FET February 2024

[kirstysmbc]

Hi, just thought I'd see if there was anyone else doing a FET cycle in February that is looking for a cycle buddy?

I'm due to start meds at the end of this month, hopefully with transfer mid Feb. This will be my first donor embryo cycle after final attempts with my own eggs failed last year.

Hi everyone, wow - this thread is going great guns! I'm happy some posters have joined with transfers coming up so I have some company. Mine is tomorrow and I am very nervous!

At least we have made it through another hurdle - our embryo has made it through the thawing process. I'll find out later today how it's looking and a time for the transfer tomorrow.

Best of luck to all and sorry @beachbum85 about your negative test xx

@beachbum85 I wouldn't rule yourself out yet. 7dpt is still really early! Oh yes I probably got those mixed up re sperm quality and egg quality but we don't know anyway as we don't get a day 3 call.

@kaydevo7777 good luck today! I've never heard that about raw veg either! It's weird because everyone keeps telling me high protein and I thought protein was harder to digest.

@seekingbabyk Thanks. Yes, I’ve heard movement and blood flow to the uterus is important. I think I’m clutching at straws to be honest, I’m getting a bit desperate as this will be my fourth transfer and clearly, something just isn’t working!

I think I’ll still move about a bit, if it’s not raining I might take some light walks. I think I’ll mix that with time on the sofa watching Netflix. Either way, it’ll be less stressful than work! I’m off from Thursday - Monday so hopefully that time off relaxing will be good for me and the embryo during the implantation stage. Clutching at straws but oh well!

@beachbum85 I’m sorry that there’s no line, hopefully it’s a late implanter but I totally understand preparing for the likelihood that it hasn’t worked. I’d be exactly the same.

I have much preferred the natural FET this time around. I feel so much better not taking any estradiol. It honestly made me so ill and literally killed my gut!

@kaydevo7777 Good luck for today!

@IWouldRatherBeOnHoliday Hello. Yes, this FET is much better. I’m not ill this time, which is a plus. I really hope this one works this time too. I really don’t want another egg collection, which I will need to prep for, as this is the last embryo. I think chilling, maybe a slow walk if the weather is nice will help take my mind off things!

@Lauralozzle good luck! I was listening to a podcast by this fertility consultant and she mentioned a study where there were higher rates of live births in women who did light activity like walking so good you’re getting those walks in.

I just got my first call from Embryologist. Out of our 6 eggs collected 5 fertilised. I am really grateful for this. Now nervous to see how many will make it to day 3 and their quality.

Also thinking about whether to do one more cycle (which is the recommendation of both my Consultant and the Embryologist). This is cycle 2. We have 3 day 3 frozen embryos from cycle 1. I wanted to stop at 2 cycles but they both think it will really boost our chances given the drop off rate to blastocysts stage and PGT- A testing. Got a lot to think about and decide on in the next few days.

@beachbum85 I am sorry it hasn’t worked out this time. It’s a hard process mentally.

@kaydevo7777 I totally understand - I'm a big rule follower and find it less stressful too. I'm a big fan of acupucture and my acupuncturist had said that warming foods are best, but also to focus on fruit and veg and (unless I'm remembering this wrong from a couple of years back) red and orange foods... I'll have to ask her about the fruit! In any case, I hope your FET has gone smoothly 😍

Yes, @girljulian I guess it must be to avoid the crushing feeling of a chemical... I'm very sorry about yours.

@muddlingthrou, I'm glad your embryo has thawed well and hope all continues to go smoothly for your transfer xxx

@seekingbabyk even without a Day 3 call, if your partner has had good results with the DNA frag test, I'm sure you've covered your bases there 😊

@IWouldRatherBeOnHoliday I should be distracted by a deadline coming up but I end up here and speaking with Dr Google instead as I'm finding it hard to think of anything else.

Thanks everyone for your support! It'snegative again this morning and I think it's a bit too late now if there's no sign of even the faintest line.

@Lauralozzle with your natural FET, does your cycle go back to normal immediately after stopping progesterone, or does it take a while to go back to ovulating regularly etc? I'm glad you're well and hope you manage to relax through transfer and the tww and this last embryo is your lucky one! 🤞🏼

Great fertilisation rate @Faith2024 😍best of luck for the upcoming updates! will you freeze them on Day 3 or Day 5 this time?

