Continued chat of all things IVF, FET & to feel sane...cycle buddies August/September -

[Bluemeadowbaby]

Hey ladies ☺️

A new thread to continue the one we've maxed out from the FET cycle buddies May/June. Anyone wishing to join no matter what stage you're at we're here to support you along the way.

A little background around me - I have a little boy who's 16mo from my second IVF round in 2019. I'm just embarking (restarting after covid setback) on my first FET cycle with the embryos I have in storage in the hope for baby #2 🤞🏼
I have severe endometriosis, hydrosalpinx tubes which have been removed so my only hope is for IVF to work again. It's been a long old journey but if I can give any hope, faith and a tonne of support to anyone who needs it I'm happy to share my story, updates on my cycle and be there to have a general chin wag ☺️

We've got this! ✨ x

@Pingupp sounds like you've had a busy old time! How are you getting on? I'm okay thank you, finally stopped the norethisterone just waiting on AF now and then I can start my patches which will hopefully curb the night sweats 😂🙈 have it in the back of my mind it's not the meds and I've actually gone into early menopause 😂😂😂 x

Thanks all for the good wishes. I’m staying at my folks for a couple of days while there are floorboards up/plumbing stuff going on at our house (DH is there knocking bricks out of the fireplace to get back to the original size/shape: slightly exciting despite the chaos!) so I’ve had a really easy day reading detective stories and resting. Thank goodness for grandparents; they are the actual best.

Has anyone felt implantation? Weird sharp pinchy feelings in my low abdomen this eve which could of course be medication-constipation, but I am in TWW symptom-spot lunacy mode!

@Verbena87 I like the sound of this day! Let me know which kinda stories you've been reading, I'm all for the detective and have been looking for a good read! Sounds exciting with the house coming along! Enjoy your few days relaxing it's most required!
I felt implantation with my little boy but it was after implantation if that makes sense as I tested positive the day I had the cramps. I had really heavy period like feeling on day 6 and when I moved it went away. But I did get implantation spotting on day 3 only on my pessaries on the evening, just before that I had what I thought was cramps like when you need to poop 😂🙈 and I farted a lot around that time! I hadn't had it before. What was your grading number? X

Hmm, bit early then maybe. I don’t know the grade, I have a feeling they don’t grade then the same for PGD as you only end up with ones that are good enough to biopsy then freeze anyway. Embryologist yesterday said it looked ‘beautiful’ following thaw yesterday so I’m just going with that!

I’m reading Jill Paton Walsh, but only because I’ve run out of Dorothy L Sayers and she’s the next best thing. Definitely recommend both.

@Bluemeadowbaby I am ok I think! Got 8wk scan today so hoping all is ok. Not feeling any sickness yet but I think steroids are masking it - I started to reduce that dose today.
Oh god night sweats are the worst. My patches did help with that. Cotton bedding also - poly cotton was just minging!!
Hope they help xx
@Verbena87 symptom spotting - it can drive you mad! On both of my positive pregnancies I did have a bit of pinching and what felt like pulling - more on the 1st one than this one.... every twinge, cramp, pain etc makes you think wtf is going on!! Hope you are keeping sane xx
@PinkRose100 same for you!! Exciting but stressful TWW is awful - sending hugs. But try and enjoy it too. Xx

Sorry been off for awhile as busy with work and fed up of IVF so just catching up.

@Francesmalin I had 2 mature eggs, 2 immature collected, and a lot of eggs they couldn't collect as they didn't come away from the follicule wall at EC. My clinic didn't have an answer as to why. We still had eggs that wouldn't come away from the follicule wall second time around, but changing in protocol and approach seemed to work for us as all the eggs they actually got were mature (6). I still respond badly to stims - I'm 32 and I'm meant to have a normal to high AMH count, but my body doesn't respond accordingly. The clinic don't have an answer why

@Verbena87 @PinkRose100 Hope your TWW's are going ok

@Bluemeadowbaby How are you getting on?

Nothing much to report here. My clinic are being a pain in the arse and really slow about getting things in place to do the FET next cycle. Just feeling fed up about chasing them CONSTANTLY

Hey @2mumlife thanks for your reply. I have just had my post treatment consultation and the clinic doesn't seem confident that changing protocols/trigger might be a solution for me. There might be an issue with my natural egg production and I can't complete maturation. The consultant said I shouldn't be disheartened cause I did produce a mature egg in the first cycle (what a shit consolation, isn't it). I don't think the clinic has the right experience to do so and they recommended me to try their natural cycle technique but even him didn't seem convinced IVM works.

Anyways I am looking for second/third opinion but at this point I think babies are not in my cards or if they are they will come naturally. I'll keep you posted if I get some news! :)

Babies are not in my card is a bit dramatic! Sorry I just had a good 5 minutes of drama and tears post chat with the doctor.

@Pingupp thank you. Let us know how your 8 week scan goes ☺️
@Francesmalin that all sounds really frustrating. Is it an option for you to look at using a different clinic? Well done for staying so strong. xx
@2mumlife sounds super frustrating for you too, I hope you get it booked in soon x

I am happy to talk to a couple of specialists and get a different opinion but for now I won't do any IVF cycles. Can't afford it and need to phisically heal first anyways. Given I have a NHS cycle in six months I want to give them all the information I can before hand. I am also starting acupuncture this week so that might help with the immaturity of my eggs!

