FET / IVF August 2023 - thread 2

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We filled up the first thread fast!!

@GCS34 @Doughnut89 yeah fingers crossed if my bleed holds off one more week then we are a go! Planning meet tomorrow so I need to decide before then

We have two 5aa blastocysts and one 3 day 8 cells grade 1. So if we picked the day 3 they would culture it to day 5 anyways. I'm honestly a bit of a noob and thought they'd decide I asked for their advice and they were a bit non committal like well the day 3 or day 5 are great embryos and could be a successful pregnancy but I just wish they would tell me haha!

I dunno what to dooooo google driving me a bit mad as per usual

Hi ladies

just catching up with everybodies news lots of you waiting and I’m thinking of you in your 2WW and hope there will be lots of positive news soon!

we’ve found out my brother does not need a bone marrow transplant as touch wood he’s responding well to his chemo which means we now have the green light for a frozen transfer !

they’ve put me onto 10 days of northisterone (I hate this tablet it makes me feel awful) then 21 days of oestrogen then another 10 of northisterone then scan then if the lining looks ok repeat the process but have a transfer at the end of it so I think we are looking towards end of October

@TTCMama17 its really hard with all the drugs, hormones, emotions and then Add into that the high stakes you hold for this to work and it’s no wonder it takes a toll on your energy and mentality. Just be kind and rest when you need to. Are you off work this week?

interesting reading about the grading and yeah I too am very much a grading poo-pooer as I don’t really think it does anything for the patient other than feel inferior when the grades aren’t ‘too quality’ or whatever, or feel anxious if they’re not what they were hoping. It was @CDiamond who mentioned it so I hope the tag will show up so you can read what @TTCMama17 said and hope it reassures you 😊

@GCS34 - yes thankfully I’m off from work so I am just resting and binge watching my tv shows! Symptoms are next to none after this mornings cramping so I’m just worried now!

Hi everyone
just catching up with messages and thinking of you all!
@Chickencrazy3356 thats wonderful news all round ❤️

@TTCMama17 i know it’s impossible but symptoms are never a good indicator either way (but I know it’s impossible not to symptom spot!) and so many people get their positives a teeny bit later. Keeping everything crossed for a positive outcome.

@kirstysmbc amazing fertilisation rate! Keeping everything crossed for Day 3 & 5 for you.

Morning lovely ladies ! Hope you all have a good day 😊 had my scan yesterday and all set for FET on 12 sept is anyone else transferring next week?

Am I right in saying all the OTD are also Monday onwards ?

Morning all. I think I had my first hot flush this morning which joins changes to my periods, palpitations and mood swings as symptoms of perimenopause. I am only 34 and just want to cry so much. Needed to call my clinic today anyway so will get their advice as to whether I should see my GP about it.

@Chickencrazy3356 this is wonderful news. I’m so thrilled for your brother. Wishing him a speedy recovery from the toll of chemo! And it’s great you feel in a better place mentally now to start your next FET. I think you did a reall honourable thing pausing for a while then Restarting when you know how things with your brother were going.

when is your first day of drugs?

@Chickencrazy3356 so sorry I missed you comment !!!! Fantastic news about your brother you must be so relieved and glad you will now be able to focus on you!

Great news about your brother @Chickencrazy3356!

@GCS34 The scan on Monday is with the EPI. If I’m being honest, I’m really nervous about it. I just hope they can detect the heart.
The fertility clinic I’m with is London Women's Clinic. The reviews online are so mixed. Either 1 star or 5 stars. I reckon the five stars are people who’ve not had any issues and so haven’t needed additional testing or support. The one stars seem to have had similar experiences as myself.

@Lolly2507 thats frustrating that your clinic are being non committal. That’s fantastic that you have 2x 5aa five day embryos. Plus having good quality 3 days must be very reassuring. Are you any closer to deciding which you’re going with?

@Chickencrazy3356 thats absolutely amazing news both about your brother and your FET 💕

@Hopingforno2in2023 have you been told you’re at risk of early menopause or is there a history of it in your family?

@Lowo21 how exciting!! That's come around so quick, how you feeling?

@Doughnut89 yep had my planning meet this morning picked the 5AA this time so fingers crossed! Just waiting on meds and AF and were a go!

Day 3 update and all 4 embryos are still on track (6-8 cells), keeping everything crossed for at least 1 to make it to Saturday and be good enough for testing...

@Chickencrazy3356 Wonderful news that your brother is responding well to the treatment, and that you can go ahead with treatment!

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the support. Congratulations to those with positive news and love to those with negative news ❤️

Great news @kirstysmbc!

My AMH levels show that I am running out of time @Doughnut89. I have spoken to the clinic and they feel that I am in the perimenopausal phase of life and that my treatment has always been based around that due to my AMH and FSH levels so nothing really needs to change there. However hot flushes suggest much higher FSH levels so they are going to get a doctor to review tomorrow and get in touch to see if I need a blood test. If my FSH levels are too high then IVF may be cancelled again :(

Hi everyone! So exciting and nerve wracking to see how everyone's been getting on.