@beachbum85 thank you! It’s the clinic policy is to freeze in day 3 as it’s less stress on embryo if you plan to thaw and test etc. The cells are less complex & and survival rate is like 98% for day 3 but much lower ( like 20% less) for day 5 to repeat the process with testing etc. at least that is what I have been told, no expert here.

I don’t know what day yet I have to decide by Wed if we will do another cycle in which case they ll be frozen on Wed morning. If not, grow to day 5.

@Faith2024 excellent fertilisation rates! Fingers crossed a good number make it to blast!

@beachbum85 Honestly, I don’t know if ovulation will come back as normal after the natural FET. I assume so, as it has for my last transfers for example:

Fresh transfer #1 - I started to bleed 7dp5dt. Which would be 12dpo which is right in line with my 12 day luteal phase. The progesterone held off the full bleed but I was spotting from that point until I stopped taking the progesterone. Ovulation next cycle happened maybe a few days late.

Fresh transfer #2 - started to bleed 8dp5dt. Cycle was normal after.

FET #1 - bled 3 days after stopping progesterone but it was a medicated cycle with no ovulation/egg collection. Next cycle came back as normal.

So, I’m guessing with this natural FET my cycles will resume as normal as this is much closer to a natural monthly cycle anyways. If I get to transfer, the telling sign will be whether I get to OTD without bleeding because of my 12 day luteal phase and the progesterone never really holding it off.

Sorry, that got a bit long!

Gosh this has moved FAST! So apologies in advance for the long post incoming....

@seekingbabyk I heard it was the other way round - egg quality gets you to day 3, then sperm gets you to day 5. That's what my step sister was told by her consultant as they had male factor. But who knows! if they're at day 5 regardless then I think they're double hard 😅how are you feeling today? When are you testing?

@IWouldRatherBeOnHoliday Thanks for your message darling 💛Doesn't get any easier, I thought it would! And yeah, no matter how much you prepare, you get hit like a tone of bricks when it isn't what you wanted. The period pains have started thick and fast (I had them yesterday through the drugs) so I am thinking I'll come on in the next day. Last time it was 3 days. Have you yet?
Well done on the alcohol abstinence! I think because I have 2 in the freezer, I was like 'fuck it I'm having the bottle' 😂When do you think you will start now that you've had a few days to digest? Have you got a review consultation booked? And yeah the Control Freak has come into force today, firstly with crying on the phone to the booking team and making them find me a sooner consultation than the 6th March!!!!

@kaydevo7777 Yeah I can get that to be honest. You have to be in the right frame of mind to create. My mum is an artist, and she can't draw when she has a lot going on. Do you use your husbands gym / he PT you? That's a good release - I find the gym is my decompression time away from all this going on.
Next consultation isn't until 6th March, but after crying on the phone, they're going to see what they can do as theirs no one in theatre tomorrow, so the doctors are technically free. Praying to god they'll be able to. Yeah my acupuncturist said to keep everything warm, and walking to increase blood flow too. How are you getting on and when are you going to test?

@beachbum85 So sorry your test is negative again today. Have you spoken to the clinic or will they shout at you? My 2 remaining are Day 6 embryo's too. They were blasts on Day 5, but they were of poor quality, so they kept them going to day 6 and they improved. Was yours the same? I know what you mean about stats! I think that -- 1 in 3 transfers take, but my first one took (we just had a MMC) so that's my 1 implantation success of the 3 already, so they won't again now unless I have another 1/3 in the last 2 😂We're all mad aren't we?
When do you think you'll go again if the result continues to be not what you want?

welcome @Consie @Faith2024 @Lauralozzle Good luck!

Thanks @GCS34 We are definitely all mad, as would be expected haha
I hadn't even considering speaking to the clinic yet because it's an NHS one (although we're self-funding) and they don't deviate from protocol, so I know they'll just tell me to test again on Friday and email then (after shouting a bit 😅hich I'm feeling a bit too fragile for right now).
Our Day 6 was an early blast on Day 5... of good quality, but not developed enough to grade, so the clinic waited until it was graded as 4BB and then froze on Day 6.
I'm away for work and holiday for most of March, so I'm really hoping we could go with the cycle that would get us to an early/mid April transfer.
I really hope your clinic manage to move your consultation forward! The waiting is really the worst...

