decided on FET - update on follow up appointment

Hi Holly I've seen lots of women on here and other sites that have had successful FET. Hoping this is your turn, wishing you lots of luck x x x

Hi momma bear

Firstly congratulations are in order I think 😄😄 you must be delighted.

Thank you for getting back to me.

He actually wasn't very helpful, he said as I'm now 36 (in March) I've got low reserve and basically blamed embryo quality said we decided to go to blast with only 3 ( we didn't it was the embryologist) and said that this only has 40% chance of working too......

I don't have the money to go through a short protocol at the moment so we have decided on fet with not a lot of hope in our hearts if I'm honest. I hope I am wrong and that my body will be happier without all of the injections.

I just cannot believe he was so negative about age and eggs....

Holly x

It's so disappointing when the people who are supposed to help us are negative. I'm 31 and have a low reserve, it's not our fault and 36 is a normal age for starting a family so to blame you is so unfair

The good news is you have your blasts the process will be shorter and your body doesn't have to endure as much stress. This can only be a good thing! I really hope it works for you, I'm sure there will be lots of ladies who have been through it who can offer you some support.

Keep us updated when you are getting started, I'm excited to hear about your progress!! x x x

Thanks momma bear

It was a different consultant and he was very matter of fact. I didn't think 36 was too old and I think they started me on such a low dose of gonal f (by his own admission) that when I questioned this (I had a list of questions!) I think I put his back up.

I will try to stay positive and hope that fet will be better for me and my body.

Off for the week with the dogs to the beach so looking forward to some us time before we get started again 😄

Holly x

Hi Holly, the consultant I had was also very matter of fact and people had warned me about his manner but he's considered the best around here. So I took the same approach as you and went in armed with questions and information. We got on really well in the end because I had done the research.

I was 36 when I started IVF and he told me that was still quite young compared to a lot of women coming to him. My amh was 3, I only had 5 follicles at baseline and my cycles were shortening. He took all this into account and started me straight away on a high dose - he just said he didn't want to mess around with all the signs pointing towards low egg reserve - the shortening cycles also concerned him. My dose was 375IU and still only got 3 eggs, if I had been any lower I would have got none. We took the 3 to blast stage too, what would the alternative be? Was your consultant suggesting you should have cancelled at that point? If you've invested the money, time and effort into it then you have to trust them with helping you make the right decisions and you've already committed a lot at that point in the process.

So I think you're dead right to challenge them on your dosage - they can go to 450IU max and the purpose of all the scans during treatment is to see how you're responding and adjust the dose if necessary. What was your dose?

Hi Tlove

Thank you for getting back to me. They started me on 275 and after only seeing 5 follicles they upped it to 350 for the last 3 days and today he said once they upped it they saw a better response. I was just shocked how he was trying to pin this on me when in my opinion they tried a soft approach with me. Maybe I'm just looking for reasons?

We are now committed to our fet and hoping beyond hope that our little Frostie will be the one 😄

How you doing? You will be due soon I think?

Holly x

I'll keep fingers crossed for your Frostie! At least your body has had time to heal by now, should help your chances. And a break away with dogs and OH will help you relax and destress. I have maybe 3 weeks left....😬

Hi Tlove

Thank you I'm looking forward to it! The weather has finally broken here so the rain has come and it's set to stay the week so it's going to be wet at the beach!!!

3 weeks.... Omg .... Nearly there xx

We have rain here too - glad of it tbh! Hay fever was starting to kick in and it was a little too hot for me! Although wet dog and sand probably isn't a great combination for you!

I saw from your post below they want you on Prostap. I didn't take this but I remember seeing some posts on here about it. Some of the side effects are really bad, so make sure you read up on it and ask advice on here.

Hi Tlove

We have a collie cross and 2 long haired chihuahuas so wet dogs and sand will be interesting!!!

