Happy Australia day to you too!
WTH - very happy that things are going so well for you. Go embies go!
Sara
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Happy Australia day to you too!
WTH - very happy that things are going so well for you. Go embies go!
Sara
Kel - 16 embies is fabulous result. Surely there has to be agoodie in amongst that! Hope you are feeling a bit better post EPU
WTH - 6 embies is fabulous ( how many last time?). Just gotta keep them growing strong until biopsy day. Will that be Thurs? Glad you are feeling so positive. lets keep the hatrick theory going.
Sara and WTH - thankyou for your kind words. Wish i could say i was feeling more positive but not really. They will chk lining again at EPU and pending that not sure if might want to look again before ET day. I would be very reluctant to skip ET even if chances are slim. I had no frosties from 14embies last cycle so certainly not putting any hope/faith in frozen embie cycle. Would probably prefer to just give it a shot and pray for some sort of miracle. Triggering tonight. Should be feeling more excited by it all but just to frustrated with my stupid body!
Hi everyone,
Well we started off with 19, 16 fertilised, and today there are only seven left growing and they're all grade two. The lab told us that realistically there is probably only going to be two or three suitable for biopsy by Wednesday, and that this was pretty normal for translocations. I've also ended up with OHSS again.
I'm really disappointed that more didn't make it. Any advice? Was I being unrealistic to expect higher survival percentages?
WTH: Congratulations on your numbers!
Meredith: GL for tomorrow, hon.
Hi everyone I mised.
Hi Kel,
Sorry about the OHSS. I hope things improve quickly for you.
Are your translocation issues likely to affect survival - in other words is it likely that the ones that have stopped growing have mostly stopped because they were affected in the first place?
THere is nothing you can do about this step of the process - which makes it so very hard. Look after yourself, and do some nice things if the OHSS will let you
hugs
Kate
Kel, afraid I can't offer advice on survival rates - I'd be guided by your clinic on that one. Bugger about the OHSS, I've been there before and I know it's not pretty. Will they let you transfer if there's anything suitable? I can give you some tips on avoiding OHSS for next time if it becomes necessary - if you would find that helpful. I developed it twice and had my FS almost resigned to "this is just what your body does", but with a scarily strict diet we managed to avoid it on the third stim cycle... at least until the embryo took! Hang in there, I'll be hoping and praying for you that there's not only embryos suitable for biopsy, but there's a good one in there to be transferred. :hug:
BW
Hi Kate: Yes, the translocation can affect the survival rate because of anueploidy of the affected chromosomes. I'm assuming that monosomy occurred (as opposed to trisomy) due to the immediate arrest in growth; so it is probably safe to say that it was the reason that nine embryos stopped growing. That said, I would much have preferred (as I'm sure everyone would) that more than seven embryos had a chance. I'm just having a hard time getting my head around only two or three of the embryos out of 19 possibly making it to Wednesday, let alone through PGD. :cry:
BW: We must have posted at the same time. This is my second bout of OHSS, with this time absolutely being the worse of the two. I have PCOS so it's pretty much a given for me unfortunately, especially with my response to FSH being so significant. If I have to do this again I will much appreciate advice to avoid it. At this stage our transfer's still booked for Wednesday/Thursday, depending on when the PGD is done, so here's hoping that we have something to put back.
Kel, I have PCOS too - which is why my FS was on the verge of giving up on me and just accepting that each stim cycle would hospitalise me and become freeze all... But we did it in the end. I'm going to remain hopeful that you will get at least one good embryo to transfer so I won't give you the details now unless you desperately want them. PCOS seriously sucks - it's a VERY fine line between no response and too much response.
BW
WTH, Kel and Meredith sending lots of :hug: to all three of you, this stage of the process is just so hard.
Meredith: I am sorry that you're depressed about the way your lining is developing but keeping fingers crossed that things improve until Wednesday.
Kel: I am not sure I understand, I hope that some of the ones you meant when you initially said only one in six are okay are the ones that didn't grow and that this improves the chances for the remaining ones. Praying that things turn out for you, I know how hard it is.
WTH: thinking of you, stay strong, things are looking good, that's a huge improvement to last time.
:hello: Kate & BW
Sara
Kel - started to write you a rather good reply this morning when we got a blackout:doh:. 7 embryos is still a great number :D. I was also advised that the grading is very subjective and can change in a matter of hours (for example, according to when the cells divide). I do have the same question as Sarah - is the 1/6 ratio you spoke of earlier out of the whole batch?
Sara - thanks for your continued support. I am feeling pleased with things so far, though tomorrow will be a lot more revealing...
