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 ✨

@Ellenn Thank you, I actually had a beer in the bath yesterday 😂 so nice!

@Quickdraw23 it's very hard to be rational during all this isn't it. Glad you have another embryo for your next go. Hope you have a positive chat with the clinic when you speak to them.

@Ellenn my logical brain says yes second half of the TWW doing something light would surely be fine. I suspect the clinic will say no but you just need to do what you're comfortable with.

Think we might go and see Barbie this week too - need some light relief!

Sorry for the lack of update from me, its been a bit of a weird one... I had very faint positives from 6dpt on FRERs but no positive on the more standard tests. I went and got a blood draw on test day 9dpt last Thursday and it was 8! So im going for another blood test tomorrow but pretty sure its chemical. To be honest what im mostly feeling anxious about is that it isn't another ectopic, even though I don't have tubes anymore apparently you can still get them in the stump thats left :(((( I really want to see those numbers fall tomorrow and not be back on that quite scary journey :(

@Quickdraw23 im so sorry to hear of your BFN, thinking of you. Really glad to read you have another Embryo in the freezer, hopefully that takes a little pressure off big decisions for this next try.

@Ellenn I watched so much bad TV and on the last weekend before testing made lots of plans to keep my mind distracted, it sorta worked ! I also listened to a lot of audio books before bed to try and clear my mind before sleep as thats when I did most of my anxious daydreaming!

@SErunner that sounds like a great lining, as always have everything crossed for you.

@KI19 im so sorry to hear 😢 I hope it’s nothing scary, would the levels not be higher for an ectopic? I hope you get an answer soon it’s not nice being in limbo at all. xx

Such a good idea with audiobooks I hadn’t thought of that! I’ve got an action packed week so hopefully no time to think about it although if it doesn’t stick my period will probably arrive Thursday/Friday so I will know before test date …

@KI19 I'm so sorry. I hope you get the results you're wanting. Great suggestion re audiobooks, I might try that too.

Sorry for the TMI but those who have used cyclogest - did you sometimes see some of the residue in the toilet when you went to the loo? It's happened a few times now and I'm worried I'm not absorbing them enough. I've only ever used Lutigest before which I didn't have this problem with. They are doing bloods the day before transfer to check progesterone levels, but just thought I'd ask if anyone has experienced the same.

@KI19 that sounds really stressful! Hope very much it is not anything complicated and that it settles soon. So sorry to hear it’s not a positive outcome this time x

@SErunner i haven’t used cyclogest but I’ve been on utrogestan pessaries and they dissolve and the product that the progesterone is in leaks back out. My clinic reassured me that the progesterone is being absorbed, the white stuff is the “medium” that it’s in that comes back out, and they said it would be enough. Don’t know if the cyclogest is anything like that?

@SErunner It's the wax coating I've been told :)

@KI19 I had a chemical last transfer. Sorry you might be going through that too. Hopefully not though! Let us know how today's bloods are.

@Ellenn It's another natural modified FET :)

Thanks both, clinic said the same and it does seem to be a waxy consistency. I've had bloods today to check progesterone levels. Transfer tomorrow so long as it defrosts okay 🤞

Thanks guys, confirmed with a blood test its a chemical back down to under 1 on the blood test. Need to pull myself back together now. It just all feels so all consuming sometimes doesn't it?! Don't have my consultant follow up till September 2nd but hoping we can do that next cycle with a transfer in October.

@TheBirdintheCaveare you changing anything on your protocol for your next transfer?

@SErunner tomorrow how exciting! How are you feeling?

@Ellenn how are you getting on? Staying distracted?

@KI19 So sorry to hear about your biochemical, they are horrible at giving you hope it might have worked. Glad it wasn't an ectopic though, that would have been very scary. Do you have other frozen embryos you can transfer?

Im actually doing ok now 8dp5dt but have absolutely no symptoms so no idea! My period is due probably Friday so really seeing if it shows up as my OTD isn't till 15th. I was going to do a medichecks hcg beta tomorrow morning but I think they take about 48 hrs to get back result which might not be till monday :(

@KI19 Oh I'm so sorry :( I know what you mean about it feeling so all consuming. I had one or two days where I was just utterly distraught even though I knew what was happening. I couldn't think about or do anything else other than Google things about chemicals and odds of having another etc.

Our protocol is staying the same as the consultant said she was happy with my lining thickness and how the transfer went etc. She says it's just bad luck and an embryo with wonky genes (my words, she said something nicer haha). I hope my bad luck ends at some point though! I really want this whole saga to be over.

Good luck @SErunner will be 🤞🏼 for you today.

@KI19 glad it wasn’t an ectopic but of course you’d still be feeling disappointed. It does feel so consuming. We’re also looking to October for the next transfer because we’re away in September, and I think it will probably good for me to have a few weeks off to try and focus on other things.

well done @Ellenn, past half way now, getting there!

@TheBirdintheCave i know what you mean about wanting the saga to be over, totally, I feel the same way. There’s no predictable end date!

Something ive been thinking about is how there aren’t really many other types of healthcare where you keep repeating the same thing that hasn’t worked. Usually if a healthcare doesn’t work a doctor will try another one, but because there is so much luck involved in this process they carry on trying the same thing for quite a while. It’s most unsatisfying!

Thanks all. I'm actually feeling more positive, just waiting for transfer now so assume it has defrosted okay. Looking forward to hearing what the embryologist says and the reassurance (hopefully) from my blood test yesterday to check progesterone levels.

@KI19 I'm sorry about your news 😢 it's still so upsetting when you get the confirmation. Look after yourself, you don't need to pull yourself back together immediately. Huge hugs.

@TheBirdintheCave at least you'll know where you're at with reacting to meds etc? Good they think it's just bad luck, all fingers crossed for the next one.

@Quickdraw23 totally get your thought re keeping doing stuff that doesn't work! It does seem so odd doesn't it. If this transfer doesn't work I will definitely ask whether we should do something when/if we do a fresh round next year. I'm wondering if there is something in us having slow growing embryos as well as my DOR. They've all been slow, daughter was a day 5 morula, last day 5 fresh transfer was the same and the one for transfer today took to day 7 to get to 4BB. Have read online an FET is better when you have slow growers as you time implantation better from an endometrial perspective. But equally they are at higher risk of being aneuploid. I do find it all interesting, just wish I didn't have to know about it 😂

@SErunner How did it go? :)

All good thank you @TheBirdintheCave! It expanded nicely and they were pleased with how it was looking. It was a 4BB but grown to day 7 unusually. Slight mess up that my bladder wasn't full enough when I got there but they waited 20 mins and then it was fine. Always amazing to see the little thing zip into your uterus! And so the waiting game begins... Long walk tomorrow morning I think to keep me busy. How are you?

@SErunner I'm ok, got a bit of a cold though which is annoying as we're waiting for O for our natural try in between FETs so it'll probably be delayed 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

Glad it all went well and you see your positive soon! 😬