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 ✨

@Quickdraw23 I think you'll be ok :) I'm sure once the embryo is in place there's not much we can do that can change the outcome.

@Sj2505 thank you! Great news on your positive line, keeping my fingers crossed it gets darker for you!!

@Ellenn I am back to normal now but I had my egg collection 2 weeks ago today. It was mostly twinges and lots of weeing ! Congratulations on your embryo grades. Thats amazing :) i'm so anxious we only got 3 frozen, one 5BA a 4BB and a 2BB, I know they say it only takes one but the idea of doing another egg collection in the future makes me 😖Is this your first round?

@SErunner how did your egg collection go today?

We managed to collect 7 eggs and I hope some make it to embryo stage but we’ve dropped from 13 last time around and only got one so staying cautiously optimistic.

has anyone else had their collection today?

Congrats to all who have done their embryo transfers today and those that are testing positive! ❤️❤️❤️

@KI19 ah that’s good! That’s still three good chances and it only takes one! Are they letting you transfer on your next cycle? This is my second round, weird as on exactly same medication as last time but we only got x2 embryos 5AA last cycle! Both transfers ended in miscarriages so a perfect graded embryo does not equal a baby! I hope your next transfer sticks 🤞🤞

6 eggs for us @FrostedFlake, which was the most we were going to get based on number of follicles. Pretty relieved and hoping for a good update tomorrow. Glad yours went okay. There is a good chance of at least 1 embryo from 7 statistically - will keep fingers crossed for you.

@KI19 3 in the freezer is great. As others said, grading really isn't everything. Our daughter came from a day 5 morula which on paper is a rubbish chance statistically. Definitely worth staying positive.

Well done @FrostedFlake and @SErunner those are a good amount of eggs so fingers crossed for you! 🤞 I had 7 eggs collected with my first round and ended up with the same amount of embryos as this round (despite having 15 eggs this time) so you never know how it's going to go!
I hope you're feeling ok.

@Ellenn that's amazing news about your embryos! You must be over the moon with that! 👏

Good luck for egg collection @hereshoping123 !! 🤞🤞🤞

@Sj2505 that line progression is great!! 🥳

Transfer all done yesterday and another embryo caught up so I have two to freeze which is great!

Also does anyone else still look about 6 months pregnant still after egg collection. My stomach is enormous! I am seeing friends today and I know they are going to think I am pregnant! 🙄 Any idea how long to bloat is expected to hang around?

@FlapJackered thanks! It’s so weird how the cycles can be so different with completely different outcomes isn’t it. I hope your embryo sticks!! I’m super bloated as well look at least 5/6 months pregnant and having to try and hide it at work which is awkward 🙈 although I think with OHSS apparently it doesn’t calm down until after your first bleed. When I had a fresh transfer last year my bloating actually became worse shortly after embryo transfer (think about time of implantation) I hope yours resolves soon though!

@Ellenn that's a fantastic outcome!! I hope the call today goes well too.

@hereshoping123 good luck for EC this morning ☺️

@Quickdraw23 I don't think the lifting would have done anything, try not to worry. How are you feeling?

@LittleWeed82 I know what you mean! Once you start it's hard to stop it's it haha!

@FrostedFlake @SErunner Best of luck for the call this morning 🤞🏼🤞🏼

@FlapJackered yay! Welcome to the tww club. No tips for bloating unfortunately.. baggy top maybe?

@Sj2505 thanks 😊 I’m physically feeling ok thanks, better than I was on stims. Have had some mild aching in the uterus/hip flexor type region the last couple of days, which has now gone. I’m trying really hard not to read into things, over analyse and get ahead of myself, whilst still remaining positive. Such a difficult balance! Especially when I really want it to work 😓

Thanks everyone! Just got the call from the embryologist and from the 7 collected only 5 were mature and only 2 have been fertilised. The clinic doesn’t do a day 3 transfer and I’m really not sure what our chances are of one of them making it to day 5. Feeling a little heartbroken even though I know we are still in the game and all it takes is one.

This journey is just so hard.

So sorry @FrostedFlake. That seems a bit odd they don't do 3 day transfers? Did they say why? You are definitely still in the game - understand how hard this is though. Will you get an update on day 3? Hopefully the 2 that fertilised do what they need to 🤞

I've also had the call and we were very lucky that all 6 fertilised. Slightly in shock and feeling a bit more reassured but still anxious. We had a big drop off after this point last time. I think I find this bit worse than the TWW to be honest...

Hope everyone is doing well

@FrostedFlake sorry to hear that your fertilisation rate wasn't as you'd hoped, it does only take one but when we've gone through so much it really wouldn't hurt to have as many chances at that one..it just feels like such an injustice on top of it all! Fingers crossed your 2 continue to develop into healthy embryos and future babies!

I am 9dp5dt today. I took a morrisons ownbrand test last night, and it is positive. Was overjoyed, my first ever positive but then I've researched and they have bad reviews for false positives:( I've ordered clearblue now but won't be able to test until tomorrow.