Meredith - glad they are checking your lining again at EPU. I haven't given up on you having an ET. Alot can happen in a couple of days, especially as your follies continue to spit out more E2 as they mature. I was hoping I could ask you some questions about your NK result and treatment? How long before your cycle did you start the prednisone? Are you taking anything else (asprin or IVIg)? Did you end up doing an endometrial lining biopsy or base the treatment on your BT? When you did the BT, what day of your cycle were you on? Hope you do not mind the barage of questions!:doh: 2/4 of my MC's are unexplained and, given my borderline BT result (done at the wrong time in my cycle) I am starting to regret not taking things further. Will certainly do the biopsy next month if this cycle does not work out.
Cuddlepie - hope you had a wonderful break at Jervis Bay :D
Kate and BW - thanks for "dropping in". Your advice and experience is always valued here :D
AFM - Day 3 result tomorrow. Like after EPU last time, I keep getting :redface: gassy and constipated :redface:
WTH/Sara: Yes, the "rule of six" applied to the entire group of fertilised eggs. Using that principle, we should have roughly (because 16 fertilised, not 18, giving "decimal" embryos for my example) three normal embryos and three embryos with my balanced translocation that are viable from the entire group to be biopsied. You can see how it's just a crapshoot, not a set rule. I'm not being ungrateful that we've gotten this far, lots of women with translocations get no embryo growth at all at day three, I just hope so much that we can create life out of this cycle, not more disappointment, IYKWIM.
FX for good results for you tomorrow, WTH.
WTh: just sending you a :goodluck: for tomorrow.
Sara
Kel - so sorry about the marked drop off. I guess given your stats then it really is to be expected -sounds like almost the exact rate? but still doesn't make it any easier to cope with. Lets hope that of the remaining 7, there is a couple of goodies. I totally understand what you mean about wanting to create life from the cycle. The whole point of puytting yourself through all this is to get that baby in your arms. There is only so long you can take the positive in learning from a failed cycle.... I'm with you on that one!
Hope your OHSS settles soon too.
WTH - Praying for great news tomorrow and beyond. Such an anxious time for you I know.
Feel free to Ask away re NK cells. I start the prednisolone at same time as FSH each cycle. If pg then continue on at tapering dose to 20weeks. If not pg (as per last cycle) I started tapering off and was off it for couple of weeks prior to this cycle. I will also be using clexane which starts after EPU. This is not specifically reccomended by DrS for NK cell issues but i was using it since the time of my DS's pg ( after previous m/c's) and he was fine with sticking with it. I only had BT for NK cells and was not at any "time" in my cycle as I don't cycle naturally. I was actually recovering from most recent m/c at the time and still had retained product although DrS didn't think that was enough to effect result. NO biopsy as my BT result was fairly high and was going to use pred regardless. I would also have had to go through a "dummy" OI stim cycle just to get me to ovulate for the biopsy but not be able to TTC - not keen on this at all emotionally.
Me - EPU at 11.30am tomorrow. Not worried by egg numbers at all this time. Just praying my lining might have done something ( although not holding my breath)
Meredith - I will be thinking of you tomorrow :hug:
Meredith: Keeping fingers corssed that your lining has improved. :goodluck: for today.
Sara
Thanks everyone for your support. It means a lot to me.
I just got off the phone with the lab and three more stopped growing last night, so we now have four embryos at morula stage. They're going to do PGD tomorrow morning on any that are left, will have the biopsy results on Thursday morning, and then if any are alright they'll do a transfer on Thursday afternoon or Friday.
Kel: just sending you a :hug: be kind to yourself. Keeping everything crossed for you.
Sara
Hi Kel, fingers crossed that there will be a few survived the PGD and get to TR stage on thursday, what a nerve-wrecking time for you hun. Take care and I hope OSHH is settled.
Meredith, best of luck for today and will be thinking of you.
Hi, WTH and Sara...I need a little catch up on what exactly happend over the weekend. But just want to pop in quicly to say that I am back. Jervis Bay was amazing and we had a lovely break with our friends and their little one. We did Kiyaking, fishing, caught some yabis for fishing baits and the place we stayed in was totally private and we rented the whole ground floor and they had a back access to the river for our boat and kiyake, so it was pretty relaxed few days.
Catch up with everyone soon...
WTH, Kel, Meredith: I am keeping my fingers crossed for you all, and sending bucket loads of positive vibes.
