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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

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Original poster

Slow hcg which is now doubling

16 replies

edibletreats · 15/02/2021 10:14

Hi ladies,

I have come from one of the IVF threads.

I had a fresh transfer of a 3 day embryo on 24 Jan. My hcg levels on 4th of Feb came back as 50. So borderline ok'ish.

But following that they were very slow to rise:
6 Feb - 55.5
8 Feb - 74.6
And then starting doubling:
11 Feb - 191.0
14 Feb - 500+ (can't remember exactly as was told over the phone)

I am going back for more bloods tomorrow. They did do a scan yesterday too and though they saw something in uterine. But too early to tell. I was scared of ectopic having had one last September but they couldn't see any sign of one. Although I guess it cannot be definitely ruled out yet.

I guess my question is could that initial slow rise be a blip/late implantation? I know the levels are generally on the low side of normal. Has anybody been in the same boat?

OP posts:

Becky105 · 19/02/2021 22:13

Hi @edibletreats how's things going with you?

Original poster

edibletreats · 20/02/2021 11:50

Hi @Becky105

Still in a bit of limbo i’m afraid. Hcg stopped doubling, went in last Thursday and it was 800-something. The still couldnt see anything on the scan. Both the nurse and the consultant said its not a viable pregnancy and they can’t yet rule out an ectopic. I’m going back on Tues for a follow up.

How about you, how are you doing?

OP posts:

Becky105 · 20/02/2021 12:05

I'm so sorry to hear that you still don't have clarity on what is going on and heartbroken to hear that it isn't a viable pregnancy. I had everything crossed for you.

I'm still awaiting my first initial appointment in March so nothing to report from my end.

Sending you all my love and support.

Original poster

edibletreats · 21/02/2021 08:53

Thanks @Becky105, that’s very sweet. Best of luck for next month, hope it all goes smoothly.

OP posts:

Beaglemum91 · 21/02/2021 10:52

@edibletreats just wanted to check in and saw this. Really sorry about that result! I hope they figure our what's going on so you can start to move forward. Have been thinking of you x

Original poster

edibletreats · 21/02/2021 15:27

Thanks @Beaglemum91. Did you have a follow up appointment with ABC? Hope you have figured out a way forward.

OP posts:

Beaglemum91 · 21/02/2021 15:43

@edibletreats yes we did last week. They said everything with me seemed fine but they have told DH to go on anti oxidents and reduce his abstinence. Looks like it could be a dna frag issue causing the embryos to not develop. They said we can go ahead when we're ready again so probably going to try for April.

Original poster

edibletreats · 21/02/2021 20:27

Ahh that’s good. I hope I can try for April but all depends on how the current situation goes. Maybe we can be IVF buddies once again :)

OP posts:

Beaglemum91 · 21/02/2021 21:38

@edibletreats that would be nice! They told me that there was no set time to start again and people do go again right after their next proper period but we want to give the anti oxidents time to take effect.

Original poster

edibletreats · 23/02/2021 15:08

Hi @Beaglemum91

Hope you are well,

I just wondered if you had considered going with another clinic for your next cycle? I'm kind of in two minds (although no closer to any answers on my situation as yet).

One the one hand they have your case history and its added expense to go with another clinic and back through the whole consultation and testing process again.

On the other, and I think you are in the same boat as me, given I don't have any underlying issues other than tubal factor and I had a really good number of follicles as well as my husband producing a 'good' sample on the day, I would have expected more than 6 eggs retrieved. And definitely more than one embryo given that it was ICSI which has an 80-85% success rate.

Appreciate that its sometimes just the luck of the draw and I'm probably a bit miffed that for all intents and purposes this cycle hasnt worked for me and I have no frozen embryos to fall back on but I just wondered if you discussed any of this with them and have they indicated that they will do anything different with regards to the protocol next time?

OP posts:

Beaglemum91 · 23/02/2021 15:16

@edibletreats I see what you mean. I we're not considering it yet. I have no issues but I did only have an AFC of 12 and they said they would expect to get 5 eggs but got 8 and 7 mature so I think it worked for me. Our issue is purely my DH as his sperm is so poor and we now suspect the dna frag issue as that can reduce fertilisation and development. I doubt anywhere else would be able to do much more but I have considered a clinic just outside London that has a new innovative sperm separation method based on dna frag. If we fail again and have similarly bad embryos (and a bad dna frag test result) I may look at moving there as the drive won't be much more than it is now, but it would cost a lot more so we would need to save for longer or get financial help/loan, though hopefully get more success. ABC we're good at our review and went over everything with us from our treatment, right from how I responded, how the eggs were, how the developed and the outcome to help us understand possi le areas to improve. She said everything with me seemed fine and no changed needed but some gor DH as we expected so I think we want to try that woth them first and see what happens.

Original poster

edibletreats · 24/02/2021 09:30

@Beaglemum91
That's useful to know. I will discuss this all with them but will probably try them for another cycle although the earliest I could probably do is May.
The price point is another bonus as we are doing a big house renovation at the moment and there is just not enough cash around to consider a more expensive option right now.
I'll suggest perhaps using something other than Bemfola this time as I don't think I responded that well to it. I seemed to be on it for ages!

I'm getting ahead of myself a bit as although my EGU have told me that my pregnancy is not viable we haven't discussed termination and I have so far not miscarried naturally. I go back next week to see the consultant to make a decision as to how to proceed.

OP posts:

Beaglemum91 · 24/02/2021 09:44

@edibletreats sounds like a plan. I guess they want to wait to be able to do an US to see what's going on first? By next week they should be able to see of something is there and if not what may have happened and want to confirm first before risking anything.

I'm sure they will go through it all with you snd discuss changes to medication. They may just put you on a higher dose initially to stimulate more follicles early on so there are more at a good size for EC? See what they say as they know what they're doing and I'm sure they've seen it all!

Hiw are you feeling generally? Must be hard being in limbo.

Original poster

edibletreats · 24/02/2021 10:12

It is - part of me really hopes I start bleeding naturally and so I can just move on and figure out timelines going forward etc.

Its so crazy when you go from spending so much time wishing and hoping to be pregnant to essentially hoping for a miscarriage so that you can get some closure and move on. This journey is just a bit of a head f* isn't it.

I'm hopeful, as I know I can get pregnant and therefore I will - it's just a matter of when. But its also so frustrating as the last couple of times I have been SO close to it happening only to have it taken away.

I really hope the next time it happens everything is textbook and I actually have a chance to be positive and happy. All this worry and uncertainty is draining to say the least.

OP posts:

Beaglemum91 · 24/02/2021 11:06

It really it and full of so much uncertainty. Dh is finding it very hard (wish he'd talk more!) Because he gets really deflated after getting his hopes up and I think he thought that ICSI would solve our issues and it would just happen, then then it didnt he lost all hope and positivity and wants to leave all the decisions up to me. Hard to stay positive for 2 people and hard to make decisions when really you have very little control over anything!

Original poster

edibletreats · 24/02/2021 13:38

yes I totally get you. My husband is on board with everything but is happy with me to take the decisions which is fine. I think he feels like his part in all this is very small which it kind of is.

Also he has a lot less invested in it all. We have a 4yr old daughter who we obviously adore and although he wants another child, if it never happened I don't think he would be devastated whereas I would find it SO much harder to come to terms with that. He also got a bit scared when I had the ectopic so he just doesnt want to be in a place where my health is being jeopardised.

Its a funny old journey isn't it. In some ways I think it brings you closer together as a couple but I also think there are aspects of it that only another woman would truly understand.

OP posts:

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