FET cancelled due to large follicle

[Luka_Ru]

Hi everyone, just wanted to ask if this has happened to anyone else. I went for a baseline scan today on CD2 to check all is okay to start meds for my FET. However they found a large 16mm follicle (they said 10mm is the largest they want), and my estrogen level is elevated, so my FET cycle has been cancelled. I’m so disappointed - I’m going mad with the waiting.

They’ve said they won’t give me any medication to control this or down reg for next time, I just have to call them when my next cycle starts. Does anyone have any experience of this, and it was it a recurrent issue? I’m new to FET. I have polycystic morphology but not PCOS, and usually have regular cycles, although very long cycles now post stims in October.

[Foxboro]

Hello

I feel your pain! I had my first FET cancelled last month due to a 17mm follicle (and positive ovulation test) despite 15 days of progynova and it was devastating. I’m currently down-regging for 21 days with Suprecur injections for another go in Jan. The wait is killing me, my egg collection was freeze-all in September and not had a chance to transfer one yet

Wishing you all the luck in your next go, down-reg is not fun so if you have a chance to do without it might be much more pleasant! X

[Luka_Ru in reply to Foxboro]

Thanks Foxboro, I think I’ll need that luck since they’ve decided just to wait and not do down-reg. surely there’s a risk that the same thing will happen again next month. I’m very confused as my cycles are consistently 30-32 days with ovulation not until day 17-19, so I don’t know how I can have this large a follicle so early on. Was your cycle with the large follicle shorter than usual?I also had a freeze all in October - feels like I just can’t get up and running with this 😞

Hope the down-regging is worth it for you!

[Foxboro in reply to Luka_Ru]

Hi Luka_Ru (and Merry Christmas!)

My large follicle cycle was completely regular in length but it seemed the oestrogen didn’t stop me ovulating. There was no sign of it on my scan on day 11 but then 4 days later it was there and huge (after they had told me the lining was perfect for transfer and just needed to check the ovaries were calm )

I’ve looked at your other posts and can see we’re on a similar journey and timeline. I’m 32 with high AMH but no PCOS. My freeze-all in September was my first cycle too and we got 29 eggs , 21 fertilised with ICSI resulting in four day-5 blastocytes ready to give transfers a chance but impatiently waiting for it to happen!

Down-reg is making me insanely bloated and every single injection is bruising. Hopefully your large follicle is just a one off and will have calmed down next cycle ready for a perfect transfer with minimal intervention from the nasty drugs. We’re getting so close to finally getting those transfers, try keep positive and it will happen!

[Luka_Ru in reply to Foxboro]

Oh yes quite similar journeys! In my case the follicle was there at baseline scan on cycle day 2, not sure how it could be there and be so big when I am still on my period! Just worried that since I have polycystic ovaries this will keep happening, there always seems to be a cyst or follicle or some issue 😕

[Fr_Traveller]

The same happened to me, my cycle was also cancelled but it was a fresh cycle. However, they did ask me to start northestirone before the next cycle as that would help get rid of the cyst. I went for a scan on the day i stopped norethisterone (not bleeding yet) and the cyst was still there. 3 days later, when i started my bleed, the cyst was gone and i was good to go! Apparently fertility meds can cause this, it's not uncommon. I know how disappointing it is, just take this time to be free from meds for a while and take care of yourself. Best of luck xx

[Luka_Ru in reply to Fr_Traveller]

Glad you managed to get started! I also had a cyst before my stims, but this time they’ve said it’s a follicle. I’m going to try and talk to them next week and ask if I should be on birth control or something to make sure it doesn’t happen next time.

[Fr_Traveller in reply to Luka_Ru]

As far as i understand, they can be referred to as either when they follow an irregular growth pattern or stay longer than expected - mine was also a follicle that was larger than meant to be too early, and driving up my oestrogen and LH. It didn't rupture as expected around the time of ovulation, but it was still a follicle. Best of luck!!

[Luka_Ru in reply to Fr_Traveller]

It’s all so confusing - they said if it was a cyst they would have put me on meds to get rid of it, but because they think it was a follicle they won’t do that, I should just wait. I’m not sure how they know the difference - I googled it and like you say it seems they would look the same on ultrasound. I’d rather be on something as I had a cyst last time at my fresh cycle, so seems like my ovaries are always doing something weird!

[Luka_Ru in reply to Fr_Traveller]

I’ve just seen that you got your BFP with your FET, congratulations!!