# A bit of hope for those having FET



## emotional (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi ladies,

I used this site so much before I had my baby boy and remember desperately looking for success stories to make me feel like a miracle was possible. So I thought I'd do the same in the hope it helps someone out there.

We had a failed fresh ICSI cycle even though the whole cycle was literally perfect. We were heartbroken and started to fear it would never happen for us. Nevertheless, we had 8 top quality embryos frozen from that first cycle (it really had gone that well and still failed!) so we started Medicated FET 2 months later. This was totally different. Much easier to do but....it didn't go as perfectly as the fresh cycle had. My lining wouldn't get any thicker than 7.6mm even though they kept me on oestrogen for an extra 2 weeks at an increased dose! Finally the clinic said they just didn't think it was going to get any thicker and although ideally is should be 8mm they, and I quote, "have seen pregnancies occur with a lining of this thickness". Not what you want to hear! I remember thinking, the chances are already reduced chances with a FeT in comparison to a fresh cycle and now the chances are even less! We were so upset but...made the decision to go ahead with the transfer anyway as we had come this far and what was meant to be would be. It came to transfer day and...more bad news! The clinic had defrosted all 8 ice babies in order to get 2 viable a ones. We now had NO more babies left in storage and we knew if this cycle didn't work we would have to go through another fresh cycle! :-( We went for transfer and, finally some good news, one of the embryos had started to divide further! We had both embryos put back (am much easier transfer this time!). Now the dreaded 2ww.....

The 2 weeks past quicker this time than the first cycle. I went back to work which helped as I didn't spend 24/7 thinking about it. Test day came and I honestly thought it hadn't worked as I felt exactly the same as before. I went to work after having my blood test taken in the morning. We had to ring after 4pm for results. I remember driving home from work praying to god that it be positive this time. It was!!!! We now have a very healthy 8 month old baby boy!!! Miracles can happen, even when a cycle doesn't seem to be going perfectly well. So for all those ladies out there who are having treatment now, keep believing! Don't get disheartened when things don't go perfectly. There is always hope. 

Baby dust to all with big hugs xxxx


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## jk1 (Aug 26, 2009)

Emotional - thank you for putting your story on the board, I have just come out of a failed fresh cycle and feel I have lost my confidence that IVF will work for us but reading success stories like yours really helps.

Congratulations on your little boy!

Jo xxx


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## Edinburgh1 (Dec 27, 2010)

Hi,

Wanted to add my FET experience to this. I'm currently 19 weeks pregnant following an unmedicated FET cycle. We had this after 3 failed fresh cycles, none of which were particularly great - 7 eggs, 3 embryos; 4 eggs, 3 embryos but only 2 good enough to transfer; 9 eggs, 5 embryos, but only 2 good enough to transfer. The 3rd cycle was particularly hard and we were on the verge of giving up, but because we had 2 frozen embryos from our first cycle (where we had an ESET), we thought we might as well give them a go before we decided whether or not to try another fresh cycle or just stop. We'd not used them earlier because we knew FET had a lower success rates and because we thought time was more of the essence for fresh cycles.

Anyway, we went into it basically with no expectations of it working at all. That's partly why I insisted on an unmedicated cycle - I just couldn't be bothered with drugging up again for something that I thought had very little chance of working. On the day of the transfer, my husband wasn't actually even around - the first cycle he hadn't been able to come with me - but I wasn't really bothered as I'd mentally written the whole thing off already. The embryologist told me that of the 2 embryos, only one was suitable to transfer as the other had lost more than 50% of it's cells in the defrost. The one they could transfer only had 3 cells - down from 6 cells when it was frozen. I'd never heard of anyone having a pregnancy from a 3-cell, 3 day embryo, so I basically left feeling even more convinced it had no chance of working. I didn't even sit down for 5 mins after they did the transfer - I just got dressed and went shopping! Then I had a bit of spotting a few days after the transfer and was convinced I was just getting my period as usual (all the monitoring I had done for the FET revealed that I ovulate very late in my cycle). But it stopped. Then about 10 days post transfer I got a tiny bit of spotting and thought that was my period. But that stopped (and I now think it was implantation bleeding). About 3 days later, I thought I would do a pregnancy test, just in case, and was completely bowled over when it was positive! My first beta from the hospital was 500+. Even then I didn't really believe it, but the 7 week scan confirmed a tiny flickering heart beat, a further scan at 10 weeks showed arms, legs and head, and by 13 week scan it actually looked like a tiny wriggly baby! 

