IVF/ICSI/FET May 2023

[Sj2505]

Hi, I don't think there's a thread for May, not that I could find anyway.

I've just started Norethisterone to bring on AF ready for my FET. I had my ICSI cycle in Feb but was high risk for OHSS, so after retrieving 24 eggs, this clinic decided to freeze all.
Luckily, because I ended up very unwell with OHSS for around 6 weeks and ended up in hospital for a little while!

But I've recovered and soooo ready for my embabies! We're aiming for transfer week commencing 22nd May unless AF comes earlier than planned then it might be the week before. It's likely as I'm on CD46 with all the signs of imminent AF 🤞🏼

If anyone else is cycling in May please feel free to share the journey ✨

Hi all, can I join?

I'm 4dp5dt today, my first FET, previous fresh transfer failed. Heartbroken today as I've had the exact same 'hormone crash' that I had with my failed transfer, and signals my period is coming up. I get the same symptoms every month before my period and now to have this FET exactly mimic that and my fresh transfer has left me so exhausted.

The nausea was super intense for a day yesterday, got my hopes up, but today I've woken up to complete normality physically but being floored emotionally.

My progesterone was low on day of transfer, they gave me lubion to add in from then but I just feel it was too little too late

@Ellenn the multiple transfer was just due to my age. I'm 41. They recommend at least 2 ideally. The third one isn't great quality and they didn't think it would freeze well so it's a case of may as well just put it in and increase the odds of getting one!

@Ellenn that's great news! You must be over the moon with that! Fingers crossed they stay put!

@LittleWeed82 congratulations on the transfer! That's great it wasn't painful at all. Good luck for the tww now!

@Marisadea congratulations that's a great result!!

Welcome @Sapphire91 that's a great number too! Welcome to the Wednesday transfer club! 😂 it seems like lots of us will be transferring then (I am still waiting to hear about fertilisation so I am hoping I will be joining!) I feel exactly the same after egg collection so I am sure it's normal especially with so many eggs. I definitely am starting to feel better tonight though.

Hi @GS34 👋

Totally with you on the pregnancy announcements. Not easy at all!
Have you had egg collection yet?

Hi @Skincareaddict not long to wait now. Those last days are just the hardest. ❤️ I remember feeling like I was actually losing my mind! 😵‍💫 If it helps, I don't think you can read into symptoms at all, the drugs really mess it all up and pregnancy symptoms can be the same. It's so hard not to think the worst especially if you've had failed cycles before. Stay strong you're almost there 💪.

I am wide awake now due to the joys of prednisolone! Is anyone else taking it? The insomnia is bad!

Hello everyone, can I join? We're in the middle of our second round of IVF. We were very lucky that our first resulted in our daughter but no other embryos so we've started from scratch. Egg collection scheduled for Wed. I'm early 30s with low AMH so not expecting big numbers but keeping fingers crossed we get at least one for transfer. Wishing you all luck on your journeys x

@SErunner welcome. Best of luck for your cycle. Are you triggering tomorrow?

@FlapJackered I'm on prednisolone but don't have any problems sleeping.. well, nothing more than normal. My nurse told me to take it in the morning to help avoid any issues.

@LittleWeed82 welcome to the 2ww club. Amazing that they transferred 3, fingers crossed for you ✨

@Skincareaddict welcome to the 2ww club! I really hope the symptoms ease for you and you regain some hope. Hope is all we can do in the 2ww unfortunately.

@Ellenn 14 fertilised is amazing. When will you get your next update? Hope you're feeling ok?

@GS34 it's always bittersweet news isn't it, we all completely understand your pain. I have fingers crossed for round 4 for you.

@Marisadea yay for transfer on Wednesday! Will you get a day 3 update tomorrow also?

@Sapphire91 welcome! This thread had a very busy day on Friday 🥰 great numbers for you. Will you get further updates?

@FrostedFlake I got similar after doing my Lubion, it was red and painful but I've started massaging it straight after and it's absolutely fine now. The nurse said Lubion is slightly thicker consistency so takes a little longer to disperse into the tissue, maybe yours could be the same?

