FET July 2024

[Hollielouise]

Starting a new thread for those now on a freeze all from May and any others x

@Gnatalie16
@EvaA17
@Seasidegirll

Hope you're all feeling ok post EC. 💕
Has anyone had any idea of timescale when the withdrawal bleed will be and how many periods before the FET cycle?

Hiya!

Just realised you already created the thread.

So I haven't been told just yet, my nurse said that I should expect a bleed in the next one or two weeks and warned me it might be more painful and heavier than normal (FUN!!!)
They also said as soon as they know if I've got embryos to freeze they will book me in for a consultation and go through timelines.
From what I've read and been told briefly by my nurse I think they'll wait for my July bleed.

Have they given you rough timelines?

Hope you're all feeling okay and symptoms of OHSS aren't too bad.

I think I've struggled quite a bit after EC with my emotions and have had sudden wafts of sadness and crying!

Hey :) how are you guys doing? I’m still feeling pretty crappy if I’m being honest, I’m still so bloated and swollen and struggling to walk around. I’m getting very fed up!! I’ve been told that my symptoms should ease when I start bleeding so I’m wishing for it to arrive! I’ve had a bit of brown spotting this morning so maybe it isn’t too far off?

I’m not too sure about timelines yet, was told to expect a bleed within 7 days of stopping progesterone and then they want me to wait until my following period before we get started again. From briefly chatting to the nurse at my scan the other day, I think I’ll be doing a medicated FET. However I was not in the right frame of mind to be taking much info in or asking questions so who knows 😂

Hiya,

Aww I'm sorry to know you're not feeling too great still. Have they given you anything to take to ease the OHSS symptoms?
It's already hard enough going through IVF and takes a huge toll and then to have this on top!

I woke up this morning feeling okay, but all of a sudden I have cramps and abdomen hurts a bit, got a headache now, feeling a bit feverish/shivery. So I'm worried I've got an infection! Going to see how it goes and if it doesn't get better or gets worse I'm gonna call the out of hours nurses number for my clinic 😭

@EvaA17 Oh no you poor thing. Did you take the antibiotic on the day? Have you been given anything else?

@Seasidegirll Sorry you're struggling. Is it just pain or sickness? Have they given you anything to help?

It's seriously frustrating thinking tomorrow would be transfer day but instead we are feeling like this! I spoke to the emergency nurse today as the Cabergoline they gave me on Friday has been giving me hallucinations so now I have to stop that 😰. I'm up and about with no pain just insanely bloated.

Blimey, we’ve all been through it the last few days haven’t we 😩😵‍💫 I hope we all start to feel better soon! No sickness thankfully, just a lot of pain and discomfort but I seem to be a bit more mobile this evening so I hope (really bloody hope!!) I’m over the worst of it.

Do you guys know what time you’ll be expecting a call from the embryologist tomorrow? Where I’ve been so unwell I haven’t really thought much about it, not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but I’m feeling very very anxious now. I just hope we get at least 2 for the freezer!

Glad you're feeling better. Fingers crossed we are all past the worst.

My clinic phone before 10.30 apparently... I'm also so worried now it's tomorrow! I had 18 fertilise in the end - how many did you have? Preparing myself to lose 50% 🥺 also keep thinking what if they all go....! 🫣

Only 9 of mine fertilised so doesn’t we could potentially only get a few 🤞🏻😬

@EvaA17 how are you doing? Did you end up ringing the emergency line?

Literally so anxious and convinced they're going to forgot to call me 😂

@Hollielouise oh gosh! Hallucinations! What have they given you instead now? I hope you're feeling better and the bloat is getting better.
Has the embryologist called you yet?

@Seasidegirll I've spoken to my nurse and she's said to monitor my fever and if I get shortness of breath to go to A&E. how are you feeling? And any news from the embryologist?

Got everything crossed for you both xx

@EvaA17 How is the fever? I hope you're ok. Is it common with OHSS? They didn't give me anything else to try after Cabergoline. I take Metformin anyway for lean PCOS and apparently that can help.

@Hollielouise what did the embryologist say? Hope the update was good! X

Thank you @Seasidegirll I'm so sorry you didn't get the news you had hoped for. There is hope for tomorrow though 🤞🏼

We had the call eventually - 12 embryos have been frozen today and the 6 remaining will be checked tomorrow for progress x

@Hollielouise the fever seems to be okay, but I'm getting these sudden bursts of feeling clammy. I don't know if my body is just trying to fight something off?
I'm going to see my nurse tomorrow, and they will do a scan.

@Seasidegirll I hope you're feeling okay. I saw your post on the other thread, and I really hope you get some positive news tomorrow. Sending you a lot of love!

Hey! Thought I’d check in and see how you guys are doing? We’ve got a consultation on Tuesday to talk about what might have go wrong for us, very anxious but it also couldn’t come sooner!! My period also hasn’t started yet and it’s driving me insane!! Have you guys had yours yet?

Hey @Seasidegirll That's great you're having a consultation tomorrow - what were your final numbers? It's such a cruel and exhausting process, and so unfair with OHSS thrown in for you.
I've also not started my period and beyond frustrated. We've got our FET consultation on Thursday but I don't understand how you can time the next cycle for transfer when mine could be months away with PCOS 🫠

@EvaA17 How are you doing? Have you had your consultation yet for FET? Hope you're over the fever and OHSS.

@Seasidegirll ahh good luck for the consultation and hopefully they are able to give you some answers. I've got everything my crossed for your frozen embryo! How are your OHSS symptoms? Are you feeling better?

@Hollielouise how are you feeling? And how are your symptoms? I hope those have eased for you too.

