Assisted conception after recurrent miscarriage

[duggs1976]

Hey super ovulators and those struggling with infertility after miscarriage this is where we are! Come on over ...

[buzzybee123]

duggs I'm hoping that is still too early for you

ari I am sorry, what are you going to do, take the shot??

[ChoccyPud]

Ari I'd take the rescue shots. What have you got to lose? Big hugs xx

[Pebbles73]

Duggs so sorry about the ovitrelle line, god it all messes with your head!! I would have a nice large glass of wine if I was you.

Ari so sorry to see your hcg results, you have been through so much and soo deserve this. I agree though re the hcg shot, if you have it at the ready it can't hurt. Big hugs.

[duggs1976]

Ari is LIT related to the DNA match by any chance?


www.carefertility.com/ivf/viewtopic.php?t=44086&sid=dcaf62ca510626d974082e354f6d8c5a

[duggs1976]

Yes wine is here.

[BellyD]

Ari so very sorry the results weren't what you were hoping for. It's so unfair. Perhaps when you speak to Penny she will be able to interpret all the results and give you a good idea of what to do next. You certainly sound as though there are still options. You also sound as though you are being incredibly strong.

Duggs sorry it was the bloomin ovitrelle but I'm with Ari, on no hint of a preg line until 12dpo.

Brown sounds as though you need a virtual hug too. Keep pushing for the Drs to get to the bottom of what is wrong with your DS. Sounds as though glandular fever a possibility.

[BellyD]

Sorry Ari crossed posts. I'd take the shots if I were you.

Enjoy the wine, Duggs.

[Arianrhod]

Thanks ladies - yes, I took the shot and will do the third on Sat and the follow-up blood test on Monday. It's just stringing out the inevitable that I hate - I'd rather cut my losses and deal with it now, rather than cling to some false hope that it might work and then have the second let-down when it doesn't.

Penny's exact words were "The HCG levels after 48h from a 1500 pregnyl injection are normally between 5-10 miu/ml in blood. Of course this depends on the woman, sometimes even lower and only very rarely you may see values of 20-25, this is why I don't feel like giving up at this point. If for example you had something around 9-10 two days before and now you have 30-40 (corrected) , then there is some hope as you understand. This is why I told you to carry on."

She also said, in a separate email, "Realistically we don't have much chance, But I don't see why not to do anything we can, it does not take much efforts...".

She has a point, and I accept it. It's just it would take a bleedin' miracle for this to be viable, and I stopped believing in miracles when I was little. As I believe I have said on previous faint-line BFPs (and was right!).

duggs Yes indeed LIT is one treatment for DQa matches and I have had two shots of it already, one from OH's blood (which was believed to be largely pointless, as it's - in my case - rather like injecting me with my own blood; but worth a try) and then one with my donor's, in the hopes that perhaps this would trigger an immune reaction to the donor portion of the DNA. Whether it's had any effect - well, who knows.

belly Unfortunately there aren't really options - unless I can magic up another £5K+ (which I have no idea how that would be possible) AND persuade OH it's worth spending so much money again (even less likely). I'm not saying my OH is tight ... but he is very, very choosy where he spends his money!

Anyway, me-whinge over, sorry to bring doom and gloom to our otherwise previously very positive thread. Thanks so much for your kind words, all of you. For now, I sit and wait ... and pray for the first-ever miracle in my life :)

/waves to everyone and duggs - since I don't drink anyway - have a large glass of something extremely alcoholic for me, will you?

[suemays]

ari. really hoping all our suspicions are wrong and that you do have a miracle. It just goes to show you that even with the right ingredients there are still no guarantees with conceiving.

duggs awful to get your hopes up again. I hate this merry go round so much. Lets try and focus on your up coming ivf treatment and not dwell on the disappointment this month.

belly my scan went better than expected as I have 5 small follicles on each side so 10 in total. My blood results were fine too. I have another scan tonight so am praying they have all grown. The nurse was very surprised and said it was a lot more than they expected given my low amh so I was pleased. Long way to go yet. I have had awful lower back pain which is a side effect.

Someone asked which treatment the ivf ladies are on so here's mine:

Short protocol at thames valley spire with egg collection and transfer at lister in Chelsea.
0.5 buserelin injection on day 1 and 450 menopur injection. Buserelin then drops to 0.25 from day 2.
I have also been on dexamethasone pills since day 21 of my last cycle to improve egg quality and no prednisolone. Still taking hydroxychloroquine, aspirin and all the vits etc.
Due to start heparin tonight and then will have my first intrallipid at egg collection at the lister.
If I get a bfp I will then get my next set of intrallipids at INS. This is purely down to price - if nlc could match the prices I would happily go there!

