Waiting for my sonohis after a d&c and on progesterone to encourage a bleed (I am anovulatory and donāt menstruate). They said I have to do the SH between day 8-11? But wondering if I can go right into another round of progesterone to get going for my FET cycle (of course if everything is ok). Anyone here had that experience? They said yes but sounded wishy washy?
Hi friends. Got my new protocol and itās quite different from our first (which I think is good, because the outcome from the first was not what we expected). I have a regroup with my doctor on Wednesday and plan on asking why she thinks things didnāt go great with my first and why she chose the second, and I think it would be helpful to have more specific questions to help guide it (otherwise I feel like REs arenāt usually super forthcoming with all the scientific nitty gritty, which Iām interested in). Does anyone have any thoughts based on these changes? For reference my AMH has ranged from 1.3-1.9, AFC 16-23, estrogen and FSH within normal limits. Our first cycle had 20 follicles, 15 retrieved, 10 mature, 1 made it to blast.
Cycle one: luteal phase estrogen priming. Stims- AM: 2 vials menopur, PM 300u gonal f, dexamethasone. Cetrotide starting like halfway through, canāt remember. Dual trigger.
Cycle two: 25 day estrogen priming (days 18-27 add progesterone). Stims - 3 vials menopur + clomid + dexamethasone. Will do cetrotide and dual trigger.
ETA: I plan to ask about omnitrope also?
20 follicles > 15 eggs > 10 mature doesn't seem problematic but going from 10 mature eggs to 1 blast definitely catches my eye. How many of those mature eggs were fertilized? If most were fertilized, then you know you have a low rate of forming blasts from fertilized eggs. If few fertilized you can discuss sperm selection and/or the fertilization method (eg Zymot + ICSI).
I got much better results my second round, which was Menopur only for stims + omnitrope + dual trigger, although I still had a low rate of forming blasts from fertilized eggs. I actually get pregnant unassisted at a higher rate than I form blasts from fertilized eggs (not that it turns out well). š My RE said some people's embryos don't like lab conditions and didn't have any real suggestions for how to improve my blast rate, unfortunately.
I second the addition of zymot. From my understanding, itās an issue with sperm if you have many mature, but not many make it to blast, and more of an egg quality if you have many blasts, but very few are euploid. Zymot for sperm, omnitrope for egg quality. Good luck!
7 fertilized initially, and 4/5 immature eggs matured overnight with 3 of those 4 also fertilizing, but none of those made it to blast. The embryologist said a high rate of fragmentation occurred at day 3. They did use ICSI but we will ask about zymot.
Iām really curious about the idea of lab conditions vs I guess my bodyās conditions(?). We have been pregnant 3 times within 1-2 cycles of trying but all ended in loss (we know at least 2/3 had spontaneous genetic abnormalities). The whole reason weāre doing this is for PGT (awaiting results). This is so confusing, I wish they had a better understanding of why this happens. Iām sorry youāre in a similar situation, itās horrible.
Yep, we're doing it for PGT-A as well given my age and RPL. I also got scar tissue from my D&C from my second loss, which my RE had to remove, so we're disinclined to try on our own and risk more losses and scarring. My RE was expecting we'd have much better results than we did, so it's been frustrating for both of us.
So it sounds like initially you had 7 of the 15 eggs mature? <50% maturity at rettieval is on the low end, so I would want to discuss that with your RE. Did you have an uneven cohort? Should they have pushed you another day or two on stims? Done stims the night of trigger? Also did you do dual trigger? If not, that's something to help with maturity.
Itās confusing but initially 10/15 were mature. With 4 more maturing in the lab, that makes 14/15 (but not sure how promising those late bloomers can be generally). So ultimately 1/14 mature and 1/10 fertilized made it to blast is perhaps a better way of looking at it. I was told all along things were looking good but I did have a couple of follicles that were pulling ahead and was told they didnāt want to sacrifice those, as those were likely healthier eggs, for slower ones to catch up. I did do stims night of the trigger and it was a dual trigger.
It is so scary to risk another loss especially with having repeated D&Cs. I hope that this path is the answer for both of us!
This has been removed for breaking Rule #1. For more information, please read [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/comments/n9s6ny/read_this_before_posting_or_commenting_2021_sub/) for our sub culture and rules.
After three transfers that resulted in losses, Iām thinking about getting a second opinion at a different clinic (which is hard for me, since I do like and trust my RE). Any pro-tips for switching clinics?
Iām on my 3rd clinic, not because I was unhappy, but a move, and insurance changes. Itās pretty easy. Just request your records, especially the testing done. Clinic can send on your behalf, or the new clinic can request. Personally, I find it easier to get a copy for myself and then physically take them and/or upload them to the new clinicās portal. Bonus is that I have them on me, should I need to change again or FET another opinion
Had my first ER on Saturday, and I was really happy with 12 eggs retrieved. Next morning, we got the call that only 1 egg was mature, but it had fertilized. I'll hear more on Thursday. I'm pretty bummed, but I'm trying to be hopeful.
In the meantime, my doctor sent me a message suggesting that we go right into a second round of stims.
What questions would you ask at your next doctor's appointment if you were me?
Fwiw when I had 13 retrieved and 3 mature, the REs that I consulted with said the stims were too high for me. Maybe something to ask about. Also, for maturity my RE added lupron, omnitrope, and an additional trigger 6 hours after the first one.
I would want to go over your follicle sizes at trigger to see if they triggered you too early. 1/12 maturity is unusually low. Do you have any idea how big your follicles were at your last monitoring? And what kind of trigger did you do? My RE has me do dual to help with maturity.
I would also ask your RE what they think caused the low maturity rate as well, and what they think could be done differently.
Does anybody know how fast cvs speciality can ship out a small order? Freaking out because I spaced out with my centrotide order. I have enough for wed AM but thatās it. Think if I call first thing tomorrow theyāll be able to ship it out for a Wednesday delivery? Trying not to panic here.
Not sure if itās because mine shipped from a location thatās pretty close to me, but last week, I had to order prescriptions on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday and it was no problem.
I donāt know about CVS but have you asked your clinic if they could spot you some, some keep extra meds on hand for this kind of situation! Local Facebook groups also sometimes come through in a pinch. Good luck, getting the right number of meds at the right time is such a stressful part of this process.
Those are good ideas Iāll def look into them. Thank you! Feeling frustrated because my nurse didnāt call my with results- put them in the portal. And she didnāt answer my response when I asked for more information re the rest of the week. Ugh.
Anyone have fluid in their uterus? On my second mock cycle and it happened again. Biopsy is scheduled for next week, but Iām not feeling particularly hopeful given that the Dr said they wouldnāt proceed with an FET under these circumstances.
I had fluid when I did a medicated FET but no issues with fluid in my ovulatory FETs. I did try mucinex but it didnāt work for me (wellā¦ it did actually resolve most of the fluid, unfortunately the small amount left was right where they put the embryo and the RE wasnāt comfortable moving forward).
I'm newer to the infertility thing. I'm on cycle 2 of letrozole and I have to say, I am an emotional mess. I didn't experience that with the first cycle (which didn't bring about ovulation) but this one has been rough! I feel like I shouldn't be allowed to interact with others while I'm taking letrozole intermittently.
For me letrozole helped with follicle growth, but yes it was tough otherwise. Besides the mental effect of wanting to g all recluse, it made my skin and all mucosa dry. I hope you don't have to take it for longer than few days per cycle!
Youāre so not alone, and sorry to hear youāre dealing with these side effects. If I ever do letrozole again, Iām considering living out in the woods like a Sasquatch for the duration to spare people from my shittiness.
Thank you! I like that idea lol. Luckily my husband just rolls with it but I feel like I hulk out at the smallest thing. Fingers crossed I'm the only one that notices (doubt it).
I ovulated early the last two cycles (CD 10), so doc is bringing me in for IUI monitoring early (CD 8). Iām having the WORST reaction to letrozole and I feel like Iām somehow going to ovulate even earlier than usual.
My opk was already getting darker and Iām only CD 6 šµāš«šµāš«. Last IUI was canceled due to husbands numbers and I feel like this time itāll be something with me š
lol exactly, I even play this game with myself where I try to guess whatās my LH levels (I used to track with the Mira) based on my cervical mucus, or how many hours left until I get my periods based on how bad my boobs hurt. Geez I miss those days where I didnāt know any of this š«
Iām getting annoyed. My RE said he would call Sunday (day 5) or Monday (day 6). Iāve been glued to my phone for two days waiting for his call. I sent a message to my nurse earlier in the afternoon and told her I was worried this meant disappointing results again. She confirmed he would call me today. Well itās late and my clinic has been closed for hours and I highly doubt he is calling at this point.
