FET March/April

[PT8998]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any dates pencilled in for an FET during March/April? I have been given the dates of 30/03 for baseline scan and transfer the week of 12/04.

It would be great to see if there are many others on similar timelines?!

✨

Hi all, I've been absent for a while again so just catching up.

@Tarsette did your period arrive yet? My first 'proper' period after EC (not the post-EC bleed) was late too, only by 3 days but that felt like forever, so I know how frustrating it is when you want to move forward.

@BambiOnIce80 big congrats! Remind me, is this a transfer from your first IVF cycle?

@CLP20 sorry that your 5AA didn't survive the thaw but good news on the 3AA transfer! How does that work - do they thaw two to have a back-up? I've always wondered about that as I assumed they'd avoid thawing and refreezing if possible.

I see lots of talk about possible BFP symptoms... it's such a tricky part of the TWW isn't it, you can't help yourself reading into things you'd never usually pay attention to. I tried to think of it as all bets are off until test day last time but I swear it was the slowest 2 weeks ever. Hoping all of you at that stage are hanging in there...

My period finally arrived last week and I've been told to start ovulation tests from tomorrow. When I get a surge result I phone and go in that day for a scan, and if all's ok they'll plan the transfer in. Relieved to finally be progressing but nervous as hell at the same time. My first round of IVF last year was a fresh transfer... the stop/start of a freeze-all this time means it's dragged forever. Really not looking forward to joining the ranks of the TWW, though know there's no way around it.

Morning ladies

I'm having a freak out. Spotting has got more heavier, it's not heavy but don't know what other word to use! It's present now everytime I wipe and woke up to it in my knickers 😢😢 I'm worried it's all over

Congratulations on being PUPO @CLP20! 🤩 Keeping everything crossed for you for a sticky one 🤞🤞🤞

Sorry to hear that your clinic has kept you hanging @willithappen, but excellent news that it's all sorted now 👍 Sending you positive vibes for today 💓

Your BFN plan sounds awesome @Gensola 🍷🛁 Thinking of you this morning 💗

@lucymills1234 - thank you, yes we got 6 embies from our first (and what will be our only) fresh cycle. This is embie number 3 so we're hoping for third time lucky! 🤞 Good luck with your OPK today 🍀

Oh @elsaesmeralda! 😟 Can you get yourself on the phone to your clinic as soon as they're open? A friend of mine had a similar thing and got them to do an internal to see what was going on and it was the progesterone causing the surface of her cervix to bleed. There was nothing they could do to stop it, but she got her BFP that cycle and the bleeding stopped when she stopped the progesterone, so I'm keeping everything crossed for you that it's a similar case for you 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

Thanks everyone!

@elsaesmeralda I found the transfer the easiest part of everything so far, and actually now feel the calmest I have felt the whole time - although that could be the acupuncture!

@lucymills1234 They thaw one embryo at a time. When the first one didn’t continue to develop after thawing, they called with the news and asked permission to move on to the second one. We then had to wait a very stressful half an hour to see if that one was ok and we could go ahead with the transfer. If it hadn’t been, they would have moved on to our last one, so it was a hugely up and down emotional morning!

@willithappen good luck for today!

@elsaesmeralda Can you try putting the progesterone up the back door for a bit? See if the bleeding then stops?

I've spoke to the clinic and they've told me to start doing an extra 400mg progesterone. She didn't really say much other than it can be common, it could be from implantation and that it's more common to see implantation bleeding in ivf. If I start getting cramps and lots of red blood to call back. So I don't really feel very reasured but I understand they don't know either. She said I can't put them up the back door as they're vaginally only. Honestly had a shit morning and feel so worried but I plan on doing nothing now today and just chilling out. Keep your fingers crossed for me ladies 🤞🏻

Officially PUPO! Have a 4AA on board

Would they be up for checking your serum progesterone levels @elsaesmeralda? That would at least tell you if the pessaries are absorbing OK (and there's always lubion injections if they're not). I am literally crossing everything that I can cross for you🤞🤞🤞🤞

Congratulations on being PUPO @willithappen 🍀

They never mentioned it @BambiOnIce80 just upping the dosage. I haven't had anymore since this morning, it had happened overnight as it was when I first woke up and went to the toilet. I'm hoping that was the last of it but super paranoid now 😢

@willithappen great news 🤞🏻

@CLP20 Congrats on your transfer. Although sorry that your 5AA didn't survive the thaw! I am glad you had the second embryo to transfer. Welcome to the TWW!

