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 ✨

Shit, I'm in a huge panic again. Day three call I couldn't join in so had to get relayed info from my ADHD husband who asked none of the correct questions. All the info I have is:

There are eight very good embryos.
There are others that look good.

I don't think we're going to end up with any now 😭 Eight after starting with 21 is awful.

@TheBirdintheCave 8 is an amazing number is good embryos!! It only takes one xx

@kingster1 Thanks for the account of IVF Clinic!
7 from one ovary alone sounds good! Has the clinic fed back on what could have been done better in the previous EC cycle?

Mine is Reprofit Brno, my impression was:

• Well established, large clinic with lots of MDs, nurses and embryologists as well as admins.
• Doctors and nurses seem to know what they are doing - I've never met or spoken to any embryologists or anthologists.
• The relationship with some English speaking coordinators isn't ideal -some of their remarks on emails unprofessional, not just with in their English but also in their native tongue, not sure it's their soft skills or the front office's approach
• Essential communication such as when to expect test results/reports etc is sometimes missing

I quit Facebook in favour of privacy - will see if I can find the group from my DH's account!

Can anyone help me understand what the estradiol test actually explains? I've not had it really explained to me despite asking, bar from the Consultant apparently being satisfied with my results 🤷‍♀️ Oh and I may have 2 follicles but the 2nd one is really small in comparison to the leading dominant follicle 😒 Stims have been increased to 450 now too.... ah well it's all a learning for next time I suppose. And data gathering is good

That's a good number @kingster1 and @TheBirdintheCave 8 great embryos is good news. Try not to worry about the starting point as it sounds like you could end up with 8 very good embryos, which is a great position to be in

Would like to join the discussion. Had egg collection yesterday and got only 5 eggs (down from 9 and 12 in previous two cycles). So not very hopeful. Fresh transfer not possible due to hysteroscopy done.

When should I expect next period? Will it be earlier or later than usual? Last two cycles were fresh transfers, so this is new to me.

@Serendipity24 i have my fingers crossed for your 5 eggs developing. For me my withdrawal bleed has always been on time with my regular cycle. But for some reason the one after that was slight delayed

Hi @Serendipity24, All the best for your 5 eggs! I had a false start with stims last month (had 3 days worth and had to abandon the cycle, high dosage), with that I ended up starting a week later for my AF when I'm only 1 or 2 days late usually (think me stressing about it didn't help as I just wanted to get on with restarting the IVF cycle!). Anyway, I think it depends on person to person with hormones, etc, but hopefully, it wouldn't be too delayed for you if it was late

@kingster1 great number! And good sizing too ☺️ good luck for EC tomorrow, look forward to hearing how you get on!

@FlapJackered drinks lots of water and have lots of protein. That's what I was told to decrease my free fluid when I had OHSS. Hopefully things will look great tomorrow, but don't be too disheartened by a freeze all. The only way to get through the wait is by thinking of the positives. I kept telling myself a fresh transfer wouldn't have stuck with my body how it was so a recovery wait is best for my future baby.

@TheBirdintheCave you have ATLEAST 8, that's a great number to have at this stage. Chances are is will go down, but that's ok. You'll end up with something to transfer and that's a massive hurdle alone for many women. You've done great, your embryo's are doing great - don't be so hard on yourself ♥️

@Sunflower360 sorry, I don't know anything about those bloods, but if the doctors are happy is sounds promising!

@Serendipity24 welcome! My first bleed after EV was exactly two weeks later. I've read that some women have the trouble with the next bleed as that's the first natural one (the first is a "withdrawal bleed") and I have certainly followed suit. It came very late and very light - so much so I didn't know if or when it had started. Luckily the clinic scanned me and my lining had shred enough to start my frozen cycle.
We want quality over quantity. Good luck with the update call this morning if your clinic is giving one.

Not much update from me. Today my oestrogen tablets are upped to 4 daily, but that's about it ☺️
Hope everyone is having a good weekend and enjoying the weather, I managed to get burned yesterday 🙄☀️

Thank you @LF82 @Sunflower360 @Sj2505
for your responses, very helpful.

Unfortunately received bad news today. Of the 5 eggs, 3 were mature but none of them fertilized normally. All of them degenerated shortly after the ICSI procedure. In the last two cycles at least had two early blastocysts to transfer on day 5. It's difficult to process that the cycle ended so soon this time.

Given my age this is the end of the line for me using own eggs.

Sorry to hear that @Serendipity24 If you don't mind me asking what is your age? Perhaps there could be other clinics or options to explore, especially as you were close last time too?

@Serendipity24 so sorry to hear that! It's a cruel world. Do you know you're next steps or are you still processing everything?

Thank you both.

@Sunflower360 I am 43.5. I really don't know of any clinics that would entertain using own eggs for me anymore.

@Sj2505 DH and I decided before the cycle this would be the last one as we need to draw a line somewhere and move on. We are both open to adoption. I'm also open to using donor eggs but DH is not there yet.

@Serendipity24 sounds like you've made the right decision for you.
The clinic I'm with treats women up to the age of 50, and will see older than that with some assessments. I don't know if that's with their own eggs but I guess it depends on the woman.
Adoption is an amazing route too!

Update here. We have five frosties: 5AB, 4AB, 4BB, 4BB and 3BB.

There are four more being monitored and potentially frozen tomorrow.

@TheBirdintheCave wow! That's really great news. How are you feeling following EC? Any signs of OHSS? Hopefully you'll avoid it and be able to move to FET as soon as you're ready ☺️

@Sj2505 I feel really good at the moment, just bloated still. Fingers crossed I won't get it now :)

@TheBirdintheCave that sounds promising ☺️ good luck with your day 6 update.

I know there are quite a few scans etc today, so good luck to everyone who's got appointments today, hopefully lots of positive news on the thread 🤞🏼✨

I had egg collection, 7 eggs and 4 mature. 4 more than last time!
Feeling relief after egg collection. Having sperm sorting MFSS and hope they fertilise. Feeling relieved but also very anxious.
Hope everyone else is getting OK okay. Xxx

@kingster1 that great news! Fingers crossed for lots of mingling over the next 24hrs. Are you having a freeze all or fresh transfer?

Fresh transfer, aiming later in the week. Hoping we get that far. Hoping I will have some frozen too. One minute my mind is negative, then positive. Will get an update on progress tmro. They said they might keep the other 3 eggs if suitable in lab to see if they mature.

@kingster1 That's great! Fingers crossed they all fertilise :D

@kingster1 that's really positive! Fingers crossed for you ☺️🤞🏼

That's great news @kingster1 hopefully you get good news in the morning.

I had a scan this morning and have got 3 follicles now, although 2 of them are too small (under 10mm), so just one to drain. I'm going ahead with egg collection despite there only being one, if only to collect data for the next cycle as this was my first one.

Hopefully, that will give some basis for any tweaks next time round as I was on quite a one size fits all protocol this time round.

@Sunflower360 I think you have the right attitude about it to keep a level head. And if anything comes of your one then that's a fantastic bonus. I'd be the same I think. But as they say, it only takes one and it's quality over quantity.
When will you be having EC?