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!

@Janefx40 thanks, eek that's a big difference between asda and the clinic. I email said they can order it for me and I already said yes in the email. .. Ekk. Wonder what the price they will charge. 😭😱 Oh good to know about transfer

@Cayandsimit I’ve just seen you had OHSS in a previous round. I had it too and it was quite bad, I ended up going to hospital for a while. They haven’t said anything to me about doing non medicated as an option though! Do you know which part of the process could potentially cause the OHSS?

Hi all, some great results keeping everything crossed for you all!

I am having my first baseline scan tomorrow. I am so confused though. Started norethisterone on 10th jan and finished on Saturday just gone (13 days taking them) then I am getting bleeding today - is this my period? Do they want a period when they do first baseline scan?

Due to start 'FSH Gonal F' on Thursday.

Does this sound right? I haven't heard from the clinic at all since they sent me a letter giving me dates. No word on covid tests ahead of baseline scan tomorrow etc?

Also, last question promise 🙈 the baseline scan - is it internal, or is it like an ultrasound? I am clueless, but I am a control freak so trying not to know everything as it will stress me out!

@WhiteLily86

If what you've been taking (sorry I've not heard of it) is down regulating then yes you probably will bleed. Its to shed the lining.

I've not had to do a covid test for baseline . But I have to for egg collection I thought about this today and if they want one for egg collection why don't they need one for all the other appointments ?!

My baseline was a internal literally there for 3 or 4 minutes. Nothing to worry about at all.

Hope everything goes well for you

@Janefx40 thank you 🥰 2 out of 4 is amazing! I guess it's me comparing it with the last round and wondering how from 16 eggs this time we may not even have 1 that is viable. Such a rollercoaster. But I'm grateful we still have the 2 euploids from the previous round...just got to do the tests on the womb and hope they work as there is no back up now 🤞🏾

@WhiteLily86 hey I was on norethisterone then when stopped a bleed then on day 5 from stopping the tablets had a Prostap injection at home then on 2nd day after that injection started Ovaleap injections for 5 days then my clinic wanted a baseline (blood test and transvaginal ultrasound scan), continue with ovaleap injection then three days later another blood test and ultrasound scan). I've just did my trigger injection tonight and egg collection Thursday. Hope this helps abit. It's all new to me as this is our first round.

[quote Justawannabemam]@WhiteLily86

If what you've been taking (sorry I've not heard of it) is down regulating then yes you probably will bleed. Its to shed the lining.

I've not had to do a covid test for baseline . But I have to for egg collection I thought about this today and if they want one for egg collection why don't they need one for all the other appointments ?!

My baseline was a internal literally there for 3 or 4 minutes. Nothing to worry about at all.

Hope everything goes well for you[/quote]
Thank you so much for replying!

No idea about whether they are a down reg - have seen others comment on that but not sure on terminology!

Perfect, not fussed or queasy at that sort of thing, more just so I know what to expect

[quote Frenchiepupmama]@WhiteLily86 hey I was on norethisterone then when stopped a bleed then on day 5 from stopping the tablets had a Prostap injection at home then on 2nd day after that injection started Ovaleap injections for 5 days then my clinic wanted a baseline (blood test and transvaginal ultrasound scan), continue with ovaleap injection then three days later another blood test and ultrasound scan). I've just did my trigger injection tonight and egg collection Thursday. Hope this helps abit. It's all new to me as this is our first round.[/quote]
Thank you, that's really helpful! I was worried I had messed up the dates or something as wasn't sure if I was due a bleed now or not. I have checked the letter about 50 times!!

Yes I saw your comments and thought we sounded like we are on similar drugs!

Good luck for EC this week

@womaninkent I think they tailor the protocol depending on your needs. I don't have problem with ovulation. Hormone levels, ovarian reserve etc. were all ok on my side. Our main problem is my husband's morphology. Also I am living in Germany and there are many restrictions here than in the UK. Maybe that is why it is different.

@Mochii I was also hospitalized because I couldn't breathe. My liver enzymes were really high for a while. I think my estrogen level was really high in December's ICSI. I am 35 and we collected only 14 eggs. I was on 200mg Pergoveris for 9 days. So my dosage was not high, I don't have PCOS and I am not that young 😅 I really don't know why I ended up at the hospital... Apparently trigger shot starts OHSS. Unfortunately I have to use Ovitrelle again in this FET cycle because doctor needs to control the timing of the ovulation. I wanted it to be as natural as possible because on top of everything, I need to get Omegaven infusion to suppress NK, Clexane for coagulation issues and progesterone pessaries+injections. When I go to pharmacy to get all these prescriptions I feel like they look at me with pity 😅 How is your protocol going? Which medicines do you use now?

