# FET after cancelled IVF cycle - OHSS risk



## Littlemisssunshine80 (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi, 
This is my first time posting on here, so hopefully I'm writing this in the right place!

I've just gone through my first cycle of IVF, and am feeling really down in the dumps about the outcome. Am hoping to find others who have been through/are going through similar. 

The past 18 months have been fairly difficult - a MC followed by 4 failed IUI cycles. I was feeling optimistic about IVF - especially as I'd had a 'good' reaction to the Gonal F. Although I knew that my follicle count was quite high (20 at my last scan before EC), I was pretty stunned to come round from the anaesthetic to find out that they'd collected 26 eggs. And I was gutted to be told that, as this put me at risk of OHSS, I couldn't proceed with a fresh transfer. 

Even more disappointingly, of the 20 eggs that fertilised, only 3 resulted in embryos that were of good enough quality to freeze (at day 3). 

We have a review appointment with the doctor next week, but I'd be interested to hear if anyone has experienced similar to this, and if so, then what the outcome was? Specifically:
1) How well did your embies survive the freeze?
2) When they were thawed, were they transferred as day 3 embies, or allowed to develop into blastos?
3) Did you have a natural or medicated FET, and what influenced your decision?

I'm really struggling to feel positive at the moment  

Thank you! x


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## Tiffin (Jan 22, 2015)

Hi LMS,

I'm interested to hear what people respond to this, as I'm in a very similar position. ET was cancelled on our recent second ICSI attempt due to a pesky fibroid appearing smack bang in the middle of my womb lining! 

We've got four day 3 embies in the freezer (only today) and the embryologist suggested thawing all four, as two were slightly behind the others. My consultant has told me I can do the FET on my next cycle, if I feel ok and the fibroid has gone. She's suggested a natural cycle for me, as I have pretty regular cycles and she thinks it was the estrogen from the stimms drugs which caused the fibroid. 

My next step is to make an appointment with her, to discuss what happens next. I'm similar to you on the positivity stakes   Best of luck with your FET. x


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## luckyclover (Mar 17, 2015)

Hi lms,

Well this is my 4th round of IVF.  IVF is hard on the body and the mind. I never had luck with fresh transfers only FETs. The second long cycle of IVF, I developed a moderate to severe case of OHSS. They had to cancel the fresh transfer and freeze the embryos. There were 4 to freeze out of a batch of 17. At a later date, I had a FET with two transferred over from the four that they had frozen. I got pregnant but sadly had a missed miscarriage. The third round of IVF was unsuccessful (fresh transfer). This 4th round, we used the two remaining frozen embryos and I came up positive last week. Still waiting for the 2 week scan but ever so cautious. We didn't jump for joy in the same way we did last time because of what happened then. 

From what I understand, if your embryos survive the thaw, then they have really stood the test. Plus it also is down to the expertise of the embryologists. My embryos were taken to day 5 to try and get them to develop into blastocysts, before being frozen. My FET was medicated. I have to say this was much easier on my body than going through the full whack of stimulation followed by EC and ET. Plus I am at risk of OHSS so they would have had to put me on another drug to ease that. But if I had to do it again, I would rest my body before doing a transfer and freeze my embryos. It seems to have worked both times for me. I don't know if the pregnancy will go forward, only the scan will tell in a couple of weeks time. I also had an endo scratch this time. Maybe that helped too. 

I remember the shock of my first IVF when they did a fresh transfer of two embryos, to be told the very next day that none of my other embryos had reached a healthy cell stage to be frozen. I was very demoralised! It was a complete shock to me because they had collected something like 17 eggs and apart from the two transferred over, the others just died!

You're not alone on this IVF journey. Stay strong, and make sure you get the right information from your consultant and ask the right questions.


