Ivf oct/nov/dec

[BabyD225]

So apparently I'm some big medical mystery. Third scan still shows nothing. But there is something growing somewhere. Plan is to treat as if ectopic. They drew blood and depending on when the results come back, I will be given methotrexate either this afternoon or tomorrow.

Ugh Lucie I'm so sorry.. it must be frustrating not knowing what is going on!

Anyone know how quickly after a failed IVF cycle you can do a FET?
How does someone do an IVF cycle unmedicated?

 

[ChaseThisLite]

I'm sorry, Lucie, that's so crappy that you have to go through this.

 

[Whisper82]

Ali - When Happy said they did AH with their frosties, it triggered a memory for me of a discussion we had with our RE. We almost had to freeze all our embies b/c of my borderline OHSS. He said that if we were able to transfer them fresh, they would not do AH, but if they were frozen, the clinic ALWAYS does AH prior to ET. Something about how freezing hardens the "shell" and AH can help with that. Hope that helps.

Lucie - So sorry girl. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

 

[HappyBunnyAB]

I'm so sorry Lucie

 

[wannabeprego]

I am so sorry Lucie!!!!

 

[Lucie73821]

Got my 2 shots of methotrexate this afternoon. The one dose was two big for the syringe, so I got to have two intramuscular shots, one on each side, woo hoo! Now my poor bottom is so sore! They also did another beta today and it's gone up 700 since yesterday. They will do another beta Saturday, and the dr said not to be concerned if the number goes up. Then another beta (and a few more levels...not sure of them) on Tuesday. If the number has not decreased by Tuesday, then I will for sure need surgery. I'm praying it doesn't come to that.

Hope you all are well!

 

[MoBaby]

Lucie: Soooo sorry girl Do you have to wait 3 months now for FET after the mtx shot? Hope your bum is not sore for long!

 

[Lucie73821]

Lucie: Soooo sorry girl Do you have to wait 3 months now for FET after the mtx shot? Hope your bum is not sore for long!

I've heard you have to wait that long after the mtx, but I forgot to ask the dr! I guess I will ask the next time I see him.

 

[alicatt]

So sorry Lucie, not the best news. I hope you don't have to have surgery!

Whisper - thanks for the info, it makes sense that they do AH on frozen embryos, to help them along. So I guess I'll be having AH! YAY!

AFM - well I got some not too great news today. Looks like I have elevated NK cells. Unbeknownst to me I've probably been killing my embryos before they can even implant. On the plus side, it also means I am probably not going to get sick very often or have cancer! Bad news is that we will need to do something to trick my NK cells into thinking the baby is a good guy and not to be killed! From what little I have read thus far we have the following options:

1) Steroids - prednisone
2) IVIG (immunoglobulin) - very expensive stuff
3) Intralipids - not as expensive and maybe as good as IVIG?
4) Immune type drugs - neupogen, remicade, humira
5) some combination of 1-4 above

I will know more on Friday when I speak to my FS. I think we still have a chance, but man, what a pain!

 

[Lucie73821]

Ali, I'm glad you at least got some answers as to why nothing's worked so far. I'm hoping your FS has a good plan in place for your next cycle!

 

[alicatt]

Ali, I'm glad you at least got some answers as to why nothing's worked so far. I'm hoping your FS has a good plan in place for your next cycle!

It certainly does explain why I haven't gotten a BFP yet. I just hope we can suppress them long enough for my embryo to implant and grow. Good thing is that my FS is a specialist in this area and has had great success. Now all I have to do is occupy myself until Friday!

 

[Mells54]

Got my 2 shots of methotrexate this afternoon. The one dose was two big for the syringe, so I got to have two intramuscular shots, one on each side, woo hoo! Now my poor bottom is so sore! They also did another beta today and it's gone up 700 since yesterday. They will do another beta Saturday, and the dr said not to be concerned if the number goes up. Then another beta (and a few more levels...not sure of them) on Tuesday. If the number has not decreased by Tuesday, then I will for sure need surgery. I'm praying it doesn't come to that.