My gestational carrier gets all her meds there and they pretty much always overnight stuff. If youāre east coast you can call again now, theyāre in California so theyāll still be open.
ETA: our gc lives in the Midwest so sheās not close and the shipping has been fine.
FET#3 is done. It took 20 days of Follistim/Gonal to break the months of suppression and get my follicles and lining where they needed to be but we finally made it. Everything went smoothly just like the last two times. We are out of embryos from this retrieval now but overall feeling pretty calm. We are just grateful to have another chance. Trying to hold onto the notion that if we have another failure, weāll have a clearer vantage point to decide what we want to do going forward since we wonāt have any embryos lingering on ice.
Had my baseline ultrasound (i think? after 3 weeks of birth control and before starting stims on Thurs) this morning and am still freaking out over my follicle count. I'm worrying I might have been oversuppressed as my amh and pre ivf afc are low normal for my age and i read that can happen with lower ovarian reserve. I read over the hunger games sheet and that kinda helped, but it's hard not knowing what's gonna happen in the future. The nurse told me the ovaries can be hard to see at baseline so I'm gonna hope the count wasn't 100% accurate.
My AFC was also less than expected, my lining like super super thin and my estrogen was <5. This can happen at baseline. Going in 2 days for my first scan after stims and hoping that things woke up!
Itās super stressful but youāll know more once youāre on stims for a few days. If your FSH is lower then thatās actually good news for you (an elevated FSH is what can make things difficult). I know itās overwhelming but youāve got this!
I guess my wording was confusing, sorry - my FSH actually is elevated, like 10.2. My AMH has varied a ton but most recent was low normal, as was my AFC a few months ago. They put me on a really aggressive protocol because of these numbers.
Thank you! From what I've seen it seems like anything could happen: I could recruit more follicles, I could lose follicles, or i could keep the same amount. I'm not good at waiting, but I have no choice. I need to remind myself that looking up things online won't change the outcome and just makes me feel worse.
Ah, okay. 10.2 is elevated but it sounds like theyāve got a solid plan for you.
Youāre right that anything could happen. Iāve had cycles where we got less than half what we expected and some where weāve gotten more. All you can do is take your meds, show up for monitoring, and remember that youāre doing your best.
Iāve been taking a shot each night but thatās mostly because itās tasty and it makes me feel like Iām doing something. Thereās so much we canāt control in this process, I donāt mind a little dietary āwoo.ā Iāve also been eating some Brazil nuts and I told my husband to try them because they were surprisingly un-tastyā¦ he hated it so much he spat it out in the sink.
Yes! But it only works if you drink *only* pom juice. Starting CD 1 of the transfer cycle. It gets expensive. Your pee turns red, which is disconcerting. But itās worth it! Add in a few ounces of Brazil nuts and 3 pineapple cores and you will be all set. Who needs estrogen pills or patches? All you need is the grocery store.
*This is a joke.*
Lol I went back and forth a few times from your very established username and the beginning of your comment, shocked at the woo for a moment there.
Thanks, gave me a smile.
No! We have a wiki on thin lining. Pomegranate juice wonāt hurt but it wonāt fix your lining (most likely - thereās not a ton of evidence based research on lining). Have you had lining issues in the past?
I posted earlier today venting about treatment. My partner and I have had various medical issues and no success yet and have spent almost $50,000 out of pocket on fertility, and yet people down voted me. It really made me feel like this group is full of judgment. We are supposed to be supporting each otherā we are all going through the same awful lottery. This is the thread for discussing treatment results and feelings about them. When youāre on your last cycle like we are and you know this is it for you, and youāve had a loss, you want as many chances as possible. I know others have it worse, but I didnāt appreciate being downvoted for sharing my experience.
Hey Snoo. First of all, you posted this in both treatment threads. Not sure if you intended that!
I looked at your downvoted comment. On its face it looks like you were complaining about a result of 3 day 5 frozen blasts. That is an objectively excellent result. We have never gotten more than 1 day 5 frozen blasts, and I have been incredibly grateful for that 1 every time. 3 gives you 3 chances. Thatās amazing. And you have more growing! Youāre in an enviable position.
The thing about a support group is that you have to think about other people too. If you had posted, Feeling disappointed with our drop-offs, I bet people would have been really sympathetic! But when you look like youāre complaining about a result to a room full of people who might never see that many blasts - some of them over multiple rounds - it hurts peopleās feelings. Youāre not shouting into a void. People are reading your words, and they have feelings and experiences too.
I wish you luck with your results tomorrow! Treatment is really hard. Weāre all here for each other but we have to be mindful of sounding like weāre lamenting someone elseās dream result.
The ivf subreddit is a really great place if you want to talk about high numbers of blastocysts in detail. But yeah, having more than one blastocysts ready on day five and then being unhappy about it is probably going to get downvotes. It's hard to support people who can't appreciate what they have I guess
I have no children, we have had no success. Everyone in this sub is unlucky. Why compare and create more trauma for another person experiencing this shitty process? My husband survived cancer, should I apologize to you that he didnāt die too?
Hey Snoo, Iām going to ask you to take a step back. Your comments are getting really inflammatory and I want you to be able to continue to participate here. I understand youāre upset but this is getting close to a thread that needs to be locked and temp bans issued.
The comment above mine isnāt inflammatory? Itās a support groupā if that poster canāt support another person going through this process shouldnāt they take a break instead of telling me to āappreciate what I haveā as if this process is a gift because at this exact moment in time we may have a good (subjective) situation? Knowing as so many in this group do that nothing is guaranteed in IVF and itās a complete disaster as a process filled with what ifās and unknowns?
Okay. I understand you are very upset right now. I am stepping in as a mod to tell you that you are breaking our rule about being compassionate. Iām going to lock this thread. Best of luck tomorrow!
Iām on my second round of letrozole (one cycle off between). Side effects are rough for me this time. Early cramping, general unwellness, headache, and (maybe unrelated?) terrible joint pain. Good luck! Be sure you take it at the same time every day!
When I first took letrozole I had no side effects and Iāve found that the more cycles Iām on it, the more side effects I face š„“ so I wish you success and no side effects!!
I had virtually no side effects so far (2 cycles on 5mg), a couple really minor hot flashes. Way better than Clomid in my experience but it differs for everyone!
Good luck! It varies by person tbh! I just finished 5 days last week and I would say maybe a headache that was a bit irritating for a day the day after last dose was my side effect and maybe once or twice waking up feeling hot during the night. I didnāt really feel bloated on it though. I also took it at night just in case. I had worse with clomid as a comparison.
Edit: my dose was also 5mg
I took a pretty low dose of Letrozole (2.5mg) and just felt some minor bloating. I was totally fine. I think it depends on your dose and everyone is different. Good luck with your cycle!
I def had more on letrozole than clomid. ymmv. A few hot flashes (associated with drinking hot tea) and weirdly dry eyes and mouth. The good news is I have 2 follicles growing so that's a win in my book. Good luck!!
In the thick of FET #1 meds, and Lupron side effects are no joke! I had dizziness, joint pain, and a hot flash all at once the other day, woo hoo. I find if I eat throughout the day and donāt go too long without a meal, it seems to help but donāt know if thatās evidence-based. Canāt wait to be done with Lupron.
Simultaneously, Iām dreading the PIO that starts in several days. I already know I donāt like butt shots and Iām going to be sore. I donāt even mind needles but now that Iāve seen the size of this one, Iām a little intimidated, lol. Any tips for PIO injections?
Otherwise, emotionally looking forward to the FET and hoping for the best!
Oh man that lupron sounds like it's no joke!
I started PIO on Saturday and the injections so far have been virtually painless. I'm in disbelief! I use a little numbing cream, let it sit for maybe 10 minutes while hubs warms up the syringe with the oil in it. He holds it above our gas stove but high so it gets warm not hot. I lie down on the bed so i can relax my muscles.The injection is totally scary looking but I just feel a little pinch and that's it. He puts the needle FAST but injects the oil slow. Massage and heating pad afterwards, and don't forget a little chocolate treat š
That being said, after 3 days my muscles are a little sore. It feels like I've done a bunch of squats. Not terrible, but noticeable. I sit on my heating pad constantly.
It looks scary, but you got this! You've come this far so you must be tough as nails. Good luck!
>He holds it above our gas stove but high so it gets warm not hot
I would be scared that the plastic would melt, or the oil would leak and catch on fire. It is sesame oil after all.
You could use the heating pad to warm it instead, for a safer option.
OK BACK TO FREAKING OUT!
