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FET in 2009

19K views 390 replies 17 participants last post by  crazyrunningmama 
#1 ·
Hi all! Anyone else scheduling an FET in 2009? our first attempt starts when i start my next period.... which is sometime this week! Our embies are from a fresh cycle done in sept 2005 that resulted in my 2.5 yr old Ruby Violet. I am hoping I get lucky this time too.

I've not done an FET before, any advice or thoughts? we may have to do PIO shots instead of progesterone suppositories as when i did the supps during my fresh cycle i had some reaction to them and basically swelled shut.
The prometrium is in peanut oil which i'm allergic to, so PIO it may be.
oh well, life goes on!

who else?
 
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#27 ·
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.
 
#28 ·
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.
 
#29 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by jazcat View Post
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!!!!
 
#30 ·
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.
 
#31 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyrunningmama View Post
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?
 
#32 ·
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.
 
#33 ·
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.
 
#34 ·
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.
:
 
#36 ·
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.
 
#37 ·
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!
 
#38 ·
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!!!
 
#39 ·
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!
 
#40 ·
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
:
 
#41 ·
hi ladies - im coming back out of lurkdom in an effort to save this thread from disappearing off the main page!

after three weeks of bcps, AF showed for me on monday & i started estrace. holy h*ll. i'm NOT a fan of this drug - i've pretty much been in tears ever since i started it. im only taking 1 pill a day now, will gradually step up over the next two weeks. im kinda scared of what 2 pills and 3 pills a day will do to me!

u/s lining-check scheduled for 2/2, hopefully doing a FET later that week.

hi to all.

~s.
 
#42 ·
Yes abeecharmer, these drugs are crazy making. Own it. Warn your dh and try to get lots and lots of sleep, as well as eating well and all that. I am weepy, cranky mess during this process, my dh just knows. And I try to avoid triggering situations at work, I am just NOT going to deal with things in my best possible manner. Are you really a bee charmer? I've always wanted to keep bees! Thanks for keeping the thread alive!

AFM, last week of bcp's, suppression is kicking in (wacko wacko times). I am considering booking a week or so off of work around the potential ET date. My last FET in December was a BFN and I was really stressed with work, I'd like to do better on that this time.

Hope y'all are well!!!!
 
#43 ·
My lining check is tomorrow.. and if it looks good, transfer will be the 30th! woot! I have been on intramuscular delestrogen... and it seems the first week made me crazy, and now it's mellowed out. phew.

:
 
#44 ·
hi ladies!!

CRM - i am working on "owning" the craziness!
after a tearful night, i explained to my dp this morning that im just really, really emotional and need her to be extra super-duper nice right now. for my part, i am going to try to breathe for a second or two before reacting (which is very hard)!

no, i dont keep bees. the screen name is a reference to the movie fried green tomatoes ("you're just a bee charmer idgie threadgoode. that's what you are. a bee charmer..." - ruth) my parents are in the process of getting bees though. they are starting a 12 week how-to course and will get a hive at the end. they are very excited. this is in addition to the 10 hens they got last year. all right in the middle of suburbia!

chiromama - good luck with the lining check tomorrow!! why does it take 9 days after a good lining report to do the transfer? this is my FET, so im just getting the info doled out in bits and pieces by my RE. my lining check is 2/2 and they said i had to be on PIO for 4-5 days before transfer, so i was thinking transfer would be later that week (if lining looked good). is that not the case?

~s.
 
#45 ·
Beecharmer, this is my first FET also... so I dont' know why the lining check is 9 days before.
this is just a tentative transfer date, based on what they find tomorrow. The calendar says I'll start PIO on sunday, for a friday jan 30 txfr... so i assume if things look good tmo, that we'll stick with this plan. I figure my clinic knows what they are doing, they have a HUGE donor egg program that people come from all over the country for.
: In this instance with my healthcare, i just do what I'm told.


Cool about your parents getting bees! we were planning on getting chickens this spring... then I found out I am newly allergic (or re-allergic, i was as a child, then outgrew it) to eggs. I'm not keeping chickens if I can't eat the eggs!
 
#46 ·
I may be totally off base here, so feel free to ignore.


Can you take the estrace vaginally? I'm on this med for lowering prolactin levels. The side effects were killing me (insomina, nausea, craziness). I called the office to complain and they recommended I take it vaginally instead of orally. The difference was amazing! Just a thought. . . I hope it gets better for you.

Good luck to all of you!
 
#47 ·
I love fried green tomatoes! And your parents sound awesome. We're doing something similar in our suburban home but with no bees.

AFM: I've been on bcp's for a week and a half. This AM I started to spot. ??? Not sure what that is about...maybe that cyst I had. She mentioned she saw some old blood on the u/s where the cyst was. That might be good news, as she may not have to drain it if it burst.

