Monitored cycle / HCG trigger / timed intercourse

[hopingforapeainapod]

Hi all,

A niche one but I wondered if anyone else is doing / has done a monitored cycle before? I’m currently having an unmedicated one with a HCG trigger to time ovulation, timed intercourse and then progesterone support. Going in tomorrow (CD14) for another scan and hoping follicles look ready for the trigger 🤞 if it doesn’t work this month will do the same but with Letrozole next month. Would be interested to hear from anyone in a similar boat!

@hopingforapeainapod front door so far! That’s what my fertility doc said to do, although I didn’t ask her about the other route. I’ll monitor next day or so and consider switching. I don’t mind the spotting if I can convince myself it’s not just signalling the end of my cycle… seems way too early for that so I’m not going to dwell too much yet.

Our IVF instructions for next month say to take them rectally to start with then switch to vaginally after embryo transfer. No idea why!

@Sierra26 yeah my clinic said either was fine, but that’s interesting to hear! How are you feeling about potentially starting IVF? And did you ever get any answers about whether or not you might have PCOS btw?

@Sierra26 I just also had the tiniest tiniest bit of spotting - think I am only 6dpo, maybe 5, so am also very confused!

Hi @hopingforapeainapod , I have not had any more answers re potential PCOS. Think my consultant has forgotten we even discussed it!

re ivf… It still doesn’t really seem real! We’re due to start in two cycles time. I’ll be glad to take a step forward but I’m also quite scared - not for the procedure itself but if it doesn’t work… where do we go from there and how crap am I going to feel about it all. IVF has always seemed like the backup plan, but what if the backup plan doesn’t work. Haven’t even told family yet, I think I’m a bit in denial.

Interesting you have had some spotting too… and yes also v early in cycle. Which ahem door are you using for your pessaries?

@UserL95 how are your tests looking now, have you continued to check?

@hopingforapeainapod still keeping my fingers crossed for you!

@Sierra26 do you think you will tell family about ivf cycles? I know people who have, and also people who haven’t! Really interesting to hear different perspectives. Although your fear of “this is the back up plan” is really real too! In the two cycles you need to wait, are you trying anything in particular?

Im still testing until AF shows up. I made it to 11dpo today which I’m happy about because my luteal can be just 10 days sometimes too. Hoping for a 12 day luteal this month, that would make it feel worth it. Very negative tests though so I’m not expecting a BFP. It’s interesting because I’ve been experiencing mild cramps/discomfort since around 8dpo very on and off. At first I was hoping it’s implantation or something baby related… but as tests are still very negative I’m not trying to convince myself it’s anything positive!

@UserL95 that’s good re your luteal phase length, important to recognise the small wins! Keeping my fingers crossed you aren’t out yet though, 11DPO is still v early to pick up on a test!

My next cycle will be the same as this one, so letrozole, scan, trigger shot and progesterone. I also started taking Coq10 to help with egg quality alongside my other supplements (high strength vit c, vit d, vit b, infolic alpha, optibac) a couple of months ago.

I know my family would be hurt to know id had ivf and not told them. But i have a cautious relationship with my mum (she’s very loving and I had a fab childhood, but with personal things if I give an inch she takes a mile and she’ll never stop asking me about it, thinking about it, assuming to know how I feel, etc). She would consider herself an empath but I just find it intrusive… So I honestly don’t know what I’ll do!

Ps I’ve just had my day 21 progesterone back from this morning (super speedy) - 130nmol/l compared to last months 33 😂

So my spotting last few days can’t be to do with low progesterone.

I hope there isn’t such a thing as TOO high!!

@Sierra26 I know what you mean and it’s definitely scary to think about but I guess just hold onto hope - it may not happen first cycle but it will happen 🤞 I also know what you mean about being hesitant to tell family - I’ve been very open with my parents about stuff so far but I feel like there’s a lot of pressure on me (I’m the oldest child, and my parents are desperate for grandchildren) and so my grief is also their grief if that makes sense? So sometimes I feel guilty for burdening them with it all too. Plus they are helping a lot financially which makes me feel even more guilty.

I’m using the ‘back door’ for the pessaries which has been fine so far and minimal mess. The spotting was so so light yesterday - literally just once when I wiped - so I’m almost wondering if I imagined it: had nothing today!

Also great your progesterone is so high, clearly working!

@UserL95 I’m sorry you haven’t seen a bfp yet. I have definitely convinced myself I’ve had implantation pains before, it’s so hard to tell what’s real or not. Out of interest when did your trigger line disappear? I cracked and tested yesterday morning so 6.5 days post trigger and there was a faint line but definitely there…

@Sierra26 sounds like a very tricky balance with your mum - I think it’s also important to remember that there is no right or wrong thing to do. As a family member I imagine it would be really upsetting if someone didn’t share, but as someone who may need to seriously consider ivf in the near future, I don’t know how much I would want to share. Mostly because of those feelings of intrusion like you said!

