FET in 2009 - Page 2

[ChattyCat]

My daughter is the result of FET (leftover embryo from the fresh cycle that produced ds). They thaw the totsicles the morning of the transfer.

[crazyrunningmama]

Originally Posted by chiromama

Interesting about hte thaw, I assume ours will thaw a very short time before transfer, as they are 5 day blasts. I remember my doc saying something about not messing around too much with them, just thaw em out and pop em in.

Originally Posted by OrganicSister

I think I have 5 day blasts too. I'll have to pick the RE's brain on how it works. I'm really curious now.

The sucky thing is I have jury duty tomorrow. My RE is squeezing me in tomorrow morning at 7am. I hope everything looks good - whatever good is!

Originally Posted by ChattyCat

My daughter is the result of FET (leftover embryo from the fresh cycle that produced ds). They thaw the totsicles the morning of the transfer.

No, they don't always thaw them the morning of. My dd is also the result of a FET, this cycle I am starting now will be my 3rd FET cycle. I would be very interested to hear about how they do it for you, OrganicSister and chiromama. And good luck at the RE OrganicSister!! And with jury duty!

AFM, AF is over already, that was fast! It is due to the bcp's, of course. I am trying to decide what my priorities will be this time. Last time I cut out caffeine and went to accupuncture and I am trying to fit in more exercise these days. I also think I would benefit from cutting out dairy and wheat, but it is so much work, kwim?

[chiromama]

I was thinking today about what i'm doing this cycle for myself. I had a pedi on sat night (trade with a pt who doesn't have insurance) and am going to schedule acupuncture. thankfully DH is really picking up the slack, and cleaned the whole house today while Ruby and I were at a birthday party. Then, I came home and took a nap while he and ruby watched a movie and then he worked on his bike. Now I'm making dinner while they run to the store. (and clearly rambling on here)
Basically I'm going to try to sleep more, and listen to my body. If i need a break I'm going to try and take it.

[ChattyCat]

I guess that some clinics do it differently, but my last clinic thawed the morning of the transfer and so does our current clinic. Perhaps, it's because I'm dealing with blastocysts. Maybe, if you freeze 3 day embryos, they thaw them earlier? I don't know. They physically couldn't thaw mine any earlier than the day of the transfer, because they have to be available to implant at that point.

[jazcat]

Hi girls, may I ask you a question? What is the medication protocol you had or will have for your FET? I'm guessing it's not as extensive as for a fresh cycle?

I'm about to undergo an ER tomorrow, and fresh transfer in 6 days. But I'm already counting on a FET next month since we have less than a 50% chance of this working.

[chiromama]

50% isn't that bad of a chance! on our IVF cycle we had about 70%, which is better than 50 but 50 is way better than any chance we ever had any other way. Why do you feel your chances of success are low?

My FET is completely different than our fresh cycle. just some estrogen to prep my uterine lining, then 5 days before transfer PIO shots, then continue PIO shots.

Good luck at your ER tomorrow! :

[OrganicSister]

Bummer.

Well, looks like this month is a No go. I had a ginormous cyst, 4 cm across. She's having me start bcp's today and in three weeks we'll check on the cyst and drain it if necessary. Then we'll wait for my next cycle, which will be on time since I'll be on the bcp's. She said 21 days after the first day of my next period, we transfer. That puts me at February 26th.

I'm disappointed but not devastated. We have a lot going on this month, prepping our yard for our garden, lots of physical labor to get it put together. But next month, I'll just be planting and digging, which is SO therapeutic for me. I know I could've started the bcp's last month but I think my system needed this extra time, so I feel okay about it. Still a little bummed, but overall good.

Oh, my RE says they thaw within hours of the transfer. The froze two to a straw so if only one makes it we get to decide whether or not to thaw two more and risk three. That would be a tough decision, as I want to implant two this time but I don't want to implant three. Nor do I want to destroy any. Hopefully we won't have to make that call.

[chiromama]

Tara, sorry you've got to put your cycle on hold! glad you have a good outlook about it.

Our clinic froze 3 to a straw, and we've decided to transfer no more than two. So, if all three thaw, we'll have to lose one. It's a huge bummer but I don't want to transfer three, as I would rather not tempt fate with triplets, nor do I want to have to face the decision to reduce.

[crazyrunningmama]

Originally Posted by jazcat

Hi girls, may I ask you a question? What is the medication protocol you had or will have for your FET? I'm guessing it's not as extensive as for a fresh cycle?

I'm about to undergo an ER tomorrow, and fresh transfer in 6 days. But I'm already counting on a FET next month since we have less than a 50% chance of this working.

You have a good shot at this being successful! I hope you don't have to go to a FET, but just in case - yes, the meds are way less.

I have long, irregular periods, so my clinic has me take bcp's for a full 21 days (regular cycle people skip this step). On day 14 of this cycle, I will start synarel nose spray to suppress me (works the same as Lupron). Then I get another AF, and start estrace. They increase the dose every 5 days (2mg, 4mg, 6 mg). It is is just pills though. Then about 14 days after starting estrace they do an u/s and see how the lining is. Based on that, they give me an ET day. Two days before ET I stop the nose spray (suppression) and start prometrium suppositorires. No shots at all! And a lot less monitoring, at least at my clinic.

