Anyone doing FET/IVF Jan/Feb 2016

[MissCassie]

Kat I can totally understand why you're bummed. You're always hoping for more. But your RE is right you have good embies last time. And I forget who it is that said it, but I've seen heaps of people on here get heaps of eggs and they end up with a BFN. Maybe it was even you who said it!

I know I mentioned something similiar Yet still was hoping for a couple of more, mostly to increase the chances of having some frosties since we ended up with 0 last time FETs here are considered a free shot and you can have an unlimited number and the government covers it. Once you've had the 3rd IVF, I think they may cover FETs that come from embies from that round but then that's it. We really want to have as many shots as possible before potentially having to pay for any more IVFs or FETs ourselves.

Hi ladies, I am a bit late to the party but may I join you? I start stims for a new IVF cycle this Saturday and am looking for buddies!

My name is Emma, I was on BnB quite a bit back in 2012 with my first IVF, but have not been around as much in the last couple years. My DH and I got married in 2010, started TTC in 2011; I got pregnant the second cycle but had a m/c, then again in August. In Jan 2012 we went to Cornell in NYC for diagnostic tests and discovered I have a Robertsonian Translocation, which was likely the cause of my m/c's. We did PGD with FISH (older technology that only tests 9 chromosomes), ended up with 5 'normals'; we transfered 2 in a fresh cycle, I got a BFP but m/c at 7 weeks. We then did an FET in the summer of 2012 with 2 more embryos, that resulted in my now 2.5 yr old son Elijah. We then found out we were moving to North Carolina for my DH's work, so I transfered our last frosty, but it was a failed cycle. We planned on just trying naturally, but had two losses in 2014, and then no pregnancies at all in 2015, so in October 2015 I went to a new clinic here to see about one final go at IVF/PGD. So here I am, looking to start meds on Saturday!!!

I am excited to get started, but nervous because of the new clinic, and also because they only saw 6 antral follicles at my baseline, yikes.

Going to go back and read all your stories now, but Danser I saw you are dealing with a translocation too...if you have any questions let me know, I've done lots of reading up on this over the last 4 years!

Looking forward to getting to know all you ladies, and good luck for all your cycles! x

Welcome Emma :wave:

FXed that you get some good quality eggs out of it anyway! They only saw 6-7 at my scan last week and I now have 4 follies (was at my 2nd scan yesterday). I also had 4 follies for my 1st IVF, got 3 good quality eggs and it ended in a CP so was so close (I've since read that a CP bodes better for your furture chances at getting a BFP in the future than a BFN does). I've seen people on here with an insane amount of follies and eggs that fertilised and then the cycle ending in BFN. Here's hoping we're both making quality over quantity

4 follies is is still a good number, as you've said quality iver quantity.. my last stim cycle i had 5 mature folices and 4 of which fertilised and 3 made it to 5 day blasts.
I had a cp my last cycle so hoping that my transfer next week results in an Bfp.

 

[miranda007]

Welcome ewgg!

Welcome back Miss Cassie!! I think my FET will be a few days after you but I'm not sure yet.

Kat -ahhhh right I see the way the system works over there. No wonder you're bummed. I would be too if it worked like that. You want as many shots as u can. But have faith and you're dr is fine you have good quality eggs it's quality not quantity.

AFM - not much happening. Just waiting for first blood test.

 

[KatO79]

Kat -ahhhh right I see the way the system works over there. No wonder you're bummed. I would be too if it worked like that. You want as many shots as u can. But have faith and you're dr is fine you have good quality eggs it's quality not quantity.

AFM - not much happening. Just waiting for first blood test.

Yeah here's hoping it won't matter and I get my super sticky BFP this time or that I get at least 2 that are good to freeze.

Oh forgot to mention I'll be going to my narcissistic mother's house this afternoon as it's her birthday (she's now 78) Here's hoping she behaves herself until either my in-laws or DH arrive a bit later. Thank God I've managed to almost entirely emotionally detach so her barbs don't affect me much! We're all going out to dinner tonight at her favorite Indian restaurant. So won't be much on BnB today although I might check in late tonight.