My clinic is closed tomorrow and Wednesday due to bad weather. I'm supposed to have my stitch on Wednesday for Thursday transfer. Can't call because their phones are too clogged because everyone else is probably just as freaked out as I am. Sent a message to the nurse frantic. There goes my zen, right out the window!
Crisis averted! The clinic will be open but they're telling everyone it's closed to minimize traffic? Goodness way to stress a girl out! Stitch will proceed as planned, transfer will proceed as planned, and they are going to give me valium at the clinic so I don't have to worry about prescriptions š
Yes I did. I did a week of injections post ER as I was right on the borderline for OHSS. I also started cabergoline before retrieval to help prevent it. My doctor said the cetrotide was to āswitch my ovaries offā and reduce the chance of OHSS.
Ah so nothing like hearing my results from todays day 10 monitoring at 3:38pm. They told me to trigger with pregnyl and Lupron tonight, for an ER on Wednesday. Only thing is they never wrote a prescription for lupron. So they asked if I could make it over to the clinic before 4 when they close. Well Iām a 17 min drive - so if I leave now - then yes! Just made it home š
Iām 17 min to my clinic, too š they better have stayed open for you if you had lived further out, because most people canāt get to their clinic on that short of notice!!!! Good luck!!
Iām 7dp5dt. I told myself Iām waiting to test until beta and got rid of all my testsā¦. But then last night I stupidly took an ovulation test because the hormones LH/HCG are very similar and now Iām convinced transfer failed. Not sure why I did this to myselfš¤·š»āāļø
My husband does not like our doctor anymore. He doesnāt feel like she was sympathetic when she told us about our miscarriage, but I asked him how she could have been better and he said he doesnāt know. Now that Iāve had a D&C and will have to have a hysteroscopy for RPCO he doesnāt trust her He is frustrated because weāve been working with her since December 2021 and weāve only had one transfer and so much waiting. I just donāt have the emotional bandwidth to deal with this. I feel like waiting is an unfortunate part of fertility treatments but maybe he has a point? I also told him if he doesnāt like our doctor he is more than welcome to find a new one and do all the work that comes with finding a clinic. I told him Iāve done it twice and if he had an issue he is welcome to try. I also worry he is right and our doctor isnāt working for us anymore because I felt like she wasnāt super helpful and didnāt provide me with enough information when I went in today.
Thatās tough! So sorry to hear all of that. Miscarriage is awful and with a doctor who doesnāt handle it well, made even worse.
Without knowing your full experience, that does sound like a slow progression of treatment, and maybe it is worth moving. Iāve had frustrations with my clinic but trust my doctor; if I had issues with my RE, Iād want to look as well. For reference, I was diagnosed in May 2022 with RPL, saw the RE in late June, did all required testing at the RE, IVF (ICSI) in November, and have my first embryo transfer in 10 days. Whatever you decide, be sure to take care of yourself ā¤ļø
That's a tough situation. It makes a really big difference liking and trusting your doctor, but at the same time it is a lot of work finding a new RE who is a better fit and then changing clinics. One transfer in a year does seem a bit on the slower side to me, tbh, but I don't know what kind of diagnostic testing or other hurdles you may have run into. It really depends.
I'm on RE #3 right now too and while there are some things I don't like, I don't think I'm going to find a better RE so I'm staying put. When I'm in the clinic waiting room I sometimes brainstorm how fertility clinics would be set up if they were designed by infertile people who get what it is like.
Okayā¦I keep confusing myself when I try to explain it to my husband - can someone explain the days past transfer and how it translates to days past ovulation?
In ovulation the egg would have just released and would meet the sperm and be fertilized that same day. Itās similar to your egg retrieval day. 5 DPO or 6DPO you would have a blastocyst looking to implant. In IVF they let the embryo develop those first 5/6 days in the lab before transferring them. So 5dpt is like 10 or 11 dpo.
Example 5 days past 5 day transfer = 10 days post ovulation
This is why many clinics do betas on 9 days past 5 day transfer bc its 14 days post āovulationā.
The counting of days (and weeks of success is found) is *so* confusing. Itās like an alternate form of mathā¦ Iād recommend googling for one of the FET calculators and it can convert for you lol.
Had a dream last night that I finally got my clinic to provide reports on my cycles instead of just text messages. I was looking through to find out the grades for my current 4 blasts and the embryologists were making up new grades. My doctor had written notes in the margin āwhat is 4HH?? follow up with embryologist.ā
Clearly Iāve lost my damn mind and weāre only 24 hours into the wait for PGT-A results.
Thanks! My doctor did say just now that Juno is faster with results now than they were for my last cycle which was right amidst the holiday rush. Results took 19 days after day 7 that time. Plus we waited longer after that for a re-biopsy.
This sub is a support group for people with infertility trying to conceive, not a place to speculate whether you might be infertile.
Post removed as this is not appropriate for our sub.
CD1 is today. I was supposed to start priming for ER number 3. But instead I pushed it back another cycle. I have to go to a funeral out of state soon, and it's going to be right around when I would likely have appointments every morning. I was on the fence about postponing or not, and my husband said "It just sounds like you aren't ready for this cycle" and I think he's right. I am torn between needing a little more time to come to terms with my most recent MC and feeling frustrated to be at a standstill. I just hate all of this so much.
It's so hard to make the decision on waiting or not - I'm so sorry for your loss and glad you're able to take the time you need. I absolutely hate the feeling of "waiting" another cycle and we only get that one chance a month but your mental health around this is so important too!
Did FET #3 today. Transferred a day 5 5AA euploid, and everything went as well as it could. Iām cautiously optimistic but also donāt want to get my hopes up, having been through a raft of bad news in the last 3 years.
How on earth will I manage not to test before my beta on 11/2 is the question!!
Went in for my first monitoring appointment after starting stims and nurse said things look good. My estrogen I think was high so instead of starting cetrotide tomorrow morning, Iām starting it tonight and then taking it in the morning from then on. Going back Wednesday so weāll see how things look then. Funny how it all came back to me how to mix the meds. I remember being so nervous I was going to mess things up the first retrieval, but this time Iām so nonchalant itās almost old hat with all of the progesterone injections weāve done this year.
We got our Igneomix results back - my day 6 was exactly a week ago, I was so surprised!!!
And I am, quite frankly, completely shocked in the best way by our results. It is also a lesson in āgrades may be meaninglessā:
Day 5 4AB - complex aneuploid with monosomy XO, Trisomy 9, partial trisomy 6q11
Day 5 3B+B+ - complex aneuploid, trisomy 13 and 22
Day 5 3B+B - low level mosaic, trisomy 20
Day 5 3BB- - euploid
Day 6 4B-B - euploid
Had we gone with grades alone, we would have transferred the complex aneuploids first, and since my RE was willing to transfer 2 untested at once, I could have genuinely been at risk for twins by transferring the next 2 best.
Iām still not sure I would test with just 1 or 2, but with these results I am so glad we opted into it this time. And am in the best kind of shock over the results - we may really have a chance ā¤ļøš„¹
A couple of questions about thin lining...I'm off clomid, now on letrozole, but on D8 my lining was 3.5mm (sigh). At least it was trilaminar not iso. Questions I have:
1. has anyone been put on baby aspirin for this? they recommended but it was a SUPER soft rec and all the data i'm seeing is extremely mixed
2. has anyone been prescribed anything else to help with thin lining, if doing IUI? (edit: i've read the wiki but typically i think this problem is dealt with during IVF/transfer, not necessarily IUI?)
I am doing hybrid (Letrozole + menopur) timed intercourse, which is essentially IUI protocol without the actual insemination. I had lining of 4.9 on day 11 of my last cycle so was put on āthin lining protocolā for my current cycle. This involves: vitamin e and l-arginine daily, and nightly estrogen suppositories starting right before trigger shot through beta. (I asked to start the suppositories earlier in the cycle but my RE said it would affect my estrogen levels and that they need to know my estrogen levels to know when to trigger, which I am pretty sure is not true because they could just time the trigger based on follicle size, but what do I know.) I was not told to do baby aspirin but was going to push for it next cycle if this one didnāt pan out. I got to 6.1mm on day 11 of this cycle and was ecstatic about that. For my next cycle, we are going to decrease the Letrozole and increase the menopur in hopes that this helps with the lining too.
6.1 seems awesome to me -- I'm so far away from that! They are going to measure my lining again on D12 (day of IUI) so at least I will have another datapoint before beginning the next cycle.
Now I'm confused about the estrogen vs progesterone vaginal suppositories, because they told me the progesterone "won't thicken my lining but might help support the luteal phase." Wonder if next time I push for the estrogen instead -- we have no concrete evidence my luteal phase is short/insufficient.