I still have occasional panics and days of pinching myself, but it looks like it is (finally) our time.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this - if my 3 cell wee embie can make it, then I guess there is always hope!

xxx


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## ruby5 (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks for sharing your stories, nice to read some positive outcomes, gives me hope xx


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## Fidub (Jan 9, 2012)

This seems like a good place to add mine! I know how it feels not to have hope so I hope this helps too. I had my first cycle in June last year. It ended in ohss and a freeze all if my embies. I was devastated. I was given a 17% chance of one embryo taking in my frozen transfer. My clinic only do medicated cycles so I started 3 months later. My womb lining wouldn't build so I was put on extra drugs and after two weeks it was acceptable.  We thawed all of my embryos as they were frozen on day one so we had no idea of quality. We ended up with two blastocysts and both were transferred. I actually am a poas addict and started testing at 4dpt and we were shocked to see we got a positive! We had a scan at six weeks to rule out ectopic and we discovered both had taken and we are having twins! That was an incredible moment. I have just had my 20 week scan and found out we are having a boy and a girl! I still can't believe we have been so blessed and I will be honest and say I still worry every day, I think that's natural for us girls who have been through so much. So FET's can work, try not to go into
It thinking its a waste of time. If anyone wants to ask any questions I am happy to help. Good luck to anyone reading this. Xxx


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

It absolutely works Ladies keep the faith it will happen

x


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## LoopyMoo (Feb 3, 2010)

Hi, thought I'd add my story.  I am now 25 weeks pregnant with a little boy.  He was our very last frostie and our last attempt.  We were just going through the motions this last time as we felt we'd created this embryo and it deserved a chance like the rest but had totally lost hope.  We are still walking around in a daze!


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## LynnT (Feb 11, 2012)

Good morning ladies,

Just wanted to say a big thank you to you all for sharing your positive stories with us! It seems that everywhere you go is bad news so it's really uplifting to hear of your success on this mental roller coaster! 

I'm sitting at work now having officially hit rock bottom last night after a very good friend told me she was pregnant! I'm so over the moon for her but totally devastated for myself especially as we work together so I will be sharing her journey everyday!

I thought I was handling this all pretty well until now but seems I've hit a low point!

Anyway don't want to bring down the mood of your chat but just wanted you to know you have made a complete stranger feel like she isn't alone and that there is hope at the end of all this!

Good luck with all life brings for you all x


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## Moonshadow_73 (Feb 17, 2012)

Thanks for posting these stories ladies, I'm in the middle of a medicated FET cycle, due to go for transfer next week. I really needed to read some positive stories as I've felt like it's pretty hopeless but it really does sound like even when the odds are stacked against you, it can happen xx


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## sheebs (Jul 14, 2012)

thank you so much for your stories. My first cycle failed at 3 months. I am going for medicated FET on April. Clinic asked me to call when I get my period.
Could someone help me with medication + process
Is it something like below

1. Call clinic mentioning about period
2. calculate 22 days from step1 and start bruselin injections on 15th day
3. thaw the frozen embies on when ?
4. transfer on when?

do i need to take off from work for transfer?

Pls help.

Thank you


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## Moonshadow_73 (Feb 17, 2012)

Hi Sheebs

This is my second FET cycle and it seems that FET's are generally more flexible than a fresh cycle so you might find that the dates are not necessarily fixed. For me I started DR drugs on day 21 of my cycle, had a scan 2 weeks later and started on Climaval to help build the lining (I think they only give this to ladies over 35 at our clinic) . I had another scan 2 weeks later to measure and at that stage was booked in for the transfer. In theory we could have gone ahead with the transfer a couple of days later but because they were busy I'm having to wait another week before they can do the transfer (They start the defrost the day before transfer).

In theory you don't need time off for the transfer. Like a fresh cycle it's a quick procedure and you're fine to carry on as normal afterwards (though the usual rules of no sex for a few days apply). I always take it easy and cut back on physical activity but otherwise just do what I usually do - the distraction helps keep me sane!

Could you call your clinic to ask for an idea of their schedule? Each clinic operates differently so my experience might not be relevant, most clinics should be happy to talk you through what will happen.

Jen


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## amy1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

Hi Ladies,

These stories have really made my day  

I started my injections this morning for our first cycle of FET so i feel as if im on the rollercoaster again! We had our first course of ICSI last April and we got a BFP but we sadley lost our baby at 6 weeks   At the time i had just lost my mom very suddenly so i really wasnt in a good place looking back so it's a miracle we caught really. 
We were lucky enough to get 2 frozen embryos from the cycle and they will be putting the 2 little frosties back in this time  

I feel very different this time round and im going to relax a lot more (try to anyway) so reading these stories is so lovely as it gives me hope  

I would really like to keep in touch with ladies going through the same experience as this site was amazing last year and really helped me  when i felt as if i was the only person in the world who couldnt have children?!

Baby dust to everyone

Amy xxx


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