Support thread for ladies who have had 3+ failed IVF cycles

[africaqueen]

Babydrms- Omg cannot believe your LO is 1 already! so u are ttc x2 now? ooh exciting! where does time go?! x

Nice to be back ladies. Just won't be a prolific a poster due to inactivity on the IVF front but i shall be here cheering you all on x

 

[babydrms]

Africaqueen, time is flying!! We are trying for baby #2 now. We are excited and ready to fight for it, hence why we are starting while she is one - in case it takes a while. I met with my RE again today and we are looking to do an FET at the beginning of June.

 

[africaqueen]

Hope everyone is ok? this thread has been very quiet lately xxx

 

[bugs]

Hi AQ, everyone else.
Still lying low, after some very light staining and a scary midwife I was advised to have a scan at the EPU on Friday and we got to see our blob again still measuring spot on. I'm really struggling to believe that this is finally it and find myself worrying about everything. Really wish I could fast forward the next 31 weeks coz as much as I want to enjoy my history makes me a nervous wreck !!!

Hope everyone else is well xxxx

 

[bubumaci]

Oh Bugs, I am sorry you had a scare! Glad to hear that peanut is measuring just right!! Are you 6w already? If so, you should be getting to see little blob pulsating as a heartbeat soon
Please try to enjoy it and not to worry! It is easier said than done, I know, I do...

Ooooh, good luck, baby!

My gynaecologist rang me this morning and said "I have good news". Last Monday, we had the NT Scan and it was really good (1,7). Based on my age, our risk starts at 1:100 ... an overall risk is calculated together with the NT scan measurement + the blood tests. She received the results and my risk has gone down to 1:1007

 

[bugs]

Hi Bubu I'm coming up to 10 weeks, we had a scan at 6 & 9 weeks due to spotting and we're very lucky and got to see the heartbeat both times. Still doesn't stop me worrying.

Great news about the NT scan xxxx

 

[africaqueen]

Bugs- Sorry to hear you had a scare again and completely natural to feel so on edge after all you have been through. Once you get past 12wks try and relax a little and enjoy this time as you have been through sooo much to get here x

Buba- Fab news! glad everything is going well x

Hi to all the gang x

AFM- Its my 33rd birthday on Monday. Feeling excited about a girlie weekend to Blackpool this weekend but also feeling super emotional that i am another year older and still no closer to our dream xxx

 

[bubumaci]

Hallooooo! So lovely to see you again!
33 is what we call a "Schnappszahl" here - so a Schnapps number That's great that you are having a girlie weekend away (partying??) ... but yes, getting older makes us painfully aware, that time stands still for nobody ... nasty habit that time has, that. I do hope, that you will be able to move forward sometime soon!! xxx

Just wondering - is it OK to still hang out here and chat with you ladies / give support etc.? Or does it make everyone, who is still waiting / trying feel bad, seeing my ticker and so?

 

[ashknowsbest]

Hi ladies! I've been a member of this site for a while but chose to step away as DH and I were taking a break from TTC. We're still on break but are starting our medicated FET in July. I start BCPs July 11th then FET sometime in August ... looking forward to it but also feeling nervous. I just want it to work so bad this time around.

Congrats to all of those who finally got pregnant! And good look to those still trying!

 

[Unlucky41]

babydrms - good luck for baby number two how many frozen embryos do you have?

AQ so good to hear from you !! Happy birthday !!! How was your girlie day out? Did you get a present from DH ? My birthday is coming up as well I am one year older than you.

bub I am glad everything is going well for you surely you are more happy then mellow now?

Bugs I am glad you were able to see the heartbeat. I had a few spotting as well and everything seems ok for my so far.

Sandy how are you going?

 

[Sandy83]

Hi Ladies

Sorry been MIA for a while but been checking in every now and again.

AQ - Hope you had a good birthday and enjoyed your girly weekend in Blackpool

Bubumaci, How you doing? I do not mind you at all hanging around this thread at all gives me hope that it will eventually work for me also

Unlucky, How you doing? How many weeks are you now?

Bugs, Sorry to hear about your scare but I'm sure hearing the heartbeat was amazing and put your mind at rest a little

Babydrms, Good luck with your FET

Dovkav, How you doing?

