Assisted conception after recurrent miscarriage part 5

[Mel3062]

Hope this is right ladies ...

Hello all.

I'm not sure if some of you remember me from the Pred threads. I still read this thread occasionally to see how you are doing. I'm cheering you all on and so pleased about duggs' good scans. I've heard such good things about Serum and had a very good service from Penny when I did infection testing through there that I will hope this will be the answer for those of you going there.

AFM, I am 16 weeks pg after my 4th cycle of IVF. It didn't go well - mild stimms, 4 eggs, only 1 still going by day 3 and it was very slow - just 5 cells. But by some miracle it seems to have got this far, although I am not counting my chickens and still can't quite believe that this might work out for us. None of our cycles gave any indication as to why it didn't happen for us naturally.

Wow.... Euro hick! Amazing news so pleased for you. Hopefully belly d and pebbles and sue and ari will get some positive news over the coming few months and we can all move on with life. So so pleased... Can I ask where you were successful in the end? Breezy is well into second or maybe even third trimester after a good round at the lister I believe too.....

Yey euro chick lovely news congratulations
And me duggs and me ;)

Thanks mel.

Duggs we were at Create. We did 3 rounds there and then went for a consultation at CRGH and were very impressed by them, so we were going to move for one last round with lots of extra tests and everything thrown at it this Spring after a bit of a break. We took a last minute decision to do one last relatively low stress, low drug round at Create, squeezing it in before Xmas, and to our utter astonishment, it worked.

That's great news about breezy. I hope and believe that we will ALL get there in the end, by one route or another.

Hello all! Just popped on to see how you are all getting on.
duggs fantastic news about your scan measuring bang on for dates and a perfect HB. I really, truly hope that this is the one that sticks. I have everything crossed for you!

Ari wow, good on you for being so determined and not letting anything stand in your way. Sounds like you have had amazing treatment over at Serum. Let's hope this is the cycle that works out for you.

pebbles glad to hear you are starting the ball rolling with Serum. And echo what duggs says that hopefully you, belly, ari, mel, sue and brown get some good news in the very near future.

Euro I thought I had seen a few posts from you over on the pregnancy boards. Congratulations! I did a cycle at the Lister, full on highest stimms and only got 2 eggs! One of them miraculously stuck thanks, I believe, to 3 rather £££ infusions of IVIG.

AFM I am almost 39 weeks so just waiting to see when she will put in an appearance. No signs of anything happening yet, so am keeping myself busy crocheting blankets and silly little toys. It's quite sad but I am really enjoying it and it is so satisfying when you complete something, even if it is rather unique looking!!

Crickey breezy almost there! Yes Me and you of course although wasn't sure if euro knew you from the start of the thread when it kicked off almost 3 yrs ago? So yes you Mel and anyone else still waiting and fighting to become a mum on here. It might actually seem to possible for us all either through finally getting the lucky egg or finding alternative solutions it seems - I just think some of us had 3 to 6 mths in our heads when we first came onto this thread rather than 3 to 6 years!

Actually this thread is a spin off of the pred one anyway so isn't that old!!

euro Great to see you back with such good news, just goes to show that it really does take just that one right egg to work! And breezy OMG you're 39 weeks already? Where did the time go, it doesn't seem five minutes ago you got your BFP! :)

Well I've been on the pred thread almost right from the beginning, and it does seem like half a lifetime I have to say. As you say duggs it never, never occurred to me it would take this long, nor this much money, to get somewhere - not that I have yet! I was so darned naive when we decided we'd have a baby, I just thought, well I know I'm a bit older than I was when I had DD (I was just turned 42) so perhaps it will take a bit longer, maybe a few months to get pregnant. And when I did fall pregnant after 6 months, I thought that would be it, miscarriage never even entered my head. I'm not sure, if I had known then what I know now, whether I would have continued with the quest. I have determination in spades, we all do here otherwise we wouldn't still be here, but I'm still not sure I would have carried on with it all.

duggs Yes this was double donor, Penny told me that both the donors are very well known to her and both 'very proven'. Which basically means if this doesn't work then it really is down to the fault of my cr@ppy body! Still, we'll see, being positive right now. :)

breezy Wishing you all the luck in the world for the birth of your beautiful baby, and may you and your OH enjoy every moment of her. Do pop on here and let us know how it goes.

pebbles meant to ask, did you get your form in yet?

