BCP before FET?

[Cultured Pearl]

Hi, I wrote this question in my other thread but I think maybe nobody noticed it. I was wondering, if you're doing FET, you usually have a period after the ER cycle, then you wait for a second period to start the FET cycle, right? But it can take a super long time to get the second period, right? So if you know you're going straight to FET, would the doctor maybe give you BCP after you get the post-retrieval AF in order to better time the FET? I'm just wondering because at this point it sounds like I'm probably going straight to FET since my clinic has such success with day five biopsies, but it worries me that it might take a jillion years to get that second AF. Anyway!

[nuthinbutpink]

It didn't take that long for AF and if you are doing an elective FET, you won't start PIO which could delay it.

I am sure you could use it but I did not. I went with my natural cycle and started Lupron 7 days after ovulation the month before the transfer.

[Cultured Pearl]

I know PIO delays the post-ER AF a few days, but is it also what affects the following AF? How long did it take you to ovulate the cycle after your post-ER AF? That's what I'm worried about, because I think I've seen a lot of posts where women on the cycle after their post ER AFs who are waiting to either have FETs or start their next fresh cycles are like "It's CD42 and still no sign of AF," and I thought I read the average cycle after your ER is like around 40 days. Since I already know I'm going to have to do that wait whether I have something to transfer or not (please let there be something to transfer!), I'm just kind of already worrying about it. Worrying is my nature though!

[nuthinbutpink]

Here's the thing. If you are going to choose to fo an elective FET, you are doing so in part to try to have your body be in an optimal state for embryo acceptance. For that reason, I would not try to force AF falsely using MORE hormones. You want the hormones out of your system and your body functioning like it should on its own.

[Agirlplease]

Along these lines, I am guessing anyone wanting to cycle as early as November and pre-testing in OCtober should not be on BCP now? Pls pardon my ignorance. Have been on 'mini-pill' for 8 wks (gave birth 14 wks ago).

If it's advised I get off now, a) should my body be re-adjusted in time for pre-testing and b) what's advised for BC til cycling, good ol condoms? And do REs find it helpful to have cycle charting info or not so much?

thx!!

[nuthinbutpink]

Along these lines, I am guessing anyone wanting to cycle as early as November and pre-testing in OCtober should not be on BCP now? Pls pardon my ignorance. Have been on 'mini-pill' for 8 wks (gave birth 14 wks ago).

If it's advised I get off now, a) should my body be re-adjusted in time for pre-testing and b) what's advised for BC til cycling, good ol condoms? And do REs find it helpful to have cycle charting info or not so much?

thx!!

REs don't need charting at all. You don't need to be off BCP until a month before you go for pretesting. You can't be on the pill, get AF and with that pill AF do testing. You need to wait to have a normal month with no pills and then do your testing with that next AF. HTH

[glory]

Agirlplease are you currently breastfeeding? Is that why you are on the mini pill? I was not able to have the pre testing done until I had finished up breastfeeding for 2 months.

You may want to talk to who ever is looking after you about the pill situation, I think it would be fine to be on it, but you will have to be off it for a period before pre testing.

[prayforprincess]

To do a FET you need to get your AF naturally. Whether you do it after a failed fresh cycle or wait for your next AF, does not matter. Personally if you just had a BFN after a fresh cycle and got your AF I would wait til you get your next AF and then do your FET. A fresh cycle is so much on your body and I would give it a month the recover. It will not take a jillion years to get your AF after you post fresh cycle AF. I had a BFN with my 1st cycle and got my AF before I even had my blood test. Then my next AF came 4 weeks later on schedule. A FET is not like a fresh cycle, you do not need to go on BFP a month before you want to cycle. I am doing a FET this month, and once I got my AF, they put me on estrogen pills and a patch, and I will start the progesterone days before the transfer. It's simple. That's it.

[Agirlplease]

Circling back on this, had somehow missed the reply! Been weaning and should be done in about a week, just before my BCP pack is to end 9/30. I have my consult 10/5. If I am understanding things correctly, I should stop BCP when this pack finishes, wait for one AF (hopefully by end of Oct) and then, with the next AF, right after that do the pre-testing (which brings me to the beginning of December). Sounds right?