@willithappen Congrats on also being PUPO! Lots of us in the TWW now!

@elsaesmeralda I'm sorry you're having a stressful time! I hope that you're okay and managing to get it sorted!

@BambiOnIce80 been having a great few days at work, so happy to have the distraction! I hope you're all good and enjoying being back in the labs!

@Gensola I hope you're okay! I have been thinking of you!

Excellent news that you've been finding work a nice distraction @PT8998 🙂 I have too, but I must admit I'm not feeling as blissed out as I did yesterday! 😂 I've basically not noticed any symptoms because work is a massive distraction, which then of course has me freaking out that things are going wrong already! 🤦🏻‍♀️ I am bloated (that started up yesterday), but I know that's a side effect of progesterone and not necessarily anything to do with early pregnancy 🙄 I'm knackered, but that's not exactly unusual after a full on day either! 🥱 How are your symptoms going?

You've been on my mind all afternoon @elsaesmeralda 💓 I hope you're doing OK and keeping your feet up.x

@BambiOnIce80 I'm okay thanks, major freak out this morning as it was a shock to wake up to more substantial blood but it's completely stopped (for now) I've put pessaries in twice now today and no blood in the stuff that comes out 🤞🏻 I really really hope it was implantation but only time will tell I guess. Still on knicker watch 😆

Hope you're all doing okay

Phew @elsaesmeralda 😪 That's a massive relief that it's gone away again. May your knicker watch be truly uneventful from here on out 🤞🍀🤞🍀

@BambiOnIce80 wow, 6 from your first fresh cycle is great! I got two from my first (1 fresh transfer, BFN) and one still in the freezer. My second cycle I got 5, freeze-all so this will be the first transfer from it.

@CLP20 that sounds incredibly stressful... It never stops, does it?! So glad you had a second to transfer and you get to keep a third in reserve.

@willithappen congrats on your transfer! Hope you're doing ok so far.

@elsaesmeralda I feel for you, it's so hard trying to figure out which are good/bad signs during the TWW. It's the torture of the wait that you never know until you know (if that makes sense). I really hope the bleeding was implantation but know nothing will set your mind completely at rest until a test result.

I did my first OPK today (I'm doing a natural FET and on day 10 of my cycle) and got the flashing smiley face, so I'm apparently already in my fertile window. I use a period tracker app (Clue) and that was estimating tomorrow so it took me by surprise! A nice surprise though, better than waiting. I think everyone's fertile window is different but 4-5 days seems average?

Thanks @lucymills1234
Ah my head is a bit all over the place! I'm going back and forth between thinking I can feel stuff already and then 'this hasn't worked' kinda thing. I'm not even a full 1 day past yet

@lucymills1234 it's so tough ! I've had no bleeding since yesterday morning (which I think happened overnight) and from frantic googling it does seem to fit with the days 3-4 post transfer implantation timeline. But I don't want to get my hopes up. Just also quite daunting to think of this doesn't work we've got a possible 8 other fets to go through 😩 it a lot.

Exciting you're now in your fertile window! What's happens now??

@willithappen the next couple of days is crucial apparently for if the embryo is going to implant so just try relax and remember if it's going to happen it will! No amount of worrying we do will change the outcome

So you've also got 6 embies to be going at @lucymills1234 😁 That sounds like a good start that you're in your fertile window already 👍 How does that work with your clinic? Do they have to scan you pretty regularly to work out when to transfer? Keeping everything crossed for you that you won't be far away now from transfer 🤞🍀🤞🍀👍

@willithappen it's impossible to fully distract yourself I'm afraid! 😏 I'd find myself some all-consuming task or other that'd keep me distracted for a while, but as soon as that was finished then my brain would immediately default back to 'has it or hasn't it worked? 🤔'! 🤯 Hang on in there 💪

I'm delighted to hear that knicker watch has been uneventful @elsaesmeralda 🤞🍀🤞🍀 It must be 5dp5dt for you now (and I really hope I don't sound like a creepy stalker knowing that?! 😳🤣) - how long are you going to manage to hold out to test, do you think? Was your clinic OTD at 15dp5dt? I salute you if you can get to that without cracking I would totally crack! 🙌

@BambiOnIce80 🤣🤣 no you sound organised!! I'm 6dpt today, I test one week today, turns out it was 13 days post transfer to test so not as long as I thought initially. I've got no tests in the house so that helps, I'm going to try and hold off as to be honest im scared of the result. I've had such a funny pain today, behind my pubic bone was really achey, like I'd bruised it. Have you ever had that??

