Chinese Accupuncture

[Juniperjules]

Hey Vonn!
Thanks for asking- I'm doing great, 6 days post procedure now! Had some fab news on the day- they didn't remove my Fallopian tube after all!! Turned out that what looked like a hydrosalpinx tube on the ultrasound, was actually a very large vein! The Ob/gyn that did my U/S did at the time tell me that what she could see was unlike anything she'd seen before- and that it could be a large vein... she took a while looking at it & moving the probe around checking different angles.. Then she said she thought it might be the hydrosalpinx tube & she's get her colleague & my FS to weigh in on it.. They all decided it looked like the tube, hence the lap! I'm still very happy to have the procedure bcos I've now been told everything looks great (no endo etc), ovaries, uterus, tubes all healthy and well. And I've had a biopsy sent off to check for NK cells as well. And the D&C will have given the uterus a little shake up which I feel might be good just before an IVF cycle.

So.. Next Tuesday have my nurse appointment To go thru my protocol & pick up my drugs.. Aaaaaand hand over a huge chunk of cash!! 😳 I'm feeling very positive about starting the IVF, it's exciting- but if I'm honest, in my mind I think I'm just expecting it not to work.. For some reason it just feels inevitable that it will fail??? With my 40yr old eggs & DP's varicoceles it seems unlikely that the odds are in our favour...

On that note.. He asked me if he should try Chinese medicine to help with his varicoceles? He's so willing to do whatever he can. Currently I've got him taking aloe Vera juice, goji berry juice, vit C, vit E, male fertility vitamin, CoQ10... And have him going 'commando' when at home to try & keep things as 'cool' as possible for as often as possible! I've done a little bit of reading about Chinese medicine and what I've read DOES sound like it can help to improve sperm in men who have varicoceles??

Vonn, so are you doing an IUI cycle then??

Very quiet in here girls.. What's everyone up to these days??

 

[Jazzbird]

Hi Juniper

Don't know whether you remember me but so happy to see you are back & lively to hear your news starting ivf! I still read this thread - hoping to see everyone reach the other side.

I am starting work soon as a fertility specialist acupuncturist. I was reading about your partner's diagnosis and came across this great explanation of varioceles. From what I understand of male infertility it responds very well to chinese herbs rather than acupuncture.

https://www.wimbledon-acupuncture.co.uk/fertility_male.asp

Anyway I'll be following your progress and pray this is it for you.

Xxx

 

[nobump]

Hi Vonn, we are back from hols. Never discussed fostering while away but have since. Not for us. Feeling a little lost. Don't think I can do another cycle. But still feeling sad about what might have been had things worked out last year. It's hard seeing my neice who was born in October. How are things with you?

Blythe did you book an appointment?

JJ that is fab you didn't lose your tube? Have you picked up your meds? Do you know your protocol?

How is everyone?

Xx

 

[Vonn]

nobump--I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling lost and unsure about next steps. There is such a drive among us 35+ TTC women & when things don't go according to plan, it's totally understandable to feel lost.

jazzbird--that is so interesting that you are going to be a fertility acupuncturist. Good for you!

juniper, blythe, briss--hope all is well with each of you!

AFM--I am having a totally bizzaro cycle. I am now on CD 20 and I still don't have any mature follicles! I have two 14s and a 10 on my right & one 10 on my left. I have to go back in two days and check again. I started out on follistim and menopur, which totally suppressed all growth. On CD 11 I they had me stop the meds and when I went in on CD 17 things were starting to grow, so they put me back on the meds and today I'm getting close. Yay for 2 follies growing at the same rate!! My first time for this, which is my goal. I have some prescription coverage, but not full & this has been really expensive. We've spent over a $1000 on meds this cycle. It would be probably 3x as much if I had no rx coverage.

Expert TTC ladies, I have a question for you: I seem to have follicles mature only on my right ovary. I have antral follicle(s) on the left and this month I have one that's grown some, but the last four cycles that I've had monitored, my right is always dominant. Is there anything I can to do to get the left ovary to join the game???

