IVF with PGD #6

They picked up 6. My FS said my right ovary was hiding . He had to push hard and only two were retrieved from it. Out of 6, 5 fertilized. On day 3, one failed and the other four "look very good". They either have 8 cells or nearly get to 8 cells. They will update the biopsy results on Saturday.

My FS said it is likely I wouldn't grow more even he gives me high dosage. Interestingly I was on Puregon 200 IU throughout the stim process and I only stimed 8 days.

Please pray for me that these four can grow nicely to day 5 and hopefully there will be 1 or 2 free of my DH's dodgy chromosome.

Molisa, i'll be thinking of you. And praying for your little embies. On the stimming, 200 is not as big as they seem to be making out, ive had more than 200, and some people have massive doses when they dont stim as well.
Im praying this is your cycle! But try to remember the first cycle is alway trial and error.... very annoying to hear that i know. xoxo

Best of luck Molisa! My thoughts are with you :)

Molisa - Good news on the egg numbers, 6 is fine. I was on 600 puregon the last 2 cycles due to hopeless ovaries (high FSH, borderline low AMH). I think your FS wouldn't have increased the dose half-way through the cycle because from my understanding, the follicle numbers are pretty set by the starting dose of FSH used; increasing the dose half-way through stimming may only recruit a few more follicles or none... happy to be corrected on this though! So next cycle (Fx this won't be necessary of course!!!!!) they would usually start you on a higher dose - I would be pushing for this. I was a control freak all the way through my cycles; I think the PGD nurses were ready to strangle me by my last cycle!! (and I don't blame them!!)
I am praying for your embies and hope that all 4 will be chromosomally normal!!!! Let us know how you go!!! Thinking of you tomorrow - here's for a great transfer!!!

I had a brief discussion with my FS after EPU. I asked him if it is because of my age (33,s**t!). He said some women are born like that. That is what really upsets me. Why he is so ecrtain I am one of them given we have only tried once???

BTW, hummmm...he is really hot.....

LOL....... Im glad my FS is a woman. I could never have a hot bloke down my business end! Im fearing the day my OB asked for a look :(

That is too funny Molisa! All good thoughts your way...wait is almost over! My doctor increased my meds the second time and I still had the same follicle numbers...she said they probably wouldn't change...some women just plateau at a number.

Foxy - G/B twins, not girls?! That's even more exciting now!

Mia's Mum, nurses keep saying quality is as important as quantity. One of PGD nurses told me she has been doing PGD for 9 years and she saw many women with great number of follicles have very few embryos survive to day 5. I know she was trying to comfort me. What I can see is your egg quality is very good. I just feel very surprised that out of your 6 miscarriages and 10 (? correct me if I am wrong) embryos from your 2 IVF cycles, none of them is normal. I have mathematical/statistical background myself, such sample size should be able to at least provide a few normal ones if they follow the theoretical distribution (1 in 3 or 4 ? it seems your chromosome abnormality is similar to my DH's).

AFM-they did biopsy on 2 embryos this afternoon, results will come out tomorrow morning. Number 3 is not ready to be tested today and number 4 stopped growing this afternoon. still have to wait nervously, which is the worst thing in the world.:doh:

So true Molisa.... quantity is not good if the quality isnt there. My first cycle i had 13 eggs and by day 5 had no viable embryos. 2nd cycle 15 eggs and only 3 alive on day 6. Then 3rd cycle 17 eggs and a very successful quality cycle.... im not sure if it was changes i made in my life for that cycle or if it was just my time.

The mathematical odds is tricky also...... I could not wrap my head around the fact that cycle 2, 3 embies biopsied and a perfect split in results.. 1 affected, 1 carrier and 1 unaffected. And then to get to cycle 3 and have 7 biopsied and all unaffected. It blows your mind........ The scientist explained to me after i accused him of testing wrong that each embie has its own set of odds, we cant see them as a whole unit. So yes a miracle occurred to me but not in the eyes of science ;)

I just want to wish you and your little embies the best of luck for tomoz! I will be praying and anxiously awaiting news that you have had your transfer! xoxo

well, all three are affected....the result is not out of expectation, but it still hurts...

I"m so sorry Molisa.... It's not fair and you are in my thoughts!

So sorry to hear that Molisa. That totally sucks. I wish it had been better news. I hope you have people around you who can support you in this tough time. We are thinking of you.

I'm so sorry Molisa. My heart is breaking for you. Xoxo

Hugs Molisa.

But also it's a positive sign that you were able to get 3 testable embryos at day 5.