Congrats @Skincareaddict! There is no way that's a false positive. So pleased for you 😀

Thank you @SErunner .. congrats on all 6 of your eggs fertilising! Sending positive vibes your way - fingers crossed they're super strong!

@SErunner oh that’s wonderful news! Hope they keep dividing and you have some to freeze!

I actually didn’t ask as was a bit overwhelmed by the call and only having two but must do! Maybe it’s because if they are good enough they should technically make it to day 5? No idea, I’d rather implant them on day 3 and see what happens.

Im the same, I find these calls the toughest - and it could either be the end of the road or the start of a pregnancy and it’s all down to that call and the update that they have for you specially when you have low numbers.

I hope everyone is feeling well after their transfer and also those that are still in the process of getting ready for stims or doing them ❤️

Hi everyone - I've been quiet while waiting for the PGT-A and other genetic test results.
To recap our journey so far at Reprofit in CZ:
9 eggs -> 4 ICSI: 5 cIVF -> 7 fertilised -> 1 expanded embryo from ICSI: 1 hatching embryo, both "Grade 2" (I was a little unhappy that they aren't using a more common scale).
The latest news is the ICSI one sent to PGT-A turned out to is euploid!

So we're going to hold on to those two embies but because of my advanced age, statistically you need 10 euploid embryos to have one live birth(? I might be wrong) so we'll be going for another EC cycle in June or July.

We've also changed our supplement regimens and I've added PQQ, resveratrol and astaxanthin for egg quality to mine, adding lycopene to his because of low morphology - hoping for better results in the next round!
Wishing you all the best for June😃

Thank you @Skincareaddict really appreciate your support!!

CONGRATS! Love seeing BFPs on this thread! How are you feeling?

@Sj2505 thanks a million. EC done and doc collected 5 eggs. Hopefully they all result in beautiful healthy embabies 🤞 we are doing PGT so no fresh transfer this cycle.

@Caubabatko I opted for PGT too, our embryos have to go through so much. I added PPQ into my regime about 5/6 weeks ago. I haven't heard of the other supplements that your adding . Are u taking them after your own research?

I feel like a walking pharmacy already with all the supplements 😂

@hereshoping123
Same here, I feel like I have my own pharmacy at home😂
I take COQ10, R-alpha lipoic acid, Vitamin C&D, DHA&EPA, NAC in addition to pre-natal multi, plus Chinese herbal pills.
I came across those three new supplements recommended by some IVF doctors though Astaxanthin is generally said to be beneficial for sperm. Sharing in case the info is useful to anyone..

• Astaxanthin, found in salmon, prawns etc.

Astaxanthin improves the development of the follicles and oocytes through alleviating oxidative stress induced by BPA in cultured follicles

• Resveratrol, found in red wine, safe until a few days before an egg transfer (half life: 24 hours)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1097276520305517 https://www.endonews.com/resveratrol-for-infertility-a-frenemy 

Congratulations @Skincareaddict ! That looks like a genuine positive to me 😁

@FrostedFlake thank you! I have been having period pain type pains since Saturday, and overwhelming sadness and emotional outbursts. I feel nauseous but haven't thrown up since last week, I'm often nauseous so nothing new here! Back pain and weird cramps in my back that radiate down my legs (quite similar to endometriosis cramps)

Thanks @TheBirdintheCave !

@FrostedFlake without wanting to overstep my place, it does sound odd. Protocol at my clinic is to transfer on day 3 if you have very low numbers and/or they aren't looking great. They are more likely to develop normally in a uterus than an artificial environment. Is it worth giving the clinic a call back and asking to discuss it? As you've got 48 hours before they will be day 3 you have a bit of time? Not meaning to add to your worry/stress, just thought it might be worth a call if nothing else so you know you've asked?

@Caubabatko great news you have a euploid and good you have a plan. Hope it continues to go okay for you.

@SErunner I know, that’s what I thought too as my previous clinic did offer a day 3 transfer.

I spoke to the embryologist and she said that the chances of a successful pregnancy are much higher if your get to a blastocyst stage and that with the evolved methodology that they are using (the culture that they are in etc) it’s much better off developing outside of the womb at day 3. She said it was an outdated way of doing this that would have been done 10 years ago. I completely understand transferring on day 5 if you are likely to get to that stage but currently I feel like it’s a wasted cycle if I don’t do everything I can to get a transfer if we have a little blast at day 3. She also said that they would not transfer at day 3 as it’s a Saturday and they are short staffed but can check with the doctor if a day 2 transfer is possible 🤯 I’m shocked tbh and extremely disappointed as I feel it’s not worth their while unless it makes it to day 5. I wonder if this is to improve their stats of live birthdays, the longer you wait the potentially better outcome (even though my day 5 blast ended up in miscarriage)

Interesting. My clinic says different as I quizzed them on it in case we have a big drop off by Sat. I wish they'd all be a bit more consistent with their messages! I can understand your frustration. I would feel the same.