IVF / FET March/April 2022

[AliceAbsolum]

Thought I'd start a thread for those starting rounds in the next few months.

I'm 36. TTC for 6 years. This will be my 4th transfer. It's a double embryo FET in Cyprus.

Welcome welcome 😁

@CentaurChiron thank you, and yes soooooo sureal. I was excited one minute, anxious the next and then sad worrying about it not working. It’s been so long. I thought at the time we started trying that I’d have 2 by now :(. Somethings are so unfair.

I’ve just looked at my notes and they are starting me on 150IU of meriofert is that high? Low? Normal? 🤔

@PMAmostofthetime I find it's like seesawing between hope and despair. I've realised it's the uncertainty of not knowing when it'll end, if it'll end or how it'll end. It is such an unfair thing to go through!

I was on Meriofert for my first cycle. I combined it with Fostimon though. I think I started on 150 Meriofert and 75 Fostimon, which I think is somewhere in the middle range. Will you be taking just Meriofert or will you combine it with anything else?

@CentaurChiron that is exactly the right explanation.

I will be taking it with Cetrotide Not sure how much it’s not written on my notes and it’s currently sealed in my fridge it comes in preloaded syringes.

Wish Sunday time would speed up!

@PMAmostofthetime I think each Cetrotide siringe has 0.25mg in it. You usually take one per day from about day 5 or day 6 of stims.

I bet you're just counting down the days now. I'm doing exactly the same.

@PMAmostofthetime Sounds like you're on a similar timeline and stims to me. I've been taking 150 Meriofert and 0.25mg Cetrotide, second scan today to see how follicles are developing. I was told that I was on the lowest dose of Meriofert that they do, as I might be at higher risk of OHSS. We've been waiting a similar time to you, this is our first round and very much mixed emotions! Excited to start but also a lot of unknowns and still feeling a bit surreal. We're both of the mindset that we're not expecting it to work after TTC for 4 and a half years, so if we do we'll be over the moon, but setting our expectations to fail!

Hi All!
I'm due to start my 2nd FET cycle end of march/start of April. So I'm just catching up with all messages on here!
A little about me:
TTC since November 2017. Unexplained infertility.
Had a freeze all after EC in April 2021 (ICSI).
FET in June 2021 - BFN.
Just had my EndomeTRIO (ERA, ALICE and EMMA) and took a course of antibiotics and will be taking probiotics to help with the flora/microbes of my future baby house down there lol.

I look forward to connecting with you all more over the coming months.

Hi all,

I've been AWOL as drove back to the UK in 2 days, 1000km each day! Knackered.

@Coops0406 Glad you had a great time, breaks are good in this process.

@HJen22 Covid is such a pain isnt it, an added stress we dont need. Fingers crossed you keep dodging it.

@SUMMERTIME02 Welcome :) Interesting about the antibiotics/probiotics, I'm hearing a lot about that recently.

@EasterBunny7 Its such a hard decision and no right or wrong answer really. for me 2 is the best choice, partly because they are frozen in 2s! But also after 6 years without getting past 8 weeks I am ok with it. I'll risk the multiples risks.

I went to Boots yesterday to load up on supplies for Cyprus - 60 folic acid, 4 FRERs and some Canesflor as I'm convinced about the evidence based for this now. All in all £50! Though that sort of pails into insignificance with all the meds and the transfer itself.

@CentaurChiron yes it's 0.25 I had to check, can't wait to take northesteroine Sunday now and get into it - although my paperwork says 2 a day and the box 3 a day so will need to ring the clinic in the morning to check.

@Rosemary121
Your about a week ahead of me, excited to hear more about your journey. How did the scan go?
My fertility is unexplained all they know is that I have a pinhole cervix and I'm not ovulating at all- my ovaries looked fine in the scan they said with lots of follicles but they were unable to perform a HSG so I have to be sedated for both EC and ET. Maybe that's why I'm on the lowest too as they have no idea what's going on in there.

Ah it's finally the weekend ☺️ does anyone have any nice plans? Just dog walks and chilling for us!

@PMAmostofthetime fab it's almost time! I was the same as you and dying to just get started!! I was on 3 a day and just took them all in the AM. After feeling such a few days I took them after breakfast and felt better.

@Rosemary121 I hope your scan went well?

@AliceAbsolum welcome back to the UK! Wow that's a lot of driving! How was it? And how is it being back in the UK? Xx

@PMAmostofthetime mine is also unexplained infertility. I had exactly the same query with norethindrone, I was told to take 2 a day but box said 3! Scan went ok thank you, I was hoping EC would be Monday but there are a few smaller follicules that they're hoping will catch up if I wait till Wednesday for EC. Hope all goes well for you, are you excited to get started?

@SUMMERTIME02 Welcome! Good luck to you with your FET ☺️

@aliceabsolum That's one drive! Interesting to hear about the Canesflor.

@HJen22 Scan went Ok thank you, I have 3 17mm and another 12 between 11-14 so the plan is for EC on Wednesday. I was hoping for Monday but not quite there so a few more days of stims unfortunately!