Well like you say Ari as both are "proven" then your chances are v v good. But if for whatever reason things don't work out you will know you have done absolutely EVERYTHING in your power to get another baby. There has to be something in knowing that...BUT for now let's give positive vibes to that little embryo inside you. Yes pebbles how are you getting on? X

So glad it all went well Ari, hope you have plenty to keep you occupied during the waiting. So you had three blasts put back, wow! Did you have three last time?

Hey Euro great to hear your news and hope it all goes well for you.

Great to hear from you to Breezy and lots of luck with the birth. You ladies give me hope that maybe the rest of us can get there one way or another!!

Well Ari & Duggs didn't finish it off at weekend so getting oh to fill in some of his bits tonight and emailing if. How soon did Penny get in touch with you? Does she always make you have Aqua scan hysteroscopy? Not sure my belly button can cope with another one!

Yep pebbles, 3 put back last time too. But with OH's DNA onboard, my body would have been fighting them right from the word go, so I'm much more hopeful for these embies than I was for the last. Strangely I'm actually really chilled about this one, I'm not stressing at all. Weird, really.

Penny works unbelievably silly hours so even though she is inundated with emails she tends to respond pretty quickly, bless her. She gave me the biggest hug when she saw me on Saturday, what consultant has ever done that over here - certainly never to me! I believe she always suggests an aqua scan so that she can have a good look at what's going on inside you - as I've mentioned before I think the scans over here do tend to miss a heck of a lot. She only recommends an hysteroscopy if she sees from the aqua scan that it's needed, I know several ladies who had the aqua scan but were then told they didn't need anything more. I would say though, the hysto is well worth it if you've had miscarriages before - ERPCs especially do often leave scarring over here, as I know personally! Plus the Greek hystos add in deep implantation cuts which last up to 6 months, which really do seem to help. Your belly button won't feel a thing, honest ;)

Penny is so gentle with her scans I didn't feel hardly a thing with the aqua scan she did for me (I felt more during the one I had done last month at the LFC in London), and I felt very little during the ET too (I've heard sometimes this can be uncomfortable).

Well I would just like to say my path lab are just lovely, they've agreed to do my second hCG/progesterone bloods on a Saturday when they don't usually take blood on Saturdays. I'm ahead of myself here, but in the spirit of my boundless positivity for this cycle I've booked an appt for my OTD on Thu 27th and repeat for Sat. Of course I won't leave it to chance, I will test with the usual FRER (dreading that, I tell you!) first and have arranged they are ok for me to cancel the blood test if it turns out to be unbelievably negative. :) Covering all bases, me! But it's really extra decent of them to do a special run for me on the Saturday, what nice people.

pebbles mention you're a friend of mine to Penny :)

Oh wow, exciting!! It's such a journey for us all :( I'm really thinking about serum or dr g for ivf if need be. Ice posted my dhea test off ;) takes about 3 days to get there?

Ari soo please everything went so smoothly over in Greece. I dream of a 12mm lining! Am keeping everything crossed for you, during the dreaded 2ww - we all extremely determined in our quest to become mummies, and you have provided so much helpful and useful information to everyone so selflessly, you really do deserve for this to be your time. Lovely of Penny to freeze your spare embies FOC.

Lovely to hear from you Breezy and Euro especially with such brilliant news. So happy for you both. Please let us know when your little ones arrive. Your success stories make me feel we should have persevered with a third IVF, but I am sure if our DE cycle works, I won't look back.

Pebbles good to hear you are almost ready to send the form off to Penny - It does help so much knowing that you are being proactive again, and Serum sound brilliant.

