FET/IVF/ICSI - October 2033

[Lauralozzle]

Anyone due to start cycle/have transfer in October jump on board!

Little history:

TTC our first. Trying for 4 years. Officially unexplained but I only have one ovary that responds/works. Fertilisation issues. Positive Sperm Oxidative Stress Test (likely DNA Frag). So it’s really a bit of a mix.

Dec 22/Jan 23 - First ICSI cycle. 8 eggs, 6 mature, 2 fertilised. One poor blast to transfer. Nothing to freeze. BFN.

July 23 - Second ICSI cycle. Using AOA & ZyMot chip. 8 eggs, 8 mature, 4 fertilised. One fresh to transfer and 2 to freeze. BFN.

Oct 23 - First FET scheduled.

Currently waiting for my period to start so that FET cycle can start. Should start beginning of Oct, so FET likely towards end of the month.

Obv that’s meant to be October 2023! 😂

I'm going to be starting the medication in October I think, although most of it and the EC will fall in November - long protocol. This is my first fresh cycle though, never done ivf before, so I have no idea what to expect and would love to join whatever threads are available!

Also, we've waited so long to get the go ahead for this cycle that it almost wouldn't surprise me to discover it's now 2033 😂

Good luck for your FET!

Hey @Lauralozzle! Long time no see!
Sorry to hear your most recent transfer hasn't worked but good you've got two on ice this time.

Same @Tiredkittens with how long this "journey"/hell has been dragging on it feels like it should be 2033!! I found the whole IVF thing very surreal. I was on short protocol so just found it was over before I'd got my head around what was going on! One step at a time is how I tried to approach it.

We're hoping to have our first ever transfer in October but it'll be towards the end of it I think.

A bit of background about me as well:
33 yo with PCOS and male factor infertility. 4+ years TTC (I refuse to count any further). First IVF round in August/September.
Can't really remember the numbers very well... 26 eggs? 11 mature. 9 fertilised (maybe 7? 🤨). 1 day 5 and 1 day 6 frozen. Had a freeze all due to number of eggs.
Just waiting for my period due in about 9 days hopefully to start medicated FET. Thought my cycle would go wild after IVF but seems to have kicked it into "normal" ovulation timing! Who knew.

@Tiredkittens Hello! My first cycle was long protocol. I didn’t find the buserelin injections too bad really. The injections themselves are fine, it’s the thought of them that’s worse!

Thank you. Hopefully I’m 3rd time lucky!

@IVFKinster Hello! I’m still here!!!

Looks like we’ll be doing our FETs around the same time. My meds came this week for the FET and I’m surprised at how little the box was! Just pills and progesterone pessaries. I’m having a blood test day before transfer, as I’ve started spotting 7dp5dt both times so I might need lubion injections but we’ll see.

I find these groups help, it’s nice knowing you’re not going through this alone. My DH is a help, but only so much, it’s not physically tough on him.

@IVFKinster yes it does all seem surreal! I have a friend who did the long protocol a couple of years ago (successfully) so I have a very vague sense of what it involves but the videos from the clinic about what to expect have been pretty complicated.

That's good you had a freeze all, I've heard they can often be more effective? Exciting to be moving on to the transfer stage.

@Lauralozzle yes, luckily I've never strongly hated injections but I bet you get sick of them when you have to do every day for weeks! Also yes, it definitely helps to talk to people here, I feel a bit obsessed with ivf at the moment and my irl friends are kind but most had no difficulty ttc.

My background: I'm 40 (about to be 41) and we've been ttc for 2+ years. We knew we had male factor infertility and would need ivf/icsi over a year ago though. Ideally we would have done it straight away because of my age, but we thought it would be possible on the NHS. They kept kicking the can down the road and we struggled to get the referral, in part because I have fibroids that doctors wanted sorted out before they would refer for ivf. But of course the waiting lists for that are long too! So I have had 3 surgeries in 2 years for those as well. So relieved to finally be at this point, even though I'm worried now that it won't work that well given my age. But glad we can at least do this bit and then move on to more private rounds if we have to.

