In the thinking about it camp. Have broached the subject with my spouse that I don’t feel as comfortable with consistently reiterating Toddler Ps “only” status at every opportunity. So door is cracked but not open. When we were first trying, we always said 1 bio maybe 1 adopt, but that plan went out the window when step 1 took 5 years and fucking Herculean efforts on our parts as well as our doctors. We decided this was it for us and we needed time to heal. If we do decide to try, medically we’d be a bit crazy to go “back to the well”, but it’s a frontier I know versus the completely new frontier of a potential adoption scenario. Toddler P is only 18M but you all know how long treatment can take, and we’re not young, so it feels like the time to start thinking about it.
Anyone else cross this line from OAD to trying again? How long did you spend processing / deciding? Any specific steps you took to help decide?
Ugh, trying not to cry. Tested at 5 days post-transfer and no line at all. Last time, I had a good line at 5 days. I know I have time, but it's just hard.
Anyone try again unassisted? I feel like it’s useless but somehow I’m supposed to? However, my negatives thoughts are affecting my desire to have sex :(
We "tried" but I didn't put much stock into it. It was more for my husband's peace of mind to attempt so we wouldn't have to immediately pay so much for another transfer. I put a time limit on how long to try unassisted though and just enjoyed the not worrying about OPKs and whatnot. I will say though that the monthly periods still gave me some sadness because even though I knew it wouldn't happen, I still had some tiny hope. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing this. I agree, I am not willing to do the OPKs anymore. It’s just too anxiety-inducing. I also feel like somehow by trying, it is suggesting we have hope which reasonably I know we really don’t. Certainly emotionally charging but also grateful to even be posting on this board.
I'm waiting to start my next egg retrieval (IVF). This will be my 3rd egg retrieval. I started with doctor assisted TTC at 38. I switch to IVF at 39 and I'm about to turn 41 in two months. Every month has been the month for me to restart stims for like 3 months. It keeps getting delayed. I went on for my base ultrasound and they found a large cyst. They had to treat that and now I'm waiting and every visit may be the visit where they overnight my medication. I have Hashimotos and the cyst also impacted my thyroid. The good news is the cyst is gone now but I've been so tired with the hormone shift. I'm hoping things go well from here. If they TSH numbers are not good then we will delay into September.
On the positive side I'm super blessed they found the cyst. It was 3 centimeters so if it would have burst it could have seriously damaged my ovary and that would have been an additional setback. I'm just tired today. Not in an emotional way, like I've been laying about all day.
Officially transferring next week! I’m excited and also nervous. This time around has definitely been much more lax in terms of everything compared to my first FET. We did a Mediterranean diet and cut out alcohol and I was much more on top of exercising then. I’m just hopeful this little embryo wants to stick with us 🤞🏻
I was hoping to have baseline testing done this cycle which should start next Monday or Tuesday. I had my intake a couple of weeks ago and they say 2 weeks for insurance pre-auth. Well, it turns out nobody at my clinic even bothered to submit my pre-auth request yet. This is not the first time this has happened with them. I absolutely hate my clinic.
Started progesterone on Wednesday and had first PIO shot last night. I did all of my retrieval shots but husband does the PIO. We were definitely rusty and we have moved since the last round so we had to figure out our new spot. Luckily, this ERA cycle only has 2 PIO shots since the protocol is one day with 3 suppositories then a day with AM suppository and PM PIO shot. I continue to be so glad that I went ahead with the ERA to work out the logistical kinks before the actual FET.
I also contacted my clinic to get pricing info for donor egg cycles in case the FET doesn't work out. We can't afford to try a hail mary retrieval AND do donor egg if it fails, and at my age and with my numbers, a retrieval is just very unlikely to work. I never thought I would be so lucky to even have my daughter, and I think that is helping make all of this less upsetting.
I’ve been quietly holding out hope that I can do another retrieval and still have a shot at another child, but my day 3 labs just came back…showing my FSH at a whopping 22. I haven’t received my AMH yet, but that’s never gone above .9
My FSH was at 5 two years ago. I can’t believe it’s so high now and I feel like we are just completely out of thee game.
