waiting for ivf and struggling!

[YearningHeart]

Minxy - Oh right ok, sounds interesting not heard of that before. Its so amazing how everyone's IVF treatments can vary so much (Sorry I know a bit off topic).

- Has anyone heard that seminal plasma injected into the uterine cavity can improve IVF treatment?

Well last time I went to my clinic, a lady who was doing research on this (part of the hospital) said they are doing research and many countries have already tried this and it shows a positive outcome, but here in the UK this is the first a research like this is being done. Anyhow she asked if me and my husband were interested in taking part in this research. What do you guys think? Have you come across this before

 

[AlbaNY]

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for your kind words! I need to read back and catch up, apologies!

We have been so sad, and more frustratingly have been worried about how we could do this again. Having the hope of another try makes a big difference. We were looking into Mexico, but the price added up so fast. The thought of another cycle next year even more costly than this time was a real downer, but Mexico seemed to get us to a lot OoP with all the hassle involved too.

I was still feeling bleak until today. Now I have some pretty good news and feel quite a bit better. I spent a lot of time on the phone today. I'd found a clinic in Montreal that looks good and had prices clearly listed. I spoke to the lady assigned to us by insurance, and she was doubtful that we had coverage there. She gave advice for our next step here, but meh. After that I called the main insurance as she advised, and it turns out we do have substantial coverage in Canada!
I crunched some numbers, and it is a much better option than any others. I am very excited and pleased aside from having to wait until January. We *can* do another fresh cycle without destroying our finances!
(I just hope that nothing changes with the insurance meanwhile.)

 

[2have4kids]

Albany, does your insurance cover immune testing? If it does, it'd be wise to make sure there's nothing else going on causing you problems. Clotting issues are quite common and will cause chemicals & implantation failures. Obviously that's fantastic news about having another cycle and you couldn't have picked a more beautiful winter city. You'll love the ice castle and the culture if you haven't been there already. I just realized how many issues I have now, even if I could have produced my own eggs during IVF, I would have lost the baby early on due to clotting issues that my fertility clinic tested for and didn't find. Just seeing that you might have extra time.

 

[AlbaNY]

2Have, thanks for your input. I saw my regular rheumatologist just before beginning the cycle, and she did some testing. She said all the "pregnancy related stuff" came back fine, but I don't know what she actually tested. I am expecting my records any day now from the clinic, so hopefully that will be noted (she sent them the results.)

Is there anything in particular you can recommend checking? That's a new world of possibilities to me.
I do know that I have a clotting issue called delta granule storage pool deficiency, but it never caused me problems with surgeries in the past. (It is a tendency to bleed too much.)

My good lifelong friend and I had a long conversation yesterday updating her on the cycle and the process. She offered very sincerely to be a surrogate if it comes to that. It is so kind of her and would help so much if we were to end up navigating that course. She had offered long ago before this was any remote possibility, but the offer yesterday was well thought out and genuine.

We do love Montreal, but my only winter trip didn't allow for me to see anything but icy roads. I'm sure it will be lovely, but I hope we don't run into weather events.



Aren't you about to go to Mexico or someplace for LIT? Have fun and good luck. It is already only a month before you'll be in Athens!

 

[2have4kids]

Hi Albany, I can relate to your friend offering surrogacy, so did mine. How generous is that!?? My friend is overweight and I'd really hate for complications to happen. I think we'd have to adopt, I just wouldn't want to put her through that. But it brings me to tears every time I think about her offer, friends like that don't come around that often.

The Dr Beer clinic tests confirmed my suspicions that there were other problems sabotaging our successes and with the sheet of positives that came back I've been able to research the heck out of everything and understand what's going on/how to treat the problems. You may not have any issues outside of IVF, just something to see if your insurance covers for testing if you have a wait till your next one.

For me, these were a few (common) positives on my sheet:

• PAI-1 4G/5G gene mutation
• AntiPhospholipid Antibody positive on IgG Phosphethanolamines
• low on the Natural Killer cell assay
• really high on the TH1:TH2 cytokines 50% and should be lower than 30%

PAI-1 4G marker means I got thrombophelia from one of my parents (clotting issues), my fertility clinic didn't do this test, they supposedly only test for a very common clotting function of which there are 4 to test for.

Apa's are characteristic of low implantation rates and chemicals. There are 18 proteins that they test, I was positive on 1 of these.

Cytokines in the NK panel are killer cells, I'm not producing antibodies that protect the fetus. The treatment I'm getting (called LIT) will spur my immune system to create antibodies to my husband's blood so that when I become pregnant the cytokines don't sniff out and expell the fetus. I'll have to get the treatment done with the donor's blood too. The test was interesting, I don't have high NK cells BUT I don't have any levels of antibodies that would have protected a fetus.

The thrombophelia and high apa's are dealt with via drugs, the cytokines are by using heparin, IVIg and LIT. Most people don't have all 3 issues lol but the studies are pretty clear, any Apa or PAI-1 issues and the fetus won't implant properly which can cause everything from no implantation, chemicals to m/c and later term losses because the fetus can't get the nutrition it needs when it doesn't implant properly.

