Welcome to 'Trying To Conceive Over 35'

[never_give_up]

Was it too good to be true...

Yesterday was a nightmare
As we were leaving church I felt a gush (tmi alert) my heart sank when I went to the bathroom and saw red blood. Not just a little spotting either. Dh heard me yell NOOOOO. He rushed to me and hugged me and immediately took me to GBMC hospital. We didn't have time to eat lunch. Waited forever to be admitted and then they tried to do a reg u/s of course saw nothing. The midwife asked if I felt cramping and I didn't and she said that was good. The bleeding stopped. They checked my cervix and said it was firm and closed tight so I was not having a miscarriage. Waited four hours for vaginal sonogram. There was a yolk sac in the gestational sac but no fetal pole. The sonogram tech said I measured 5 weeks 2 days. She asked if my period was regular and I was sure of my dates. I responded that I thought I had ovulated late and had a big temp dip on the 13th Feb and had a beta of 35 on Feb 14th so I could have had a late inplantaion. I added that I didn't think I should be counting from my last lmp which would be 6 weeks 3 days. I was thinking more 5 weeks 5 days. She said that the bleeding was caused by a small tear in the placenta She said it is quite common to see only a yolk sack at 5 weeks 2 days ( my mind flashed back to my last miscarriage when they said I measured 7 weeks and they saw a fetal pole but no heartbeat. They were trying to make me feel better by saying maybe my dates were off).
Well this tech was not as sensitive. She said that I should try clomid. A friend of hers tried it and had twins. I told her that I had been through 2 ivfs and I want THIS pregnancy!! Her response made me feel like she didn't think this was a viable pregnancy. Yesterday was the 3rd March, the same day I miscarried exactly 3 years ago. Except I was 9 1/2 weeks. We waited to see the high risk OB who never turned up. Then we had to wait for Rhogam shot to be sent from pharmacy. I needed the rhogam shot because I am rh negative(A-) and Dh is rh positive (B+)It finally arrived at 9pm. It hurts much more than the trigger shot I was starving since I hadn't eaten since breakfast. My HCG was 3,329 so it's still doubling. However progesterone dropped from 62 to 19! I couldn't get the midwives to prescribe progesterone. I have 3 days worth of it here (from my last ivf) so started taking it last night. I am thinking the otc one isn't strong enough. Fertility clinic hasn't called me back. Since this is a spontaneous pregnancy I guess they don't want to be responsible. I still had refills for progesterone from last June but I doubt pharmacy will fill it since it's been 9 months. I am going to try and maybe they will call the nurse to check with her and she may just call me back?

I am waiting for the OBGYN office to call me so I can move my appointment sooner. A winter storm is on it's way. sigh.
Please keep us in your prayers. It's all in God's hands now.

 

[twiggers]

Oh no sweetie....my thoughts will be with you today. I hope everything is ok.

 

[alicatt]

Chantal! I'm so sorry Have you been able to get any further appointments to figure out what is happening? At the stage you were at, should you have had a fetal pole? I'm sending you lots of prayers and big


AFM - my news is not very good either. My lining went down further from 7.7 to 5mm. It no longer has its triple layer either So my FS cancelled my cycle. I'm to start provera and call them with my period. Next cycle we'll do Vivelle Dot patches instead. He was surprised that I didn't do well on the estrogen shots, as that usually creates the best lining, but apparently I'm different! There is little to no hope of having a 2013 baby now

 

[never_give_up]

Chantal! I'm so sorry Have you been able to get any further appointments to figure out what is happening? At the stage you were at, should you have had a fetal pole? I'm sending you lots of prayers and big


AFM - my news is not very good either. My lining went down further from 7.7 to 5mm. It no longer has its triple layer either So my FS cancelled my cycle. I'm to start provera and call them with my period. Next cycle we'll do Vivelle Dot patches instead. He was surprised that I didn't do well on the estrogen shots, as that usually creates the best lining, but apparently I'm different! There is little to no hope of having a 2013 baby now

Ali I am so sorry your cycle got cancelled I was also looking forward to you having your transfer. This is a trial so it will give them answers because we need them to do to do everything perfect when they transfer your precious embryos. Stay strong. You have healthy waiting for you.