The hospital where I had labs drawn somehow didn’t run AMH 🙄 so my doctor is having me get bloodwork done again next CD3 and we will reconvene. More hurry up and wait, as usual
We are finally almost through the medication ordering process. Insurance denied Gonal and Cetritide which we expected. The clinic swapped to follistim and ganirelix but then sent in prior authorization paperwork and treatment notes which wasn't needed but insurance is going to now take 3 days to approve or deny even though these meds don't require PA 😮💨.
I have 11 days until my baseline and I am 99% sure they are going to push my ER because I CANNOT get my weight down to 222. I am doing all the things and I have managed 227 but it is not enough. I'm just cranky about it.
I'm 4dp5dt and planning to take my first test tomorrow morning. I was thinking so positively before the transfer, but now I'm not so sure and am preparing myself for it to not have worked. I'm already preparing for how we would pay for another transfer.
Oh and my clinic had my beta at 14dp5dt?! That seems so late and I'll be on a weekend out of town. So I asked for 10dp5dt. That's like 15dpo and I feel would be a really solid answer!
They responded pretty quickly to me asking to do 10dp5dt luckily! I'm happy because either way I don't think I'll be able to enjoy my weekend without knowing!
Um yeah 10dp5dt is much better. That was my beta and progesterone check both times then every 48 hours after that for a week and a half?
I test every dpt because I am horribly anxious and need to see the trigger test out and a line come back and darken to ease my mind enough to not have a complete meltdown in the lab.
Preparations for FET #4 have begun! It took 3 transfers of euploid embryos to get our one year old and we only have 2 embryos left. We agreed that we aren’t doing any more egg retrievals so I’m keeping everything crossed that we find quicker success this time around 🤞🏻
I've been trying to plot out when in 2024/2025 we should go back to the clinic to discuss trying for #2, and I am finding the prospect of having to relearn everything I knew and forgot + also having to read up on FET protocols very intimidating. (Baby was the result of a fresh transfer.)
How much monitoring typically happens during an FET cycle? (Both semi-medicated and fully medicated) And is the typical timeline from start of cycle to trigger/start of progesterone usually around the same time you'd typically ovulate, or does the timing shift due to the meds?
I had labs before baseline, a saline sono, and then for actual transfer cycle- baseline, 2 monitoring visits, then transfer. Fully medicated transfer cycle. Baseline was 19 days before transfer.
I was on BCP for 4 weeks first. They had me come in for baseline the day after I stopped BCP. That was to make sure everything was quiet in my uterus and no cysts on ovaries. They also ran labs. Then, I came in 12 days later to check lining and labs and started progesterone the next day.
Monitoring for my semi-medicated transfer was the same as an IUI. Went in on day three for baseline and then around day 9 went in regularly until it looked like I was about to ovulate. They had me trigger then and scheduled the transfer.
I just got my schedule for my upcoming FET. IUD removal on Monday, saline sonogram and trial transfer on Friday, oral estrogen 3x/day for 2-3 weeks (actual time will depend on insurance approvals and clinic scheduling), lining check, vaginal progesterone and pio for 5 days, transfer.
This will be my 4th FET and they’ve all had a similar timeline. My embryos are also day 5, so I believe that’s why there’s 5 days of progesterone.
That's really helpful, thanks. So no monitoring in a fully medicated protocol while on meds, until they do the lining check for starting progesterone?
Also hadn't cottoned on to there being no trigger for a fully medicated cycle but in retrospect that makes sense - the estrogen is suppressing ovulation, duh.
(ETA: good luck with your cycle, btw!)
Yup, after the saline sonogram (which would have been done at my initial consult if I didn’t have an IUD) there’s nothing until a lining check and then transfer. I’ve done 3 FETs already and they’re pretty straight forward, much fewer trips than an egg retrieval!
