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? :-)

Hi all

Hope you’re all ok.

Just wondering what advice you would give in terms of IVF and working. I work as a nurse so my job can be demanding and stressful. I don’t have the option of working from home. I was thinking of taking sick leave from EC through the 2WW but I’ve only ever taken an odd day before so worried what people are going to say especially when staff shortages are an issue. Ideally don’t want the whole place knowing I’m doing IVF either.

Any advice welcome!

Hi everyone, hope it's okay to join!

Brief story - we started trying in may 18, my husband had surgical sperm retrieval in Nov 19, we did ICSI in jan 20 and had a frozen embryo transferred in mar 20 (on one of the final days before the clinic shut down with covid!).

Anyway we now have a beautiful 2 year old and we are having another frozen embryo transferred in early January 🤞

Life is hectic and I may not always be able to keep up but I found it so useful last time having a group of people to speak to/ask questions who are going through the same thing!

Hope you are all doing okay ❤️

@RMS0209 so sorry you had OHSS! That must have been horrible. Glad the egg collection went well and you got some embryos. Do you know what meds you'll be taking for your FET? I have no idea yet. I think I should find out at our nurse consult appointment last week of Dec.

Welcome @laurapop - Good luck for your FET. Are you having medicated or natural? I think there's a few of us here looking to add to our family. I really hope we all have success. It's quite scary getting back into the IVF/infertility world after some time off enjoying being pregnant and raising a longed for baby.

@Laur0606 it's so tough. Is there a manager you would trust speaking to about it? Can understand not wanting people to know. I only told people after it had worked.
I generally booked off egg collection and the next day for recovery but from memory I was lucky and had one of my transfers on the weekend so didn't need to take time off for that. I then worked normally for the TWW. I found sitting at home not working would have made me overthink things so I found working was a good distraction. Your job sounds a lot more intense though so can understand if you want to take holiday. You shouldn't feel bad about booking your holiday if you want to. You're entitled to take the days you are owed.

@Jane1284 we are doing medicated which is the same as last time - it wasn't really questioned though actually but I think it just makes things a little bit easier to predict?

I know it feels really strange - we were very lucky last time and I feel anxious that it won't be as straight forward again!

I've also forgotten loads about the process 🤦🏼‍♀️. I don't really drink anyway but are all of you cutting out caffeine? I did last time but the consultant today said it doesn't make a lot of difference in small amounts. You don't want to risk anything though do you!

@Laur0606 No advice really. If you feel like you’ll need the time off I’d take it. I know how you feel about not telling anyone, I’m not either. Are the NHS sticklers for sickness absence? I’m going to take holiday for egg collection and maybe a couple of days afterwards because our sickness policy is very strict and if I’m off sick it’ll put me at trigger for potential disciplinary if I don’t tell them fertility treatment is the reason. As depressing as it sounds, I’m saving sickness for any future rounds when it looks like I’m running out of holiday lol!

@laurapop Hi! Good luck for your FET in Jan.

Thank you @Lauralozzle ! Good luck with your cycle too.. all the injections and egg collection will be over before you know it 😊

@laurapop not cutting out caffeine this time- I generally only have 1-2 cups of coffee a day. Not cutting alcohol as it is my birthday next week and then christmas so would like to have a few drinks. Going to try not go crazy. I went super strict for my first round of IVF, no alcohol or caffeine and eating very healthy. That round didn't work and felt I became a bit obsessive so this time round I will try be sensible but more laid back. I'll prob stay off the booze in Jan once I start on the meds though as it makes sense to do everything possible to help.

I had a consultation with a doctor at the clinic today. He told me my AMH has dropped from 4.5 in 2020 to 3.5 last month. Obviously not the best number but he said it was good it hadn't dropped drastically. He also said my TSH was 3.05 which worries me a bit as I know most clinics say closer to 1 is better for fertility. Last round it was 3.9 and I got them to agree to put me on thyroxine but this time they are saying anything below 4 is fine. I guess I will see how this goes and then maybe push to go back on thyroxine.

Anyway- next step is final blood checks next week (they missed doing them when I was last in) followed by nurse consult last week of Dec. Got my period today so FET will start on my next cycle mid Jan. Will be taking oral tablets - so at least no injections!
I've decided to book DH in for another sperm analysis since it's been 2 years since the last one and I don't feel like he has to have much involvement in the FET so he may as well do that now. Will save time before we start our fresh rounds if (when?) our FET doesn't work.