I think these threads are so helpful. My husband tries hard bless him but we just approach things in a different way. He's the least generally anxious person I've ever known and whilst I'm worrying about the next round of IVF not working before we've even tried a transfer this round he's so "right here, right now".

Are you doing a fully medicated cycle @Lauralozzle ? I'm wondering if they're going to wait for you to naturally ovulate before transferring. My meds should arrive next week. It's good you're going to get a test to see what your progesterone is doing and add in lubion if needed! How are you feeling about this next step?

@Tiredkittens I think we could all take up the whole thread about NHS funding! For us it was weight loss holding up the process for a long time and in the end we just gave up and decided to pay privately as it was making me really mentally unwell (think: crying whenever I had to make a food based decision). Such a relief to be paying for treatment to be honest. We knew we'd need IVF/ICSI two years in as well. I'm glad you got there in the end but what a bugger that it's taken so much effort for you!

I think frozen transfers are more successful if/when there are a large number of eggs collected due to potential OHSS and build up of fluid in the body. My understanding is that if a normal number eggs are collected there's not much difference in success rates between the two but I think the scientific evidence is still developing around it 😊 my main worry really is if the embryos survive the thaw but one step at a time I guess.

@Tiredkittens My NHS round took so long. My BMI was a factor. I have an underactive thyroid and weight loss is difficult with it because my metabolism is screwy.

@IVFKinster It’s a medicated FET, I take oestrogen from CD1, scan at ten days to check I’m not gearing up to ovulate and check lining. I think but there is a chance I’ll ovulate naturally and if that’s the case it’ll be natural FET. There’s just no down regulation. We’ll see, I reckon I’ll end up ovulating anyway, I did with 3 weeks worth of down regulation on my first cycle. The lubion I am pleased about, I hope I don’t need it, but I’m glad it’s going to be checked because I suspect it might be an issue.

As for how I’m feeling. I’m not sure. I’m at the point now where I don’t really expect it to work, but I need 3 failed transfers for more tests like blood clotting and immunes. First embryo was borderline for the bin to be honest. Last one was good quality. The last round was definitely better but who knows if we get anything out of it. I really hope so. We have another round if it’s needed though, but after that I’m not sure. We’re private now and we can only really afford this multicycle as our shot.

I’m dreading the thaw. I know the % of it not surviving is low. We’re only transferring one, so I have another shot with my day 6 but it’s nerve wracking.

@IVFKinster & @Tiredkittens how are you both feeling about your FET/fresh cycle?

Interesting that you'll start meds on day 1 @Lauralozzle!
I have to go for a scan between day 1 and 3 before I start meds to make sure "everything is quiet" and my ovaries have returned to normal. Then I think it sounds the same as yours with a scan on day 10. I think if you do ovulate then at least that'll help boost your progesterone naturally in theory?
I've actually already been prescribed lubion. I find it interesting that other people have to fight for it and it's just been prescribed without discussion for me. I wonder if it's because of PCOS?

We're only transferring our day 5 and will have the day 6 as a back up if thawing goes wrong. So very similar. We also paid for a two cycle multi cycle thing with access. After that it's probably it for us. But let's not think about that!

I'm feeling nervous about having a first real chance at pregnancy for the first ever time (I think I'm excited for the first ever time too?). I'm worried I'm going to go batshit on all the meds tbh. I stopped contraception a year before we started TTC because the POP/micro pill was making me suicidally depressed 👀 😬

Hi guys, hope you don’t mind me joining this thread 🙂

I’m just waiting for my period to start, roughly first week in October, and then scheduled for a natural (non-medicated) FET expecting to be towards the end of the month.

