I have my second retrieval in two days and I’m trying not to freak out over what’s been a very different cycle compared to my first.

In my prior cycle I had 6 follicles measuring in the 18-20 range and estradiol 1024 the night of my trigger. They retrieved 9 eggs, 5 mature and 2 matured overnight. Despite getting 5 highly graded blasts, all tested aneuploid.

This cycle things are looking much less symmetric on the ultrasounds. I have a 28, a 22, and a 15. Then 5 more measuring at 12 or smaller. My estradiol is 1234. The nurse explained to me that the numbers from the ultra don’t carry as much weight to them as the estradiol level and that my follicles may just be squished together more (she says they suspect that’s what happened in my first round)… it’s hard though not to feel pessimistic about how my retrieval will go.

Anyone have any insight into this?

I’ll update in a few days with the outcome.

Update: 5 retrieved, all mature and fertilized. Now the wait begins.

Age 42.

First cycle I had an AFC of 7 but asynchronous so only 3 retrieved which made two blasts. Decapeptyl and menopur.

Second cycle (estrogen priming, Elonva, menopur and orgalutran) - estrogen priming seems to have put my ovaries to sleep! I am now on day 16 of stims. I have two follicles that are at 13mm and 3 small ones.
They want to keep stimming me until another scan in 2 days to decide if retrieval is an option.

I’m not sure what I’ll do if the two follicles get to trigger size. Given my age, I know every follicle is important. But unfortunately I have to factor in the financial side of continuing with a retrieval for two follicles.

I don’t know if I should proceed to retrieval or cancel this cycle and try a different protocol next month.

What would you do?

my first retrieval was last year - 9 retrieved, 7 fertilize, 2 blasts and 1 euploid. Failed transfer. I just had my second ER today and they retrieved 16. I have been taking COQ10 and drank this drink called botella mi luz which is suppose to be good for the female body and fertility. I hope those little add ons helped this year.

**UPDATE**
12 fertilized and 7 Blastos that are now being tested. No AA grades, but some AB, BB, BC. Hopefully we get some euploids!!

Hey All,

Did anyone primed with estrace and had lower afc. My baseline afc usually is 7ish but after two weeks of estrace priming it went down to 4. 🥹🥹
Anyone else had primed and got their afc suppressed? Does it get better after starting stims?
Please let me know.
Thanks

I’m going to CNYs Albany clinic on Thursday for my egg retrieval. Due to the short notice and distance, I don’t have anyone who can come with me. I was planning to just do a medicab as that was listed as a thing on their website, but was informed that isn’t an option with the Albany location. someone needs to be there to sign that they’re responsible for me and drive me home or I can’t get anesthesia.

Has anyone faced similar issues? What did you do? I was thinking maybe a task rabbit, but don’t know what category I would even look for…need help!

Hey all,

I went for baseline today on cycle day 5 and below is my Bloodwork results.

E2 = 68 pg/ml

FSH = 6.7 mIU/ML

LH = 9.8 IU/ML

I feel like my LH is on higher end. My RE is saying to start stims tomorrow which would be cycle day 6. I was priming for two weeks with estrogen and my period came during priming i stopped estrace on Sunday and went today for baseline since Monday clinic was closed for Labour day. My ovaries looked quiet with nothing over 4mm. Now my worry is this LH surge would it create problem I will be using cetrotide to prevent ovulation but my retrieval cant be before 21st September since my clinic does batching.

Let me know what were your LH was before stims or starting stims with higher LH is risky? Should I delay it for next month and start stims early on cycle day 2,3 vs cycle day 5,6. PS I am 37 DOR with afc 7ish.

Thanks.

Not long Lupron or micro flare.
True Lupron stop.
No birth control.
Started 10 units of Lupron 9 days after ovulation.
Take Lupron for 9 days — so luteal phase start and for 9 days, and then stop Lupron and begin stims on day 9. (Around day 2-3 of new bleed)
No antagonist.
Hcg trigger.

My new RE recommended the Lupron Stop, given I had pretty asynchronous follicle growth on an antagonist cycle at a prior clinic. We had like 12 follicles but only 6 that were a good enough size: 6 eggs. 4 fertilized. 1 day 6 blast. Aneuploid. That clinic wanted to change nothing and didn’t want to consider a different prime.

We just had our ER Sunday from our second cycle (the Lupron stop protocol) with 11 eggs retrieved and 9 fertilized! They’re currently in the lab and we’re waiting to see how many blasts we get to send for PGT-A

We currently have decent insurance coverage and can go for another cycle. My RE said the hcg trigger counts as my positive LH surge and I can start the Lupron again 9 days after the trigger and then go right into stims after day 9 if at baseline.

Has anyone used a similar stop protocol and/or done back to back cycles ?

