**October FET**

[leorira11]

Hi ladies!

I know there is a fall cycle group that is quite active, but I have a hard time following (catching up!), so I thought I'd start a smaller thread for those of us doing October FETs.

As for me - I'm waiting for a D&C on Tuesday (missed miscarriage discovered at 8 weeks. I should be a little over 9 weeks now, but no bleeding at all, so we scheduled a D&C). After the D&C I start taking OCP so that I can control my cycles (I have PCO and don't ovulate/cycle on my own at all). After 2.5-3 weeks of active BCP, I stop them, get a period and start my FET! Protocol seems to be pretty much like my last 2 FETs - 2-3 weeks of Estrace, a few days of PIO and then transfer.

I have 2 blastocycsts frozen, individually. Again, DH and I have to decide to transfer one or both. I'm leaning toward both. This will be our FIFTH transfer, with no living children. Also, having just one frostie scares me, because I know someone who had one frostie and did a whole FET cycle only to learn that her frostie didn't survive thawing. The doctors keep reminding me of the risk of twins, but I know much better than anyone else what the risks are with twins (I lost twins at 22 weeks after pPROM).

So.... I should be doing a frozen blastocyst transfer toward the end of October. Anyone else?

[Krys]

Hey there,

i am kind of in the same boat as you. I'm
a little ahead of you in my cycle but I'm currently
waiting to do a fet. I just got over af on Saturday.
I started estrace pills on day three and that's all
they have me doing so far. I have my first u/s next
Monday to make sure my lining is good. This is my
first fet and hopefully my last. I did my first ivf the
middle of august. I got a positive beta but my
numbers
weren't great and they only got worse
I have seven frosties thank goodness. We have
decided to have two transfered as well. At this
point in the game I would be thrilled with twins.
It sounds like you have done a few fets, when do
they usually transfer??
Sorry about the long message... Good luck with
everything!

[leorira11]

for me, FET cycles are always a bit longer than fresh. For my fresh cycles, I get AF, then on day 3, I start the stims (antagonist protocol) and have the retreival about 10 days later. For FETs, I start Estrace on day 3, and take it for about 2.5-3 weeks (with u/s every week to check the lining). Then, I start the progesterone on the day the embryos are 'conceived' (ie, 3 days before a transfer of day 3 embryos, 5 days before a transfer of day 5 embryos)

How far along are your frosties?

[Krys]

I guess fet just seems faster for me because
I don't have to go back and forth to the doctors
as much until closer to the transfer date. My frosties
are day three I believe. I should probably look
into that. Are the progesterone shots really hard
on you?? They make me so uncomfortable and sore.
Enjoy the rest of your week..

[leorira11]

I actually take progesterone injections in ethyl oleate (not oil - although it's greasy like oil, it's much less thick), so they aren't so bad (I'm outside the USA, they don't usually do PIEO in the USA). Also, I'm usually on the suppositories. They just switched me to injections during my last pregnancy due to some spotting. But I actually PREFER the injections. Once a day injections are much better than all day messes from the suppositories (I use 300mg x3/day)

It's true that it feels shorted because of less clinic trips. Also, it's easier on my work schedule (because I don't have to miss days for retrieval, only transfer)

I'm now on BCP.... about 2 more weeks until I can stop and get a period and start my FET!

[blairwh58]

Hey Guys. I saw this thread and thought I should join since I believe I am in a similar situation to the both of you. I did my last FET on August 24, where we transferred 3 blasts and ended up with a BFN. Since then I have had the immune testing which came back normal, and am still waiting on the karyotyping results to come back. I have been on BCP since last wednesday and have my baseline appointment next Tuesday Sept 21. NP said that she thought we would be doing transfer first or second week of October if all goes as planned. We have 3 frosties left so DH and I decided to transfer all 3 this time. We want to go all in this time and then if it still doesnt work we will have to save up money for another fresh transfer.

As for the Fresh vs Frozen- I agree that I think frozen takes longer. I feel like being BCP for awhile, and then lupron and estrogen just takes longer, even though it is nice having less appointments. The progesterone shots....even though they were def my first choice are tough after awhile. I have done them with the IUI and IVF cycles. Even though I have the Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate too after about 2 wks or so I usually end up with knots that are sooo uncomfortable.

Excited to go through this cycle with you all and hopefully we will finally end up with some good results.

[kynlee]

Hi Ladies...

I'm really new with all of this, but I figured I join in... I really dont have anyone to chat with or ask questions to except my Husband and My dr... Havent told my family what we are doing yet... I did my retrieval in July got 14 frosties... But my E was so high I ended up with hyper stimulation so it delayed me so now I am back up and running and started my estrace and going to the Dr Sept 27th to check my lining Im hoping for a transfer the 1st week of Oct... Nervous and excited all at the same time... Hopefully my frozen eggs do good...

