FET in September/October

[MyEasterEggs]

I’m preparing to start my treatment cycle in a month or so and thought it might be helpful to start up a thread for anyone heading for FET soon.

This will be my first FET so I’m nervous but also feeling hopeful having gone through a fair amount of testing and treatment. Think I’m about as prepared as I’ll ever be!

Current cycle finally got going two days ago after a bit of a delay and I’ve decided to use it to focus on eating well and getting into the right headspace.

Anyone at a similar stage and want some company?

@chloedancer88 it’s hard to say, things are likely to feel uncertain for a long time. I’m becoming more anxious as the weeks go on because I’ve had a late miscarriage. But I’m further on than four of my losses so that’s positive news. And I did take the step of calling the community midwife to make my booking appointment with some encouragement from PAU today. I’ve also ordered more medication to see me through another four weeks and think I feel reassured enough to stay calm until 10 weeks scan 🙂

Morning all, can I ask a question about exercise please? I looked up NHS guidelines yesterday and 150mins a week was recommended from 4/5wks. I’ve been walking for maybe 20-30mins twice a week, but that’s it, so I started some light aerobic pregnancy exercises following a YouTube video yesterday. I seem to have had very light spotting yesterday evening which I’m assuming is related?? It’s slightly darker than usual and hasn’t got darker this morning, but obviously I’m hyperaware. For anyone who is a bit further along. Are you exercising? Have you experienced any issues? What have your clinics advised? @MyEasterEggs, @chloedancer88, @LT103

@OrangeBengal i would normally exercise lots. Walking every day at lunch hour, gym couple times a week, yoga/pilates class twice a week.
I’m not gonna lie, since my transfer I’m lucky if I’ve been a few walks and not been to gym once. Haven’t been to classes as you have to tel them if pregnant to adjust some moves and I don’t want to say yet. But I’ve been so lazy
im trying to start some walking again but I’m just tired all the time with no motivation. I’ve put on weight that is def not baby bump yet haha.

it’s definitely possible tho that the light spotting is due to the exercise so I’d def rest a few days, maybe speak to midwife or epu if it continues but I’m sure it’s all fine

Thanks @LT103. I’m thinking I’ll build up my days gradually rather then going all in and doing everyday this week. I’ll contact my clinic if the spotting gets worse.

Definitely rest up today and tomorrow then build up slowly @OrangeBengal. I’m not at my fittest but do yoga 2-3 times a week - just gentle movement and mostly yin if I’m honest, which basically involves lying on the floor - and I go for short 45 min walks 2-3 times a week. I’ll build hand weights back in with light interval training in second trimester as my BMI is just under 30 and I really don’t want to gain more weight! Plus it’s good to build strength if you can.

Hope you can rest up and feel reassured over next day or two 💛

@OrangeBengal I've been worrying a bit about my lack of exercise too. Normally try to do 3 interval workouts on YouTube a week but have done almost nothing since transfer. Tried doing a walking workout just over a week ago and ended up with cramps. Tried another light workout on Monday and felt sick most of the day after when I've hardly had any sickness otherwise. Will give it another go later this week and I would think if you have any issues then to stop and rest and try something even easier next time.

Just back from my 7 week scan at the clinic and all is good! Baby is measuring 1 day behind but they said that was fine. Heartbeat was 188 which seems high to me but the doctor doing the scan said it was fine and they'd expect it to be around 200. My symptoms mostly disappeared over the weekend, not that I've really had many to begin with. My boobs stopped hurting a couple of days ago so I've been so anxious all morning and even ended up having a little cry in the toilets beforehand. I'd convinced both myself and my husband it would be bad news so it was so amazing to see the little heartbeat! Still doesn't feel quite real.

Thanks guys! It’s definitely hard to know what to do, especially as no exercise has pretty much been the advice whilst doing IVF, which means I couldn’t really recover fully after my myomectomy surgery last year, looking way ahead I’m looking forward to being myself again! But yes setting a gradual pace for exercise seems right @LT103 and @MyEasterEggs.