 

[almosthere]

Good luck kat!

Sry I've been Mia lately stressed about hearing the zika virus has potential to spread in U.S since they found it on tourists but keeping hopeful it wont. Just waiting for tomorrow so i can wake up go to work leave a bit early for my hsg then get my little cutie from school and go home to relax . Nervous for by omorrow since last time they thought they saw fibroids and make me get the test that you need after that one and it was not fun hoping I'll be given the go for my cycle next month eeek!

 

[almosthere]

Welcome ewwg!

 

[danser55]

Hi ladies, I am a bit late to the party but may I join you? I start stims for a new IVF cycle this Saturday and am looking for buddies!

My name is Emma, I was on BnB quite a bit back in 2012 with my first IVF, but have not been around as much in the last couple years. My DH and I got married in 2010, started TTC in 2011; I got pregnant the second cycle but had a m/c, then again in August. In Jan 2012 we went to Cornell in NYC for diagnostic tests and discovered I have a Robertsonian Translocation, which was likely the cause of my m/c's. We did PGD with FISH (older technology that only tests 9 chromosomes), ended up with 5 'normals'; we transfered 2 in a fresh cycle, I got a BFP but m/c at 7 weeks. We then did an FET in the summer of 2012 with 2 more embryos, that resulted in my now 2.5 yr old son Elijah. We then found out we were moving to North Carolina for my DH's work, so I transfered our last frosty, but it was a failed cycle. We planned on just trying naturally, but had two losses in 2014, and then no pregnancies at all in 2015, so in October 2015 I went to a new clinic here to see about one final go at IVF/PGD. So here I am, looking to start meds on Saturday!!!

I am excited to get started, but nervous because of the new clinic, and also because they only saw 6 antral follicles at my baseline, yikes.

Going to go back and read all your stories now, but Danser I saw you are dealing with a translocation too...if you have any questions let me know, I've done lots of reading up on this over the last 4 years!

Looking forward to getting to know all you ladies, and good luck for all your cycles! x

Hi Good luck with the start of your IVF. Did you get a % on how many embryos would be considered normal? What kind of balanced translocation do you have? I'm trying not to worry. It seems like the odds are really quite low. I don't know if I am just being nervous and high strung. Any advice you can offer is appreciated. I'm trying to keep my worrying down too, so I don't upset DH, he has the translocation.

 

[CrazyDogLady]

Hello ladies, hope it's ok if I join this thread

I started gonal-f injections on Tuesday and start cetrotide too on Saturday. Got an action scan on Monday to see how the follicles are doing.

This is our 2nd of ICSI, 1st was in 2013 and resulted in our gorgeous 2 year old son. We didn't have any left to freeze so we're starting all over again this time.

It all seems to be happening so quickly this time. Last time we had years of TTC then waiting for referrals, tests, etc. But we just had to phone up this time!

Reading your guys stories makes me realise that we're actually quite fortunate that our IVF journey is relatively straightforward. My tests all came back clear, our problems conceiving seem to be down to male factor infertility. I hope nobody is offended by that, I guess it just puts it all in perspective.

I'm feeling a bit bloated from the gonal-f (like I've done too many sit-ups), and seem to developing a head cold, but aside from that and some mood swings yesterday, I'm feeling ok so far!

Hope you're all coping ok, and the waiting between stages isn't driving everyone too crazy

I'm off to do tonight's injection

 

[almosthere]

Welcome crazydoglady! At least a few of us are doing ivf due to male factor including me. Sorry to hear you were not able to freeze any I ended up with two so hoping one of them is lucky for me.

 

[ewwg12345]

Good luck Kat – with your cycle and with your family!!

Almosthere, hope your HSG goes well and you get the all clear to move forward! I didn’t realize the Zika virus was in the US now, yikes. Is that the the one spread by mosquitos? Maybe the cold weather will keep it at bay or slow it down, here is hoping…!