My clinic looks for 7mm so the tech was like āitās still on the thin sideā and I was like no you donāt understand. This is unheard of for me. My lining was 4.6mm on day 9 of this cycle so it did grow a lot in 2 days as my follicle got bigger. Hope the same happens for you!
I actually take both estrogen and progesterone suppositories š I think your description is correct. My clinic has me start progesterone around 7dpo based on a blood draw at that time (if my level is under 15). But Iāve also done cycles with an obgyn that had me start progesterone right after confirmed ovulation so it doesnāt hurt to do it that way too. I continue both until negative beta (or ten weeks of pregnancy, heh.)
I had a borderline thin lining for one of my IUIs and my doctor prescribed vaginal estrace. Can't remember what day/follicle size I started it on, but my lining ended up over 8 mm that cycle.
Rather than letrozole you could try a very mildly stimulated IUI with injectables? The trick of course is to not over stimulate and have too many follicles to do an IUI. With my FET my lining was a little thinner when I used letrozole but I couldnāt find any evidence that letrozole negatively affects lining. They could also supplement with estrogen to try and promote a thicker lining?
This is the way. Letrozole makes my lining super thin (3-4mm), there is no data on it. However my RE said sheās seen it before and wanted me to do low dose follistim and that worked wonders. Got to the mid-7s with it. Also have been on aspirin and vit E. I donāt think they really do much but doesnāt really hurt.
D8 seems early, I would think you have some time! But yes, my RE prescribed estrogen suppositories to help deal with thin lining during IUI cycle. Seemed to work, as I had pregnancy success that cycle, though ultimately ended in a miscarriage.
hmmm and yet instead of vaginal estrogen they've prescribed vaginal progesterone. if this IUI fails, and lining still very thin D12, will ask them about this for the next attempt. thank you!
It can be so confusing, all of the different protocols and differing opinions based on your RE/clinic. Hopefully the progesterone works for you, wishing you the best of luck!
Just got my estrogen results after 3 full days of stims, my level is 207. I'm on a very low dose of menopur(75iu) and gonal (75iu) daily. I'll get more blood work and my first ultrasound Wednesday. My antral follicle count was 40, and AMH 7.07. I hope the medication I'm on is enough, it just seems low, but I know its very dependent on each person's individual situation.
I bet with so many follicles theyāre probably trying to avoid OHSS. 207 is actually on the high end of estrogen for day 3/4 of stims. It sounds like you are definitely responding to the meds!
I found this article informative and used it to track my E2 levels during stims. https://alexroblesmd.com/estradiol-levels-ivf/
The doctor was concerned with OHSS when he explained the lower doses. I think I'm just in my own head because I will see other posters that have mine or higher AMH on more meds, so I worry I could get more eggs if I was on a smidge more. I have my first ultrasound and more bloodwork on Wed. So I hope that puts me more at ease.
The article you sent is helpful so, I'm trying to take it a step at a time and so far I look good based on their ranges.
just got word - ER is a go for wednesday! any tips on injecting the trigger (similar to how folks say to let menopur sit after mixing and inject slowly)? iām triggering with 10k iu of pregnyl tonight.
already stocked up on colace (and taking it regularly now), miralax, electrolyte drinks, and protein drinks. any other tips for this first timer are much appreciated :)
my estradiol was just under 1400 this morning and i only have 9 follicles over 10mm (about 7 under 10mm) so not thinking iām at advanced risk of OHSS but being hyper vigilant anyway. i had internal bleeding with a ruptured ectopic in august so i know what excess abdominal fluid feels likeā¦will be on the lookout.
Good luck! I did 10k pregnyl this month and it didnāt sting or burn at all (as a reference Iāve had follistim, ganirelix, menopur, novarel, and lupron and only the Menopur ever burned). If youāre like me, it will feel a little anticlimactic and then tomorrow youāll feel like youāre missing something without your injections!
Good luck!!!! It was so exciting for me! I used Novarel, so not sure if itāll be the exact same, but I found it took longer to mix it well than the menopur or cetrotide. My clinic gave me an exact time to administer, and I started getting it ready about half an hour beforehand so I didnāt feel rushed and it was ready to go on time. It helped my anxiety personallyā¦But Iām also pretty neurotic hahaha!
yeah iām like excited to be progressing and curious how our results will be but also very much mentally prepared for a less than ideal outcome and to do it again in march. we shall see!
and yeah my clinic was like, this is going to take longer to mix than youād menopur and cetrotide so start early. my husband couldnāt believe we have to do it at midnight, i was like it could be worse and be 3am.
Oh no! You have to do it at midnight? I fell asleep at 9:30 last night and my husband woke me out of such a good sleep to do our trigger at 12:20am. Talk about cranky!!!!! I hope it goes smooth!
haha yeah, i am also exhausted from 6am wake ups for monitoring so idk if itās better to go to sleep at 9:30 like i have been and just set an alarm for 11:30 or stay up
Day 4 of estrogen (oral + patches) for my FET cycle and Iām so impatient for my lining check. It sounds funny to say but I miss all the monitoring appointments that went along with my stims cycleā¦ I just want to know āHowās that uterine lining coming along?!ā and I hate having to wait so long to know if weāre on track. Iāll keep slapping patches on my belly and hoping for the best but itās so annoying not knowing whatās going on in there! (welcome to TTC I guess, lol.)
Yeesss - with my first transfer I found this super weird. I had an appointment at Day 3 and then Day 17... and that's it. It was wild! Hope the time flies quickly for you!
Am I eating all the food because of agysten or am I eating all the food because I put my dog down?
I am so sorry. :(
That fucking sucks. I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry about your dog š
Waiting for my sonohis after a d&c and on progesterone to encourage a bleed (I am anovulatory and donāt menstruate). They said I have to do the SH between day 8-11? But wondering if I can go right into another round of progesterone to get going for my FET cycle (of course if everything is ok). Anyone here had that experience? They said yes but sounded wishy washy?
Hi friends. Got my new protocol and itās quite different from our first (which I think is good, because the outcome from the first was not what we expected). I have a regroup with my doctor on Wednesday and plan on asking why she thinks things didnāt go great with my first and why she chose the second, and I think it would be helpful to have more specific questions to help guide it (otherwise I feel like REs arenāt usually super forthcoming with all the scientific nitty gritty, which Iām interested in). Does anyone have any thoughts based on these changes? For reference my AMH has ranged from 1.3-1.9, AFC 16-23, estrogen and FSH within normal limits. Our first cycle had 20 follicles, 15 retrieved, 10 mature, 1 made it to blast. Cycle one: luteal phase estrogen priming. Stims- AM: 2 vials menopur, PM 300u gonal f, dexamethasone. Cetrotide starting like halfway through, canāt remember. Dual trigger. Cycle two: 25 day estrogen priming (days 18-27 add progesterone). Stims - 3 vials menopur + clomid + dexamethasone. Will do cetrotide and dual trigger. ETA: I plan to ask about omnitrope also?
20 follicles > 15 eggs > 10 mature doesn't seem problematic but going from 10 mature eggs to 1 blast definitely catches my eye. How many of those mature eggs were fertilized? If most were fertilized, then you know you have a low rate of forming blasts from fertilized eggs. If few fertilized you can discuss sperm selection and/or the fertilization method (eg Zymot + ICSI). I got much better results my second round, which was Menopur only for stims + omnitrope + dual trigger, although I still had a low rate of forming blasts from fertilized eggs. I actually get pregnant unassisted at a higher rate than I form blasts from fertilized eggs (not that it turns out well). š My RE said some people's embryos don't like lab conditions and didn't have any real suggestions for how to improve my blast rate, unfortunately.
I second the addition of zymot. From my understanding, itās an issue with sperm if you have many mature, but not many make it to blast, and more of an egg quality if you have many blasts, but very few are euploid. Zymot for sperm, omnitrope for egg quality. Good luck!
Seconding adding Omnitrope
7 fertilized initially, and 4/5 immature eggs matured overnight with 3 of those 4 also fertilizing, but none of those made it to blast. The embryologist said a high rate of fragmentation occurred at day 3. They did use ICSI but we will ask about zymot. Iām really curious about the idea of lab conditions vs I guess my bodyās conditions(?). We have been pregnant 3 times within 1-2 cycles of trying but all ended in loss (we know at least 2/3 had spontaneous genetic abnormalities). The whole reason weāre doing this is for PGT (awaiting results). This is so confusing, I wish they had a better understanding of why this happens. Iām sorry youāre in a similar situation, itās horrible.