Last time I was here I was basically all over malfunctioning from egg collection. Although I apparently didn't have OHSS symptoms I was not human for 14 days after my collection. We got 26 eggs, 11 mature, 7 fertilised, 7 on day 3 (? I think. Already forgotten) 1 frozen on day 5, 1 frozen on day 6. Because I was so unwell I had no real feelings at all during the waiting game. I'm okay with 2 frozen and quite grateful really but shocked to go from 26 to 2! Definitely quality Vs quantity is key!!

I wanted to ask if anyone's frozen transfer process sounds like mine? Once I get a period (IF I get one with PCOS) then I have a day 3 scan, start on progynova for 10-13 days lining dependent, then start on cyclogest X2 a day and a lubion injection everyday, potentially for 12 weeks if embryo sticks. 12 weeks feels like a long time to be injecting so curious if this is standard....

Hey @IVFKinster nice to see you again 😊Glad you're feeling recovered after OHSS. I don't think bloods should be the only deciding factor on if you have / haven't got it. You definitely sounded like you had - especially when you didn't worry about the process - shows you were really sick.

Great news you had 2 in the freezer - I think anything over 1 is a true blessing and we are so lucky that we get another chance if number 1 doesn't work, or a free shot at a sibling in the future! Congrats to you and lets hope those 2 embabies will be part of your family properly in 9months time.

RE your FET process. I too have PCOS (lean pcos), and I haven't had a period in about 2 years that hasn't been stimulated by hormones, so I can sympathise! The only difference is I have such a rubbish lining (1mm no matter what day of the month) so I did a randomised start - they scanned me Tuesday and were happy for me to start yesterday with the drugs.

I am on a short protocol because of the periods, so not quite the same as you. But it is standard yes. My protocol is very similar but without the lubion injections as I don't ovulate myself. So I am on oestrogen tablets 12mg per day for up to 21 days, then all being well, start the cyclogest like you, which I will continue up to 12 weeks if I am successful. So very similar. Hope that reassures you.

@kirstysmbc Wow! Great news. So much for that sperm not thawing well hey! Well done x

@Doughnut89 It's so subjective to the outcome of the transfer isn't it? People forget all the shit that has gone on prior when they get a positive. It's the same with anything - even if your gym was really shit and the equipment was out of date, but you lost loads of weight with a PT there, you'd write a great review. How many embryo's do you have in storage with them? It's so bolox how your feeling towards them - it's not fair.

I'm glad the scan is with the EPU clinic, not your IVF clinic. I think it's natural to be nervous, but I hope so much that it is a positive appointment. Let us know how you get on and we'll be thinking of you.

@GCS34 yes I'm definitely feeling really grateful for two. Could just as easily have been the one or zero! I think the OHSS thing is so bizarre. Because I didn't have any nausea, no trouble urinating and no trouble breathing they've declared it wasn't OHSS. I'm not really sure what they think it was if it wasn't that?! 😂 anyway. I survive thankfully!

Thank you for the reassurance, it helps. Weirdly I'm not sure why I'm questioning it, it just seems quite a heavy approach straight away with lubion injections as well. I've been told to wait 40 days and if no sign of my period they'll do a synthetic bleed process. Quite enjoying the time out in between.
I hope your FET process goes well!

@IVFKinster I know it's a nuisance (and expensive) to do lubion, but it's not really possible to have too much progesterone, and not enough is really bad. I have done lubion with all my frozen transfers (and currently for a potential fresh as well). I was on it up to 10 weeks pregnant with my daughter, but I know some clinics prefer to 12 weeks. Good luck with the cycle!

@GCS34 Well apparently the sperm really start to play their part from day 3, so I guess we'll find out soon, but doing much better than I could have hoped initially.

@GCS34 @MrsMotts @Lowo21 @Hopingforno2in2023 @kirstysmbc @Doughnut89 thank you all so much for your kind words, it’s such a relief to know that hopefully he will beat the cancer as we did have a couple of months when we thought it was not going that way ! I think my parents and my brother are even more keen than us for us to have our FET!

if we are blessed with a sticky embryo I found out I can donate the placenta stem cells after birth to a cancer charity for people who need a transplant.

jve just started northestirone today for 10 days then a bleed then onto the oestrogen for 21 days, starting to feel excited but not letting myself get my hopes up

I hope you are all doing ok

@Chickencrazy3356 wow that’s reason alone for you to have success. You’re such a kind person and that’s wonderful you can donate. Wishing you so much luck and love for your FET and I really want it to work more than anything.

i too am excited yet terrified and worried it won’t work. I don’t think it ever gets easier huh!

Hi everyone, can anyone advise in regards to their pessaries they are prescribed, how many times a day are you asked to take these? And are they 200mg? I have been prescribed Utrogestan xxxx