Coy is Kat feeling any better?

Sam how are your follies today?

I am scared that our embryo is another poor quality one. The sono tech said that if I really am 5 weeks 2 days like I measure then it could be too early for fetal pole. This would also mean that the embryo took a whole week more than usual to implant? Because I charted my ovulation though I find it hard to believe that I am a week behind.
The high risk OBGYN scheduled another vaginal u/sound for tomorrow morning. They should see a fetal pole at 5 weeks 4 days. No bleeding since yesterday morning. Waiting for nurse to phone back about progesterone. Breasts are sore but no other symptoms like frequent urination or stretching in uterus. I used to be very ticklish but since I've been pregnant dh will tickle my armpits or feet and I hardly feel it. weird.

My mother in law said Mercury has been in retrograde since 23rd Feb and it will be till March 17th. She said alot of things go wrong. ugh.

 

[alicatt]

Chantal! I'm so sorry Have you been able to get any further appointments to figure out what is happening? At the stage you were at, should you have had a fetal pole? I'm sending you lots of prayers and big


AFM - my news is not very good either. My lining went down further from 7.7 to 5mm. It no longer has its triple layer either So my FS cancelled my cycle. I'm to start provera and call them with my period. Next cycle we'll do Vivelle Dot patches instead. He was surprised that I didn't do well on the estrogen shots, as that usually creates the best lining, but apparently I'm different! There is little to no hope of having a 2013 baby now

Ali I am so sorry your cycle got cancelled I was also looking forward to you having your transfer. This is a trial so it will give them answers because we need them to do to do everything perfect when they transfer your precious embryos. Stay strong. You have healthy waiting for you.
I am scared that our embryo is another poor quality one. The sono tech said that if I really am 5 weeks 2 days like I measure then it could be too early for fetal pole. This means also the embryo took a whole week more than usual to implant? Because I charted my ovulation though I find it hard to believe that I am a week behind.
The high risk OBGYN scheduled another vaginal u/sound for tomorrow morning. They should see a fetal pole at 5 weeks 4 days. No bleeding since yesterday morning. Breasts are sore but no other symptoms like frequent urination or stretching in uterus. I used to be very ticklish but since I've been pregnant he will tickle my armpits or feet and I hardly feel it. weird.

My mother in law said Mercury has been in retrograde since 23rd Feb and it will be till March 17th. She said alot of things go wrong. ugh.

Yes, I'm frustrated but at the same time I think that everything happens for a reason. Knowing that estrogen supplementation by shot does not work for me helpful. We will have to do something else instead. They have chosen patches which I have done in the past. So hopefully a more continuous dosing of estrogen will be what is needed to get my lining where it should be.

So by my calculations (which could be off) I think you are 5w4d today. So if the baby was measuring 5w2d yesterday, then it is only off by a day or so. I think you are just fine, just stay calm, and relax! Hopefully the OB tomorrow can see more and possibly the development of the fetal pole!

 

[never_give_up]

Thanks Ali I will try to stay relax. That would mean that I got first positive beta of 35 at 3 weeks! I so hope you're right. Well I'm not being seen by OB tomorrow just having a vaginal u/sound. Just hope their sonogram tech has a nicer bedside manner there!

While I was in the waiting area I heard 2 other ladies come in with bleeding and but they also had cramping and they were 7 and 8 weeks so they were bumped ahead of us. Maybe they were already patients there. We only went there yesterday because University of Maryland medical emergency is always so busy and thought we'd get through quicker there. Wrong we were there from 2-9! That is where I went when I had miscarriage. Brought back such bad memories when they put me in the exact same room #2 as 3 years ago. Not going back there!

....oooO.........
....(....)...Oooo
.....\..(....(....).
......\_)....)../..
.............(_/...
Remembering our angel.....
....It's been 3 years
since we said goodbye.....

 

[never_give_up]

I just read this on www.american pregnancy.org

Progesterone levels also can have quite a variance at this stage of pregnancy. They can range from 9-47ng/ml in the first trimester, with an average of 12-20ng/ml in the first 5-6 weeks of pregnancy.