Thanks @Lauralozzle that helps! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot with that question but I had mistakenly understood that you previously had a natural cycle FET.
I really hope you get to OTD this time! I was under the impression that the progesterone would stop the bleed (I started spotting with my failed transfer but only bled once I fully stopped the progesteone) and I can imagine the stress of watching for a bleed during the TWW.

@Faith2024 that's a tough choice - I hope you have good numbers and it becomes easier to make that decision. I know very little about freezing/thawing but especially testing (my friends who have done testing waited to Day 5, tested, then froze to avoid repeat thawing/freezing) but I can see pros/cons for both sides.

@beachbum85 No worries, you didn’t put me on the spot at all. To be honest, I think progesterone holds off most peoples periods, I think I’m a bit unusual in that it doesn’t seem to for me. I have a progesterone blood test tomorrow though, to check my levels before Wednesday. Hopefully they’re high enough, otherwise it’ll be x3 cyclogest and x1 lubion. I’d rather avoid the lubion and the price tag that comes with it if at all possible! x3 cyclogest is bad enough.

@beachbum85 Oh definitely. But I quite like the narrative of being mad going through this "the crazy lady who rubbed her belly like a genie under moonlight every night, while drinking fermented pineapple, while keeping her feet warm in an incubator finally has a baby". Joking....I don't do that at all👀
Ah so you're self funded through the NHS clinic? Is that because your funding paid for your daughter, and now you have to pay for this / next one? Yeah defo don't ring to be shouted at - I ranted and cried, so I don't recommend that if you want some dignity left in tact! If it gets me somewhere though, then I highly recommend crying at them! 👌

Would you do the same protocol again with the next round? Assume you were on HRT? That would be lovely if you can go again in the spring. It's a nice time to do treatment I think. I had my stims in July and it was really nice as it's a very sunny, optimistic time. And where are you going on holiday in March? I go away over Easter weekend, so I am hoping that I'll be either PUPO or building to be PUPO by then.

In other news, we had an offer on the house, so that's a positive start to the week. 😊

@GCS34 yes I think I got it the wrong way round tbh - teach me for not checking first! Yeah I feel ok except just brought Tesco shopping in and now having some quite sharp twinges on one side so I'm a bit worried I've done something :( are you feeling a lot bit brighter now? Did the clinic call you back?

Goodluck with the progesterone test tomorrow @Lauralozzle and I hope you don't need the PIO. I'm on 3x Cyclogest and it's definitely bad enough 😑

Hahaha @GCS34 I'm pretty sure that's what everyone who has no idea of the process thinks it's like 😅 andt I also believe if crying helps then it's totally worth it! Haven't really tried it with IVF stuff, but I did manage to get a flight home after missing mine (my fault) one time after a bit of a scene😇
Congratulations on the house offer! 🎉
Yes, exactly, we had 3 free rounds to start and the second one gave us our son, so now we're paying. Since our embryos are at an NHS clinic we decided to continue there and we self-fund, with diagnostics being covered by the NHS as we don't get 'private treatment' (like seeing the same consultant every time). I had a natural cycle this time because of my previous preeclampisa, so I hope they agree that we can try the same way for this last embryo - a lot less intense, apart from the scheduling. Hopefully that works but, if not, I guess it would be another full round sometime over the summer - our last one was in August and I agree, it's a nice time, much better than our March round!
We'll be in the US on holiday, roadtripping round some national parks. It's not our usual style of holiday (my son hates the car and we prefer warmer countries) but there's Zika everywhere we wanted to go so we're trying this and I'm quite excited to see if we end up discovering a new type of holiday we love 😍
Where will you be going? I think it's lovely to be PUPO on holiday and it really eases the stress of the TWW, so I hope the timing works for you 🤞🏼

@seekingbabyk I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry... if the embryo wants to implant, it should take quite a lot to stop it 😊

Awww thanks @beachbum85 it's really hard not to overthink though isn't it. Hopefully they are implantation cramps 🤞🏻 how you feeling today?