Hope you all are well!

Oh Lucie, I'm so sorry

I have been down this road, and not only is your heart broken, but you will feel physically ill from the methotrexate. I threw up for days, and since my numbers didn't come down fast enough I had to have two additional shots.

Yes, you will not be able to try until your numbers go down to zero, and a month or so go by after that to ensure the meds are out of your system. You do NOT know how sorry I am. Having an ectopic truly was a horrible experience. Sorry to be such a downer...obviously like me, you will get through it. You will be I even stronger when it's over.

You're in my thoughts and prayers. Hang in there, you will get through it!!!!

 

[ChaseThisLite]

Ali and Lucie, sorry for the bad news. Lets hope you both get answers and can devise plans for moving ahead very soon.

 

[Peachy1584]

Lucie- I am very sorry for your loss. I also had to do the methotrexate but it didn't make me sick and besides the injections I felt nothing from it. However (not to be a downer) although my initial betas went down even more than they wanted them to mine still ruptured about a week later. I hope at least this goes well for you just trust your body and your instincts.

 

[Em260]

Lucie - I'm so sorry you are going through this I hope you can avoid surgery.

 

[michelle01]

Aw Lucie, I really hope you don't need to have surgery. I hope the shots did the trick.

ali - How many blood tests did you have to determine your NK was elavated? I had this happen to me; when my first cycle failed they ran all the blood tests they could. My NK cells came back highly elavated and the dr decided to run another test to make sure and the second one came back normal. Was a little concerning to me, but he said they always run it twice if the first comes back high. Not that you want high NK cells, but at least it would explain what is going on.

 

[alicatt]

Aw Lucie, I really hope you don't need to have surgery. I hope the shots did the trick.

ali - How many blood tests did you have to determine your NK was elavated? I had this happen to me; when my first cycle failed they ran all the blood tests they could. My NK cells came back highly elavated and the dr decided to run another test to make sure and the second one came back normal. Was a little concerning to me, but he said they always run it twice if the first comes back high. Not that you want high NK cells, but at least it would explain what is going on.

Michelle,

I'm not sure what my FS is going to do? I know that the tests were elevated. I'm seeing him on Friday morning to discuss further. I know that the test is about $500 each time they do it, so I'm not sure I want to repeat it? I read somewhere that they can do a biopsy to determine whether there are elevated NK cells in the uterus? Did your FS put you on any additional medications for your most recent pregnancy? Like steroids or blood thinners or did you do any infusions?

 

[michelle01]

ali - Wow, that is quiet expensive for the test. When my second blood test came back in the normal range, he said we didn't need to do anything for it, meaning no more testing, no infusions, etc... However I am on blood thinners (lovenox injections) still, up till 12 weeks and metanx due to the fact I have MTHFR, which is a blood clotting problem. Interesting about the biopsy; my FS never mentioned anything about that, but that just may be due to my second test coming back normal.

 

[alicatt]

ali - Wow, that is quiet expensive for the test. When my second blood test came back in the normal range, he said we didn't need to do anything for it, meaning no more testing, no infusions, etc... However I am on blood thinners (lovenox injections) still, up till 12 weeks and metanx due to the fact I have MTHFR, which is a blood clotting problem. Interesting about the biopsy; my FS never mentioned anything about that, but that just may be due to my second test coming back normal.

The NK Cell test was done at an independent lab, we'll see if my insurance covers any of it, they didn't hold out much hope though. I guess we'll see?

I think that for NK Cell issues they use a combination of steroids like prednisone, and blood thinners, and possibly intralipids or IVIG (both are infusions). I hear that IVIG is mega expensive though (like thousands per infusion). So we'll see what ends up happening. Just a few more days now!

 

[michelle01]

I hope it works out ali! I know the infusion is expensive and not covered by insurance; when I found out I may need that I checked into it and even the consultation was a few hundred dollars. Maybe you can get away with just doing steriods and blood thinners?