IVF with PGD #2

Meredith, your experience ties in closely with what my FS has said. After three miscarriages we asked about PGD, and he said that there was too much that could be wrong that PGD couldn't test for and the best way to filter out the bad embryos for us would be to grow to blast and then see if the embryos could survive freezing and thawing. Not that it was a 100% test for us. Of the three miscarriages, all had been grown to blastocyst stage, all had survived freezing and thawing. However, there were another 7 blastocysts from two cycles that did not survive freezing that weren't transferred and I don't even want to count the number of embryos that didn't make it to blast!

And then, in the end, what worked? A fresh day 3 embryo transfer. No matter how much the IVF doctors like to make out that they know everything - they don't, and as painful as it is to hear it, sometimes it really is just a numbers game and waiting until you finally get lucky.

I hope people don't find that too depressing.

BW

WLAB - :hello: and welcome to our wonderful thread. IVF with PGD has left DH and I a bit dazed and confused. We have lost four bubbas all naturally conceived in the past 1.5 years, two were confirmed trisomies. So we tried IVF with PGD to reduce the chance of aneuploidy. In two cycles we have had four blasts tested using 8 colour FSH (we added Trisomy 15) - and they all came back normal :wtf:. We now wonder if the IVF is improving my egg quality? We are hoping we do not have to do another stim cycle in the future, but are now wondering if IUI would be just as effective - that what my body needs is the extra estrogen boost. Would be alot cheaper, too! I started DHEA at the beginning of December, but I did not do the BT. So, that is my story in a nutshell. It is great to have you here - though I hope it won't be for long :D

Cuddlepie - spoke to the clinic about FET protocol (just getting my head around what will hopefully not need to happen for a year or two). I was telling them how it would be great not to do any meds until the luteal phase, only to learn they control the cycle with estrogen and progesterone. I would much rather do your natural protocol. Did your clinic give you a choice?

Meredith - hope you are doing ok, 2ww buddy :D

AFM - still trying not to analyse possible symptoms, but it is getting harder each day!

WTH, about natural FET, because my cycle is regular and I ovulate by myself, so they are happy for me to do a natural FET with no meds. I only just started prog pessary two nights before to support Luteral phase. But even in a natural cycle, like me this time, O time can be earlier or later...the fun of dealing with our body! I truely hope you don't need it until two years later.

Meredith, the clinic said I Oed somewhere between last Saturday or Sunday, but they prefer to TF earlier than later. Because embyro can wait till lining and Uterus environment is optimal to implant but it TF to late, it won't be able to catch up. So when there is a choice of two days, they always do on the earlier date.

WLAB, good to see you popping in...I so far haven't done PGD yet, purely because the number of blasties are not many and there is no concrete reason that I have to to PGD, its just the age thing and FS wants to be more efficient. Anyway, good luck with whatever path you choose.

WTH/Meredith: I have everything crossed for both of you! :hug: :crossfingers:

WLAB: Welcome! :hello:

CP/BW/Sara/Kate: :hello: :hug:

AFM, I went to see FS yesterday morning and AF turned up this morning (should have been this coming Saturday). I start the OCP again (active only, no sugar pills) when AF is done and down regulate for about five or six weeks (because I don't cycle on my own), then I start again with the Synarel and a lower dose of Gonal-F (75 IU). I'm hoping that six weeks is long enough for us to finish licking our wounds and get going again, though I can't see why it wouldn't be, it's not like we haven't been this disappointed before. That being said, I still cannot believe that out of 16 embryos we have nothing to show for it. :( Back in the saddle again... DH and I decided last night that if this next cycle doesn't produce any good embryos then we're going to meet with the counsellors at QFG about embryo adoption and go on the waiting list.

WLAB: Welcome - wishing you goodluck with your journey. While some of us are doign PGD because of recurrent miscarriages other (Kel and myself) are trying to exclude a genetic condition, so probably can't be of much help to you as it works differently for me.