This is the one - m.youtube.com/watch?v=khlJsJKuGKc - I tried @Kelvie103. Apparently you’re alright as long as you can talk whilst exercising.

So exciting re scan and heartbeat! I’m worried too, I don’t really have any symptoms bar the odd twinge and increased urination, which obviously makes me question everything. Just over a week until my scan though.

Hello everyone,
i am new here. I had my first ever fresh embryo transfer on 31st Oct and am currently in my two week wait. After having read about people getting faint positives on day 8 or 9 I decided to do an early pregnancy test. I did a couple. Both negative. Not even a hint of a faint line. I know i need to wait but Infertility just messes with your head and i now feel like chances are unlikely that it will now turn positive before next Monday. Has anyone had a similar experience? I can’t help but feel heartbroken

Hi @Josephine9
I did my first test about 13dpo, it was pretty feint. Whether it is positive earlier entirely depends on when implantation occurs, with fresh transfers it's meant to be faster than frozen (mine was frozen). Wait a couple of days and test again. I know it's hard and stressful and very disappointing if it does not take, this was my third transfer, the first 2 did not work. Crossing my fingers for you.

Good news on the scan @Kelvie103. There’s always something to be anxious about, isn’t there? But hopefully we can both take some comfort from getting good news this week. My symptoms have returned again so as much as I hate having heartburn and achy boobs I feel reassured!

@Josephine9 is your official test day 14DPT? Testing early brings so many emotions when you’re not seeing the results you want to see. And it very much depends on HCG levels, the concentration in urine, as well as the type of test. Frustratingly, I think you just have to hold out until OTD. I’ll keep everything crossed for a positive result in a few days 🤞🏻

Hi everyone, I've not commented on here for a while as I've been worried with some spotting and light bleeding etc over the last couple of weeks. Hopefully this might reassure anyone in a similar situation, I went for my reassurance scan yesterday and our little one is measuring exactly where they should be at 8 weeks 4 days, we even saw them wriggling around a bit which was absolutely amazing and made me cry happy tears.

In terms of exercise as some people have mentioned, my bleeding/spotting seems to be linked with how active I am.. if I've been for a walk or had a busy day at work the spotting increases/gets darker but then if I rest for a few days over the weekend it seems to settle a bit. None of my scans have shown any reason for the bleeding so they're putting it down to my cervix and the cocktail of medications I'm taking including 2 lots of progesterone and oestrogen and aspirin.

Thanks for sharing @EandKDJ, it really helps re spotting and exercise, I figure the spotting is something that’ll just come and go, but it’s still hard when it comes back. Hopefully everything will be confirmed as on track in my reassurance scan and then I can relax a bit more.

Hi, hope you all don’t mind me jumping in this group, I just had my 4th transfer today .. 1st fresh then 2nd FET was negative, 3rd FET implanted but then came away early , Beta was only 14 .. so hopfully this is 4th time lucky ..we have one left after this in freezer .. this was a C grade 5 day blast we got transferred .. any one had C grade success ? Our last one that's still in freezer was a hit or miss on day 5 they said but then on day 6 they said it jumped to an A grade 6 day blast ? Anyone have stories to share if the grading of the your blast, does it even matter, av heard A’s being neg and C’s Turing out ok ? Thanks xx

Lovely news @EandKDJ a few of us are having similar experiences.

@hopefullsosbry welcome! My embryologist described grading as a bit of a fashion show! It’s so subjective and some embryologists may grade slightly differently. Of the 7 blasts we had tested, our CC grade happened to be one of the 3 euploids we got, whereas none of the 4 x AB grades made it. I happen to have an AA on board and a BC and CC on ice but I’ve tried not to worry about the grading because there are plenty of C grade success stories. Wishing you all the best for your transfer 🤞🏻

Wonderful news @EandKDJ

I’ve had anxiety over lack of symptoms recently and it seemed like a very long wait till 12 weeks so we scheduled a reassurance scan for this morning. DH had to an emergency stop on our way to the scan day and I jolted forwards so I was crying with nerves thinking it affected the baby before we even got there.

