New to Belly Belly

[Brunette]

Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum. A little bit about me: my fiance and I have been TTC for about a year and a half. He is in his early 40s, has children from a previous relationship and a couple of years ago had a reversal. I am 36. Due to all of this, we didn't want to mess about, so we quickly tried ART. Three IUIs - no luck.
Next step, IVF/ICSI. I have had two cycles with no luck. I am in the middle of my third fresh cycle now.
The first cycle we tried for a blasty but didn't quite get there. Two embies inserted. None took.
Second cycle we did a transfer on day 3 - two quality embies inserted. None took.
This time around we are hopefully trying to get a blasty, so day 5 transfer. Fingers crossed. My BT came back with high levels, so dropped the FSH back a bit. I have a scan tomorrow to see whether it is this Friday or next Monday for the EPU.
I would love some advice/comments from others who have tried baby aspirin/prednisone/clexane. I am going to take these on the day of EPU. I don't have NK cells but do have an underactive thyroid. I think we're just trying something new for the sake of trying something ... I am a bit nervous about taking steroids! Any comments would be appreciated.

[juniper76]

Hi Brunette.

Sorry to hear your ART cycles have been unsuccessful so far. We are about to start IVF#4 and are adding low dose aspirin for much the same reason (try something new and it can't hurt). We aren't doing the prednisone at this time because of the potential s/e (especially since it can cause weight gain and I already weigh far too much).

We're also trying for a 5dt for the first time (we don't get many embies, so have done 2dt or 3dt's before).

GL and I hope the new meds do the trick.

[Brunette]

Hi Juniper,
Thanks for your welcome. How exciting, my first reply!

I'm definitely not looking forward to the steroids (esp because of weight gain and other potential downsides like getting a `moon face') or the clexane injections due to bruising I've been told you get. But I'm willing to give it a try if it gets me a positive result.

Good luck with your blasty transfer! I really hope ours get to the blasty stage. On our first cycle one looked really promising but we only got two morullas. I think for peace of mind it will be great to see a blasty.

[charleotte]

Hi Brunette,

Sorry about your cycles - sometimes a little break can be good for the mind and body. I've just had a 2 month break (sort of forced though as my FS put me on a looooong down reg)..And what made me relax a bit is finding out that some people can take 7-15 cycles to fall preggie...OMG i know but Hayle Berry took 7 goes apparently!..my clinic told me the average is 4 & when the 4th cycle was a failure I was devastated!!..now I know better that I believe they gave me the wrong info!!! so have my head a bit more positive and will keep going.
I posted on another thread colorado re the steriods. I'm sooo relieved to read others saying their worry of the weight gain. I'm sure my FS thinks I'm vain as I told him I don't want to take steriods as I don't want a 'moon face' OR fat distributed up on my bum with chicken legs!!!!..he just said well like well if you wanna get pregnant....Anyway I'm sure you all know we gain weight with IVF - I'm up 2 dress sizes so was stressing re the steriods..I've been on them for 5days - Dexamethasone - 1mg...I keep looking in the mirror in the mornings LOL to see if my face has gone a full moon hehehehe...no - and no weight gain as yet though the Gonal is bloating me. So I say don't worry about the steriod, find what dose your on - maybe small like me since you have no NK Cell problems.
The pharmacy did advise that the steriod can increase your appetite - I haven't felt that but just monitor your eating. I don't mind putting on weight now if I get a BFP!!!...it's worth it then!

BTW everyone starts asprin & steriods at different times of their cycle. I had to start both of these at the start of gonal injects...other people start after EPU. Feel good doing everything I can this time round.

Goodluck with EPU Brunette hope you get some good juicy eggs.
Juniper 76 - Goodluck with blasties for you & DH. Pray you have some good strong embies looking after each other for 5 days. We did it last cycle with not many embies either & did get 2 strong ones - i was sooo surprised - best wishes!

[Brunette]

Hey Charleotte, thanks for your post. It made me laugh. It is so good to hear that others have the same fears/concerns. I know my partner thinks I'm vain and that my only worry about taking prednisone is weight gain, but it is a concern - that and the whole moon face thing. I don't care if I gain weight if I also gain a bub, but it's gaining weight, going up dress sizes and having nothing to come home to other than a four-legged friend

I, too, have stacked on the pounds from just doing IVF, let alone now taking steroids. On the up side, apparently you feel euphoric when you take them? And I also heard what you have about making you feel hungrier.

I did the same as you, took a break between this cycle and my last. We saw a naturopath about three months ago and he gave my partner (low sperm count, morphology and motility problems) a tonic as well as both of us many different pills. And it seems to have worked. Our FS said his markers are now so good that we could fall naturally!

Anyway, good luck to you for this round!

[charleotte]

I had a giggle re the euphoric - you know I asked myself - but sadly no - the gonal and synarel makes me feel a bit..'ggrrrr' annoyed at little things & normally gives me dry skin on my face, but one thing I do notice and I think maybe its the steriod is my skin is good !- my dermatitis on my face cleared.. I read you get pimples but none yet.

Naturopath would love to do but spent so much on accupuncture, vitamins and I guess you know that many are taking 'Intact Collostrum' protein powder - can't remember what its good for!!.egg quality I damn hope! but the protein will help with bloating.
Re your DH sperm - my DH had slow motility & on the low side of sperm count. FS said they had very good results on Menevit. After 1 year on this & other vitamins - his recent tests are all normal. Sounds like your naturopath has got you on some great tonic.

sounds like you too are looking forward to this cycle. I hope you get your BFP as a xmas pressie as that's my wish..throw in moon face or too and compare with new bub.....xox

[juniper76]

Thanks Charleotte, the most we've ever had is 3 decent (but not great) embies at day 3 so trying for a blasty is very scary! I'm just hoping all the acupuncture and supplements I've been on for the last 4 months gives us a better result this time.

[Brunette]

I know what you mean about the `grrr' while taking Synarel and FSH. Whenever I get cranky, my DH says `I think it's back to the dr to adjust your drugs'

Charleotte, whereabouts are you in your cycle? You said you're also hoping for a good Xmas pressie ... I had heard from naturopath that protein powder is good before a pick-up but I haven't heard of 'Intact Collostrum' protein powder ... so thanks. Will have to get some.

Well I had another scan today. (My FS is keeping a pretty close eye on me. I am really happy with my FS. He's so caring.)

I still have 8 good size follicles and a few smaller ones. The EPU is this Friday. We're trying for a blastie, so ET should be Wednesday. Fingers crossed. I am already for at least one embie to make it to a blastie.

Good luck to you, too Juniper.