Due to start Stims any day now…! Anyone else?

[ivfjourneyandme]

Hi all,

I know there is a November thread but most ladies seem further ahead. I’m waiting for AF to show (4 days if she behaves) and then start stims

This is my first cycle so would love to go through this with as many as possible.

36yr old, AMH 1.9, AFC 3 and severe MFI. We’re having IVF with ICSI, DP is providing a sample next week as well to be frozen as a precaution incase he doesn’t produce many on the day.

Much love to all the incredibly brave ladies on this journey ❤️

@OrientalPinkLily yes, I believe July will be when my next transfer happens.
Interesting that your clinic doesn't do bloods, but then again, a scan is much more exciting

@Omgdnswv if it's a good one, it will be very exciting, I agree. However, the bloods show if the pregnancy progresses well, earlier. But it's fine, I can wait.
Keep me posted on your results please and I'll let you know how I'm getting on.

@Omgdnswv my official testing day today and I had a positive with a strong line. The line got a lot darker today, I guess that's why the clinic asks us to wait for 2 weeks after transfer, it's clear positive now.
No blood test as I told you before.
I am booked for a 7wk 4day scan on the 18th of June. I am currently 4wks 4days pregnant.

I can't believe it worked with my poorest quality embryos. One of them was a 3/10 and the other was 5/10 and I remember the embryologist asked me if I wanted them frozen or should discard them 😮 and I chose to freeze 🥹

I was so sure it wouldn't work because of all the above and my 2 failed transfers. I know it's still early but at least one of them has stuck!
I'm not great at giving advice but hang in there @Omgdnswv it really can be successful so randomly and unexpectedly.
Ivf is such a brutal process with soooo many downs, requires so much patience.

I know we only spoke yesterday but do you by any chance have your clotting results back?

@OrientalPinkLily I'm glad it worked for you, I did say that embryo quality only goes so far, otherwise first attempts would be much more successful than any other tries as they start with the best ones.

I don't have my results yet, no. It's only just been two weeks, so I guess the results are about ready and just need to be sent out. I'll let you know when I find out.

@OrientalPinkLily so it's not a problem with blood clotting. I had the letter today (was out all day and only just saw it coming back maybe an hour ago).
All looking normal and no genetic markers for Factor-V-Leiden or any of those other potential issues.

The killer cell and plasma tests will take a while longer

@Omgdnswv are you happy with the result or were you hoping it'd be a blood clotting issue so that you get some answers as you've mentioned before?
I think its good you don't have blood clotting issues, it could make any potential pregnancy more complicated and higher risk?
Yes, another 2-3 weeks you said for the killer test and plasma.
How are you feeling?

@OrientalPinkLily I know its good that I don't have a clotting issue.
A womb infection can be treated with antibiotics, but I recently had a course of antibiotics after a wisdom teeth removal, so wouldn't that mean that there's no infections in me? And the killer cells thing would need transfusions every few weeks, which seem to be a pretty new sort of treatment that looks good but there's not much data on the success rates.

I guess I just hope to find something that can be fixed or worked around so that it explains why it hasn't worked yet and means that the next transfers are like a new start.

But I'm not really disappointed with the results. I just need to be patient

@Omgdnswv i guess not all the antibiotics treat all infections? I wouldn't rule this one out.
Yes, it will be good to find something that could potentially be causing the unsuccessful transfers but if you find that youre perfectly healthy, its still good, because then you'll know you're in the numbers' game and that it will happen if you keep trying?
Also, your embryos (like mine) were not genetically tested, this could also be a factor.
How long were you TTC for before you started IVF?

@OrientalPinkLily I was wondering about the genetic testing of the embryos, but it seems top grade ones are very unlikely to the abnormal. It's the medium to bad grade ones where it's more common.
We're about to reach the 4 year mark since we started ttc.

@Omgdnswv i didn't realise genetic testing and embryo quality were related.
I've not read any scientific articles on it, but I have countless stories of people who got their 10s and 9s as aneuploid and their 5s and 4s as euploid. Of course, the size of the data is small because its only what I've read online but shows that it happens.