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## penguin14 (Jul 31, 2015)

Hi, sorry to hear you've had such a bad time having to freeze all and not getting the chance to transfer is really upsetting. I had to do the same back in sept I over stimulated and i woke up from egg collection with them taking 39 eggs and in masses of pain was a complete shock. They said I was too high risk of ohss that they needed to freeze all I also developed a polyp from the drugs so they wanted to remove before we continued. So I was frozen on day 2 I was really upset at the time and they made me take a 3 month break to let my body recover and remove polyp before starting FET. Really glad I did as started FET physically and mentally feeling better. I have regular cycles but my clinic recommended a medicated cycle anyway as less chance of cancellation and I couldn't face again. I felt so much better all way through this cycle as drugs were easier on my body and now I'm cautiously happy at 3 weeks past transfer and pregnant but waiting for scan before I breath too. I froze at day 2 and after thaw took mine to day 5 purely because they couldn't tell which was the best at day 3 and i transferred 2 back that hadnt quite made blastocyst yet. My advise is rest up and let you body and mind recover from this round as its really tough going though this and my clinic swear by FET because you body is in a better condition. Hope things work out for you too just give yourself a bit of time  x


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## KnittyGritty (Apr 17, 2015)

We are in the exact same situation. I had already been warned before egg retrieval that any embryos will be frozen and yesterday it was confirmed that would be the case. Just waiting to see how many have fertilized and if it is good news we will have an FET in about three months. I was just wondering how long it took your period to come after the egg retrieval and progesterone was stopped?

I feel rather frustrated at the moment.


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## penguin14 (Jul 31, 2015)

I got my period about 12 days after egg collection but I never took the progesterone as they decided straight away to freeze all so not sure how much that impacts things but my periods went straight back to my normal cycle. I waited till i had two bleeds then rang clinic to start back on next round of my third. I recovered quite quickly really and had been quite sick before egg collection so hopefully you find the same.

Fingers crossed that you get some good embryos to freeze.

x


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## KnittyGritty (Apr 17, 2015)

Thank you for your reply. I only used the progesterone for two days so hopefully not too long to wait.


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## Littlemisssunshine80 (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi everyone,
Thank you all for your advice, and for sharing your experiences - I've found it a real comfort.

I'm also very reassured by your positive stories. I do feel like my body has taken a battering from all the stimming drugs, followed by the EC op - not to mention the emotional toll of it all. Now that I'm over the initial disappointment, I can see the potential benefits of a FET cycle. At the moment, I'm just really worried that our embies might not survive the thaw, and that we'll be back to square one! But I guess we'll just need to cross that bridge when we come to it...

I didn't take progesterone after EC, as was told straight away that we wouldn't be having a fresh transfer. I have a review appointment with the doctor on Tues, but have been told that I need to wait for 2 bleeds before starting the FET cycle. 

Do you mind me asking which clinics you're all with?
Xx


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## Tiffin (Jan 22, 2015)

Sounds like we'll be FET'ing at similar times LMS, we've got our appointment on Monday! Do you know if you will be having natural or medicated yet? I'm having treatment at The Spire in Bristol, with EC/ET at the BCRM. Where are you? 

Not sure if you've seen it but I started a thread in the FET section asking for tips on questions to ask at my appointment next week. You might find it useful too?


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

Hi Just thought I'd answer some of your q's

1) 5 embies were thawed with 4 surviving the thaw
2) All 4 were transferred as a 3dt (my clinic is in Greece hence high transfer nbr for own egg in over 40 age group)
3) I had a lovely natural FET as decided by clinic

As you can see only 1 embryo out of 4 took but luckily split into id twins
all the best to you x


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## Littlemisssunshine80 (Feb 24, 2012)

Thank you, Blondie, and many congrats on your twins 😊

Tiffin: I'm at BCRM, too - what a coincidence!
X


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## KnittyGritty (Apr 17, 2015)

We managed to have four embryos frozen so I think our FET will be in May. My periods are fairly regular but I suspect I might have a long wait to start again!


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## seasonticket (Feb 12, 2016)

We're in a similar situation. I was responding well to the Menopur, then the doctor said he was afraid of OHSS and we might need to freeze the embryos. I had 28 follicles, they extracted 14 eggs and I'm waiting to hear how many made it to day 5 on Monday. 

I'm sort of looking forward to having a couple of months off. IVF has been intense! This is my first round. My ovaries have been really sore so I don't think OHSS is finished with me yet. They didn't trigger me with HCG so maybe it's my imagination.


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## luckyclover (Mar 17, 2015)

From what I have read from recent statistics at UCLH via CRGH, FETs have had an improving success rate. One of the consultants whom I saw when I was at UCLH said they didn't know why as yet.  Anyway, NHS funding ran out for us   so we went to CRGH directly. Not cheap! The staff are wonderful there though and have treated me very well, and are very efficient.


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