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 😁

Hello all! Like @IE00 I would like to join this chat as I wait for my second attempt later this month :)

Very briefly: I just turned 34 last week. I went through 4 IUIs last year before taking a break and then had my first IVF retrieval last month. I got 5 eggs but out of those, 3 blasts were good, so I had one fresh transfer that failed, and then two left that (if they defrost alright) will be used for FET cycles.

My period just finished and I’m having my TSH levels re-tested because I’m experiencing some symptoms of hypothyroidism, as well as a swab for bacterial infection because it’s been an (annoying, embarrassing) recurring problem for me that my doctor never managed to find a cure for, so she just told me to live with it, but I feel like with all the research that’s gone into bacterial issues in the vagina interfering with fertility, it would be ridiculous not to have it properly checked! So I’m trying to be pro-active and ‘help myself’ the best I can between cycles, because I haven’t yet gone through enough failed transfers for the doctor to consider potential implantation issues, but considering that I’ve never in my life had a positive pregnancy test, I just can’t help but feel like there is something interfering… we shall see.

@AliceAbsolum sounds absolutely wonderful with a holiday. I haven’t been anywhere since March 2020! this fertility struggle is so all-consuming I keep forgetting that there is actually more to life… and it can be really depressing to feel that way.

@HJen22 No sign of AF typically :(
I know I am relieved they are going to do a dummy run but also anxious incase they can't complete as least they can freeze all and then we can go from there.

@Kittyyy85 thank you that's eases my mind a little, did you feel anything during the EC and Dummy run?
Did you have a HSG?
Sorry for all the questions. I know your right they were not even phased by the fact that I hadn't been able to have a HSG, I think I'll ask if they have had this before at my next clinic visit.

Awww I totally get you with your cousin 2 people in work have had babies this week and one of my family members accidentally got pregnant-
As if it's that easy :(
Just remember you are allowed to be angry and sad.
I've not told people we are doing this, I find it easier.

Still no sign of AF! Now later than usual cycle

Hi @SamTTC

Welcome to the group.

Everyone is super helpful and supportive and they all keep me sane.

Sorry to hear about your failed transfer in Feb .
Great news about having 2 Frosties though.

@AliceAbsolum you are so right with your 0% and 100%, I like that way or looking at it; thank you ❤️

Cyprus sounds just lovely. I am glad you are getting some sun and beautiful surroundings during this. Oh phew glad you were all clear with the Covid tests!!

That's so great your consultant is available to message! Yeah it's not what you imagine doing is it!

@wholemeal121 how are you feeling? I'm on day 9 of stims today. My back is ok but I've had night sweats, clammy hands, really tired. I hope your scan went/goes well. I had first monitoring scan this morning, back friday and it's looking like Monday for EC. I'm so nervous!!

@SamTTC welcome 🥰 I'm so sorry to hear your first attempt wasn't successful but I wish you all the very best with your Frosties 🤞🏻

@PMAmostofthetime oh how annoying! Hopefully very soon! Typical isn't it! But it will come! I know it's just another bloody wait in this constant waiting game.

@hjen22 Is it your scan today?

The whatsapp contact is with my coordinator at the hospital, he's not clinically trained. But he does all the logistics and speaks to the Dr whenever you want.
She'll do my scan next week so it'll be good to get more of the meds and chat with them.
Hurry up AF, just want to get going now.

@AliceAbsolum ah sorry yes I misread that! He sounds super helpful and it's great to be able to speak to him whenever you need to!

Yes I was there at 9am. They round my left ovary eventually but it's only got two small follicles. The other 6 on the right are growing and looking good. She didn't give me actual measurements which to be honest I'm glad as I'd have googled and just over thought it all. I've been so terrified of not making it to EC with my low AFC it was a relief to know the meds are making them grow and she mentioned EC Monday 🤞🏻

@AliceAbsolum glad you've arrived okay and so good that the PCRs were negative! I would have s^ myself!! Hahaha! I love that you have a random guy to text when you get your period! 🤣 I hope you get to relax a little and enjoy some sunshine!

@HJen22 how's it all going? Are you going for a scan soon? I feel like you may be coming up to the last few days if stims...how have the injections been?

@Kittyyy85 so hard to hear news of someone so close getting pregnant. I feel that everywhere I look someone is pregnant, just had a baby or sharing the wonderful news that they are expecting...it's like a little dagger to the heart each time. But then I give my head a wobble and tell myself what a miracle any new life is, and half the time we don't know the struggles people may have had to get there as not many people say. Still hurts though!

@wholemeal121 hope your scan goes well today!

I hope everyone is else is doing okay 🥰 I'm on day 3 of the oestrogen with a scan booked in for next Friday. Back to that whole scenario of wishing the days away until then...which I hate doing as you forget to live your days and just keep trying to fast forward to the next hurdle! So I have made a few plans inbetween!

@AliceAbsolum ooh some sun sounds lovely but must be a very serreal experience to find yourself in.

@SamTTC welcome!