[buzzybee123]

just wanted to say thank you for all your support and advice, ari I really am hoping for a miracle for you, sadly i think my pregnancy is failing so I think its time to move onto adoption wishing you all the best ladies

[Arianrhod]

Oh no buzzy, what's up? Big hugs, hope (in the nicest possible way) that you're not right with your suspicions!

sue That sounds like a good number of follies to me. Just goes to show that AMH doesn't necessarily mean diddly squat!

I'm assuming my IVF protocol/treatment is a bit irrelevant to most people here as I did DE, although of course I'm happy to post it if anyone wants, obviously!

/waves to all

[Mel3062]

Well ladies I'm back and brought the sun with me :)
Ari- just been catching up and so sorry I really hope it turns positive for you.
Duggs- so sorry to hear your news it's so annoying and disappointing
Pebbles- have a great hol I felt better for some sun to lift my mood
Waves to you all
As for me- thanks ari it was so easy! Though got off bus too early but sorted it out!
Penny and serum are great and yes I got a goody bag too!! I had a nap in the waiting room and then on the metro to the acropolis amazing hardly any pain or bleeding!!
Well... Penny thinks its hormonal as I have low estrogen so wants me to take restravatol and 5 mg prednisolone to calm "the attacking soldiers" and maybe even neopagen injections ( where do I get them?)
Came back with the usual cycalar pills and antibiotics and antibiotics for oh for sperm and vitality!!
The op showed quite hard cervix so had that scraped abit for sperm to get in though it is post ovulation time. Also had a small uterus as had a line of something across it which they cut away so I do wonder If I had concieved whether they'd be room for a baby.
She expects me to have twins in a month or 2 and ive to email when pregnant to higher my nk treatment.
I also need my hcg and progesterone as a must ( though had that and still mc) so may ask mr s if I can increase it but don't think hel approve of me going to serum??
She said its worth doing dqa match and lad test though doesn't think that's too much of the problem.
So all in all a good experience that I doubt nhs would of been so thorough even though my sister did get called my mum ;/

[Arianrhod]

Welcome back mel. Ah, so you did the same as me, went to the Acropolis after your op! :) Glad you didn't get much in the way of pain or bleeding too, they're pretty amazing aren't they?!

That's interesting what you say about Penny recommending you take resveratrol for low oestrogen - I think that's possibly a problem of mine too, but I'm already taking resveratrol!

She expects you to have twins in a month??? Jeez, that's positivity! So has she told you to try naturally? Or are you doing IVF? Interesting what they found in your op, it's amazing how different everyone is!

Where to get neupogen - I can help with that, since I take that too. Do you need prices etc now, or is it something that you may need possibly in the future?

What sort of 'higher your NK treatment' did she suggest when pregnant, or will you find that out nearer the time?

Mr S may not approve of you going to Serum but you could always get prescriptions (for cyclogest, if you want it, or progesterone shots) from Serum and buy them here? Actually do you have to even tell Mr S you went to Serum? you don't have to mention your hysto to him if you don't want to!

Are you going to get DQa/LAD testing done? Mr S can order these, if you ask him (as I did) - you could just say you'd like to cover all possibilities.

[Mel3062]

No don't think ill tell him! Penny suggested dr gorgy for tests but may be easier for mr s to do it when we go.
I think restravtol is for the high tnf alpha rather than estrogen. She just said I need antibiotics/ immune therapy and hormone support throughout.
I think I need to contact her when pregnant as i need to take 5 mg pred whilst trying which is interesting to warn the nk cells off abit and then increase when pregnant but she said take pred for 30 days then stop so wonder if I just stop it for period then start again or continue if pregnant.
She said I don't need ivf.
We can't try for 10 days which I wouldn't as want my first period after mc but then all system go!
Yes ill get the dqa done as that's more ticked off, can't have much else left!
Seeing my results from
Nhs on Monday too.
Yes please about neopagen then I'm prepared though she said that before my scan result.
Thanks again ari and all of you for support xx
Fingers crossed for you

[suemays]

Scan not great as follicles are still small on one side and they couldn't see the other side. Will know more from blood test result tomorrow. Fed up.com!