Hi CrazyDogLady, good luck with your injections….do you have an idea when you will trigger? How many follicles do you have going so far? All the waiting is hard, and it is difficult not to obsess and worry at every stage (hence why I am back on BnB haha!)

Danser, I have a Robertsonian Translocation (RBT) of chromosomes 13/22. We are doing our testing through Genesis, and they stated that “based on their experience with other translocation carriers they expect 15-20% of embryos to be labelled as normal”. However, the results will vary based on your translocation, and on luck from cycle to cycle since the sample size for one person’s retrieval will be very small. There are 6 possible embryo outcomes for RBT, two of which can result in a healthy pregnancy (either a totally normal embryo or a balanced carrier like myself). The other four outcomes have too much or too little genetic material, and will either miscarry or result in trisomy 13. So that would imply 33% “normal”, but then you have all the other chromosomal abnormalities that can occur outside of the translocation itself (due to age, chance, crappy/immature eggs, etc etc) and I can see how that number would go down. The numbers can be discouraging, but it really is a numbers game, and you just have to keep trying! I am on a facebook group for people with translocations, and loads of ladies on there are simply trying on their own (or with clomid or superovulation), getting through the m/cs, and moving on to the next one. Most of them do eventually have kids, but with losses in between. That was our plan too, but when I didn’t fall pregnant for 9 months I got impatient and so here we are back for more IVF.

Nothing new for me, I am waiting for AF after coming off my BCP and going in for one more ultrasound tomorrow to recheck my follies (there was one that they thought might be a cyst so wanted to check before meds start on Saturday).

Hope everyone is having a good day/evening!

 

[KatO79]

Hello ladies, hope it's ok if I join this thread

I started gonal-f injections on Tuesday and start cetrotide too on Saturday. Got an action scan on Monday to see how the follicles are doing.

This is our 2nd of ICSI, 1st was in 2013 and resulted in our gorgeous 2 year old son. We didn't have any left to freeze so we're starting all over again this time.

It all seems to be happening so quickly this time. Last time we had years of TTC then waiting for referrals, tests, etc. But we just had to phone up this time!

Reading your guys stories makes me realise that we're actually quite fortunate that our IVF journey is relatively straightforward. My tests all came back clear, our problems conceiving seem to be down to male factor infertility. I hope nobody is offended by that, I guess it just puts it all in perspective.

I'm feeling a bit bloated from the gonal-f (like I've done too many sit-ups), and seem to developing a head cold, but aside from that and some mood swings yesterday, I'm feeling ok so far!

Hope you're all coping ok, and the waiting between stages isn't driving everyone too crazy

I'm off to do tonight's injection

Welcome CrazyDogLady

Wow you're so lucky that your 1st ICSI worked, wish I could say the same about my 1st IVF. DH and I have unexplained infertility so no obvious reasons why we were having issues. Even IUI didn't work since all 6 failed and ended in AF. At least with IVF there seems to be a chance since my 1st ended in a CP.

I've been on Cetrotide for the past 3 days and I end up itching pretty bad at the injection site for 1-1½ hours. I was told by my nurse that it's normal to experience irritation at the injection site. All I can say is don't scratch, it makes the itching worse So you're warned if you haven't tried Cetrotide before or in case you've forgotten

 

[almosthere]

Yes zika isn't spreading but was found on tourists there are worries but no crazy spreading yet.

Kat sorry to hear about the irritation that injection causes I've heard icing the site before and after can help.

Ewwg so exciting you start meds sat it's going to fly by!

 

[danser55]

Good luck Kat – with your cycle and with your family!!

Almosthere, hope your HSG goes well and you get the all clear to move forward! I didn’t realize the Zika virus was in the US now, yikes. Is that the the one spread by mosquitos? Maybe the cold weather will keep it at bay or slow it down, here is hoping…!

Hi CrazyDogLady, good luck with your injections….do you have an idea when you will trigger? How many follicles do you have going so far? All the waiting is hard, and it is difficult not to obsess and worry at every stage (hence why I am back on BnB haha!)