Thankfully the scan really helped reassure me. I’m measuring on track, there’s a good heartbeat and movement so feel massively relieved. I’m hoping I can enjoy this a bit more now. I go through days of feeling hope and days of feeling complete fear. But I’m hoping now the hopeful days will increase.

@hopefullsosbry I wouldn’t worry too much about morphology, our 4AA led to a miscarriage but our 4BB is going strong.

@MyEasterEggs it's baby steps. You are taking things at your own pace and you're doing amazing ❤️

@OrangeBengal it's always recommended not to do strenuous exercise or take up new exercise that you haven't done before. I was a runner and I didn't do that at all in the first trimester. I stick to walking, yoga etc. It could be coincidental that you had the bleed. I hope it's settled now?

Hey @chloedancer88, yes thankfully it’s pretty much stopped now. I think I’ll skip it next week, see how the scan goes and if everything is ok maybe just do cardio once a week, obviously watching how my body copes with it. I’ll discuss this (and sex) with my consultant next week.

Hi, thanks for sharing the grading stories, gives me reassurance knowing that is wee dot has just as good a chance as they others .. also I found a calculator for working out the odds or statics of the chances of live both with each implant … not sure if this is a true scientific thing or not but it’s from the university of Aberdeen.. the odds of it working seem to be more with the more try’s which would make sence I guess as your just increasing your odds .. thought I would share though incase anyone finds it interesting …

w3.abdn.ac.uk/clsm/opis/home/toolintro

my odds seem to increase quite a lot to the point that if I done a 6th transfer I could have a 90 odds percent change of live birth .. God I hope it’s true 😁 I know everyone’s situation is different etc and thus may not happen but I just felt it gave me lots of positivity rather than thinking the other 3 didn’t work so why should this .. it helped me think the opposite 😌

I'm looking for some advice please for those who may have experienced similar.

I had my first scan since starting stims (day 7) this morning and had 15 follicles on my left and 11 on my right.

They have said that if I get to EC (hopefully Wednesday) and there's more than 20 collected then I will have to do a freeze all and potentially wait a few months for my body to recover before the transfer.

Anyone else had this please? Or any advice on how to minimise the chances of this happening please?

Hi @MammyandAva I had 29 eggs collected from my cycle back in April and was told at the scans I'd certainly had to have a freeze all. Didn't get ohss though and barely felt more than slightly bloated but everyone reacts differently. They told me if I went ahead with a fresh transfer and got pregnant then the hormones could still trigger the ohss or make it worse. It was a bit disappointing to hear after you've geared yourself up for a transfer but on the plus side it means more chances at embryos the more eggs you have.

I wasn't given alot of advice, just make sure you drink alot of water and eat plenty of protein, I was told milk is good. Good luck with it, hope it goes well and you get some nice embryos.

@Kelvie103 thank you for your reply.

Other than a slight headache and tired I don't have any side effects from the meds to hopefully it continues that way.

The clinic have just called and have advised me to half my dose and re-scan Monday.

Can I ask how long it took after EC please? And what determined the time scale?

Thank you

I spoke too soon pink blood now, I’ve put a pantyliner on so I track it, but it seems like the same amount / colour / consistency as the first time it happened. With our scan being so close there’s not much I can do other than take it easy I think.

@MammyandAva I ended up with OHSS after my EC and did have to take a break hence me using FET this cycle. In retrospect it probably was the best thing for me. It allowed me to give my body a full reset, I had a few months off meds and the regime for FET is much less stressful on the body. So don't fret if it does happen. Good news is that you have lots of follicles!

@OrangeBengal can you ring the EPC for reassurance?