TTC no.2 after successful IVF for no.1

[Chocoholic85]

Hi,
I’m just after some advice and to see whether anyone is in the same boat!
Just found out that my 3rd FET failed.
We are very lucky to have DD who came from our first fresh transfer. We were also very fortunate to get 5 frozen embryos from that round so have been trying for a sibling. 1st FET was BFN, 2nd was a chemical pregnancy/early miscarriage and 3rd now is failed. Down to the last two and starting to feel the pressure and also wondering why on earth it isn’t working?!
We have unexplained infertility so nothing was ever found with our initial tests and I was 34 when we had out first IVF round so odds were in our favour. I read somewhere that at 34 around 50% of embryos are abnormal so I guess out our 6 maybe the last 3 were all abnormal. I’m also worried something has changed since I had to have a csection for DD. I did have an ultrasound which showed the scar had healed fine and there no niches, I’m wondering if there are adhesions that might not have been seen on the ultrasound though.
Would love to hear any advice for what to do next or from anyone else in a similar position. Thanks x

How are you @Eggling? Thinking of you x

Thank you @SErunner @KLM25 I haven't had any bleeding for over 24 hours now, it kind of tapered off on Wednesday then I just had a tiny bit when I did my pessaries yesterday morning and nothing more since. Spoke to the consultant again and my progesterone is a little bit low so we are upping my dose and I'm just waiting for my injections to arrive now (great, more jabs!). Physically I feel ok but mentally I'm all over the place, I've put myself in bed rest for the weekend (well, sofa rest right now) as he said to rest as much as possible. I've read loads of positive stories and apparently these SCH things are relatively common in ivf pregnancies but the fact that things are so uncertain and the consultant was clear it could be fine or it could be the start of another loss and they just don't know yet is obviously worrying. From what I've read most of them either slowly bleed out or are reabsorbed but sometimes they can cause big problems.

Wishing you the very best @Eggling - glad things have settled. You’re going through a lot so look after yourself.

I have an appt tomorrow for day 5 transfer (if we have embryos). Feeling nervous 😬 it never gets easier!

@Eggling Glad to hear that the bleeding has tapered off and you’re feeling ok physically at least. Your head is bound to be all over the place. Keeping everything crossed and it does sound like there’s lots to be positive about 🤞

Good luck @IslandsintheOcean, hope all goes well today x

Thanks @KLM25 ☺️ We have three day 5s. 5AA transferred, 5AB and 5BB for freezer. There are taking the other embryos to day 6 as some are looking promising. Super pleased but nervous. Each stage brings new challenges!

Great news @IslandsintheOcean!! Fingers crossed for a sticky embryo!

I've still not had any more bleeding but very aware of every twinge. I've also developed a cough which is annoying as I'm worried it will irritate the haematoma. I'm having waves of really really bad anxiety where I feel shaky and like a miscarriage is imminent and then bits where I feel more hopeful, trying to rest but the time is dragging so slowly! Very grateful for DH stepping up to look after DD this weekend so I can rest.

I've been back to the clinic today a day early as had cramps and bleeding. Good news is foetus has grown, measuring in track, heart rate 134 which is the slower end of ok. The clot is still there but it is right above my cervix, and the sac etc is much higher. So I'm back again in a week to see how things go but they expect I'll bleed and cramp some more to pass the clot - I actually just had (tmi warning) a big clotty gush of blood when I got back from the scan so if we are lucky that's the worst of it passing. Feel like I've aged about a decade in the past 5 hours.

Hope you are all getting on ok and having a less stressful start to the week!

Really good to hear your update @Eggling, that all sounds really positive? I know the bleeding must be so disconcerting and stressful, but it sounds like it’s well away from the sac and with any luck you’ll have passed it soon. Great to hear too that your clinic are keeping a close eye on you in terms of scans. I’m keeping everything crossed ❤️

I’m 7dp5dt today and starting to go a bit mad 😏 It’s so hard not to compare how you feel to previous 2wws. Although I can’t actually remember now how I felt with our successful one. The clinic want me to test on Friday which will be 10dp and I have no desire to test before then as I’m absolutely dreading it.

Hope everyone else is doing ok x

Oh gosh @KLM25 the two week wait is so hard, I'm with you in holding out to test! Will keep everything crossed for you.

@KLM25 - it’s a tough one! I caved today and bought a FRER incase I cave and test early. 5dt last Sat so only 3dp5dt 😬 - clinic suggest 10dp. I can’t recall how I felt really but I am sure at the time I remembered every detail. Wishing you good news!

This is so good to read @Eggling. Tentatively feeling positive for you. I am so sorry for what you're going through though, it must be awful. Will hope the next review goes well too.

