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.

Does anybody know what the best abstinence period is for a sperm sample? I'm sure previously my partner did 2 days but I'm wondering as it's ICSI and the count won't be as much of an issue, if less than 2 days is potentially better in getting the best quality eg minimising DNA fragmentation?! I can't find much information online relating to ICSI...

@MoonlightDreamer ohhh thank you .. was googling everything today 😂😂 start AM cetrocide tomorrow anyone had this one ? Side effects to expect ? Xx

@GabbyGal i'm so sorry to hear 😞 Wish you all the best, I think a break is much needed to look after yourself.

@Babyplease23 We've been advised 2 days so he releases the same day as trigger. It's morphology issue and we are doing ICSI.

@GabbyGal so sorry 😞 hope you are being well looked after and can take the time and rest you need 💐

So sorry @GabbyGal hope very much you have lots of things around to comfort you!

I had a BFN yesterday as well unfortunately. It was our last (3rd) embryo from my first egg retrieval. I’m feeling pretty cross. Gotta pay off all the loans and revisit it next year once we’ve done that. Don’t know what to do - I feel like there’s no point chucking money at this if it’s not going to work for me.

cold beer in a hot bath for me tonight

@GabbyGal sending you lots of love ❤️

I am still here following everyone’s journey from the background (checking the page 2-3x a day to keep up with all updates 🫠) and keeping my 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 for positive outcomes for everyone.

My first period (post-egg retrieval) started yesterday evening. It came a couple of days earlier than what I was expecting, though to be honest I don’t really have a super regular cycle so not that surprising that things would be a bit different this cycle. Just wondering, from you ladies that have done this a few times, did your cycle length changed tremendously after egg collection? I am a bit worried bc fertility clinic postponed my follow up appointment until Nov. 22nd (I was obviously not too happy about that), that appointment potentially puts me on less than week from next month’s cycle (which is a really short time frame and the clinic wouldn’t accept doing another retrieval without nurse planning meeting blablabla). Anyways, ideally I would do the next egg retrieval during December school holidays…but the clinic also puts out cut-off dates depending on what day your cycle starts that month. I booked to see my family overseas in January (so January is not an option), if all goes WRONG I wouldn’t be doing another egg retrieval until February…which is really really REALLY upsetting.

PLEASE please please enlighten me with your experiences of cycle length changes (or no changes) post egg retrieval/IVF. I am hoping my November or December cycle will fall on suitable dates for retrieval but current app estimates are not very promising for that. After only getting 4 eggs 😔, I am putting all my hopes in this second treatment believing that the doctor can tweak things around to increase my chances. The truth is, I cry a little every month thinking that these perfectly ok eggies are getting older and less good as periods go by 😏😭

@Quickdraw23 I’m so sorry. Infertility sucks. Take the time you need. X

@ViVRe I started bleeding 12/13 days after egg collection. Cycle was maybe a week longer, cause with progesterone I had ten days of bleeding both times. After that, everything went back to normal. I have 27-30 day cycles and apart from a 35 day cycle I had after first egg collection it’s been very normal.

@Quickdraw23 I'm so sorry, that must be especially tough to be on the 3rd shot and still no BFP 💐 take some time to look after yourself before thinking about next steps, if you can.

@ViVRe no advice for you, sorry, but much sympathy with the stress of trying to work out optimal timings. It is so hard when so many things are not in our control. I really hope things slot into place for you. I'm not sure on your age, but if you do have to wait a few months then perhaps try to focus on the things you can do (diet, supplements, exercise etc) to keep eggs in best shape if you do have to wait til Feb? I try to focus on little things like that, I find it helps me feel a little more in control (appreciate it might not help you, we are all different!)

@Quickdraw23 i'm so sorry you didn't get the response you were hoping for 😞 Maybe take some time away from this process to look after yourself before making new decisions.

All off you ladies who have gone through this process so many times are strong. It really does help seeing how so many of you just push through anything 💪

I am finally feeling better today, managed to eat something and be more active.

Thinking of you @Quickdraw23

@Millie89xx cetrotide always gave me a rash and itch around injection site so don't panic if you experience that also

I've just came back from my transfer.
We put 2 blasts in.
I'm not feeling very positive but I know it could have been alot worse. We could have had nothing to put back. Embryologist said they were quite poor quality so gave us the option of another one as we'd have a lower success rate anyhow.
Our 3rd little embryo hasn't made blast yet. They said it might make blast tomorrow or it may arrest and we'll just have to ring and check up on it tomorrow

Hello all,

Just an update that I had 7m2 and 3m1s (and one 1gv). 8 fertilised and all 8 made it to day 3. I’m full of nerves for tomorrow but can’t help but be hopeful.