Ash, Great to hear from you. Glad to hear your have plans to start the TTC journey again

AFM, Obviously nothing to report on the TTC front but lots been going on with DH. Got a bit of bad news that DH's brothers were not a match to be a donor for the stem cells so that was disappointing DH is now on to his 5th treatment just one more to go before the transplant and got some positive news also that the treatment is going as planned and DH is responding to the treatment so first hurdle cleared.
On another positive note we have been advised that the hospital have found 3 potential donors from Germany that match DH. They will now assess who is the best match and go from there.
So lots of ups and downs lately but things looking good at the moment. xx

 

[twinklemama]

Hi ladies, can I join you? Just doing a bit of searching on this site as I've just found out today that our 3rd cycle has failed, and found this thread which is perfect for a bit of hope and moral support.

U can see my story from my signature, but I just can't believe this has happened again. We had such a good cycle this time, we finally had embies that made it to blast. I had an endo scratch done, cervical dilatation to make transfer easier, used EEVA, we used embryoglue, had acupuncture and took plenty of time off work. It's so frustrating. What tests would u ladies recommend that I have done next? I'm convinced there's something wrong with me that they haven't figured out yet.
Xo

 

[Northernmonke]

Twinkle - not sure what tests you have had but I would recommend hubby having DNA fragmentation test. My hubby did and on the last cycle they changed us to IMSI - have a google. I am now feeling my twins wiggling around in my belly! amazing! I thought it would never happen x

 

[bubumaci]

Hey Ash long time no see - your journal has been quiet too! That's exciting that you are moving forward again for your FET. Are you planning to transfer both?

Jo - Definitely happy, but feeling very relaxed, so I think mellow does still accurately reflect how I am feeling

Sandy thank you! I am doing well ... still often feel that this whole thing is somehow surreal (after having fought so hard for it and gone through so much). About an our ago, I took a break from work and sat outside in the sunshine relaxing and felt a little flutter (been feeling the odd flutter / flutters for just over a week or so) and just thought "is this real, this is so surreal" ...
I am sorry to hear that DH's brother wasn't a match! But that is very exciting news that you have quite a few possibilities from Germany! I wonder how they then do that - from here to the UK?
All fingers + toes crossed for you Sweetie!!

Hi Twinkle
I am sorry that you are also having these struggles!
As Northernmonke suggests, having the DNA fragmentation tests done might help understand. Even though we never had it done, it was clear in our case, that the reason we had to go through so many tries (which also include 2 chemicals last year) is simply, because the embryos developing were abnormal - so either the fertilised cells don't develop well - or if they do and it comes to transfer, our bodies reject the embryos.
Because we know we have fertilised eggs inside us, the expectation for it to work (and the disappointment when it doesn't) is so much higher than couples trying naturally. There, the statistics are likely to be similar ... but chemicals are often missed, because they are not monitored as closely as we are ...

The science is amazing, and they can do so much ... so many of us, who would have to remain childless are given the chance to become parents - but science still can't beat nature.

Sometimes, it really just takes patience and an unbelievable amount of strength to just keep going and keep going, trying again and again.
From your signature, it seems to me, that each try is getting better and better. That was the case with us! For the first couple of tries, even though the egg retrieval and fertilisation rates were really good, the cell development wasn't (the RE we switched to later said, that our chances with those first tries : 2xICSI but 5x transfer - we had three FETs - really weren't very good). We carried on with the antagonist protocol, but changed the medication and also started putting the fertilised embryos under the embryoscope - the results really were much better ... because of OHSS, we didn't do a fresh transfer in February, but did a FET in April (scratch biopsy as well) ... July/August, again scratch biopsy, transferred two great-looking blasts ... chemical. November / December same (plus acupuncture) .. again chemical...

One thing you might like to have checked out are your thyroid levels. Mine were actually very good for an adult woman - at 2,1. However some research shows, that the TSH levels should be at or below 1 when TTC. So I went to a hormone specialist and have been taking thyroid medicine since November last year. For the November / December try, my levels hadn't been pushed down enough - but for the February try this year, they were perfect! And it was this try that was also a success!!

I had been taking CoQ10 (high dosage) and Resveratrol as well (which is good for cell regeneration) and doing hypnotherapy (which just helped me with all the injections and to keep relaxed and calm)..