 

[MinxyChick]

Hi Everyone, our little thread has been very quiet. I guess we pretty much all at different stages now. I've been away in Athens checking out this new clinic for a week at the beginning of the month, since getting back I've been so busy catching up with work I've not had time to update you ladies.

Ok, so we initially went over to have a Sperm DNA Fragmentation Test and AquaScan for me to have my womb checked. The AquaScan came back perfect but the DNA Frag was very bad. The lady at the clinic was so lovely, she said she couldn't see why my IVFs had had such bad results but she wouldn't try and get me to do another as she knew how tired I was of it.
In cases where people come over like us, they normally freeze some sperm so you only need to to come back for transfer. Sadly DH's sperm is so bad they couldn't freeze it. She thought the sperm wasn't good enough to use and our best bet was double donation (which we do not want though). She was so lovely & understanding and said she would do what we wanted but be very honest with us (I've begged this from other clinics but they never were fully honest). Our treatment the whole time was a thousand times better than what we'd had in the UK ever. We decided to go ahead with DE anyway as that had been our plan and forget about the test results.
Coincidently they had a back up donor having a collection the next day who met my profile, so we could use her. So we did!!!

This angel gave us 8 eggs, 6 fertilised and we got 3 blasts from this!!! Because of where I am in my cycle we have frozen all 3. This is a miracle so far, the clinic were surprised as well due to the sperm quality. Out of 4 IVFS, 57 eggs, 44 fertlised not one ever ever got to blast. This is still the first step of a thousand but this is a true miracle to me so far. I am so grateful to this unknown lady for the chance she has given us and to the clinic as I don't believe we could have got this in the UK.

Also to double our chances we did a donor sperm IUI whilst there. I'll find out this weekend if it has worked. I'm getting AF cramps so I don't hold out much hope.

I would really reiterate how wonderful the clinic was, everyone was so caring & understanding. I've always been unimpressed with our treatment in the UK, and this really showed us how poor it was. Our UK clinic was interested in process first, money second and getting me pregnant third. I'm sure some clinics abroad are like this too but here it was about doing the right thing. Also the private treatment in the UK was so expensive in comparison and I didn't feel we had value for money. Not once has anyone read our file before a consult in the UK, whereas here they had.

If anyone is reading this and would like to know more please feel free to ask.

Pinkie - lovely to see the FB announcement.
AlbaNY - how are things with you?
2have4 - I will also PM you this update, keen to hear all your news
Yearning - how are things with you? Weren't you doing DR or BCP last month?

 

[YearningHeart]

Minxy - Hii how are you? Yeah this tread has been pretty quite, everyone busy busy
So happy to hear things went well for you in Athens! and Im glad they did a better job than in the UK. It is sad when people have to go through so much mentally and physically on top of that pay as well and not get the treatment they deserve. It does sound like a miracle, this lady coming into your life and things working out! I hope everything goes successful for you. So what is the next step? Sorry i don't have much knowledge on this field of donor etc. but am interested to know.

Little update from me, yeah I was doing the BCP pills good few weeks back, then was on stims for 22 days! Yep 22 days.. I thought I would never finish! Had the E.C (17 eggs, 12 fertilised) and now got the embryo transfer tomorrow
Im going to get 2 embryos put back in if all seems well and then my 2ww starts

 

[MinxyChick]

Yearning - best of luck for transfer & 2ww. I can't believe how long you've had to stim, what a nightmare.

When AF arrives I'll email the clinic & see what they want to do. I'm not sure the process for FET, they said they'll either do a natural or medicated FET. I think if it's natural they'll just check my lining & do it. If it's medicated I guess I'll down reg & take something to plump up my lining.
I'll keep you posted.

 

[YearningHeart]

Minxy - I hope AF arrives very soon! I'm sorry to hear of your struggle, stay strong. Good things go come eventually

I had my embryo transfer which went fine, now just in 2ww.

I hope everyone else is well. It's been long time, not heard from the other. X

 

[Blythe]

Minxychick I hope you don't mind me butting in. Which clinic are you using? I'm about to do another IVF round in the uk but need a back up plan in order to keep going?

I think I can get cheapest flight there but is accommodation expensive?

Your experience so far sounds wonderful and I hope it gives you the best possible result

 

[2have4kids]

Yearning, hopefully your long efforts will pay off my dear! I wish you the very best with this horrid TWW. How do you feel? Everything ok? I never feel anything I have to say. Shocked twice now, the only 2 pregnancies ever had and felt nothing. I lose them at 8 weeks due to Thrombophilia now that I've been checked out and hoping the Humira, Aspirin, & Lovenox will hopefully conquer those genetic issues.

Minxaaayyy! I think we'll be in Athens at the same time. If so would you like to meet up for tea? I'd love to give you a hug after all we've been through. Anyway, I too am waiting for AF and told Peny I'm quite worried. She said not to worry-ha will work on that! Fresh donor IVF takes 14-18 days to stim the angel & get my lining ready, we arrive on the 31 and leave on the 23rd. DH says even if we have to change our flights to accommodate he wouldn't mind a bit. I smile trying not to show my stress. Once we get out of this hamster wheel and over to the sea and fresh air I know things will feel better. But please AF, just show your naughty little self!

