WTH, we were once tossing around the idea of using PGD as we'd had three embryo transfers as part of our IVF treatment, three pregnancies and three miscarriages. Our FS actually advised against using PGD as he didn't think the extra expense was worth it and it couldn't test for all abnormalities... However, we don't have a history of trisomies like you do. I wish you every success in your treatment and hope that they manage to find the answers to the questions you have.
My story is a bit more like Baby Dreamtime's... Our first two stim cycles resulted in quite nasty OHSS. I ended up in hospital for a week and off work for a month with one of them, which was I think the milder case than the other where I stubbornly refused to go to hospital and toughed it out at home. We did not transfer those cycles, but sent all embryos to the freezer. However, we had crap thaw rates. From those two cycles we had a total of 52 eggs collected, a total of 11 blastocyst embryos, and only 3 of those embryos survived the thaw process. We have one other that may have, but I honestly believe it didn't (complicated story). All three embryos resulted in a pregnancy from those FET cycles, and all three embryos were miscarried. For our third stim cycle, I followed an extremely strict low-carb, low-GI, high-protein diet. I eliminated all junk from my diet, especially sugar... and it made the difference! We had our first fresh transfer! We had lower egg numbers (a relief!), and rather poor fertilisation rates as they took me to EPU slightly early to fully ensure that we avoided OHSS... We didn't avoid it completely, it developed with a positive pregnancy test and I'm now 21 weeks pregnant. Sorry for the ramble, I did just want to encourage you that the diet changes may be hell, but they are VERY worthwhile and I fully believe that they made all the difference for us.
I used PGD to avoid passing on a genetic condition. As far as what you experience as a patient, there is very little difference to standard IVF other than the expense, and also a bit more anxiety as the embryos grow and are biopsied, since most do not make it. We started with 12 eggs, but come biopsy time there were only 2 embryos that were suitable for testing. Both were OK and were transferred, and we have a son.
My Dr was strongly in favour of transferring 2 embryos - though that may not be the preference if you are having PGD for miscarriage problems rather than to avoid nasty genes.
Tam - Once you have put up a certain number of posts (I have not looked it up but I think it might be something like 30) you can send Private Messages (PM) to people. It saves scrawling through various threads. I have done it with one or two people here who have been having MC's. It is useful because you can share information without worrying about anyone on the Internet reading it. Having said that, I have never been on Chat and can be a little difficult to pin down at one time. I will see if I can PM you after posting this for a test run
Dragonfly - nice of you to pop in and pass on your good wishes.
MeredithD - so good to hear from you, hon. How are you doing? You know I am so sad for what you have been through and I think going to Sydney will be very good for you. Unfortunately it looks like my NK blood test will not be valid (awaiting result). I did it the first cycle after my MC expecting AF to be on Day 29 like afte the last two D&C's and it came a week later. So I probably tested when I O'ed and that is too early. Good luck with Dr S and let me know how you go...
Butterfly Warrior - hi there. Thanks for you message. Your story is an inspiration. I am very worried about the whole OHSS thing. Seems to be so common (though they only quote 1% in the IVF brochures). They are starting with 200 units of Puregon and I am about 58-59 kgs. This would mean something to an experienced one like you. What do you think? Is it a nice conservative amount? When you eliminated sugar from your diet, did you use a sugar alternative?
KMN - thanks for your story. Wow, there are so many ifs with this whole process. IF you don't get OHSS, IF there is something to retrieve, IF the eggs fertilise, IF they make it to Blast stage, IF they survive biopsy, IF they are any good, IF they implant, IF they make it to term. This is what I am finding so challenging about entering this process. So much can go wrong before even getting to implantation. I am so happy it worked for you. Congratulations on your little boy.
OHSS is common if you have PCOS. It doesn't seem to occur too often without PCOS because the doctors do try to do things conservatively. The problem with PCOS is that the line between no response at all and way too much response is very, very narrow. It was a 200IU puregon cycle that resulted in the baby I'm currently carrying, but it does seem to be the right place to start. With younger women they will start lower, but there seems to be absolutely no relation between weight and the dosage of puregon that will work. It's a funny thing, and all they can do is experiment.
When it comes to sugar substitutes, yes I did use them. I have tended to use stevia in the past, but splenda is currently the artificial sweetener of choice at home. There are some that I can't stand the taste of, but I can never remember which ones they are! My FS wasn't too worried about me going organic and getting other random chemicals out of my system, so I also wasn't too concerned about going natural and organic... But it seems to me that whatever the change is, it helps. I would still drink a cup of tea in the mornings, and would still have a can of coke zero with lunch most days, but I also drank copious quantities of water, switched to lactose free milk and from there it was very much meat and vegetables, as little bread/rice/pasta or other carbohydrates as possible.
WTH - Just a quick note re NK blood test as you now have me bit worried. I was under the impression the blood test can be taken any time - doesn't matter where in cycle. The uterine biopsy IS very specific - needs to be 7-10 days post ovulation but didn't think blood test mattered.
I don't cycle at all on my own so won't kind of be anywhere when my test done next week. DrS said I would have to do "dummy" OI if wanted the uterine biopsy but didn't say anythin about BT. just told me to fly up and have it and would have results that afternoon by the time I see him.
Don't quite get why you haven't got result yet?
I have flights booked so praying doesn't matter when I test!
Meredith, for those of us who don't have a cycle, the timing of the NK test isn't critical. He said the same thing to me - would have to go through ovulation induction if we needed to do the uterine biopsy. For women who HAVE a cycle, he will try to do the NK blood test around the same time as the biopsy, it seems. Don't panic, all will be fine.
Thanks BW! Was imagining flying up there to be told the result would be invalid!
Unless really, really indicated, I am not at all keen on the biopsy. I'm not sure I could face going through an entire OI cycle with drugs, scans etc, only to have a test and not be able to try and concieve. Just not strong enough for that right now.
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