Inconceivable and beyond :-)

[sienna]

thanks Butterfly just had a look at your blog and can't believe your little one is four, it doesn't seem to be that long since you were sharing your BFP

 

[tw76]

Hello everyone.

A quick introduction: I'm 41, TTC #1 and on IVF cycle 5 (one ectopic, one early loss and non-takers). I'm currently on BCPs and will likely start my shots in the first week of May. I've been on babyandbump for a while but stopped visiting forums after the last ectopic, and just barrelled through the last two cycles on, I don't know, adrenaline maybe. In any case, I am back, and I wish all of you well, wherever you happen to be on your cycles. Looking forward to getting to know some of you.

TW.

Oh, and if you are happy to partake in more of my mindless musings, I also blog at almostpregnant.blog ... there aren't that many posts because I only really cranked it up/out a little over a week ago. But if there's anything in there that helps you because you face similar struggles with infertility/IVF, I'm glad.

 

[co_fostermom]

Welcome TW.

 

[sienna]

Welcome TW, have you got your next cycle planned?

 

[tw76]

Thanks co-fostermum, and sorry your last cycle didn't work out.

Hey Sienna! Congrats on your BFP! I'm on BCP at the moment and get off them on May 1, so I imagine I will start my shots around May 4/5 if all looks fine? We're hoping its fifth (!!) time lucky, and that we'll end up with embryo/s to transfer and some to freeze. The max we have ever yielded from a fresh cycle is two though, mostly we end up with 1... Let's see! Determined to be hopeful.

TW

 

[sienna]

Thanks TW and good luck with your cycle, what have you tried so far? For this cycle I had some Bowen sessions and also started taking proargi9 two weeks before my transfer.

 

[tw76]

Well that was a pain.. my reply got wiped because I linked to an article... anyway. I didn't know about Bowen till I googled it after you messaged, but what I usually do:

- Acupuncture in the lead up to stims (for this cycle, usually I start with stims). I'll do it throughout stims, just before ER, and the day before and the day of transfer
- I try and keep my diet sensible (you can read about it in my blog - see my signature (post is 'food for though). But eggs whites, avocado, nuts, room temperature water etc
- Exercise as much as i can ahead of the sordid cycle weight gain and feeling too bloated to run
- Drug wise: I am on folic acid, blood thinners and a multivitamin. I use Gonal F for stims along with all that, then Ovidrel/Pregynl, and progesterone support (pills and inserts). I'm sure i am forgetting something, but that's the gist of it...

And then I try (and fail) to get enough sleep, try (and fail) to go without coffee and sugar, and try (and fail) to convince myself it will all be ok...

 

[2have4kids]

Gl all.
If you’ve tried multiple ivf’s and not had success I highly tecommend immune testing before you bang your head on the wall again. Too many of us have had successes once tested & treated. Ivf is not the end all & be all of fertility.

 

[co_fostermom]

What is immune testing? What is it for exactly?

 

[2have4kids]

If you’ve tried IVF and have either had m/c or failure to implant multiple times there’s often other reasons for your body not being able to hang onto embryos. Most women have no clue about immune issues and how they effect fertility. I tried 6 ivf’s and multiple iui’s until I was diagnosed by the Dr. Beers clinic in California for specific immune issues. Once treated we got pregnant naturally and then I did another IVF and had twins. Same as a few other women here. As you get older too your autoimmune system becomes stronger too and new problems can arise such as the problem with some couples that can’t seem to have their second child. But for some like myself, I had 2 types of serious clotting and had to be on injectible blood thinners (and when I turn into a senior I’ll likely have to take baby asperin everyday), and also had issues rejecting my DH’s cells in embryonic stage (they do a similar treatment to allergy desensitization to help your body not reject the ‘foreign body&#8217. Other ladies have been treated for natural killer cells. There’s much information on this (and other) website:
https://www.repro-med.net

 

[2have4kids]

Sienna I’m so sorry I missed your news back there. Congratulations! Have you had a second beta? How are you feeling? You’re probably excited but scared? Fx for a smooth, boring 9 months! Xx

 

[sienna]

thanks 2have I had a second beta a week later which was 5073, I have my first scan on Monday so trying not to think about it too much till after my scan. How's things with you?

