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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Original poster

FET buddies summer 2023

184 replies

localbunny · 27/04/2023 15:26

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

OP posts:
tara17x · 03/05/2023 08:25

Thanks, I feel fine, my lining wasn’t where I wanted it to be which has left me feeling not so hopeful but fingers crossed!

KG1244 · 03/05/2023 09:46

@HopefulHead FET buddies! I’m definitely going to do some more reading 😊

Anyone with natural FET knowledge/experience, is there a down regulation process? I’m guessing not but wanted to check

KG1244 · 03/05/2023 09:47

@tara17x congrats on being PUPO! Big question - How did you find FET emotionally and physically compared to the EC process?

Hylz · 03/05/2023 09:53

@KG1244 there was no down reg for me, just a few blood tests and then the transfer itself ☺️x

KG1244 · 03/05/2023 10:24

@Hylz thanks, good to know 😊 did you have to use pessaries too?

tara17x · 03/05/2023 10:51

@KG1244 thank you!
My FET process has been quite tough as I’ve been on a lot of meds:

  • Estrogen pills, patches and pessaries
  • Aspirin
  • Progesterone pessaries and injections twice a Day - Lubion.
For me the hardest part has been the Lubion as I’ve found the bruising very painful - a lot worse than any of the stims I was on for EC.

other than that it’s been fine, I have been concerned about my lining being too thin which has caused some stress but if I didn’t have that it would have been ok. I was in a lot of pain following EC so obviously it’s nice not to have that.

Hylz · 03/05/2023 11:15

@KG1244 I didn't have any medication at all, just an ovitrelle injection on the morning of the transfer ☺️

HopefulHead · 03/05/2023 12:45

It would be a lot easier if all clinics did the same wouldn’t it 🫣 But it’s so hard to know what to expect when they all seem to do things differently 😬

10degreessunny · 04/05/2023 08:16

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me joining. I am due to start stims next week for EC in May then if all goes to plan FET later in the summer.
Could you guys let me know with your EC before FET, did you have a heavy period/bleeding following it? I have a holiday end of May so worried that I will be a horrible mess for that. It's so tricky planning this all around your life when you want to keep your life as 'normal' as possible but you have no idea what you'll physically or emotionally be like. Any advice really welcome.

Good luck @tara17x with you transfer, reading about your experience has been very helpful hope you can try and relax during this wait process X

tara17x · 04/05/2023 09:28

@10degreessunny happy to help as much as possible, so following EC I had a withdrawal bleed, this came within about a week if I remember rightly, I think about 5 days. It was heavier than a normal period but I do get very light periods and it wasn’t anything that would stop me doing normal activities. I went on holiday 9 days after EC, and that was after experiencing OHSS, I thought there was no way I could do it but as soon as the bleed comes the uncomfortable feeling subsided and each day you feel better. Come my holiday I was almost back to normal and it was actually really nice to get away after such an awful experience.
So I would think you’d be ok, chances are you will also recover quicker than me as I had 55 eggs collected which made my recovery more difficult. I think having something to look forward to after the procedure is nice. I did make sure our hotel was free cancellation just in case, my consultant was also encouraging going away and saw no issues.

HopefulHead · 04/05/2023 09:42

Second @tara17x i was poorly for about a week after EC (OHSS also) then I got my period on the day it would have been due normally, so 10 days after EC, my bleed was also slightly heavier and a bit more painful than normal but nothing unbearable or that stopped me doing anything as I normally would when I’m on my period.

Good luck with starting stims!
Whats the reason for not having a fresh transfer after EC?

HopefulHead · 04/05/2023 09:43

@10degreessunny That last comment was in reply to you, I just forgot to tag 🫣

10degreessunny · 04/05/2023 17:45

Hi @tara17x & @HopefulHead , that's really so useful, thanks so much for sharing. I have very light periods so imagine it will be similar. I have a wedding so don't have much choice about cancelling but I am going to avoid tight dresses!
They are saying I should do FET because I have PCOS so high chance of OHSS so they prefer to wait. How many cycles have you had to wait in-between EC & FET? My issue is I don't regular periods so will be all medicated.