I'm calling the unit this morning and going to ask to speak to our original consultant as I'm not happy with yesterday's and also he was foreign and we both struggled to keep up with his accent plus reading that on the website and him saying I have low reserve and then this blood thinning injection??? I need to speak to the original one as I don't think I should be on this prostap....

I'm afraid the unit might get a bit sick of me and my questions today....

Xx

I don't think it's a blood thinner. I think it essentially puts you in a temporary state of menopause, so you would experience all those lovely symptoms! Buserelin does the same but maybe not as harsh as the dose is spread out. You're going privately to the clinic, so do pester them if you have to!

Yes the prostap is like buserelin I think, BUT he also mentioned a blood thinner injection as well said it might help. Asked if I was allergic to any medicines.

I'll call the unit at 8;30 and ask to speak with the other consulatant or one of the nurses.

Thanks love,

Holly x

I see...the idea of blood thinners is to help blood flow to the uterus. I'm on them but I've been diagnosed with sticky blood, which does cause miscarriage due to clots preventing nutrients passing through the placenta. I think some doctors do throw this into the mix to see if it helps, even if you don't have a blood issue. They may just put you on it for the first trimester.But he needs to inform you better as to why he's suggesting it!

Thanks Tlove,

I've called the unit and waiting for a call back from one of the nurses....

You are a font of knowledge 😄😄

Holly x

Hi Tlove

They've made me an appointment with original consulatant so he can hopefully explain better and so I can discuss my worries. They've said prostap is nothing to worry about and to not worry!

Holly x

Good luck lovely! Got my positive with my one and only FET in March X

Oh wow thank you 😄

Congratulations xxx

I'm just starting on FET myself. I'm 40. Round 1 failed as I didn't respond to Gonal F, increased to 300 this round and got 8 eggs. 4 fertilised but only one made it to blastocyst. Had to be frozen cos progesterone too high and oestrogen also 20,000!

My protocol is a bit different to yours. My period started today so I'm on oestrogen tablets for a week or so before blood test and scan and then start progesterone pessaries.

As for rude consultants - I've been told by one not to forget how old my eggs are (as if I can forget), another consultant said she was annoyed that women left it too late.

Good luck. x

Hi mantaray

It's amazing isn't it... The nurses are so lovely and we spend 98% of the time with them but the consultants, well they are a law unto their own! I understand that they haven't to get our hopes up and have to give us figures like 40% success per cycle blah blah, but it's us that invest all of our money, time, bodies and sanity! Into IVF.

Well we both have hopefully one little fighter waiting for us 😄

Lots of luck to you too, sounds like you'll be a bit ahead of me time wise.

I did read yesterday that the fet he has put me on (putting the ovaries to sleep with a single injection) before starting the tablets might not be suitable for women with a low reserve but I'm not sure if I should ring them to question it.... Surely they know what they are doing?

Holly x

I have seen this on the Leeds website where we are having treatment,.....

Prostap Depot Injection: This is a once only injection and works for 4-5 weeks in total. This is very convenient for many donors / patients except those with reduced ovarian reserve. If the suppression phase is prolonged because of the agonistic/stimulatory response from the ovary, a 'top-up' with Buserelin/Nafarelin in the later stages of the cycle may be needed.

I've just had my BFP with a FET after our first fresh ICSI cycle failed. I am on the blood thinning injections and will be up

Until 12 weeks. It's just something extra they advise to use to try and help implantation. I'm also on steroids to lower my immune system. They seem to have helped me get my BFP, anything is worth a try ☺️ X

Hi amyleigh

That's fantastic news, congratulations 😄

Thank you for letting me know about the blood thinning injections, if he had explained what these were for I probably wouldn't have worried as much. We have an appointment on the 21st June now to meet with the original consultant and I'll also mention the steroids to him.

We are willing to try anything but yesterday we left so dejected and feeling like it was all my fault ... Hopefully after our next appointment I'll feel better

Thanks again x

Holly x