Anyone doing IVF at 40+ pt 2

[lucymills1234]

Setting up a new thread as the old one was nearly at the limit.

@Anxiousbuthopeful
@Islandstars
@Woodcottage1
@Unicorn9
@SerenditySunshine

Hi @facevalue , I'm 43 too - although nearer 44..I did 2 rounds of egg (not embryo argh!) freezing when I was 40 and also didn't get many eggs. I'm using donor sperm and waiting to see when I can start my cycle..

@facevalue didn't tag properly!

@facevalue haha I am guessing all these celebrities have the best teams of doctors on hand and at least a few different options available. Still anyone who is going through this will find the journey a tough one

@facevalue also want to say when I did egg collecting I got ovarian hyper stimulation so no choice but to freeze. They say there’s a slim chance of this happening… so of course it would happen to me! However clinic said argument that fresh vs. frozen is quite uncertain and I’ve had friends that managed it with frozen +40 years old.

Anyone on stims currently? I’m day 7, follicles being rather slow in growing. Another scan on day 10.

@mooneagle actually they were saying there's some small suggestion that frozen might be slightly better because your body recovers from all the hormones abd your womb might be more receptive to implantation. it's not a bad thing. 😘i never had extra to freeze. i don't think i ever had day5 transfer either. they always said put them back best grow in womb.

@LouScot excellent that you have reserve eggs but like everyone says you really only need one that takes xxx all the best hun

Welcome @LouScot! it is so hard not to focus on the ‘what if’ isn’t it. But you are here now and the process is starting which is good.

As far as I can see the success or failure all seems quite random so I certainly think there is hope yet.

@lucymills1234 have you had a new scan? Fingers crossed it is looking more ready to go now. I really do hear you and know how you feel. It’s so hard not to focus on ‘what if it doesn’t happen’ I don’t even have any advice.

I have had a foolish moment this week where for 48 hours I really thought I might have fallen naturally between cycles……. Obviously 2 hours after I caved and took a test I started spotting 😔just so should destroying. I try so hard each time to keep the faith each time but just seems wasted when it fails month after month.

AF will be here tomorrow so I’ll be back on progynova and starting a mock cycle…… really hope it gives some answers 🙏🏻

Thanks @Hopeful199

Unfortunately I've just tested positive for covid this evening after avoiding it for over 2 years. I'm still wearing masks and everything!!!

How long do I need to wait before I start a fresh cycle??

@LouScot So sorry to hear that. So frustrating that covid is still causing havoc!!! I think the clinics all have different protocols though so best to call in and check with them.

i caught it between frozen rounds and just had to test negative for 2 days in a row before I could restart drugs again.

it sucks though!

Ah okay, thanks @Hopeful199 , that's reassuring - I was panicking thinking it'd be months and months!!

Hi all just wanted to get thoughts on number of transfers? One embryo or two at a time?

Hi all, I was hoping I could join the group. I’m 40 and had a FET in May (5ab) which worked but had 7 week scan today and egg sac is large and baby small so very low chance of success. I have a scan next Wednesday then will have d&c and send off tissue to test. We have 1 day 5-6bc and 2 day 3 (no idea on quality) left in the freezer. My consultant is suggesting to thaw and PGT them. I only make 2 eggs per cycle but I’ve been lucky so far and they usually fertilise and grow. Due to my age I’m thinking safest bet is to crack on asap with more collections and pgt them, but I’m also really torn as I make so little! I’ve worked out if I stick with my current clinic (the evewell) the cost of collections will ramp up to 7-8 k per cycle w/meds and another 900 to test each embryo.

Feeling very sad and defeated by the whole thing tbh. I know I should be grateful that the transfer worked but my heart is now breaking it’s not working out.

Why not do this in cyprus? Much cheaper and I can give you the clinic I used. Are you on the supplements from the book ‘it starts with an egg’

I think when I did it in 2019 it was 2500 plus about 400 drugs for cycle, transfer and drugs and about 200 to test. I’m so sorry your facing this x

Hi all,

I hope everyone's enjoying some sunshine, wherever you are.

@LouScot what a time to get Covid 😬That's so frustrating, especially as you've escaped it so far. Hope you can get going again soon.

@user1479588581 Welcome! So sorry to hear that your scan had that outcome - it sounds like there is some hope if they're scanning you again? I can absolutely understand you being pragmatic though. I've had similar dilemmas about whether to continue collecting (although in my case not to PGT, it was whether to use up frozen blasts or collect more first). I don't think there can be a right or wrong answer because you will never know what the outcome of the other route would have been. I eventually decided on another collection because I thought the blasts in freeze were suspended in time where my eggs were only going to get older. Good luck making the decision.

@Hopeful199 that's so rubbish that your hopes were raised then dashed :( Hopefully your mock cycle gives you some answers.

@Woodcottage1 I do remember you! Thanks for saying you're invested - doing IVF solo can feel extremely lonely but it's nice to know there are people out there that want to know how you're doing. Is it your day 10 scan today? Hope the follicles have sped up nicely.

