Create Fertility - Experiences (Part 3)

[Sunflower360]

Hi 👋

A thread for anyone who wants to discuss their Create Fertility experiences.

I'm 38, have had 3 egg collections with Create (2x natural modified and 1 x mild) and am about to go through my first FET following embryo banking and after having a Hysteroscopy and discovering I have thyroid antibodies...joys of fertility challenges.

Tagging as follows from previous chat, please tag any others I may have forgot.

New joiners to the thread welcome to share your experiences - it's a never ending learning curve for all!

@Maddie23
@gemso2020
@Doxy21
@Plantymcplant
@Jennaqua
@Hopesandsunshine
@jolly86
@VenusStarr
@muddlingthrou
@junieS
@littlebitsocial

@Doxy21 oh no I hope it doesn't make things worse at least :(

How is everyone doing guys ?

@Hollyw128 I am ok, just had my 2nd FET 6dp5dt and I tested yesterday at 5dp5dt which was stark white negative. Then few hours later got pink spotting and today it is now brown spotting- AF would have been due Sunday, and I normally spot a couple of days before but only ever brown not pink. I've spoke to the Create and they've advised having a 3rd pessary a day until OTD and if spotting continues I can have a blood test on Monday (my OTD was Tuesday)-its more data if anything for another FET. I am thinking its perhaps tried to implant and then failed if there's no hcg? I'm mainly thinking that as I don't get pink spotting, only brown usually, only ever got pink spotting in my natural chemical so something has tried to happen. Which in itself is more than the last FET where I only spotted on the day AF would have been due. Suppose the connumdrum will be why its not completing implantation if it doesn't produce hcg. So frustrating as I got my head round it having failed yesterday and now I'm in limbo again, would rather know either way.

Sorry rant over! How are you?

So sorry @Sunflower360 . I hope you are feeling ok. Could you remind how many embryos you have frozen? Also did you say you will do a double transfer next?

@Sunflower360 day 6 is still very early to show positive. I would say test tomorrow to see. Lots of prayers for you!!
if it has just implanted, it might not show up in urine straightaway

@Hollyw128 perhaps, but I'll unlikely re test now until nearer OTD perhaps day before, but that's it. Reality is testing now will still mean I end up having to retest and I do not want to be looking for a squinter of a line or seeing its negative and then testing again tomorrow. If its failed it failed and if its worked its worked. I actually don't think testing early really helps at all mentally, or so I've learnt this time round anyway. I understand monitoring line progression post OTD but looking for an inital line before OTD is extremely uncertain whatever the result. I tested 5dp5dt and reality is I would have always had to retest again for it be an official result, whether it be positive or negative, pointless, really. So lesson learnt for next time! For now I will just hold on for a couple more days and then just test so its at least official whatever the result, I'm sure it'll be negative as the pink spotting was the only symptom and I'm not sure I just don't feel its worked, you kind of just now right? I suspect its tried to implant and failed, it was into the evening on 10 dpo so in any case later in the process. Still, one step further than the last FET!

@Hollyw128 plus I was planning on weaning off my Progesterone when I saw the negative on 5dp5dt. Not straight away but a few days later... that was based on the negative. That sounds silly but I didn't want the Progesterone to slow my period starting and delay my next FET starting kind of just wanted nature to take its course. I haven't actually done that and if anything have had the Progesterone increased now but it has kind of made me realise that you need to stick with the tww whatever the result as you never know what's round the corner with it

@jolly86 I have 5 x blastocysts of varying grades from BB-BC-CC...mixed bag now. And then a day 3 as yet to culture, its a 12 cell so not sure if that'll turn into a blastocyst yet...seems a lot of cells when its meant to be 8cells, but we'll culture for the next FET. These last 2 FETs have used our best grade embryos 5AB and 5BA so onto the lower ones.

Regarding double transfer I am considering it mainly as a time saver as we're considering another EC if none of the embryos work, and I'm conscious I'm 39 this year so want to do it whilst 38 if possible. I'm not really thinking about the physical impact of twins as reality is one sticking will be a miracle at this stage! But I'm nervous the issue could be in me as to why their not sticking... in which case double transfer could be pointless. I've had quite a few tests, hysteroscopy etc. And it appears based on this FET that something has tried to happen so timing of transfer is fine (it was also 10 dpo when I implanted/got pink spotting in my natural chemical). So question is why are they not getting past chemical/full implantation stage. I have Thyroid Antibodies, could it be an immune response? But I'm on steroids so that should help now, or do the steroids need increasing? Few things to consider. But in theory I could have 3 double transfers if all thaw ok (inevitably its possible an embryo or more could get lost through that) and if the day 3 turns into a blastocyst, which is still a few go's. I don't really want to be doing 6 transfers.... I just see that is time lost, but I need to ensure uterine environment has been explored, although I kind of believe it has so on limbo at the moment!

How are you?

@Hollyw128 how are you?