Got a letter from the Genetics Department at RBH on Friday and was hoping it was my appointment time to get our results. NO, my blood didn't grow the way it was supposed to for Karyotyping so we have to do it again. So lets just add another 6 weeks onto our waiting :wall: so not happy.
Quick question - has any of you had trouble getting a Medicare benefit for doctor's visits in between cycles? I didn't get a benefit for my appointment with my FS in early December after my cancelled cycle as Medicare deemed it a related service to my next cycle.
Sara
Sara, vaguely remember that Medicare has some kind of rule that you can't claim any Doc appt between cycles...but don't know much details about it, sorry hun. I hope someone else can shed some light on it. I have been having phone conversation with FS in the past between cycles...
Lisa, sorry to hear that, what a bummer...did you ask them what you need to do to ensure this time blood will be ok? :Hug:
Sara, I ran into the exclusion period problem with a doctors appointment once after a stim cycle. I had OHSS so there was no transfer and I'd ended up seeing my FS earlier than they suggested because I was anxious to talk things through. I think it was about 10-12 days after EPU and I couldn't claim on medicare. With my next cancelled fresh transfer down to OHSS, I wanted to leave it as long as possible before I saw him again, but ended up squeezing into the very last day before he left on holidays at the end of the year (it was then or wait until Christmas). It was exactly 15 days after EPU and medicare allowed me to claim that one. So I suspect that any FS appointments within 14 days of EPU are deemed to be relating to that cycle and therefore unclaimable.
It's a complete bugger that the clinics aren't more forthcoming with this information - they knew medicare would do it, but didn't warn me when I made the appointment. The other thing you want to watch is if your referral expires - it needs to be valid from the starting date of a cycle, as in the first day of your period, not the date at which drugs or blood tests for the cycle actually start. And the way some of them deal with the fees for cancelled FET cycles is absolutely appalling... but what do you do?
Lisa, sorry to hear about the delay in getting results.
Meredith, I'm hoping and praying that something can be salvaged from this cycle and your lining will cooperate somehow.
BW
Sorry but will have to keep this brief as feeling pretty low and awful at the end of this very looooong day.
Got 23 eggs!!!! Don't know where some of those came from since my last scan. I know most of you would think this is fabulous but we almost halved my FSH dose this time to AVOID this many eggs as my FS thought that may have affected quality. And I end up with MORE than last time ( 21 last cycle)
Feeling MUCH worse physically - was at the hosp all day to try and control pain. Now feeling faint and ill from the pain relief. To add to that, my lining is defnitely no better, perhaps even worse ( don't know how that happens?). So more progynova although I really don't see the point as my E2 levels must be through the roof already. Another scan friday. Will likely still do ET given poor success with freezing but i don't hold out much, if any hope
This journey is just getting harder and harder and I just don't know what to do next. I am no where near ready to give up but don't know how much more I can put myself through if there is always such bad results. I just need some hope back but struggling to find any.
Kel - :hug: I really hope you get a great biopsy result and the OHSS has settled down. My :crossfingers: also for you.
Meredith - I hope your EPU went swimmingly well for you and that you are feeling ok. Looking forward to hearing how well it went. Thanks so much for all the info on the NK cells and treatment. I have been in touch with my OB who took me through the MC investigation program and am all sorted to have a biopsy done next month if this month is unsuccessful. Interestingly, he prescribes prednisone 6 weeks before IVF... I much prefered the sound of your regime.
Cuddlepie - your mini-break sounds very relaxing. WOW - do you have a boat? I love being out on the water - DH and I spent our honeymoon sailing around the Whitsunday's. It was bliss!
Sara - I did not know about that Medicare situation either :rolleyes:
Lisa - Unbelievable. BTW - DH and I have had extensive karotyping performed, (apparently our lab here sends it up to QLD) but it only took three weeks. So sorry this is dragging on for you. It is so unfair. You must be feeling so frustrated :hug:
AFM - Day 3 results this morning. Of the six eggies fertilised, five were grade 1 (three had eight cells, two had seven) and then there is a grade 2 with just four cells. Two of the eight cell embryos were slightly compacting. This time last cycle only one of my four embryos was grade 1 so still doing comparatively better :D. Interestingly, learned all nine eggs were mature after all (the tenth one was damaged and discarded).
Meredith - take care of yourself. Monitor your pain. I have nothing to offer except support :hugs: Thinking of you
Meredith - oops, I did a longish post and missed your entry in the process.
