FET buddies summer 2023

[localbunny]

Hi all, started this yesterday on conception and got no responses, but think maybe I put it in the wrong place. Anyway, final attempt! Wondered if anyone would be interested in a thread for those preparing for a FET cycle in the coming couple of months.

I closed my first round of IVF yesterday, no fresh transfer as my body went a bit nuts despite mild protocol, so looking to prepare as best I can for a frostie transfer in June or July!

Big hugs to everyone going through/who has gone through IVF at whichever stage you're in, I found it super tough and frankly think we're all incredible. X

Hello, I’m about to have my first FET on Tuesday, super nervous!

Hi there, interested! Will also be preparing for a FET cycle in June - July. Had to do 2 ER to get my frozen embies now as we did PGT.
so I think my body needs to recover from that.
how are you preparing? Any thing specific?

Please can I join? Should be starting FET in June/July. Can’t wait to get started

Meee too! Can’t wait, so excited to start! Have you already done your egg retrieval?

@Babydustforme yes, had it in March. how about you?

Yay, so glad to have some company!

What's everyones story so far? We've been TTC our first child since 2020, I've had one chemical and one MC at 7 weeks in that time. We think the issue is male factor (morphology probably) so were given one NHS round of ICSI, and I had my EC last week. Got 6 chilly little day 5 embryos in a freezer somewhere now!

Totally agree @Babydustforme I feel like I need a bit of recovery time after the round (and I only did one!) so thought I'd spend a couple of months focusing on feeling really good in myself and building a lovely apartment in my uterus that hopefully an embryo will fancy moving into haha. Hoping for a transfer in maybe July?

Mainly focusing on diet, exercise and maybe some acupuncture (if I can handle any more needles lol). But also just having fun and relaxing! What about everyone else?

@KG1244 had my first in January and the second in March. I had to do 2 ER because My first after PGT resulted in just 2 little Normal embies. Guess what? Second also resulted in just 2 haha. So now we have 4 and I’m just over ER stage and moving on with my lucky 4 hoping for the best.

@localbunny such great number with getting 6! Lucky you!
my story is my husband and I have a genetic condition we definitely do not want our kids to inherit as it’s a 1 in 4 chance. We do not want to take chances at all haha!
so we have not tried to get pregnant naturally.
we are hoping this works for us, fingers crossed.
sorry about your MC, must have been tough. Was it through IVF?

This is our first go at IVF, we had 4 failed IUIs (male factor infertility using DS).
egg collection was in feb, they collected 55 eggs resulting in OHSS which was tough, so needed a break before FET. We have 29 embryos in freezer and tested 6 (4 of which were normal). We can test more at a later date if we need to.
so currently preparing for FET which is on Tuesday, I’m on:

• estrogen patches
• estrogen pills
• estrogen pessaries
• progesterone pessaries
• progesterone jabs (Lubion)

Finding the Lubion to be the worst part yet - don’t know if anyone has any experience?

@Babydustforme four is also fantastic! And must be wonderful to have that peace of mind after the testing, wishing you all the best for the next bit!

Thank you, it was really devestating at the time. Both my previous pregnancies were naturally conceived, I had my last MC in February. My DH has been on some really good supplementation which have really improved most of his scores, so we think that might have helped us fall pregnant again. But who knows, seems a total mystery to me!

@tara17x eeeesh 55!! I had 29 and thought that was tough enough! I'm sorry to hear about OHSS, I'm not surprised that took some recovery it's supposed to be very hard. 29 embryos is quite incredible, did they do ICSI for you?

I'm not allowed estrogen due to quite severe migraines, so will be doing a natural cycle (which I'm secretly very pleased about as I find medications quite hard going).

I also forgot to add - I'm 32, how old are you ladies? Any special preparation for your FETs?

Yes I had ICSI and all the pain was worth it for the embryo's 🤣
I’m 30. I haven’t done anything out of the ordinary to prepare for the FET, I’ve been having weekly reflexology but have done that throughout, healthy eating/living, low carb diet etc. Avoided intense exercise. My lining is a little thinner than I’d like, last scan showed 7mm so I’m adding the following to my diet

• beetroot daily
• pomegranates
• Brazil nuts
• eggs
• fish

hooefully it all helps 🤞🏽

@tara17x 55 wooow! Go girl! I had 22 my first & 23 second time and I tell you I milked it, Took daysss off work both times. Good luck on your FET on Tuesday.
I will jump in on your beetroot daily regime.

I havnt really started any specifics to prepare, I do take pregnacare conception which contains some vitamins needed I was told.

@localbunny I’m 32 also, turning 33 in July though. Yet to find out if I’d be having medicated or natural, meeting with my Dr on the 6th to start with my planning.

Im hoping for july transfer also. Havent contacted clinic yet . Im 39, embroyo frozen last year.