Congrats @KLM25 and @IslandsintheOcean for having an embryo on board. I'm in the dont test early camp but totally understand why people I do! I just couldn't cope with the uncertainty and prefer to live in the positive bubble for as long as possible.

Hope everyone else is okay. I had really clear signs of ovulation this month (can be variable) so quite sure we were DTD around the right time. Im surprised how at peace I am feeling with it all at the moment. Very much in the what will be will be headspace. I think it helps I've got a lot of work and social stuff going on so to be honest am just too busy to really worry about it!

@Eggling @IslandsintheOcean @SErunner Thanks guys, it’s not long to go I suppose, only a couple more days. I’m dreading doing the test so much that I was even thinking I wonder if I should hold out and just book a blood test 🤦‍♀️ But if it’s bad news then it’s going to be tough whichever way you receive it, so I’ve decided I’ll just have to bite the bullet on Fri. At least I’ll be able to stop the crazy symptom spotting. I’ve woken up with a cold this morning and my first thought was ‘oh is that a good sign?!!’ 😂 Never mind the fact that it was inevitable as my OH and DS have both already come down with it 🤦‍♀️

Do you think you’ll test earlier @IslandsintheOcean? I’ve just got one FRER in the house which was left over from a twin pack last month. I do prefer those tests as I feel like they’re pretty conclusive.

@SErunner Really glad you’re feeling in a positive headspace about everything. I think keeping busy is the key! Xx

@KLM25 - I have a FRER - and at 99% accurate at 7dp 5dt (according to the internet 🤣) that’s my potential choice.

Its hard to wait - but I know it’s wise as it removes the early days of doubt incase of a false negative.

This whole process ain’t for the faint of heart. Well done everyone who puts so much into parenthood.

Morning ladies, I just want to whisper this, but I did the FRER this morning and it was positive :) We are both so nervous, I’m already scared that the second line isn’t strong enough for 10dp5dt. It’s almost as dark as the second one but not quite.
My clinic have advised me to increase the meds if it’s a positive and start taking aspirin, so I need to go out and buy some today as I didn’t want to tempt fate by getting it beforehand! They’ve said 100mg, but it seems to be sold as 75mg here, not sure if anyone has any experience of this?
I think I’m going to arrange a private beta hcg too although they haven’t asked for this, just said to book a scan for 15 days time.
We’re so happy that we’ve crossed this hurdle after so many BFNs in a row, but just really scared at the same time x

@KLM25 that's amazing news 😀😀😀 tentative and quiet congrats! Your line sounds absolutely fine, 10dp5dt is still very early! Incredibly happy for you and will keep fingers crossed things continue smoothly. I can't help re the aspirin I'm afraid, I've never taken it as part of fertility treatment.

Thanks so much @SErunner ❤️ No worries re the aspirin, I did take it with my successful pregnancy as advised by the midwife, I just can’t remember the dosage.
I’m sure my clinic will email me back and let me know.
Hope all good with you and you’ve got a nice weekend planned x

Congratulations @KLM25! Amazing news! I've briefly looked into aspirin before but never actually taken it and 75 rings a bell bit def worth checking.

Thanks so much @Eggling, we’re extremely nervous as I know you’ll understand but will just take it day by day.
No worries re the aspirin, my clinic said 75mg was fine, so I bought a couple of packets in Sainsbury’s this morning. They’ve increased all my meds so I’m trying not to worry about that as well as everything else ☺️
Hope you’re doing ok and taking it easy x

@KLM25 tentative Congratulations! 10dp5dt is good, really well done! I have lurked on here a little bit and was wondering what you did differently? I read that you have had quite a few failed transfers. I'm 4 transfers down since my son born 3.5 years ago and at age 35 I'm not convinced all my eggs are bad yet (I see you used donor eggs but a lot of those didn't take). Do you have any suggestions? My track record is fail, early miscarriage, fail from cycle 1 (same cycle I got my son, 3.5/4 yrs ago) and fail, chemical from an egg collection since my son.

hi all - thinking of you! @Eggling hope you're hanging in there, such a stressful time you poor thing! Have you had any more bleeding?

@KLM25 WHOO HOO!! such awesome news! and now the inevitable question - did you do anything differently this time?!

@IslandsintheOcean love your username. I am currently on holiday in Australia and feeling the vibe strongly! Are you still holding out to test?

@Sofie19 hello and welcome. So sorry to hear you're not having any luck. Do you have more FETs planned? We have also only had one transfer work out of 6 in total I think. I don't think your 35-year-old eggs should all be bad but have you considered PGT testing? (pricey, I know) That was our next step after the first four failed transfers (one was a miscarriage that they did a D&C on and found chromosomal issues) and the first euploid embryo we transferred is our daughter.

