Heavy bleeding after embryo transfer - can I stop cyclogest

[BirdIsland]

I had a fresh embryo transfer last Thursday and I started bleeding heavily on Wednesday night (so 6dp5dt). I'm still bleeding heavily with clots so I'm very definitely not pregnant, and a home test has confirmed this. Is there any point in continuing with cyclogest? Does it do anything but help support pregnancy?

The clinic said to continue but I assume they always say that. Obviously things are bad enough right now with not being pregnant and bleeding so much, I don't particularly want to keep using Cyclogest if it's just totally pointless at this stage ☹️

How heavy is your heavy bleeding? Many women bleed in pregnancy and 6dp5dt is generally too early to get a positive test for most, so you could still be pregnant. Clots don't sound good though but still I would wait till the OTD before stopping progesterone. Sorry you are in this situation, hope you are well supported.

Thanks for replying @Serendipity24. Bleeding is really heavy, like a bad period, plus painful cramping. Definitely no chance of pregnancy.

I do have support, but still cried in the baby section of M&S today. It's so hard, each successful step gets your hopes up, then it just comes crashing down again.

I totally get what you mean 😥

@BirdIsland im a fellow IVFer and just want to say I absolutely feel your pain 😥
On both my failed transfer I started spotting within 7 days and I knew I was out so stopped my cyclogest against the clinics advice.
Like you, i didn’t want to prolong the inevitable.
It is still very early so maybe give it another few days before stopping x

Thank you ❤️ Going to keep taking the cyclogest for now, even though I'm still bleeding and having cramps so chance of pregnancy is zilch. This is all so hard, I didn't even realise you could start bleeding when taking progesterone so it came as a real shock.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. After my recent fresh transfer I got a migraine, then spotting and by the time I got to OTD my period had started. After that bleeding was really heavy. I kept taking the cyclogest until my clinic told me to stop but it did seem pointless! Test was a BFN as expected.

I thought I was likely out after the migraine because all my symptoms went and I normally get them before my period but I still tried to be positive, hard as that was.

All that being said some women do bleed and are still pregnant and I think I read bleeding, even heavy bleeding is more likely with IVF pregnancies too and many women have it and still go on to have healthy pregnancies.

I'm going to ask my consultant when I see him about bleeding while on progesterone, I think if your body knows your not pregnant you can bleed anyway - it was a massive shock to me too as I'd told my OH it has fine for him to go away as assumed I'd be none the wiser until test day!

Hi, I had similar on my last transfer - started bleeding about a week after my 5dt, right when my period was due. I must admit I sacked off the progesterone even though clinic advised I’d take til test day but I knew the day before something had happened as I felt it intuitively and ultimately it would be less meds to buy next round. I flagged to my doctor on the follow up call that I bled 5 days before test date and they advised to do lubion for the next cycle too. I’m pretty sure this cycle is a bust also but I’m on my normal period day from EC today and no bleeding yet so at least know progesterone has kept bleeding at bay, as it should.

Also it is so hard, take care ❤️

Reassuring to hear that others have had similar experiences, but also so sorry ❤️

I've ditched the cyclogest, and even had a glass of wine today! Did a test this morning again just to be sure, BFN as expected.

I've got one frozen embryo left (only two made it to blasto) so will definitely ask the clinic for extra drugs next cycle to try and keep the bleeding at bay. Working it out the bleeding arrived bang on time for AF working from egg collection as ovulation. So irritating that my reproductive system can be so efficient when it comes to timing of AF, but apparently can't manage to make a nice comfy home for a fertilized embryo 😠

So sorry to hear about the BFN!

When I had my first fresh transfer in feb, I bled 5dpt with minor clots and period like flow and eventually cramps. I knew it had failed and stopped cyclogest after few more days. After a follow up, my consultant recommended in my next frozen transfer to add extra progesterone injection due to my early bleeding in first round. So maybe worth asking your consultant whether this is for you.

Someone else who started bleeding 5dpt on my fresh cycle. I also only got 2 embryos that cycle. All the rest of my transfers were FETs and I never had the same issue again (and have always said I'd never do a fresh transfer again - I think it just messes too much with my body). To try give some hope, my first FET was a CP, but I went on to have another egg collection (freeze all) and froze 3 embryos. 1st embryo transfer is my DD, and I'm 34 weeks pregnant from my 2nd embryo transfer, with the third still frozen. So it can all work out eventually x

I'll definitely ask about extra drugs for the 2ww if my frozen embryo is suitable for transfer - I've had PGT and will get the results of that in a week or so. I do feel like the transfer, plus the drugs, has totally messed with my body. I'm still bleeding and having uncomfortable cramps which wouldn't be the case with a normal period, but I suppose that's to be expected given ALL the drugs in the run up to egg collection.

Nice to hear a positive story @2mumlife, this is my one shot at IVF (I'm lucky enough to have one DC already so paying privately) so I have everything crossed for my one remaining embryo 🤞

@BirdIsland just wanted to send you some love. I found out my fresh cycle didn't work last week and I'm still very much trying to come to terms with it. I also bled before OTD (thankfully on the morning I had tested so I knew it was a BFN). Feeling desperate to go again with a FET but have to sit on a 3-4 month waiting list before doing so. All the best for your next one xx

Wishing you best of luck OP

Thank you everyone xx I'm going to call the clinic this morning to find out next steps. Don't know if my remaining embryo is viable yet but I want to see if I can get booked in just in case it is. We've been trying so long and our agreed cut off is the end of this year - we felt we needed a line in the sand somewhere because keeping trying is too hard. If the final embryo isn't viable I'd like a couple of final 'natural' cycles before we stop trying for good. Not very logical but feels like what I need.

Hi everyone, I realise this is an old thread so may not get a response. IVF really is such a rollercoaster isn’t it. I hope all of you are doing ok. For those of you whose period did arrive early, did your clinics give an explanation as to why that happened? I had my fresh transfer on 10th Feb. Spotting from 7 days post transfer (thought it was implantation) tested positive on 19th Feb (9DPT) bleeding since 11DPT - like an actual period but I’m still testing positive. My OTD was today and still testing positive.
I think I’m being ridiculous holding out hope I could be pregnant given the volume of blood. I obviously don’t know the reason this has happened but I brought up with the clinic multiple times my progesterone has been an issue for a long time and I was told the pessarys are enough. I can’t help but sit and think would this embryo of stuck if I had been given injections too. Initially this transfer was my only embryo but when I arrived at the clinic they told me another one had made it to freeze, but due to this I’m terrified it won’t survive the thawing process

@Appleblossom31 hi there, fingers crossed this little one does stick and you get some good news 🤞🏼
I had 4 transfers in total, 1 which ended in a miscarriage, 2 failed and the last was my little boy 😍
I spotted within the 7 days on both my failed transfers and like you I had massive concerns it was my progestrone levels causing an issue.
On the 4th transfer I demanded I have Lubion injections as well as the pessarys. They happily gave this to me although they didn’t think this was the issue.
That transfer ended in my son, it could just be complete coincidence but I’m adamant that was the issue.
Discuss your concerns with your clinic and if your still unhappy push for the injections.
Wishing you the best of luck in your journey x