Anyone else on a fresh cycle?

[SixTimesACharm2025]

Trying for Baby 2 after a rough year with fertility treatments (missed miscarriage April 2025 FET, unsuccessful round August 2025 FET). No embryos left so started a fresh cycle. Started stims Wednesday night and cetrotide this morning with egg collection planned for some time week beginning 27th Oct. Our first baby was born via IVF in July 2024 after one miscarraige (fresh cycle) and a failed FET. I suppose its fair to say we aren't necessarily new to this but it's never easy and thought it might be nice to chat with others.

Hey, I would love to join you (or at least be in the same not super amazing boat!).
We had our NHS cycle in October 2023, resulting in 5AA fresh successful transfer (similar to you as also born in July 2024) and a 4AA (which was just transferred in an unsuccessful FET). We are MFI and my husband has frozen sperm as a back up (unexplained but the prevailing thought is it will tend to 0 through time, was 0.1m per ml at our first round).
We had a natural miscarriage at 7 weeks before going for IVF.
Our FET has just failed so going to call the clinic tomorrow and see when we can start stims.
I breastfed for 13 months and have more follicles than before even though I am now 38, so want to get started ASAP!

Hi there @TheFanciestPants
Massive congrats on your now toddler, our little ones are the same age then!

I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage also. It's heartbreaking.

It's so great to hear you have so many follicles. Fingers crossed you can put them to work ASAP and get started. When are you hoping to start?

I just had a monitoring scan today and there's some activity starting. I tend to have a low and slow response to stimulation so not as fortunate in the follicle department. Trying to stay healthy and avoid covid/illnesses to get over the line 😷

Aww thank you! Yes, it's such a great age but definitely one full of colds/viruses. We all had a cold during the FET so that just added to the drama!

It's such a tough journey for so many people, sorry you have been through all of that. It's hard as a lot of people are struggling to have number 1, so I don't want to complain as their situations are heartbreaking and I know I felt very bleak before getting pregnant. I would really love a second baby as I have enjoyed being a parent a lot but it is a different feeling.

I have my call booked for Wednesday so will find out then if I can come off meds and then cycle with withdrawal bleed or if they want me to take a cycle off.

That sounds great re: follicles, slow and steady wins the race!

I have quite low AMH so have gone up from 9 follicles two years ago to 13 now. I had a few issues with my stims cycle (long story, I had a failed cycle first as my cycles were short so 2 follicles were way ahead so as I only got one nhs round it was cancelled so I could have another try. However, I ended up with a cyst on my right ovary for the cycle that went ahead so only one egg was collected). So I ended up doing a long down reg cycle, where I got 4 mature eggs, so hoping to capitalise on the quiet ovary situation (currently all quiet due to FET drugs) and hoping to avoid down reg if I can!

How did your call go @TheFanciestPants? Any news on your cycle?

Gosh you've had alot to navigate, I'm so sorry. You sound really ready to go so I hope you get a clear run of it now.

I had my egg collection yesterday and got 7 which was an amazing result for me, most I've ever had. 5 were mature but only two have fertilised. I can't help but feel disappointed. I've to wait until Saturday now to see if what happens next but there is a possibility of a day 3 transfer which would happen sat (if anything even survives until then). Its going to be a long 48 hr wait. Forgot how hard this part is too. I've only ever had a day 5 transfer before so that's playing on my mind now too.

Hey hey, 7 eggs is great! I understand your disappointment with only 2 fertilised, but I ended up with similar with my successful fresh round, we got 3 fertilised so thought we would have a day 3 transfer, but all 3 were perfect at day 3 so they let it roll to day 5. One lady in the monthly IVF group I was in only had 1 day 3, so transferred and she had a baby too!
Fingers crossed for you!
I am ok, probably sounds silly, but I feel quite bereft that my one frostie didn't work out and I guess I didn't really anticipate how hard I would take it!
Full steam ahead for the next cycle, will start down regging hopefully on 12 November. Going to do the same protocol as last time (2 years ago!) so fingers crossed being 38 won't be too big a barrier.
Sending lots of unmumsnetty hugs xxx

Hey @TheFanciestPants, it's not silly at all to grieve the frostie. This entire process is full of so many different types of grief and loss at almost every stage. I totally get it and I bet everyone in this community understands too. I'm glad the weeks are counting down and you sound so ready to go. I'm rooting for you!

And now to not take my own advice lol, I'm finding it hard not to mourn for those eggs that didn't fertilise and to let go of all that hope. I'm so nervous that they won't make it to day 3. This is the worst rate of fertilisation we've ever had, previously we had a small number of eggs but high fertilisation rates so I wasn't anticipating this hurdle. Sat morning feels so far away. My confidence has been quite knocked and I'm trying hard not to let my mind go too far into the future.

Aww @SixTimesACharm2025, it's such a tough roller coaster isn't it. I will keep my fingers crossed for your beautiful little embryos.
That's tough on the fertilisation front, did you do IVF or ICSI? We are MFI so ICSI for us. One of my eggs collapsed last time, so even that isn't fool proof 🙄
My friend has had a lot of IVF cycles (20+ but she now has 3 children!) and on her last one she had some eggs fertilised abnormally, she said you couldn't make it up, something new always goes wrong.