 

[Briss]

Vonn, I am not an expert on stim meds, I think it's an art to get it right. I was never lucky with meds, only naturally when they leave my body alone to do its thing to mature the egg.

if you were 14 mm today, I guess you should be ready to trigger in 2 days or so. How's your lining?

I have an opposite situation, I tend to have more follicles on the left. My guess is my right side was more active throughout my life so my right ovary is running out hence less follicles. I personally do not think there is anything you can do. There are ladies in here https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/p.../2273937-getting-different-ovary-ovulate.html suggesting all sorts of things to get the other follicle to ovulate more often but I personally do not think any of this works. I do not think it matters which ovary is more active as long as in aggregate you get a few good eggs coming out.

nobump, would you consider natural IVF? It's not for everyone but somehow I think it may work for you. I understand how you feel about fostering, it's definitely not for everyone.

jazzbird, exciting news about you starting as fertility specialist acupuncturist!

Juniperjules, fantastic news that they kept your tube! it's interesting what protocol they are going to recommend for you.

 

[Vonn]

Briss--thanks for the link. Reading that thread makes me grateful to have my tubes, no ectopics. Yikes! My lining is good, 9 & triple layer, thanks for asking. I'm hoping to have an IUI with 2 follicles. I go back on Wed am for another check, and yes, I hope to trigger Wed and IUI Fri. We will see!

 

[Briss]

vonn, best of luck i so hope this one works. two follicles is good and you may have smaller ones releasing good eggs as well.

 

[Juniperjules]

Hi girls.. Very quiet in here.. I've got my EPU on Thursday.. All feels very surreal at this stage.. Still can't really believe I'm doing IVF.. Can't really even contemplate it working! It all feels very abstract, almost like it's happening to someone else! Am feeling pretty good though apart from randomly getting a bit of a cold yesterday- but I'm on prednisolone to suppress my immune system so maybe that makes sense- otherwise I NEVER get sick.. Haven't had a cold for maybe 3 years!

So they see about 16 follicles, and about 10-11 of them will fingers crossed be at the right size at EPU..

How are u all doing? Where is everyone at? Hope ur all well!

 

[Briss]

Juniperjules, 16 follicles is a great results!! Best of luck on Thursday! I hope you will get a lot of good quality eggs. prednisolone is often used when there are immune issues that may affect the pregnancy so hopefully this will help with smooth implantation. sorry you've got a cold. I had a cold on my previous IVF and was feeling rather unwell but it was still a bfp cycle (minus MMC) so this should not affect your chances. keeping everything crossed

Vonn, how are you feeling? it's a bit strange that they had to stim you twice in one cycle but looks like the second one worked. Hopefully you will get a good result soon.

 

[Vonn]

Juniper--16 follicles is amazing, good work! Best of luck on collection day. Please update us with how many are retrieved, how many are fertilized, etc. I'll be thinking of you! Will you be doing a fresh transfer or FET?

Briss--yes, thanks for asking, it was really bizarre. I couldn't believe when they put me back on the meds again. But it worked, I ended up with 2 mature follicles and am now 10 DPO/DPIUI. DH and I have an appt with the RE tomorrow morning to talk next steps, so I may test FMU tomorrow just to see. I'd love nothing more than to walk into that office and say, "Give me a blood test, I think I'm pregnant!" Not likely, but I know it's important to think positively. I fluctuate between daydreaming pregnant-mama fantasies and feeling completely hopeless. I don't know how to balance it all out.

I hope things are well with you.

Hi to everyone else! Any updates?

 

[nobump]

JJ good luck for Thursday.

Vonn FX for tomorrow!

Afm think we are giving up. Just been one thing after another this year. Op has stopped bleeding. Then when we got home hubby hurt his leg and been out of order since... his leg is still a bit sore and bruised.. my gran has passed away... feel bad she kept asking when I was starting a family..... somethings are just not meant to be.....

