FET/IVF - January 2023

[Jane1284]

Hey

I would love to get a group together of some of us who are undergoing IVF or FETs in Jan. I found it really helpful to have the support of those going through similar last time (Nov 2020).

My story: I am due to start my first FET in January of my one and only frozen embryo. The embryo is from a cycle in Nov 2020 when I was almost 36. I have low AMH and AFC and it was my first and only NHS round. I got 4 eggs all which miraculously fertilised, 1 made it to day 5 and was put back in with a fresh transfer. Sadly it did not stick. 1 egg was left until day 6 and it finally made it to blastocyst. It has been frozen. Rather than having a FET back then they advised me to do a banking package of 3 cycles due to my low AMH/AFC so in Jan 2021 we started our first private IVF cycle with the same clinic (Kings). Once again I was on max stims (gonal f and menopur) and it looked like we would get 4 eggs again but when I woke from EC they told me they only got 2. I had a bit of a breakdown. I was so upset going through all that including over £2k worth of drugs injected to only get two eggs. It felt even worse as I had let myself hope it would go well. Out of the 2 eggs only 1 fertilised normally. On day 3 the embryologist told me it was average quality and she wasn't sure it would be good enough to freeze on day 5 if it even made it that far. I couldn't handle the thought of going through all that mental anguish to not have anything to freeze so I made a last minute decision to go in for a day 3 fresh transfer. I had zero expectations but somehow that average embryo stuck. I was so stressed all pregnancy and worried about everything but amazingly I gave birth to my first baby in Sep 2021. He is now 14 months and I am turning 38 in 2 weeks.

Now it is time to get back on the IVF/FET train. I have been for my initial scan and blood tests. The scan was fine. Still not many follicles but not significantly worse. Waiting for a consult with the Dr next week for an update on my AMH (can't wait.... ) where she'll also decide on our protocol. I am leaning towards a medicated FET just so we can plan it a bit better. If that doesn't work then it is back to a 3 cycle package of IVF.

I hope I haven't bored anyone reading this to tears. Would be great if anyone else out there would like to be a cycle buddy? :-)

@AnnaPr1992 I'm so happy for you. Sending sticky vibes your way. They look defo postive. Beat of luck. So nervous about tomorrow. Alot of people have said its painful the spectrum🙈

@Frosty91 It's not painful, just a bit uncomfortable, like a smear. Once it's in try and focus on your breathing and relaxing your body. The nurse told me to do that yesterday and it helped. It's over in minutes and once you see the embryo being placed on the ultrasound screen you'll forget the discomfort. Imagine all of us rooting for you! (If that helps 😆)

@Laura23FE Thank you! Woohoo for your lining! So were your embryos frozen as soon as your eggs were fertilised?

@AnnaPr1992 Definitely, I'm lucky with my boss. You take it easy too. I'm so sorry about your loss and so hope this is your time! Xx

Oops good luck to you too @Fourfrosties ♥️♥️

@Frosty91 thank you so much I try to not get over excited with my positive test - I will have an early scan on 6w to make sure baby is doing okay 🤞 after the miscarriage I just have so much fear of anything happening to the baby 🥺

Please don't worry about tomorrow the procedure is very straight forward I had 2 so far - is literally like having a smear test is very easy and painless- just go with a full bladder x
Look after yourself tonight avoid caffeine, have a nice breakfast tomorrow morning and a nice shower and remember avoid perfumes, lotions and make up on the day coz I read some research saying that those can interfere with embryo quality during transfer - sorry I have been reading stuff obsessively 😅
Relax and enjoy this journey x
I will pray for you ❤️🤞🙏♥️

thank you @Laura23FE 💜💜

@Frosty91 agree with the others, it's not painful just uncomfortable (and undignified being in stirrups and being scanned at the same time)

Hope the day goes quickly for you tomorrow, anything planned for the day to distract you? I will be working and also during the tww otherwise I'd go crazy symptom spotting ans analysing every twinge! Not sure I'd get signed off anyway and if I need to try all 4 frosties I definitely don't have that much leave!

