IVF/FET Jan/Feb 2022

[Juno231]

I know I'm a bit early but knowing that I get to start in January I think I'll go mad just twiddling my thumbs until then.

With Christmas clinic closures I think there's a fair few of us around waiting for Jan to start, so hopefully we can gather here for support in the mean time?

About me - 33 years old (although I turn 34 in Jan!), TTC#1 for two years with unexplained infertility. Am due to start my first ever round of IVF in January (NHS). I've been told I'll do short protocol and in terms of next steps I've got a trial embryo transfer in two weeks' time, and both OH and I have to get blood tests done in Dec. I can order my meds from the pharmacy in Dec as well so got that to look forward to ha.

I'm currently predicted to start my cycle on the 31st of Dec which would mean having to wait a whole cycle due to the new year bank holiday getting in the way. My cycle can vary by a few days though so I'm really hoping CD1 actually comes a day or two later!

@Amorrisx sounds like we are in a similar situation. What sizes are your follicles? Now I'm on the higher dose mine have made some progress in the last couple of days and my eostradiol level has really gone up

Yeah it does! Some are still as small as 10 some are like 12-15 there’s like 20-30 follicles on each side but only a couple each ovary growing it’s so frustrating feel like am never going to get to the egg retrieval and they won’t up my dose again am on 4 powders now they are growing just very slowly I’ve been having to go back every 2-3 days so there keeping an eye out but don’t know how long they’ll keep me on the stims before they cancel this cycle

@Jennie154 @Dobcaty good luck with your triggers. I always get so nervous doing a trigger shot!! Hope it went well

@Coops0406 fingers crossed for your scan. If it's any consolation, I never feel anything until much later in the stims process. Hope there's lots going on in there.

Xxx

@Amorrisx mine are similar sizes at the moment but they don't seem concerned. I think it's just where the dose was so low to start they have taken a bit longer

Hi all, today's EC went ok. Only really started feeling some pain late afternoon and paracetamol has worked fine. They said 19 retrieved (not sure yet how many mature), but I'll find out tomorrow how many fertilised and discuss whether we still want to go ahead with a freeze-all (not knowing if we will get any that make it to day 5 and good enough quality to freeze) or change to a fresh transfer. I've taken a progesterone tonight just in case. My last couple of rounds (1 failed, 1 mmc) i had 5 and 6 fertilised, and we did double transfers on day 3 with nothing left for the freezer.

I'm 42 and we were planning to do 3 rounds of embryo batching for pgs testing. But then today the dr was saying do we want to change to fresh transfer? So confusing! We wanted advice, not to come up with our own treatment plan! Anyway, when the embryologist calls tomorrow with the fertilised count, we will have to decide. Thinking maybe we should aim for a freeze-all this round even if we get nothing in the freezer, then re-evaluate next round. Already planning on back to back stims cycle starting meriofert again in 5 days time. Then a month break before 3rd stims cycle.

If an embryo or blast isn't good enough to make it to day 5-6 or to freeze, does it have a chance of working in a fresh transfer?

@Bluebonnet3 was your plan to do freeze all so you could PGT-A test? If you free and test it could potentially prevent you from eating up more time with a pregnancy that isnt' actually viable because PG abnormal?

At my appt today nurse said we could potentially trigger tonight and do EC Friday, I have one cluster looking ready. But I asked if there was any risk/harm in waiting one more day as I've got a few lurking around 14mm that might benefit from a bit longer, asked if we could ask a consultant and consultant agreed let's hold off. They confirmed my LH level stable so no risk of ovulating. So got another bloods + scan tmrrw but then very likely will trigger tmrrw night for Saturday egg collection, which I will have under general anaesthesia and last time was at hospital 13 hours total before getting home, and week to recover.
It's a freeze-all so if get any PG normal blasts will be transferring in late mid-late February (as long as leftover cysts from this current stim cycle)

Getting abit stressed so I stopped norethisterone on Sunday... Stil waiting for a bleed and I can only start my Prostap jag tomorrow if I have bled. 😭 Worried its gonna delay starting everything cos of this. My periods were like clockwork and feel this tablet has messed everything up. Was all excited to ge to the 9th. Does anyone have experience with this tab and how long it took for a withdrawal bleed?im definitely not pregnant.

@Bluebonnet3 that's a great number! I think at our age (I'm nearly 40) they talk about only 30% or less being stable so hopefully you'll get some euploids in there. We got 2 eupoloids from 17 eggs retrieved so I'm guessing you could be in the same ball park. Maybe ask them today why he mentioned a fresh transfer. Some think that being in its natural surroundings is better for the embryo so a fresh transfer sooner may be a better option. Having had 2 fresh transfers that didn't work, and now knowing we only had 2 euploids anyway which are frozen, I now know the ones put in would have never worked as they weren't stable, it was false hope and I put myself through that pain instead of waiting to test them. If they weren't going to make it to day 5 though so couldn't be tested I would have put them in early if suggested!!!
Also, there is another thread on here about tests on your womb, recommended to me by my consultant after 2 failures from what were graded as very good embryos. As there are 2 euploids, these tests have been recommended to help ensure they aren't wasted. May be worth looking into after your rounds and Pgs testing. Sorry, I have rambled on!

