February IVF/FET

mouse39

Hello all! I was originally in the January discussion since that is when I started my stims. I am now in the two week wait as my 4 embies were sent for genetic testing this past Monday before I can do a FET hopefully in February.

soccergirl23

Hi! Moving over here from the Jan IVF/FET group. I just got my FET schedule, my actual embryo transfer is scheduled for March 2nd, but starting the estrogen medications on February 3rd (I didn't realize how LONG it takes to prep for a FET)! Excited to be at this stage

mouse39

@soccergirl23. Congratulations on having a set date. Is the estrogen in shots? I'm still waiting for my period to start. Do you recall how long after your ER your period started? I'm on day 10.

soccergirl23

@mouse39 thank you! The estrogen is an oral medication (thank goodness!), but the progesterone is both the gel and PIO (which I am soo scared about). I got my period about 12 days following ER so hopefully you're almost there!

thezaltyberger

@soccergirl23 how was your period after ER? I’m anxious it’ll be heavy/very painful.

soccergirl23

@thezaltyberger I don’t remember it being bad at all, no extra pain then usual and slightly heavier but about the same length.

mouse39

Ladies today was day 13 after ER and I have not gotten a period. Should I be concerned!? 

thezaltyberger

@mouse39 how long are your cycles normally? Did you have your ER on day 14?

mouse39

@thezaltyberger yes ER was on day 14, cycles are usually 28/29 days.

soccergirl23

@mouse39 I wouldn't be concerned, but if you are it doesn't hurt to call your clinic and check with your doctor/nurse!

thezaltyberger

@mouse39 I think you shouldn't worry, it'll be here in a few days!

mbradfo2

I might be in this or March group for my FET -- my ER is set for this week and then we'll PGS the embryos which they say takes a week or two to get results. And then FET once we know what we're transferring. 

TW --

My first and only previous FET in July/August 2017 resulted in my DD who turns 3 in March. I hope my previous good luck rubs off on everyone! 

mouse39

@soccergirl23, @thezaltyberger thank you ladies. I think it's more that I am anxious to start my period so that I can start the next steps. I feel like I am on pause.
@mbradfo2 welcome. I think some of us are in the same boat maybe February or March for FET but for now we can support each other through February in this group.

thezaltyberger

I am having FET March or even early April but I’ll hang with you ladies here in the meantime

danij823

Hi!  I just started my 1st IVF cycle yesterday.  I'm on birth control and testosterone cream for 2 weeks then starting stims 2/18 if all looks good at my 2/17 appt.  I have a tentative egg retrieval of 3/1!  I'm so nervous and I don't personally know anyone who's been through it so I thought maybe I could join here? 

dukie001

@thezaltyberger did you get your report on the embryos? Two more months, not that much in the grand scheme of babymaking 😁

@mouse39 I feel you, I just started BCP yesterday and it definitely feels more real now. It would feel even more real after they take my money for the FET 🤣

thezaltyberger

@dukie001 not yet, on Thursday! I’m really hoping for 5-6 knowing that 13 fertilized. Will keep you posted!

mouse39

@danij823 welcome you are in the right place

@dukie001 speaking of, my phone rang and it was the testing lab, I was so excited!All they wanted was for me to pay for the genetic testing. Probably before they release my results. They did tell me that my embies were currently being tested.
@thezaltyberger keeping my fingers crossed let us know.

thezaltyberger

@danij823 welcome! Sorry you have to be here, but at least we’re all in it together. Most of us have had an EG or are about to go through that, so we understand exactly where you are and probably a lot about how you feel. The birth control portion badly affected my moods and made me super irritable and easily agitated. Poor DH. Hope you have a smoother ride!

soccergirl23

@danij823 welcome! 
@dukie001 are you taking BCP before your FET? I just ended mine Saturday and am going in tomorrow for bloodword and U/S prior to starting estrace.
@mouse39 I know what you mean, it seems like we are always waiting for something with this process. 
@thezaltyberger sending positive vibes for your embies!

