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The Fertility Challenged One Thread -Summer 2014

27K views 436 replies 28 participants last post by  chuord 
#1 · (Edited)
The One Thread is designed for all on the MDC board. No matter where you are in your cycle, you are welcome to join the One Thread! We are also open to those who are "Waiting to be Ready" for one reason or another. We continue to embrace those of us who struggle with infertility or challenges becoming pregnant. Feel free to jump in at any time and introduce yourself!

To keep the list up to date, please bold your status when you want it updated!

:1praying IVF/FET Waiting to O
radiowave

:1praying IUI/Waiting to O

:eyes Donor Eggs
XXX

:goodvibes IVF/Waiting to Know
chuord

:goodvibes IUI/Waiting to Know
tinytina

:eyes IVF/IUI/Other Treatments
lrex99
girlspn
oxford

:Hug Waiting after Loss

:Hug Waiting after Failed IVF

:2whistle Waiting to O
tifga

:scratch Waiting to Know (2WW)

:confused WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!
XX

:idea Waiting to be Ready
LittleKind

:joy GRADUATES~ :joy
Big congrats to you all!

:heartbeat August BFP's :heartbeat
adiejan

:heartbeat June BFP's :heartbeat
Kewpie80
Tracyamber
iixivboots
alivewithyou

:heartbeat May BFP's :heartbeat
shelley4
Xerxella

:heartbeat April BFP's :heartbeat
NaturallyMo

:heartbeat March BFP's :heartbeat
mainebaby (IVF)
Autumnlaughing

February BFP's
Alivewithyou

Taking a break
XXX​
 
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#262 ·
Thanks everyone!
I'm home, safe and recovering - not that sore and definitely less full of eggs lol. We got 14 so I'm happy with that... Updates to follow when we know fertilization etc.
 
#263 ·
Hi everyone,

Trying to take it easy this weekend and not overthink/worry. Also got plenty of schoolwork to finish up as my course comes to an end. Cannot believe I get a 3 week break before my last course starts. This would be DPO 4.

Hi and welcome @LittleKind. I agree with @chuord's opinion- look at simple changes that could be made without much trouble.

Thanks for the much needed suggestion about taking some time to relax and centered. When I relax too much, I overthink though. Sorry I missed you leaving for your retrieval. Sending you virtual hugs! Excellent number of eggs! Glad you are starting to feel better!

Hi @adiejan and tracyamber
 
#265 ·
@chuord that sounds really promising. Can't wait to hear @adiejan - it is nice to hear from you. When I was last active around here you were taking a break. I'll have to back up and see what's up with you.
As for me since @tinytina and chuord asked,
I tried a couple different things while we were ttc last time and kept having losses anyway. I was charting, avoiding lifting, using progesterone cream, poas obsessively, staying off my feet, google searching everything....I guess there are still lots more things I can try but trying to control it always puts me in a really funky mental state. My RE said it is more likely to have several random losses in a row than to actually have something wrong, especially because my first pregnancy was flawless. He did all kinds of blood panels and testing on me and my husband, did that dye ultrasound to check my uterus, and said everything should be fine. I suspect, though, that I had progesterone imbalance after my son was born so I have been taking vitex for quite a while and have seen good changes in my cycle length, luteal phase (it used to be 10-11, now 14-15) and in my body - I used to leak breast milk all the time even though my son weaned at 2, and now I don't. I also have worked on not letting stress eat at me - I am such a worrier and it effects my body. Oh I am being extra careful to eat more alkaline food and whole, plant based food, too. I was in a big vegan kick when my son was conceived, so it might help. However, I was also a smoker, young and reckless, when I conceived him. I realized I might be pregnant back then when I split a bottle of wine with my cousin and threw it up. Now I am old, wise, and careful, and staying pregnant isn't as easy for me. So, that's why I am just going to try not to chase after it - just be open to it.
 
#266 ·
Chuord: that's great! May I ask why you do 50/50 instead of all ICSI?
I have been terribly concerned about multiples…worried about health issues, if my cerclage would hold etc. So I was glad to learn about ESET, offered by my clinic. Here is a description from my clinic's website "ESET is elective Single Embryo Transfer, a process by which one good quality blastocyst (or day 5) embryo is transferred back to the patient. The embryos that survive to the blastocyst stage of development are more likely to be strong and healthy. Blastocyst embryos have a much higher chance of implanting than 4 cell (day 2) or 8 cell (day 3) embryos, therefore fewer embryos are required to achieve a pregnancy.

"When you choose eSET, you are giving yourself the best possible chance for a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby," explains Robert Stillman, MD, Shady Grove Fertility’s Medical Director. "Now we can confidently tell an increasing proportion of our patients that they won't be sacrificing their chances of pregnancy in order to achieve that peace of mind."