 

[2have4kids]

Ohh very very exciting. It’s about time. You’ve been very patient, it is your turn!
I’m excited to hear about your scan.
We’re extremely busy. I went back to work in Jan (compressed work week mon-thurs) and loving the balance. The girls’ nannies just gave us notice that they’re both off to uni in the autumn so we started looking at the long wait lists for daycares. We jumped on it when we got an offer Monday from an accredited center just up the street from us for placement of all 3 girls. So I’ll have the option to grocery shop & get things done if I want on my Fridays off. In the mean time we bought a massive outdoor play set that takes 16 hours for 2 people to set up, 114 page set up manual my work colleague calls it a 2 hour divorce.
Other than that it’s warming up here and the knee deep snow has melted over the past week. Sunny days are here again!

 

[sienna]

thanks 2have I will update you after my scan on Monday. Sounds like you have a challenge with your outdoor play set, good luck with it, hopefully you’ll get lots of sun for it.

 

[2have4kids]

thanks 2have I will update you after my scan on Monday. Sounds like you have a challenge with your outdoor play set, good luck with it, hopefully you’ll get lots of sun for it.

Hi Sienna, how are you? Did everything go well at your scan? I hope you & baby are doing well xx

 

[Bluebell bun]

Hope everything went well today Sienna, delighted to hear your news xxx

 

[SKP]

Well ladies, my IVF Days are over. And really TTC as well. Like making a point to do so. So now hanging onto my 5% chance of having a natural child. I am 29 yrs.

So we are now in the pursument of International Adoption from Thailand. We have already started the process and hopefully in 2 2 1/2 yrs we will have a child home.

So I came on here again because this was the best place to ask my questions about hormones.

I went to my doctor because I thought I may be lacking in hormones thought i was heading towards pre menopause because my cycle was getting shorter and shorter af lengths. I was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve at 21. And I wa told I could hit prenopause by 30. So I got my hormones tested.

My LMP was May 26th- 4 Days, 2 light and 2 med.
I tested on June 11th which was CD 17. So this would put me just ending in the mid cycle portion of the cycle. So by if i was day 16, my numbers is considered low. But Day 17, the numbers that are low is the "normal numbers" I asked, do the numbers drop down that fast, and yup. So by one day its kind of wishy washy. I still consider it low because it was only by 1 day. I say I was low through out the mid cycle. So here are the numbers for Day 17.

The 4 Cycles are: Follicular
Mid Cycle:
Luteal:
Post Menopausal


Estradol: Mid Cycle: 206, Normal is 550-1950.

Progesterone: Entering the Luteal Phase: 23.1, Normal 15-90

LH: Mid Cycle: 5.3, Normal 15-90, Really low because the Follicular Stage, Meaning the beginning the normal number is <15. So according to this number I am reading the Follicular stage numbers and not even reading the numbers that its supposed to be in the mid cycle stage.

FSH: Mid Cycle 5.7, Normal 4-15. In the range but not much.

I hope someone here understands.

 

[2have4kids]

Hi SKP, understanding hormone levels are 1/4of the battle. As we age we&#8217;re very very likely to have immune issues that prevent implantation with even the most inviting wombs and best embryos. Our fertility clinic will never broach this subject because they are not educated in reproductive immunology. You could work out your exact perfect days, and most fertile period and still not have anything implant because we have a much higher immune response as we get older. Natural killer cells, clotting (antiphospholipid antibodies is prevelent in women approaching and in early 30&#8217;s.) but you know that many of us who were tested & treated for immune issues got lucky enough to conceive. The other major issue that go against us is weight. There are a huge amount of studies showing that the more weight we have the higher the failure (sometimes to implant, sometimes to carry). Not sure about you but this effects so many women, and there are so many things that any extra weight effects, it&#8217;s a tough one to resolve. Don&#8217;t beat yourself up with hormone levels. Just keep trying and maybe use a good fertility monitor. All the best with your adoption, how come you chose not to go local?

 

[2have4kids]

Sienna, how are you? I&#8217;ve been thinking about you lately. I hope everything is ok!!

 

[sienna]

thanks for thinking of me 2have, I've been avoiding the forums as I've not been good. I had a first scan at 7.5 weeks and got to see the heart beat but it had implanted low down in the uterus. My next scan at 9 weeks my embryo had stopped growing at 8.5 weeks. We were both devastated as it's the end of the road for us.

Hope your well x