@elsaesmeralda good news that there's no further bleeding! In my last TWW I yo-yo'd between thinking 'hope for the best' and 'don't get your hopes up' every other minute. There's no middle ground is there!

@willithappen totally get that! You become hyper-aware of every teeny thing your body does 24/7. Wish I could recommend a good distraction but I didn't find any I'm afraid...

@BambiOnIce80 yes, 6 in the freezer for now... they are all pretty good quality but then my fresh transfer was a 5AA and BFN. As I'm 41 (very nearly 42) I keep thinking what if they're all abnormal... dangerous thinking, I know, but it feels like this is last chance territory. No pressure, eh...

My clinic always seems light touch in comparison to others and appears to be the case again with FET. They say OPK every 12 hours and call in for a same-day scan when I get a surge result. They'll check I am about to ovulate and my lining is ok, and then they'll book the transfer. So only one scan in total, no other scans or checks or bloods... It makes me wonder if that's enough because other clinics check you more (and I am private so it's not down to NHS budgets). But I have to hope they know what they're doing! They'll tell me at the scan when to start pessaries, but I won't have any other meds apparently.

I hear you @elsaesmeralda ♥️ All the way through the TWW we feel like we just want to know the result, but then when the result is imminent we suddenly don't want to know in case it's a BFN! 🤯 One week really isn't that long now then (says the woman who was losing her mind by 8dp5dt!🤦🏻‍♀️). In my TWW I had a weird tightening in my lower abdomen, almost like I'd done too many sit ups but lower down 👇 Sounds like it might be similar to what you're describing (and I really hope it's a good sign of things to come for you🤞🤞🤞).

I keep thinking exactly the same @lucymills1234, especially having had a MMC from the 4AA blast from my fresh cycle 😔 I'm 40 (41 in less than 2 weeks 😏) and our embies are made with my 39 year old eggs, which means I'm low-level constantly terrified that the same thing is going to happen again 😟 That being said, I have a friend who's had both of her perfectly healthy kids (and no MC's) in her early 40's, so I'm guessing there's hope for you and me 💗

@lucymills1234 I only had one scan at my clinic during FET also and that was while on progynova and it was just to check my lining :)

@lucymills1234 so you're literally just waiting for the surge now then! It'll be all go from then on I'd have thought, exciting times ahead. Do you mind if I ask why you're doing a natural fet ? I was all prepared to tell my clinic I want to try a natural if my lining didn't build up again but luckily it did, well just about !

@BambiOnIce80 it was so strange! And completely gone off now, of course 🤣 I'm sure sometimes it's all in my head !
I keep getting pure terror whenever I go to the toilet, I'm going to be like this til otd now!
How're you doing ? When is your scan?

@PT8998 how're you ?? Anything to report ?

So glad for this group, I'd have drove my partner insane by now if I couldn't vent here 😇

@BambiOnIce80 - yes! Work has been a blessing in disguise, it has really helped to pass by the week. I was never expecting there to be a way to make the time pass by quicker but it really has helped. My job doesn’t allow for me to not be concentrating, so I have been forced to switch off!

@elsaesmeralda - hope it’s all stopped and settled down for good now!!

@lucymills1234 congrats on approaching your fertile window, will be all go very soon!!

So, I was on call last night so wasn’t really around much! I got home and caved, I tested. It was positive!!! I am so pleased! Now to just keep testing and see that line progression!! I am 6dpt today, don’t even really know why I tested, but something was telling me too! I am so relieved!! I almost cried!

Hope everyone is having a lovely Wednesday!

@PT8998 omg!! Congratulations ! That is brilliant news. Very happy for you! Only it's made me so bloody tempted to test early 🤣🤣 you must've implanted early to pick it up already!! Have you had any signs that made you want to test ?