Kel: That sounds like a very productive chat with your FS. From experience I can say that 6 weeks can be a long time. I think it is very interestign that you're thinking about embryo adoption, I am sort of also thinking about this or at least donor eggs but don't know much about it - do you know how long the waiting lists are?

CP: Keeping everythign crossed for your transfer tomorrow. have a wonderful birthday.:partysmiley:

:hug: WTH & Meredith - hope the TWW is kind to you.

Buliej - hope you're doing well, are you now doing a cylce in Februrary? Just wondering if we are cycle buddies

:hello: Lisa & BW

Sara

Sara: At QFG the embryo adoption waiting list is less than 12 months, and egg donation is five to seven years. I would have thought it the other way around. If I had a sister I'd have asked for eggs by now, but I'm sure that my brother would object! ;) I had actually considered asking my brother to donate sperm and my youngest SIL to donate eggs, but could never quite come to suggest it to DH.

Hi Kel,

That is interesting, wouldn't have thought that either, just goggled it and found an article about it:

Surplus to requirements - Pregnancy & IVF - Health In Focus - Health And Fitness

My sister are unfortunately not an option, one is positive like myself and the other doesn't want to get tested which I respect. May ask SIVF how their waiting lists look like, maybe it's possible to go on the waiting list just in case.

Sara

Kel - good to see you back in here. Hoping you are feeling better from your OHSS. Good that you now have a plan for the future. I pray that next time works for you. This road is hell and would at least be ok if we knew there was a light at the end.
I do think that although you would obviously like your "own" children, the embryo adoption is certainly a fair option. To me this would at least bring the experience of pregnancy and carrying the child which personally I find more important than genetics. Unfortunately for me, at this stage we seem to have a uterus issue too so likely wouldn't help me much

BW - I agreee that there is just FAR more to making a baby than anyone, no matter how expert, really knows. My FS is quite free to admit that she has no idea of why things often don't work for me. I wish she did have an answer but no point giving me "Dr talk" that doesn't mean anything.
She did kind of say that they just can't say if some people's embies just don't do well with the whole IVF process. I don't truly believe that every embie of ours that failed to make blast, would not have made it naturally.

Sara - how close are you to starting again?

CP - Only one more day until your little one will be on board and you can join WTH and I in TWW madness

WTH - hello buddy. I would push your clinic re a natural FET given you cycle normally ( if you happen to need it in few yrs!!). GIven i don't ovulate, my clinic would prefer to do fullycntrolled HRT cycle but i have requested doing FSH ovlulation induction as I really believ for me it would much better to be more "natural". My FS is fortunately VERY acomodating to whatever i want to do.
How are you coping with TWW? After last cycle whe I was sure i was pg, I don't trust anthing I am feeling, not feeling. Don't have to much confidence in this cycle but it will still be a huge crash if AF comes next week. Guess at least i can go straight into FET.

Just managed to lose my post. Here I go again...

Cuddlepie - I also wish you a :happybirthday: and will be sending lots of :stickyvibesgirl: up to Kent St.

Sara - I will be interested in hearing about the SIVF egg donation waiting list. If things do not work out for DH and I with TTC over the next year or two we will be certainly looking into it.

Kel - Glad you have a plan. I did not know there was an embryo donation option. I think it is wonderful that people out there are willing to do this :)

Meredith - The days are starting to draaaaaag a bit, but on the other hand, I am scared of finding out one way or another. Don't know what is Pregnyl and what is Hope IYKWIM. I also thought I was in with a shot last cycle. Promised myself I would remember just how pregnant I felt - when I wasn't.

Hi everyone

I've been lurking and not posting because I wanted a break from all things ivf related until it was time to start again...which it now is. Although my period was not due until Sunday, it arrived late morning, making this Day 1 of my first IVF cycle post miscarriage. I have my FSH test tomorrow (Th), and if results are OK start with the Gonal F on Friday. I can't believe I'm back to square one ...I know you all know all too well what this feels like. I doubt we will do the PGD testing - for the reasons just given by the other ladies who have done it to avoid miscarriage as we do not have any known genetic condition that we carry and need to test for.