@coops0406 yes so much time wished away. It's hard to focus on any other part of life and becomes all encompassing, doesn't it. Making plans is good if you can, gives you something else to look forward to.

@HJen22 I'm less uncomfortable today, thanks. I was worried about the pain but then I worried when the pain went away haha. I think maybe I've just got used to it and how to position myself.

So I was told I had a very low AFC. I think it was around 4 or 5. Today they have identified 23 on my first stim scan! Nurse didn't seem phased but isn't that quite a lot? It was really nice, she handed me a clipboard and asked me to write down all the measurements as she went along so I sort of felt involved in the process. She thinks probably EC Monday but doctor may call later to adjust my meds.

@Coops0406 hello 👋🏻 yup first monitoring scan was this morning. Meds doing what they should be, I didn't get given any details just that it's looking like EC for Monday ahh 😱 the injections have been ok, they are getting a bit stingier as we go on but could be worse! My OH has been great, it's more when the meds go in rather than the needle. But we're getting there!

Oh I know, I've felt like I've been wishing the days away for the last 6 months and it makes me sad but it's so hard not to. That's great you've got plans though! How are you getting on with oestrogen, is that injection?

@wholemeal121 glad you aren't in so much pain now! Wow the meds have worked well for you then! Did you have a baseline scan? That's good you were involved, sounds like a good scan. I had a trainee nurse and another so I had to kinda leave them to chat and for the nurse to show the trainee xxx

Hi guys hoping you don't mind me hopping on this thread.
I'm 37 and TTC#2, endometriosis plus male factor issues.
1st ivf cycle 2018 - 2 embryos. FET of 1 embryo - bfn (1 frosty stored)
2nd ivf cycle 2019 - 1 embryo - fresh transfer resulting in my daughter.
3rd transfer ( last remaining embryo) - just had FET on 3rd March so I'm 6dp5dt. OTD is 16 March and I won't be testing before then because if its bad news I only want to go through it once.
Not feeling any symptoms other than sore boobs but I get that before my period so its most likely n the progesterone, on my successful transfer I had cramping but sadly none so far this time.
Wishing you ladies all the luck and love this infertility stuff is so hard.

Great to hear the updates from everyone. I can't offer opinions or advice because I haven't started IVF yet but I'm reading and wishing you all love and hope throughout the process.

Does anyone have an opinion on some of the IVF add ons? I am with Care, and my bill includes CareMaps (embryoscope) and blastocyst cultures which together are adding around €1700 to my already sizeable bill!

I have no idea if they will help, if I have to go along with them or what. There's no regulator or independent advice available here so I can't ask anyone for advice, and my GP doesn't have a clue.

If anyone can advise whether these are things that will make a difference (bearing in mind that I'm 35, AMH is 18 and there are no obvious issues) or if they are just expensive faff I'd be so grateful.

I'm going to call them to query later this week but I want to have some research done and some opinions gathered first.

@wholemeal121 wow, that’s a big jump! I went from 16 on my baseline scan to 6 a week later, but it’s great when it goes the other way. It probably just means the meds worked great and made a bunch of tiny follicles grow :) it’s good news!

@Somatronic I’m not sure about those addons. Might be worth trying a cycle without them to figure out what you need. My clinic doesn’t offer anything but if I could, I would have an ERA test (to check if my transfer window is correct) and Assisted Hatching (in case my embryos have too hard a shell). This is based on the fact that I have yet to experience implantation and as far as I’ve read, those specific addons can help in my situation. But if say you had poor blastulation rate, or experienced a lot of chemicals, the addons you would need would be different. Does that make sense?

I also feel like everyone around me are having babies! There’s a flat next to mine that keeps cycling through new parents that move in, get pregnant, have a baby and move to somewhere bigger. Third couple in three years just got pregnant while living there, and here I still am, in the same apartment, no baby… feels like life is passing me by

@somatronic I'd also do a cycle without and see how you go. The embryoscope just means they are not 'disturbed' by being looked at over the 5 days. My clinic offers this, but they also offer 'wait for 5 days and see' which I went with. They are going to do what they do on day 5 whether or not they have been looked at or not!

Dont know if you have seen this by the HFEA:

www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/treatment-add-ons/

@HJen22 8 follies is great! Hopefully they will keep on going.
Monday! Whoop!

@wholemeal121 wow!! That is a huge number of follicles! Did they mention sizes? How lovely that she got you involved...I remember laying there trying to memorise the numbers! When is your next scan?

@HJen22 it's getting closer! Will you have another scan before Monday?
Just tablets 3 times a day then after the scan I think I continue with them but add in the wonderful progesterone pessaries 🤦🏾‍♀️

@Somatronic I'm with care and only had care maps because I had the PGT-A testing so it was part of that. But we weren't doing PGT-A then care maps was a choice. They never mentioned the blastocyst cultures in my multi cycle, probably was included in the cost as the multi cycle covers most things apart from the add-ons, but I ran a separate cycle in January and that did have the blastocyst culture cost on there so I'm guessing that's necessary rather than an add on? Have you discussed it properly with the nurse or consultant? Which care are you with?

