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? :-)

@countrypunk I love that he can come. I’m hoping my other scans will be just as early so he can come to those as well.

@Claireabella05 Thank you 😊 And I’m afraid I can’t shed much light on your symptoms, but I will say try not to read too much into what Dr Google says!

@Littlelouie82 Sorry to hear that - hopefully it’ll be a better result in a few days!

@AnnaPr1992 Congratulations!!

@countrypunk Yesssss! That's a gorgeous line! 😁

Congrats on the 3+ @AnnaPr1992 💕

@Littlelouie82 I would recommend using a FRER!

Testing early can be a real mind*! I've been sat here all morning comparing my lines to yesterday 😬 stress!

@countrypunk **

Hi all! I’ve been loving all of the BFP on this thread. Congratulations!

I’m on my second round of IVF and I had a fresh transfer last week. Currently 6dp5dt and just tested this morning with a cheap test. Going to test every other day now with first response so I can compare the line progression. I was briefly pregnant last year after FET but suspected something was wrong when the line remained faint and it turned out I had very low hcg and lost the pregnancy at 6 weeks.
So, I’m excited but nervous to reach all the milestones with this pregnancy. Also hoping this is nothing to do with the trigger since it should be out of my system by now.

Anyone worried about lack of symptoms, try not to. The last 2 days I have felt totally normal but still got this early positive!

Hi Whomoon, it may vary between clinics and patients but I had to have 3 bleeds before fet. So I had to bleed after egg collection, have a “normal” period and then let them know when I got my next period so I could start the FET protocol. So it was a 3 month wait.
Initially, I was frustrated by the idea of more waiting but I ended quite enjoying it the break and “getting my body back” and feeling good after all of the hormones.

@acaciabluebell 🧡💛💜 The wait for the scan is going to be a loooong 3 weeks.

@whomoon Hello! I had a fresh transfer 5 days after egg collection (which didn't work) and I had 2 periods from that transfer before my FET 10 days ago.

@Feelslikeforever22 Congratulations to you, that looks very promising 💛

Thank you for sharing! I thought I was having a fresh transfer at the start, then felt frustrated when I found out it would be a FET as it means more waiting, but now it has sunk in, I’m starting to look forward to the break after egg collection. We’re even looking to go on holiday and enjoy the downtime whilst we can!

I guess we’ve all waited this long to get to this point, another couple of months won’t matter really.

Thanks for sharing your story!
Did the 2 period include the withdrawal bleed from the IVF cycle? Or was it 2 ‘natural’ periods following recovery?

@whomoon Yes exactly, so unsuccessful transfer, period immediately following that, and then the next period after that one too. I started having scans on day 10 of that cycle for the FET.

One more question! How long after your egg collection did you have your period? Did it fall back in line with your regular cycle?
thanks so much for sharing!

@whomoon I got my period 16 days after egg collection, so I was a couple of days later than I would have been on a normal cycle. I knew my transfer hadn't worked by day 9 so I stopped taking the progesterone which might have hurried things along a bit.

Hope that's helpful 🙂

@whomoon Slightly different here for me, I had EC in October with a freeze all. I had a breakthrough bleed around 12 days later, and the clinic were happy for me to start meds for FET on my next period after that. We did delay because by then it was the end of November and I was worried about my clinic closing over Christmas, but it could have happened super quickly.

hahahaha yes starting to feel a little crazy myself😂IVF sure is a roller coaster of emotions

@countrypunk eeeek congratulations!! so happy for you❤

@AnnaPr1992 congratulations on your week 5 ❤

@Laura23FE Thank you!! 💜

@countrypunk amazing news! Congratulations 🥳

@AnnaPr06 Brilliant news 🥰 You must be so happy!

I can’t believe how much luck this group has got so far. Lovely to see the positivity xx

Yey, more BFPs on the thread ❤

OTD for me tomorrow, and I've not tested early at all. Feeling v nervous. Having lots of progesterone symptoms but just feel in my gut it's not worked, and have been trying to prepare myself for that. Had a dream last night that I had a positive test so obviously my subconscious isn't on board!

Going to be a long and sleepless night I suspect 🙄

@Fourfrosties good luck- I have my fingers crossed for you!

@Laur0606 Thank you 💜

@Fourfrosties You held out! Fair play. You just don't know how it's gonna go until you test. Wishing you loads and loads of luck 💛

Good luck @Fourfrosties 💞

@Fourfrosties youve got this x

@Fourfrosties well done for holding out! Good luck!

Thank you @Feelslikeforever22 @Lucy5yearsttc @Purrrrr @countrypunk @LF82. Off to settle down with a book in bed and to try and get some sleep. Will update in the morning.

@Fourfrosties good luck for tomorrow !

Has anyone else got their 1st BETA tomorrow ? Feeling a bit nervous - I’ve had a definite line all week but it doesn’t seem to have got much stronger. Was really happy with it on Monday as thought it was great for day 7 but feeling a little more anxious now. It’s silly because if i had only of tested today I would have probably thought it was great……Line progression is a fool’s game!!

Still no symptoms ! Please be good news tomorrow !!!

@JuliaIVF83 good luck with your beta, as you say line progression is such an inexact 'science' and the beta will leave you much better informed.

A negative HPT for me this morning, as I anticipated. A few tears shed but I will give DD an extra hard hug this morning before heading to work.

I think, from memory of last time, that I need to carry on with everything for a couple of days and test again but I'm confident it's game over. Not sure if i can go again straight away or need a cycle 'off' but will ask the clinic.

Good luck to everyone still to test. Will keep checking in to see how things go for you.