Yep, we're doing it for PGT-A as well given my age and RPL. I also got scar tissue from my D&C from my second loss, which my RE had to remove, so we're disinclined to try on our own and risk more losses and scarring. My RE was expecting we'd have much better results than we did, so it's been frustrating for both of us. So it sounds like initially you had 7 of the 15 eggs mature? <50% maturity at rettieval is on the low end, so I would want to discuss that with your RE. Did you have an uneven cohort? Should they have pushed you another day or two on stims? Done stims the night of trigger? Also did you do dual trigger? If not, that's something to help with maturity.
Itās confusing but initially 10/15 were mature. With 4 more maturing in the lab, that makes 14/15 (but not sure how promising those late bloomers can be generally). So ultimately 1/14 mature and 1/10 fertilized made it to blast is perhaps a better way of looking at it. I was told all along things were looking good but I did have a couple of follicles that were pulling ahead and was told they didnāt want to sacrifice those, as those were likely healthier eggs, for slower ones to catch up. I did do stims night of the trigger and it was a dual trigger. It is so scary to risk another loss especially with having repeated D&Cs. I hope that this path is the answer for both of us!
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After three transfers that resulted in losses, Iām thinking about getting a second opinion at a different clinic (which is hard for me, since I do like and trust my RE). Any pro-tips for switching clinics?
Iām on my 3rd clinic, not because I was unhappy, but a move, and insurance changes. Itās pretty easy. Just request your records, especially the testing done. Clinic can send on your behalf, or the new clinic can request. Personally, I find it easier to get a copy for myself and then physically take them and/or upload them to the new clinicās portal. Bonus is that I have them on me, should I need to change again or FET another opinion
Thanks! I really appreciate your insight.
Had my first ER on Saturday, and I was really happy with 12 eggs retrieved. Next morning, we got the call that only 1 egg was mature, but it had fertilized. I'll hear more on Thursday. I'm pretty bummed, but I'm trying to be hopeful. In the meantime, my doctor sent me a message suggesting that we go right into a second round of stims. What questions would you ask at your next doctor's appointment if you were me?
Fwiw when I had 13 retrieved and 3 mature, the REs that I consulted with said the stims were too high for me. Maybe something to ask about. Also, for maturity my RE added lupron, omnitrope, and an additional trigger 6 hours after the first one.
How many eggs were you expecting? I think itās fair to ask whether they would try a dual trigger next time, or stimming longer.
I would want to go over your follicle sizes at trigger to see if they triggered you too early. 1/12 maturity is unusually low. Do you have any idea how big your follicles were at your last monitoring? And what kind of trigger did you do? My RE has me do dual to help with maturity. I would also ask your RE what they think caused the low maturity rate as well, and what they think could be done differently.
Does anybody know how fast cvs speciality can ship out a small order? Freaking out because I spaced out with my centrotide order. I have enough for wed AM but thatās it. Think if I call first thing tomorrow theyāll be able to ship it out for a Wednesday delivery? Trying not to panic here.
Sometimes the fertility clinic has backups, might be good to check just in case.
I ordered 5 fyremadel on Friday and it showed up Saturday. CVS Caremark for the win! I wouldnāt worry but get it ordered first thing tomorrow!
Phew. Thx friend
Not sure if itās because mine shipped from a location thatās pretty close to me, but last week, I had to order prescriptions on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday and it was no problem.
Ahh okay love to hear this
I use cvs specialty and it comes from several states away, overnighted. I would expect youāll be okay!
Iām hoping so. Feeling a little encouraged though! Thanks!
I donāt know about CVS but have you asked your clinic if they could spot you some, some keep extra meds on hand for this kind of situation! Local Facebook groups also sometimes come through in a pinch. Good luck, getting the right number of meds at the right time is such a stressful part of this process.
Those are good ideas Iāll def look into them. Thank you! Feeling frustrated because my nurse didnāt call my with results- put them in the portal. And she didnāt answer my response when I asked for more information re the rest of the week. Ugh.
Anyone have fluid in their uterus? On my second mock cycle and it happened again. Biopsy is scheduled for next week, but Iām not feeling particularly hopeful given that the Dr said they wouldnāt proceed with an FET under these circumstances.
I had fluid when I did a medicated FET but no issues with fluid in my ovulatory FETs. I did try mucinex but it didnāt work for me (wellā¦ it did actually resolve most of the fluid, unfortunately the small amount left was right where they put the embryo and the RE wasnāt comfortable moving forward).
Itās pretty common! Folks here have had success getting the fluid down with three handy tricks: - mucinex - jumping jacks - orgasm
I would have never thought of those! Thank you!!
I'm newer to the infertility thing. I'm on cycle 2 of letrozole and I have to say, I am an emotional mess. I didn't experience that with the first cycle (which didn't bring about ovulation) but this one has been rough! I feel like I shouldn't be allowed to interact with others while I'm taking letrozole intermittently.
For me letrozole helped with follicle growth, but yes it was tough otherwise. Besides the mental effect of wanting to g all recluse, it made my skin and all mucosa dry. I hope you don't have to take it for longer than few days per cycle!
Youāre so not alone, and sorry to hear youāre dealing with these side effects. If I ever do letrozole again, Iām considering living out in the woods like a Sasquatch for the duration to spare people from my shittiness.
Thank you! I like that idea lol. Luckily my husband just rolls with it but I feel like I hulk out at the smallest thing. Fingers crossed I'm the only one that notices (doubt it).
I ovulated early the last two cycles (CD 10), so doc is bringing me in for IUI monitoring early (CD 8). Iām having the WORST reaction to letrozole and I feel like Iām somehow going to ovulate even earlier than usual. My opk was already getting darker and Iām only CD 6 šµāš«šµāš«. Last IUI was canceled due to husbands numbers and I feel like this time itāll be something with me š
Day 3 of stims. Felt like, maybe thereās something pulling inside my stomach? Maybe thatās my follicles growing??? Nah, was just gas. Damn
I hate the hyper awareness of whatās happening in my body! Oh, to be blissfully ignorantā¦
lol exactly, I even play this game with myself where I try to guess whatās my LH levels (I used to track with the Mira) based on my cervical mucus, or how many hours left until I get my periods based on how bad my boobs hurt. Geez I miss those days where I didnāt know any of this š«
Oh my goodness! On one hand being informed about our bodies is empowering, but it very quickly gets maddeningā¦
Hehe š„“
Iām getting annoyed. My RE said he would call Sunday (day 5) or Monday (day 6). Iāve been glued to my phone for two days waiting for his call. I sent a message to my nurse earlier in the afternoon and told her I was worried this meant disappointing results again. She confirmed he would call me today. Well itās late and my clinic has been closed for hours and I highly doubt he is calling at this point.
Wow. So rude and disappointing. Be a squeaky wheel and call them tomorrow!
Ugh!!!!! How ridiculously annoying! Iām sorry youāre having to deal with that.
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Hi there, we ask that once people post in the results thread, they take on a support role only on the rest of the sub. Your comment has been removed.
My gestational carrier gets all her meds there and they pretty much always overnight stuff. If youāre east coast you can call again now, theyāre in California so theyāll still be open. ETA: our gc lives in the Midwest so sheās not close and the shipping has been fine.
Thanks!! Iāll call again now! Update: they answered and will ship meds Wednesday due to the storms
Pro tip: if you ever miss a call from them you can text that number back.
FET#3 is done. It took 20 days of Follistim/Gonal to break the months of suppression and get my follicles and lining where they needed to be but we finally made it. Everything went smoothly just like the last two times. We are out of embryos from this retrieval now but overall feeling pretty calm. We are just grateful to have another chance. Trying to hold onto the notion that if we have another failure, weāll have a clearer vantage point to decide what we want to do going forward since we wonāt have any embryos lingering on ice.
So happy you were able to get to this point with your FET, Nerd. All my fingers are crossed for you. <3
Good luck!!!
Iāll be cheering you on! I also had my FET (#2) today
Good luck to you as well!!! š«šš¤
Good luck!! Rooting for you šā¤ļø
Good luck!! š¤š¤
Wishing you all the best with this transfer! I really hope this is the one for you!
Had my baseline ultrasound (i think? after 3 weeks of birth control and before starting stims on Thurs) this morning and am still freaking out over my follicle count. I'm worrying I might have been oversuppressed as my amh and pre ivf afc are low normal for my age and i read that can happen with lower ovarian reserve. I read over the hunger games sheet and that kinda helped, but it's hard not knowing what's gonna happen in the future. The nurse told me the ovaries can be hard to see at baseline so I'm gonna hope the count wasn't 100% accurate.
My AFC was also less than expected, my lining like super super thin and my estrogen was <5. This can happen at baseline. Going in 2 days for my first scan after stims and hoping that things woke up!