So fingers crossed about my FSH levels - should know tomorrow afternoon, a few hours after my blood is drawn and then we begin again.

I'm keeping my eyes open for some good news from the posters in this thread!

Julie

Hi girls

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I did type quite a long reply the other night, and it disapeared :-(

FM: I doubt very much I will get to PGD stage, I have been flat out trying to get to day 3, let alone blast. Interesting BW, that you had success with a 3 day fresh transfer. It makes me wonder, when to pop these little embies back in...

With my first m/c at 11.5 weeks, I didn't know you could test a m/c, I think the bub would of shown something was wrong, as we saw a strong heartbeat at 8 weeks, then unfortunatly we m/c. The second m/c I had tested, nothing came up. I am beginning to wonder if I should do some IUI's in the middle of IVF cycle's, with a touch of gonal to move things along.:think:, as a few of you ladies, think the same ...

Buliej - hope FSH levels all good today and you can get back into jabbing again.

CP - hopefully you have a precious embie on board now. Do NOT strerss over your BBQ today. Relax and have a great day

WLAB - it is so hard to know what to do isn't it? Personally, I can't stand doing nothing so I am kee to do a few IUIs whilst having an IVF break to keep myself sane and maybe somehow have a better chance of pg? I know thats not what the stats wold say but has worked better for me in the past

Feeling more and more negative about this cycle but trying to hold some hope for a miracle. Just seen to many bellies and newborns today..... really digs the knife in

CP - hope you are enjoying your birthday in a very relaxing way - I wish you the best present in the world!!!

WLAB - I've wondered the same thing during the between cycles - however, my FS told me that using gonalF in back to back cycles doesn't give your body a break and the eggs aren't so great - I opted to do back to back any way and she was right! and I ended up pregnant from a frostie! that later miscarried due to a trisomy issue, but it was a frozen one.

Hi to everyone else - it will take me a few days to really catch up as I'm now back in the game.

Just got the FSH results - down to 6.6 - it was well over 9 last month. I'm thrilled. Apparently this fluctuation is very common with older women but I'm just focused on the lower number even though it doesn't necessarily my ovaries have miraculously gotten younger in the past month. Also, I was chatting to the IVF clinic nurse about this drop and her first question was: have you been seeing a naturopath? [NO] an acupuncturist? [Yes] - she said women often see improvement as a result of either or both of these....

Hi everyone, after a VERY busy day, finally I have my little star performer on board now!

I normally mute my phone on the FET TF day as I get jumpy to hear phone rings because I dread to hear the bad news about the thaw...this morning, because its my birthday, there are these sms flooding in and it got my heart sink every time when I see a mesg comes in. Anyway, we not only made it to the transfer but got told that our embie thawed beautifully 95% cells recovered. All went smoothly without a glitch. I hope this is the sticky one and is here for the next 9 months.

BBQ went ok, it was really hot, got me a bit worried, as I heard your body temp can't be too hot, but it might not matter that much at this stage, more so after implantation, I think. I am so glad its all over and I can just now lay back and relax and enjoy some breeze.

Thanks for the good wishes girls, now I am officially in TWW again. Let's hope this time its not that mad. But I know doesn't matter how much you try to control your emotion, it manages to suck you right in!

WTH and Meredith, hope we all have much better luck than last year and this one is IT!

Buliej, welcome back to the game. FSH level sounds great. They do say it can fluctuate and I'd ignore the higher one...;)

Sara, when your next cycle start? Or just wanting to have a little break?

:hello: WLAB

CP: Happy Birthday! :birthday2: I have my FX for you this next two weeks.

Meredith/WTH: When will you test? Or will you wait for the beta instead of doing HPT's?

