it's crap quality. I am 38 and did last EC at 36 when we got 4 blasts, of which 2 have now failed (I think) and one is a baby, one left.

I would maybe like to have 3 children...so if the next one worked, that would then be even harder. But equally I just want 2 first, and might change my mind on that.

Does anyone happen to know when you can start jabs for short protocol after a failed FET. I assume i'd have to wait for a proper period rather than the withdrawal bleed I'll get now when I stop the drugs? So eg I might get that bleed early May, could start jabs early June approx? Or maybe can start straightaway (doubt it?).

WWYD anyone? We can afford another EC at this point fairly comfortably though obviously we also have other things we would spend the money on otherwise. FETs also cost money of course, I think about £2500 all in so if that fails that's on top of the cost of the next round!

@FingersXssd83 thank you. I’m going to try do as little as I possibly can, with a 2 year old! I am meeting up with friends a couple of days. But not sure how to get out of plans for too long 🙈
Good luck for the 6th!

@whatcangowrong so sorry to hear about your BFN. This process doesn’t get much easier! £2500 is so much for FET! Our FET cost £950.
I think if there isn’t too much difference between FET and fresh, I would try fresh. But I bet it’s crazy expensive 😔

We have talked about it, and we are unlikely to try again after this (our last) frostie. Maybe we will change our mind later on, but definitely needing a break after this. Wishing you lots of luck too!

I would do a FET @whatcangowrong as you'll have more chance of it being successful than doing another EC two years on. I've been told they don't freeze hopeless embryos so you would still be in with a chance and I think it's best to focus on the next baby then trying to hedge your bets for more when realistically it could take you a few egg collections to get your second baby.

I think Care make you have a withdrawal bleed and then one normal one before you can start a FET or fresh cycle but other clinics may have a different approach.

Haha @BeHereNowx32, my baby's 8 months now and is pretty much crawling and doesn't stop. Takes your mind off IVF doesn't it. Laughing with mates is the best tonic. Sending lots of positive wishes!

@whatcangowrong oh sorry, I misread. Yeah, I would try FET if you weren’t planning on doing fresh just yet. My clinic is also the same 2/3 bleeds in between.

I haven’t eaten right today. Too much junk, and I feel so sick 😔 I haven’t done healthy eating at all. I will try after transfer I suppose.

@FingersXssd83 aw, 8 months is a great age! So cute x

So sorry to hear it hasn’t worked @whatcangowrong. We were in a similar situation to the one you are in now, with one frozen embryo left and decided to go for the fresh cycle. I was really worried that we would end up paying £2000 for the fet and it wouldn’t survive the thaw, but also my amh is quite low so time is of the essence if it hadn’t worked if we needed another egg collection. Still not 100% sure we made the right decision, but I’m quite risk averse and felt this was the ‘safer’ option.

I’m starting downregulation on Friday, really not looking forward to all the injections and hormones.

Good luck with your transfer @BeHereNowx32. Fingers crossed for you!

Hi everyone, I’ve taken the plunge and had my consultation for this next go at IVF. Took 5 years and lots of treatment to get my twin boys and I’m not sure if I’m completely crazy giving it all another go. They were our last embryos so will be starting from scratch again. Have a AFC scan and AMH blood test on Friday to see where my levels are at before getting stuck in.

Our doctor has texted to say go with the FET, probably, but we are going to discuss. I've done back to back FETs at CARE before so I am pretty sure we will be able to go again in approx 3 weeks' time and then at least we know quite soon.

I think that's the right approach, if it works and we are a 2 baby family I will be very grateful. I also think that potentially even if we desperately want 3 we can give it a good go next year given recent good AMH results (maybe). If it doesn't, we are only delaying by a month which surely can't be make or break.

@Forecast123 thanks for your thoughts and I agree with everything you have said. I wanted to do a fresh cycle first originally as I didn't think I'd be allowed to do FETs until 12 months after my c section, but when I was allowed to go ahead at 9 months, and then this one will be 10 months, they started to feel kind of like roll the dice bonus chances to save some money on a whole new cycle (lol, I am aware how utterly insane that sounds!) Thanks also for confirming that I'm not the only mug paying £2k for a FET! That's CARE London btw, maybe it's £950 elsewhere @BeHereNowx32 ? I was also including all other scans/blood tests/medication etc in my £2500, not sure how much that actually added up to but the doctor I'm with likes to do quite a bit of monitoring. It's a considerable sum and will be annoying if it fails again but as you all know you have to detach yourself from the cost if possible or you'd never even start.

@BuffyFanForever how old are you (sorry for the personal question, feels like anything goes here) and how old are your twins? Hope you get a good result when you go in for your tests.