@OrientalPinkLily im not sure, it came up somewhere online when I went down a Google rabbit hole. My clinic didn't seem to think it necessary yet and for now I think I agree. Either it's one of the new tests that has the answer or we just had bad luck with the odds.

And we've also had our own chromosomes analysed before we started ICSI and there were no translocations. I don't know if that means we have less risk of aneuploids or if that's something completely different.

@Omgdnswv I'm not sure, it possible shows where you could pass something to your kids. We didn't do that. My partner only had a genetic test, when we first discovered our infertility issues. I remember it was only to see if his infertility was genetic, which wasn't. Other than that, we didn't do any other genetic testing so I wouldn't know.

@OrientalPinkLily I got the results of my biopsy today. My plasma values are fine, but it does seem I have too many killer cells. So now I have to find out where I can get a lipid transfusion every few weeks during early pregnancy as the fertility clinic say they can only do the transfusion during the transfer but not the regular ones after (my Gynecologist won't offer it, GP needs to check with the doctor and find out as they haven't heard about it before).
I'm feeling really weird now, kinda want to cry but I'm not sad. It's an answer and something that can be done, but it's definitely one of the more complicated ones to treat and I can't find much info on what the success rates are.

How are you doing?

@Omgdnswv I also needed lipid I had one on day of transfer but like you was unable to find somewhere to continue, it shouldn't be this hard, I'm under the recurrent miscarriage team however things are just going so slow and by the time anything is actioned I know they will just say I'm now too old

@camelinastorm that's terrible, I'm so sorry to hear that.
I guess that's why my clinic advised me to start looking ahead of time. I just don't understand why it's so difficult, it's just an IV and the lipid solution doesnt sound rare either.
I'm hoping my GP will be okay with it, after all I'll be paying for it anyways so shouldn't really be much of a bother to them.
If not I guess I'll have to look around some more, or maybe my clinic can advise, they must have had enough other patients that had to find somewhere to do it.

Are you still looking for somewhere to administer it for the next try?

@Omgdnswv ok! As you say, you've got an answer. The fact that they offer the test, should mean that there is a solution? Let's see what your GP says and I hope that the clinic will be able to advice, you won't be the first one with many killer cells, there must be precedent.
What are the next steps then? Waiting to find out where you'd be able to do the lipid transfusion and then start your next FET?

@camelinastorm from memory you did your last transfer in Cyprus? Is that correct? Is this also where you had the lipid transfusion? Is it more difficult to find a solution in the UK?

@Omgdnswv I have been having bleeding/spotting the past week. It comes and goes. I called my clinic and they said to monitor it and go to A&E if I bleed a lot. I've not bled much so I've not been. I have my scan on Wednesday 18th when I'll be 7wks4days but I am really very worried about it due to the continuous spotting. I must say I'm a nervous wreck, not the best time of my life as I thought it would be when I got a positive test. Anyway, I'm holding my breath and waiting for the scan.
It's also my bday today, turning 39...

@OrientalPinkLily sorry to hear about the spotting and it worrying you so. From what I've heard it's quite common to have spotting in early pregnancy and it probably isn't an issue (although I know I would be worried too, you just can't help it especially when it's been so difficult to even get to the positive test).

My GP can't do it, they don't want to be responsible for administering a treatment that they themselves don't really understand. However, my previous GP who my husband still goes to, said that they should be able to do it. I'm a bit worried because they don't know what it entails so I worry about them changing their mind later on, but Monday I have a phone call with the clinic about when my next checkup is and then I can ask in more detail how it all works and can hopefully explain and make my case at the GP.
I've spent some time on forums searching for other people's experience with intralipid transfusions, and many solved the problem by finding nurses or other medical staff that they know privately and asked to do it. I've been racking my brain and I know one person who works in elderly care, one person who's in physiotherapy, and one person who is some sort of doctor specialising in old people problems but I'm not sure what. So I have backup plans on who to ask should the GP not be able to after all.

@camelinastorm do you not know anyone with medical experience? I didn't think I did until I realised I only went through friends and family in my mind but not friendly acquaintances through different hobbies

@Omgdnswv I have read that spotting is common too. But some days its a bit more than a little spotting and more red and it is also going on for a week, not stopping completely. Anyway, not much I can do but wait.

