FET / IVF August 2023

[KG1244]

I’m due to start my second round of FET in August so thought I would set up this group for some treatment buddies ❤️

@Steph186 I'm not sure it was quite that, as my last three were all c grade and I don't think they were average, but a bit lower down than that. I know a grade means excellent / very good. They also grade them +/- just to make things more confusing. If you have a or b, then they're def good embryos.

And I had a fet as quickly as I could after my first miscarriage (transfer was about two months after my surgery) and that was when I had my daughter, so I def recommend going as soon as possible! They do a scan on day 12 of cycle (day 11 of meds) at my clinic, so you'd def be able to get away for a week or so. Two weeks might be a bit too long though.

@KG1244 that’s really interesting thanks! I can already predict I’ll spend the rest of the morning going through the Q&A, thankfully
I'm wfh 😂

I've not paid much attention to the grading, and my case is a good example of why it doesn’t mean anything. My transfer was grade A and look what happened! There are loads of examples of people getting their positive and having a successful pregnancy with embryos that are lower grades.

@kirstysmbc I might ask them when I have my next appointment, not that I think it really makes any difference, but it’s interesting to understand!

Sorry to hear you’ve been through this too, it’s so crap. That might actually work perfectly because we were thinking 7-10 nights (my husband has used up most of his annual leave for the year already, so not sure he can stretch to 2 weeks!)

I’m going to message today and see how quickly they can fit me in 🤞

@Steph186 yes it’s so difficult to know. His website is really good and there is a lot of very helpful information but word of warning, he is quite blunt. I was a bit WOW that’s a lot at times so just brace yourself!

@KG1244 thanks for the reassurance, hopefully it doesn't mess up my cycles too!
Ive noticed since ivf I have much heavier periods must be all the hormones and I know for this fresh cycle my lining was at 12mm before egg collection so God knows what its at now lol

I spent ages reading through all those questions it was a great read and puts everything into perspective especially about grading, looking through a microscope is no way of knowing the quality of an embryo, he uses the example of looking at ppl on a train and picking which person is the most intelligent just by their looks which is the same as embryos, all subjective!
I've heard so many success stories with c's even the ungraded one so there is definitely hope!

@KG1244 That website is awesome, thank you. But def see what you mean about him being blunt! There goes the rest of my wfh morning...

@kirstysmbc I thought that too, really good and a very intelligent man in the ivf world, then a times I thought why the hell am I even trying as he is so blunt it hurts 😅

@LavenderJoy yesh TFP don’t use the Gardner grading system that’s all - they just do letter. That’s what I’m confusing myself with. They use a different grading system

Hi ladies

hope everybody is ok does anybody know what a embryo graded at

1 - - means ?

we just had our day 5 non are big enough yet to biopsy for our PGTA but we’ve got one at 3BB and one at 3BC

my Last cycle we were very blessed to get 4AA but I’ve been under a lot of stress whilst doing this second cycle and I wonder if this has impacted the grades or we were just very lucky our first round

@LavenderJoy so I think most people are a few days late. I was just very unlucky. Honestly who knew about all these added extra stresses with IVF?! Yes he is really helpful but does not sugar coat his advice. I think I read some of his advice when I was feeling a bit delicate and low - not a good idea.

@kirstysmbc yeah it’s great but very tough love 😬 He also has some very interesting views. It’s so difficult to know what is right as he disagrees with quite a lot of stuff I’ve previously read online.

@GCS34 that's strange, I suppose it makes it more difficult to understand, its werid how every clinic has its own grading system, they like to make things more confusing.

@Chickencrazy3356 I've learned it varies from cycle to cycle, with count and quality, but they sound some great blasts, I read somewhere (don't know if its true) that slow growing blastocysts are more likely to be girls, as in other animal studies completed the male is always the fastest growing.

@LavenderJoy thank you for your reply, it’s honestly so confusing the IVF world and trying not to think it’s because I didn’t take this vitamin or I did this etc !

thats so interesting as I did read the 4AA ones are almost always boys !! Wonder if it’s true!