Ah you both have your consultation already? I don't have mine yet. My nurse emailed me last Thursday to say they would let me know as soon as possible but I haven't heard anything yet, so I am gonna chase them tomorrow. The information about FET and the usual timeframes on the internet are so confusing - so I'm trying my best not to read them and stress myself out. I'm trying to figure out timelines to see if we can go on a short break somewhere before we start the prep etc.

Also, I got my bleed last Wednesday, 5 days after my EC! I was expecting 1-2 weeks and got worried that mine came too early but my nurse said it varies from patient to patient and how you've reacted to hormones. It has been SO painful, draining and really heavy! Sorry for the tmi but oh my god did it drain me out. I'm almost at the end of it now which is a relief. I am feeling much better, have found that since the bleed I've been feeling less bloated and heavy in my abdomen although it's not completely flat like it used to be. So who knows! My face is super swollen still, I think that's just side effects of hormones and water retention.

Good luck to you both for the consultations, let me know how it goes x 🤍

Also did you both take pessaries after EC? I've heard that it can delay the bleed a bit.

Also @Hollielouise they might do a medicated cycle for you instead of a normal cycle so they can control when you do ovulate etc. but I'm sure they'll answer your questions in your consultation.

Yes I did take pessaries for a few days after EC, so I assume is taking a bit longer because of that! Oh god @EvaA17 I’m not looking forward to how heavy and painful it’s going to be 😵‍💫 glad you’re nearly over the worst of it and you’re feeling much better! My OHSS symptoms have completely gone now thankfully, took about a week or so to feel ‘normal’ again. I’m also very confused about all the FET timings so I’ve stopped looking now, it’s just another thing to work myself up about 😂

@Hollielouise we only ended up with one day 6 embryo in the end, still such a massive head f**ck. We went from 9 fertilised on day 1, to maybe not having any at all!! If I’m being completely honest, I’ve really struggled dealing with it all. I’ve got down such a rabbit hole of what could have possibly happened so I’m pleased to have our consultant tomorrow. I hope yours goes well on Thursday!

Hello ladies! Hope you don't mind I join ☺️
Had my last FET cycle resulting in a BFN 2 weeks ago so here I am planning the next one.
Had my review meeting this morning and been given the go ahead to plan the next cycle. Now I'm waiting for the nursing team to call to discuss timeframes etc but hoping to start again mid-July.
I have 3 embryos remaining in the freezer but crossing fingers the next one is The One 🤞
Now I just need something to distract me for the next 6 weeks and be a bit more active!

@Loute02 Welcome! Sorry to hear your last cycle wasn't successful 💕 Great news that you're lined up to go again. Are your cycles quite regular? Did you have a choice of protocol/drugs for the FET cycle?

@Seasidegirll I really hope you get some answers today - how you're feeling is totally understandable after such high numbers retrieved 💖

@EvaA17 I was on pressures for two days before they decided to freeze all. I've just started my withdrawal bleeding today - 13 days after EC!! Delighted to have started but terrified of how awful it is going to be. I'll let you know what they say on Thursday re timings and protocol options.

Are you putting/have you previously only put one embryo back? I'm wondering if it's really foolish to want two and hope it increases chances...

@Hollielouise thanks! My cycles are usually quite regular but I still asked for a medicated cycle. I don't think I can deal with cancelled cycles and uncertainty. I will be on cetrotide and progynova when cycle start then utrogestan. The only thing is that my progesterone levels just before transfer were a bit borderline so wonder if I should start also lubion injections earlier.
I'll stick to 1 embryo transfer as it is still advised for my age and circumstances.

Are you going to try something different? Food/sport/supplements?

Slightly mad but have just had my consultation and he said that if I'm fully recovered we can do FET this cycle... so I would be starting Progynova today and transfer sometime on the 19-21st June. I'm heading for a scan now to check everything is ok but really wasn't expecting to go for it straight away!

@Loute02 welcome! Sorry to hear your round was unsuccessful. Hopefully this next transfer is a successful one for you! It's honestly just so up and down with the uncertainty but you've got this!

@Seasidegirll how did your consultation go? I really hope they managed to give you some answers. I can't imagine how it feels. Honestly this whole IVF process is one huge mind f* sometimes. Like it's so unpredictable and something happens and then you're just like what is even going on. The amount of unanswered questions too - it's just too much sometimes so I really hope they were able to give you some answers which have helped you process what happened. Have they given you timeframes?

@Hollielouise i hope your withdrawal bleed is going okay! And wow! I didn't realise you could have your FET cycle prep so soon and during the withdrawal bleed. Did the scan go okay?

Also, I have my consultation on 17th June and my scan provisionally booked for 21st June, I'm due my period on 25th June so they will have me start taking the progynova on the first day of my cycle. But I think my consultant might want me to wait till my July bleed according to the nurse, but will know more on 17th June if consultant thinks my body is ready for it. If we opt for my June bleed then transfer will second week of July - not too far from my birthday. It's all a bit confusing and just seems like there's no set protocol for FET?!? Again, just so confusing!

@Hollielouise how did the scan go? Did you have a full cycle between your last attempt and now? My clinic advise at least one full cycle. I'll go for 2 full cycles just because I'm going on holiday at the end of June and don't want to have to mess around with injections 😅

@EvaA17 how do they know if your body will be ready or not? Is it with a scan or blood tests? Do you know what medication you'll have?

Evening 👋🏼 Scan went well yesterday - still have CL cysts from egg collection but that's expected. I started the Progynova today. Next scan in a week and will see how the lining is...! No injections thankfully.

@Loute02 I only had egg collection for my first ICSI cycle on the 22nd May and froze 12 embryos. There's a few recent papers written recently discussing waiting vs going straight in during the withdrawal bleed. It is controversial!