@hopingforapeainapod so my trigger line didn’t fully disappear until 9 days after trigger - but it was a vvvvvfl from 7 days after trigger. I’m still daily testing until AF comes, I’m telling myself that means I won’t test on my next cycles 🙈

Aw thanks you guys are both so lovely. It’s nice to hear similar thoughts from others. Most of my friends share everything with their parents so I find it hard to relate sometimes. i get a lot of pressure from my parents too as they’re dying to be grandparents. Although they’ve stopped recently so I’m wondering if they’ve sensed there’s a problem. I’m also the oldest and their only really chance! I think I’ll see how I feel once I’ve had my first appt to pick up all the meds etc and then decide.

Hope you’re both doing something nice with your Friday night!

Did another test this morning to check the trigger and is technically 8.5days past the trigger and it’s a faint line but it’s annoyingly still very much there - so think it really does take a while to go! This cyclogest / progesterone is also making me soooo tired… I went to bed at like 8.30pm last night and I still feel very groggy today!

@hopingforapeainapod same over here… vvv faint line this morning, expect it will be fully gone tomorrow. I also feel weird which I’m assuming is the progesterone! Tired, sore boobs, and felt a bit shaky/sick/low blood sugar earlier, and very thirsty!

AF showed up after 12DPO and a 29 day cycle.
Letrozole 1 - 0 me
I will be following the same steps this month, 2.5mg cd2-6 followed by a follicle scan, trigger shot, and hoping for the best!

Ah sorry to hear that @UserL95 . That’s a decent cycle length though! I found mentally the good thing about letrozole is it feels like you’re immediately able to start taking forward steps due to having to start it on day 2. At least I told myself that to try stay positive!

I'm 9dpo/10dpt now. Spotting has stopped, so putting it down to the cyclogest. Expecting my normal spotting to start in next couple of days which would signal end of cycle. So praying I don’t see any every time I go to the loo! Tests are blank now, but will probably keep testing once a day just to see…

Ah I’m really sorry @UserL95 - it’s so tough. Let us know if you need to vent! And hopefully knowing you can take Letrozole again / have got a good luteal phase will keep you going.

@Sierra26 I’m also 9dpo/10.5dpt and second line has officially completely gone. Just praying now that it comes back 🙏🙏🙏

Driving myself crazy now… thought line was completely gone but still getting a VERY faint one. Used another test in water and can see the difference. Wish I knew for sure if it’s still the trigger!

Woken up to another bfn this morning (10dpo) - I keep getting a serious case of line eyes though and imagining I can see faint shadows of lines and all sorts, it’s driving me mad! I think next month I’m going to try and hold out testing (famous last words) as whilst it has been good to see the trigger go I think waking up and poas every single morning is probably not the best thing for my mental health either…

Sorry @hopingforapeainapod :( I’m in the same boat with another BFN. Feel I’ve fed my curiosity by testing it out, but realistically shouldn’t keep going. Part of me feels it is good to though as that how you’d catch a chemical which is yet another data point…

When is AF due? I think I ovulated on CD12 so will be due on Thurs or Fri. Had some spotting again this morning…

Girls I’m having a serious case of line eyes. I swore this morning it was negative, but when I stuck it on a piece of paper I can now see a very very very faint second line I think?! Hard to photograph and I don’t know if I am massively clutching at straws / this could still be the trigger but top one is yesterdays and bottom one is this morning’s - what do you think?! I don’t know if I am letting hope get the better of me …

@hopingforapeainapod i can see it, you’re not going mad….! Are you going to test again later?

This was literally me yesterday and I almost sent a photo! I threw todays away in frustration and wish I could check it now 😂

@Sierra26 here’s another photo with the flash on where it looks a little clearer. I’m worried though that it might be an evap line cause it looks more grey than pink? Will take another test later I think… I am meant to be having a big dinner party with my DH’s family tonight so am hoping I might have a better sense by then?!

It’s defs there! But I’ve also read it needs to have colour to really be picking up hcg. Do a long hold and test again later! Could you get a stronger test?

Even if it is positive, if i were you I’d still nurse one small glass of wine over the evening but obviously very personal preference.

Any new symptoms? I keep thinking I feel nauseous but probably kidding myself 😂 I did get some unusual stabby pains yesterday though

@Sierra26 no new symptoms really except some very mild cramping that feels a little like period pains - again don’t know if this is purely psychological now though! Feel like I should get another brand of test just in case but not sure what the best one to go for is - I’ve heard clear blue can also be really bad for evaps / false positives!

@hopingforapeainapod id go for FRER if you can get your hands on one. Seems to consistently be quite reliable!

So I just did another Premom home test and the line is definitely more noticeable (I think anyway!) but it’s obviously still faint. What are the chances of having 2 evaps?! Could this still be the trigger? I only managed to hold out for about 3 hours before going to the toilet so I thought it would be too dilute to work! (Bottom one is just now, top one is this morning’s)