How is everyone else doing?

Xx

 

[Blythe]

nobump - so sorry about your grandmother. It sounds like you have been having a hard time of it with your DH's leg too. Is it an option to step back from it for 2 months and then revisit the subject again after the summer perhaps rather than give up just yet. You have come so far and so pleased to read that the bleeding has been sorted at last.

JJ - fantastic number of follies finger crossed that you have a great cycle with the best possible outcome. Please update.

Vonn - thinking of you today and hoping for your much longed for BFP

 

[nobump]

Blythe think I'm just aware of DH age he is 10 years older than me and I am 40. If things happen naturally great. If not its not meant to be. If we are going to do another cycle I need to loose a bit of weight. But not sure I can cope with the meds again.

How's things with you?

 

[Juniperjules]

Hi ladies, how is everyone travelling?? Sorry I forgot to pop in here to update on my EPU etc.. So here goes.. Been a very roller coaster like month since EPU.

Nobump sorry to hear about your gran passing. It makes me sad sometimes that my grandparents never got to meet any children of mine.. My granpa died in 2009, he was the last grandparent- so he could've met a child if I'd had one. Makes me sad if I think about it. Hope ur hubby's leg is better now?


So they retrieved 13 eggs, and injected 12 with ICSI-HA. 6 fertilised, by day 3 all were b/w 7-10 cells so travelling well. By day 5 one was a hatching blastocyst & was biopsied for PGS )testing for aneuploidys), and they gave the others till day 6.. Sadly by day 6 none of the others could be biopsied or frozen : (

My lining was too thin to transfer a fresh embryo. Which was extremely disappointing. Soooo deflated at that point. We had said if we had any to transfer we would do so regardless of PGS. But my lining got to 4.8, so the doc put me on progynova 6mg a day, for the week up until day before transfer.. I had an U/s and lining had gone backwards! Was now 3.6!!! Was so frucking annoyed!!

Anyway, have just had 3 weeks of waiting & on Friday found out our little snow-baby is NORMAL!!! couldn't believe it.. Was so sure it would be bad news. Gives me hope that we CAN make a normal embie. Doc had said to me prior to getting the results that if the embie tests normal u then have a 60% chance of pregnancy.. So that's something!

So.. The next step now is I have a phone appt on Thursday with a reproductive immunologist in Sydney to get his opinion on an immune protocol to do during an FET. I have high anti thyroid antibodies, I have Raynaud's in my hands & feet, & I also have an ANA of 1:2560, which is as high as it could be.. So my immune system is attacking something in my body & from the load of reading I've done, I'm almost certain it's why I've never in my life even been pregnant before. The RI in Sydney trained under a Dr Alan Beer in Chicago who was a kind of pioneer in all the pregnancy / immune related issues. From what I've read they feel that can be in 2 categories, someone who's never been pregnant- auto immune, and someone who's been pregnant once before but now has repeated m/c - allo immune..

This is what they say are the indicators for further immune testing from the website:

*******************************
Overview of Reproductive Immunology Testing
I. Indicators for Immune Testing
The indications are as follows:
(a) two miscarriages or two IVF failures after age 35
or three miscarriages or IVF failure before age 35,
(b) poor egg production from a stimulated cycle (less than 6 eggs),
(c) blighted eggs,
(d) idiopathic (unknown cause) infertility,
(e) previous immune problems (ANA positive, rheumatoid arthritis, and/or lupus),
(f) previous pregnancies that have shown ******** fetal growth, and
(g) one living child and repeat miscarriages while attempting to have a second child.
********************

So anyway, my plan is to get a treatment protocol from this doctor in Syd, then use it when we do a FET. I've been reading & talking to soooooo many girls here in Australia who have had either repeated IVF failures or multiple m/c, and after being treated by this doc, they have success. So I'm a believer now and I'm prepared to try it.