Hope you are all managing to enjoy the festive season before it all gets real for us in January xx

@Jane1284 my period is due in the next few days so I'll start on the oestrogen tablets then.. not the best timing before Christmas but hey ho! Last time I was so strict but because it worked I feel like I don't want to do anything different and then blame myself 🤦🏼‍♀️. But I do agree on the stress thing - it must be better to be sensible and less stresses than trying to stick to a strict regime! Plus, I need caffiene more than I did the last time round. Its my Christmas party tomorrow and then I'll cut out alcohol.

What date do you think your transfer will be? I think I'll be very early Jan. I'm anxious just thinking about the waiting to test!

@laurapop Ah you'll be starting soon. So exciting. Nice you get your christmas party tomorrow and you can enjoy yourself and have a last little tipple.
Part of me wanted to start my FET ASAP but then when they said they couldn't fit me in until Jan I figured I should make the most of it and enjoy some December drinks. If I'm honest with myself I don't have high hopes for this embryo. It was frozen on day 6 and the transfer of the only other embryo from that roubnd -which was a good grade (4AB I think)- didn't stick so I figure this one has no chance. That said, my son was an average embryo so you never know do you?!

I think my next cycle will start around 13th Jan, then I have a scan around day 8-11 where they look at my lining and pick a transfer date roughly 5 days away. I then start taking progesterone. So thinking transfer may be around 27th Jan depending on my lining at the first scan.

The TWW is the worst. I just pray my embryo thaws as I don't have any others and will have to start from scratch. Will be frustrating spending all the money on the FET and the drugs and having nothing to transfer. Apparently the chance of it not thawing is 5%?!

@Jane1284 I don't have high hopes either tbh but I think I'm just working off the averages knowing that it worked first time last time?? But you really never know do you - my daughter was a 5AA and I think this next one is 4BB?? But they said there's not much difference between the two. We have a third one frozen at the same time but it's not classified as a blastocyst yet, they froze it anyway as they said it looked 'nice'. No idea what that means but it doesn't sound very medical 😂.

Yes our doctor said it's very unlikely to not survive thawing so try not to worry about that. I think we are programmed to be negative after going through infertility though

Hi all

A bit of background, so I’m doing PGD testing as I have a genetic condition that has a 50% chance of passing on to each child and it is something that I really want to avoid. We had out first round of treatment this summer where we had a poor fertilisation report resulting in only one embryo making it to blastocyst stage, after PGD and PGS testing (my clinic does PGS testing as standard) we found out that our only blasto had the genetic condition so we was not allowed to transfer it. Our consultant was hoping to get us to start treatment again straight away (September) but the clinic was out of NHS funding so we was told that we would gave to wait until the new financial year (April ‘23).

Fast forward to December 7 I was sitting at work and gad an email from the clinic telling us that they could offer us treatment this financial year and that we could start ASAP!!

So I’m starting my 2nd IVF cycle soon!! Yayyy!
I am just waiting on AF to arrive (due Sunday but I recon she will be late) so that I can go in for an updated ovarian reserve check, an updated blood test and to collect down reg (Provera) which I will start this on day 14 of my December cycle.

Being able to start sooner that anticipated is truly a Christmas present in itself.

I’m doing IVF with PGD testing**

Hi Ladies! I'm 46 (gulp) so am going the donor route. My first FET is scheduled for the second week of January. I've just done a mock cycle and stopped the meds now in anticipation of my last AF before the real cycle... which I really hope turns up on time, because it didn't last time and had to be kickstarted with birth control pills.

My ultrasound last week suggested I'm responding well to the medication and managed a 10mm lining, so the doc is happy with that. I gotta say, the pessaries are truly gross, there's nothing quite so nice as feeling sticky goo escaping several times a day, am I right ladies?

Sending lots of hugs and good vibes to everyone!

We are due to use our last frostie in January, anxious as anything as we’ve had two FET’s this year (July which ended in a chemical and October which ended in a 6.5 week miscarriage)

our fresh round resulted in a gorgeous little boy who is now 17 months and we’ve been trying for a sibling for him since his first birthday in July.

our last embryo is graded 5CA, which we have been warned has a lower chance of surviving thaw and warm but have still been advised to do this option rather than a fresh round. We start in jabuary, likely to be mid month in line with my cycle.

@Jane1284 Did you manage to get some levothyroxine? I’m currently waiting for a response from my GP to confirm my numbers cause I’m paranoid it’s gone up.

@Bellwells Good luck and welcome!

@Greenlee Good luck with your fet! I don’t know about the pessaries yet but I’ve got a box of them and I’m expecting them to be quite gross when I have to use them.