We did our first round of IVF in July with a fresh transfer that resulted in a chemical. Been TTC for about 3 years, I have fluid in my left falopian tube but other than that no further infertility diagnosis, although I do have crohns and a lot scar tissue from numerous surgeries.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi, so nice to find people going through the same thing as you are as it can be a lonely place 👋

@IVFKinster Yes, definitely had to fight for the lubion. Last two fresh transfers have been progesterone pessaries only. I’m on a higher dose of progesterone pessaries this time also. I’m hoping the progesterone might be one of our issues . We’ll see.

I guess it makes sense for you to have a baseline scan to check your ovaries are back to normal size given the reason for the freeze all. No chance of that happening for me! I’m lucky my left ovary responds well enough to get 8 eggs! right one is totally dud and just does nothing. It’s tiny too, so I think it’s dead ☠️

First transfer is exciting. It’s knowing you have an actual chance. Hopefully you’ll be fine on the meds, they’re not for too long hopefully. It’s awful the pill made you do ill. I didn’t agree with pill either, but it was a physical thing for me, GP at the time said it was affecting my gallbladder or something because every time I ate something fatty (like chips, fried food, pizza) I had horrendous IBS stomach cramps. Also couldn’t tolerate milk & cheese very well and was convinced I was lactose intolerant. Stopped taking the pill and was much better. Still get horrible cramps from time to time after greasy food, which I avoid now generally, but overall it’s much better.

Lets definitely not think our rounds not working and running out of our private packages!

@clazbear Hello! 👋

Looks like we’ll be on a similar time line with our FETS. I’m sorry to hear about your chemical with the fresh transfer.

IVF can definitely be a lonely place. These groups are so helpful with keeping sane and having some solidarity with people who get it.

Hello @clazbear! It is nice to know there are others on a similar FET/fresh timeline. I'm sorry about your loss, that must have been so difficult. Fingers crossed this next transfer is kinder to you 🤞

@Lauralozzle silly ovary, it's bizarre how we just live with these things with no idea until something like IVF comes along. Hopefully some extra progesterone is all you need, along with some good luck!
You're not the first person I've heard say similar about the pill. Our bodies clearly don't always like these synthetic hormones and they can exacerbate things like IBS.
The problem is it's the progesterone that made me go a bit wild emotionally and my clinic has already said I'll be on cyclogest x 2 + lubion x1 everyday for 12 weeks if I'm successful. I'll have to just manage it though. All for a good cause! I'd rather have it than not as I think low progesterone can be common in PCOS.
Do you know if the oestrogen tablets will continue after the transfer as well?

@IVFKinster My protocol says oestrogen tablets after transfer during the 2WW, so I’m guessing maybe you will too.

Maybe the oestrogen and progesterone together will help balance out your hormones. I really hope they don’t affect you. Remember that we’re always here if you’re feeling down/overwhelmed/sick to death of this (IVF and all it’s ramifications!).

Hi everyone - hope you don't mind me joining! Due to start taking the meds sometime around 10th October. Very first ICSI cycle. I'm 29. Husband is 32 and we've got male factor. Feeling v eager to get going at this point!

@marshk Welcome! Good luck with your cycle. I bet you’re eager to get started, the waiting and limbo before starting is torture!

Are you doing a long protocol with down regulation or a short protocol?

@Lauralozzle - absolutely. We were due to start last month too and for various reasons decided to postpone so I really am counting down the days at this point

I'm on a short protocol. I've got quite a high AFC - I think it was 40+ at my last scan so I think I'm also on the lowest dose of meds to try and hopefully avoid OHSS.

I'm sorry to hear about your BFNs. Fingers crossed for your FET this time round. It's such a tough slog!

@marshk Thanks. I’m hoping I’m third time lucky!

Short protocol is good. I much preferred it to long protocol. Oh that’s a lot of follicles hopefully the lower dose helps reduce OHSS risk

I feel like this week is going to drag! Pretty busy though - working, have builders round, hen do this weekend. Hopefully after all that I’ll start my period!