@GS34 egg collection was much better than I anticipated - I had a lovely sleep and woke up with a brew 😂
And I'm completely with you on pregnancy anoucements. It hurts and certainly doesn't make you a bad person to feel that way ❤️
@Marisadea @Ellenn great numbers for you both! Keeping my fingers crossed for lots of embryos 🤞
@LittleWeed82 how exciting transfering 3!! Glad the transfer went well!
@Skincareaddict hoping for a BFP for you 🤞 keep going!!
@FlapJackered very exciting that lots of us will hopefully be transfering on Wednesday 😁 have you heard anything about your fertilisation yet?
@SErunner good luck with your egg collection Wednesday!
@Sj2505 thank you 😊 and expecting an update tomorrow which will be day 3. The waiting is deffo the worst bit of IVF 😅

Hope everyone is doing okay this morning! I won't lie, I am not enjoying these cyclogest pessaries 😂

@Sapphire91 I'm doing the pessaries round the back and I'm having no issues with it at all.
I'm 2dp5dt and keeping myself busy to make the days go quicker.

@Sj2505 me too, back is deffo better than the front! Progesterone always gives me bad indigestion, even just in a regular cycle so it's deffo not helping with the bloating 🙈
Keeping busy is definitely a good idea! When's your test day?

@Sapphire91 we just heard out of 15 eggs, 9 have fertilised normally and are looking good and they say they expect 40-50% of those to get to a usable blastocyst. We always said we would be very happy with 3 so hopefully we will get that! 🤞

@FlapJackered that's a brilliant amount! Fingers crossed for at least 3 for you 🤞when's your next update?

@Sapphire91 I don’t get another update until the morning of the transfer. 😬
How about you? Do you get any more updates before Wednesday?

@Sj2505 those pessaries are the worst 🙈 the clinic I’m at actually uses the gel but not sure it is any better! I think I’m getting an update tomorrow and then day 5 before they freeze. Last cycle they were all still looking good on day 3 but had massive drop off by day 5! Worried cause I overstimulated although I got lots they won’t be that good quality. We will see!

its crazy how two cycles you can respond so differently though! Im still quite bloated but not any worse so hopefully all good signs😄

Great news @FlapJackered ! 🤞🏼

@Sapphire91 glad egg collection went well

well done @Sj2505 on keeping busy!

I am also not enjoying the pessaries 😒 three times a day is a right faff when I’m at work. And I have boob soreness ☹️

I am due transfer tomorrow lunchtime. Feels very surreal! Also slightly nervous as I really don’t like speculums. Last time I had one used was with an OBGYN a the local hospital for a different issue and she managed to really make it hurt.

@FlapJackered eek hopefully the days fly by! I get an update tomorrow at day 3 and then they'll also give me a time for transfer on Wednesday.
@Quickdraw23 yesss my boobs are so sore too! Ahh good luck with your transfer tomorrow, hope it's not too uncomfortable for you!

@Sapphire91 OTD is Thursday 8th, but I'll be testing before that as we'll be on holiday with my whole family by that Thursday 😬

@FlapJackered that's a great update! Fingers crossed for some beautiful blasts for you.
You might be able to call for day 3 update. My clinic doesn't do them routinely but say to everyone if they want to call for one then they're welcome to.

@Ellenn I'm pleased you haven't got any worse, that's very good news.
I went from 24 collected to 4 frozen, so a big drop overall but the 4 we had were amazing quality even with severe OHSS. The one I now have on board is a 4AA which some say is the embryologist preference for a nice, easy transfer. But I don't know, all I know is I was very happy with it ☺️

@Quickdraw23 ah I hope the doctor is gentler with you tomorrow. I found mine absolutely fine, but I understand it's different for everyone. Best of luck for tomorrow, will be thinking of you!

Thank you for the welcome 😀 yes final scan tomorrow morning to confirm but expecting to trigger tomorrow evening 🤞

@Sapphire91 I had a lovely sleep for egg collection last time too 😂 glad it went okay for you

@FlapJackered that's a fantastic number! All fingers crossed for you

@Sj2505 the wait is so tough but it sounds like everything went as well as it could. Your drop off doesn't sound that unusual. Great to have some in the freezer! Have you got anything nice on the next week or so to keep you distracted?

@Quickdraw23 hope all goes okay for you. I'm sure if you tell them you're worried they will be very supportive.

