FET Aug 2024

[Gnatalie16]

Hi,
Is anyone else getting ready for FET in August? I've just started oestrogen got my 1st scan booked for next Wednesday.
This is our first transfer so lots of mixed emotions but trying to remain really positive.

@Gnatalie16 i think we all go a bit crazy. We say we won’t test but we do. We do loads of tests, every day and obsessively watch for the line darkening. It’s a tough and highly stressful time.
like you say you’ve still got time so I’ll stay hopeful for you

@Gnatalie16 I took a test 6dp5dt too and I got an evap line on a sensitive test so I think im out. Waiting for 9dp5dt (tomorrow) to do my confirmation test when ill lose hope completely. Otd is only 11dp5dt though… I’m not sure my poor bum can handle much more cyclogest 😥 so contemplating stopping early.

It makes more sense to use your better sensitive tests early. By test day I think any test should detect it.

@Gnatalie16 I use Wondfo (cheap tests off Amazon) and first response for very early testing. Don’t lose hope until OTD.

@SamVan I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. For what it’s worth with cyclogest my clinic said you can use this vaginally or rectally. I tend to switch between the two to give myself a break. If using vaginally then best to lie down 30mins after to stop it coming out during the 20-30 mins it takes for your body to absorb the progesterone within the fats/oil pessary and I tend to put a panty liner in!

@SamVan ah I have probably done it the wrong way around then was using all my cheapies so that come next week I had the expensive good ones to use! I'm really going to try holding out not till next Thursday I think because I'm starting to drive myself insane!

@Zypig thank you ! Unfortunately if tried them vaginally before and it felt worse plus gave me a yeast infection. I think for my next round I’ll get progesterone shots instead. :)

@Gnatalie16 Is next Thursday your official test date? That’s so long! I’m a bit confused about why clinics have such late test dates. Mine is 11dp5dt. I’d be interested to know how many people test negative then test positive on 11dp5dt. I feel like 9dp5dt must be enough as your period would be due then.

@SamVan yep next Thursday OTD it seems like an eternity away lol
I want to know as well because we are moving soon and at the moment I'm not helping with much and I feel bad but if it's negative I might as well crack on and do my fair share!

I just tested positive guys!!!! I included my 6 day test in case it helps anyone. It was totally grey and translucent so I thought it was an evap line (and maybe it is) but clear positive on the 8 day test - both a boots sensitive test and just a regular not sensitive test. I’m so happy!!!! My husband is coming back from a work trip tomorrow and I am planning how to break the news to him 😍

@SamVan that's amazing news congrats!

I did a test just now and I have a very faint 2nd line I'm in shock sent it to my friend asking if I am going mad 😅 going to do another in the morning to see what that comes back as, I've never had a positive test so I am feeling really unsure right now but oh my god this has lifted my mood!

@Gnatalie16 so happy for you too!!! I think a faint line is a positive unless it’s an evap. Honestly now I look at my 6 day test I wonder if it was an evap or maybe just a very early positive. How many dp5dt are you today? And was your pee really concentrate? Mine was.

I’ve never had a positive test either and was so sure it hadn’t worked that I had set up an appointment to do another egg collection next week. I’m totally dry - no fluid at all and I thought it was normal to have more fluid.

@SamVan so I had my transfer a week ago today so does that make me 7 or 8 days I get confused lol. Doesn't look to be an evap line but def doing another in the morning to be sure.

Congrats @SamVan and @Gnatalie16!! Thrilled for you both!
Looks like a good line to me @SamVan

I caved and did another one...

Congrats @Gnatalie16 & @SamVan amazing news.

For what it’s worth here are my first positive tests. The FRER was clear but the other one (Wondfo) was an absolute squinter, it’s actually clearer in the picture than in real life! A lines a line and tests are different.

My official test date is 14days after transfer which is crazy late! My clinic doesn’t do HCG tests as standard so I paid to get an HCG done on Wednesday and will get another tomorrow (12dp5dt) to see if it is increasing 🙏🏻

Congratulations everyone. I have just done my trigger, for transfer next Friday. My lining is the thickest it has been at 7.9mm, the letrozole has really helped!