@beachbum85 You mean, that isn't what you have to do!? Maybe that's where I've been going wrong... Oh good crying skills there. Highly commended. I don't think crying has got me anywhere before (not that I do it regularly!) but I am hoping today I'm proved wrong. And thank you! Just waiting to hear back if our offer on the new one is accepted now! 🙊
Ahhhh that's great that you got 3 rounds free. Where are you based and can I move in? 😂We only get one round here, but it does include transferring all the embryos from that round, so fortunately we haven't had to start paying yet. However we did do 3 x rounds of Ovulation Induction self funded.

Sorry to hear you had Preeclampsia. Does HRT exacerbate the risk of getting it then? Unforunately that isn't an option for me as my Lean PCOS has caused me not to have a natural period for 2 years now, bar the ones following egg collection / failed cycles etc. I imagine it's a lot kinder on the body being in sync with your cycle.
Oh god ZIKA is the bane of my bloody life! I swear everywhere decent has it 😅America will be AMAZING though. Are you going to Yosemite? We're going to Rome for 4 days, so not really a chilled TWW if we are, but I'll just get an escooter or something!

@seekingbabyk God knows. It's hard not to obssess about it all isn't it? I got fixated on grades for ages, as well as success rates based on lining thickness (As I have a historically bad lining) and drove myself insane.
Oh bless you I don't think that will matter. Honestly. They said to me just don't do anything 'new' that you weren't before. Everything else, continue as you would normally. So if you normally do the food shop bags, then I Think you'll be okay. But sorry you're twinging though. Has it stopped?
No word yet on the clinic - losing faith by the minute.

@seekingbabyk impossible not to overthink and worry, definitely!
Tbh I'm feeling a bit shitty today... good thing I'm wfh and no meetings as I keep bursting into tears, struggling to accept that the cycle went so smoothly and it was a good quality embryo and it still didn't work. Plus friends have organised a very rare girls night next week, but 2 of them can't stop complaining about their kids (it's an extended group and they're the ones I'm least close to, so they don't know what we're going through) so I think I'm going to have to give it a miss although I'd love to catch up with everyone else. Feeling quite sorry for myself today 🤦🏻‍♀️ sorry for the negative vibe!

@GCS34 I LOVE Rome! I lived there for 5 years and would have gladly stayed. Enjoy it lots, and eat all the delicious food 🤩 if you feel like you need to chill, you can always sit in a cafe in one of the squares and do some people watching 😊 we're not going to Yosemite because we saw it'll still be quite cold at that time, so we're doing Grand Canyon, Zion, Monument Valley, etc 😍
Keep us posted on your offer! Sounds like the making of some great news here!
Yes, so if you don't ovulate (and therefore have a corpus luteum) there's a higher risk of getting preeclampsia. Luckily I didn't have it too badly and it was only 100% diagnosed after I gave birth, but it can have huge impacts so obv I'd rather avoid getting it again.
We were in Newham when we had the 3 rounds (we've moved since then) but I think it might only considered one tranfer as a round? Not sure but I saw a sign on the clinic door saying the CCGs have merged now so funding is different. Glad to hear you['re not paying yet!
And I really hope your crying works - this time would be a good time to see the effect 😄

@GCS34 yes I'm feeling ok now thanks just getting fed up with waiting! I would imagine Monday being the busiest day for a fertility clinic with a weekend backlog - hopefully you'll hear tomorrow!

@beachbum85 oh no don't apologise that's all part of the process isn't it. I don't think anyone gets it like other ivf warriors do. Yes I have people like that too moaning about kids - it's really hard to be around when you're struggling. Just do what you need to do to protect yourself but you might be feeling a bit better by then and it might be just what you need to have a change of scenery and people around you.

just came home from my first FET. it went smoothly and now there are two blasts in there. It was quite a touching experience. and now i'm in that infamous TWW, and am so grateful to be on this thread and hear about all your experiences and feelings through this <3