Regarding thawing, I never even thought about how many embryos they freeze together! I thought they could thaw them one by one, but maybe not. When I got pg with my dd, they told me they had THREE ready to transfer, I could choose to transfer all 3 or let one go to waste, so we did all 3. My dd is a singleton and we don't regret it. And we had none left over after that though. I am going to ask about this!! MCD has given me so much more info than I had when I first IVF - thanks everyone!!!!

[ChattyCat]

All clinics that I've heard of anyone personally using or used myself, (a total of 5 clinics) freeze each embryo in its own straw. I wouldn't want to use a clinic that did it any other way. Embryos are precious and freezing multiple together puts people in a very awkward spot, if more than 2 are thawed.

[jazcat]

Originally Posted by crazyrunningmama

You have a good shot at this being successful! I hope you don't have to go to a FET, but just in case - yes, the meds are way less.

I have long, irregular periods, so my clinic has me take bcp's for a full 21 days (regular cycle people skip this step). On day 14 of this cycle, I will start synarel nose spray to suppress me (works the same as Lupron). Then I get another AF, and start estrace. They increase the dose every 5 days (2mg, 4mg, 6 mg). It is is just pills though. Then about 14 days after starting estrace they do an u/s and see how the lining is. Based on that, they give me an ET day. Two days before ET I stop the nose spray (suppression) and start prometrium suppositorires. No shots at all! And a lot less monitoring, at least at my clinic.

Wow, that sounds like a breeze....thank goodness! The reason I think we have a 50% chance is because on the forums on haveababy.com (sher institute), one of the doctors said that even if you have a perfect looking 5 day embryo, there's still a 50% chance that it will be chromosonally abnormal. I believe he was responding to someone my age, 36. Has anyone ever heard that?

[OrganicSister]

jazcat: Are you going to Sher yourself? If so in what town?

We have a Sher Insitute in Las Vegas, where I live. My friend had attempted to see him but Dr Sher was a total jerk to her. She mentioned how she planned to have a homebirth if possible and he yelled at her and asked her why she wanted to kill her baby. Needles to say, she got up and walked out.

I was urged to go there by a couple people because he has really good stats, but I couldn't reconcile her experience with the kind of doctor I'd want to work with so I opted for someone else.

[jazcat]

Holy cow, I can't believe he said that! Even if he disagrees, the manner was very disrespectful IMO. No, I'm not going to Sher, but I do like browsing their forums since the doctors always answer. I have heard a few instances of people that had undergone IVF elsewhere with failures, and then had a success with Sher (and his people). They seem to have a few things going for them that are not mainstream at other clinics yet.

Wow, I just caught that there's no PIO injections for a FET cycle? Is that true??? Between that and my painful OHSS, an FET cycle is looking better and better.

[chiromama]

I have PIO for my FET, but I had a bad reaction to the progesterone suppositories, and am allergic to peanuts, so I can't use prometrium. I don't mind the PIO... they worked with my fresh cycle, why reinvent the wheel!

We told our RE we were going to plan on a home birth and he asked me if we'd have a 'back up doctor'... um yeah, if we need to we'll transfer to the best hospital in town. He wasn't super supportive, but not a jerk either. Of course I ended up having a c-section, and he gave me a big lecture about VBACing in a hospital. Just smile and nod. :

[OrganicSister]

I've got PIO injections too this time. Didn't have them with my IVF cycle; not looking forward to them now since their intramuscular. The only place I can somewhat comfortably "shoot up" is my butt and I have piriformis syndrome so hitting the wrong spot is goona hurt like a SOB.

[jazcat]

OrganicSister, we did my first PIO injection last night and I didn't feel a thing! I iced the skin bigtime, but I figured I would still feel the needle inside. I'm not nearly as concerned with pio now, tho it is a pita, arranging to do it with my husband, getting the icepack, getting the hotpack, etc.

[chiromama]

Yep the way to get thru the IM injections is ice then heat. The estrogen is such a small amount that I don't need to heat after tho. I'm sure as it increases I will need to. I thought the subq injections were worse with the fresh cycle! oy! such a sting!

[crazyrunningmama]

How's everyone doing today? This already seems like it's been going on forever, and I'm only on my second week of bcps!! You guys are pros at the shots, wow. I don't have any shots with a FET, and good thing because I wouldn't be able to inject my own butt! I did all my own shots during IVF, no way could dh handle the needles! : and : for us all!!!

[chiromama]

I'm doing well. Lining check is next thursday, and I'm getting nervous/excited! The estrogen is slowly (or not so) making me crazy. I'm so freeking sensitive and crabby!

[crazyrunningmama]

Speaking of crazy.... I start suppression tomorrow (Synarel spray). It makes me such a b... unreasonable person. And my dh is out of town for a couple more days, dd is being whiney and clingy (can't blame her). Here's to keeping it sane, ladies, wish me luck and I'll send you all some :