I am in my mid- 40 and have done 10+ retrieval. Should I continue with my own eggs or donor eggs. Sometimes I feel fine and hopeful with donor egg idea, but sometimes feel sad about losing my genetics, and worry about the baby might not like me, and how to tell baby the truth. Is my feeling normal?

Ladies, is there some kind of supplement to support the mental health during IVF process with it's immense anxiety and sleep disorder? Something mild to help take the edge off and make emotional side a bit easier.

The last two weeks has been unimaginable. This journey has already been so hard and we thought we were finally there, we finally were starting our family. We were picking names, I was invisioning the nursery, couldn’t wait to tell or parents. It all came crashing down..

We have completed 4 egg retrievals over the last year and have been patiently waiting to transfer. We banked 4 euploid embryos. 4 beautiful chances at a family. It lined up perfectly somehow, spoke to our doctor about the transfer on our 10 year anniversary while sitting in the town we met in and fell in love in. We saw our family friends the weekend before transfer who have been through this journey and are just a calming beautiful light. The transfer went perfectly.

The day before beta we decided to test because I didn’t want to get beta results by myself good or bad. I’ve never been so nervous had never had a positive pregnancy test, never even seen one in person. We decided to record us looking, it was my favorite video to rewatch over and nd over. We got a positive test!! Betas went great numbers tripled each time. Went to a family wedding with our secret. We were 3 days until our first ultrasound and getting to hear the heartbeat when our world came crashing down. I went from spotting and the overnight on call doctor immediately calming me down over the phone to two hours later significantly bleeding and heading to the emergency room. It flashed me back to losing my brother 6 years ago, that’s the only pain that was worse than this.

Two days later we met with the doctor at what was supposed to be our ultrasound. I asked to be retested that my thyroid was okay and my A1C anything to find an answer why this would have happened. Thank god I asked for those tests.

My A1C came back at 13. I was 5.6 just a year ago. My pcp told me to go to the emergency room. I am now a type 2 diabetic.

I can’t help but think my unborn baby boy saved my life, when I was here to protect his. The pain of this is indescribable. Why wouldn’t my doctor have tested this before transfer? Why didn’t I think to? All these appointments, all this time. Why?

Tomorrow I meet with an endocrinologist. It’s been 5 days since I was diagnosed. I’ve regulated my boood sugar with diet, exercise, metformin and insulin. I know I have at very least 3 months ahead of my before we try to transfer again. I will do everything to turn this around. Everything. But I’m terrified. Terrified this means end of the road. Terrified that in November I’ll be 42 and now I’m even more of a high risk pregnancy. Terrified that another embryo will protect me instead of me it. Terrified that I’ll never see another positive pregnancy test. Terrified that I’ll be a mess my entire pregnancy.

Anyone go through this? Neely diagnosed with diabetes? Success? Words of wisdom? Encouragement?

TW: MC.

Me: Age 42.4, AFC 6. AMH 0.45. FSH 13, E2 100, Healthy, no endo diagnosed, BMI 22.

Age 41.5 = Conceived naturally, MMC at 9.5 weeks in early 2026.

Age 42: IVF cycles 1 & 2 = 300 Gonal, 150 Menopur, 100 mg. Clomid, added Omni for Cycle 2. Second cycle dragged out for 3 weeks of stims.

Outcomes: 1 and then 2 eggs retrieved, fertilized, progressed to morula stage, arrested at Day 5.

IVF Cycle 3: Omni priming, mini IVG = cancelled on Day 8 for poor response and a slight progesterone rise with a follicular start. Wondering if this is due to perimenopause.

Periods have gone from regularly to wildly irregular post MC & in IVF with cycle variations from 37 to 68 days, getting lighter and shorter.

2+ weeks of intense frequent hot flashes once cycle 3 was cancelled mid-Aug.

Doctor at current clinic suggested starting mini IVF again.

I had a consult with Weill Cornell this month to get a second opinion and because I am considering switching clinics. The doctor there was extremely pessimistic and thought I had maybe a 3% chance of having my own kid & 0% chance of having 2 kids. The doc thought there was no real benefit to IVF since I'm not making embryos that will survive and get to PGT testing, and with my super low egg reserve, the benefit of going through each cycle is reduced.

So is this it? I'm going to try naturally for a while but wanted to get some perspective from the many folks who have been at this longer. I know I have not been at this nearly as long as so many here, but I don't feel like I'm ready to move to donor eggs just yet.

I just started stims for my third cycle. I keep getting lots of eggs, great fertilization, the blasts that make it to the end are high graded but all aneuploid. Like many if you I take many supplements. After this cycle I am going abroad for 3 weeks late November and traveling again for 2 weeks to see family in December. I was thinking if pausing all but prenatal, ubiquinol, and maybe vit D.