@WhiteLily86 Im on a flare protocol my clinic call it but I think it's just fancy name for short protocol. I was going bit Google mad at start as everything was saying about should bleed three days after norethisterone but it took at least day 4 in middle of night for it to start and was due next day was the Prostap injection so it arrived just in time.

This thread has been so helpful having others to be able to talk to and offer advice/support.

Where is your clinic? I'm in Glasgow GCRM. We went private due to me now 38 years old as of Sunday 😭 and covid delayed all our nhs investigations and we just thought private would get the ball rolling bit quicker for us.

Good luck with your treatment aswell. Sending baby dust✨

@Frenchiepupmama aww happy belated birthday! I hope you managed to still celebrate even with being smack bang in the middle of it all!

I am 36 but we are very lucky to have one child, but struggling for a long time for no.2. I am Aberdeen fertility centre, self-funded as we naturally conceived our first.

@WhiteLily86 Aww wishing u all the luck. thank u had very relaxing birthday, got treated to hot stone massage, went for something to eat and cinema so was lovely. Missed having a glass of wine tho lol 🍷😂 but can't have it all. Lol.

@Cayandsimit I’m still waiting for my period to start, which was due on Sunday and is late for the first time ever. I’m not sure what medication I will be taking yet as they have told me they need me to go in on day 2. I naively thought that OHSS was only a risk when doing a normal cycle, not FET! Glad you’ve told me! I didn’t even get many eggs so I’m not sure why I got it the first time either but it got much worse once I was pregnant rather than early on, so I completed the full treatment rather than freezing all

BFN for us unfortunately disappointing but we are lucky enough to have 5 frozen embryos so I guess it’s just waiting and trying again. Good luck to you all really hope we get a few positives over the next few days xxx

Sorry to hear this @Newbee33. I hope one of your frozen embryos is the one. Good luck!

@Newbee33 sorry to hear that 😞 but yes, it is positive that you have 5 frozen, stay strong xx

@Newbee33 really sorry to hear that. Hoping one of the frosties next time will be the one.

@Newbee33 sorry to hear your result. You have plenty of frosties there, hoping the next one sticks. X

@Mochii as far as I know, if you use very low dosage (e.g. 25-50 per day) stims for FET, it is not a big risk in FET. I think you have approximately 1% change to get OHSS during a fresh cycle. But in FET it is much much lower because they focus on make you ovulate only 1 egg instead of harvesting 10-15.
Yes, pregnancy increases OHSS symptoms. The same hormone (hCG) used for triggering ovulation through injections (like Ovitrelle) which possibly triggered the OHSS will be produced again by placenta once you are pregnant. That is why it gets worse once you are pregnant.
As long as your ovaries are back to their normal size and you have no free fluid in abdominal area, I think the risk is really really low. Like I said, they will only focus on your normal ovulation and lining thickness for FET, so your ovaries won't be stretched as much and I am sure stim dosage will be very low this time (if needed). I hope you can relax an enjoy this relatively less stressful cycle 💫

Just catching up on the thread! It moves so quickly!

@Newbee33 so sorry to hear your news! Fingers crossed for one of your Frosties!!

@Frenchiepupmama good luck for EC tomorrow!

@Justawannabemam that interesting about your dose of stims. Are you just on 450 ovaleap for the whole time or do you switch to something else? My clinic told me I was on the highest dose of stims so I couldn’t go any higher, 300 ovaleap for 5 days then 300 menopur for 6 days! But obviously not 🤔 perhaps it’s because I’m doing two different ones that they don’t go higher!

@Coops0406 sorry to hear your news! How long do you have to wait for biopsy results?

@Bec18x congratulations!! Great news!! x

Good luck to anyone else having scans, transfers, ECs or test results this week!! xxx

@Newbee33 Aww hun I’m sorry it wasn’t to be this time. Same happened to me in December but like you said it was the Frosties that have kept me going. Stay hopeful that the right one is in that bunch xx

@crazycatlady1981 nope . I'm on 450 of overleap for 10 days . Then trigger after that .

It's bc of my age. I'm 40 so they want me to get as many as possible. I just hope I get a few more than last time . Bc they cannot increase it anymore

I'm just waiting to go in for my egg collection, even though I've done it twice before, it's nerve wracking!

I asked the consultant about the fluid in my lining, she said it was a tiny slither and insignificant, but she will check it out on the Scan. So that's reassuring, although it would he better of it wasn't there at all.

@Newbee33 so sorry to hear. It's not nice at all, hope you are okay. Plenty of self care for you and great news that there are 5 just waiting for you 🥰

@crazycatlady1981 we hear in 2 weeks. Last time, they were surprised that 2 out of my 5 embryos tested were euploid so I really don't hold out much hope with only having 2 now. I feel much better today, am looking towards my next cycle to start the FET meds for the womb biopsies so keeping my mind focussed on that

@Aimz40 good luck for today, enjoy the sleep 😊 and fingers crossed for some good eggs