Danser, I have a Robertsonian Translocation (RBT) of chromosomes 13/22. We are doing our testing through Genesis, and they stated that “based on their experience with other translocation carriers they expect 15-20% of embryos to be labelled as normal”. However, the results will vary based on your translocation, and on luck from cycle to cycle since the sample size for one person’s retrieval will be very small. There are 6 possible embryo outcomes for RBT, two of which can result in a healthy pregnancy (either a totally normal embryo or a balanced carrier like myself). The other four outcomes have too much or too little genetic material, and will either miscarry or result in trisomy 13. So that would imply 33% “normal”, but then you have all the other chromosomal abnormalities that can occur outside of the translocation itself (due to age, chance, crappy/immature eggs, etc etc) and I can see how that number would go down. The numbers can be discouraging, but it really is a numbers game, and you just have to keep trying! I am on a facebook group for people with translocations, and loads of ladies on there are simply trying on their own (or with clomid or superovulation), getting through the m/cs, and moving on to the next one. Most of them do eventually have kids, but with losses in between. That was our plan too, but when I didn’t fall pregnant for 9 months I got impatient and so here we are back for more IVF.

Nothing new for me, I am waiting for AF after coming off my BCP and going in for one more ultrasound tomorrow to recheck my follies (there was one that they thought might be a cyst so wanted to check before meds start on Saturday).

Hope everyone is having a good day/evening!

I am going through genesis as well. They gave me the same percentage 15-20% I have a phone call with a genetic counselor there tomorrow as well. I hope we get more information and may be ours isn't as bad. My RE said he didn't know too much, but he said some balanced translocations are more severe than others. I'm anxious for the call tomorrow.

 

[Tammerzann]

Kat - Yeah the first genetics counselor we met with said she had never met with a couple who found out about being carriers before getting pregnant. Not sure if that had more to do with the uniqueness of our situation or the limited amount of cases she had under her belt. Either way it was quite the shock! Crossing everything for great egg quality for you!

Danser - We are using Genesis as well! I'm pretty happy with them. Well there customer service at least. We haven't used the science side of them to its full potential yet. My RE said that our chances of a BFP are almost 70% after FET because of all the testing the embies will have gone through to get to that point. But the thing that's keeping me from getting my hopes up too high is knowing there are 87 million steps that we have to get through to get to the transfer. So I feel ya!

Unlucky - When they do the PGD they are just going to focus on checking the embies for my mutation. My husband has the most common mutation and might have another variation related to CF that they don't know much about. So if it doesn't have my mutation they will consider it safe. Not sure what the exact odds are anymore. It's been so long since I was told the odds and so many other numbers have been thrown at me since then that I've somewhat lost track. I haven't had any checkups with fertility clinic since last July. I'm having a few different blood tests and a SHG on Tuesday. The last time they did the SHG everything looked good. But of course anything can change in 1.5 years. FX everything is still good to go!

Miranda - Thanks! Yes things are going to happen so fast! But we all know how the "hurry up, wait, hurry up, wait" goes!

 

[MissCassie]

Have you guys heard about taking baby aspirin when youve done your FET? To help with blood flow?

 

[miranda007]

Miss Cassie - I haven't heard of baby aspirin for blood flow. I've read exercise helps for blood flow - and yoga - I've been going to the gym and will get to yoga before the transfer.

Almosthere - for some reason I thought u were doing a FET this month.. But it's next month. I've decided to cut out the black tea as it has caffeine.

Not much happening with me.. All probably too much info but I have been a bit itchy down there. It's not really bad, and actually I think DTD didn't help the other night..(yeah..you think?!! Lol) So I started to think ohh wonder if this affects FET so found myself calling the nurse.. The things we think about!! She said no internal creams - my neighbour, who is a mid wife, suggested this vinegar and tea tree oil home remedy. So I did that tonight and it kind of stung. Anyway - am sure it will go soon!!

 

[KatO79]

So got back from my scan and everything looks good although I might only end up with 3 follies of the right size at ER (so pretty much same situation as for IVF #1) but the RE said we'll see. I go in for one last scan on Sunday and she's 99% sure my ER will be on Tuesday

 

[danser55]

Tammerzzan Our RE said we have a 60-70% chance too, but with the lower odds of having a normal embryo I don't know how it will affect things. I have a conference call with a genetic counselor this morning.