So - the try that was successful, I had a scratch biopsy, was taking these supplements, my thyroid levels below 1 ... and I guess we just had the luck of getting healthy sperm fused with a healthy egg! (We transferred two, one blast was starting to hatch). Nature was on our side this time.

I really hope that together with your RE, you will be able to find some answers. As Northernmonke suggests - if you have enough sperm, then IMSI might be a good option for you! We couldn't do it, because of DH's condition...

 

[ashknowsbest]

Sandy - so sorry to hear about the ups and downs but I'm happy they did find possible matches. Best of luck to you and your DH

bubu - congratulations on getting pregnant! After everything you've been through it's so nice to see you moving along nicely in your pregnancy. Yes we are transferring both as long as they both unfreeze .... I'm a little nervous about that part.

 

[africaqueen]

Bubu- Thank you! its lovely to be back! yes it was a partying weekend and oh man am i wiped out! definitely not 21 anymore. haha. Was a good blow out and we had fun but time to act my age and get finances sorted now NEED a chance of being pregnant this year. Can't let myself think anything else. Hell or high water, i am determined to at least get another shot. Glad to see all is going well with you and cant believe your over 16wks already! wow x

Ash- Omg girl so lovely to see you again! i remember you from our other thread. Obviously i wish neither of us were here but sadly we are and we can help eachother through the rough times in our quest to be mothers and all the girls here are fab and as you can see, a lot have realised their dreams so im sure it will be our turn soon. When are you starting FET? x

Unlucky- Thank you! had a fab birthday. Hubby got me a gorgeous gold Tommy Hilfiger watch and i was spoilt with lush bath stuff from my dad and jean Paul Gautier perfume and money had a wonderful long weekend. Hope your doing well? x

Sandy- I really hope your dh gets a match soon. How stressful! sending much love to you both x

Twinkle- Welcome to the thread and im so sorry you had to find your way here. I was beyond devastated after our 3rd cycle failed but their is hope in my heart again so let yourself grieve and pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start all over again as my lovely mum used to say. We are a supportive group x

Northern- Your siggie gives me so much hope. Glad all is going well x

Bugs- How are you doing? hope all is well x

Hi to all the gang x

AFM- I have enjoyed putting babies and IVF out my mind but now i can longer do that. It is my souls desire to be pregnant so no point going into denial. I am determined to get the relevant cash together no matter what so we can have another cycle before Christmas. It will be a struggle but we are going to try our best and hope for some luck inbetween xxx

 

[ashknowsbest]

AQ - I can't believe we're still here but I know we'll get there ... eventually one way or another. I'm sure you and your DH will come up with solid plan for saving up the money. Infertility sucks financially and emotionally ... why!? I start my FET July 11th. We'll be starting on BCPs at that time. The transfer should take place sometime in August.

 

[bubumaci]

Sarah, that is so great that you had such a lovely time!! I am really happy for you! Sounds like your second (or third or fourth ...) wind has come and I feel confident, that you two will get the finances together so that you can move forward! (I can't believe that I am only a few days away from the 18th week either!!)

 

[dovkav123]

Sandy, I am so glad your hubby is doing well, I hope donors will do a trick and help him.

ashknowsbest, I am sorry about your rough journey.
I just got lucky on my 7th IVF last month we did a natural IVF, w/o stims.
I had a first scan on Wednesday and the baby is 16mm and we saw a heart beat. He was 8w2d. Due date is on the 29th December.
We did 2 things different;
1.I took aspirin 100mg enteric coated after an ER. I do have probably circulation problem, cold hands and feet, I get pale. My iron levels and thyroid are oK.
2.We did an assited hatching at day 3 with a laser. Embryo shell was 15-20 thick. I know when it's 17, the lab wants to do it.

Your FET cycle is coming soon. It is recommended in many studies to AH a frozen embryo.

twinklemama, my hubby did a sperm DNA test the month we got BFP. I'll get those results soon.

 

[bugs]

Hi girls, sorry I haven't been on much seems I have a whole new lot of worries to google these days.

AQ great to hear your positivity, I'm sure you'll be able to squeeze in a cycle this year your a very determined lady xxx

Well after 2 more episodes of spotting although it was very light I've had another 2 scans at 9 weeks and 10 weeks and everything is looking great and baby is measuring 2 days ahead so although I still worry that everything will go wrong I am trying to be positive that everything will be fine xxxx

Hope everyone is well xxxx