@Coops0406 yes I have another scan tomorrow morning first thing where they will confirm EC and send us away with more meds and the trigger. I'm nervous but I'm really trying to put the fear out of my head, I'll be ok and I'm sure childbirth is much worse. It will all be worth it. I need to just relax. I'm just a bit of a wimp hahah. I finally slept past 5/5.30am today so I'm happy!

Oh me the pessaries don't sound fun!

@SamTTC I'm sorry there seems to be an abundance of babies around you! It's so hard isn't it! When you're TTC it does seem there are babies and pregnancies everywhere!

@PMAmostofthetime I hope AF arrives for you today!

@Somatronic sorry I don't have any advice as this is my first round too. I would say call the clinic with any queries you have though, they will be used to it. It's definitely good to chat to them if you have concerns

@Liverpoolkate welcome! And everything for you!! How are you coping with the TWW? Wishing you all the luck!

@wholemeal121 did you hear back from your Dr? Xx

@Somatronic my clinic uses the embryoscope as standard but they gave me a handout regarding the addons and they didn’t strongly recommend any of them as a lot had no proof behind them so I’ve just gone with their advice and not picked any. Definitely worth discussing it all with them though to see if they think any will help you.

Ive had constant nightmares about either getting no eggs (which is ridiculous when my follicle count was 28 when I had my ovarian assessment) OR that I get lots of eggs but none of them fertilise or none make it to freeze.

How on earth do you get through this and stay relaxed?! I stop work after day 5 of stims until collection so no idea what I’ll do to distract myself then!!!

@LT103 you're not alone in the worries. I have been worried about every single thing that could go wrong. It's so hard but try and take each day as it comes. Looking too far ahead makes me worry even more so just focus on one step at a time. You've got this ❤️ I've been listening to podcasts, meditation, reading, making sure I get out for a walk once a day with the dog, and early night xx

@LT103 I don't think you can! Personally I give up on being relaxed, for me if I aim for that it just throws me into this vicious cycle of being tense about being tense. At times I'm calm, at times I'm not, all I can do is take it step by step and let the feelings come in and out.

My 1st round DH left to work Brighton marathon for the last 4 days of stims, so I spent each evening after work until like 9pm re-painting and decorating our bedroom from top to toe, it was a nice surprise for him and it kept me very busy. Looking back now I think I had so much energy and it had to go somewhere.

Another relaxed day for me here in sunny Larnaca today. Went for a run along the seafront and had to force myself to stop at 5k. Took me forever to get into running so I'm not complaining! Just love it, its so good for my head. Plus then I have spare kcals for all the tiziki, bread and havla we brought yesterday :)

Last time I was here I was so excited, overwhelmed. It was such a massive deal. But this time around 1 loss and 2.5 years later I'm much less fussed I think. Not as attached to having a baby as I was before. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't I just have to find a way to be ok with that, or I'll really bloody suffer.

Maybe working 15 hours a week also makes it less of a holiday/medical thing and more of a "I just live here now"

@AliceAbsolum yes trying not to stress about being stressed is a vicious cycle! I find the best thing is to just let myself feel the way I feel, and if that's down and worried then that's ok. But hope that the next day is better.

Painting is a good distraction! I did that the other weekend, painted our bathroom and the inside of a cupboard! With isolating it's been harder since I can't distract myself with seeing people but it's definitely made me feel less stressed about Covid.

Amazing, well done! It must be great to love running! I wish I was one of those people! It's good you have the sun and sea but also some work to distract you! I really really hope this is the cycle! It must be so hard going into it again, but it sounds like you are in a good mental place and ready to get started! Xx

Hi all, still no AF, I did a test because usually when I do a test it comes straight after- never gets easier only seeing one line :(.

@AliceAbsolum Cyprus sounds amazing-
Glad all PCR was negative for you, hope all goes smoothly.

@HJen22 great news about your scan, exciting news about possible EC Monday.

@wholemeal121 you nurse at your scan sounded lovely and fingers crossed for possible EC Monday for you too.

@Liverpoolkate Welcome hope the 2 WW is not too agonising, hoping it's worked for you

Completely over stressed atm, so not sleeping :(

Hope your all doing ok?

@PMAmostofthetime I'm sorry you had to do a test and see that, not what you need right now at all.

No sleeping really sucks, AF will hopefully come really soon, what day is that you're on now? Our bodies just don't like behaving sometimes, and when you need it to too! I hope you are being kind to yourself and resting xx

@HJen22

Thank you- I knew what it was going to say but I was still gutted- wondering if there will ever be 2 lines.

Day 5 today. I would have had my normal period by now- typically. I expect it will show on the weekend when the clinic is closed. 🙈 my paperwork says I have to wait until Monday then.

Unfortunately works as busy as ever and I'm conscious that I'll need time off soon so trying to do lots- which I thought was a good idea. I did consider taking more time off but I'm being realistic about the fact that I will probably need to go through this a few more times. And need to keep my holidays. I will definitely be booking time off around test date if I get that far x