 

[ewwg12345]

Hi to Tammer, Unlucky, and Miranda (and any other ladies) sorry if I missed you before, just getting caught up on everyones stories! 

Miranda when will your blood tests be? Overall I find FETs much easier than retrievals, except for all the waiting! Hope things move quickly for you.

CrazyDogLady hope your injections are going well!

Unlucky hope your blood tests went well and time is moving quickly for you this cycle. FET is supposed to be easier on the body, since your body is not trying to establish a pregnancy and heal the overstimmed ovaries at the same time. Here is hoping it does the trick for you!

Almosthere hope your HSG was all clear today!

Tammer good luck with your HSG, that is never a comfortable test but hoping all is clear and looks good! How funny we are all with Genesis. The ladies on my translocation group have nothing but good things to say about it, so I am hopeful they are good at the “science” side of things as well as the customer service! PGD/PGS is certainly nervewracking but hopefully all the waiting will pay off with high quality embryos for transfer! x

Danser, hope all goes well talking to the genetic counselor! I spoke with two of them back in 2012 when we were diagnosed but I’ve forgotten most of it now….be sure to ask about your breakpoints (large vs small), what that means in terms of ability/likelihood to carry a UBT embryo to term vs propensity for miscarriages. Because we have chromosome 13 involved we have a high chance of Trisomy 13, which can make it to term. Some other chromosomes will almost never make it to term in a UBT scenario. I’m sure they will have lots of good info for you. Just remember you have a very good chance of having a healthy baby with a translocation if you keep trying…the fact that your husband and his family are here is proof of that!

Kat, yay for ER on Tuesday! That is just 4 days from now!!! 3 follies is all you need if you have a golden egg in there….here’s hoping for 3 golden eggs, a perfect embryo to transfer and two for the freezer! x

MissCassie I know lots of ladies will take baby aspirin to improve blood flow and reduce clotting. I think it can be helpful, but I’d check with your RE just to be sure. Some REs even recommend/prescribe baby aspirin to their patients to help implantation! Another thing that can help (in addition to exercise and yoga as Miranda said) is acupuncture right before and then following transfer. There are studies that have shown it can improve success rates….as well as others that show it has no significant effect. I did it last time and found if nothing else it really relaxed me, so I’m doing it again this time, both leading up to retrieval and for my FET, assuming we’ll have anything to transfer.

AFM, I had a second baseline ultrasound today to make sure there was no cyst – the cyst was gone, and they saw a few more follicles than last time so I am feeling a bit better about my chances. With the translocation I know the majority of the eggs will be duds so I want as many as I can get to up my odds! I am all clear so should start stims tomorrow night. I’m starting on 375 gonal and 75 menopur, this is higher FSH and lower menopur than my last cycle. Oh well I guess we’ll see what the results are.

Have a great weekend ladies, and those in the US enjoy the long weekend! xx

 

[danser55]

Thanks ewwg12345 I had my call this morning. It went ok. I didn't see this until now so I didn't get to ask those questions but I can always call our person back. They said they lump all translocations together and from their data 15-20% are normal. Unfortunately she couldn't give us any details on our specific translocation. It could be higher it could be lower. I just keep telling myself it only take one!

 

[KatO79]

AFM, I had a second baseline ultrasound today to make sure there was no cyst – the cyst was gone, and they saw a few more follicles than last time so I am feeling a bit better about my chances. With the translocation I know the majority of the eggs will be duds so I want as many as I can get to up my odds! I am all clear so should start stims tomorrow night. I’m starting on 375 gonal and 75 menopur, this is higher FSH and lower menopur than my last cycle. Oh well I guess we’ll see what the results are.

Have a great weekend ladies, and those in the US enjoy the long weekend! xx

Yay for the cyst disappearing and there being follies instead Follies are much better than cysts

Here's hoping the change helps you with making nice eggs