What did you do different for IVF round 2?

[Katbaby19]

Hi everyone,

My first post on here. Failed 1st cycle of IVF last week. I'm 32 so is hubby with unexplained infertility.

I got 16 eggs, 10 fertilised and only 1 made it to transfer day but ended up with BFN !! Nothing to freeze.

Going to start round 2 in May. I already did acupuncture for 3 months prior, eating relatively healthy and cut out alcohol for a full month before treatment started and took folic acid, vit d and omega 3.

Any tips for what to do differently for 2nd round?

Thank you!

[Sarah_a_2018]

Hi Katbaby19 sorry that your IVF cycle wasn’t successful, I spent so long researching how the process works to prepare myself but nothing prepares me for the emotional rollercoaster and I also had a failed cycle first time round with nothing to freeze, hubby and I are also unexplained.

It took me a year to start another IVF cycle because I needed the time to heal emotionally and let my body recover from cycle 1.

The consultant changed my medication from gonal f to menopur and I made so many changes between cycle 1 and 2 that I couldn’t tell you exactly what’s made the difference but as well as the medication I exercised, took supplements, made dietary changes following guidance from a fertility nutritionist, had acupuncture treatment but I also improved my mindset and learned to listen to my body, I accepted that this isn’t my fault and that we needed IVF to help us conceive, we had done everything we could and we just needed a little help. I’m in the 2WW for my second cycle now but we had a top quality expanded blastocyst transferred and we also have a top quality blastocyst that was suitable for freezing, so even if this transfer wasn’t successful we have another attempt before we need to consider any further treatment (hoping we won’t need to and my little emby is snuggling in tight right now 🤞🙏🏻)

Wish you the best of luck with your next cycle xx

[Katbaby19 in reply to Sarah_a_2018]

Thanks very much Sarah, I hope your treatment goes as planned , will keep in touch. Really hope it's snuggling in nicely for you too!x

[Sarah_a_2018 in reply to Katbaby19]

Thank you lovely 😊 hope everything goes well with your next cycle, and if you need anything or want to chat feel free to message me xx

[embiemomma]

The only thing I did differently was take baby aspirin... I had a FET though as we had 4 frozen blasts from our failed fresh cycle (from 11 eggs collected, 9 fertilised, 5 made it to blasts) did they look at why only 1 made it? Your numbers seemed good to go only get 1. I found the FET a lot gentler on my body - I had an infection from egg collection and was on antibiotics when I had my fresh transfer. I'm sure that's why it didn't work... So yer, apart from baby aspirin (weaned off at 12 weeks) and my body being more 'ready'. He's now almost 2 and I'm 10 weeks pregnant (naturally!!) I took baby aspirin this time too!! Xxx

[Kilk22 in reply to embiemomma]

Can I ask what does baby aspirin do? Sorry if that’s a silly question...🙈 congrats on your natural pregnancy. That’s amazing.xxx

My low amh is causing me to have very few follicles unfortunately. Im in the middle of a cycle at the mo so prob too late to do anything now. It I’d still love to know anything that gives a positive outcome. X

[Music1 in reply to Kilk22]

Baby aspirin daily helps thin the blood and increase blood flow to uterus. It helped me get a thicker lining.

Drink pom juice for 5 days including day of transfer, eat pineapple core 5 days the same. Rest and relax. Best wishes x

[Kilk22 in reply to Music1]

Thanks music1 xxx

[Redpixie in reply to Music1]

Is it 5 days from transfer for pineapple core and Pom juice or 5 days leading up to transfer.

And when did you start your baby aspirin?

[Music1 in reply to Redpixie]

I did 5 days from day of transfer for both (pineapple core & pom juice) inc transfer day. Doesn't matter if you take pom juice for rest of week or throughout 2ww. I started baby aspirin 75mg when I started all the rest of the meds on day 1. x

[crisps88 in reply to Kilk22]

Please check first as I took aspirin 75mg as per our nurse and then my fertility specialist consultant said to stop it. So please check first x

[Kilk22]

Sorry to hear about your failed cycle. It’s truly devastating. I had a failed cycle too , zero fertilization so I didn’t even get to day one. It rips your heart out. I have low amh so I don’t get many follies. I’m praying and hoping the four I have are top quality but I don’t hold big hopes. I’m finding it hard to feel positive. I took ubiquinol 600mg , dhea, fish oils, wheat grass, took inositol also for a while. It stoped as I don’t have PCOS. Taking Procieve max aswell. All for the last 5 months. I don’t know if they’ve all helped me yet. I’m praying so hard. Hope your ok and best wishes for May xxx

[crisps88 in reply to Kilk22]

Your post feels like reading how I feel! So sorry for you. X

[wemma83]

Hey sweetheart,

For my first cycle I tried everything from pomegranate juice to Brazil nuts to fertility beads to orange socks for transfer (apparently it’s the colour of fertility?!) unfortunately it still didn’t work for us and I started bleeding before I even got to my OTD.