@Fourfrosties I work at the NHS so the sick pay is covered I been told. My manager advised me to gey a fit note from doctor. I can't do my vaginal capsules at work. So I may change my hours but for now I'm off.
I'm planning on waking up late having brunch with my husband. I'm too nervous to do anything lol do you know what grade embryo they are putting in. Mine is 5BA has anyone had success with that. Keep me updated and I wish you all the best x

@Frosty91 yeah the sick period is paid , I work for the nhs too as a sister, and myGP gave me 2weeks off sick and I took an extra week of annual leave I had left.
I work 12hrs shifts is impossible for me to do the pessaries three times a day and when is busy sometimes I don't even have a break till 6pm.
At this moment priority is ourselves and our babies , we go through so much and we take tones of hormones, we should look after ourselves much more and be very compliant with the medications they can't be missed or pushed later on 💊
They say you can go back to normal immediately but that depends on how your job is and I am so grateful work has been amazing and I had all the time off I needed.
Hopefully everyone has got some time to rest x

Question for your ladies , what prenatal vitamins/supplements do you currently take ? Any suggestions?

Good luck to those having their teansfer today!!!Mine is tomorrow and I'm feeling so nervous because I've developed a cold in the past 2 days! Stuffed up nose and a sore throat. I'm so worried it will have a negative impact!

@acaciabluebell I've had a cold since last week and had it for my transfer! I'm not worried. If it's a strong embryo it'll implant. Good luck for tomorrow ♥️

@AnnaPr1992 God, a cocktail. I'm mad. I take:
Wild Nutrition conception supplement (pricey)
Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Magnesium
Coenzyme Q10
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin E

@AnnaPr1992 Oh and calcium 😆

Hi everyone - I had my fresh transfer yesterday, we got two 5 day embryos from 4 eggs and the one transferred into me was an AB ( they didn’t tell me the front number) and then the other one got sent for testing.
This is my 3rd round so hoping for 3rd time lucky.
Official test date is the 2nd Feb - I’m going to TRY and hold off till the 30th Jan.
I’ve been carrying my 3KG dog around today and worried that’s classed as ‘heavy lifting’ - overthinking EVERYTHING!!
im back at work today but there is a sofa in the office so have spent most of the morning on that !
Good Luck everyone !!

@countrypunk does your prenatal not contain the other supplements or do you just want higher doses? I normally take the same supplements as you but for transfer I'm switching to just the prenatal (pregnacare max) + vitamin D + Magnesium.

@JuliaIVF83 best of luck!! Lots of us having our transfer this week, so nice to have transfer buddies. I think carrying your dog is fine, don't worry xx

I took

600mg Coenzyme Q10 ( the zita
west one which was rather pricey so hoping it has super powers)
and then dbl prenatal vitamins
DHEA ( prescribed by consultant)
Growth hormone (prescribed by consultant)

and then I also ordered the zita west women’s fertility pack but there was just so many parts to it that I wasn’t great at taking them all
🫣

Good Luck for yours tomorrow! I thoroughly enjoyed by McDonalds chips on the way home - If there’s an old wives tale I’m doing it! Anything to help the little sticky embryo!

@countrypunk hahaha cocktail 😅 you remind of me I do the same iam obsessed

*small advice from a nurse 👩‍⚕️ don't take the vitamins which contain iron the same time as the calcium and magnesium tablets as the don't get absorbed the same , even calcium and Mag take it separately
What I do is prenatal vitamins first thing in the morning with fresh orange juice and evening calcium tablets with a glass of milk and before bed I take the magnesium.
By the way I am craving milk like crazy 🙄

@acaciabluebell it does but in small amounts. I take the prenatal one really for the trace minerals like boron and iodine. I'm sure I've gone overboard. I've actually reduced, I was taking more 😆

Oh and to anyone on coq10, my doctor told me to stop taking it the day before transfer because not enough is known about its possible impact on a developing embryo.

@JuliaIVF83 they sound great x but I wanted to ask you the growth hormone what exactly is that for ?

@AnnaPr1992 It's part of the evewell protocol - it's meant to be good for egg quality and egg numbers (I think.) I was it on it for a month before I started stimming and at my baseline scan I definitely had more follicles than I had on my two previous rounds....maybe a coincidence who knows! Evewell are meant to be very good for egg quality.

@JuliaIVF83 Congratulations on being PUPO! Your OTD is the same as mine 🙂 My dog is 4kg and I've been carrying her around without a second thought...

@countrypunk when do you think you will start testing - will you last until the 2nd? Did you have your transfer yesterday too?

Hi there,
We're also looking into vitamins for us both. Any recommendations about male fertility vitamins? I've also seen men's underwear (Cool Beans Underwear) advertised which apparently help with cooling the testes to help with sperm production, have you seen/heard of/bought something like this?

Cheers