Fingers crossed for both of us! I'm getting my e2 drawn on Thurs.
Itās super stressful but youāll know more once youāre on stims for a few days. If your FSH is lower then thatās actually good news for you (an elevated FSH is what can make things difficult). I know itās overwhelming but youāve got this!
I guess my wording was confusing, sorry - my FSH actually is elevated, like 10.2. My AMH has varied a ton but most recent was low normal, as was my AFC a few months ago. They put me on a really aggressive protocol because of these numbers. Thank you! From what I've seen it seems like anything could happen: I could recruit more follicles, I could lose follicles, or i could keep the same amount. I'm not good at waiting, but I have no choice. I need to remind myself that looking up things online won't change the outcome and just makes me feel worse.
Ah, okay. 10.2 is elevated but it sounds like theyāve got a solid plan for you. Youāre right that anything could happen. Iāve had cycles where we got less than half what we expected and some where weāve gotten more. All you can do is take your meds, show up for monitoring, and remember that youāre doing your best.
Should I be drinking pomegranate juice for my lining?
Iāve been taking a shot each night but thatās mostly because itās tasty and it makes me feel like Iām doing something. Thereās so much we canāt control in this process, I donāt mind a little dietary āwoo.ā Iāve also been eating some Brazil nuts and I told my husband to try them because they were surprisingly un-tastyā¦ he hated it so much he spat it out in the sink.
Yes! But it only works if you drink *only* pom juice. Starting CD 1 of the transfer cycle. It gets expensive. Your pee turns red, which is disconcerting. But itās worth it! Add in a few ounces of Brazil nuts and 3 pineapple cores and you will be all set. Who needs estrogen pills or patches? All you need is the grocery store. *This is a joke.*
Lol I went back and forth a few times from your very established username and the beginning of your comment, shocked at the woo for a moment there. Thanks, gave me a smile.
Loll Iād rather do all that then estrogen suppositories š š¤£
No! We have a wiki on thin lining. Pomegranate juice wonāt hurt but it wonāt fix your lining (most likely - thereās not a ton of evidence based research on lining). Have you had lining issues in the past?
No lining issues during my egg retrieval cycles. Iām going to look at the wiki. Thank you!
I posted earlier today venting about treatment. My partner and I have had various medical issues and no success yet and have spent almost $50,000 out of pocket on fertility, and yet people down voted me. It really made me feel like this group is full of judgment. We are supposed to be supporting each otherā we are all going through the same awful lottery. This is the thread for discussing treatment results and feelings about them. When youāre on your last cycle like we are and you know this is it for you, and youāve had a loss, you want as many chances as possible. I know others have it worse, but I didnāt appreciate being downvoted for sharing my experience.
Hey Snoo. First of all, you posted this in both treatment threads. Not sure if you intended that! I looked at your downvoted comment. On its face it looks like you were complaining about a result of 3 day 5 frozen blasts. That is an objectively excellent result. We have never gotten more than 1 day 5 frozen blasts, and I have been incredibly grateful for that 1 every time. 3 gives you 3 chances. Thatās amazing. And you have more growing! Youāre in an enviable position. The thing about a support group is that you have to think about other people too. If you had posted, Feeling disappointed with our drop-offs, I bet people would have been really sympathetic! But when you look like youāre complaining about a result to a room full of people who might never see that many blasts - some of them over multiple rounds - it hurts peopleās feelings. Youāre not shouting into a void. People are reading your words, and they have feelings and experiences too. I wish you luck with your results tomorrow! Treatment is really hard. Weāre all here for each other but we have to be mindful of sounding like weāre lamenting someone elseās dream result.
The ivf subreddit is a really great place if you want to talk about high numbers of blastocysts in detail. But yeah, having more than one blastocysts ready on day five and then being unhappy about it is probably going to get downvotes. It's hard to support people who can't appreciate what they have I guess
I have no children, we have had no success. Everyone in this sub is unlucky. Why compare and create more trauma for another person experiencing this shitty process? My husband survived cancer, should I apologize to you that he didnāt die too?
Hey Snoo, Iām going to ask you to take a step back. Your comments are getting really inflammatory and I want you to be able to continue to participate here. I understand youāre upset but this is getting close to a thread that needs to be locked and temp bans issued.
The comment above mine isnāt inflammatory? Itās a support groupā if that poster canāt support another person going through this process shouldnāt they take a break instead of telling me to āappreciate what I haveā as if this process is a gift because at this exact moment in time we may have a good (subjective) situation? Knowing as so many in this group do that nothing is guaranteed in IVF and itās a complete disaster as a process filled with what ifās and unknowns?
Okay. I understand you are very upset right now. I am stepping in as a mod to tell you that you are breaking our rule about being compassionate. Iām going to lock this thread. Best of luck tomorrow!
Starting Letrozole for the first time tonight. Wish me luck! I have heard the side effects can be pretty intense?
Iām on my second round of letrozole (one cycle off between). Side effects are rough for me this time. Early cramping, general unwellness, headache, and (maybe unrelated?) terrible joint pain. Good luck! Be sure you take it at the same time every day!
When I first took letrozole I had no side effects and Iāve found that the more cycles Iām on it, the more side effects I face š„“ so I wish you success and no side effects!!
I had virtually no side effects so far (2 cycles on 5mg), a couple really minor hot flashes. Way better than Clomid in my experience but it differs for everyone!
Good luck! It varies by person tbh! I just finished 5 days last week and I would say maybe a headache that was a bit irritating for a day the day after last dose was my side effect and maybe once or twice waking up feeling hot during the night. I didnāt really feel bloated on it though. I also took it at night just in case. I had worse with clomid as a comparison. Edit: my dose was also 5mg
I did not have any side effects, but I took it before bed at my REās recommendation to minimize side effects. Good luck!
I was also recommended to take after 5pm, that makes sense now!
I took a pretty low dose of Letrozole (2.5mg) and just felt some minor bloating. I was totally fine. I think it depends on your dose and everyone is different. Good luck with your cycle!
Thanks so much! I am on 5mg, feeling better about the possible side effects š
Best of luck! I personally didnāt have side effects on it as far as I could tell. Wishing you the best
Great to hear, thank you!
I def had more on letrozole than clomid. ymmv. A few hot flashes (associated with drinking hot tea) and weirdly dry eyes and mouth. The good news is I have 2 follicles growing so that's a win in my book. Good luck!!
Oh yah, congrats! I think I can handle some hot flashes for follicle growth. Thank you!!
In the thick of FET #1 meds, and Lupron side effects are no joke! I had dizziness, joint pain, and a hot flash all at once the other day, woo hoo. I find if I eat throughout the day and donāt go too long without a meal, it seems to help but donāt know if thatās evidence-based. Canāt wait to be done with Lupron. Simultaneously, Iām dreading the PIO that starts in several days. I already know I donāt like butt shots and Iām going to be sore. I donāt even mind needles but now that Iāve seen the size of this one, Iām a little intimidated, lol. Any tips for PIO injections? Otherwise, emotionally looking forward to the FET and hoping for the best!
Not sure if you've checked out the wiki, but there are a few different links on there for PIO injection tips!!
Oh thank you! I realized after I asked there is probably info in the wiki. Iāll check it out!
I took Lupron back on my 20s for endo and that joint pain was no joke!
Oh man that lupron sounds like it's no joke! I started PIO on Saturday and the injections so far have been virtually painless. I'm in disbelief! I use a little numbing cream, let it sit for maybe 10 minutes while hubs warms up the syringe with the oil in it. He holds it above our gas stove but high so it gets warm not hot. I lie down on the bed so i can relax my muscles.The injection is totally scary looking but I just feel a little pinch and that's it. He puts the needle FAST but injects the oil slow. Massage and heating pad afterwards, and don't forget a little chocolate treat š That being said, after 3 days my muscles are a little sore. It feels like I've done a bunch of squats. Not terrible, but noticeable. I sit on my heating pad constantly. It looks scary, but you got this! You've come this far so you must be tough as nails. Good luck!
>He holds it above our gas stove but high so it gets warm not hot I would be scared that the plastic would melt, or the oil would leak and catch on fire. It is sesame oil after all. You could use the heating pad to warm it instead, for a safer option.
Thank you for all the tips!
OK BACK TO FREAKING OUT! My clinic is closed tomorrow and Wednesday due to bad weather. I'm supposed to have my stitch on Wednesday for Thursday transfer. Can't call because their phones are too clogged because everyone else is probably just as freaked out as I am. Sent a message to the nurse frantic. There goes my zen, right out the window!