thezaltyberger

I feel pretty in shock/distraught. After 28 eggs, 23 mature eggs, and 13 fertilized eggs, I only got 3 frozen embryos. I feel shaken and disappointed and terrible. If these don't implant...I may have to do this all over again. 
That idea is so overwhelming and I can't emotionally handle it right now. I can't help but immediately jump to the worst case scenario. I keep wondering if I did something wrong. 

soccergirl23

@thezaltyberger I'm so sorry that you're feeling that way, I know the numbers are a little extreme but 3 frozen embryos from a cycle is a great number! I know how you feel though, I got 3 from my first cycle as well and was a bit disappointed, but my RE also told me that sometimes you don't get any so I felt lucky for getting any at the same time. Do NOT think that you did anything wrong, there's still so much unknown about this process and we can only control taking our medications and listening to our doctor, everything else is up to chance (mixed with some science). Try not to jump to the worst case scenario, you really only do need one good embryo for a baby! Focus on one step at a time, now you get to transfer these embryos and one could be your baby!!  I forget - are you PGS testing these?

thezaltyberger

Thanks, @soccergirl23, do you mind if I ask what happened after your first cycle? Are you on your second now?

We hadn’t planned to do any testing because we’re under 35, it’s expensive, and we assumed we’d have more than enough embryos...which isn’t the case. So now I’m not sure. We have a follow up on Thursday, so hopefully my doctor has an opinion. I feel frustrated with him because he rarely expresses an opinion - he just lays out the options at hand.

soccergirl23

@thezaltyberger I've only done one cycle (this is still my first). We had our embryos tested because I'm a BRCA carrier and we didn't want to pass it on, so while we were testing we did the full range of PGT-A testing as well. We had three embryos at day 5 and 2 out of the 3 were unfortunately affected (weirdly by chromosomal abnormalities - only one was a BRCA carrier), but my RE said she was very surprised and thought it would have gone the other way with our age (both 30) and everything. I think I just got unlucky and my numbers fell on the opposite side of expectations, but I'm honestly feeling lucky to be able to try with one chromosomal 'normal' embryo for this cycle and hoping for the best and not even thinking about next steps because maybe we won't need them (the eternal optimist in me). I always ask my doctors if they were me or I was their child what they would recommend and sometimes I get a more opinion-based answer. I'm not sure if that was helpful at all.

thezaltyberger

Wow, @soccergirl23. What a journey. I must've missed these details, I'm sorry. Man, that eternal optimist in you is even a little contagious. When is your implantation scheduled? Do you know if they want you to do a natural cycle or take estrogen in addition to progesterone? 

My clinic, Boston IVF, seems to be well-regarded, but feels a lot like a factory. My doctor could use some coaching in bedside manner - my husband and I frequently feel that he's irritated with us. The nursing staff is very nice, but we always speak to a different person, and it feels bad not having a personal relationship with someone when you're going through this. That being said, after getting the autogenerated email telling me my embryo count this morning, I left a panicked message for my doctor and he already called me back. I appreciated that. He told me that he thought my results were extremely positive and that nothing I said could persuade him to think otherwise. It calmed me down a little and at least I'm not weeping anymore.

I should get my first post-ER period a week from today, and then wait for the next one. He said he wants me to do a natural cycle with my first implantation, taking only a little progesterone and no estrogen. 

adamae1216

Hello ladies.  I'm jumping on the February bandwagon as I just had a baseline today and of course I have a cyst in my left ovary so BC for now then back for an ultrasound on the 15th.  🤞🏾🤞🏾 I did a cycle in November and have 1 frozen embryo that is waiting to be tested.  I'm doing PGD and testing for sickle cell. This cycle I'm trying HGH (Omnitrope) with my other meds.  Has anyone tried this?  It's not covered by insurance and is almost $700  out of pocket for 4 doses. 🤯  I'm also on a few supplements to improve egg quality.   I'm 39 so I need all the help I can get.  We are sticking to the same protocol as last time since I produced 10 follicles and 9 were mature, it was just an issue with quality as I had 5 make it to blast but 4 of those were rated too low.  Hopefully this next cycle will produce better results.  