Hi all!
I did ivf / icsi in March, over reacted so no fresh transfer, looking to implant one of our 4 Frosties in June so would love to join 🥰

Hi all, I’m 33, have unexplained infertility. I had EC in March which resulted in 4 Frosties. Had go down the route of FET as they found a polyp in my scans after I had started the injections. Had the polyp removed last week and I’m seeing my consultant in a couple of weeks so hoping they will let me start FET after 1 cycle post polyp removal. If anyone has done FET before, please could you share some wisdom. Is it as intense as IVF prep? Do most people go down the medicated FET route or is it a 50/50 split? So many questions 😂
Will be great to some buddies!

Heya @KG1244 !
Im doing natural FET, I haven’t really been able to find much info or others that have done natural, I believe most clinics (mine included) push for controlled FET as it is easier for them to manage and predict timings etc, but as I over reacted to stims during the ivf I am really reluctant to have any more hormones pumped in to me so I’ve been pretty insistent I want to try natural for mine 😬
Do you know if you’ll be doing controlled or natural?

@HopefulHead hey, hope you don't mind me posting.

I've just undergone an unmedicated FET. Unfortunately it has ended in MC at 5 weeks but the process as a whole was so much better than my previous medicated experience. I noticed that after medications my hormones were interrupted for 3+ months and was very reluctant to opt for any more. The natural FET was brilliant and I felt the whole process ran so smoothly and was much easier to complete. Definitely encourage anyone with regular cycles to go natural. If you have any questions I would be happy to share.

Once I've recovered from the MC I will be starting another natural FET. Hoping to do this in August 🤞🏻

Hi @Hylz Thanks so much for that, the first post I’ve seen of someone who has done a natural FET!
Im so sorry to hear it ended in MC 😔 I hope you’re taking care of yourself ❤️
Yeah, after EC my cycle has taken a couple of months to get back to normal, but I have just ovulated at 14 days this cycle so I should be all set for a June transfer 🤞🏼
I do have a couple of questions if you don’t mind 😬
Did you still have to do the progesterone pessaries or was it completely nothing at all?
Do you know what day a 6 day blast would be transferred - is it 5 days after the day you ovulate or 6? Concerned that if it us 6 that if I am every 28 days for the next 2 months I will ovulate on a Monday and the clinic don’t open on Sundays so I wouldn’t be able to transfer!
Also, did you have a special ovulation test prescribed or do they just advise you to get a clear blue digital or similar?

Good morning @HopefulHead ☺️

How exciting that you're hormones have settled and you can start your FET journey! I don't mind sharing my experience at all if it helps 💕

I personally didn't have any pessaries. The only medication I had was a trigger injection on the morning of the transfer. I'll need to ask my clinic about this for next time though as maybe this is why the pregnancy ended so early..

I think a 6 day would be 6 days after ovulation. We transferred a 5 day blast. My surge was detected on a Sunday, which means ovulation was on the Monday. My transfer took place on the following Saturday. Luckily my clinic open specifically on weekends to complete transfers, hopefully yours will too 🤞🏻

My clinic identified ovulation through blood tests and not an at home test. I had to go in for a blood test every 2 days after cycle day 10. Has your clinic told you to test for ovulation at home?

@Hylz Thank you so much, that is super helpful 😘
So my clinic don’t do a trigger for natural cycles, but I’m unsure about if they encourage to still use the pessaries.
They said they will advise at the appointment next week which at home ovulation tests to get, they said they do a scan on day 5/6 of my cycle to make sure I have one dominant follicle then it is just a case of me testing at home then calling when I get my surge to book in for transfer, guessing this will be 7 days after my surge then so it’s 6 days after I ovulate… so this month would have been no good as I had my surge Sunday, they have told me they do every day except for Sunday so would be abandoned if it fell on a Sunday, so I’ll just have to see how my next cycle goes, first time I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for AF to be irregular 🤭

Hi All, please may I join? I had a fresh cycle of IVF last year which sadly failed 😔 but have 3 in the freezer so having FET this month. On CD4 today and have a scan Monday to check lining of the womb. Wishes all of you the best of luck xxx

@HopefulHead so very last minute I had my consultant appointment today and they have said natural FET for me as my cycles are regular. I really wasn’t expecting this as I thought the standard process was medicated. Will be good to hear others experiences. On this basis, I think I will be starting in June as long as I can get a nurse appointment this month. Fingers crossed!

@KG1244 Ahh that’ll be really nice if we’re both doing natural fet at the same time 🥰

Hey @CaribbeanCupcake ! Sorry to hear your fresh failed but sending lots of luck with your FET! Are you doing natural or medicated?

Hi all just to let you know I had my first FET today, happy to share the experience if anyone has any questions.

@HopefulHead thank you lovely! Medicated as I think it's easier for them to manage! I'm happy with that tho x

@CaribbeanCupcake Yeah I definitely see the benefits of a medicated cycle for planning when they transfer etc, I’m just too scared to go near injections again 🫣🤭

Hi @tara17x 👋🏼 congrats on being PUPO! How are you feeling?