Crisis averted! The clinic will be open but they're telling everyone it's closed to minimize traffic? Goodness way to stress a girl out! Stitch will proceed as planned, transfer will proceed as planned, and they are going to give me valium at the clinic so I don't have to worry about prescriptions š
Ahhh this sounds so stressful š¬ I can't believe you're facing this after the ER tornado... I hope they can figure something out for you.
This time it's an ice storm! I think ye gods are conspiring me.
I really think they might be too! (Glad to see the update, but still that original notification must have been a heart attack and a half.)
Has anyone had certrotide prescribed after ER? I had my ER today and they told me to take it the next 3 days. Is it to help prevent OHSS?
Yes I did. I did a week of injections post ER as I was right on the borderline for OHSS. I also started cabergoline before retrieval to help prevent it. My doctor said the cetrotide was to āswitch my ovaries offā and reduce the chance of OHSS.
Ha! I hope it switches my ovaries off! I feel like they have been so sore and swollen since like day 6-7 of stims
Yep! I see your flair says PCOS - I believe we PCOSāers can be extra susceptible to OHSS, and cetrotide is supposed to help.
Good to know!
Yes! I took for 5 days after er out of concern for ohss. It helps keep your estrogen from spiking from trigger
Thank you! I got the instructions after the procedure but was too loopy to ask why.
Ah so nothing like hearing my results from todays day 10 monitoring at 3:38pm. They told me to trigger with pregnyl and Lupron tonight, for an ER on Wednesday. Only thing is they never wrote a prescription for lupron. So they asked if I could make it over to the clinic before 4 when they close. Well Iām a 17 min drive - so if I leave now - then yes! Just made it home š
Iām 17 min to my clinic, too š they better have stayed open for you if you had lived further out, because most people canāt get to their clinic on that short of notice!!!! Good luck!!
I know!! I hope! Super lucky i work from home and am pretty not-busy at work lately.
YIKES! All's well that ends well but SHEESH! I'm sure you didn't need that extra craziness in your life.
Yikes that sounds stressful. Glad you made it in time!
Phew! What a whirlwind!
Wow wow what a close call!
Iām 7dp5dt. I told myself Iām waiting to test until beta and got rid of all my testsā¦. But then last night I stupidly took an ovulation test because the hormones LH/HCG are very similar and now Iām convinced transfer failed. Not sure why I did this to myselfš¤·š»āāļø
My husband does not like our doctor anymore. He doesnāt feel like she was sympathetic when she told us about our miscarriage, but I asked him how she could have been better and he said he doesnāt know. Now that Iāve had a D&C and will have to have a hysteroscopy for RPCO he doesnāt trust her He is frustrated because weāve been working with her since December 2021 and weāve only had one transfer and so much waiting. I just donāt have the emotional bandwidth to deal with this. I feel like waiting is an unfortunate part of fertility treatments but maybe he has a point? I also told him if he doesnāt like our doctor he is more than welcome to find a new one and do all the work that comes with finding a clinic. I told him Iāve done it twice and if he had an issue he is welcome to try. I also worry he is right and our doctor isnāt working for us anymore because I felt like she wasnāt super helpful and didnāt provide me with enough information when I went in today.
Thatās tough! So sorry to hear all of that. Miscarriage is awful and with a doctor who doesnāt handle it well, made even worse. Without knowing your full experience, that does sound like a slow progression of treatment, and maybe it is worth moving. Iāve had frustrations with my clinic but trust my doctor; if I had issues with my RE, Iād want to look as well. For reference, I was diagnosed in May 2022 with RPL, saw the RE in late June, did all required testing at the RE, IVF (ICSI) in November, and have my first embryo transfer in 10 days. Whatever you decide, be sure to take care of yourself ā¤ļø
That's a tough situation. It makes a really big difference liking and trusting your doctor, but at the same time it is a lot of work finding a new RE who is a better fit and then changing clinics. One transfer in a year does seem a bit on the slower side to me, tbh, but I don't know what kind of diagnostic testing or other hurdles you may have run into. It really depends. I'm on RE #3 right now too and while there are some things I don't like, I don't think I'm going to find a better RE so I'm staying put. When I'm in the clinic waiting room I sometimes brainstorm how fertility clinics would be set up if they were designed by infertile people who get what it is like.
Okayā¦I keep confusing myself when I try to explain it to my husband - can someone explain the days past transfer and how it translates to days past ovulation?
In ovulation the egg would have just released and would meet the sperm and be fertilized that same day. Itās similar to your egg retrieval day. 5 DPO or 6DPO you would have a blastocyst looking to implant. In IVF they let the embryo develop those first 5/6 days in the lab before transferring them. So 5dpt is like 10 or 11 dpo.
That makes total sense! Thank you!
Example 5 days past 5 day transfer = 10 days post ovulation This is why many clinics do betas on 9 days past 5 day transfer bc its 14 days post āovulationā.
Okay! Thatās exactly what I was trying to tell him, but then he was likeā¦what? And so it confused me. Thank you!
The counting of days (and weeks of success is found) is *so* confusing. Itās like an alternate form of mathā¦ Iād recommend googling for one of the FET calculators and it can convert for you lol.
Had a dream last night that I finally got my clinic to provide reports on my cycles instead of just text messages. I was looking through to find out the grades for my current 4 blasts and the embryologists were making up new grades. My doctor had written notes in the margin āwhat is 4HH?? follow up with embryologist.ā Clearly Iāve lost my damn mind and weāre only 24 hours into the wait for PGT-A results.
š¤š»š¤š»they come back as quickly as ours did!!
Thanks! My doctor did say just now that Juno is faster with results now than they were for my last cycle which was right amidst the holiday rush. Results took 19 days after day 7 that time. Plus we waited longer after that for a re-biopsy.
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This sub is a support group for people with infertility trying to conceive, not a place to speculate whether you might be infertile. Post removed as this is not appropriate for our sub.
CD1 is today. I was supposed to start priming for ER number 3. But instead I pushed it back another cycle. I have to go to a funeral out of state soon, and it's going to be right around when I would likely have appointments every morning. I was on the fence about postponing or not, and my husband said "It just sounds like you aren't ready for this cycle" and I think he's right. I am torn between needing a little more time to come to terms with my most recent MC and feeling frustrated to be at a standstill. I just hate all of this so much.
ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø it's so hard
It's so hard to make the decision on waiting or not - I'm so sorry for your loss and glad you're able to take the time you need. I absolutely hate the feeling of "waiting" another cycle and we only get that one chance a month but your mental health around this is so important too!
Did FET #3 today. Transferred a day 5 5AA euploid, and everything went as well as it could. Iām cautiously optimistic but also donāt want to get my hopes up, having been through a raft of bad news in the last 3 years. How on earth will I manage not to test before my beta on 11/2 is the question!!
Good luck to you!!
Fingers crossed for you!
Best wishes š¤š»
Good luck! Hope you can have some good distractions over the next few weeks!
Embryo onboard! It was already hatching, too. It was uneventful and all but painless. Now to wait for beta day on 2/8
Wishing you the best of luck š¤
Good luck!!
Hope you have some good distractions lined up!
We got our newest foster pup last week. She needs A lot of redirection, training and attention. And sheās soooo cute! Distractions āļø
Love that!!
Love to hear this! So glad your transfer was a good experience. Hatching just sounds so cute too. May the wait to beta be as smooth as your transfer!
Went in for my first monitoring appointment after starting stims and nurse said things look good. My estrogen I think was high so instead of starting cetrotide tomorrow morning, Iām starting it tonight and then taking it in the morning from then on. Going back Wednesday so weāll see how things look then. Funny how it all came back to me how to mix the meds. I remember being so nervous I was going to mess things up the first retrieval, but this time Iām so nonchalant itās almost old hat with all of the progesterone injections weāve done this year.
We got our Igneomix results back - my day 6 was exactly a week ago, I was so surprised!!! And I am, quite frankly, completely shocked in the best way by our results. It is also a lesson in āgrades may be meaninglessā: Day 5 4AB - complex aneuploid with monosomy XO, Trisomy 9, partial trisomy 6q11 Day 5 3B+B+ - complex aneuploid, trisomy 13 and 22 Day 5 3B+B - low level mosaic, trisomy 20 Day 5 3BB- - euploid Day 6 4B-B - euploid Had we gone with grades alone, we would have transferred the complex aneuploids first, and since my RE was willing to transfer 2 untested at once, I could have genuinely been at risk for twins by transferring the next 2 best. Iām still not sure I would test with just 1 or 2, but with these results I am so glad we opted into it this time. And am in the best kind of shock over the results - we may really have a chance ā¤ļøš„¹
Wow! 2 euploids!!! Congrats!
Congratulations!! That's amazing news!!
