9dp5dt and Started Period

[anz07]

I am feeling very down as I started my period this morning. I had all the symptoms of AF arriving yesterday evening and tried to reassure myself by reading posts from other IVF'ers, many of whom said they had experienced AF symptoms but not come on and gone on to have a BFP. I am two days away from ODT and still took my progesterone pessary this morning but am really wondering what the point is now. I think I will test a day early tomorrow morning and then stop the pessaries from there.

I just knew yesterday evening that AF was going to make an appearance; I had all the symptoms that I would usually have before coming on. My partner kept saying I was paranoid but it is evident from this morning that I am not.

I know that implantation bleeding can happen around a week after transfer but this is most certainly my period. I'm not that heavy yet but have already had some of the 'pieces' come out so there is no way this is implantation bleeding.

I'm so disappointed and upset. This was our first cycle and I know many women go through numerous cycles before their BFP...I just feel really hopeless for the future. I only had one good embryo to transfer and nothing to freeze so have to start from scratch again. I was previously on the long protocol and injected for 34 days. Lockdown made it easier as I was working from home and had all my homely comforts. The thought of doing it all again whilst going physically back to work (I have a 110 mile round commute) doesn't bear thinking about. I don't even know how I will make all the scans as I am a lecturer and, when I'm timetabled to teach, I have to be there.

I know I will heal with time and likely muster up the strength to start again. I would rather get going with cycle 2 sooner as opposed to taking a long break as age clearly isn't my friend (I'm 'only' 32, but the lack of fertilised eggs (3) resulting in only 1 blastocyst on this round really shook me).

2 of my friends have unfortunately had IVF at the same time as me - both had FET's and still have plenty more in the freezer. I just know they will get their BFP's (one of them already had a BFP on her first go). Of course I will be happy for them deep down, but watching others go forward and succeed with this whilst you watch from the sidelines is unbearable.

If anyone has any words of wisdom or similar experiences, I would greatly appreciate hearing them.

[Stato]

This is so sad. I had 27 frozen eggs from four years ago. We tried to thaw and fertilise them all. We ended up with two poor quality embryos to transfer but were unsuccessful. None to freeze either. It was heartbreaking.

What I can say is that a break from work and a holiday helped. And remembering it was not the end of our hopes and dreams.

It will be hard for you to think that today. Make time for you both to grieve. Be kind to yourself.

Thinking of you x

[Nat246]

Hi I had zero blastocysts from my first round so totally understand how gutted you are after all the sacrifices and hard work to get nothing. I was also long protocol first go.

Second go and changed to short protocol and got 5 blastocysts so my message is please treat each new cycle with fresh hope as things can be very different.

[Cinderella5]

Im so sorry, I had this a couple of times before too! Its heartbreaking to not make it to test day and of course to have gone through a cycle with nothing to freeze. Hopefully they can suggest a better protocol next time around so you get better results fron fertilisation, is there anything that can be done to help at that stage (do they think its an egg or sperm issue) and perhaps a new donor.....sometime eggs and sperm just dont mix well. You could also ask if they could do ICSI instead of IVF? The only other thing I can suggest is perhaps a higher dose of progesterone for next time. For now, just do whatever makes you feel better, a bottle of wine, box of chocolates, movies & ice cream with hugs on the sofa.....and a damn good cry!! Sending hugs, its a shit time.xx

[CLDxxx]

So sorry lovely. When I started spotting before my test day on my 2nd transfer & I had a terrible AF headache too, my consultant agreed to check my progesterone for the next one as bleeding usually means it’s dropped.

Maybe you could mention this at your follow up?

Sending hugs to you xxx

[Hidden]

I am so sorry this has happened. This happened to me on my first fresh transfer in January-read my last posts. I didn’t make it to test day either. It was horrible at the the time..I took a week off work as there’s no way I could face going in. I feel your pain..give yourself time to grieve then you will feel better then plan for your next step ❤️Xx

[Mycatsaremykids]

Really sorry to hear this - it’s so tough. I would definitely talk to your consultant about considering upping your progesterone next time. My period started before my OTD on my first round of IVF and my consultant added a progesterone injection on top off the pessaries. xxx

[Running79]

I’m sorry to hear this, an know how you feel as I have also had that heartbreak! I’m not sure if what I’ve read is correct In other places , can you still come on your period, even if your taking your pessaries? I’m not due to test until tomorrow, but I’ve had brown discharge, which then went to pink, it then had blood in it and has now gone back to brown, so I don’t know if it’s my period coming but the pessaries are stopping it?! I insert them rectally to save on mess, so I know it’s not cervix irritation x

[Ivferrr]

hey anz! My heart is with you. Sounds like we maybe in the same boat. You are incredibly strong and I know there are rainbow babies in our future...be gentle with you

[F_J_762301]

Hi anz,

Having experienced this a few times i know how upsetting this can be! Not even getting to test day is heartbreaking. Be kind to yourself you will need a little time to recover emotionally, and yes you are right you will muster up some hope and strength again gradually xxx

[Hidden]

Hi I just read your post as had a few days off this site - hope you are feeling a bit more optimistic about things today. I know exactly how you feel in that all my failed rounds I have always bled early and not made it to test day, I also have never had anything to freeze and have always done fresh rounds.

You definitely need some time to feel defeated and sorry for yourself and you are quite entitled to do so. You will find that positive fighter mentality again and you will be surprised how quickly you are ready to try again once the initial devastation and feeling of hopelessness goes away.

I would recommend having a review appointment with your clinic before you embark on your next round. I had long protocol first round and had only a small number of eggs collected and only a couple made it to day 2 so we transferred that day... we didnt even make it to day 5. it was a BFN. I then changed to short protocol and have regularly collected between 7 and 11 eggs on long and even made blasto once - the eggs have been better quality it seems.. so it might be they can change your protocol and you might have completely different results next time.

I always think of round 1 as the round your body is getting to know what its supposed to do.. now it knows I bet you respond heaps better round 2... when you feel ready for it.

For now huge hugs xx