With both hCG levels and progesterone levels, it is not the single value that can predict a healthy pregnancy outcome. It is more important to evaluate two different values to see if the numbers are increasing. Levels of hCG should be increasing by at least 60 % every 2-3 days, but ideally doubling every 48-72 hours. Progesterone levels rise much differently than hCG levels, with an average of 1-3ng/ml every couple days until they reach their peak for that trimester.

Maybe in Barbados they measure levels differently since it was 62? The midwife yesterday thought that 17 seemed more normal then 62. I just used the beta hcg doubling calculator and my hcg is doubling every 78 hours which seems ok for hcg of 3327.

 

[Grey Eyes]

Chantal- do what you can to boost your progesterone levels. I think they are fine for now but extra never hurts iykwim. My doc agreed with your assessment that levels vary, however he told me (in a nutshell) better safe than sorry. So scream and rant at a doc somewhere (you can swear if you want ) to get your progesterone. I agree with Ali on your dates- too early to detect a HB but sac, yolk--all normal.

 

[Grey Eyes]

Yesterday sounds like a nightmare I am sorry, I have been there and felt all of those emotions, it is a terrible place to be. You are afraid to hope but hate yourself if you don't have hope- almost as tho those feelings can cause your situation to improve or worsen. In a way it's like we are afraid of the lck of control. Having been there several times myself all I can say is-- look at this with as much hope and faith as you can. The sac and yoke are there and look good- that is very important! Remember that. Also- the placenta is in the developing stage and will developw rapidly over the next few weeks, o any tears should repair quickly. In the meantime you need to keep your progesterone levels up as your placenta can not yet produce the needed amounts of progesterone. It is essential to baby's survival. So wring somebody's neck if you have to Maybe I'll pop over and do it for you I am really good at pushing doctors around!

 

[alicatt]

Let us know how it goes Chantal!!!

AFM - I'm MAD Why didn't the Dr see that the shots weren't working for me? Geesh! We could have switched to patches and maybe saved this cycle. Instead I have to wait.. AGAIN. UGH. Now it looks like I won't get to transfer until the first week of May.

 

[Grey Eyes]

Ali-

I am MAD for you too! At first it looked as though the shots were working but as your progressed in your cycle it didn't do so great. Why would the patches work better? And it always seemed like you had an awesome lining in the past, I am trying to think what is different this time around...

 

[alicatt]

Ali-

I am MAD for you too! At first it looked as though the shots were working but as your progressed in your cycle it didn't do so great. Why would the patches work better? And it always seemed like you had an awesome lining in the past, I am trying to think what is different this time around...

I know.. I don't know what is up either. Since I've always had a good lining. I have taken the patches in the past, after ET to help maintain the lining since the corpus luteum doesn't do it properly after ER. The difference between the patch and the shot is that you do the shot 2 times a week, but the patch you wear constantly. I think perhaps my body metabolized the estrogen too fast and wasn't there to help the lining. I noticed that my hair and skin has dried out considerably in the past 2 weeks. Which could be due to the etrogen?

So we just wait and see how next cycle goes. If this doesn't work then I don't know what they will suggest?

 

[Grey Eyes]

Ali-

I am MAD for you too! At first it looked as though the shots were working but as your progressed in your cycle it didn't do so great. Why would the patches work better? And it always seemed like you had an awesome lining in the past, I am trying to think what is different this time around...

I know.. I don't know what is up either. Since I've always had a good lining. I have taken the patches in the past, after ET to help maintain the lining since the corpus luteum doesn't do it properly after ER. The difference between the patch and the shot is that you do the shot 2 times a week, but the patch you wear constantly. I think perhaps my body metabolized the estrogen too fast and wasn't there to help the lining. I noticed that my hair and skin has dried out considerably in the past 2 weeks. Which could be due to the etrogen?

So we just wait and see how next cycle goes. If this doesn't work then I don't know what they will suggest?

Hey, what about missing those doses for thyroid, would this cause an issue? I know with hair and such that it would....