And it’s catching on. Since its inception in 2002, the number of patients choosing elective Single Embryo Transfers has increased each year. In 2010, nearly 20% of all IVF patients and 41% of donor egg patients elected to transfer a single embryo which resulted in a 61% clinical pregnancy rate for IVF and 62% pregnancy rate for donor egg."

Has anyone here done this? I am trying to learn how the chances of success differ from transferring two at a time, which is what my doctor recommended. He never even mentioned this.
I am pretty sure we are not going to do the genetic testing now…we really can't afford it, and since it is not %100 accurate it wouldn't provide the peace of mind we are looking for…
adiejen: how are you? are you taking progesterone? how are you feeling? when are you going to test?
Hello and have a great day to everyone else!
 
#388 ·
Chuord: that's great! May I ask why you do 50/50 instead of all ICSI?
I have been terribly concerned about multiples…worried about health issues, if my cerclage would hold etc. So I was glad to learn about ESET, offered by my clinic. Here is a description from my clinic's website "ESET is elective Single Embryo Transfer, a process by which one good quality blastocyst (or day 5) embryo is transferred back to the patient. The embryos that survive to the blastocyst stage of development are more likely to be strong and healthy. Blastocyst embryos have a much higher chance of implanting than 4 cell (day 2) or 8 cell (day 3) embryos, therefore fewer embryos are required to achieve a pregnancy.

"When you choose eSET, you are giving yourself the best possible chance for a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby," explains Robert Stillman, MD, Shady Grove Fertility's Medical Director. "Now we can confidently tell an increasing proportion of our patients that they won't be sacrificing their chances of pregnancy in order to achieve that peace of mind."

And it's catching on. Since its inception in 2002, the number of patients choosing elective Single Embryo Transfers has increased each year. In 2010, nearly 20% of all IVF patients and 41% of donor egg patients elected to transfer a single embryo which resulted in a 61% clinical pregnancy rate for IVF and 62% pregnancy rate for donor egg."

Has anyone here done this? I am trying to learn how the chances of success differ from transferring two at a time, which is what my doctor recommended. He never even mentioned this.
I am pretty sure we are not going to do the genetic testing now…we really can't afford it, and since it is not %100 accurate it wouldn't provide the peace of mind we are looking for…
adiejen: how are you? are you taking progesterone? how are you feeling? when are you going to test?
Hello and have a great day to everyone else!
I'm extremely late replying to this because I haven't been around much. Where I live (province of Quebec, in Canada), fertility treatments are paid by the government but they also limit the number of embryos you can transfer at a time. I've had 3 single embryo transfers... One was a BFN, one was a miscarriage, and one is 3 month old daughter.

The reasoning behind SETs is as follows: say you have 2 embryos. You can either transfer them both at once, or transfer one and freeze the other to use later. If one of those embryos was good enough for a pregnancy, you get pregnant in both scenarios, although it could take a few extra months to get pregnant in the scenario where you are doing SETs. If both embryos were good enough for a pregnancy, then you have twins in the first scenario, and you have two singleton pregnancies a few years apart in the second scenario.

Since twin pregnancies are riskier, doing SETs makes a lot of sense when you have plenty of time and money is not an issue (because in most clinics you have to pay for the frozen cycles too). With SETs and freezing, you end up with just as many babies
 
#268 ·
@Sourire definitely chose to put one back - I believe she said that there was research showing putting more than one back didn't increase the pregnancy rate, just the multiple rate. But maybe it was someone else that posted that.

Excited to see several of you finally getting to try (or try again) - hoping we see some more graduates in the next 2-3 weeks!
 
#271 ·
Morning everyone!
Tina - if that's the case tracy's right find an enjoyable distraction that takes all your thinking!
Littlekind - trying to stay zen does seem best for you, if you did anything at all I would try something natural just to help balance your body. Or just lots of fun in life ;)
Radio - they all seem to prefer 5 day blasts now, mine were a little slower last time and got transferred and frozen at 6 days, however we had 6 blasts so the doc wanted to grow them and make sure he put the best back. As the fertilized eggs get older day by day there is a drop off in numbers (that's how ivf boosts your chances - the eggs that aren't good may fertilize but they drop off along the way) so out if 14 eggs (last cycle) they all fertilized, but by day 6 we had 6 that were still growing and developing on track. Some people choose a day 3 transfer, but not many. If by day 3 you only have two eggs left - better to transfer them than wait and maybe have none at day 5. Hope that makes sense? Re transferring one - I'm all for that like Tracy (yep Tracy was scared of multiples!) except I also wonder if I put back the wrong sex for my baby etc if it won't take, so two gives more chance. Plus I'm old too ;)
Tracy you have such a store of frosties now you can afford to transfer as many as you want ;)
How's pregnancy treating you?
Monkeyscience - I've been stalking in the grads :) you're so far along now! Has it been a good journey?
Afm - a little sore around the ovaries when I move (like a period cramp only different location) oh and it hurts to pee a little (for those who haven't done it and are interested)
On the pre op waiting room instead of getting stressed I ended up taking to a lovely lady who was upset - she was in for a molar pregnancy removal (after her 3rd iui) so I spent the time chatting and trying to cheer her up.
Ok anyone who's done ivf - our doc gets is to bd two nights before and the night after (we missed that one - ouch!) in case he misses any eggs, what if he did miss a couple? Then if I insert two blasts I could end up with quads!!!??? Yep I would panic a lot! Anyone have this issue or doubt?
 
