FET medication advice needed

[Kdev]

Hello everyone,

My partner and I are journeying our way through male infertility...it hasn't been pleasant so far but we're pushing forward.

My cycle is regular albeit a little longer than most (30-31 days) and my left ovary is polycystic. My question is...would you opt for fully medicated (including down regulation) or a more natural approach? I suppose I'm not asking anyone to actually make this decision for me but I'd love to hear other people's experiences and their medication protocol. I really want to try a partly medicated cycle. We only have 2 embryos frozen but I feel that my body (and my mental health) really suffer with the influx of hormones and I feel that going with my body will at least give me a more positive recovery if not a more positive outcome. But I feel our clinic is pushing a fully medicated cycle.

If anyone is willing to share their experiences or stories, I'd love to hear them.

[Greenleaves1]

I went for medicated so there was more control over the process and I wasn't stressing waiting on my body naturally doing things.

[ChocoMuffin]

Hi, my consultant (clinic abroad) recommended I try the natural modified FET because I ovulate regularly and because it is kinder on the body. It does involve more regular scans but that’s ok with me as I can manage that with work. I will follow her advice and see how it goes ☺️

Best of luck whatever you decide!!

[Twiglet2]

I ovulate and have regular periods too and have tried both. Yes natural was a much better experience BUT both my successes have been from fully medicated down reg FET so that seemed to work for me (hated the hormones etc but was worth it). I am glad I tried to natural too though just to see. Maybe try one way and if no luck try the other as I think it is really individual what work works best xx

[Vix12345]

I have done both, and my cycle was similar to yours. I had no issues with the medicated cycles, but they didn't work. My consultant suggested a natural cycle with progesterone support and it was so much kinder on the body, you did very little for the first part of the cycle except ovulation tests and scans. Then started progesterone after that as usual. My first natural cycle got a bfp but I miscarried at 9 weeks. The second natural cycle was a bfn.

We have just tried another natural cycle and this got canceled due to the follicle not growing enough in the required time.

So, the natural one are kinder, but more stress on your body doing exactly what it must when they need it to, and higher risk of cancellation. Also, once your body is ready it is happening, regardless of day of the week or anything else, so if your clinic closes certain days I'd ask what their protocol is if it falls on one of those days (my clinic go ahead regardless of day except for Xmas day).

The medicated is more controlled and can be timed if you need transfer to not fall on a certain day. It has less chance of cancellation, but more meds.

As my last cycle was cancelled, and my cycles have gone a bit off, they no longer feel that natural is the right choice for me and I will be going back to fully medicated for my next cycle, which I fell sort of relieved about if I'm honest.

Good luck.

[HelzBelzUK]

My lining is really thin so I couldn’t do a fully natural cycle. I don’t respond to synthetic oestrogen and have had FETs cancelled.

The only way now I can get my lining to a decent level is by doing low dose gonal f. I track ovulation from day 8 but i’ve always had to force ovulation with a trigger injection and then start progesterone etc xx It’s so much better for me doing that as I know it works xx

[GranolaHippo]

I'm just in the midst of my first medicated FET and just wanted to reassure that I've not had major side effects at all, as I was really dreading that!

I was a bit snappy the day I started down regulation (like PMT) but that could also have been due to Christmas and other stress.

My down reg is a nasal spray, which makes my nose a bit stuffy. They said to take just before bed, butvive found it better to do it a couple of hours before, to avoid post-nasal drip and coughing. It's still spaced 12hrs apart and is working, so I don't think it makes any difference.

I've had a couple of foggy headaches across the 6 days I've been on oestrogen so far, a bitbtiredcas have woken up for a bit longer than usual in the night, a bit more discharge (sorry, TMI!) and a little weepy at times. Again, though, the emotional impact could be because our cat was put down a few weeks ago -all tears cat-related.

Broadly, I'd say it's been better than PMT, although different as it does (to me) feel more medicated. A bit like being a teenager, in so far as I remember it, with emotions being a bit closer to the surface (butcl that could be time of year and the other stresses mentioned).

What's markedly different this time is not having to stress about interpreting what my body is doing and having to time injections and the pressure to fo the 'right', which is had in the head up to my first modified natural FET.

So, horses for courses, but unless anything unexpected happens, I'd do medicated again as I've found it much less stressful.xx

[OnRoundEleven]

Hello.

My consultants at various IVF clinics have suggested following a natural cycle, and lowering the medication, as it can be kinder to the body and I think has been shown to have higher success rates across the whole population, however, on all those occasions when I tried this, I have not had any success.

My body tends to react better to fully medicated cycles (which can also mean you have a higher progesterone level on transfer day). I have had a son through this approach.

I think the option fully depends on your body and its reaction.