HopefulHead · 04/05/2023 18:10

@10degreessunny Definitely best to wait and have a FET if you’re risk of OHSS, gives your body chance to recover and also gives you a bit of head space after the few weeks of stims etc.
so I was told I had to have one cycle, so I could have started on my period following withdrawal bleed, but I’m doing natural so not sure about medicated but I’d imagine the same rules apply?
I have been monitoring my cycles since EC and my first ovulation came 17 days after my withdrawel bleed started but then this month (so second month when I could have done FET) was 14 days after I started my period which is my norm, so does seem that it only took me one cycle to get back to my normal.

tara17x · 04/05/2023 18:57

@10degreessunny I have PCOS too. I did FET the first cycle after the withdrawal bleed. My cycle was really late I think it was 45 days in the end so they gave me a drug to induce it which worked.

10degreessunny · 05/05/2023 08:17

Hey @HopefulHead & @tara17x, okay hopefully if everything goes to plan with EC IN May I can do FET July, but let's see, nothing goes to plan with these things!
Sorry for all the questions but for a medicated FET cycle, what are they trying to do to your body? How is it different to EC? I understand for EC the drugs you take make you ovulate, but for FET I'm not aware. My clinic did say they would go through that at the next stage but I already want to know ☺️.
How are you feeling Tara in this wait process?
X

HopefulHead · 05/05/2023 09:22

@10degreessunny Indefinitely know about the waiting! We were originally due to do ivf with a fresh cycle January, so expected to be 5 months pregnant by now ! But it has just been one thing after another with us and having to keep pushing it back for different reasons 🙈
This is the first any only month when I have decided myself to push it back another month.
So at my clinic, then told me the controlled fet would be:
Drugs on day 21 of my cycle to induce a period 7 days later
Fyremadel to stop my ovulating from day 5/6
Ovitrelle trigger shot on day 10-13 to bring on ovulation

They prefer medicated as it means they control the cycle and can know when you have ovulated rather than rely on you getting it right yourself.

So to me, it’s basically the same as ivf medication minus the stims

10degreessunny · 05/05/2023 23:03

@HopefulHead ah thank you for explaining, so are you planning to start this month?
So do they make you ovulate but then insert the 'frostie' is that how it works? I did start asking my consultant about this but he said not to worry about this stage yet. Of course on my mind!

HopefulHead · 06/05/2023 15:21

@10degreessunny were doing next month as we have a holiday in a few weeks so going to do it the cycle after that :)
Yeah, basically I call when I’ve ovulated then they book me in for transfer 6 days after I think - normally 5 days but ours were day 6 blasts so I think they put them in 6 days after ovulation.
I totally get that, you just wanna have all the info possible so you can try and prepare yourself!

KG1244 · 08/05/2023 10:49

Im not having a great morning today. Feeling really fed up. IVF and waiting for FET is so f*ing hard! What do you do on these days?

CaribbeanCupcake · 08/05/2023 13:13

@KG1244 sorry to hear you are having a bad day- they seem to just creep up don't they? 😔 be good to yourself and embrace it for today.
Eat lots of chocolate and have a nice hot bath- they are my go tos. Oh and cry a lot!! Let it all out! Hope you're ok x

10degreessunny · 08/05/2023 22:47

Hi @KG1244, really sorry you're feeling down, doesn't help with all this rain. This experience is unsettling but don't forget that every day spent feeling sad is a day of your life which could have been a happy day. Recently I had a very close family member suddenly pass away and although it's been awful, it's made me really try and keep living my life as much as possible and not on hold around this treatment. I know so much easier said than done but try to make life more than this. (This advice may be entirely not useful for you but I am trying this route and wanted to share if it helps 1 bit) X

KG1244 · 09/05/2023 08:01

@CaribbeanCupcake thank you, had lots of chocolate and good TV and felt much better by the afternoon. Also went to a gym class which helped…all those endorphins 😂it completely creeped up from no where!

KG1244 · 09/05/2023 08:04

@10degreessunny Thank you, that does help. I do try and remind myself that. I’m really sorry to hear that you recently lost a very close family member. I hope you’re doing ok xx

CaribbeanCupcake · 09/05/2023 16:17

@KG1244 oh 100%- the amount of times I've felt like I'm fine and beginning to accept infertility and then BAM! Slaps me in the face out of nowhere and I feel so so low ☹️ glad you're feeling better now tho. And well done for getting to a gym class- that must have been hard to do when feeling how you did- you go girl!! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