mouse39

@thezaltyberger I think your numbers are good. If your doctor isn't worried I wouldn't be. I am sorry about your experience with the clinic. Before I switched to the one I am with my previous clinic read the same as how the clinic is acting. Hopefully everything goes well and you will not have to deal with them.
I was a bit nervous about the price of testing the embryos as I heard it could be really expensive. Until I called around. My insurance doesn't cover it and I paid $700 for the test. When we first consumed our Fertility specialist, after all the testing he said he wouldn't recommend testing or even IVF for me. But we decided to do it. I couldn't have another miscarriage I was at 4 already. 

dukie001

@thezaltyberger I understand your disappointment, but try to stay optimistic. It only takes one good embryo to make a baby and plus quantity doesn’t mean quality. Look at it as you have 3!!! Good Embies, that is potentially 3 real babies. I know it can go either way, but again at this point you have 3. Concentrate on positivity🥰
@mouse39 I think $700 is a really good deal. I was given a price near to $5K 🥴 I’m dreading the second retrieval, as now I’m old and my eggs are old too and we would have to do PGS. I need all the prayers that this FET works as I’ll be out of embies this time. 

Lots of baby dust ✨✨✨ to all of you

mouse39

@dukie001 call around. I was given the same estimate 3000-5000, I wanted to cry. I was told they have to send them to be tested at the place of your choice.

dukie001

@mouse39 oh wow 😯 which one did you use?

adamae1216

@dukie001 I don't know where you are located but I was quoted about $1600 at Natera.  Sending them my 1 little sample cost almost $400 though.  😒

thezaltyberger

Thank you @dukie001 and @mouse39 ❤️❤️❤️ You ladies always prop me up when I’m down!!! My doctor has directed me to stay off the Internet but I’ll stick around here

@mouse39 how are you holding up?
@dukie001 remind when your transfer is scheduled?

mouse39

@dukie001 Igonemix

@thezaltyberger I am still waiting for my period. It's been two weeks post ER. But my doctor isn't concerned. Hopefully I will get my period in the next couple of days.

mouse39

@adamae1216 welcome! I have never tried that medication. Are you doing another cycle to produce more eggs? So are you going to hold off on FET for a bit?

dukie001

@mouse39 and @adamae1216 thank you ladies, will be definitely checking it out as an alternate course of actions if my primary goes south. 

@adamae1216 I actually recently heard about a pharmacy that cells ivf medication (brand names and all) but from Europe, so the prices are much cheaper, however the delivery is longer. I think that is a good alternative for those whose insurance doesn’t cover meds. I do t remember the website of top of my head, but I saved it on my laptop. I’ll look it up. 

@thezaltyberger my FET is scheduled for 19March. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻 

thezaltyberger

@dukie001 almost there ❤️ mine should be shortly after yours

dukie001

@thezaltyberger yap, we will be transfer buddies 😊. It’s comforting to know that I won’t  be all by myself obsessing over POASing during TWW 😄😁

thezaltyberger

@dukie001 I’ll be right there with you!!!!

soccergirl23

@thezaltyberger FET is scheduled for March 2nd as long as everything goes well and I'm starting estrogen today, then PIO and crionone Feb 25th. I know what you mean - I also go to Boston IVF and I think because they schedule cycles together, they're doing the same thing everyday and giving people the same results(ish) right in a row. Excited for all the FETs in March!

thezaltyberger

@vl__2019 here's the Feb thread

thezaltyberger

I'm one week post egg retrieval and I'm still feeling heavy and like I grew an entire cup size! Does anyone else feel that way? I'm hoping that after my period comes in a week that I will deflate a little bit back to normal. Not really eager to step on the scale right now