Blythe, we're going to Serum in Athens. My previous co-ordinator for the Prague clinic couldn't say enough about them-maybe I should have listened then. But I wasn't ready to spend the money to be tested for immune issues then. They will insist on testing what most other clinics ignore (aqua scan & sperm frag)and be able to treat you for immune issues if you've been tested & diagnosed of those on your own. I like that they're putting a back up donor through for us (Prague Repro-Fit didn't), and Peny has been very thorough with my DH putting him on a regiment before we get there. How are you making out?

Albany you still hanging in there?
Pinky, Mummy, Ducktales, Melbram & everyone else?

 

[MinxyChick]

Yearning - good luck for 2ww. I'm praying for sticky embies.

Blythe - hi, we went to Serum in Athens. It's s hard to not get disheartened. We were really impressed with everything & to get 3 blasts out of 8 eggs with my DH's terrible sperm is nothing short of a miracle for us. I've emailed them today to sort out FET.
Because we made a holiday out of our first visit we went mad & stayed somewhere fancy in the centre of town. I think there are a lot of reasonably priced hotels around. When we go back for the FET we are going to stay somewhere cheaper near the clinic as it'll be in & out.
I found everyone spoke English & were very friendly in Athens. Also their subway is very easy to use. Good luck with your next cycle.

Afm: DS IUI is bfn. In the process of emailing clinic to sort out FET. Felt very sad & despondent yesterday but rallying again today.

 

[YearningHeart]

2have4kids - I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I hope your dreams come true, everyone TTC deserves a baby. It's hard for all and I have so much respect for this TTC. Had I not been through this I would never of understood what TTC women go through.
I feel fine. I don't really have many symptoms other than cramps and a huge appetite. I'm just cutting time with family and friends so my 2ww goes fast.

Minxy - how are you? I hope you are well. I didn't get what you meant by DS IUI is bfn. Sorry I probably sound silly. But anyhow I hope all your dreams come true. X

I'm half way in my 2ww. My blood test is next Monday. I hope everyone is doing well. X

 

[MinxyChick]

Hi yearning,
I'm good thanks, enjoying life whilst waiting for AF at end of the month to start FET.

Sorry DS iui meant donor sperm iui.

Have you had the test yet?

 

[YearningHeart]

Minxy - oh right good good. So when you start your AF how long will it be before end of the treatment? I hope this one works out for you.

My blood test is tomorrow morning. I have a feeling it's a BFP maybe because iv not bled but anyhow I will find out tomorrow. I am against testing before the blood test to very nervous, I just hope this is the one. I can't go through another IVF it's just too much.

This thread has been very quite, I hope everyone is well.. I think everyone is just busy. X

 

[Ducktales]

yearning heart - i have everything crossed for you tomorrow
pinkie - how are you doing ?
minxy - i'm sorry - big hugs
blyth and 2have4 - i have everything crossed for Athens - hopefully you can get a nice relaxing time as well (though i know it is hardly relaxing, all this stuff)
Melbram - how are you?
I know that mummy has two poorly little babies so probably hasnt been on for a bit
I know i have been crap - i just dont get the time to use the internet at the moment.

AFM, Ilana is now 5 1/2 months and getting really big.
April 5th 13 was our ET day and as the day passed and every day since she was born i feel very lucky - I know what a struggle all of us have been and have gone through - i feel certain and positive that all of us lovely ladies on this thread will get their BFP's very soon.
Good luck to everyone and I can't wait to hear the updates

 

[YearningHeart]

Ducktales - wow your I can't believe how much your daughter has grown!! Time flew! She is gorgeous
It's lovely to see BFP especially from those who have been TTC for long or been through a struggle. I hope everyone's dreams come true, it's just it takes some longer than others, I hope tomorrow is a happy day for me.. All my pain and struggle will feel worth it, iv had a hard 2ww well near the end anyway.

Take care. Xxx

 

[MinxyChick]

Good luck yearning. I have everything crossed for you.

Hi Duvktales - you are a busy lady with a little one now. I've kept in touch with Mummy, must be really tough with 2 ill little ones. Loving your Facebook piccies. Time does fly. Fingers crossed this time next month we'll be in Athens for FET

 

[YearningHeart]

Hey minxy - thought I will quickly update. I got a BFP, I had the blood test today, got my first scan in 3 weeks. Hoping that goes well. I'm still in shock, I still don't believe it, hope things work out for you. X

 

[Pinkie 33]

Hi everyone

Yearning - FAB NEWS So pleased for you, wishing you a happy and healthy 9 months xx

Minxy & 2have4kids, I've been following your trips on FB, I love the Greek Islands although I've never been to Athens. Your clinic sounds fab. I'm sending you both all the luck in the world for your cycles, you both deserve this so much xXx

How is everyone else?

AFM, all is going well thanks. Still have moments where I cant believe this has happened for us after everything we've gone through and I expect something to go wrong I bought a Doppler to reassure myself I'm seeing the midwife on Tuesday and next scan is 15th July (21 wks) and then every 4wks after that. DH is busy trying to build us an extension! Big hugs lovely ladies