 

[Philomena]

Was it too good to be true...

Yesterday was a nightmare
As we were leaving church I felt a gush (tmi alert) my heart sank when I went to the bathroom and saw red blood. Not just a little spotting either. Dh heard me yell NOOOOO. He rushed to me and hugged me and immediately took me to GBMC hospital. We didn't have time to eat lunch. Waited forever to be admitted and then they tried to do a reg u/s of course saw nothing. The midwife asked if I felt cramping and I didn't and she said that was good. The bleeding stopped. They checked my cervix and said it was firm and closed tight so I was not having a miscarriage. Waited four hours for vaginal sonogram. There was a yolk sac in the gestational sac but no fetal pole. The sonogram tech said I measured 5 weeks 2 days. She asked if my period was regular and I was sure of my dates. I responded that I thought I had ovulated late and had a big temp dip on the 13th Feb and had a beta of 35 on Feb 14th so I could have had a late inplantaion. I added that I didn't think I should be counting from my last lmp which would be 6 weeks 3 days. I was thinking more 5 weeks 5 days. She said that the bleeding was caused by a small tear in the placenta She said it is quite common to see only a yolk sack at 5 weeks 2 days ( my mind flashed back to my last miscarriage when they said I measured 7 weeks and they saw a fetal pole but no heartbeat. They were trying to make me feel better by saying maybe my dates were off).
Well this tech was not as sensitive. She said that I should try clomid. A friend of hers tried it and had twins. I told her that I had been through 2 ivfs and I want THIS pregnancy!! Her response made me feel like she didn't think this was a viable pregnancy. Yesterday was the 3rd March, the same day I miscarried exactly 3 years ago. Except I was 9 1/2 weeks. We waited to see the high risk OB who never turned up. Then we had to wait for Rhogam shot to be sent from pharmacy. I needed the rhogam shot because I am rh negative(A-) and Dh is rh positive (B+)It finally arrived at 9pm. It hurts much more than the trigger shot I was starving since I hadn't eaten since breakfast. My HCG was 3,329 so it's still doubling. However progesterone dropped from 62 to 19! I couldn't get the midwives to prescribe progesterone. I have 3 days worth of it here (from my last ivf) so started taking it last night. I am thinking the otc one isn't strong enough. Fertility clinic hasn't called me back. Since this is a spontaneous pregnancy I guess they don't want to be responsible. I still had refills for progesterone from last June but I doubt pharmacy will fill it since it's been 9 months. I am going to try and maybe they will call the nurse to check with her and she may just call me back?

I am waiting for the OBGYN office to call me so I can move my appointment sooner. A winter storm is on it's way. sigh.
Please keep us in your prayers. It's all in God's hands now.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you! You are not finished yet, though. It's early days and with your cervix closed tight, it might not be the end of this pregnancy... sending positive prayers your way, Chantal.... hoping you get reassuring answers quickly!
love phil.

 

[alicatt]

Ali-

I am MAD for you too! At first it looked as though the shots were working but as your progressed in your cycle it didn't do so great. Why would the patches work better? And it always seemed like you had an awesome lining in the past, I am trying to think what is different this time around...

I know.. I don't know what is up either. Since I've always had a good lining. I have taken the patches in the past, after ET to help maintain the lining since the corpus luteum doesn't do it properly after ER. The difference between the patch and the shot is that you do the shot 2 times a week, but the patch you wear constantly. I think perhaps my body metabolized the estrogen too fast and wasn't there to help the lining. I noticed that my hair and skin has dried out considerably in the past 2 weeks. Which could be due to the etrogen?

So we just wait and see how next cycle goes. If this doesn't work then I don't know what they will suggest?

Hey, what about missing those doses for thyroid, would this cause an issue? I know with hair and such that it would....

Possibly? But I have been taking my thyroid for several weeks now, and it seemed to start after I started taking the estrogen shot.

 

[AngelSerenity]

Girls I have a manic week on as I finish on Thursday so apologies for not doing personals. Once I finish I'll have plenty of time!

I just wanted to send big hugs to both Chantal and Ali .