@Rosemary121 hoping those extra follicles grow over the weekend for you :)

Did you have to take 2 or 3 northeasteroine?

@HJen22 I will definitely take them after breakfast thanks for the tip. I took them years ago for period issues and don't remember any issues, so I'm hoping I'll be ok.

@AliceAbsolum what's the Canesflor? I would be interested to know what you researched?
Thanks

Im actually due to take canesflor because i had less good bacteria. I took antibiotics to kill off all bad bacteria and now will be starting the canesflor once ive finished my period.
Interested to know all you other ladies thoughts on it.
I am also currently taking a probiotic called optibac for women. Im hoping this is what makes the difference for me before my next fet.

@PMAmostofthetime thank you ☺️ I took 3 norethisterone, one in the morning and one in the evening

@Rosemary121 Wednesday will be here before you know it! I can imagine it was disappointing for it to be pushed back but really hope the other follicles catch up and you get a good number of eggs at retrieval 🤞🏻

Does it matter if you don't have your period? So my baseline scan is Monday and my nurse said it didn't matter if my period wasn't here after stopping norethisterone. But does it matter if it's not here for starting stims on the Tuesday? Fingers crossed it appears soon! How times change when you want it to arrive 😂

Hi all, hope you won’t mind me joining 👋🏻

I’m due to start my first round of IVF at the end of March. EC only as we’re having PGT-A then I have immune and endometrio tests to look forward to before EFT in May/June. I have a history of recurrent miscarriage and after six losses over three years, then a two year break, we’ve decided to try a different route.

@SUMMERTIME02 interested to know if you also did a home vaginal microbiome test with a swab?

OH just did a repeat sperm dna test and urine culture so trying to cover all the bases!

@TheHopefulEgg Sorry to hear about your losses 🤍. This is my first round of IVF I start northesteroine tomorrow. Hoping for an EC and ET at the end of March but as I have cervical stenosis ( a pinhole cervix) they are unsure if they will be able to do the transfer as I was unable to have an HSG.

Hoping your journey goes as quickly and smoothly as it possibly can.

I've recently joined and all the members have been helpful and welcoming answering lots of my questions and reassuring me that I'm not crazy......yet.

@HJen22 I'm not sure sorry I've been told to call the clinic the 1st day of my period after Northesteroine to book my scan and Covid swab 😒

@PMAmostofthetime thank you, I googled and I think cos I've got my dates and scans and things it's fine and it seemed on google it didn't matter, my schedule is all set but I'll be sure to ask the nurse plenty questions Monday!

We're Scotland so still have restrictions too. We don't get Covid tested until day of EC but we're isolating from now so as to avoid any chance of covid.

How long are you on norethisterone? I was on 10 days and to be honest after the first few days it went quick and now I can't quite believe I'm away to start stims! X

@HJen22 That's good news then :).

Only for 7 days, so stop 5th March just hope my period shows quickly- seems ironic after not wanting it to come for years.

Good Luck for Monday hope it goes well :)

@PMAmostofthetime oh I’m with you on the “crazy”. Up late tonight reading up on things when I’m sure my body would be much happier if I was sleeping. Something to remedy but my mind is buzzing this weekend. From Monday I’m going to give myself 4 weeks of early nights and try to get into a better pattern for stims, which I’m sure will help with the early starts I believe we're in for?

Is northesteroine used for down regulation? As part of a long protocol?

@TheHopefulEgg i haven't no. I'm actually going to look into what other tests i should do just before my next cycle as I've read theres one smear test type to check

@hjen22 That's good news. Never done a downreg cycle so not sure.

@PMAmostofthetime In a way it gets easier, there is less fear and uncertainty, it's a bit like " here we go again" but the 2ww never got easier. And actually now I had an 8 week loss I'm absolutely dreading early pregnancy if it does happen. Mixed really. I do think the first cycle is the most scary.

Canesflor - I'm seeing more and more ladies have this during FET and I read a good study about it having a statistically significant impact on pregnancy rates and live births. It is something some women do just generally, as in its not a high consequence intervention with side effects, so I'm going to add it in while I'm waiting for transfer.
Didn't women used to lather yogurt on their nethers in the olden days? 😅

@TheHopefulEgg welcome ❤️ I'm so sorry for the very tough journey you have had so far, recurrent miscarriages must be heartbreaking 😞 I really hope that you have success with IVF x

I was on norethisterone to control my cycle for their scheduling but short protocol. I'm not really sure the difference of down reg, but it sounds similar in that it shuts down your ovaries. Basically norethisterone has just meant the clinic have scheduled without waiting for me to call on cycle day 1, I think?!

@PMAmostofthetime thank you ☺️ nervous and sleep isn't great again with mind in overdrive!

@AliceAbsolum how are you, you are off to Cyprus soon? All prepared? Xx

Yes feeling prepared, just taking it one day at a time. 8 days to go. Looking forward to getting back to sunny beaches!