[Krys]

Hello ladies,

it's nice to see our board filling up a little.
It's amazing how alone you can feel on this
journey and then you log on to this site and
see how many others are in the same boat as you.
I have no one around here that understands anything
that we are going through either. I use to keep it to
myself but I find people a lot more undrstanding the more
I let them in. Not everyone feels comfortable with this but
it has helped me a lot. Where are you ladies all from?? I'm from
Ontario, my clinic is in Toronto. I'm very happy with it so far. I was
disappointed about losing my babies but the more I read on here
the more I see how common it is for your first ivf not to work.
I have my first ultrasound on monday it's day thirteen for me. I have
been on estrace since day three. I have no idea when they will do my
transfer but for some reason I think the last week in September sounds
right! Do you guys do the progesterone shots in your upper butt??
Mine makes it so lumpy I thought they were joking when they first brought
that up, but they weren't. I even put the heat pad on it and massage like
they told me to but I don't seem to get any release. I stopped my last progesterone
shots on labor day weekend and I still have small bruises and lumps. They are
almost gone though. I'm looking forward to having some people to go through this
cycle with. Keep the posts coming. Good luck everyone

[Krys]

Kynlee- sorry to hear about your hyperstim, so painful
i bet! They almost canceled my transfer because I had quite
a bit of fluid as well but thankfully I was able to avoid that.
I don't think I will ever look at a bottle of Gatorade the same lol!
But 14 frosties that's awesome... Lots to choose from.
Anyways best of luck!

[leorira11]

I'm actually located in Jerusalem Israel. I grew up in the USA (east coast), but met and married an Israeli man and moved here! I picked up the language quite quickly and found a job and friends, so we're quite happy here.
The best part is that IVF is covered by the national health care system. We pay only a few $100 for each cycle (co-pays on the meds). I never thought I would need IVF, but now that I do, thank goodness we live here!

I really can't believe this will be our fifth transfer. I should be 10 weeks pregnant today.... damnit.

Tonight starts Yom Kippur. I had been saying for a while that I wanted to light 2 candles in memory of the twins we lost (it's tradition to light candles for lost loved ones on Yom Kippuer).... but now I'm lighting 3. I can't believe it.

I'm just trying to keep my mind off of the whole IVF process. Just taking it one day at a time. Today, all I had to do was take my birth control pill....breathe...

[Krys]

Wow Israel, I guess we won't be meeting up for coffee
anytime soon, lol! That's great that ivf is covered I wish
that was the case here. I got some money back from
my work benefits but only for medication so it hardly put
a dent in the price. Thankfully we have a very giving family
that wants nothing more then to help.
Five transfers that's too many.. So unfair! I hope and pray
this is it for you. I never thought this road would be one I would
travel either but now here I am. I have only been pregnant
once and it was my first ivf cycle the middle of august. My first
beta number wasn't great and it only got worse. I'm just thankful
that I actually got pregnant, I'm hoping that means it could easily happen again
I would light
the candles if I were you, what a nice way to remember your babies.
I called my nurse thus morning and she said I might be able to have my
transfer as early as next Friday depending on how my ultrasound looks on Monday.
It scares me to death, I have a very hard time getting excited anymore. But we just
need to keep looking up. Good luck with the bcp hopefully it
goes by fast for you. Hang in there!

[kynlee]

I love that there are so many people to chat with on here, I been looking around for a good site to talk to women in the same boat as me... I never thought in a million years I would be doing this but I guess things happen... It has been a long road I was in denial for 7 years that it wasnt the right timing and then I finally asked my husband to go to the doctors so we could both get checked, and found out what I didnt want to believe that we needed help we decided not to tell the family cause he is a private person but I wish I could just because its so hard to go through sometimes talking about it makes it easier... Glad I got you ladies to chat with now

I am from RI.... this is my first Ivf cycle so im nervous and excited all in one... Reading all these post makes me more nervous now seeing how many people have miscarriages that has to be the hard part.... But One day at a time crossing my fingers that it will happen for me sooner then later...

I dont know what to expect next.... I started my estrace 2 days ago 10 more days to go.... then U/S to see when I am ready for the transfer.... Does anyone no how many Frosties they put on the same tray? I have 14 frosties and I am only using 2 the first shot, so is there more then 2 per tray? Does it give me at least 5 chances before I have to start the Lupron shots for another retrieval??? I really dont have a clue, I feel I ask all the right questions and then I leave the Dr office with 10 more questions...

I dont know all the abbreviations yet either for all the terms I am trying to catch up with everyone...

Getting the Hyperstim from the Lupron was the worse I had to take a week out of work, cause it bloated me so much I looked 4 mths pregnant and I didnt want everyone at work to ask me what happened... Plus the pain was terrible the first few days I dread going through that again and my dr said my chances are high that it will happen the next time too...

Nice chatting with everyone.... Keep me posted with all your stories it seems this is a great support system

[kynlee]

By the way Krs you are so right I don't look at gatorade the same lol

I didnt know how high the changes were when you transfer 2 eggs to have twins, but from reading the message board it sounds like its alot.. i figured it was just so I have a better chance to have a baby, I wouldnt mind though ifI did have twins then I could be done in one shot hopefully I am trying to think positive but I know this can be a emotional rollercoaster... So glad to talk to people that are the same cycle so we can chat along the way, it makes it easier knowing people that are on the same page....

[leorira11]

I've heard that the chances of twins with you transfer 2 embryos is about 25% (the chance of twins is less than 2% if you transfer one).
Doctors keep lecturing me about the risk of twins.... I FREAKING KNOW! Sheesh. I lost twins at 22 weeks.

But transferring two is no guarantee of twins.... and I can't deal with more cycles. Also, a few doctors have told me that while, yes twins have higher risks than singletons, there is no promise I would have no problems with a singleton or that I couldn't have a good twins pregnancy.

There are just so many unknowns. I hate that I have to make these kinds of decisions.

[kynlee]

Wow this is all scary.... So sad to hear you lost twins, this is all so hard... Wishing you much luck on your next transfer Whatever i am granted twins or singleton I will be happy... I cant wait for my 1st cycle.. This is so new to me...