Slow ovulation in natural FET cycle

[thislittlebird]

Does anyone have experience of doing a natural FET cycle and your body refusing to play ball?

This is my first FET and first transfer attempt. I’ve asked to do a natural cycle because I’m unlikely to respond well to oestrogen, I have problems with thrush and hormonal migraines triggered by oestrogen peaks and troughs and they said I could try natural. I’m going in tomorrow for a scan, probably my last scan before they give up on me for this cycle.

It’s cycle day 19 tomorrow, I usually will have ovulated by now or around about now, but nothing is happening. No LH rises at all, but my lining is ok and my lead follicle is growing slowly, it was 12mm on Monday. They said there’s nothing they can do and if they don’t think the embryo will have enough time to implant they’ll cancel.

Any advise from people who have done this? I’m really sad that this has happened on my first attempt, last month was perfect, most months my cycle is 27-31 days but I do get the odd longer cycle, which I will assume this is. It’s Sod’s law, but I don’t know if there’s any hope when I’m still not having LH rises (my body isn’t very good at those anyway). Has anyone here experienced similar and it’s been ok?

I am currently doing natural FET cycles as my body doesn’t respond to oestrogen. Very occasionally I ovulate quite late. If your follicle is starting to grow then you will get there just a bit later than normal. Don’t let them cancel it and say that you do occasionally ovulate late.

Also just because you ovulate late doesn’t mean the embryo won’t have time to implant. Once you ovulate, your luteal phase will be the same length as it normally is.

@XjustagirlX hello over in this thread! How are you getting on?

That sounds like me, I very rarely ovulate late but occasionally have a 35/36 day cycle, which I’m guessing this is. They suggested the embryo might not have enough time and like you said, I don’t understand that because my luteal phase is always the same (12 days) irrelevant of how late I ovulate. How late in a cycle have you ovulated so far? I’m on cd19 today and got CM this morning so I think it’s happening, just very slowly.

I did some research and found letrozole and a trigger shot can be used on ‘natural’ FET cycles instead of medicated oestrogen cycle. I’ve had those before and responded well, so I’m going to ask about that if this one doesn’t go ahead, but fingers crossed it will. Don’t see why I should be sick with migraines for up to two weeks because that’s how they do it for most women.

Well, my luteal phase is 12 days when I’m not on cyclogest, it’ll be longer on that.

Omg i didn’t actually clock that you started this thread haha

My late cycles I have ovulated on day 25, day 30 and latest is day 38. It does always happen eventually though.

I think you should tell them that the latest you have ovulated before is day 24 (36-12) and ask to be given until then to monitor. Really push for it.

Im having my second transfer on Friday. I’m being sedated for this one which is so much better for me. Also my thin lining is up to 7.3mm which is amazing for me.

Hi there,

I had 2 or 3 natural FETs cancelled due to my body being stubborn. Although I ovulated normally, there were inconsistencies between scans and hormone levels and we abandoned the transfers. During natural FET they need to monitor hormone levels closely. Also, I asked about trigger shot and I was told it is given only as a last resort to women having issues ovulating. Also, my consultant is very thorough and she refuses to transfer if something doesn't look right. You could a have normal luteal phase but still a low level progesterone before transfer. My advice to you is to speak your concerns to your doctor, but also have a bit patience.

And also, as pp said, push for more monitoring.

@XjustagirlX haha, we must stop being in the same boat like this

Ok so I had the appointment and the good news is the body is now doing it’s thing and I’m back on track. Lining is 7.7mm and the follicle is 17mm so it’s on its way. Such a relief, I nearly cried when I left because I knew they’d be talking about cancelling if it hadn’t developed as much.

I told her I was having one of my long cycle and she was more chilled about it than the last nurse was, which was good.

The next challenge is getting an LH rise 🙃. I don’t have a good history of those, but at least I know to start testing a few times per day now.

What did you have last time, no sedation at all? I asked for a sedative of some kind for my first attempt, rather than full sedation, which they agreed to. I’m hoping that will help me calm down.

@Yuliaaa thanks, that’s interesting. I’ll definitely enquire about it if this doesn’t go well and see what they say.