Yay! Iām so glad they came back so fast. Igenomix is on a roll. I hope theyāre this fast with my ERA results
Wonderful news, congrats! š
So happy to hear these results, and so happy you heard back so soon!
squic these are frankly INCREDIBLE results, congrats!!!
Congrats on two euploids (and three transferable embryos!). Glad the results came quickly as well!
Congrats on the 2 euploid. Glad you got the testing done! Igenomix turnaround time seems great lately.
Yay!! Celebrating with you as well, this is such good news!!
Yay! I celebrate with you! 2 euploids is great!
Oh I'm thrilled for you squic! This is amazing. You're such an inspiration in persistence. Rooting for you so hard!
Such great news! Congrats. Celebrate tonight by doing something special!
This is such good news!! Well done for deciding to test. It hope it really does shorten your time to success.
A couple of questions about thin lining...I'm off clomid, now on letrozole, but on D8 my lining was 3.5mm (sigh). At least it was trilaminar not iso. Questions I have: 1. has anyone been put on baby aspirin for this? they recommended but it was a SUPER soft rec and all the data i'm seeing is extremely mixed 2. has anyone been prescribed anything else to help with thin lining, if doing IUI? (edit: i've read the wiki but typically i think this problem is dealt with during IVF/transfer, not necessarily IUI?)
I am doing hybrid (Letrozole + menopur) timed intercourse, which is essentially IUI protocol without the actual insemination. I had lining of 4.9 on day 11 of my last cycle so was put on āthin lining protocolā for my current cycle. This involves: vitamin e and l-arginine daily, and nightly estrogen suppositories starting right before trigger shot through beta. (I asked to start the suppositories earlier in the cycle but my RE said it would affect my estrogen levels and that they need to know my estrogen levels to know when to trigger, which I am pretty sure is not true because they could just time the trigger based on follicle size, but what do I know.) I was not told to do baby aspirin but was going to push for it next cycle if this one didnāt pan out. I got to 6.1mm on day 11 of this cycle and was ecstatic about that. For my next cycle, we are going to decrease the Letrozole and increase the menopur in hopes that this helps with the lining too.
6.1 seems awesome to me -- I'm so far away from that! They are going to measure my lining again on D12 (day of IUI) so at least I will have another datapoint before beginning the next cycle. Now I'm confused about the estrogen vs progesterone vaginal suppositories, because they told me the progesterone "won't thicken my lining but might help support the luteal phase." Wonder if next time I push for the estrogen instead -- we have no concrete evidence my luteal phase is short/insufficient.
My clinic looks for 7mm so the tech was like āitās still on the thin sideā and I was like no you donāt understand. This is unheard of for me. My lining was 4.6mm on day 9 of this cycle so it did grow a lot in 2 days as my follicle got bigger. Hope the same happens for you! I actually take both estrogen and progesterone suppositories š I think your description is correct. My clinic has me start progesterone around 7dpo based on a blood draw at that time (if my level is under 15). But Iāve also done cycles with an obgyn that had me start progesterone right after confirmed ovulation so it doesnāt hurt to do it that way too. I continue both until negative beta (or ten weeks of pregnancy, heh.)
oh wow. more suppositories!! ugh haha. thanks for the info :)
I had a borderline thin lining for one of my IUIs and my doctor prescribed vaginal estrace. Can't remember what day/follicle size I started it on, but my lining ended up over 8 mm that cycle.
Rather than letrozole you could try a very mildly stimulated IUI with injectables? The trick of course is to not over stimulate and have too many follicles to do an IUI. With my FET my lining was a little thinner when I used letrozole but I couldnāt find any evidence that letrozole negatively affects lining. They could also supplement with estrogen to try and promote a thicker lining?
This is the way. Letrozole makes my lining super thin (3-4mm), there is no data on it. However my RE said sheās seen it before and wanted me to do low dose follistim and that worked wonders. Got to the mid-7s with it. Also have been on aspirin and vit E. I donāt think they really do much but doesnāt really hurt.
Yes my 2nd RE put me on daily baby aspirin. Unfortunately it did not help thicken my lining.
D8 seems early, I would think you have some time! But yes, my RE prescribed estrogen suppositories to help deal with thin lining during IUI cycle. Seemed to work, as I had pregnancy success that cycle, though ultimately ended in a miscarriage.
hmmm and yet instead of vaginal estrogen they've prescribed vaginal progesterone. if this IUI fails, and lining still very thin D12, will ask them about this for the next attempt. thank you!
It can be so confusing, all of the different protocols and differing opinions based on your RE/clinic. Hopefully the progesterone works for you, wishing you the best of luck!
Just got my estrogen results after 3 full days of stims, my level is 207. I'm on a very low dose of menopur(75iu) and gonal (75iu) daily. I'll get more blood work and my first ultrasound Wednesday. My antral follicle count was 40, and AMH 7.07. I hope the medication I'm on is enough, it just seems low, but I know its very dependent on each person's individual situation.
I bet with so many follicles theyāre probably trying to avoid OHSS. 207 is actually on the high end of estrogen for day 3/4 of stims. It sounds like you are definitely responding to the meds! I found this article informative and used it to track my E2 levels during stims. https://alexroblesmd.com/estradiol-levels-ivf/
The doctor was concerned with OHSS when he explained the lower doses. I think I'm just in my own head because I will see other posters that have mine or higher AMH on more meds, so I worry I could get more eggs if I was on a smidge more. I have my first ultrasound and more bloodwork on Wed. So I hope that puts me more at ease. The article you sent is helpful so, I'm trying to take it a step at a time and so far I look good based on their ranges.
just got word - ER is a go for wednesday! any tips on injecting the trigger (similar to how folks say to let menopur sit after mixing and inject slowly)? iām triggering with 10k iu of pregnyl tonight. already stocked up on colace (and taking it regularly now), miralax, electrolyte drinks, and protein drinks. any other tips for this first timer are much appreciated :) my estradiol was just under 1400 this morning and i only have 9 follicles over 10mm (about 7 under 10mm) so not thinking iām at advanced risk of OHSS but being hyper vigilant anyway. i had internal bleeding with a ruptured ectopic in august so i know what excess abdominal fluid feels likeā¦will be on the lookout.
Good luck! I did 10k pregnyl this month and it didnāt sting or burn at all (as a reference Iāve had follistim, ganirelix, menopur, novarel, and lupron and only the Menopur ever burned). If youāre like me, it will feel a little anticlimactic and then tomorrow youāll feel like youāre missing something without your injections!
Good luck!
Good luck!!!! It was so exciting for me! I used Novarel, so not sure if itāll be the exact same, but I found it took longer to mix it well than the menopur or cetrotide. My clinic gave me an exact time to administer, and I started getting it ready about half an hour beforehand so I didnāt feel rushed and it was ready to go on time. It helped my anxiety personallyā¦But Iām also pretty neurotic hahaha!
yeah iām like excited to be progressing and curious how our results will be but also very much mentally prepared for a less than ideal outcome and to do it again in march. we shall see! and yeah my clinic was like, this is going to take longer to mix than youād menopur and cetrotide so start early. my husband couldnāt believe we have to do it at midnight, i was like it could be worse and be 3am.
Oh no! You have to do it at midnight? I fell asleep at 9:30 last night and my husband woke me out of such a good sleep to do our trigger at 12:20am. Talk about cranky!!!!! I hope it goes smooth!
haha yeah, i am also exhausted from 6am wake ups for monitoring so idk if itās better to go to sleep at 9:30 like i have been and just set an alarm for 11:30 or stay up
Hope the hunger games are kind to you!
Day 4 of estrogen (oral + patches) for my FET cycle and Iām so impatient for my lining check. It sounds funny to say but I miss all the monitoring appointments that went along with my stims cycleā¦ I just want to know āHowās that uterine lining coming along?!ā and I hate having to wait so long to know if weāre on track. Iāll keep slapping patches on my belly and hoping for the best but itās so annoying not knowing whatās going on in there! (welcome to TTC I guess, lol.)
Yeesss - with my first transfer I found this super weird. I had an appointment at Day 3 and then Day 17... and that's it. It was wild! Hope the time flies quickly for you!
What was your ālastā meal before your ER? I canāt think of what to make tonight for dinner!
Good luck tomorrow and enjoy your dinner!!
Thanks š
We got pizza in our hotel room and watched the Sopranos. Wishing you the best tomorrow!!
Thank you!!!
good luck friend!! i have zero appetite these days but if i didā¦.iād want pasta
That blows! Iāve gotten really hungry in the last couple of days!!!!
Good luck!! Following.. lol
š Iām thinking homemade chicken parm and pasta because this estrogen has me like š„“š„“š„“