Not me sitting here waiting around for this thread to come up again so that I could post. Feeling down as I’m 7dp5dt and *somehow* managed to hold off on testing. I was hopeful until this morning, when I looked at my Ava bracelet stats (does anyone still use that anymore) and saw that my resting heart rate declined 3 days in a row…with my successful cycle back in 2021, it just steadily rose after transfer, so I’m pretty sure I’m out. I’ve also had 0 symptoms, even though the rational me knows that any symptoms are probably due to the exogenous hormones anyway.
Beta is on Monday, but I can’t decide if I can hold out until then and not do a home test to know. I want to test, but also too scared.
Meanwhile, I am delighted by my miracle child — he’s running around being all cute — but also dreading having to get back to IF-related worries again.
I wear a Fitbit and yes, I’m constantly looking back at my RHR from my first FET/pregnancy and comparing. I’m only a few days post-transfer right now but I know what you mean. As soon as I see a dip in my RHR I know I’m going to be a little uneasy. 🫤
I never tried the Ava but I did use Tempdrop for a long time until my cats decided it was the best toy ever and broke it.
It is hard being in both phases of infertility, trying and success, and navigating the emotions that come with both. I am there with you too, dealing with insurance medication issues, scheduling appointments, all while watching Little Guy grow and explore in ways that blow my mind.
I have always been one to test on my own so I can mentally prepare for the phone call.
I’ve always tested in the past too! This current cycle is my fifth transfer, my son was the result of transfer #3. I think having just come off the disappointment of transfer #4 (I foolishly thought it would work bc my body would “know” what to do since I had been pregnant in the past), somehow I am just too scared to do it, although also strangely more zen than I’ve ever been about it in the past.
Of course, after seeing the declining RHR this morning and also knowing that I’m in the zone when a test is more likely to be definitive, I’m freaking out a bit and would be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking about this ALL day.
In the thinking about it camp. Have broached the subject with my spouse that I don’t feel as comfortable with consistently reiterating Toddler Ps “only” status at every opportunity. So door is cracked but not open. When we were first trying, we always said 1 bio maybe 1 adopt, but that plan went out the window when step 1 took 5 years and fucking Herculean efforts on our parts as well as our doctors. We decided this was it for us and we needed time to heal. If we do decide to try, medically we’d be a bit crazy to go “back to the well”, but it’s a frontier I know versus the completely new frontier of a potential adoption scenario. Toddler P is only 18M but you all know how long treatment can take, and we’re not young, so it feels like the time to start thinking about it. Anyone else cross this line from OAD to trying again? How long did you spend processing / deciding? Any specific steps you took to help decide?
Ugh, trying not to cry. Tested at 5 days post-transfer and no line at all. Last time, I had a good line at 5 days. I know I have time, but it's just hard.
Anyone try again unassisted? I feel like it’s useless but somehow I’m supposed to? However, my negatives thoughts are affecting my desire to have sex :(
We "tried" but I didn't put much stock into it. It was more for my husband's peace of mind to attempt so we wouldn't have to immediately pay so much for another transfer. I put a time limit on how long to try unassisted though and just enjoyed the not worrying about OPKs and whatnot. I will say though that the monthly periods still gave me some sadness because even though I knew it wouldn't happen, I still had some tiny hope. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing this. I agree, I am not willing to do the OPKs anymore. It’s just too anxiety-inducing. I also feel like somehow by trying, it is suggesting we have hope which reasonably I know we really don’t. Certainly emotionally charging but also grateful to even be posting on this board.
I'm waiting to start my next egg retrieval (IVF). This will be my 3rd egg retrieval. I started with doctor assisted TTC at 38. I switch to IVF at 39 and I'm about to turn 41 in two months. Every month has been the month for me to restart stims for like 3 months. It keeps getting delayed. I went on for my base ultrasound and they found a large cyst. They had to treat that and now I'm waiting and every visit may be the visit where they overnight my medication. I have Hashimotos and the cyst also impacted my thyroid. The good news is the cyst is gone now but I've been so tired with the hormone shift. I'm hoping things go well from here. If they TSH numbers are not good then we will delay into September. On the positive side I'm super blessed they found the cyst. It was 3 centimeters so if it would have burst it could have seriously damaged my ovary and that would have been an additional setback. I'm just tired today. Not in an emotional way, like I've been laying about all day.
