u/KlimRous

Hi! I am undergoing IVF and just had a Frozen Embryo Transfer that failed. My doctor thinks it's likely ectopic. My first beta was 2.2 and then 72 hours later it was 6.69. I go back tomorrow for another beta but the nurse at my clinic mentioned the possibility of taking Methotrexate. That seems like a heavy duty drug and it seems wild to me that they would suggest it based off beta levels alone.

I want to properly advocate for myself tomorrow after the results of my beta comes back. Should I be requesting an ultrasound before agreeing to methotrexate? Are my numbers low enough I can ask to skip methotrexate and just do monitored betas? Any advice would be helpful as I feel completely lost.

Thanks!

I just found out that my FET failed--and my doctor thinks it's likely ectopic. She's bringing me back in for one more beta test on Wednesday and if it's still rising--I'll need to take methotrexate. I've read that after taking it, you need to wait 3 months before resuming IVF because it depletes your folate reserve. This is super frustrating because given my age, time is not on my side.

Looking for anyone who has had experience with this...can you confirm that's the case? And--how were your subsequent cycles? Since this was my one and only embryo--I would be going back to the drawing board with retrievals vs doing another transfer.

After 5 cycles and 2 retrievals--we managed to get one euelopid which we transferred last week. Beta was today (8dp5dt) and we just found out it's negative and the transfer failed.

I have age related DOR and I am going through IVF with one ovary. AMH is 0.4 and typically my AFC is 3-4. I usually only end up with 1-2 mature eggs at retrieval. So far we've tried high dose stims, low dose stims, clomid, Estrace priming and a luteal phase cycle--all of which have yielded similar results.

So here are my two questions...

1. What testing should I ask for since this FET failed? I've previously had an HSG and a Hysteroscopy but that is it. Is there any other diagnostic test I should get to figure out what might have caused the failure?
2. My doctor doesn't take initiative on recommending protocol changes....but if I suggest them she's usually on board with it. Are there any protocols that might improve my follicle to egg ratio?

Note--I will go back to taking my supplement stack and resuming red light therapy which I do believe helped me get my euploid in the first place.

After 5 cycles and 2 retrievals--we managed to get one euelopid which we transferred last week. Beta was today (8dp5dt) and we just found out it's negative and the transfer failed.

Like most of us, I have age related DOR and unlike most of us , am going through IVF with one ovary. TAMH is 0.4 and typically my AFC is 3-4. I usually only end up with 1-2 mature eggs at retrieval. So far we've tried high dose stims, low dose stims, clomid, Estrace priming and a luteal phase cycle--all of which have yielded similar results.

So here are my two questions...

1. What testing should I ask for since this FET failed? I've previously had an HSG and a Hysteroscopy but that is it. Is there any other diagnostic test I should get to figure out what might have caused the failure?
2. My doctor doesn't take initiative on recommending protocol changes....but if I suggest them she's usually on board with it. Are there any protocols that might improve my follicle to egg ratio?

Note--I will go back to taking my supplement stack and resuming red light therapy which I do believe helped me get my euploid in the first place.

I know every insurance plan is different, but if yours works anything like mine, this could save you a lot of money. Also sorry if the tag isn't right--couldn't find one that fits.

TL;DR: If you're worried about using an insurance "cycle" on an FET when you may need that coverage for another retrieval, ask whether you can self-pay for the FET instead.

I have IVF coverage through Aetna, but it's limited. My plan gives me 4 IVF units, and each retrieval or frozen embryo transfer (FET) uses one unit.

Here's how things have gone for us:

• Retrieval #1: no euploids (1 unit used)
• Retrieval #2: one euploid (1 unit used)

Because my plan doesn't allow embryo banking, we have to transfer that euploid embryo before doing another retrieval. If we bill the upcoming FET through insurance, that uses a third unit and leaves us with only one unit remaining.

I have DOR and have been a poor responder. Across five stimulation cycles, we've only made it to retrieval twice, and we've only retrieved 1–2 eggs each time. Realistically, if this transfer isn't successful, I may need more than one additional retrieval to get another euploid.

At my clinic:

• Self-pay freeze-all retrieval: $15,600
• Self-pay FET: $4,900

So I called both my clinic and Aetna and asked whether I could simply not use my insurance for this FET. They both said yes.

For us, paying $4,900 now preserves an insurance-covered retrieval later that's worth over $15,000. It's still a lot of money, but it's a much better financial trade-off in our situation.

Again, this won't work for every insurance plan, and your clinic may have different policies. But if your insurance limits the number of retrievals/transfers or "cycles," it's absolutely worth asking whether you can self-pay for an FET and save your insurance benefit for a future retrieval.

Edit: You will also want to ask your clinic about a cancelation fee and if their self pay rate covers all monitoring appointments for the FET, including the beta.

Next month is my first FET. Due to my age, my husband and I went straight to IVF and didn't try conceiving on our own first. So I have no history of miscarriages etc. We did do an IUI earlier that was unsuccessful, that's it.

That said I'm incredibly nervous and worried that this FET won't be successful. Is there any testing I should be asking my doctor about ahead of it? This is our only eupeloid out of 2 retrievals and we only have coverage for one, maybe two, more retrievals so I don't have a lot of options left if this doesn't work.

Edit: I did have an HSG and a Hysteroscoy at the outset, both were negative. I've previously had a ANA panel for inflammation etc run and it was also negative.

Next month is my first FET. Due to my age, my husband and I went straight to IVF and didn't try conceiving on our own first. So I have no history of miscarriages etc. We did do an IUI earlier that was unsuccessful, that's it.