@Janefx40 thanks! I did look back at my little journal from last cycle and it was actually tonight in that cycle that I started feeling things...I've maybe remembered how I felt towards the end of stims last time and panicked! But it's booked so at least we can get an idea of what is going on 😊

@tulipsandsnow sounds good waiting one more day. Did you have OHSS last time? I can't believe you were in for that long last time, hopefully this time will be better! Hope the scan goes okay

@Frenchiepupmama AF has usually come for me 4 days after stopping norithisterone. Can you do you injection at night? So if it shows anytime today you are good to go? Hoping it's arrived through the night for you 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾

@Coops0406 thanks that's gd to know. Everything I've looked up said two to three days. I am hoping so much it comes today at some point or even tomorrow morning and I can take the injection in the evening after work. Duno why I just feel upset this morning and the journey hasn't even begun yet and I know itl be tough road ahead. Just hope I can emotionally be strong enough for this. Bit dramatic this morning lol. Just having a wobble day.

@Frenchiepupmama same as @Coops0406 my period always comes exactly 4 days after stopping noresthisterone so that would be today on your timing. Also noresthisterone is the only medication I've taken across all my cycles that made me depressed and teary! So that could explain how you are feeling. Good luck.

@tulipsandsnow good luck with scan today and trigger tonight.

@Bluebonnet3 personally I like to make a plan and try to stick to it unless things turn out radically different to expected. Clinics usually give you choices at different points. Obviously the main goal of IVF is a baby but for me a secondary goal is to avoid regrets as much as possible if it doesn't work. If we've decided something, like PGS, then I try to stick to that decision.

In my second cycle we decided that we would freeze (because there had been an error with my medication so not ideal to transfer) but that if there was anything not good enough to freeze, we would transfer just to give it a chance. On day 5 we had one to freeze and another that was only at day 4 stage. They said we could wait to day 6 to see if it got to blastocyst and gave it about a 10% chance. We took ages to make the decision. I felt they thought I was stupid to transfer but eventually we decided we would stick to that original decision and as it had such a low chance of getting to freezing quality, we transferred (on day 5). That embryo is about to turn 3!! So a good example of making a decision and sticking to it and that not all babies come from good looking embryos x

Yeah thanks it’s nice to know someone’s going through the same thing! Does anyone have any tips on how to encourage follicles to grow the hospital said lots of water so done that but thinking anything else I can do these last 2 days?

@Janefx40 thanks so much for yout message. I've been pretty awful on the tabs... Really bloated, either ragin or upset lol and all I want to eat is sweet things lol.🤣. I hope it turns up today. So lovely to in a wee support group like this, it really does help!

@Bluebonnet3 hey, sorry to jump in, you mentioned womb testing, can you give me more details on mention me in the thread please, as I haven't been able to find it. When I was 19 I was married and had 3 chemicals, 2 miscarriages and a suspected ectopic. We split and I met my other half a few years later, no protection for 10 years and no babies. IVF failed first time, then I got pregnant with twins last month, which ended in miscarriage.... my clinic won't do any tests.... any advise would be massively appreciated x

@Amorrisx best of luck. My old clinic used to make us drink a litre of milk a day (for the protein). I couldn't stomach it so I'd have a protein shake plus some lactose free milk. Plus lots of water as you say.

@Frenchiepupmama ugh hate noresthisterone! Hopefully you'll start feeling better now you've stopped.

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 thread is here

ERA/EMMA/ALICE Testing Thread 3 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4442943-era-emma-alice-testing-thread-3

Amazing thank you @Janefx40 x

@frenchiepupmama hey! I also stopped Northiserone on Sunday and no bleed yet. Some searches say it can take five days, fingers crossed they come soon. I jab on Saturday :)

Just had a call from the embryologist, and we have a plan and backup plan. Of 19 collected, 6 fertilised. That's typical for me based on the last 2 rounds. We will get an update on Sat (day 3) and Mon (day 5). If on day 5 it looks like any can be biopsied for PGS testing and frozen, they will do that. If any are still holding on but not good enough to test and freeze we will transfer on day 6. So on Mon I will find out if i start meriofert for dual-stim cycle or progesterone for transfer.

Just had call from embryologist feel so nervous when they call good news I think she seemed to say all embryos still growing 7 good quality, 1 average and 4 poor. If they hold on then transfer on Saturday morning then this 2 week wait I guess that I know a lot of you have said is horrible x

@Bluebonnet3 @Newbee33 🤞 that they are developing nicely and the next few days fly quickly.

Thanks so much that’s really helpful xx

@Bluebonnet3 @Newbee33 great number of embryos so far - I hope they progress well!

Hi ladies, sorry I have been AWOL since like page 4. I did that bitch of getting my BFP last month - my last cycle before starting IVF! It's my first ever BFP in 24 cycles so I have no idea what made it work this time. I'm now 9+3 and finally picked up the courage last week to cancel my IVF and self refer to a midwife as I was convinced I'd have an MC and would have had to wait another two years for NHS IVF if they knew.

I'm sorry for leaving you all in a lurch, it's nice to see the thread is plodding along nicely though!

@Juno231 That’s great news massive congratulations. I can understand why you would try to hold off telling the clinic. Thanks for starting the post haha x

@Juno231 that's amazing! Hope all progresses nicely!