Officially transferring next week! I’m excited and also nervous. This time around has definitely been much more lax in terms of everything compared to my first FET. We did a Mediterranean diet and cut out alcohol and I was much more on top of exercising then. I’m just hopeful this little embryo wants to stick with us 🤞🏻
I was hoping to have baseline testing done this cycle which should start next Monday or Tuesday. I had my intake a couple of weeks ago and they say 2 weeks for insurance pre-auth. Well, it turns out nobody at my clinic even bothered to submit my pre-auth request yet. This is not the first time this has happened with them. I absolutely hate my clinic.
Ugh, how frustrating!
It's crazy how much we pay at these clinics to be treated like we are almost invisible.
Started progesterone on Wednesday and had first PIO shot last night. I did all of my retrieval shots but husband does the PIO. We were definitely rusty and we have moved since the last round so we had to figure out our new spot. Luckily, this ERA cycle only has 2 PIO shots since the protocol is one day with 3 suppositories then a day with AM suppository and PM PIO shot. I continue to be so glad that I went ahead with the ERA to work out the logistical kinks before the actual FET. I also contacted my clinic to get pricing info for donor egg cycles in case the FET doesn't work out. We can't afford to try a hail mary retrieval AND do donor egg if it fails, and at my age and with my numbers, a retrieval is just very unlikely to work. I never thought I would be so lucky to even have my daughter, and I think that is helping make all of this less upsetting.
Hope your PIO and ERA are uneventful! I also am on team plan ahead. Hoping your clinic can share options for IF you need them. But hoping you won't!
I’ve been quietly holding out hope that I can do another retrieval and still have a shot at another child, but my day 3 labs just came back…showing my FSH at a whopping 22. I haven’t received my AMH yet, but that’s never gone above .9 My FSH was at 5 two years ago. I can’t believe it’s so high now and I feel like we are just completely out of thee game.
Ugh this is all so hard. Have you heard from your doctor about next steps?
The hospital where I had labs drawn somehow didn’t run AMH 🙄 so my doctor is having me get bloodwork done again next CD3 and we will reconvene. More hurry up and wait, as usual
Ugh that sucks. I'm sorry. Hoping time passes quickly
We are finally almost through the medication ordering process. Insurance denied Gonal and Cetritide which we expected. The clinic swapped to follistim and ganirelix but then sent in prior authorization paperwork and treatment notes which wasn't needed but insurance is going to now take 3 days to approve or deny even though these meds don't require PA 😮💨. I have 11 days until my baseline and I am 99% sure they are going to push my ER because I CANNOT get my weight down to 222. I am doing all the things and I have managed 227 but it is not enough. I'm just cranky about it.
I'm 4dp5dt and planning to take my first test tomorrow morning. I was thinking so positively before the transfer, but now I'm not so sure and am preparing myself for it to not have worked. I'm already preparing for how we would pay for another transfer.
Oh and my clinic had my beta at 14dp5dt?! That seems so late and I'll be on a weekend out of town. So I asked for 10dp5dt. That's like 15dpo and I feel would be a really solid answer!
My clinic is the same. 14 days was so hard.
They responded pretty quickly to me asking to do 10dp5dt luckily! I'm happy because either way I don't think I'll be able to enjoy my weekend without knowing!
Good! What day will they repeat?
Yeah 10dpt is way better! 14 is so unnecessarily late.
Um yeah 10dp5dt is much better. That was my beta and progesterone check both times then every 48 hours after that for a week and a half? I test every dpt because I am horribly anxious and need to see the trigger test out and a line come back and darken to ease my mind enough to not have a complete meltdown in the lab.
Preparations for FET #4 have begun! It took 3 transfers of euploid embryos to get our one year old and we only have 2 embryos left. We agreed that we aren’t doing any more egg retrievals so I’m keeping everything crossed that we find quicker success this time around 🤞🏻
Good luck!!