That said I'm incredibly nervous and worried that this FET won't be successful. Is there any testing I should be asking my doctor about ahead of it? This is our only eupeloid out of 2 retrievals and we only have coverage for one, maybe two, more retrievals so I don't have a lot of options left if this doesn't work.

Edit: I did have an HSG and a Hysteroscoy at the outset, both were negative. I've previously had a ANA panel for inflammation etc run and it was also negative.

My last last was successful and we got a eupeloid so we'll be doing a FET sometime in August.

I have limited IVF insurance coverage via my spouses employer and then a separate Carrot benefit through ny employer.

The insurance coverage is with Aetna. It covers 4 units of IVF and a unit can either be a retrieval or a transfer. Meaning I use up the coverage on just retrievals.

The Carrot benefit is a $20,000 max benefit that works via reimbursement. I currently have $16,000 left after using some for uncovered IVF expenses like cryo preservation and PGT-A testing.

At my clinic, a self pay freeze all egg retrieval is $15,600. (Not including meds or PGT-A testing but the meds are covered under separate insurance not subject to limits.) A FET is only $4,000!!!

Here's my question...any reason not to do self pay for the FET and use Carrot funds so we can save the expensive retrievals for insurance? I'm just worried this FET won't work and we'll need more retrievals and if we do the FET through insurance we only have one covered retrieval left.

​I don't think my clinic would care, but I'm worried about insurance rules. I don't think there's a coordination of benefits/supremacy clause in my insurance docs, but even if there was, Carrot is a supplemental benefit, not traditional insurance, so it should be exempt anyway.

So anyway...anyone tried doing this before and have advice? Is it worth reaching out to my IVF Patient Advocate at my insurance to ask? I'm just trying to be practical and maximize my benefit.

I have age related DOR and only one good ovary but I finally got a euploid!! I was not expecting this....

My clinic wants to do a modified natural FET so Endometrin suppositories in the lead up to the FET and then Ovidrel and Metrogel right before the FET. Unsure of when the FET will be as they suggested I get my two needed root canals first. Anything I should know or be prepared for with the FET? Anything you started doing or stopped doing after the FET?

If the FET is successful--how long do I stay with my clinic before going to an OB/GYN? And how early is too early to call an OB/GYN as I don't currently have one?

I'm sure there is stuff I am not thinking of too so again--any advice, suggestions, prayers or old wives tales welcome as I'd like this to be as successful as possible!!

I'd also appreciate any one and done FET success stories because that also weighs heavy on my mind...that this is not a sure thing until I get a positive beta test and even then it's still not a sure thing.

After three retrievals and only two embryos---one (5AA) is finally suitable for transfer!! I am over 40 and only have one useable ovary so this is truly a miracle and I thank God for answering my prayers!!

I was never expecting this to work though--so I don't know what to expect next or what to advocate for. My Doctor wants to do a natural FET with these medications:

• Ovidrel trigger shot
• Endometrin suppositories, started 5 days before transfer
• Metrogel vaginal insert the night before the transfer

For those of you who did a natural FET--is there anything else I should be asking about? And is there anything else you did to help ensure a successful transfer? I hear people talk about embryo glue but have no idea what that is or if it's even necessary. So any help/advice etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Thanks!

This is the best H-Mart in the city, right? And how worried should I be about about the neighborhood? I'm not all worried about it at all but my elderly mother who is going with me is convinced it's terrible and we're going to get shot. 🙄

I have an M7 pro that I could not get to work with the app once I upgraded my router and changed the wifi network. It was 5+ years old anyway so I just decided to get a new robot vacuum.

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I had left the M7 sit in the corner because I figured I'd take it to our electronics recycler the next time he came around. Today for some reason I thought I'd try to get it up and running again so we could use it upstairs in our Master Suite. And I GOT IT TO WORK!!

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Steps

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1. Download the legacy app.

2. Switch your country to one in Europe. I chose France.

3. Create a new account.

4. Set up vaccum like normal.

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I did this on an older Android tablet because I wasn't sure my new phone would support the legacy app.

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I have age related DOR. AMH 0.41, FSH 9.9 and AFC 6.

Since we only get 1 to 2 mature follicles during a regular stims cycle we decided to try a Luteal Phase cycle this time around.

First bloodwork and ultrasound was Thursday, with 1 10mm follicle on my left ovary. (My right ovary is adhered and generally not visible on ultrasounds or usable for IVF.)

Second bloodwork and ultrasound was today. My E2 jumped from 190 to 680. That 10mm follicle grew to 15mm and there was one more that was less than 10mm. Because my E2 jumped I'm guessing that 15mm follicle isn't leftover corpus luteum. Which has me very disappointed. I thought Luteal Phase was supposed to recruit more follicles but I've already got 1 lead follicle 3 days into stims.

Is there hope that more follicles will be recruited between now and my next appointment Tuesday or is it likely I'll just have these two? I was really hopeful going into this cycle but now I'm feeling defeated. This is an especially shitty situation because after my follow up appointment Tuesday I have to head right to my Father-in-Laws funeral.

I don't even know if my title makes sense...

My siblings and I are removing some large bushes from my mom's garden and are looking for a local place we can drop them off to be disposed of. I am not of aware of any in the area but the things this sub knows about never cease to amaze me. So--is there anyplace around we can take them or will we have to call a junk removal place?

Every cycle I seem to start with 6-8 follicles and then only 1-2 seem to mature. The last two cycles--we added in Est priming and then Clo but no measurable change. So I reached out to my doctor to see if there were protocol changes we could make to increase the number of mature follicles---and she suggested luteal phase stimulation. Did anyone who tried luteal phase stims have any noticeably different results in terms of mature follicle count? And--did you keep doing your Est & Clo or did you stop? Thanks!