We've decided to do another IVF cycle in November in the hope we can get maybe another embryo before I get even older! Then do a transfer in jan/feb... Money is just slippin thru our fingers at the moment but am telling myself it'll be worth it if we end up with a child!!

Sorry for the long post! Had lots to say! Where is everyone else at??

 

[terripeachy]

Just popping in to say hi to Juniper Jules and everyone else (miss you ladies!). That is great news about your embryo. I'm pretty much in the same situation. Last week I had 10 eggs collected, 6 mature, 3 fertilized (ICSI), and all three made it to Day 5, but only one made it to biopsy (Day 6) and sent off for PGS testing. I wasn't planning on doing a fresh cycle because at my place they say that by the time the results come back, the lining isn't the best, and will cause a failure, so if you're doing PGS, you should do a frozen cycle. I'm just waiting for my results to come back, and your story gives me hope that I may have one to transfer in the next month. I'm not doing any more fresh cycles even though I'm a similar responder to you. Anyway..I'll keep looking for updates from you.

Have a great week.

 

[Briss]

Juniperjules, a really good result on stims! you responded so well it's very encouraging! I am very sorry your lining did not allow you to have the transfer. Have they worked out why the lining got thinner? I am so happy your embryo tested normal. it's a huge relief. 60% is a very good chance.

Immune issues are so complicated. My mum has auto immune illness. This is such a difficult thing to treat. I read Dr Alan Beer's book on immunes he really does know his stuff. I hope they can help you with the right protocol. it's a good plan to keep collecting eggs while you work out the right protocol for transfer.

terripeachy, 10 eggs is fantastic, great response! Keeping everything crossed you get a normal test result soon and can proceed with ET next cycle.

 

[Vonn]

Juniper--I'm so glad you got a normal embie, yay! Now you just have to get your immune issues sorted to optimize your chances. If you have one auto immune issue, as you do with the thyroid, it is very common to uncover more. It is totally ironic that you mention immune testing as it is my current obsession! I had an ANA test done and had a low positive result, though the results can back weird so I am having it redone. I am trying to get as much of thaws tests done as I can. My current RE (grrrrr, not a fan of him) will only do a few of the tests, so I am going to ask my ob or my primary care dr if they will put in orders. I really want to make sure before we move on to IVF that my crappy eggs are the ONLY reason we aren't getting pg. Please let me know what you find out!

Terri--I am hoping so hard that your snow baby is normal and perfect, too!

Briss--popping in but no update? Not fair!

No bump, Blythe, Alison, all others--hi!! Any updates?

 

[Juniperjules]

Thanks ladies!
So I had my phone consult last nite with the RI in Sydney... Gosh he was sooooo lovely!

Briss He said that the fact that my hands & feet have been much more obviously affected by Raynaud's just this year is probably connected to the poor lining issues.. He said it's about vascular issues & circulation and is all connected.. Which makes sooooo much sense as the Raynauds is basically the blood vessels in my hands/feet vasoconstricting when I'm cold, then suddenly dilating when warm & filling quickly with blood.. So he thinks it's all def connected.

He said my high ANA could be a sign of other issues as well as the high anti-thyroid- he mentioned NK (natural killer) cells & T cells and is sending me pathology slips via email to have further bloods done. He said basically you need two things, a healthy embryo and a healthy environment for it to implant, and he is a doctor who strongly believes that immune issues significantly affect TTC. Am feeling very positive about being treated by him I have to say..

Terri let us know how your embryo testing goes

 

[nobump]

Hi all

JJ do you have a date for your FET.

Vonn when will you get your test results back.

Briss how are you getting on with work now have things got better?

Blythe thanks for you kind words

Terri thats fab response. Good luck with your FET.

Afm heading off on holiday today. Off to Prague. Be good to chill for a week.

 

[nobump]

Weird dream. We went to an IVF clinic and had to write in the visitors book. You had to detail what your issues are and treatment to date.

Not sure if it because we are in Prague and I have so much about other people's treatment here.

Hope everyone is good.

Xx