This time I hardly did anything! I eat a fairly healthy diet and don’t drink anyway and my job ensures I get plenty of exercise but apart from that I’ve been completely relaxed about it all and we tested positive yesterday after our FET on the 20th of Feb! The only thing I can think I did differently was listening to the Mindful IVF app which has been really useful in calming anxiety 😊

Sending lots of love and positivity for your next cycle 😊💕 xxx

[Katbaby19 in reply to wemma83]

Thank you , have heard of that app, so will give it a go, anything at this stage! Congrats btw, that's great news xx

[Shirazlover2013]

Hi katbaby, have you had your follow up with the clinic? It would be interesting to know their thoughts as to why you experienced such a drop off from a great starting number of eggs. With unexplained obviously the egg and sperm look ok at a basic level of testing. Drop off after day 3 could be down to either the egg or sperm not being good enough quality or there’s an issue with something in there. I’m sorry I don’t know enough about specifics here but maybe there’s further testing the clinic could do beyond what you’ve already had.

You’re looking after yourself really well with your diet and supplements, is your hubby doing the same? Good luck xx

[Katbaby19 in reply to Shirazlover2013]

Hubby not taking vitamins yet but hopefully he will start. I thought it was very strange too to get 16 eggs and only have 1 for transfer which was a C quality so not the best. Hoping for better stats next time round as they aren't looking to change my treatment for the next round as they said I responded well. I'm confused!x

[Scarlett13]

I would recommend reading it starts with an egg, I made several changes based on that book and got much higher numbers of useable embryos x

[Redpixie in reply to Scarlett13]

I’ve read this book. Can I ask what changes you made? I’ve started using ubiquinol. Have you tried DHEA?

[Scarlett13 in reply to Redpixie]

Hi! Yes I tried ubiquinol and dhea and melatonin and then used non perfumed products and reduced plastic use especially with storing and heating food and no more nail varnish x

[Redpixie in reply to Scarlett13]

Ta! Will try dhea too. X

[Katbaby19 in reply to Scarlett13]

Just ordered that book from Amazon! That's my weekend sorted then! Thank u!

[crisps88]

Hey. We have ourselves just had a failed fet, absolutely broken by it. I didn’t have the most healthiest diets so that will change and I didn’t completely cut out alcohol until 1 month before. I am going to change my diet, lose some extra lbs (I put on 15lb during this first cycle 😔) then I’ve ordered NAC, royal jelly and ubliquol 200mg to start. I did take pregnancare and omega 3. Glad to hear some success stories that’s nice. My fertility doctor told me not to take baby aspirin. X x

[Novice_knitter]

I was on the short protocol second time around which I think was the best change for me (got OHSS on first cycle and was exhausted still when I had egg transfer so don’t think that helped things and I got a BFN).

Also second cycle I pushed myself to keep really well hydrated (I’m normally poor on fluid intake). I have a naturally thick lining so wanted to make sure it was nice and hydrated and I imagined that there might be a loss of tissue that could dry out (probably nothing in it but it made sense in my head! 😂)

I had a good holiday pre-second cycle, and had break away to look forward to after second cycle.

Good luck with your second one - when do you start? X

[Katbaby19 in reply to Novice_knitter]

I start again in May if my period comes in time before end of March! Fingers crossed. That very interesting about staying hydrates, will keep that one in. I feel your pain on the exhaustion front. I couldn't stay awake after 9pm in the down red stage. When is your second cycle?

[Novice_knitter in reply to Katbaby19]

I hope your period behaves itself so you can get started as planned🤞

I started my second cycle short protocol in Jan - was so quick & lasted only a month (effectively matched my usual 28 day cycle) Had a BFP on 13th Feb - just had my viability scan and all looking good xx

[Katbaby19 in reply to Novice_knitter]

That's amazing! Congratulations. I will defo look into differences in changing protocols too and see what they say xx

[Novice_knitter in reply to Katbaby19]

I asked for a meeting with the consultant to discuss decision making which helped - and he discussed the options of the two protocols so felt more supported in deciding. Also by meeting him directly, I think it gave him a chance to weigh up our options better than if we hadn’t asked for that session. Good luck! Xxx