Duggs thanks for your lovely words. Feeling so positive about your pregnancy, this has to be the one for you.

Hi Mel good luck with your DHEA results. Brown hope you are doing ok?

Waves to any lurkers!

Thank you belly :)

pebbles .. get your form done?

Oh belly yes where r you up to now I forget? Come on pebbles let's get you up duffed by Easter Mel are you under dr G now..he is pretty hardcore so you are in the best hands he even worked with dr beer when he was alive..how long is the immune window that all the extra things you are throwing at it gives you honey?

Well form finally sent to Serum this evening as dh was out last night! interested to see what Penny recommends and keen to get things in motion. Ari I know I have pm'd you but just wanted to say thanks again for the advice and I said I had been recommended by you in my email.

Waves to everyone else.

Woohoo pebbles, fingers crossed that is your answer! :) Anytime, just ask if there's anything I can help with. Funnily enough I actually really enjoyed yomping out to Athens this time, was nice to do it during daylight hours! (was mad overnight trip the last two times)

Eek pebbles!!!
Yes duggs under dr g now v hardcore!
I've got to try naturally for 6 months then see what he says, prob ivf if hubby agrees :/
Dr g told me not to wait a year x

Great news pebbles you will feel like a weight has been lifted once you speak to pebbles Mel glad you r with dr G...you have everything covered. How r u feeling Ari? Sue what about you ? U ok? X

I'm good ty duggs ... actually I'm not fretting at all, just sailing along quite happily for once. :) Not feeling anything physically, but even that isn't phasing me as I know I get all kinds of twinges and things at any normal time that are nothing whatsoever to do with pregnancy, so I know full well even if I DID feel anything now it might be nothing at all. Strange I'm not mentalling at all this time round. I do reserve the right for that to change as OTD approaches, of course :)

How are you doing duggs? Still feeling queasy? When is your next scan?

Oops sorry pebbles meant you will feel better when you've spoken to penny ! Doooh ... I'm doing ok. 8+3 today and have booking in app. Next scan on Friday with dr S and second lot of intrallipids if the scan is positive. I have started to feel less queasy this last day or so - eating like a horse regardless. Oh well I think it's probably down to the chromosomes again whether this one makes it or not. Athens flights still booked for June so we will go to Greece regardless. Glad u seem to be taking things in your stride Ari so proud of you x

Well had a reply already from a lady called Katie, very thorough reply I must say! I have emailed to confirm but I think they want me to do the hidden infection testing first because of the inflammation from high nkc/tnf-alpha and they also said my pcos is probably exacerbating the inflammation too. Then it is a case of Aquascan/hysteroscopy and sperm dna fragmentation test for dh. They think I shouldn't make a decision re my own eggs/donor eggs until all this has been done but think I would still be keen for donor ones as higher chance of working and I just don't have the time/money left with own eggs. They are also talking about a pre treatment protocol because of the inflammatory immune issues. Pleased to get things going but looks like it will be a while before actually having ivf....guess it's my own fault for not doing these things sooner. Just got tired of being tested and treated for different issues and none of it making a difference!!

Anyway glad to hear you are nice and calm Ari and good luck for Friday Duggs.

I would say that hidden infection testing is well worth doing pebbles - I definitely do understand what you're saying about being fed up of tests and the further delay, but if it means you can help set your body up to be the best shape possible for your take-home baby, then it's got to be worth it. Ditto the DNA fragmentation test for your OH - although I would say if you find you have one or so of the hidden infections, he will most likely have it too, and the antibiotics (pretty hardcore) often improve the other half's sperm too. With the own eggs/donor eggs choice, you can actually do a tandem cycle at Serum if you want where you have both your eggs and donor eggs fertilised with your DH's sperm and then the best embryos are put back if you wanted to. Just something to bear in mind.

Definitely worth getting the inflammation under control first, even though it's a bugger having to wait.

duggs looking forward to more good news on Friday :)