I had nothing with my first transfer. I was in lots of pain as I have anxiety, my uterus is really tilted so they were proding lots snd the consultant had to be called. My legs were physically shaking on the bed.

Im glad your follicle is getting bigger.

Also once my follicle got to 17mm and I got a lh peak they booked me in for transfer but I had to keep telling them that 50% of he time I get a peak but don’t ovulate then get a second peak. Turns out I didn’t ovulate after the first peak so asked to keep having scans until they could see I had ovulated.

@XjustagirlX yeah I was very worried about the first transfer because they refused to give me anything. That is until I spoke to the doctor who was fine with a sedative of some kind. That transfer didn’t go ahead in the end but I’ll try the first one without full sedation and see how it goes.

I think I might have to do that if I can’t get a peak. I struggle with OPKs, me and them do not get on. Not sure when to give it until, maybe Saturday and then ask for a scan? They are open all of Easter.

@XjustagirlX how are you now, did the transfer go ok? I had mine today and they gave me a diazepam and I got the doctor I asked for,but it was all super quick. A relief tbh, I was worried about how it would be/how long it would go on for.

@thislittlebird glad it went well for you. I had my transfer under sedation. I did feel a bit of pain but nothing compared to without the sedative. I much preferred it.

ive got to test next Thursday but I’m thinking of testing on Saturday.

@XjustagirlX I’m glad you got the sedated transfer done, must be a relief to have avoided more pain like before.

how many days between transfer and test was it for you? My OTD is May 2nd. I’m likely to hold out until then, I don’t like testing, I prefer the unknown where I can dream of positives lol

@thislittlebird its 13 days between transfer snd test. I’m thinking I will test tomorrow official day is next Thursday.

i feel like it will be negative though. I really feel like my period is coming. I have a really bad headache and I keep getting lots of cramps.

@XjustagirlX are they any of your normal symptoms? I’ve heard loads of people say they get cramps before BFP though.

My normal before AF symptoms are headache, cramps and a spot on my face.

when I have been pregnant before in the TWW I don’t get a spot and I am in a really happy mood.

at the moment I’m in a terrible mood, and gave a headache so my gut is saying it hasn’t worked.

how do you feel?

@thislittlebird no different for me, but it was only yesterday. I really do not get PMS other than a hormonal migraine on the vast majority of months and I've never been pregnant, so I have no idea what symptoms I might get, if any.

Have you felt ok during most of the wait so far?

@XjustagirlX above message is for you! I've managed to @ myself, new mumsnet is confusing me.

@thislittlebird ye the time so far has gone quickly but the first four days were Easter so that helped.

i really don’t want to test tomorrow but I like that it is the weekend so I can do very little if needed. Otherwise I have to wait until Thursday next week and I have to work.

although as I am writing this message I am convincing myself not to test. It will end up ruining all of next week instead of just Thursday and Friday.

@XjustagirlX I only had 11 days between transfer and I almost don't want to test so soon :/

Agree about doing very little. My OTD is bank holiday Monday, and I'm still planning on booking a day off to extend the weekend but also give myself time to feel better before I'm forced to work.

Could you go sick Thursday if it's bad news? I know if it's negative I'll be no use at work anyway. Even if it's good news I'd be massively distracted from work.

11 days between transfer and OTD, I mean!

I am hoping someone can help me. I am currently preparing for a frozen embryo transfer (Donor eggs) with my clinic in Spain. We are following a natural cycle on this occasion. I am just taking aspirin injections and now some progesterone pessaries.
I informed the clinic on Friday I had ovulated. They mis read my email and told me to take a trigger injection that night which I did. I have now been told that we need to cancel this cycle (transfer was booked for Friday) because I should not have taken the trigger injection as I had already ovulated. The doctor wasn’t available to speak to me. My coordinator told me to keep taking my meds and we would speak tomorrow. I have spent nearly £1000 on bloods and scans this cycle in the Uk and £1500 to the clinic plus the meds and flight costs of over £500.
Is there any chance they will still transfer? I do not understand the implications of taking the trigger injection (Ovritelle) after ovulation.
Any insights would be great.