#273 ·
Tracy - my doc has so many things everyone has to do... Lol you can miss an egg!
Got fertilisation - 12 total, 5 ICSI, 7 ivf
So all going well
 
#274 ·
We elected to only put back 1 blast on day 5, and she's great! The clinic I went to (baystate in mass) had their stats on a chart, and I could see that two didn't really improve pregnancy outcomes, but resulted in lots of twins! For a sibling, we might try two - I'll be older, and the stats are different.
 
#275 ·
Hi everyone,

Hope you all enjoy a great weekend.
Our major re-organizing/decluttering project for Sunday is the dry goods/food storage in the kitchen.
Today, I need to complete an assignment for school.

Trust me, we have planned a few fun things to do in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for the suggestion @tracyamber

Hope your lifestyle changes will help @LittleKind

Our clinic stresses eSET as well, @radiowave. Our clinic will transfer 1 of high quality or 2 lower quality embryos especially since I am under 30 years old.

Thanks for the support/excitement @monkeyscience
@chuord, The clinic recommended that we try to BD after our IUI too. Glad your numbers are so good dear!

Hi @Autumnlaughing
 
#276 ·
Morning ladies! Omg I don't know what is different to my first cycle (maybe my natural levels are better?) but the progesterone is knocking me around, it's making me so nauseous and teary that it's hard to function... I'm going to chat to him and see if I can at least reduce (8 x tablets and 4 x crinone a day is the schedule) the night time batch 9pm the nausea only wore off around 5-6am! Lol unless I'm channeling your progesterone journey radio ;) sounds very familiar!
 
#277 ·
Oh no, chord! I am so sorry you are having those affects. I hope that they can adjust your dosage. I don't know if I missed something, but when are you putting those guys in (2, I think you said)?
I am going on a last minute trip with my daughter to visit a friend near the beach in Rhode Island. Taking the train up today. I think it will be good to get in some relaxation before starting the IVF cycle next month.

Happy day to all!
 
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#278 ·
Thanks radio... I sort of solved the problem, a little natural balancing, and I just stopped taking the tablets... 4 x crinone a day should be plenty...
Your trip sounds like fun - hope you enjoy!
 
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#279 ·
chuord - Congrats, sounds like a good report so far! Will you hear again before ET? On the BD issue... my RE also told us specifically to refrain, but we too have severe MFI, so it wouldn't have mattered anyways. I've honestly NEVER heard of an RE advising to DTD right after in case they 'missed any eggs.' Sounds really strange to me... and yeah, who in the world would feel up to THAT at that point??? Yikes.

radio - I think it just depends on the clinic. My RE initially said they liked to do 5 day transfers if you have a lot going for you... in the end they ended up deciding to do a day 3 with me and I'm not sure why. I remember asking them, but I think I remember their answer being kinda vague, more just 'that's what the RE decided to do' type answer. I still don't get it as we have 6 frozen day 3 embabies and 4 frozen day 5 blasts, so I think they coulda let them go to day 5 and we'd still have been way fine. We transferred 2 day 3's and 1 took.

Still stalking away.. hope to see a bunch of good news soon!!!
 
#280 ·
Hi everyone,

AFM: I had a really rough day yesterday. I got really upset, emotional and let my anxiety take over. I need to really work hard to be kinder to myself. I also need to work on grieving my previous losses and stop living in the past and rather live in the here and now.
Today is a holiday so I think we might get to go to the museum (free admission) as a treat.

Sorry to hear about your nausea and emotionalness, @chuord. Hope the changes in dosing will help and make you feel better.

Enjoy your trip and some time relaxing @radiowave

Hi @hope4light
 
#281 ·
@chuord - Yay! I have a good feeling about this cycle for you. You seem so Zen this time. Sorry about the progesterone issue. That med always kicks my ass. Usually by around 8 pm I am ready for bed on that one. In fact I started an app called sleep cycle. It has been pretty interesting. It tracks my sleep every night and then tracks it over time. I look at the times that I was on progesterone and even pregnant and definitely much more sleep and even better sleep!