Thanks @Kp121 and @Zypig ! Zypig where did you do your hcg test? I am with guys hospital and they want to wait for my official test date to plan anything and I know from others in this clinic that they don’t do any tests till a 7 weeks viability scan. I spoke to a nurse today and she said it was too early to test and has made me a bit worried that I’ll lose it before then as it’s still so early 😭 I have been having some cramps and thought my period was coming. Hopefully all is good!

I’m at UCLH and it sounds the same as Guys, just an at home test 14dp5dt and then ultrasound at 7 weeks.

I went to Ultrasound Direct but I think there are places that do HCG testing all over. I found this article super helpful to understand it:

https://theluckyegg.com/2023/12/03/understanding-beta-hcg-levels-after-ivf/

great lining @AnonS - good luck with the transfer!

@Gnatalie16 @SamVan huge congratulations to both of you xxx

@Hoppy1985 thank you! I just saw that we are at the same clinic. I’ve met two other ladies on here who are at guys are both have recently had positives too. Hope the same for you!

@AnonS that’s great news!! Good luck with the transfer next week :)

@Zypig thanks for the recs! I’ll have a look into them. Did your clinic say anything about traveling? I’ve got two foreign weddings and a long haul holiday planned in the first trimester and I’m not sure if I should really just remain here. I found being in limbo with getting pregnant was so hard that I didn’t want to just put things on hold.

@SamVan I actually asked this during my first FET as I travel quite a bit with work. They said it was totally fine but to stay well hydrated and for long haul to walk around and use compression stockings. This is just because taking estrogen slightly increases the risk of DVT. They also reminded me to carry my meds in hand luggage not checked and take a few extra days worth in case of travel hiccups!

I totally understand the limbo feeling, it’s so hard to balance it all, I’m with you though, we can’t put our lives on hold!

@Zypig thanks for the tip!! Yeah I think putting lives on hold just adds too much pressure. My test lines are a bit lighter today which is making me stressed. 😭 there’s still a clear red line but it’s just less dark. I hope it’s not a sign of a chemical. Will test again on otd - Monday.

Yey @AnonS ! That's a good reading after the last one you had! When is the transfer scheduled for?
Started Lubion on Thursday as well as the pessaries. Feeling all sorts of bloated/headaches, might be totally unrelated though 😄 my transfer is scheduled for Tuesday lunchtime.
Tentative congratulations on all the early positive tests!

@SamVan totally get it, don’t forget your hydration has a massive impact on those lines though. I had a test yesterday that I thought might be lighter and then another this morning was definitely darker again. I think it was just how much I’d drank and a base of paranoia 😂.

@Zypig yeah I did first morning urine for both! I’m gonna try to avoid testing again till Monday as I’ll have a better idea by then. I’m having some mild period type cramps too which is freaking me out.

@loute02 Transfer is booked for Friday, started cyclogest, lubion and aspirin today. Hoping this is the 4th and final one. All the best for Tuesday.

Just thought I would update post transfer. Unfortunately my transfer last Monday didn't go great as although my 5d blastocyst thawed it didn't expand back to it's original size, so the nurse told me that does make the chance of implantation lower. The nurse checked just before they implanted and said she could see the top corner was just starting to re-expand so they would keep their fingers crossed, but I came out of the appointment feeling really, really down.

It was already my lowest graded blastocyst, age is against me (39) and now this :( so I am holding out very little hope. Googling did not help (I know, I shouldn't have done it). Anyway, I've decided to just hold out to my OTD as I couldn't face testing early, it being negative, and continuing to hope for another however many days.

I wasn't going to post as this forum feels like such a positive space at the minute, but a kind fellow ivf-er pointed out to me that there may be others feeling just as down and that it's important for them to know they're not on their own and it isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

For those of you that are experiencing positive outcomes or news though, I am really, really happy for you and I really hope that continues. This journey can really take it out of you and it's nice to see happy endings. All the love to you all.