@IWouldRatherBeOnHoliday Thank you :) my transfer went smoothly
today. I'm really sorry to hear about your outcome. Are you planning on taking a bit of rest and time before continuing in your process?
@seekingbabyk thank you! I came back home and took a deep nap. yeah i'm focusing on cooked foods, but still gonna just generally eat my fruits and veggies. there's a lot of information out there haha. - you're still in your waiting period? or i have some vague recollection your OTD was today?
@Lauralozzle
thank you :) feeling all new in this, and it is feeling positive. thinking about you and your FET, this coming wednesday right?
@beachbum85 yeah, i stopped my acupuncture because nothing i'm doing is covered and it was just getting too expensive, but I she did tell me the same thing about warming foods, although i never heard the thing about red and orange - good to know :) I love having more rules to quasi-follow - my transfer went smoothly. I'm really sorry to hear about your negative test - I hope the timing coming up works with the time you have off - sending you warmth.
@GCS34 yes definitely - i have to be in a safe/somewhat happy mood to create (despite what the movies portray about artist lol) - so learning to continue efficiency while working through the ups and downs of this will be interesting. I actually part-time coach and train boxing at my partner's gym and i've had to step out due to the high intensity, and impact of it- so i'm looking to restart yoga and just take walks to get my release for now. I'm glad to hear your clinic is hopefully going to give you a meeting sooner than later - thinking of you. I just came back from my transfer today and my OTD is the 28th.

@kaydevo7777 awww congratulations on being PUPO - I had two transferred too! No our OTD is next Monday but I'm thinking we will test Friday which is 9dpt

@kaydevo7777 - congratulations from me too - fingers crossed they're burrowing in there! You sound very fit and healthy, which I bet will be helpful. I need to take a leaf out of your book - my junk food cravings have been off the scale since I started taking the meds, and I haven't exactly been resisting them, oops.

I'm going to take the dog for a nice walk this morning before my transfer to try and get into a nice calm headspace. I don't feel ready this time somehow!

Good luck for today @muddlingthrou @Lauralozzle hope all goes smoothly for you both.

Hope you’re feeling okay After your transfer yesterday. @kaydevo7777.

@seekingbabyk - I’m trying so hard to resist testing its day 7 for us so holding out until at least the weekend if I can.. Have everything crossed for you and your OTD. Hope you are feeling okay as well.

Thinking of you @beachbum85 - I’m glad that you are able to WFH and have some time for yourself. It’s so difficult when it doesn’t go the way you want it to.

@beachbum85 Oh fab well any tips let me know! It was a birthday present from the husband, so I was hoping to book a nice meal somewhere (thinking rooftop vibes) as a thank you. Open to ideas please!
Ah yes Yosemite is pretty cold in March - and you have the bears to contend with 👀My parents' did those other places, and loved Monument Valley. Very envious and a perfect trip if you're still not showing positive on Friday (fingers crossed you are and you can take embaby with you!)
Ah okay that's lucky then that you got in before the CCGs changed. I'll reject my application to move in then, on this occasion 😉

So I'm not saying I condone crying to get what you want like a spoilt brat, but....I condone crying like a spoilt brat as it got me a consultation today at 1:30pm! 😅

@seekingbabyk so glad the twinging has stopped. And off the back of what @beachbum85 said, people moaning about children is the worst. I listened to a podcast the other day and it was a really great analogy and made you realise how robust they are. She described your endometrium like a jam sandwich, and the jam is the fleshy nice bit that it wasn't to nustle into. And your lining is together, touching each side like it is in the sandwich, and is sticky too, and the embryo goes in, that is also sticky, and that sits there in the jam sandwich, so it takes a lot for it to get 'dislodged' as you have two sticky things, sticking together! Hope that helps ❤

@kaydevo7777 happy PUPO day!! woohoo! Are you going to have any acupuncture during the TWW or not? And boxing is SUCH a good stress reliever isn't it? I used to spin and box twice a week, and really found my mood improved so much after. Do you do much yoga normally, or just during treatment? It's nice to be able to have a release in some way. I've started a mindfulness 8 week course, where the course tutor does guided meditation etc too, and I find that is really good too. I do it with my mum and sister, and it's really grounding. Depends if it's your vibe or not. I took the positive of my negative last night and went to the gym and did lots of legs in an angry release, now I can't walk 🙈

Good luck @Lauralozzle hope your embabies made it to day 5 and they're ready to make their new home for the next 9 months. And good luck @muddlingthrou you'll both be PUPO by the time you read this 🤗