Thanks @Steph186 Do you remember at all their explanation or not? I'm due to speak to them today to book in my FET consultation, so I will ask them, but I assume it would be the lab team not nursing that would explain it. And I agree @kirstysmbc - why do they insist on confusing things even more!! Are you both at TFP or is it just you Kirsty? It's interesting about the high grades still not working. I think it is just down to pure bloody luck sometimes! Bit of science, bit of genetics, a shit tonne of luck!

Nature of the beast with PCOS isn't it - lots of eggs, lots of no shows on the periods! I do hope it doesn't muck you around. Have you had a period since the MC?

And thanks @KG1244 I'm totally reading that late, just to add to my anxiety even more! Anyone else think 'I'm never going to be pregnant and none of my embabies will work'? Think I'm having a low day with it all, and just feel like I'm unique and won't work, even though I know so many others have the same. Sometimes you just think 'well it won't work for me'? Or am I just being really miserable today haha!!

@LavenderJoy Thanks for helping. I realised my message was a little blunt, so apologies. But thanks for the info nonetheless 🤗How are you feeling for the update tomorrow? The good thing is you know you have one lucky one in the bank at a minimum. x

Hi all, sorry I dipped out for a bit and there’s too much to catch up on! Hope everyone is doing ok.
Welcome to all the new people!
I’m currently 4dp5dt and finding the wait so difficult 😩

Hi guys - I haven't been on here much but reading through all your posts. Had my day 9 stim scan today and only had 3 follicles. I feel really deflated as in my pre scan I had 6 follicles and last time I did this I got 8 eggs.

@GCS34 helpfully I can’t remember what they said 🤦🏻‍♀️ let me know if you manage to find anything out today!

No period since mc, I went the surgical route to just get it over and done with, and I’ve had nothing at all since the procedure.

I’ll be medicated fet and will start norethisterone to bring on a bleed, otherwise I could be waiting a loooooong time! On the plus side it means I can roughly schedule it around dates that work for me, the one other small upside of pcos (believe me I have a lot of the negatives to contend with!)

It’s so frustrating that every clinic seems to do its own thing, makes it impossible to compare or understand what’s happening. Although the cynic in me thinks that’s deliberate 😂

Sorry to hear you’re feeling low today, I found the few weeks after collection quite difficult, you’re stuck in a sort of limbo waiting to be allowed to go ahead with the next step and your hormones are all over the place, not a good combination 😂
You’ve got an amazing number in the freezer, so you have a very high chance of it working on this round. I know it’s impossible, but try to enjoy the break before you start the fet process and all of the worrying and wishing the days away that brings 😂😂😂

@IVF23 congrats on your transfer! When is OTD? Are you holding out or testing early? The wait is torture isn’t it! 😂

@GCS34 sorry to hear you’re finding it difficult today. I completely relate to your feelings. I go through times of feeling hope and then to what you describe. Infertility is such a rollercoaster of emotions and I think all our feelings are completely understandable and valid with what we have to go through.

Thanks @Steph186 OTD is next Friday so 11 days post transfer. I really can’t decide re early testing, I just keep changing my mind 😂 I think I will likely test a bit earlier than OTD so I have bit more processing time around work but not sure when!

@IVF23 it’s so difficult isn’t it! I tested super super early, and told myself I’d be down with it being negative at that stage. Thankfully it wasn’t but I know I’d have obsessed over it if it was. Next time I’ll definitely hold out as long as possible and try to keep myself distracted in the run up to OTD!
Is this your first transfer?

*I’d be ok with it being negative, not I’d be down with! 😂

@Steph186 so difficult! Yes first transfer and unfortunately we didn’t end up with any other day 5 embryos to freeze so it feels like more pressure which is horrible

@IVF23 its just constant pressure and worry at every stage of the process.

You see so many people that have success first time, I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!x

@IVF23 you can do this 💪 it’s literally the longest time ever waiting till test day isn’t it! So far I’ve been trying to make myself as busy as possible so I have limited time to think about it but it’s still challenging 😳 xx

I’m on my third transfer atm and the one thing I wish I did for both my first/second transfers was not test early…. I know some people really like doing it but it makes me more anxious! We are already finding out about the pregnancy so early too compared to natural conception!