@Francesmalin that sounds like a very sensible plan xxx

@Francesmalin sorry it’s been so frustrating, but your plan sounds really sensible and should give you a bit of time to regroup.

@Pingupp I remember the same kind of pains from my first go (successful) but can’t remember when they happened after transfer. The whole thing is madness-inducing!

Test day advice needed: I’m meant to test on the 8th, but have to have my shit together to leave the house by 7am and teach back to back lessons all day which I think will be tough if it’s negative. Do I wait an extra day and test on the 9th?

@Francesmalin I absolutely understand feeling like its just not going to happen. I hope you find a way forward. It might be that you just don't respond well to the drugs and that natural is the way to go for you, but getting other opinions will give you more insight, and hopefully more choices. I did accupuncture for my second IVF round, and if nothing else it made me cope with the process better. Fingers crossed things work out in the end.

@Verbena87 I'd test on the 7th or 9th and avoid the 8th when you've got that much going on.

Finally got clinic to send consent forms for FET, but I'm basically having to fill in ALL THE BLOODY FORMS again for the third, fourth? time. So frustrating. Surely by now they know my passport number, GP etc etc and don't need me to fill it in yet again!?

@2mumlife the wretched interminable forms. At least they’ve sent something I suppose (can you hear me scrambling around for silver linings here?!) x

@Verbena87 I would do the day before or after for sure so you can focus.

@2mumlife the endless forms do your head in. And you are right they have all the information in triplicate already - just read the notes!! I think we watched the Zika virus video about 5 times during our treatments.

@PinkRose100 scan went well. Not counting any chickens as still a long way to go but growing well and heart beating away. My partner is still the Debbie downer and isn't slowing himself to get excited yet...... I may need to slap him later!!

Xx

Oh that’s so lovely @Pingupp - well done baby pingupp! Have you asked him if he thinks not enjoying things now will make it less shit if you experience a loss? I felt so cynical last time round, and I was right, and it still hurt like fuck not being successful - the not-getting-excited didn’t protect me from pain, it just gave me less opportunities for joy.

Phrase it as gently as you like or not at all, but it’s weirdly helped me knowing that even if I expect the worst, I can’t keep myself safe from pain, so I might as well try and enjoy the moment.

Feel like I might’ve explained that badly.

@Verbena87 no that makes perfect sense.
I do think it's a self preservation thing.
I am under no illusion things can't go wrong but trying to find the joy in the little victories along the way.
He'll get there!!
Xx

@Verbena87 You're right that at least they sent something. Hoping they'll get back with a time to do our 'planning call' with the embryoologist next.

@Pingupp I don't even watch the videos now :O I guess DP may be waiting until 12 weeks scan when things are more likely to progress well? I know my DP balances out whatever I'm feeling - when I'm too over optimisitic she pulls me back, and when I feel its all pointless, she puts on the hopeful face. It can be useful to try to get a good balance

Hi everyone,
Just caught up with the last pages of the thread as was busy and couldn't read regularly.

@2mumlife thank you for the embryo grading link, it is very interesting.

@Verbena87, I have felt the same on my only BFP cycle (chemical). So hopefully it is indeed a good symptom.

@PinkRose100, 6BB is a great embryo, congratulations and fingers crossed!

@Francesmalin, I feel for you, it's terrible to go through and I really hope the next cycle (when you are ready for it) has a better outcome.

As for me, we haven't had a consultation after the last failed transfer. In fact, we have not had it after any of the transfers. They don't seem to want to check anything additionally, they say it is a matter of finding that one good embryo. So off to our next FET, again in the natural cycle. Here it means no drugs at all, not even progesterone.

@TheDutchess3 thanks, that’s good to know. I so want it to work I think I’m noticing every little sensation really.

Good luck for your next transfer, do you have a date? Where are you based?

I have had 4 transfers but only in my BFP I have felt those sharp pinchy sensations - exactly like you are describing them. But I do know it is normally supposed to go hardly with any symptoms and we could be overthinking it. Although I am normally also quite sensible and feel the pulling around ovulation.

I am being treated in the Netherlands actually. Lots of differences here compared to what they do in other countries. They tend to rely on local studies (although they say on world studies - I haven't found any confirmation to this!), do very limited testing and if there is a choice they go for unmedicated, as close to natural options as possible.

I do not have a date yet. I was actually expecting to already be around ovulation time, but the follicle was only 12 mm, so next measurement is on Tuesday. Then the transfer will hopefully take place on the 4th day after the ovulation.

@2mumlife that's a good way to look at it- He balances me out.
Got NIPT scan booked in for 18th - next big milestone to work towards.

Hope everyone is doing ok?

Xx

Thank you for all your well wishes. Currently 4 days past transfer and getting what I can only describe as period cramping. Out of interest when you get a BFN after IVF what day roughly should you expect AF? I usual bleed on day 24 but my test day isn’t until day 29 so I’m really confused when to expect it this cycle. TIA x

@PinkRose100 cramping around this time is a good sign 🥰 this is what happened to me and I was like right that's it I'm out so I'm hoping for you this is a positive sign! With a medicated cycle that didn't work for me I started bleeding the day before official test day. Stay strong ❤️

I'll catch up shortly on the rest of the thread, I've found a lump on my beloved pup so need to take him to the vets 😞 AF arrived this morning too so it's going to be a busy one for me x