@Sunflower360 i am okay. Alot going on in life. Full of stress. Can not remember the last time I actually relaxed

Hi everyone

@Sunflower360 I'm sorry you got a negative test. I hope it's just a late implanter but I understand the feeling of knowing it hasn't worked. I had that with my fresh

I'm very nervously waiting my scan on Tuesday. All was going well until I started spotting on Wednesday. I rang the clinic and they said it could just be the progesterone pesseries and to hang on till Tuesday. They aren't worried as the blood isn't red but as I'm a medicated fet I didn't think I could get red blood due to all the progesterone I am taking.... It's still spotting this morning on friday

Also I still don't have any morning sickness. My only symptom is mild period cramps since the transfer which are also kind of distressing tbh! so I'm swinging madly from everything is fine to nothing is growing in there.

Sorry for the rant.

@Plantymcplant completely understand your nervousness, could they let you increase your Progesterone?

@Sunflower360 I have come to the conclusion that the grade of the embryo doesn't mean a lot indeed. As we also saw examples here, many people fall pregnant with the lower grade while the best one didn't work. I hope this will be the case for you. I completely understand wanting to rush for another egg collection if needed, I definitely feel the same. Age pressure is really on me, I am 38 this year and things are much difficult than when I had my successful cycle in 2021 (I was 34 yet!!) and even a big change in follicle count from December 2023 to now :( I definitely would want to do what I can this year , and if it doesn't work I will probably have to stop. I had a bit of paranoid thoughts whether doing IVF may decrease the follicle count. or whether the body gets immune to the drugs?! I know it sounds crazy...

@Plantymcplant fingers crossed for you. I know it's terrible to see spotting.

@Plantymcplant how many weeks are you ? If you don’t mind me asking

@Plantymcplant - I also had spotting at 5.5 weeks this pregnancy and my last pregnancies, so I think it's quite common. To be honest, both times included a big gush of bright red blood and some clots so I feared the worst!

When I went in for my scan, the Create doctor said something about it being 'the period that couldn't come because you're pregnant'. I don't understand that at all, but suffice to say in both cases my pregnancies have progressed so fingers crossed it'll be the same for you xx

@Sunflower360 I had some pink and brown spotting a day or two before my positive. I hadn’t tested at that point and assumed that was the start of a progesterone suppressed period - I was absolutely convinced it hadn’t worked, so you never know. You’re right that there’s no point in testing too early, though. You’re not out just yet.
@Plantymcplant oh that must be so nerve wracking for you. The waiting is bad enough as it is. Really hope everything is OK for you on Tuesday xx

@HopefulElle thank you. Had more brown spotting this morning, I'm 7dp5dt, its been consistent since 5dp5dt when I got the pink spotting. Will just see, don't think I'll test early again now! How are you?

@Sunflower360 I’m OK thanks, just feeling anxious, in a strange limbo with it still being so early. Days are dragging atm but thankfully I have a very busy week coming up and then 7 week scan on Mon 22nd.

I'm sorry you've had spotting @Sunflower360 I really hope you have good news on otd.

Lots of love to @HopefulElle and @Plantymcplant for your upcoming scans.

I had a nurse consult on Wednesday but I just don't feel ready to go back to treatment, so we had a nice chat and she's going to speak to my Dr next week about my antidepressants and treatment. But still on hold for now.

Hope everyone is getting on ok x

@VenusStarr thank you, will just see what happens. Were you on immunology meds? I'm on Prednisolone and Aspirin for thyroid antibodies and just wondering if that was enough, will see what the Dr says.

Sounds like a break is a good idea, its such an exhausting process. Hope you feel better soon

Yes, prednisolone was 25mg but now I'm on antidepressants, my Dr wants me on 20mg. But I did lose a healthy baby on 25mg, so there may be something else going on. What dose are you on? Ive heard of success with 10mg. I have heard that some people take LDN for thyroid antibodies - low dose naltrexone.

Thank you, I'm being well supported, got 2 more weeks off work them I'm going to try to phase back x

@VenusStarr yes I'm on 10mg, I wonder if the Dr will suggest it going up? I think we have the same Dr. I do wonder if the antibodies are playing a part, whatever the result there appears to have been some form of attempt to implant this FET. With the pink spotting, my heart rate and temperature went up too that night at 5dp5dt but has gone back to normal now (Fitbit). But some women must have live births with thryoid antibodies so perhaps its just trial and error? Thanks for the suggestion re meds, will look into that.

Hope you're managing to relax during your time off to rest ❤️

Hello everyone! I am on day 8 of stims and stopped medication, triggering tonight for collection on Wednesday. It seems 3 good sized follicles. I am feeling very very tired though, I don’t remember being so tired in previous rounds. Doctor also told of duostim where I would get collection on Wednesday and then a second collection after more injections for the remaining follicles ( I have some that are tiny like 6mm). That would mean freeze all and transfer in future. Given the logistics etc I decided against and want to try my luck with these 3. And I will come back if this round doesn’t work for a new collection.

@jolly86 good luck for your collection! I don't know too much about duo stim bar from it being a time saving protocol but I think you've approached it well to focus on the 3 you have