I don't think that you should make such an important decision in the immediate aftermath of a PGD cycle that was so close and yet so far. And while the hormones and synarel and so on are still mucking with you physically and emotionally.
You now know how bad PGD can be - you've experienced the whole roller coaster.
Repeat cycles are likely to be a bit better in the sense that you've seen it all before and you will be prepared. You now know that you are likely to get a few testable embryos per cycle - so it is a matter of maths before you get one or more that are implantable, and then more maths before one sticks.
I'm not trying to brag here, but I had almost identical numbers initially (5 fertilized eggs, 2 that survived the test), but both my embys were unaffected, and one is now running around like a mad thing. It's just a roll of the dice - and only you know whether you are prepared to do it again.
I also think it may be hard for your DH since he is the source of the nasty gene, and so to speak he is "making" you go through this. So he may be feeling very guilty (in a strange way) about the whole thing at present. I think that it was easier for me because it was my nasty gene, and I knew exactly why I was doing this.
KMN makes a good point about fast decision making..... It makes me remember one thing and im not sure if you are all the same.... but i found my mind and mental situation improved immensely after getting my period back after a cycle. Things somehow seemed 'clearer'.
Molisa - great question! The answer for you and your DH depends on a lot of factors, like money for one -PGD is so expensive!! How many cycles you are able to undertake financially is a huge consideration. And how important to you and your DH is it that the child is genetically related to him? From what I've read, many men find it hard to use a donor but it sounds like your hubby has got his head around this already. How important is it to you that your child is is genetically related to your DH? If I was in a heterosexual relationship, I imagine it would be really important to me that my children were genetically related to my partner, but my DP and I were always going to have to use DS. I can only imagine that this must be a really hard decision for you also.
Then there's the emotional side... how many PGD cycles do you have in you? Your feelings about this may well change after each cycle. After our first PGD cycle yielded 0/4 normal embryos, I was completely and totally devastated - but by the start of the next month, I had decided I was going to keep doing it until it bl***y worked!!! I had had enough!!!!! I was going to show this bl***y PGD who was boss!!! I wasn't ever going to give up! Actually I probably felt realistically that I could do 4 PGD cycles in total; that was after 2 previous fresh normal IVF cycles (plus 2 devastating miscarriages and 5 FETs too). But I was aware that I might have had enough after the 2nd PGD cycle too... it was an hour by hour changing feeling/decision for me!!!
And we got 3/8 normal embryos that 2nd PGD cycle. The FS and counsellor said people often have to do 3 PGD cycles to get a normal embryo.
The final reality is, if you do keep going and going, you will most likely get there eventually - it's what you lose/miss out on along the way (money, mental health, holidays, friends...) that might stop you. So I'd strongly encourage you to keep going if that's what you and DH want. There are no guarantees with donor sperm either! I can tell you all about that!! Good luck with your decision! Can't wait to hear what you decide.
PS the fact you had 3 testable embryos is great positive predictor too like Kmn says... just a matter of time until you get a normal one!
PPS Good news that your FS wants to change protocols too! Just make sure he increases the dose of FSH!
I am going to take a holiday from tomorrow and leave the decision till I have my AF back as Jaki suggested. Before I started PGD, I thought I can try 3 cycles, but this 0/3 result really daunted me plus my FS’s comment after EPU. Another big concern is my age. I really don’t have much time to waste as I don't want to have kids after 35. The statistic from my PGD scientist is
1. The average number of embryos biopsied is 3.4 but 15% get no biopsy at all (day 5).
2. 86% of couples with a biopsy have a transfer.
BTW, I found he is more approachable than my FS most of time.
My FS didn’t talk too much about this cycle, he just said he is happy with it and we need to increase the number of eggs in next cycle. To acheive that, he was going to increase Puregon from 200 to 220 (what the…). Then he changed his mind during our conversation and said he is going to use a long cycle to me next time…so I will need to take pills soon after I have my AF …
Foxy-I really like your attitude!! I guess I am just lack of confidence to try again.
Molisa - your FS is typically dealing with infertile women. His job in this whole process is to help you obtain as many viable embryos as possible - and 3 aint a bad outcome.
That is why he is reasonably pleased - you have an excellent starting point from which to build.
Neither you, nor your FS, nor the PGD scientist have any control over whether those embryos will be affected - that's what makes things so much more traumatic.
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