@SixTimesACharm2025 thinking of you today 🤞 your wonderful embryos are doing well!

Hey @SixTimesACharm2025 thanks so much for the lovely messages and support. We transferred a fantastic embryo on day 5. Unfortunately the other little one didn't make it. Means there's alot riding on this little guy. No pressure. Yes we use ICSI too. Any updates for you yet? I forgot the tiredness that comes after transfer and the progesterone.

Amazing news!!! Fingers crossed for your fabulous day 5 embryo 🤞🤞🤞
Sorry to hear about your other one, it's always really tough (I still feel sad about our embryo that didn't make the freeze so definitely understand), still an amazing result too.
I am waiting to start down regging hopefully next week. It takes a long time for us long protocol ladies (quite funny as my normal cycle has always been on the shorter side) but hopefully it'll all be worth the wait.

Ah amazing @SixTimesACharm2025. I'm super excited for you. I didnt know what a long protocol was..had to Google it. Just a few days to go for you. Fingers are crossed for you.

I'm 4dp5dt today. Starting to feel the nerves creep in as test day is this day week. My missed miscarriage in April, I had spotting and cramps 5 and 6dp5dt so I get so nervous from here on. Last round that was unsuccessful i had backache and my back feels a bit achy today. Its so hard to stop the comparisons between cycles. Worst thing is I've always been right when it hasn't worked. It's too early to be giving up hope

Ahhh, I completely agree with the "knowing". I knew when I was pregnant both times and I am 100% sure I felt implantation which I didn't with my FET, I also just had a feeling with both my transfers (I said to my husband coming out of the FET I just didn't have good vibes...) I also knew my son was a boy.
As a statistician I know the odds and people would say it's probably all in my head, but who knows?! Probably sounds a bit unhinged but hopefully it makes sense to a fellow IVF-er 🤣
Wishing you the absolute best and that your lovely embaby gives you your long awaited bfp!

@SixTimesACharm2025 hope you are well and wishing massive good luck to you! I have started down reg, so at least taking a proper step forward!

Hey @SixTimesACharm2025
Sorry foe the delay. I went back to work this week and it's been so busy between work and home life. Tomorrow is the big day. I need to be put out of my misery. Was doing ok until Wednesday when the panic set in. Have my blood test in the morning and then we wait for the call.

Oh my gosh you've started, amazing..how are you feeling??

I will keep my fingers crossed for you 🤞🤞🤞
Yeah, not too bad so far. To be honest, it all feels lower stakes than the first time around, but still very nervous. I had 9 follicles at baseline which is not too shabby, just have to keep hoping it goes ok.

@TheFanciestPants 9 follicles...wow!!! That's amazing. How are you finding the meds?

So we got some good news....the test was positive and beta looks good. We are shocked and over the moon. Really couldn't have called it...I knew this felt similar to my cycle where I got pregnant and nothing like those that didn't but after so many cycles of things going wrong it'd hard to trust your gut.
Already finding some worry creeping in but I'm going to try enjoy the feeling for the weekend at least😀

What brilliant, wonderful, lovely news! Massive congratulations to the charm family!
Ahh, thank you, meds are ok. Just taking it day by day and trying not to stress too much. Easier said than done!

Hi, I was just wondering how you are doing @TheFanciestPants? What stage are you at? Im also on long protocol, my first cycle and going for down regulation confirmation scan on Monday.
Really good to hear your news @SixTimesACharm2025 im hoping everything is going well for you

Thanks for the well wishes @RavenWillow @TheFanciestPants. We are delighted. One little embryo. Fingers crossed things go okay now.

Wishing you both successful cycles. A nice way to end the year 😘

@RavenWillow I am currently down-regging and have my suppression scan on Friday. Can hopefully start stims after that. The nurse I saw last week said she thinks it's a shame down-regging is quite rare now! I can see why as it takes so long...
I am having it because my cycles were quite short (pre successful pregnancy) at 24-26 days and therefore starting stims on day 2 my follicles were already growing/different sizes so had an early cancelled first cycle. My cycle is now longer at 30ish days but as it worked last time they said to just do the same again.
Wishing you massive luck for your scan!

So I had my scan and the down regulation has been confirmed so start stimulation on Wednesday then a scan the following wednesday. Hope everything goes well for you on Friday @TheFanciestPants

@RavenWillow @TheFanciestPants thinking of you both.

Hope everything is going ok with you both @SixTimesACharm2025 and @TheFanciestPants. Im feeling so poorly right now. Since starting stims I have what feels like a head cold and a sore throat, not a clue if its related but isnt like a normal cold for me.. just praying it doesnt effect anything koving forward. Continuing stims for now until scan on wednesday

@RavenWillow so sorry to hear you are unwell. The last thing you need. Do you do accupuncture by any chance? I've found that really good for any illnesses that have come my way before or during treatment. I really hope you are on the mend

@SixTimesACharm2025 how are you getting on? Are you feeling ok?
Sorry to hear that @RavenWillow I second the acupuncture and also suggest having some manuka honey.
I am still down-regging, no bleed yet 🙈 , so my appointment was postponed. I need to ring them tomorrow to discuss next steps, I am really worried as need to start stims before 27 November due to Christmas shutdown!
Never simple, is it?!