Ok, sounds like there are some options hopefully the GP will not change their mind... hopefully your call with the clinic on Monday will clarify things.

@OrientalPinkLily how was your scan? Did the spotting stop?

I've got my checkup late next week to see if everything looks fine to start again next cycle and they said there's a letter to the doctor which explains the whole transfusion thing, so I'll be able to go to the doctor with it ahead of time to double check they'll do it. If not I have a few other doctors in town I could ask and if that fails I know one doctor (but different specialisation) privately who I could ask

@Omgdnswv when do you think you'll see the doctor to discuss tensfusion? Begore or after your check at the clinic?

my scan went very well. The spotting lasted for about a week, maybe a little longer. I went for the scan and we talked about the bleed and they started explaining to me what could have gone wrong, I was all negative.
But they found 2 embryos with good heartbeat! One is measuring bang on time and the other one is 5 days behind.
I am now discharged from the clinic and have my midwife appointment on Tuesday. Both me and my partner can't believe it!
They did explain that it is very early and there is the vanishing twin syndrome where one of the two gets absorbed and not seen in future scans but for now I am pregnant with twins.

@OrientalPinkLily oh wow, congratulations again then!

The transfusion will either be discussed at the check up or I'll get a letter beforehand

@Omgdnswv thank you!! 😊
I hope everything will go smoothly for you and that you'll find an easy answer for the transfusions x
Fingers crossed, next cycle will be your successful one!

@OrientalPinkLily So I got the letter and had my check-up. Everything looks good and I'm just waiting for my period. Another new thing is I've been given some paperwork on Embryo Glue to decide if I want to add that as apparently it can help with repeated implantation failure. The statistics on it are a bit thin and seem to mostly apply to women in their late 30s or with non-optimal embryos, but on the other hand I feel like I might want to just throw everything I can at it. I don't feel like I have the mental capacity to think about it today.

Transfusion wise, getting the meds is no problem as the pharmacy at the clinic has it in stock (I actually already have the intralipid, ready to take with me for the transfer next month). Worst case I'll just always have to drive there to get it as they are in a building with around 12 specialist doctors, so they have unusual things in their stockroom which normal pharmacies would first need to order, potentially from far away.
I stopped by the GP on the way back with the letter and the lipid, just to show them what it is and what I would be providing myself and what they would need to provide, and he said that they can do it, he only needs to know for how long the IV is supposed to run, which I can easily ask when the clinic does the one during the transfer.

I now feel quite drained and had a little cry when I got back home. I'm not even sure if it was a sad cry or a stressed cry or if I was crying because I had been worried about it for so long and it now seems to be over (or rather replaced by the worry if the next transfer will work).

Please tell me that once I am pregnant all the stress and worry will fade and I won't be constantly thinking about what else could go wrong. Are you starting to feel secure or confident in the pregnancy now that you've had the scan and the spotting has stopped?

@Omgdnswv it all sound good! I'm so happy you have a solution for the transfusions! Seems like you've got it sorted!
Is it a long drive if you decide to drive there to get it?
Might have been cry of relief as you now have answers and you know what the next steps are?!
I wi have all my fingers crossed for your next cycle to be successful!!

Embryo glue was the only thing I did consider using but I didn't in the end as I strongly believed that my embryos were not good and I'd have to have another round of IVF and I would save it for then.

I am a lot more relaxed now, I can't hide that I still have negative thoughts, I'm thinking one of my twins might vanish but positive thoughts are dominant. Plus, I'm so tired that I sleep most of the day (when I'm not working), so, not much time to think...
I had my 1st midwife appt yesterday where they do some initial tests and put all info on the system, it was all good. I will have my 12 week scan at some point end July but it feels like ages away. Time seems to go by so slowly...

@OrientalPinkLily It's about half an hour to drive there, but I have family in the next town over, so could potentially combine it with a visit. If the transfer works then the next transfusion would be shortly after the blood pregnancy test, so I'd be there for that anyways.
I'm glad to hear that you are feeling alright (even if very tired).