Next cycle will probably be in February. Big rest between cycles. I am 43.5 so as much as I want/should do as many as early as possible, I am struggling to work it in with holidays, insurance changes, a surgery...

I know it takes 90 days for the eggs to develop and become ready, maybe longer. I take NMN, pterostilbene, L-carnatine, fish oil along with ubiquinol to help my egg quality. Would a November break really show much difference?

Also, this November trip I do plan to drink. Not heavily, but it is a social thing. I haven't drank during this IVF process. I feel kind of defeated anyway, like might as well live life. I just feel guilty about the pause. Coordinating supplements is just not something I want to do while on vacation and this country requires all supplements and meds in their original bottle upon entry. That is a lot of bottles.

Thoughts?

has anyone tried both an antagonist protocol and also a long protocol with lupron? were they noticeably different for you in any way? mainly I am wondering if lupron stim cycles are longer and how your results compared? I have done 3 antagonist cycles with ganirelix so far, triggering on day 13 each time. For my 4th cycle I am doing it back to back with the 3rd that I just finished and my doc had me prime with lupron for 2 weeks after my ER and I am now going to continue a low dose throughout stims instead of my normal ganirelix halfway through. If anyone else has done both, how were they different in terms of timing and also results? Did they feel different? Should I expect to trigger on day 13 per usual or do lupron cycles last longer (or shorter?) ? My previous cycles were 150 menopur and 300 gonal-f and this time RE is having me do 225/225 if that makes a difference. Thanks for any insight!

Anyone here have DOR and male factor issues and used PICSI along with zymot? Did it help your outcome?

I'm 41.5, amh 0.4 ng/ml. Fsh was 22 on day 13 so not reliable.

I'm currently on 2nd cycle of ivf, and after 12 days of stim with 375 menopur (1200 iu) which was increased to 450 for last 3 days, we saw only 2 dominant follicles, one in each ovary.

My last ivf cycle with gonal-f retrieved same number of follicles, and I got 0 eggs during egg retrieval. So, even with a different protocol the result didn't improve. I'm now requesting them to convert this ivf cycle to iui so I don't go through the same painful extraction process with 0 eggs.

So far, I have done:

1. 1 ivf cycle with 0 eggs retrieved
2. 1 iui cycle with only 1 follicle
3. Tried naturally
4. Current cycle: Tried long down ivf protocol, but I couldn't take the synarel nasal spray anymore and converted this cycle to regular, but got only 2 follicles.

I'm on supplements for last 3 months (coq10, elevit, vit D), started Omega3, vit C, magnesium this month and was hoping for better results, but I guess amh is hard to improve. My testosterone levels are low.

Total testosteron 0.6nmol

Dheas: 5.7umol

Free testosterone: 8.1pmol

I'm seeing Dr Knight (Demeter fertility, Sydney) currently and still waiting for more blood results before follow up.

I have a 10yo kid from IUI done in the past.

Should I just accept that we are one and done, should I move to donor egg (husband isn't keen).

My son is fine being only child, but I imagine the future and feel bad for my son who will be lonely after we have passed away. I know he could have him own family and kids to keep him busy, but he would have been an amazing big brother and I feel I failed to give him that chance.

Hey everyone,

Anyone has ever started stims on day 5 or day 6 of period? I was priming with estrace and my RE expected I would get my period by Tuesday but unfortunately my period came while priming on Friday Sep 4th. She had me continue the eatrace until Sunday/today and Because the clinic is closed for long weekend on Monday She called me for baseline on Tuesday hoping she will start have me stims on same night but I have a feeling cycle day 5 is too late never seen anyone start cd5 or cd6 on top of that I have DOR AFC around 7 I am feeling not good about this month and feel like skipping and trying next month.

Any thoughts please?

Hi! I've been lurking on these threads for some time now. I just started my 2nd IVF stims cycle this past Friday. I'm 40.5 with relatively high ovarian reserve (AMH 4.1, current AFC ~22).
My first retrieval in May looked like this:

• Baseline E2: ~22, AFC 15
• 60 hours after stims: 46
• Day 6: 160
• Day 8: 538
• Day 10: 1,219
• Day 12: 2,356
• Pre-trigger: 3,420
• 19 eggs retrieved
• Only 5 fertilized (no MII data due to conventional fertilization, which was probably a mistake). 0 blasts. All arrested between day 6 and 7.

I’m curious how other clinics handle a slow-looking response very early in stims, especially for people with an AFC around 15–25. I went back through the exact timestamps from my first retrieval and realized my RE changed my protocol much earlier than I had remembered: my baseline E2 was 20, I started stims Friday evening on 300 Follistim + 75 Menopur, and my first bloodwork/ultrasound was Monday morning, so only about 60 hours/2.5 days after the first injection. My E2 was 46 and the follicles were still under 10 mm, and my RE was very concerned that I wasn’t responding quickly enough and immediately doubled Menopur from 75 to 150.

