Medicated or non-medicated FET? Help!

[Snez84]

Hi all! I’m looking for a bit of advice and I’m hoping you could possibly help. We had our 1st failed ICSI cycle last month and we are trying to be positive about our FET which we are looking to start next month. The big question is to do a medicated or non-medicated cycle? I ovulate each month and my cycles are pretty regular. My only worry is our consultant said that if my transfer day falls on a weekend and the egg doesn’t survive the thaw then they won’t have chance to thaw another egg and the cycle will have to be cancelled - They are only open in the AM over weekends. As we’re paying private, this worries me! We also don’t know whether to have the scratch on this cycle... Why are there always so many decisions to make 😩 Xx

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear about your failed cycle but how exciting you have an FET coming up! I’ve had most success on a natural cycle but medicated is just as good (I couldn’t get a good enough lining on Progynova) Don’t worry too much about having a scratch...for me the pain was horrendous and I certainly wouldn’t do it again and it resulted in a chemical pregnancy. The most important thing for implantation is a receptive womb lining and a healthy embryo! Do what feels right for you and I wish you the v best of luck xxx

[Snez84 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Natalia. It took a while to get over the failed cycle but we’re getting there, slowly! Thanks for your advice. We are so unsure on the scratch as the information/success percentages vary so much - like everything with IVF! It’s such a numbers game isn’t it and a horrible one at that!! We’ve had a natural, successful pregnancy 2 years ago that gave us our DS so I’m hoping my lining is ok, we just don’t want to regret anything!!

I also wish you the very best of luck with your journey, wherever you are with it at the moment xx

[Tugsgirl]

I’ve done both medicated fet and natural fet. I found medicated fet awful due to down regulating. I had such bad headaches that I refused to do another medicated one after doing a natural one. Like you I ovulate and my cycles are fairly regular. I’ve done two natural fets. My clinic has the same opening times as yours at the weekend. There weren’t any problems for me. Good luck xx

[Snez84 in reply to Tugsgirl]

Thanks for your response, Tugsgirl. We are leaning towards a natural cycle, I like the idea of not having the medication, apart from the progesterone after the transfer. Thanks for sharing your experiences - it’s good to know. Good luck with your current cycle - I’ve everything crossed that it works for you xx

[Montgomery2]

I’ve had a medicated FET as my periods didn’t fully recover from the fresh cycle. I waited almost 50 days for my period the doctor said enough was enough and did a medicated. I’ve not found it too bad tbh I did have some crying and hot sweats but that was just the beginning as soon as you start on the medication for lining etc you feel normal again (it’s basically hrt). I’m 2dp5dt feeling lots of twinges and slight cramps I’m hoping this is my little embryo snuggling x

[Snez84 in reply to Montgomery2]

I really hope that’s what you’re feeling too. It sound promising - good luck!

I’ve had a positive OPK today, 15 days after my failed IVF so I’m hoping my cycles are kind of back to normal - who knows if it’ll stay that way though. It’s all so unpredictable!!

I’ll have my fingers crossed for you over the next couple of weeks xx

[Mrsplant]

I will be doin my 2nd FET in October and i do medicated one justs so the cycle fits in with the clinic x

Good luck xx

[Snez84 in reply to Mrsplant]

Thanks for your response, Mrsplant. I feel like I really want a natural cycle but fitting in with the clinic, like you say, seems like the best option. If the transfer fell on a weekend I’d regret my decision and that’s what I’m fearing!

Wishing you luck for your transfer in October xx

[Hidden]

I had a medicated FET and an endometrial scratch after our failed fresh cycle. The endometrial scratch was really painful- but it was over in a few minutes. There was an article recently that the evidence for scratches and successful cycles is not conclusive.

I have regular cycles normally but I opted for a medicated transfer just because it gave me greater control and I didn’t want the worry of ovulating at the weekend and it was what the clinic recommended to me. I had no issues with downregulation and then was put on oestrogen patches. I was also on progesterone injections which were literally a pain in the ass.

I’m 16 weeks pregnant now- we opted for only one embryo transfer. Tough decision to make- there is no right or wrong. Good luck! Xx

[Snez84 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Zoe. That’s really interesting. We want to do everything to give us our best chance and we don’t want to live with any regrets. If it doesn’t work then we want to know we’ve done all we can. Upon reflection, the medicated cycle seems like the sensible option.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. That’s lovely news. All the best for the next few months!xx

[XxjustmexX]

Hi I did a medicated fet as my periods are irregular and also had the scratch as thought there no harm in trying it, wasn’t the nicest but literally over in minutes and am currently 12 weeks pregnant 😊 xx

[Dreamingofbaby]

I’ve done a natural fet and got pregnant from this. (Though miscarried🙁)

Think worked better for me as like you ovulation etc are fine and the consultant felt the medication on my first failed ivf didn’t help. Do what u feel is right for u n hopefully consultant could advise to as I wouldn’t of known without that ☺️. Not great about opening hours n dat too wudve thought be more flexible but guess that a risk with thawing with medicated too that can’t control 😕. Best wishes

[HollieW]

I'm currently in this quandary as I had a medicated FET last time (which failed) and the drugs made me feel horrendous so am considering a natural FET this time. However, it leaves you at a higher risk of abandoning the cycle and if you do there is then the cost of all the scans so I am deciding what is best to do!

My clinic have stopped doing the scratches as the leading evidence now is that there is no conclusive evidence that they improve your chances. The same for embryo glue. If you are going to go ahead with a scratch I would suggest fully researching it before deciding what to do.

Wishing you all the best in your journey xx

[Devj]

Hiya,

Just wanted to share my experience with you. Hopefully help you with your decisions!

I had a failed fresh cycle back in 2014 which was medictated and a successful frozen transfer in early 2015 which was natural as like you my monthly cycle is completely normal but my surgeon doing the frozen transfer advised me from that transfer day to start pessaries which I did.

My little one is 2 and a half and yesterday I went for our remaining 2 frozen blastos transferred (from same batch as my little one - crazy!). The surgeon once again said start pessaries again from transfer day. No arguing as it worked last time!

I opted for the scratch this time as someone I know had numerous failures, miscarriages etc and then had the scratch and it worked and later when onto have a frozen transfer with a scratch and it worked again so she’s on a roll with scratches.....they obviously work for her but saying that they don’t work for everyone and New research is coming out saying they don’t work but for the sake of another £100 we thought it can’t hurt.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your frozen cycle, in my experience and the few people I know in the same boat as us they’ve only had success with their frozen embies so for us frozen is the way forward!

Everyone is different but hope this helps xxx