WLAB: I wonder that about our one and only blast, whether it just didn't want to be in a dish. Unfortunately, with a translocation like mine it is highly likely it was anueploidy that caused the failure to thrive.

Julie: GL, chick. What dose have they got you on?

Sara: How are you going, hon?

Hi everyone I missed.

AFM, just waiting until March (FS pre-cycle appt is booked for the 9th). Bet that doesn't come quickly...

CP - good luck - that sounds really good. Some people believe that only the strongest embryos survive thaw so let's hope you have a fighter in you!

I'm on 450 gonalF - if this sounds high to you please keep in mind I'm 42 - so I don't expect too many good eggs much based on my last cycle...I'm only hoping for 1 really good one.

Hi girls,

CP: that sounds all really great. I have everything crossed for you.

WTH& Meredith :hug: hope things are okay.

Buliej: Your FSH result sounds really good :gooluck: with this cycle. Hope you're coping alright with the high dosage of Gonal F - I'll be starting on 350 puregon next time.

Kel: HOpe you're going okay, perhaps just try to enjoy the time of the meds, March 5 will come sooner then you think.

:hello: WLAB

I am at the moment really enjoying to be off the meds, my strength has come back and have started to get stuff done that I know I can't face once my cycle starts, this week was steamcleanign the carpets and yesterday my tax return - of the two extra cycle kilos got one off ;)

Not really sure yet when I'll start again, AF may come around Feb 20 and will then have to see how the FSH result looks like. But until then, girls, I really need to see a few BFP so will keep cheering you on.

About egg donors and embryo transfer, just called SIVF, they don't have waiting list so you need to find your own donor, they say Westmead may do it. Think may place this on hold for now.

Sara

Sara: If you had questions about which clinics have lists in your area you could ring QFG and ask them. The nurses there are so helpful. There's even an entire staff devoted to the donor program, so they could answer questions about procedures and protocols as well.

I've been on 450 for my 2 prior cycles (1st cycle they pushed me up after my first follicle scan) - 2nd cycle started at 450. My only reaction seemed to be bloating - but everything else was OK.

Buliej - so glad to hear FSH lower. Hopefully this is a good omen. Wishing you so much luck for this cycle

CP - woohoo at such a great embie on board. Praying this will be THE one for you. Hope yo can keep busy over the next couple of weeks although i am sure the madness will sneak in sometime

Kel - Hoping the time off gives you plenty of recovery time. March will be here sooner than you think

Sara - great that you are feeling so good. You sound very positive..,. well done!

WTH - how are you doing out there? Got a feeling one way or the other yet?

Me - My negative feeling is ringing VERY loud now. Feels like AF is just around the corner so I think she will be early. I know I was expecting this but i am still so gutted. I don't know how much more of this i can take. 2009 was supposed to be better year..... truly doubting if there will ever be a "better" year.

Cuddlepie - 95%? THAT'S BRILLIANT. :crossfingers: for you and a very sticky bubba

Meredith - hang in there. It has only been a few days since your transfer. Did it come really early last time? I have looked up lots of posts of women thinking they are getting AF (with pre-AF cramps) only to find out they were PG. :stickyvibesboy: :stickyvibesgirl:

Buliej - wow! I did not know accupuncture assisted FSH levels :D Good luck with the start of your cycle. I hope you get some great eggies :D

Sara - thanks for investigating the ED angle. You are fortunate to be in Sydney and have a choice of clinics on your doorstep. I hope you do not have to go there and your next dose of 350 units does the trick :pray:

Kel - Keep yourself busy busy busy in February and March will be here in no time. At least it is 28 days verus 31 ;)

AFM - teetering a little bit now. It has been a week now since I took my last Pregnyl injection so I am over-analysing everything. The days are dragging until my BT Monday. Too scared to POAS. I kind of prefer not knowing ATM compared to the possibility of a BFN.

WTH, I didn't know that b/t is only Monday, sooooo close hunny, I am getting very excited for you!

Sara, what a cool avvy you've got there! For a second I was wondering 'who is this new chick?" I love it!

