IVF August/September cycle buddies

[foodiefil]

Starting this thread early!

We've just booked for our second round to start August 2nd with egg collection September 8th.

I was on the Jan/Feb thread earlier this year.

Come join me :)

Sending lots of love @foodiefil

Ohhhhh @foodiefil :( I'm really sorry! Lots of love and strength coming your way - take the time you need to process this, the disappointment is so hard xx

@beachbum85 thanks - i am still a bit bloated and constipated tho.... went to pharmacy to get something to help and it did a little... but i'm still bloated, so hopefully couple more days of taking those meds it'll help sort me out. How are you feeling? Do you have appointments to go back to for your beta? So happy for you, congrats again!

@foodiefil thinking of you and sending you lots of hugs! Please look after yourself

@ngy21 ugh I'm sorry to hear that - I really struggled with those tummy problems which I suppose come from the progesterone (and am still bloated...) and it's so uncomfortable. There are some specific yoga poses that help with bloating as well, and walking sometimes helps... I really hope you feel better soon!

Thanks again :) No betas at our clinic, and the first time we'll be back in is 14 Oct, so I'm going to keep testing every couple of days for now and hope that everything goes smoothly till then!

@foodiefil I am so sorry. Thinking of you and sending lots of strength.

@beachbum85 this process is brutal. i am not sure a day 3 update is such a good thing. I was in a very happy bubble over the weekend and all the way to my call this morning. It's not bad news, just the reality of the attrition rate, which is quite scary.

We have
4x 8 cells
1x 6 cells
Those are doing well.

Then we have
1x3 cell
1x5 cell
They don't expect them to catch up
And 1x6 cell highly fragmented.

They will still culture them all to day 5 but the embryologist was very realistic that these have poor odds and that from the other 5 she only expected 1 or 2 to make it to blast.

I know we only need one good one but I was hoping for at least 3 to freeze to give us better odds.

@ngy21 @2mumsandason how are you holding up?

@2mumlife good luck for your update.

@lotusflower1990000 good luck for your transfer.

@Novavee yeah the attrition rate is really quite scary, but 5 embryos doing well is good! I hope that you get at least those 2 blasts and they're great quality... my understanding is that 8 cell embryos on Day 3 have the best chances and you've got 4 of those, so don't lose hope!! Sending you a huge hug xx

Thank you @beachbum85 @foodiefil

@foodiefil Really sorry it hasn't worked this time. It is so so difficult.
In answer to your question yesterday, yes we are currently planning to try again. I heard anecdotally beforehand that 2-4 cycles is very typical so was prepared for that. It's still extremely disappointing, sad and scary. I've been feeling something like grief, so it's hard to pick myself up and start think about how to proceed from here. Think we need time to feel our feelings and scream and cry for a bit first.
Sending you love and strength xx

@foodiefil - I am really sorry. Although we know it's possible. It is really hard not to put our hopes up specially after what we have been through. Sending you lots of love and strength.

@Novavee - keeping fingers cross for you. You still have great numbers. Hope you get some great embroys by day 5.

I am on day 10 since had day 5 embroy transfer. I am getting random twitches on lower right side. Getting bit scared. Hope it's nothing to worry about. 4 more days before test is scheduled

@ngy21 - sorry not sure when you had your egg collection. My bloating lasted for almost 2 weeks after. Coconut water and prunes helped me feel little less uncomfortable

Hope you feel better soon

@beachbum85 might have to look into some yoga poses and go back to the gym to do more walking on the treadmill lol! Thanks :) any plans from now until 14th Oct?

@Novavee i think it's nice to get a day 3 to manage expectations a bit more, but we don't get that. For all i know, on Wednesday i could get a call to say nothing made it.... but i understand where you are coming from! Sounds like you are on track to getting some blasts which is great!

I am just feeling that bloat and constipation... but in terms of waiting for Wednesday, it's not been too bad! Weekend has been hectic and trying to catch up with work, so lots of distractions. But still very nervous for the call on Wednesday.

@2mumsandason did you get a day 3?

@Ttc8 so sorry you had to endure 2 weeks of it... it's horrible!!! I am feeling better by the day but still not my usual self. And yes prunes! I think i will give that a try after one more night of those laxatives...

Thanks!

@ngy21 I didn't have a day 3 either...I think there are pro's and con's to both really, isn't there. Are you with Care by any chance? I was doing to ok over the weekend, I think because I didn't really feel like it was real and it hadn't sunk in yet, however this morning I woke up and have been feeling really anxious and out of sorts. I don't like surprises or not having a plan so this is throwing me right out!!

I am also feeling really bloated and uncomfortable! I've only been to the toilet (number 2 🙈) once so far since EC. I need to get some laxatives!

@Novavee I think hearing the drop off is always hard no matter what they say because it's only natural to hope they all make it by some small miracle! Still looks like you have good odds for a couple of strong blastocysts...stay strong! x

Thanks @beachbum85 @Novavee

We (finally) heard back from clinic. They froze 3 emrbyos yesterday. 2 are at lower grades though, so I'm a bit dissapointed to be honest about the number and quality given they were all going strong at day 3, and both our embryos from last time were graded AA. I'm now going to need to start the endless chasing to get them to let us get on with our next FET.

@Novavee The day 3 update is hard. I'm a bit like you - I wasn't too bad all weekend when I knew I wouldn't get to know anything, but been anxious all day waiting for call, and the attrition sucks. We only had 2 mature eggs last time, and both made super high quality day 5 blasts, so this is the first time we've 'lost' embryos between day 3 and day 5 (which I know is normal, it just sucks)

@2mumsandason yes i am with Care! I agree, i hate the unknown and no plans... I got a message today though to say my ET has been booked in on Wednesday afternoon. But they will give me a call in the morning first to let us know the results and if there is anything to transfer. I'm happy i've got the time but soo sooo nervous about the call on Wednesday!

