Transfer this week! Anyone else?

[badtester]

Double embryo transfer tomorrow!

Anyone else transferring this week and want to share the TWW? It's my last ever transfer, after this we're done, and I'm so looking forward to the end of IVF.

(But recognise I'm hugely privileged in that as we have two children already. I haven't managed to carry one though.)

Just wanted to say good luck. Rest, walk, drink lots of water and do things that make you laugh x

Great advice. Thank you! I’ve tried every trick in the book over the years so keeping it simple this time, sleep and water are the main aims!

I can join you. Also very fortunate to have 2 kids from FETs already. I'm in the (much longer than....) TWW after an IUI over the weekend (OTD is 15th October). We have 1 more vial of sperm left for another IUI, and after that we're done, so in a similar boat to you in that our journey is also coming to an end.

You're braver than me doing a double transfer!

@2mumlifeAh fab - that is a long wait! My OTD is the 10th, not sure we’ll get that far. With 4 failed transfers behind me I’m not really expecting this one to be any different - although obviously hoping! - so the double transfer doesn’t feel too risky but of course the possibility is there…!

If you feel able to share, what made you switch to IUI after FETs in the past?

IUI is stupidly long wait but I guess it does make some sense as it akes 5-6 days before you'd be expecting implantation, I've got to take another hcg Ovitrelle injection for early pregnancy support on the 2nd, so that then stops you testing for probably another 5-6 days to make sure its completely cleared your system. I've found my clinic this time around has moved all the OTD back (even for FET as well) to basically know if its posittive at that point its past the early CP range etc as well. My period is due before OTD so I'll either have a period or I wont really....

We did 4 medicated IUIs in 2020 all BFN before moving to IVF. First round of IVF I respoded really poorly despite normal AMH etc and only go 2 mature eggs, boh made to day 5 - fresh transfer BFN started bleeding 5 days after transfer so don't know what happened. FET was a CP. Did a second egg collection with total protocol change. 6 eggs collected, all mature all made it to day 5 but only 3 suitable to freeze (ironically we retested my AMH which came back high so because I was 'at risk of OHSS' despite being a poor responder!? they made it a freeze-all cycle). First FET is my 4yr old, second FET is my 2 yr old.

We only ever intended for 2 kids, but I didn't feel right not to transfer the third embryo which we did earlier this year and was a BFN. Quite a lot of soul searching and counselling later, I wanted to give it another go to have a third and after some discussion with DW she got on board too. Doing IUI because I don't respond well to IVF anyway and its a lot for not that much success, and I really don't want to have any embryos remaining again, as I don't want to destroy or donate them to research to be honest.

Sorry that was a really long story! Do you mind me asking your story? Sorry you've had 4 failed transfers. This is cycle #10 for me now, and its nearly 7 years since we started this whole process (went to an information evening at our clinic roughly Nov/Decmber 2019)

It’s such a long journey, thanks for sharing yours! I really hope it ends with the third baby you want ❤️

Ours started similar sort of time frame in 2020 I think. It seemed really simple at first - we had a known donor, and we did artificial insemination at home. My wife went first but we intended I’d go next. Four months of trying and there she was! Our now 5 year old. She was still tiny when we started trying with me but it didn’t happen, and the logistics with known donor because too hard so we finished that arrangement.

Moved onto a clinic and explore IUI but were told if AI hadnt worked for me probably IUI wouldn’t either and I’d need IVF. When I think about how panicked I was then and how terrified of needles and medical stuff, I’m actually really proud of how far I’ve come (having just had a progesterone injection and a clexane one tonight). I had an egg collection, didn’t do great but got 4 embryos. Two chemicals, one didn’t implant, one didn’t survive thawing.

Moved house, moved clinics, made some financial decisions… When we decided we needed to try again, we just wanted it to work. So my wife had an egg collection and fresh transfer, which was our boy. She had three more embryos to freeze, I had one of them transferred earlier this year, BFN. So the last two are on board now… hoping they’re snuggling in together!

How are you finding this first week so far?

Its lovely you got the chance of a home insemmination for your first. I'm sorry to hear things didn't go to plan with your known donor. I think where you can find a known donor and the relationship works well it is better, but the flip side is it does complicate things if the relationship becomes strained. Hopefully things will improve there in the future. Its lovely its your wifes embryos you're using so all the kids will still have a genetic link. We're lucky that we've used the same donor throughout. What a story you have though if it works to explain all the lovely intricacies of your family. How old's your wee boy?

With having had 2 CPs its a good sign embryos can implant 🙌so hopefully its just about getting the right embryo that can stick it out. I am nervous having had no success with IUI before that this wont work, but I think its also a numbers gam a bit and as IVF doesn't suit our circumstances now, its all we've got left to try. We did discuss with clinic about my wife doing an egg collection after my second round, but even though I'm a poor responder they still said her being older would probably be less likelihood of a good embryo. She's luckily never been interested in being pregnant and not fussed about the genetics.

How you feeling post-transfer?

Fortunately it wasn’t a breakdown of relationship with known donor, he’s great, just a move across the country made it too difficult to carry on.

Feeling absolutely fine although I’m in ALL the medications this time around so barely a couple of hours goes by before next pills, pessaries or injections. Which is a bit of a pain! Conscious that at 3 days past transfer any niggles and twinges I’m feeling are almost definitely the progesterone rather than anything else! Hard not to think about it though.

The rest of my house are ill, my boy was in hospital this week with a bad chest, so there’s not too much capacity for resting and taking it easy. I was intending to try not to lift the kids too much, but it’s just been impossible. Life carries on!

Have your kids picked up on anything at all while you go through it? have you been able to rest up much?

Sorry been quiet, we’re away on holiday this week (just a short UK caravan holiday break). It’s been a good distraction from things. Just feeling normal here to be honest nothing really to report. Think the last few days start of next week will be the hardest part when it’s close to test day though not feel much urge to test at the moment. Definitely carrying the kids here 😂🤦‍♀️ no avoiding it really. My oldest is aware what’s going on but she also understands there might not be a baby and we’ve talked about that we can be disappointed but still happy with the family we have.

Thats great the donor issue was logistics rather than an issue with the relationship 🙂 we he not have been willing to freeze some sperm for you?

Yave you tested yet? How are you feeling?

How you getting on?

So pretty sure we’re out. Pink tinge when wiping yesterday evening and it’s fresh red this morning bang on when period would be due. Not taken a test but will probably do one tomorrow morning just to confirm before I call clinic and see if they’ll let us go straight into the next cycle (we’ve got 1 more try left)

Ah sorry to hear it. I hate finding out that way - the obsessive holding up of loo roll to the light because it seems like it might have a tinge of pink… maybe only I am that bad!

We got a negative. 6 embryos and no success - I think even if I had more to try, I’d be done now. I wish we had money and embryos for my wife. Go again though. We’d love that third child but just can’t spend any more. It’s hard to call it quits.

sending love for the coming days for you, if it does turn out to be a BFN.

Sorry to hear yours was a negative too. I can understand feeling done yourself. Would you look into trying again with your wife if you could arrange the finances? Understand you need to call it quits at some point, but know myself that point is hard (we had planned to stop after our final embryo transfer, but here we are trying IUI again 🙄😂).

Its definitely a negative here. Clinic want me to test again on Thursday (clearly procedure over reality going on, this is very clearly my period). Trying to see if I can get them to just let us do next cycle now.

Hope you've had lots of cuddles with your kids x