I had another scan last week and my lining was thick enough. I had to wait a few days to start progesterone to fit with clinic timings for transfer which worried me a bit but I'm told that's fine with a medicated FET. Anyway, I transferred yesterday so now have a 4BA on board. My last failed transfer was a 3BA and at the time they told me that they liked the development of that one better so prioritised it over this 4BA (which has made me feel since like this one is a dud...). But I'm told it's still a good grade so wait and see time again. My clinic says test on day 15 for a medicated FET which feels like forever.

As I said in my last message I can't help feeling that failure is inevitable since this is transfer 8 and nothing has worked yet. It's a weird mix of still wanting more than anything for it to work (and will no doubt be thinking about it constantly) but at the same time almost resigned to the BFN. In need of distractions! Anyone else in the TWW?

@lucymills1234 hi. I'm in the 2ww with a 5bb on board in my first fresh cycle. I'll be 42 in November. I'm 7dp5dt and haven't tested yet and I don't have any symptoms so am not feeling confident. My blood test is on the the 27th and I'm thinking of waiting until that morning to do a pregnancy test.
With your previous fresh transfers that didn't implant, did you start bleeding before stopping progesterone?
I've also not PGT tested mine.

Hi @birdbybird well done for holding out to test! I know many people do test early but I prefer waiting until OTD.

Up to transfer 5, I never bled before stopping progesterone. On that transfer I had some bleeding (though not full flow) from the day before OTD. So for the next transfer and since I was put on Lubion as well. My last FET and this one have been medicated (I'd previously done natural FETs) and that's changed things again. I felt like I had a few 'symptoms' on the last transfer but it was BFN so must have been the different meds.

Symptoms/lack of is such a minefield. You can have lots and it mean nothing, or none and it be good news. What's true for one person isn't for someone else - and that's before you add the drugs into the mix which confuse everything anyway. I had a BFP on my third transfer (but was a chemical). That time, on 9dp5dt I felt extremely tired and noticed a little bit of breast tenderness that I'd not had on previous transfers (medications were all the same). The downside is that now, when I get to 9dp5dt I drive myself crazy looking out for the same extreme tiredness/tenderness as a sign of success/failure. Which is nuts, because nothing about this is that simple a formula.

Anyway, this is all a long way round of saying try not to worry at 7dp about a lack of symptoms. Which I know is waaaaay easier said than done!

Thanks @lucymills1234 . My clinic have said I won't need to postpone treatment as it'll be next cycle at least before I start.

Can I ask everyone how you cope with the statistics? I'll be 44 in October, and depending on what stats I look at have between a 3 and 8% chance of having a baby after 3 cycles. My 40 year old eggs have a better chance if they survive the thaw, but even then it's just under double figures. I want to believe I'm going to be one of the success stories but it's hard at times.
Has anyone got any helpful tips or success stories with such low chances? I'm on a few Facebook groups but some of the ladies there seem to have ridiculous amh levels and mine are very much average (or just under average) for age - at least they were a year ago.

@user1479588581 sorry to hear about your scan. Is there any hope at all ?

@lucymills1234 thanks for replying. What have your clinic said
so far in regards to your treatment plan? Are you happy with their advice?
I’m now thinking about doing a test maybe tomorrow and at least it gives me the weekend to adjust to the result before the blood test on Monday.

@lucymills1234 thanks Lucy I think we’re going to crack on with doing collections between august and October or November and then January and hope out of those 3 one of them is normal. I make such small volumes (just 2 per cycle) that my chances aren’t great.

@user1479588581 I'm so sorry you're in that limbo state of not knowing. Hope your scan next week is more positive. I thought there were issues with pgt testing after the thaw (because they would then have to re freeze the embryos, so that you get the results pre-transfer?), but perhaps the Evewell lab has some better technology for this than my old clinic.....I know the feeling re the cost of additional collections. Have you looked into clinics that offer discounts on multiple egg banking cycles? I think there are a few that do in London. Or overseas is also potentially cheaper if that can work for you logistically.....

@lucymills1234 v exciting that you're in the 2ww!! Hope you're surviving and finding lots of distractions.....quality isn't always a marker of success, so hope you can try not to worry too much about the grading of the embryo...

@birdbybird good luck in the 2ww! Test day is so soon so well done for making it this far without testing....

@lucymills1234 Thank you, it’s egg collection tomorrow Sunday. Fingers crossed for you for this 2ww xx
@LouScot are you on all the supplements and have plastics removed from your kitchen? That’s all I can recommend, but doing those two things dramatically helped my egg quality xx

I don't think so, unless there's a miracle frankly, I was measuring really far behind with a large egg sac which apparently is a sign of genetic abnormalities. I'll know on wednesday then book in a d&c and send off for testing. If it was abnormal i think im going to crack on with the remaining transfers of the 3 we've got and then if those dont work do fresh collections but PGT them. I only make 2 eggs per cycle so its really hard (and expensive).