Thanks @Lauralozzle ! I hope the two hormones balance each other as well. 🤞 I'm sure it'll be okay! And I'm pretty sure I'll just do whatever it takes or deal with whatever I need to do for a baby so I guess it doesn't matter if it is a struggle! That's lots you've got going on, hopefully it helps take your mind off things and helps the time go by 😊 I feel the same. I've got social plans booked in on some of the evenings and have maxed out my appointments at work this week and we've got a busy weekend next weekend, all for the sake of not going too crazy waiting!

Hi @marshk ! I did short protocol ICSI too. 10th October will be here before you know it. I felt like the process flew by, I hope that's the case for you too.

Hi, I'd love to join :)

I'm 31, TTC 2 years. Had endometriosis excision in April and found out both my fallopian tubes have become blocked. So that explained a lot!

I had my first egg retrieval in August. I had 16 follicles and got 7 eggs, 6 fertilized. Ended up with 4 frozen embryos (2xAA and 2xBB)

I'm currently on cycle day 1 of what will be my first frozen embryo transfer cycle. We are doing a modified natural cycle and I'm terrified that my transfer day will fall on a weekend (which means the cycle will be cancelled) 🙈

Time truly drags during this whole process doesn't it! How has everyone gone during the two week wait? Do you hold out for the blood test or do hpts?

❤️

@IVFKinster I’m glad I’m not the only one keeping busy in the run up!

@River30 Welcome 🤗 I do understand your worries about ovulating on a weekend. Although I’m doing a medicated transfer, there’s a 10% chance I’ll try to ovulate anyway, if I ovulate on a Tuesday then the cycle will be cancelled because that’d mean a Sunday transfer and the clinic aren’t open on Sundays. I’m hoping I respond as expected, but when I was on buserelin for down regulation on my long cycle I tried to ovulate and ended up down regulating for about 5/6 weeks! So I’ve definitely got form for trying to ovulate. Pity that ovulation isn’t my issue, fertilisation is our main issue and seemingly implantation at present.

Our clinic don’t do bloods. I’ve tested 9dp5dt at home on our previous rounds. Knew it would be negative though both times as I was already bleeding at this point.

@Lauralozzle ah at least you've got things to be keeping you busy. Where is the hen do? I've just had my best friends wedding so that been keeping me busy!!

@IVFKinster nice to meet you! I'm hoping so too. How did you find it?

@marshk It’s a Spa Trip at Hawcross Hall. I’m not really into spa days but as I get closer to it, I’m quite looking forward to it. I love swimming so I’ll spend time in the pool etc and the grounds are lovely so a walk around them will be nice. Go on Friday, back on Saturday.

We have two weddings coming up. One on 7th Oct and one on New Years Eve which will be nice. Hoping I’ll be pregnant by New Years, but we’ll see.

Hi @River30 ! You've got a good number of embryos frozen! It's so frustrating to have to try for a baby for so long before finding out there was no chance of it happening for the whole time 🤦 fingers crossed your body plays ball and you don't ovulate at the wrong time. How likely is it to happen?

My clinic don't do bloods either. I think in 4+ years I've only taken a few pregnancy tests. Obviously I don't know how I'll feel when the time comes but my initial instinct is to never test ever so I'm going to be having an anxiety melt down when I have to. Would I be horrible to do the test and leave the room and make my husband tell me the results??

@marshk I found it okay! I had a lot of follicles, like 30+ on each ovary so I was on a low dose. I felt quite unable to walk at more than a waddle the day before egg retrieval! I sort of felt the whole thing was over before I had time to process it?! I can't even remember how long I stimmed for 😂 feels like a long time ago now and it was only a month ago.

@IVFKinster oh crikey - that's a lot of follicles! I think I had 22 on one and 25 on the other at my last scan so not far behind you! Did you have to do a freeze all? I feel like they'll say mine will be a freeze all due to number of follicles. Did you get OHSS at all?