[suemays]

buzzy sorry to hear your news. Are you bleeding?

[brownstag]

Buzzy, what's happening? Praying you're wrong.

[Pebbles73]

So sorry to read your news Buzzy and hope it turns out not to be the case.

Sue what a nugget after having such good news at the previous scan! Will they up your stimms?

Mel sounds like you had a positive experience and hope thier findings helps to get things going for you.

[Mel3062]

Buzzy so sorry to hear that :(

[suemays]

pebbles I am on the highest amount of stimms already.

[suemays]

Blood test results were fine for me so I am ok to carry on. Hopefully I will know more at my scan on Monday. Hoping that I have grown lots of lovely follicles on both sides.

buzzy would you try ivf with your own eggs? I remember you said that your amh was low but is it as low as mine at 0.57? I know you must feel awful at the moment but is it really the end of the road? Of course I am not saying mine will be successful but some people have luck against all the odds. I guess it all depends if you can face going through it all again. Have been thinking of you and praying for a miracle with this one plus praying for ari too. Not that I am at all religious as I can't put faith in a god that lets us all suffer so much!

[buzzybee123]

sue its about money and the lack of it, if I had more money then I would have tried with my own first, but I don't enjoy this process and I am aware that I need to keep things in perspective, I have a nice little home, an amazing husband and cute little kitty. I don't want to end up in debt, selling my home, losing my husband for a dream that I can fulfill in other ways, we have a frostie and then adoption or we adjust and just be the two of us.

I don't think I could emotionally and psychologically keep doing this with out it having an affect on me. I am nearing the end of my baby journey one way or another

Good luck with your scan on Monday

[suemays]

buzzy that makes perfect sense, I have some days when I wish I could stop and be happy with what I have too. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[buzzybee123]

sue my moods change day to day, I am counting down the days till I can stop the meds so I can feel 'normal' again, I've already gone up a dress size hope the scan goes well today

ari thinking of you

[Arianrhod]

buzzy ... how are you doing? Do you know for definite there are problems, or is it gut feeling? Is it worth getting hCG tested and tracked to see what it's doing? Huge hugs, I feel for what you're going through.

sue How has the scan gone? Or about to go?

mel How are you getting on with the antibs? Make sure you're taking a good probiotic somewhere in between your two daily doses of antibs, to replace the 'friendly bacteria' the antibiotics will kill off!

Neupogen - right, well Asda is by far the cheapest place to buy this, £263 for 5 vials x 300iu (Serum give you 480iu vials, 5 for ?500), but there's a catch in that their supply is patchy at best. For example, at the moment I can't get any from our Asda because their central supplier can't get it. There does seem to be something of an issue getting neupogen generally, Penny told me even they have to order it in a while in advance. Next best is Central Homecare (the place we get Shehata's meds like gonal-f and ovitrelle) at £303 for 5 x 300iu vials, they will deliver for free and will accept an emailed prescription from Serum (apparently they do quite a bit of business with Serum). Healthcare at Home was a little bit more expensive than Central Homecare but also charge for delivery and require a hardcopy prescription. If I ever get to needing more neupogen (crossing fingers) I'll try Asda first, and then Central Homecare. I understand Rigcharm (Ali's) and various other chemists will stock this but then the price really starts going up. Hope that helps!

Everyone else, hope you're all enjoying the sunshine (pebbles are you in Spain now? if so then you'll be enjoying even more sunshine than we are!) and things are going well/as well as they can!

I had my repeat b-hCG and progesterone test done this morning; in 4 days hCG has gone from 54.6 to 228.0 and progesterone from 14.31 to 26.59. So theoretically it's done what it should, it has doubled and then doubled again, and the extra cyclogest appears to have done something, which is good. However, an hCG of 228 at the stage that I'm at - 18 days past a 5-day transfer - really isn't good, we all know that. Penny has said she's happy with this and that I shouldn't take any more hCG 'rescue' shots. She wants me to get my blood tested again but in 4 days, not 2 - she said we wouldn't bother doing it every 2 days.

You're all going to understand why I'm still not hopeful for this, I know you will - especially since we've been here and seen this before. My MC in Nov 2011 did exactly the same, with much the same levels, and I miscarried at 6 weeks. How can any pregnancy that starts off this low be a viable one? Anyway, I shall keep on with the plan, dutifully take my meds and my jabs and get tested on Friday morning, and we'll see what we see then.

/waves to everyone