Hopefully we both will feel less bloat as the week goes by!

@ngy21 I've just had my call and my ET is at 10.15 on Wednesday. At least there's something to aim for now I guess!! But yeah they will call an hour or so before to let us know the results too 😬 just think, we've only got tomorrow to wait really...we can do this!!! x

@beachbum85 i know i should be greatful for having those 5 still going strong and I reallly am. I think part of the problem is not being able to do a fresh transfer, so if there is only one of poor quality in the end that can't be frozen, we can't transfer it to give it a chance. And if there is only one and it doesn't thaw well, that's it.
I overthinking everything. I am going to try and return to my happy bubble and focus on what I have now and not what I may or may not have on Wednesday.

@Ttc8 thanks. Wow that is one long tww. How are you holding up? Will you poas or have a beta blood test?

@ngy21 yeah, i get what you mean. I think it was also hearing the embryologist imply that I should be prepared for just one that threw me off a bit. I am keeping everything crossed that by not disturbing them you'll have a great number of strong blasts waiting for you in 2 days.

@2mumsandason there is definitely anxiety with both approaches. With having the updates is like i'm losing them bit by bit, if that makes sense but I do get the need to plan and how the lack of information can increase your anxiety. You had great numbers to start with so ignore my anxiety about my own numbers and think in 2 days you will be pupo. Good luck for your ET on Wednesday. So exciting that you already have it booked. You've got this!

@2mumlife i am sorry you're disappointed but just think if they were good enough to freeze they do have a chance. There are plenty of storie of perfect 5AA embryos not making it and then poorer quality ones turning into a lovely baby so you have 3 wonderful frosties waiting for you. I still wish there was no attrition rate and every single embryo made it to a perfect day 5 blast, though.
So what is the process with your clinic? Do they make you wait a few cycles or can you usually the FET straight away?

@Novavee My 5AA from my first fresh transfer was a BFN but I started period only 4dp5dt so feel like that embryo was wasted. My 4AA from FET ended in chemical. We have another 5AA from this round we will transfer as a single as soon as clinic allow (they will drag their feet and make us miss being able to start with withdrawl bleed I'm sure but I'm hoping they will just let us get on with it after 1 natural cycle which is what they prefer). The two poor embryos (a 3BB snd 3BC) have so low odds of a live birth we'll do a double transfer with them. And then that's us then at the end of our fertility journey. That's why I'm disappointed really, we only have 2 more shots at getting pregnant, and given we've never got lucky so far it's just got really hard to believe its going to happen to be honest.

@Novavee - I am booked for beta blood test on Friday. I have been told to do home test in the morning before blood test so I know what to expect. Last week kept myself busy but really nervous now. Hope this week goes by quickly and we get some good news.

We don't have any frozen embroys either. So, really want this to work

@KatRee I think the grief is totally normal - I had a period that felt like mourning after our first failed cycle when I would just burst into tears because it felt like the end of the IVF road. Even if you know the stats, it's really difficult to have that hope come crashing down... Take your time to work through that and take care of yourself xx I'm sending you lots of love and strength, and luck for your next attempt when that comes

@Ttc8 impossible not to worry but twinges and cramps don't mean anything bad :) best of luck for your test and lots of patience... you have a long wait there!

@ngy21 you're welcome - I hope something helps! No real plans at all as I really didn't think past OTD, but I will try go visit a friend out of town one weekend... and catch up with work as I've been so distracted these weeks!
Waiting for the Day 5 call is sooooo nervewrecking, but glad you're coping OK. Stay strong, and @2mumsandason too, and I hope you both feel better soon xx

@2mumlife congrats on your frosties! I can understand the disappointment with the drop-off, and especially with the lower quality than last time, but as Novavee said, they wouldn't have frozen them if they didn't have a good chance. We were told that our early blast from the first round had a 25% chance of making it, and it wasn't even developed enough to be graded, so the odds must be even better for your 3BB and 3BC. It's really hard, but don't give up on them yet xx in any case, I hope you get to your FET soon!

@Novavee I can totally understand the added stress of a freeze all and I'm sorry you have to go through that. Keeping everything tightly crossed that Wed will bring good news for you xx

@2mumlifr I can appreciate why you are disppointed, especially if this will be your last fresh cycle. I do hope one of these is the little embie you have been waiting for.

I came into this journey naively thinking that it would be much easier than it is. We though if all we were missing was sperm and i had a good AMH and AFC, we were like to have very positive results and the reality is not as straightforward.

@Ttc8 oh, that's good. I am keeping everything crossed for you. Only 3 more sleeps to OTD.

Oops, that was supposed to read @2mumlife

Had some bleeding yesterday and just did the home pregnancy test -BFN

Sending lots of love @ttc8

@Novavee We're exactly the same! Came in because we needed donor sperm. Everything checked out fine for me, and off we went thinking a few cycles of IUI and we'd be laughing. 4 failed IUIs, 1 failed fresh transfer and a chemical FET and we're also having to face the reality this isn't easy. It just seems so unfair sometimes, doesn't it?

@beachbum85 There's about a 15% chance of a 3BC leading to a live birth. And so far even good statistical probability have left us with nothing, so I'm not getting my hopes up. I guess we'll just see. Bleed started today - my clinic have dragged their feet so much nothing is in place for us starting the FET round with this bleed, so I'm going to be forced to wait yet another month to actually do a tranfer. This whole process is so frustrating - we've only had 6 actual attempts at getting pregnant in 14 months because of how slowly everything moves