After transfer, is everyone prescribed clexane? I’m hearing some conflicting reports.

Does anyone have any tips for stacking the odds in favour of a successful implantation ?

Is anyone pushing for an extended course of progesterone? Mine’s currently for 4 days post transfer.

Good luck to you all!

@Quickdraw23 ah that’s crap, I’m so sorry. Beer in the bath sounds perfect and lots of TLC of course.

@ThinkPink37 if you have any tips for a successful implantation, please share! My only strategy so far was a McDonald’s on transfer day and depriving myself of wine (particularly hard when out for a cosy roast this afternoon…). I’m not on clecane but just Cyclogest twice a day for the foreseeable…

@ViVRe im no good to you - this is my first round and I went straight from egg collection to transfer… had a period at the end of Sep just before I started stims and nothing since then so i have no idea where my cycle is now!

@MoonlightDreamer sorry you’re not feeling positive but definitely could be worse and fingers crossed for the 2 in there (and the 3rd still growing!). Welcome to the TWW group it’s a head-fuck 😂

Finding it so hard not to over-analyse everything today. Definitely hormonal (cried a lot at Matthew Perry clips on Instagram today 😂 ) and crampy, but worried now that I haven’t had any implantation spotting?? Never have I wanted the weekend to finish and the work week to start more, OTD can’t come quick enough!!

I'm sorry it hasn't been successful @quickdraw23. Cold beer hot bath sounds like a good plan. Take it easy and give yourself some space to think. You don't have to make any decisions right now. This process is so shit and unfair. Look after yourself.

@ViVRe I was very surprised to have a normal cycle after EC. I have PCOS so sit on the longer side but had a 30 day cycle! I hope your cycle doesn't mess you around and make the process difficult going forward 🤞

@Melisss glad to hear you're feeling a bit more able today! Just take it a day at a time.

@MoonlightDreamer congratulations on your two blasts being on board. I've seen lots of people have had successes with "lower" grade embryos. When is your test date due to be?

@thinkpink good news so far! I've never heard of anyone only being on progesterone for 4 days?? Although I'm not expert in post transfer protocols. I'd push for longer if you can.... I'm on 2x cyclogest and 1x lubion and my clinic advise staying on until week 12 (if successful). I've not had clexane. No advice for the tww. Other than not doing wildly inadvisable stuff (drugs, alcohol, physical contact sports, hot baths etc.) I'm not sure there IS anything you can do unfortunately!

@ivfdublin I'm on board with over analysing! I haven't quite started crying yet though bless you. The Matthew Perry thing is super sad. I think no news is good news on the spotting front? Implantation spotting would be helpful if it came with a label saying what it was rather than causing upset and panics about periods!
Would you believe me if I said I didn't think I'd be like this during the tww? I thought I'd be a BIT obsessed but not being an actual psycho about it. I would say 80% of the day I'm absolutely convinced it's worked. I have to do a lot of talking myself down 🫤 realistically just because I've convinced my mind it's worked makes no difference to reality. Which is a shame.

@ThinkPink37 Im just on x3 cyclogest and x1 lubion a day - if this transfers works I’ll be on it until ten weeks after transfer. I’m not on clexane. I have no suggestions for implantation success - this is where I’m struggling at the moment.

Hi everyone quick question Has anyone taken their injection early with the time going back ? Or still going with the time you usually take it ? X

@Millie89xx was just thinking the same this morning but I woke up late so took it based on the new time. should be ok i think as even the nurse said generally don't stray more that 1 hour from the schedule 🤷🏻‍♀️

@IVFKinster ugh same, am spending far too much time defaulting to thinking it's worked, the rest of the time is me just trying to convince myself otherwise to try and manage my own expectations 😖

@Millie89xx I wouldn't worry. On the mornings I had appointments I had to take my cetrotide but we were on a motorway so I couldn't take it until we were in a more convenient place which was probably an hour or so off my usual time and clinic said it was fine. It just has to be taken around the same time . Just take your usual time tomorrow.

@MoonlightDreamer thanks .. I stuck to my regular time ! As you can see I’m a early bird 😂 hope everyone is getting on ok 👌

@Melisss thanks I did stick to same 😂