@torypops Im sorry to hear about your chemicals. Fingers crossed this one is sticky!

Im still injecting away. Periods late, bloody buserelin! But I’ve read it can delay your period. I can’t get my down regulation scan sorted until I have a bleed so I’m just patiently waiting for that to start.

@Jane1284 almost all of my friends on baby group have now had a second. One is on her third! I do now find the announcements hard so hoping this works for us.

I don't understand the embryo grading you have all chatted about, where can I find that out. Does anyone know how much notice you get for the egg retrieval I think my AF will start earlier than the week I have booked off work as I'm ovulating this month now. 😬

@laurapop I will try be a bit more positive and not focus on the chance of them not thawing. You are right that we are programmed to be negative. I think there's always so many things that can go wrong and you hear so many sad stories from the infertility community. Sounds like your embryo is good quality and it's nice to know there's another in the freezer if you need it.

Hi @Bellwells - welcome. So great your clinic is able to proceed with your second round. It is so hard sitting around waiting when you want something so desperately. I am sorry to hear your first embryo didn't come back clear of the genetic condition. I really hope this second round goes better for you! I also hope you don't have to wait too long for AF.

Welcome @Greenlee - Nice work on the lining! 10mm sounds fab. Are you having your treatment in the UK or elsewhere? I've read a bit about egg donation in the UK and it seems so expensive and slow. I hope it hasn't been too hard for you. Keeping everything crossed AF shows up when expected.

hey @torypops So sorry to hear about your misscarriages. So heartbreaking. I hope you have lots of supportive friends and family around you. Good luck for your FET. I have heard lots of stories about people's lower graded embryos working for them where their higher graded did not. I really hope this is the round for you. I understand the longing for a sibling for your child.

@Lauralozzle no thyroxine recommeneded as TSH was considered ok at 3.05. So frustrating. Tempted to buy it without a prescription and self medicate but I know that's a bit silly!
Hope your AF starts soon!

@LittleDoveLove That's so tough. Being on her third! I am obviously happy for other people but just want it for myself.
Different clinics do different grading systems but most of them use a system with a number followed by 2 letters. Found this description on a website which explains in better than I can

1. Blastocyst development stage – a range from 1 – 6 (with 5 being the most developed)
2. Inner cell mass (ICM) score, or quality – range A – C (A being the best)
3. Trophectoderm (TE) score, or quality – range A – C (A being the best)

For egg retreival I can't remember. I think it depends on your progress scans.

Hi All, and welcome to the newbies.

Sorry for the radio silence, have been battling mutliple colds and other illnesses in the house this week. Still not heard back from the clinic re my thyroid results which is a bit frustrating - I've got nothing to suggest they wont be ok, but would still be nice to know. Phone appt with GP tomorrow to see if I can have the blood thinners prescribed - will update you on how it goes.

Off to catch up on the full thread now!

@Jane1284 Oh that’s annoying about the thyroxine!

@Fourfrosties Sorry to hear about multiple colds! Hopefully you’re feeling a bit better now.

Update for me: AF has started, I have down regulation scan on the 29th December.

Hi all, just checking in and catching up. Hope everybody is good. Nothing to report here... cycle day 11! X

@RMS0209 I still have no sign of AF which is rather annoying

My period came early on Friday, we got all the dates through from our clinic and it meant I would have a transfer on the 3rd January. It was all a bit earlier than expected and we've got such a busy week that week.. not to mention the trying to be good and eat well and not drink etc over Christmas. We've decided to postpone to my next cycle. So I'll start on my medication mid January instead and then have the transfer early Feb instead. I think that's a bit closer to some of your cycles now? I feel a bit of a weight lifted starting in January instead, can get myself sorted after Christmas and really focus on it!

Hope you're all doing okay!

@Lauralozzle thank you. Just as I was feeling better I have come down with an awful fluey virus. Just hoping I shift it before the weekend and our family arrive.

@laurapop sounds like you've made the best decision and you'll be able to enjoy christmas. My period is due early Jan so will be similarly be on the healthy eating bandwagon in the new year. Thinking about going low carb to reduce my sugar consumption which is a bit out of control at times.

Had my phone appt with the GP this evening and he has agreed to prescribe the blood thinners from trigger shot onwards, so that is a ton of money saved!

@Fourfrosties yes it feels right!! We can all go into January healthy and ready to go! Glad the Dr has prescribed them for you 😊

Ah that sounds much better @laurapop . At least you can make the most of Christmas and relax before your round. Enjoy a few drinks and have some time not thinking about it too much. I think my timing will be similar to yours in Jan.