WTH - thanks for the kind thoughts but like you, I have been pg to many times and sadly know the difference between AF and pg cramping. I am 10dpo today. Most non -pg cycles I start to get bad cramping about 11dpo and AF arrives right on time (14dpo). Expect she will be early this time.
I was considering POAS on Sun but was also scared of the whole prospect and now I don't think there is much point. I am not being pessamistic.... just realistic!
I know I will keep on trying but I am truthfully beginning to wonder how many times i can put myself and my DH through this . I will NEVER be content without another child. Just don't know what I will do next?!

Meredith :hug: I am so sorry hun. Can understand how you feel. Do you have an appointment with yoru FS to talk it through?

WTH :hug: to you too, hoping this is the one for you. Keeping everything crossed here.

CP: I love it too, didn't think it would go so quick, only did it yesterday ;)
Hope everything is alright in your TWW.

Buliej: hope everything is going smoothly with the jabbing - when is your first BT?

:hello: Kel

Have a great weekend and stay as cool as you can.

Sara

Meredith - of course you know your body better than anyone, hon. I only spoke of the cramping because I had a fair bit this week and needed reassurance for myself. Like you, I have a different type stirring down there this morning, too :rolleyes: The POAS timing is tricky. Did you do Pregnyl too? I took my last one last Friday night (so almost 8 days ago). I have googled and googled and there seems to be a such a fluctuation in ideas on how long it takes for the HCG to leave the system. Plus, in my case, I did 5000 for the trigger, another 1500 after EPU and another 1500 the night after transfer. I do not know if this stuff accumulates iYNWIM. Maybe you are on Crinone/pessaries and this does not apply to you at all. I can understand hestitation at POAS as I am going through the exact same thing. At least we have frosties...

Sara - agree with Cuddlepie. Your avvy is smokin'!

Cuddlepie - just how careful to we need to be about heat after potential implantation? Man I was hot trying to sleep last night, though I managed 3 glasses of water.

AFM - covered most of me in my post above to Meredith.

WTH & Meredith - I'm hoping for you two that this AF stays away despite your sense that she's about to knock on your door.

I really don't know if acupuncture helps with FSH. It's just an interesting comment the nurse made about her observations so I thought I'd put it out there. Keep in mind - I'm on my 3rd try and I've been doing acupuncture all along so who knows.

Sara - don't know when my first BT is - this is my first antagonist cycle & I don't know much (uncharacteristically, I have asked no questions - trying to take it one step at a time). I do know that I have my first follicle scan on Tues morning and at that point I will be given another injection to take daily - not sure what it is called, but the nurse mentioned that it won't be covered by medicare. They didn't do any blood tests with my other cycles - at least not until 2 weeks post transfer so I'm not sure if I'll have any with this one.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Buliej: That all sounds familiar. the other injection is probably Orgalutran as that's what I was taking, it cost me about $90 per shot and I had to take 8 altogether, my pharmacist allowed me to buy them one by one so that I really only bought as many as I needed. WTH & Meredith also took the same medication but they both needed less. I also took Pregnyl a little later in my cycle, if you like have a look at an earlier post from WTH about LH levels.

Sara

WTH - The whole IVF thing really stuffs your body right around. I have always done ART to fall pg but only IVf twice and its a real difference in knowing what I feel in TWW. My cramping has been REALLY bad past 2 days and was expecting AF today but nope and cramping has eased a bit so who knows? I had pregnyl 10,000 trigger and no boosters but am on progesterone pessaries. I think it is vary vairable for each individual how long the pregynl lasts but i think you would be very safe to test now. Maybe you have already in which case praying you have some good news for us soon?

Buliej - Hoping this antagonist cycle does the trick for you and you get some great eggies. My clinic sells me the orgalutran 1 or 2 at a time and the max i needed was 3 but they haven't started me on it until quite late. Still, did the trick at stopping me ovulating prematurely..