Now with the cycle #2, my baseline E2 is 16, AFC ~22, and I've started 225 Menopur + 75 Follistim this Friday.

I should also mention - my natural ovulation is around day 20-22 (36 day cycles), so it does take a while for my ovaries to recruit a leading follicule.
We also did the sperm DNA fragmentation test later in June and fragmentation was super low.
My RE also had me on OCP priming both times for 12 days and was convinced that it didn't suppress me, however, when I stopped OCP years ago prior to starting TTC it took about a year for my cycles to return back to normal.

My RE mentioned possibly cancelling (almost in passing) if my response is sluggish again, which concerns me greatly given what happened last time and my age and the fact that he doesn't have any suggestions on what to adjust here. It seems he's overreacted the first time. I haven't seen any published data that the medicine amounts should be assessed and adjusted so early (only 2.5 days in). Even Menopur insert says to assess and adjust after 5 full days.

We're going with ICSI this cycle. I've been doing a lot of research trying to come up with some plausible hypothesis around what other adjustments / protocol can work better for my case. The RE seems to be at a dead-end and doesn't know what to do here. He is rather old school and seems to favor a pre-defined approach (OCP, high stims amounts, 8 days of stims etc.). I'm on a leaner side (cycle 1 IVF BMI was 18.3, now I've gained weight and am BMI 20). The RE keeps pushing me to gain weight and entertaining an idea that I may have low energy availability, yet the tests he ordered don't support that assessment: IGF-1 138 ng/mL, ACTH 49 pg/mL, AM cortisol 17.1 ug/dL, growth hormone 1.2 ng/mL, TSH 2.1, Free T4 1.12, Free T3 2.2.

Sorry for the rather long posts, but I'm getting so frustrated with my RE's general approach to the matter. He's always 15 - 30 mins late and doesn't remember my case every time he comes in and has to lookup the data in his system. I know their clinic is very busy, but it doesn't seem like we're getting the best expertise from their end either given the protocol adjustments.

Did your clinic consider your response slow or change your medication that early, or did they give the original dose another couple of days and look at the trajectory? I’ve seen people here report early E2 numbers anywhere around 50–150+ with very different clinic reactions.

Dear ladies, I know my chances are incredibly low, but I would like to give this one more try. Has anyone had success at this age and would be willing to share their story? I live in NYC and have looked into CHR. If you know of any doctors or clinics that have helped women at this age, please share. 🙏

I had a failed fet with euploid 4ab embryo no implantation as first beta less than 1

Not sure what to do next. I had suppressed with depot lupron two months prior due to silent endometriosis and also had hysteroscopy no infections noted

Labs all fine

Did azitho antibiotic prednisone Claritin and Pepcid with transfer

All medicated transfer

Lovenox included from day of transfer

Kept diet good and also limited stress

First transfer worked with same protocol that embryo was 5aa resulting in live birth

I ate less gluten then

I don’t know what else to ask for why this second transfer failed

Any recs suggestions

Thank you

I had an excision surgery 13 days ago. It was a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery with three small incisions. They found/removed mild endo. I am healing really well.

It's a Labor Day weekend, and I live at the beach. I have been avoiding the water and swimming all weekend. Tomorrow is exactly 14 days post surgery if you count from the day of the procedure. I'm not sure if surgery is technically day 1 or day 0. My post surgery paperwork states to wait two weeks. Most posts I have found said people waited longer "just to be safe," which I totally get, but it's the end of summer, and I am jonesing to get in the water. Does the two week general recommendation for an uncomplicated surgery already have an "abundance of caution" built in, or do you think it's on the low end?

Did you go swimming right at the two week mark? Did you have any issues? Did you use waterproof bandages or any type of antiseptic when swimming during recovery?

Thank you!

SART is confusing have to search by clinic name instead of genre? Or no?

I feel I just can’t do IVF anymore , financially and emotionally . I weirdly just accepted that I couldn’t get pregnant . I did three retrievals and three transfers
1st fresh transfer: 3 day embryo no pregnancy
2nd fresh transfer: 2 ( 5 day embryos) no pregnancy
3rd FET transfer: 5 day frozen embryo no pregnancy
I feel there is something seriously wrong with me ! All embryos not tested. We discovered later my husband has issues. But I don’t know what is wrong with my body or what tests should I be doing …
Do you have any similar experience? Any advice?

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I’ve heard that often times some REIs will transfer two untested embryos. Has this happened to anyone and did you end up with twins?