Ali... sorry things didnt work out honey, praying your next cycle brings more positive results.

Chantal... can I just echo the rest, try and keep hopeful. In one of my pregnancies I had a big red bleed at 7 weeks, much like you described and all was fine. Praying for you xo

 

[never_give_up]

Ali-

I am MAD for you too! At first it looked as though the shots were working but as your progressed in your cycle it didn't do so great. Why would the patches work better? And it always seemed like you had an awesome lining in the past, I am trying to think what is different this time around...

I know.. I don't know what is up either. Since I've always had a good lining. I have taken the patches in the past, after ET to help maintain the lining since the corpus luteum doesn't do it properly after ER. The difference between the patch and the shot is that you do the shot 2 times a week, but the patch you wear constantly. I think perhaps my body metabolized the estrogen too fast and wasn't there to help the lining. I noticed that my hair and skin has dried out considerably in the past 2 weeks. Which could be due to the etrogen?

So we just wait and see how next cycle goes. If this doesn't work then I don't know what they will suggest?

Ali your doctor is really making things confusing! A thin uterus lining is usually caused by an inadequate blood supply or low estrogen levels. If you are taking estrogen it should be higher not lower? I would be mad at your doctor too. I am mad at the FS. I called their office the day after I got positive beta and told a nurse that I had a spontaneous pregnancy and asked if they could get me some progesterone and they never called back. They want me to do egg donor but I feel like they don't even care about me

 

[never_give_up]

Girls I have a manic week on as I finish on Thursday so apologies for not doing personals. Once I finish I'll have plenty of time!

I just wanted to send big hugs to both Chantal and Ali .

Ali... sorry things didnt work out honey, praying your next cycle brings more positive results.

Chantal... can I just echo the rest, try and keep hopeful. In one of my pregnancies I had a big red bleed at 7 weeks, much like you described and all was fine. Praying for you xo

Thank-you for all your encouraging words ladies.

Angel I thought about you when I was setting up my doc appointment in Barbados and my Mom told me to stop being such a worry wart. She said I already had a miscarriage why was I being negative thinking I might have another. I tried to explain that I have friends who have had several miscarriages and I just want to take every precaution. When the GP here made fun of me and said"You're pregnant it's not a disease" I thought she is so clueless as to what heartbreak women have to go through. She said she was 37 when she had her baby and she was stopping her feet because her doctor was treating her as high-risk because of her age. I am happy they are treating me as high risk because I would like everything possible to be done have a miracle baby.

 

[never_give_up]

Chantal- do what you can to boost your progesterone levels. I think they are fine for now but extra never hurts iykwim. My doc agreed with your assessment that levels vary, however he told me (in a nutshell) better safe than sorry. So scream and rant at a doc somewhere (you can swear if you want ) to get your progesterone. I agree with Ali on your dates- too early to detect a HB but sac, yolk--all normal.

Coy I asked the nurse who phoned from the OBGYN office to please get a prescription for progesterone. She said that she would ask the doctor if it was necessary. I told her that I am already taking otc and need something stronger. I told her that this was the first time I used progesterone after ovulation and I believe it is the reason implantation took place after 3 years if trying.

 

[AngelSerenity]

It's true Chantal that the same joy surrounding a BFP for anybody that has suffered a MC might not just be as joyous as the first BFP you get. I think what keeps me going on this journey is the end goal so just keep your eyes on that. I have many 'friends' on the RMC thread on here who cant even face announcing or celebrating a BFP as it means they are on that rollercoaster again, praying, hoping, dreading every twinge and toilet trip. I too feel this anxiety and dread but I have promised myself that I will celebrate every BFP in some way as they are all my babies, whether they make it or not. Even a yipee before the worrying starts, as long as that elated feeling is there I will continue persevering. I don't think I'll be giving it too many more goes though as a time may come when I need to face reality, I'm just not at that stage yet as I have a new care plan in place which I want to try out.


But KEEP POSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bleeds are common, you are early, and if you do not have cramps I am very hopeful your little one will thrive. I would send you my spare progesterone but I fear it would take too long to get to you?

xo