CP - how you holding up with this TWW? Hopefully staying distracted

Sara - hey how are you going?

My anxiety and stress over this TWW has paled into insignifcance with the horror in Vic yesterday.
A very good friend of mine has been through hell with TTC also. She has done several rounds of IVF, fell pg last yr only to find it was ectopic and she lost a tube. Somehow fell pg miraculously naturally a few mths later only to m/c that one. Since then no luck. We went to movies yesterday to escape the heat and she was joking that she had left her DH at home on firewatch ( they live just out of city).
Later that day i get msg from her that the fires came shortly after she got home and that they had lost everything! I still don't know the full details as she was understandably hysterical when i called her but I am just devastaed for her. I know she lost her pet cow which she had tried in vain to get to saftey. It must have happened so fast as they didn't have time to get out - sheltered inside and thankfully made it through thenselves but don't think much left of the house. To add insult, its raining and cold in melb today!

Meredith - that is just horrible about your friend. DH & I were shocked to hear the news this morning. We listened to it late last night and it was pretty bad then, but it was shocking this morning when we woke up. We couldn't believe that basically the outer suburbs were hit nor could we believe how fast the fire must have come through some of these areas. I am happy about the rain but also angry that it didn't come yesterday when it was needed - even after the cool change, it waited another 12 hours to arrive.

Its just so devastating to hear the tragedy in country VIC, I am so sorry for your friend Meredith...what's with the weather everywhere? here bushfire and snow in London...:rolleyes: the world is falling apart...

On TTC front, it sounds good that cramp easied off and there is no AF Meredith, I hope there is good news in store for you

WTH, I hope you are secretly already had a good news but just want to wait for tomorrow's b/t to confirm and announce...

AFM, nah, I am not even thinking about it too much, still early days, my anxiety will creep in for sure towards the end of the week I am sure. But for this weekend, my mind has been on 'how to escape the heat', so glad that the cool change is finally here. I can feel the breeze coming in right at this moment, thanks God! I hope all the vic girls in this forum are safe and their house manage to stay away from the fire.

It's just unbelievable what has happened in Victoria, so sorry for all these people.

WTH sending you :hug: and hoping for good news.

CP hope you manage to hang on through this, you're doing remarkably well.

Buliej happy jabbing, will think of your tomorrow.

Meredith hope AF stays away.

Sara

Just popping in to wish WTH luck for today. Crossing everything there is some good news in here soon!

:hooray: It worked! :leap:


PS: Meredith. I was very sorry to read about what happened to your friend. It is so devastating.

WTH! Soooo happy for you :bfp:
:cheer::bluecheer: :loveshower: :bluecheer: :cheer:

PS: CP new hair colour looks great :)

Thanx, Sara. Surely THIS one's GOTTA stick :D

Meredith and Cuddlepie - :pray: that you're next :stickyvibesgirl::stickyvibesboy:

WTH - that is fantastic - congratulations! keep us posted.

OMG, work has been so busy and I didn't manage to get online until now....:leap::happyforyou: WTH, I am so happy for you! It worked! This one will surely stick I am sure! And you've got two frozen ones for a sibling in a year or two...well done girl!

thanks Sara, I've never ever been a blond in my life so I have asked them to change it to my real colour given its a new year, :-)

Thanks also Buliej and Cuddlepie. I am nervously excited - reckon this little one is the best chance we have had yet. STICK STICK STICK!

HCG: 296, E2: 5,896 and P4: a whopping 545. I have mild OHSS - my belly was very distended last night. I looked 6 mths PG but it seems to have settled today.

WTH - I am so excited for you - fingers crossed that in 6 months you will still look 6 months pregnant!

OMG only just managed to get online........ YIPEEE!!!!! Congrats WTH.
P4 of 545-thats HUGE!
I know you will still be anxious about this one sticking but at least you know its not likely to have any of the "usual" genetic issues for m/c so your chances are fabulous.
Hoping the next 8 mths are really uneventful