The bcp were making me super tired but I feel okay if I take mega-vitamins.

Other than that, nothing to report. Still just waiting for my next u/s on the 2nd.
 
#48 ·
chiromama - how did the u/s go this morning??
: hope your lining looked nice and fluffy and you are set for your transfer next week. how many embies are you planning to transfer? too bad about the egg allergy ~ i agree it wouldn't make much sense to have chickens if you cant eat the eggs


julia's mom - thanks for the advice, i'll ask my RE.

tara - hi!!! i spotted the whole three weeks i was on bcps (which got very old, very quickly). is the u/s on the 2nd is to check the ovarian cyst? if it's gone, do you know how soon you'll get started on your FET?

~s.
 
#49 ·
Oh I knew I forgot to update somewhere!

I just got the call, my estradiol was 895, and everything is a go for transfer next week. My lining was textbook perfect
: I love being boring and normal sometimes! So I start my PIO shots on sunday and transfer is next friday! woot!
We will transfer two embryos. I don't want to have to think about reduction, and don't think I want to tempt fate with triplets.
 
#50 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by abeecharmer View Post
hi ladies!!

CRM - i am working on "owning" the craziness!
after a tearful night, i explained to my dp this morning that im just really, really emotional and need her to be extra super-duper nice right now. for my part, i am going to try to breathe for a second or two before reacting (which is very hard)!

no, i dont keep bees. the screen name is a reference to the movie fried green tomatoes ("you're just a bee charmer idgie threadgoode. that's what you are. a bee charmer..." - ruth) my parents are in the process of getting bees though. they are starting a 12 week how-to course and will get a hive at the end. they are very excited. this is in addition to the 10 hens they got last year. all right in the middle of suburbia!
I hope that didn't sound harsh (it's the drugs talking!!) What I mean by "owning" it, is just to take it easy on yourself, warn loved ones, and avoid tough, tiring and irritating situations, eat well, sleep lots, etc. Like I said to my dh today "please stop saying things that could be construed as criticizing my parenting skills". By the way, I'm on the drugs again, do the math and walk softly, dude. Hopefully your dp can help you through this. It is hard for the dp's too, they are excited and have a lot invested, but for us it is so intense in a different way.

I totally thought your screen name might be a Fried Green reference, love that movie!!! It is probably part of why I'd like to keep bees. Your parents are living large in surburbia, I would be excited, too!!! I think it is so awesome that people are doing this kind of thing. I read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" recently and it so motivated me. Will you get eggs and honey from them or do they live far away?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiromama View Post
Cool about your parents getting bees! we were planning on getting chickens this spring... then I found out I am newly allergic (or re-allergic, i was as a child, then outgrew it) to eggs. I'm not keeping chickens if I can't eat the eggs!

And I would keep chickens if they didn't give me the big time heebie jeebies. I eat a lot of eggs, but I feel about chickens the way a lot of people feel about snakes. I keep hoping I'll find someone to "share" chickens with, I'll pay for part of the feed if they keep them in their yard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julia'sMom View Post
Can you take the estrace vaginally? I'm on this med for lowering prolactin levels. The side effects were killing me (insomina, nausea, craziness). I called the office to complain and they recommended I take it vaginally instead of orally. The difference was amazing! Just a thought. . . I hope it gets better for you.
Thanks so much for this tip, I am going to look into it (if I can remember to, brain melting....)

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrganicSister View Post
The bcp were making me super tired but I feel okay if I take mega-vitamins.
What kind of mega-vitamins? How high were the doses?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiromama View Post
Oh I knew I forgot to update somewhere!

I just got the call, my estradiol was 895, and everything is a go for transfer next week. My lining was textbook perfect
: I love being boring and normal sometimes! So I start my PIO shots on sunday and transfer is next friday! woot!
We will transfer two embryos. I don't want to have to think about reduction, and don't think I want to tempt fate with triplets.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!! The timing of these is so different, with my last FET in Nov/Dec, I didn't have any b/w or u/s until I had been on the estrace for 14 days, then they said my lining was great, but didn't do my ET for 8 more days!!!! FET's have lower priority than fresh IVF cycles and they were getting ready to close for Christmas, it was all so annoying.

Is anyone actually getting any exercise in? If so, what? And is it helping? I am so bloody tired and grumpy!!!!

: everyone!!!!!
 
#51 ·
I've been on the delestrogen for a couple of weeks, and start PIO 5 days before my transfer... which will be on CD26 I think, 8 days from now. Our clinic does a LOT of FET/donor egg cycles (treats them the same way) and this morning the doc said this was perfect timing... so I'll take him at his word.
I already have an appt for my hCG check! crazy!
 
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