I've just had my last scan and they're doing more bloods to check hormone levels and whether they can push another day of stims but expecting to trigger tonight. 6 follicles of a good size which is about the best we could expect with my AFC and AMH. Freakishly identical to our last cycle which conceived our daughter - same number of follicles and triggering same day of the week 😂 hoping that's a good omen!

@SErunner that definitely sounds like a great omen 😁

Just had my day 3 update. All 10 of our fertilised eggs are still growing, 7 are graded as good and 3 graded average 😭 couldn't believe it! Actually cried down the phone at her 😂

@Sapphire91 oh that’s such wonderful news!! You must be completely over the moon! Congrats!

@SErunner it’s great to hear that you have a strong number of follicles specially as you have conceived the last time around! Definitely a good omen! 🙌

I’ve just have my first scan an feeling a bit deflated. I know it only takes one but my count when we started this cycle was 17 and however from those 17 only 8 should be about the right size and mature at collection. Our fertilisation rate was around 30% and we only got one embryo from 13 follicles we had collected so I feel like 8 is not much to work with based on the last cycle. Would anyone know why some follicles just don’t grow? We were hoping to get more than the last cycle but it’s looking extremely unlikely we will get anywhere near the initial number.

Hope everyone is keeping well!

Hello everyone! Today my little embryos are 3 days old. I am not getting an update until the day of the transfer, scheduled on Wednesday. Now is all about the emotional side of this journey. I really hope for the best ♥️

That's great news @Sapphire91! All looking really good for you!

@FrostedFlake I really empathise with the uncertainty and worry that comes with small numbers. It's number and size that are important, as size indicates how mature the eggs are likely to be. They can only fertilise if they are mature so maybe this time if you've got 8 of good size you might get a better fertilisation rate? It's not unusual for only some follicles to respond. I had a whopping (for me!) 12 at my baseline scan this round but only 6 have responded. It does only take 1, but it's hard to not worry when you're dealing with small numbers. Huge hugs.

All fingers crossed for you @Marisadea 🤞

Thank you!

Good news @Marisadea not long to wait now!

@SErunner sound good indeed! Hoping for some positive outcomes for you 😊

hope you’re doing ok today @FrostedFlake and wishing you lots of luck and good outcomes in the coming days. I have read lots of stories of people having very different outcomes in different egg collections. 🤞🏼

absolutely fab news @Sapphire91! Good luck for the next part!

@Sj2505 hope you are doing ok in the TWW!

I joined the tww club yesterday and trying not to get too twitchy. I think it will be better when I go back to work in two days time as my job is really busy and distracting. I want to hold out til OTD on 10th June.

My transfer went well, they were very kind and managed with a smaller speculum even though I’m quite tall. They said it was a really good quality embryo they were using, though I know that doesn’t necessarily translate into a successful pregnancy.

It didn’t hurt, just slightly uncomfortable. I think part of it is just the vulnerability of being sprawled over the table with your legs up that I hate🤦🏼

anyway we had two good quality embryos to freeze as well yesterday, so feeling very lucky and grateful for that.

my anxious brain kicked in just afterwards - what if they accidentally put someone else’s embryo in? What if it falls out? (Not possible.) what if it got bumped around in the tube on the way in, and is feeling bruised? 🙄 I was taken for a celebratory burger and chips to try and break that particularly unhelpful thought cycle 😂

good luck tomorrow to the Wednesday transfer caucus in here! Will be thinking of you 😊

Hi all, great to see some positive news in the thread and hopefully there will be loads of May babies ❤️

@Quickdraw23 great to hear you had a good quality embryo and the process was not too painful! And it’s wonderful that you could freeze two! Haha I know what you mean about all these thought going through your head, I was in a similar position last time around! I do hope that it’s a sticky one!

I will be joining the Wednesday collection club as I have had my scan yesterday and got an email from the nursing team (not even a call) at 4 pm telling me I needed to take my last dose of Gonal F, Cetrotide and my trigger all yesterday evening. I feel like it’s all very rushed now and I’m not sure if any of the 8 follicles would have been able to get to the threshold level since the morning so might be getting even less eggs on the day which is tough as we had 17 during the initial scan. But I know they are professionals and do this day in day out and the outcome will be the best possible one in the circumstances.

Hope everyone has a lovely day!