WWYD - PGS testing

[Lavienestjamaisjuste]

Hi all, hope you're all ok, brief history - TTC since Jan 2017, 3x natural miscarriages, 1x TFMR at 16 weeks following 1st ICSI transfer, endometriosis and morphology issues.
Have 2x embryos frozen (1 good, 1 not so good and likely wouldn't survive testing). Clinic suggest doing another fresh round but with PGS testing this time. However, neither the post mortem at 16 weeks nor the testing of our previous miscarriage revealed any chromosome problems (I.e. they were essentially 'normal', no Downs etc.) so I'm wondering what the benefits of PGS testing would actually be? Plus it's just been downgraded to red by HFEA which does concern me a bit. As an aside, the TFMR was because of a major lower abdominal defect, probably caused by a random misfiring DNA, which we've been told is incredibly unlikely to happen again...
Anyway, we are continuing to focus on egg and sperm quality with lots of supplements, no excess caffeine and zero alcohol, and I'll be taking high dose folic acid this time, but I'm just thinking we might be better off going in for the FET of our remaining embryos rather than completing a whole new fresh cycle - I'm struggling to see what we would gain from PGS, other than I guess ruling out another miscarriage from a chromosome/ genetic issue. The PGS won't be able to identify any defects, as in our last pregnancy.
I'm just so tired of it all, and I understand my consultant in that she would really like to avoid more miscarriages, but to my mind that's never a guarantee, and we could potentially save ourselves a lot of money..
Argh, I just really don't know, can't really talk to anyone IRL, so would be massively grateful for anyone's thoughts/experiences.
Hoping 2020 is your year! Because 2019 can quite literally fuck off...
Thank you xx

Sorry to hear about your previous cycle, must have been incredibly difficult to have two normal embryos not progress. I've had two ICSI cycles both ended in chemical pregnancies. Then spontaneously conceived twice, also ended in CP last year. Never had PGS before, mainly as we've never had more than 3 blasts on day 5.

I'm planning on perhaps having another cycle to collect some more eggs before transfer. Thought it might be a good idea to bank them now. My clinic is abroad so I'm waiting to hear back from them about when to start again - ideally start in a week or so.

I hope you can keep yourself distracted from symptom spotting, the tww is painfully long! Stay positive, will be rooting for you.

How are you getting on @Woodcottage1? Hoping some good news for you.

I've decided to go ahead with another cycle at the end of March when my ovaries would have had adequate rest. My clinic are very insistent on doing PGS again but I'm not so sure.

How so everyone else getting on?

Hi @Dia12, it’s going well thank you, positive at the moment, petrified it’s going to stop but praying it will stay. Great to hear your going for another round, please read the book ‘it’s about the egg’ or whatever it’s called and do acupuncture, I got such better results when I took the supplements for 4/5 weeks, removed plastic containers and had acupuncture xx

Oh wonderful news ☺️💕 I can imagine the nerves and the excitement. Keeping fingers and toes crossed for you!

Funny you mention supplements, I've just received my dhea, ubiquinol, melatonin, and proceive max.
I've taken dhea before but was only 25mg per day but intend to up it to 75mg.
Going sugar free, high protein for the next few months and hoping last push yields better quality eggs.

Oh and how often did you have acupuncture? Was it electrical? I did try it on my 2nd cycle but didn't feel it was doing much to help so ditched it.

Amazing @dia12, it made a massive difference to me the supplements, I just did dhea for about 5 weeks up to collection. Please check out this doctors videos, I’m a huge fan . If the positives stop I’m going straight back onto supplementation of dhea, and I read on one of the medical papers that a lower dose, I think it was 25, can be taken for 2 years continuously no issues. This doctor recommends 25 x 3 so what your planning is perfect. Like you I can’t really tell what benefit I get from acupuncture, but i do think it’s helping as I’m quite an anxious person. No just needles, but one person did have a testing thing that made a noise before she put them in, but my main one doesn’t, he specialises in fertility acupuncture, I get about 6 needles put in, it’s quite relaxing so I do like it. I’m having it once a week or every two weeks and then twice around the transfer day, up to 24 hours before and up to 24 hours after. I actually didn’t have any after the collection for a month and then had two sessions over 10 days and then the transfer day acupuncture. Also I removed plastic bottles and plastic containers second time round. Best of luck for you @dia12, please let me know how it goes, I’m routing for you xx

Ah thank you Woodcottage1. The video is really helpful, I've also emailed someone about acupuncture and perhaps give it another go.
Can only try! Fingers crossed for us all 🙏💕