Hold on hon, you are doing so well :comfort:. I realise the egg number is more than you aimed for. But I did learn from the embryologist this cycle that EVERY cycle is different. This includes quality. Please do not write-off your eggs yet! And many women do fall PG from frozen cycles. Did the hospital give you any pain relief to ensure you get some much-needed sleep tonight? Sending you a big cyber :hug:
WTH xx
Hi Girls,
WTH - Wow - that sounds like a great result, you're doing amazingly well, you may even get some frosties from this cycl :crossfingers:
Lisa - :grouphug: it's so unfair, sorry that you have to go through this.
Kel - :goodluck: thinking of you and keeping everything crossed for your results tomorrow or Thursday. Be kind to yourself, it's the hardest part of the cycle :hug:
Meredith - I am with WTH , don't write of your eggies, since you have had a lower dose of FSH the quality might be much better than last time.
CP: Your break sounds fantastic. Had my first walking group today, was a really nice group of people and good to do some exercise.
BW: thanks for letting me know your experience, I've called the assistant of my FS and asked if they can write a new account and specify on it that it's unrelated, will then submit it again and see what happens - it's pretty unfair, as if this all wasn't already expensive enough. Hope you're going well with your little bub and the sleepness nights.
Good night everyone,
Sara
Good morning ladies,
Meredith, I am sorry you are feeling sore after EPU and its getting better today...I hope the fert report will surprise you about the quality of this batch of embies. Hope lining will improve by the end of the week. Have a good rest hun and big hugs
WTH, well done on your embies are doing so well...I am hanging out to hear more report today...
Sara, hoping next Monday weather will be pleasant and not too hot, but yeah, looking forward to it...
Have a great day everyone!
Hi there. Well, day 4 for me. Potential biopsy (and hopefully transfer) tomorrow or Friday. Feeling OK today. Will surely be a nervous wreck tomorrow...
Meredith - looking forward to hearing how your fertilisation went. Are you feeling a little better today? Look after yourself :hug:, Sweetie
Kel - Sending some big positive cyber-vibes your way for a great biopsy result :crossfingers:
Cuddlepie, Lisa, Sara and Buliej - :hello:
Hi ladies,
Hope you're all having a good Wednesday.
WTH, Meredith and Kel - how exciting to have 3 potential babies amongst us, keep your collective chins up for a BFP :dance:
Spoke with Geneticist this afternoon and the probable reason for my bloods needing to be run again is that the lab sat on the original sample for too long before testing so it went 'off', DH's (in this instance the acronym will not be standing for Darling Husband!!)
Also our results on Brendan are not expected for about another 5 weeks.
I have my fingers crossed for all of you. I have been avoiding the bellybelly boards - only today did i want to get back on (kind of) because I picked up my drugs for this next cycle. It made me quite upset - I did not expect to feel this way - but it reminded me that 3 months ago, I was pregnant and thought this was behind me (for baby #1 at least). Also, the pharmacy -which is a major one for ivf as it's where the ivf clinic is - was full of women picking up their ivf drugs which just made me so very sad. So many of us want this - and it's so damn hard for too many!
buliej - sweetheart, what can I say. I remember when I picked up my drugs, I got in the car and cried because I was so overwhelmed by the whole thing and never expected to have to use IVF, ever, I mean why should I, I have 2 daughters but life certainly does throw curve balls doesn't it.
Try and stay positive, which is a lot easier to say than do most times. Your loss is still fresh and will it will hurt for some time to come. Mine was 8 months ago next week and I still cried today, and yesterday for that matter. Just try to focus on the positive step you are taking and keep smiling. :hug:
Kel - praying things went well with biopsy today and that you have at least one good one for ET tomorrow
WTH - Hopefully you have a few to biopsy tomorrow too and get one back in ASAP. Sounds like you are really positive this cycle which is great ( better than I'm doing!)
Lisa - Sounds like you've been really stuffed around. Hope you don't have to pay any more for the repeat testing. 5 weeks still on Brendan's results. Thats so hard for you. I pray you can back on the TTC train very soon
Buliej - Sending you a big hug darl. It IS just all to hard and sad for to many women desperate for children. Picking up your meds has just been a trigger for all the heartache suffered in these last few mths. I know I am feeling pretty much the same. Whilst I pick up my meds each time with hope that it will be the last time, i am also overcome by the sadness that I should have just about had a few babies by now if my pg's had continued. Hope this cycle truly is your last ( at lkeast for awhile)
Sara - when are you back on track with us again? Can't be to long now.