And in the meantime, I guess we use condoms? Would like to be bit more "belt-and-suspenders" about it all... is this what everyone does while doing HT? or is there a lot of abstinence going on (I imagine all the meds might impact interest as well) Just want to have eyes wide open ...

Random add-on question: are DHEA levels part of the pre-testing or do they have to be requested? Are most REs into it? The silver lining with how much all the above time adds up for me is it will afford me 3 mos after BF to pour on DHEA (during which I couldn't start it) before cycling 1st thing in Jan

pls lmk if I am missing/misunderstanding anything. Thx so much!

[nuthinbutpink]

Circling back on this, had somehow missed the reply! Been weaning and should be done in about a week, just before my BCP pack is to end 9/30. I have my consult 10/5. If I am understanding things correctly, I should stop BCP when this pack finishes, wait for one AF (hopefully by end of Oct) and then, with the next AF, right after that do the pre-testing (which brings me to the beginning of December). Sounds right?

And in the meantime, I guess we use condoms? Would like to be bit more "belt-and-suspenders" about it all... is this what everyone does while doing HT? or is there a lot of abstinence going on (I imagine all the meds might impact interest as well) Just want to have eyes wide open ...

Random add-on question: are DHEA levels part of the pre-testing or do they have to be requested? Are most REs into it? The silver lining with how much all the above time adds up for me is it will afford me 3 mos after BF to pour on DHEA (during which I couldn't start it) before cycling 1st thing in Jan

pls lmk if I am missing/misunderstanding anything. Thx so much!

Your timing is correct. Regarding DHEA, those of us that are concerned or take it are those with poor cycle outcomes- a previous failed or cancelled cycle. I would just see what your AFC is, what your pretesting looks like and go from there.

[Agirlplease]

The sucky thing for me about waiting to see what pretesting is before bothering with DHEA is that getting the 3 mos w/DHEA helped make me feel better about weaning my son now since I wasn't going to cycle til Jan; besides getting AF and pre-testing, DHEA gave me a positive thing for me to work on. But I guess I can't have it both ways since I have to wean in order to even roll on with pre-testing!

Are you partly suggesting waiting on the DHEA bc of the recent noise re side effects? Aren't there people who have good pre-testing and then still fail/cancel cycles and end up taking 3 mos on DHEA anyway? I don't mean to be difficult; unfortunately I have a tight window to go HT, 3 cycles worth between Jan and June most likely so I'm just trying to optimize as much as possible (plus 40 yo to boot). Thanks so much, I really appreciate your perspective!

[nuthinbutpink]

The sucky thing for me about waiting to see what pretesting is before bothering with DHEA is that getting the 3 mos w/DHEA helped make me feel better about weaning my son now since I wasn't going to cycle til Jan; besides getting AF and pre-testing, DHEA gave me a positive thing for me to work on. But I guess I can't have it both ways since I have to wean in order to even roll on with pre-testing!

Are you partly suggesting waiting on the DHEA bc of the recent noise re side effects? Aren't there people who have good pre-testing and then still fail/cancel cycles and end up taking 3 mos on DHEA anyway? I don't mean to be difficult; unfortunately I have a tight window to go HT, 3 cycles worth between Jan and June most likely so I'm just trying to optimize as much as possible (plus 40 yo to boot). Thanks so much, I really appreciate your perspective!

Hey, it's your life, your body, KWIM. At 40, I would take DHEA. I am NOT a doctor. Previous fertility doesn't mean to matter at all with IVF and you will need all the help you can get. There are situations where DHEA would not be warranted though and without any pretesting, it's anyone's guess!

I didn't think about any side affects at all when I took it because I had horrible pretesting, a cancelled cycle due to no reponse and no other option. So, I started it under no one's guidance other than my own.

I understand wanting to optimize your chances but I cannot make a recommendation like that...I can only tell you what I did. Good luck and I hope it all works out.

[Agirlplease]

Great! That's where I had landed before anyway, to start DHEA soonest and get all the help I can get given the circumstances I know I do have, which seems to be enough, simply being almost 40! What I have never heard is anyone saying it hurts. So, thank you, I'm gonna still go for it in a few days as soon as I finish weaning.

Thanks again!