Hi Ladies

I need your advice. My FS phoned this afternoon and he recommended we start another cycle with different protocol. Before we started this cycle, we contacted the sperm bank and we can start the process any time soon using donor's sperm. My DH doesn't want me to go through another round of painful PGD journey and he wants us to stop here. What I can see from this thread is nobody got succeed in the first cycle. It is a trial-and-error process for my FS and he said it is too early for him. I know it is our decision, but I really want to hear your advices. Your support and company has made this process so much easier.

Wow that a tough one molisa. I didnt realise the problem was with hubby's gene.

I remember Foxy going thru the same decision making process before trying her last cycle, then giving her own eggs one last chance... and look what happened.

I honestly would go at least one more cycle before using a SD. It really is trial and error.

So if you do use a SD will it be ivf or insemination? And do you know someone who can donate, from what i hear the wait for donor sperm is quite long. Unless you have your own.

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.

Big, big hugs.

We contacted the sperm bank back to our birth country as soon as we found out DH has chromosome abnormality last year. We will need to see a FS there to figure out the process...

Kmn, thanks. I will take time and think about it. I might be the most pessimistic people in the world and never think I can hit a genetic lottery.:(

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.

Hmmm 20 units isnt much of an increase at all.
I prefer antagonist cycles but im all for trying one of each to see what you respond better too.

Have a nice break :)

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.

:

---

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.

---

Very true, my first cycle i had no viable embies to test.

Molisa, I am so sorry! It's BS. And, I know as well as everyone else here...exactly how you feel. I've read everyone's advice. Give it some time is best. Clear you mind. Just be with your dh. These two things helped me. Along with some crying. Release it. And get going again. My period was a week late both times. So, don't be surprised. I wish my doctor would've told me. DS is a huge decision. We've been through two rounds of PGD and we're now thinking to try naturally for one year...if no pregnancy, we're gonna look into donor eggs (also back in my home country because they make it insanely difficult here!). I feel a rush being 34 and like you didn't want to be over 35. It may seem ridiculous to some people...but I want a feeling of being done...that this "child bearing stage" of my life is over. It's just too stressful for me.

Take care of yourself!!! Think beyond today...it WILL happen!!!

Its been veeery quiet it here............

It has been quite here…Just an update, I started to take BCP three weeks ago and will start Lucrin injection this Wednesday. The pills sometimes make me very depressed and emotional. I prefer an antagonist cycle too, but I guess last time when I started stimulation, the leading follicles had already been developed because I have short AF cycle (25 days). That might be the reason that my E2 was growing too fast and I had to be triggered after 9 days of stim as the leading follicles were too large while the smaller ones didn't have time/FSH to catch up. Nurse said long cycle can avoid that. Hope it can work better on me.

Time flies…I feel like I just did my last cycle yesterday. I will start with FSH 225 IU this time. Don't know how I am going to measure this 5…

DH and i did one round of PGD for our genetic condition and got 3 embryos to day 5 but only one was good enough to be tested it was effected we decided not to do another PGD cycle it was all to much uncertainty and expensive and the odds were not good our odds of naturally concieveing a healthy baby were better so we took our chances and our healthy daughter is due to be born in 11 days.
It is stressful but if you can afford it and handle the emotional rollercoaster then go for it.
Good luck and all the best for this cycle.

Molisa, good luck, thinking of you! This is going to be your cycle, I have a feeling...

Ferrals and Jaki, good luck for your upcoming births!!! Let us know how you go!!!

Good luck Molisa!!!

Thanks foxy. I'm in brissy now playing the waiting game. Seeing the OB on weds so hoping to get an induction date :)

Hi everyone else. xoxo

Oh that's right Jaki! What side of Brissy are you on?

I'm out west at the moment but moving into the city tomoz :)

what is the most PGD fresh cycles (not frozen transfers) anyone has done for a translocation. We are contemplating number 10?

I think that for this thread #10 would give you the record.

That said, Foxy (see top of this page) finally hit the jackpot on #9.....

I just realised that I said fresh cycles, and I probably should have said full stim cycles. I am sure though you all knew what I meant :) Probably shouldnt post when it is so late and I should be sleeping.
Anyway, not sure I really want to be the record holder in this area! Did Foxy have a translocation issue?

Also, did Foxy do 9 pgd stim cycles?

Hi ladies.

It's been very quiet in here!

I just wanted to pop in and let you know little Wyatt James has joined us.
He is the light at the end of our long journey.

Good luck to you all my friends... I will be watching you.

xoxo

Congratulations, Jaki!!!

EJE - I don't know her details.