AFM - of the 23 eggies, 13 have fertilised so far. Apparently they are still watching 7. Is prob about the result I expected given at last scan i should have only had about 15-16 mature eggies. So presuming those fertilised came from them and the remainder likely just immature eggies that popped up at last minute. Much on a par with last cycle so far ( 14 embies from 21 eggs).Still feleing physically and emotionally far less than ordinary but have become resigned today. Not much more I can do to change anything. We will almost certainly still proceed to ET on Sun as I just can't not at least try but will be defnitely very practical and try and plan for the next step. Thanks for those trying to be positive about my lining but I do not like to live with false hope and there is very little chance it will change in the next few days
Hi girls,
Beautiful mornign down here, thinking of going for a quick run.
Buliej: I know what you mean, sending you a big :grouphug: - think Lisa is right, the only thing you can do is trying to concentrate on the positives.
Meredith: Well done, hoping you get a nice little Blastie for transfer and a few to freeze.
WTH& Kel hoping very much for good news from both of you today
:hug: WTH: how are you doing, hope your embies keep going so well, assume you might have transfer already today? :crossfingers:
:hug: Kel: I am thinking of you and keeping absolutely everything crossed that you get some unaffected ones for transfer and freezing.:goodluck:
:hello: Lisa & CP
Just a short note about my Medicare trouble, got a call from the assistant of my doctor saying they can't write me a new bill as the docot's visit was connected to the failed cycle before. Seriously, I really think they need to be upfront about these costs, in the greater scheme of things it's not important but it's just too much hassle, at least if I know upfront that it won't be paid I don't need to send it through to Medicare etc...
Sara
Meredith - Great fertilisation, hon :D Hope your embies stay strong and grow beautifully for you. You are only a few days away from being PUPO!
Lisa - Another 5 weeks?? ARRRRGH!:wall: Not happy about the lab sitting on your sample, either. I can relate to your frustration. This whole waiting game business is what has sent me over the edge. Just want to move forward and get on with things.
Sara - yes - they should be completely upfront about the costs and circumstances surrounding them. And I disagree with them relating the visit to the past cycle, as I have no doubt you discussed future options. It is just they way they are choosing to look at it!
Buliej - take heart. You are doing everything physically possible to realise your dream. I am glad we do not have a crystal ball. You never know what might just be waiting around the corner. It is what gets me by. GL with the your new cycle :goodluck:
AFM - Day 5 post-EPU. I got "the call". 2 x grade 1 hatched blastocasts beginning biopsy this morning. A 3rd "fair to good" one is at blastocast stage, but has not hatched yet. Biopsy maybe this afternoon. The other three are at Day 4 stage and ranked fair and poor. Realistically, up to 3 to be biopsied. Because I have the 8 tests, it is done in two stages, so if any pass the first 5 colour FSH, we have to get on the road to Sydney in the hope we get through the next three colours. This is what we had to do last time, too. If we make it to transfer, DH and I have agreed to stay in Sydney tonight, rather than face the bad traffic we had going home last time. We want me to stay relaxed and horizontal. Feel very weird that if I was doing normal IVF I would definitely be having a transfer this morning. I don't know if I will make it back on again today. :goodluck: Wish me luck...:crossfingers:
WTH - :goodluck: for tests today, keeping everything crossed for you. Two grade one blasties is a great result, hope the other two make it to the biopsy as well. I think it's a good plan to stay in Sydney to stay as much as possible relaxed.
Sara
No embryos survived. We had one blast yesterday out of the four morulas but it started going backwards yesterday afternoon and didn't survive the night. So, from 19 eggs to 16 embryos to four morulas to one blastocyst, there is no PGD, no embryos, and no BFP. Just to cap off how productive this first cycle has been, I'm off to hospital today with grade four OHSS, including so much fluid in my lungs that it is almost impossible to breathe.
Now what the **** are we supposed to do? I feel like an idiot for being hopeful. For four years it hasn't happened, why on Earth did I let myself think that this would work?
I'll check in later, when I'm in a much better mood. Thanks for all your support through this cycle, everyone. Good luck everybody (WTH and Meredith you're in my thoughts today).
Kel: I am so sorry to hear that and can imagine how you feel going through all this without even being able to get to a transfer. Sending you lots of :hug: look after yourself and give yourself time to grieve.
Sara
Kel, take care. I hope you have a speedy recovery from the OHSS. :hug: Sorry about losing all the embryos - I can't even begin to imagine just how craptastic life must seem right now. My thoughts and prayers will be with you.
BW
Kel: I wish I could give you a great big hug. Why is it as humans we have to look on the positive side of things, it would be so much easier if we expected everything we did to fail. But what sort of life would that be. I can only give you words of support that you will get through this trying time and you will come out the other side but I know that at the moment you just feel like, why bother. Hang in there.