@tinytina - I'm sorry you are feeling down today. I completely feel you on letting the anxiety take over. I really try not to do it but man given my track record it's really hard not to let the past creep in. I am really trying hard to stay in the moment but I still feel that little anxiety devil trying to get the best of me. Like "what if none of the frozen embryo's make it" stupid, stupid anxiety devil! :firedevil I am going to have positive thoughts for the both of us! :)

@radiowave - I hope you have a lovely trip! Sounds like a great idea before starting IVF. On the question regarding PGD...my hubby and I also decided not to do the testing. When paying out of pocket every little bit counts. What meds will you do for your IVF cycle? I am always curious because everyone is so different.

@LittleKind - Hi! What's new for you?

Everyone else...HI!

AFM: Just trucking along on the good old estrogen patches. It is kind of odd, I actually feel like they give me a bit more energy. Phew, you never really know what all of these damn drugs will do. I am CD12 and will go in to check my lining on Wed (CD14). Once we see if my lining is ok we will start the thaw and will either do a 3 or a 5 day transfer. Sooo...that means a transfer either Friday or Sunday. However, we all know that things for me definitely don't go by the book soooo as I mentioned before...just taking it a moment at a time!
 
#282 ·
Hi everyone,

I had a much better day yesterday. The museum was really fun- they had a neat temporary exhibit on early quilts- 1920s-1980s and the use of color and the amount of detail was amazing.

AFM: Well....insemination was a week ago yesterday, so DPO 8 and I am not sure what to think yet. Resisting the urge to test. Hoping to wait until Saturday since my blood test is next Monday.
Got to work on my last assignment for this course which is due Friday.

Thanks for the reassurance @adiejan. Its nice to know I am not alone. I am having a lot of issues dealing with the two miscarriages I had as a teenager. This process has made me doubt whether it will work. A lot of questions keep swirling around in my head. Super excited you are doing so well and getting close!
 
#284 ·
Oh ladies, I don't know what's up with me. For several days I had hives, which now seem to be finally better. Today I am trying sooooo hard not to symptom spot because I woke up feeling like a different person - nauseated, sore, tired, I could go on and on BUT I am trying to stay zen and not pay attention. I think the hives were from stress (new job, new ttc, son starting preschool, big test for my degree on Saturday) and the symptoms might be from stress, too. Or maybe I feel weird because I was taking benedryl for days and just stopped. My family went for a long walk through the mountains today along the river and it helped so much :) I think I am only about 3/4 through this cycle, and I'd rather not POAS anyway, so I am just going to distract myself.

BTW, I looked up whether antihistamine is bad during early pregnancy, just in case, because I have been taking it for my hives. and it turns out some women take antihistamine intentionally during TWW to suppress the body's immune responses which can reject implantation. Isn't that interesting?
 
#285 ·
Hello everyone,

Still around- ran errands yesterday in the rain but at least it is sunny today. Worked on my last assignment for this course- just needs to be proof-read but should be able to pass it in today! Yippee! A break for about 3 weeks.

Hi @tracyamber

Hi @LittleKind, sorry to hear about your issues with hives and stress. Best of luck with all your changes and your big test too. I know it is so easy to symptom spot. I am not sure what symptom's I am having or not having. I was only pregnant twice during high school and I was totally freaking out before I miscarried that I have no idea what might or might not be a symptom of it now. Interesting information about antihistamines. I have issues with allergies but have stopped taking the pills and am treating the symptoms instead- for skin irritation I am using anti-itch cream.

Hope everyone is doing well.
 
#286 ·
Hey all. I'm always reading alog and thinking of you all.

@adiejan - So??? How did your lining look? Are they going to start the thaw?

@tinytina - Good luck on Saturday. That'll be 12 dpo, right? You should be able to get a true answer on that day.
 
#287 ·
Hey all, I recognize many of you from threads I've stalked over the years, and am finally ready to join.

I am excellent at getting pregnant and terrible at staying pregnant. I just had my third consecutive miscarriage, and have been bumped up from "unlucky midwifery patient" to "fertility patient." The only thing keeping me sane is the fact that I do have one child already, who I'm starting to think was a miracle baby. I should remind myself of that next time she is throwing a huge tantrum in a public place.

We're just starting down this path. Yesterday was the first time I'd met with an OB instead of a midwife, though they're all at the same practice which is nice. We're running a couple tests with the OB, and if they don't turn up any answers then she'll hand us over to the endocrinology department.

This most recent miscarriage sucks so, so much, but at the same time it's opened a bunch of things to investigate that previously weren't covered by insurance. All we've really checked for so far is thyroid... I'm probably the only person who has cried over not having a thyroid problem.
 
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