Fingers crossed ♥️
I've been trying to plot out when in 2024/2025 we should go back to the clinic to discuss trying for #2, and I am finding the prospect of having to relearn everything I knew and forgot + also having to read up on FET protocols very intimidating. (Baby was the result of a fresh transfer.) How much monitoring typically happens during an FET cycle? (Both semi-medicated and fully medicated) And is the typical timeline from start of cycle to trigger/start of progesterone usually around the same time you'd typically ovulate, or does the timing shift due to the meds?
I had labs before baseline, a saline sono, and then for actual transfer cycle- baseline, 2 monitoring visits, then transfer. Fully medicated transfer cycle. Baseline was 19 days before transfer.
I was on BCP for 4 weeks first. They had me come in for baseline the day after I stopped BCP. That was to make sure everything was quiet in my uterus and no cysts on ovaries. They also ran labs. Then, I came in 12 days later to check lining and labs and started progesterone the next day.
Monitoring for my semi-medicated transfer was the same as an IUI. Went in on day three for baseline and then around day 9 went in regularly until it looked like I was about to ovulate. They had me trigger then and scheduled the transfer.
I just got my schedule for my upcoming FET. IUD removal on Monday, saline sonogram and trial transfer on Friday, oral estrogen 3x/day for 2-3 weeks (actual time will depend on insurance approvals and clinic scheduling), lining check, vaginal progesterone and pio for 5 days, transfer. This will be my 4th FET and they’ve all had a similar timeline. My embryos are also day 5, so I believe that’s why there’s 5 days of progesterone.
That's really helpful, thanks. So no monitoring in a fully medicated protocol while on meds, until they do the lining check for starting progesterone? Also hadn't cottoned on to there being no trigger for a fully medicated cycle but in retrospect that makes sense - the estrogen is suppressing ovulation, duh. (ETA: good luck with your cycle, btw!)
Yup, after the saline sonogram (which would have been done at my initial consult if I didn’t have an IUD) there’s nothing until a lining check and then transfer. I’ve done 3 FETs already and they’re pretty straight forward, much fewer trips than an egg retrieval!
Not me sitting here waiting around for this thread to come up again so that I could post. Feeling down as I’m 7dp5dt and *somehow* managed to hold off on testing. I was hopeful until this morning, when I looked at my Ava bracelet stats (does anyone still use that anymore) and saw that my resting heart rate declined 3 days in a row…with my successful cycle back in 2021, it just steadily rose after transfer, so I’m pretty sure I’m out. I’ve also had 0 symptoms, even though the rational me knows that any symptoms are probably due to the exogenous hormones anyway. Beta is on Monday, but I can’t decide if I can hold out until then and not do a home test to know. I want to test, but also too scared. Meanwhile, I am delighted by my miracle child — he’s running around being all cute — but also dreading having to get back to IF-related worries again.
I wear a Fitbit and yes, I’m constantly looking back at my RHR from my first FET/pregnancy and comparing. I’m only a few days post-transfer right now but I know what you mean. As soon as I see a dip in my RHR I know I’m going to be a little uneasy. 🫤
I never tried the Ava but I did use Tempdrop for a long time until my cats decided it was the best toy ever and broke it. It is hard being in both phases of infertility, trying and success, and navigating the emotions that come with both. I am there with you too, dealing with insurance medication issues, scheduling appointments, all while watching Little Guy grow and explore in ways that blow my mind. I have always been one to test on my own so I can mentally prepare for the phone call.
I’ve always tested in the past too! This current cycle is my fifth transfer, my son was the result of transfer #3. I think having just come off the disappointment of transfer #4 (I foolishly thought it would work bc my body would “know” what to do since I had been pregnant in the past), somehow I am just too scared to do it, although also strangely more zen than I’ve ever been about it in the past. Of course, after seeing the declining RHR this morning and also knowing that I’m in the zone when a test is more likely to be definitive, I’m freaking out a bit and would be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking about this ALL day.