@SErunner 'at peace' is awesome. I am starting to feel nervous about heading home because I'll have to face reality and next steps again :-(

@KLM25 - Congratulations 🥳 on your pregnancy! We all know there’s hurdles to overcome on this journey but we should also celebrate the good news! Delighted for you both. That’s lovely news.

@Eggling - it does sound tough - but really good signs each time for the embryo. Doing all the right things!

@Sofie19 - you’ve been through a lot. Sometimes it’s just numbers. So much goes into the process, and we’ve had perfect looking blasts be a BFN.

@loulamay - such a way to get away from it all. Hope your trip has been restful. Islands in the ocean are my favourite place to holiday and I am a country music fan so a nod to Dolly and Kenny.

i was peeing on a stick likely at the very same time as @KLM25. I got a positive on at 6dp5dt on a FRER. In shock because we have never been positive after a first transfer and this is our third full round. Lots of hurdles up ahead but am quietly pleased. Not sharing anywhere IRL as it’s so early.

Thanks so much @Sofie19 and @loulamay ❤️ It’s still such early days and I’m so scared something is going to go wrong. With my second transfer, I had a positive test but then spotting and ultimately lost it, so I just worry the same will happen. Hopefully the blood tests will ease my mind (slightly!).

Welcome @Sofie19 and I’m so sorry to hear about your failed transfers, I know how hard it is.
The only thing I did differently this time was to say to my doctor that I wanted to replicate my very first protocol that gave us our son.
This was - 6mg Progynova from CD1, 1 x Clexane from CD1, 5mg Prednisolone from CD1 rising to 10mg on transfer day. I’ve been on a higher dose of progesterone than my original protocol mind you - 2 x 400mg Cyclogest and 1 x Lubion for 5 days before transfer - I couldn’t bring myself to replicate the lower dose!
My protocol has always been similar to this, but for transfers 3-5, my previous clinic raised the Progynova to 8mg daily. I did question this by transfer 5 but they said it was due to my age. Then for transfer 6, I followed the ERA test results and started the progesterone earlier. This time (transfer 7), I said I wanted to ignore the ERA and go back to the original timing.
In the background to all of this, I had a laparoscopy to remove a hydrosalpinx last year, plus the Emma/Alice/Era this summer, along with having my c section scar checked out, which had been flagged as a potential problem in a couple of ultrasounds. Everything was ok apart from obviously the hydrosalpinx.

Also for transfers 3 and 4, I had a tummy bug (maybe food poisoning) and then a high temperature fluey type thing during the 2ww so whether that had an effect on those transfers, I don’t know.

Whatever happens this time round, I feel like if we had to go again, I would definitely want to do the same in terms of protocol as I’ve had implantation 3 times with it now.

Things are slightly different this time as my clinic have increased my meds since the BFP, I’m now on 20mg of prednisolone, 8mg of progynova and 3 x 400mg Cyclogest plus the Lubion, Clexane and a daily aspirin. I’m just telling myself I have to trust them!

Oh and for my successful transfer I had acupuncture before and after, plus Embryoglue, but for this one, I didn’t do either of those things. I didn’t feel like the acupuncture really relaxed me and my new clinic don’t do Embryoglue. So that saved us some money at least!

Hope that helps, sorry it’s a bit of an essay. I’m sure all of your eggs aren’t bad yet either. Have you got any treatment planned in?

Glad you’re all having a fab time in Oz @loulamay ☀️🌊 When are you heading home? Xx

@IslandsintheOcean Aw lovely news, congratulations to you too ❤️ Yes you’re right, I’m trying to be happy and not worry about the next hurdle! I’ve POAS again this morning and still positive so will try to relax for the day ☺️ x

I only had one FRER and at 7dp5dt I’m not risking a normal one 🤣. It was a clear line but not super strong in colour since so early (4days before clinic test). Showed it to husband and his first words were that’s not pregnant so no movie moments for us here. 🤣 (he woke up a bit more and was positive)

Hard to stay in moment of course but so glad i didn’t get rid of all the baby stuff!

Yay @IslandsintheOcean! Will whisper congrats for you too and keep fingers crossed things progress well 🤞

@loulamay nice to hear from you and glad you're having a good trip! Im not sure the 'at peace' feeling will last long, but it is a relief to not feeling weighed down by sadness and frustration for a while. I think it is just being so busy to be honest. And possibly helping that our toddler is being an absolutely nightmare at the moment, making the idea of another less appealing 🤣

@Eggling thinking of you too xx

@Sofie19 welcome and sorry for your troubles. Im a similar age to you and have had two failed transfers from our last fresh round. Our first fresh round resulted in one embryo which became our daughter (very lucky). I think after 4 failed transfers/losses it's definitely worth asking your clinic what else might be worth looking at.