Some information for other LT TTCers

Just wanted to share my experiences from our last IVF cycle. This was our fourth and final cycle and as I have always had low egg numbers (though good fertilisation rates despite this) and none of the six day 5 blastocysts we've achieved have taken, my doc put me on a different treatment plan this time around.

It involved taking a hormone called DHEA for three months prior to our IVF cycle starting. I continued it through the cycle until pregnancy test. The DHEA has been found to help the quality and quantity of eggs in some women with low egg numbers. I've had a lot of endo on and in my ovaries so I don't get many eggs. My last cycle we had to use ICSI and only had one egg and it didn't fertilise so when I got five eggs this time around I was thrilled. We had five grade 1s by day 3 but on the day of transfer one grade 2 to put back.

Before the transfer I had a 1500 Pregnyl injection (Mon night for a Thurs transfer) and again the day after (Fri night). From transfer to pregnancy test I have been injecting Clexane which can help with implantation. I've also been taking 500mcg of folate, twice a day.

I had all sorts of symptoms during the TWW - cramping (quite strong the day before my blood test and really strong the morning of the test), nausea all day some days, a strange strong twitching sensation just behind my belly button, food that tasted off, a metallic taste in my mouth - most of these started five days after my last Pregnyl injection. I cried the whole day of the transfer (don't know why - overwhelmed perhaps) and had days where I was very teary.

Pre-empting what I thought would be a negative result yesterday, I rang my mum to tell her it hadn't worked (poor thing was very upset) and a few girlfriends who knew we were doing our last go. I think I just wanted to protect myself and bunker down with my husband when the call came in the afternoon. What I didn't expect was that my doctor would ring me with different news - I am pregnant! I'm still in a state of shock and it all feels very fragile but for now I'm letting myself take it in. This is my first ever pregnancy.

I hope that anything new I've experienced that I've described here may be helpful to someone else, like your posts have helped me. Thanks for being brave and sharing your journeys here.

OH Alice! BIG CONGRATULATION...your post brought tears to my eyes. I'm so happy for you, you can't ask for a better xmas pressie!!..I'm 40 and reading your post have upped my hope as was feeling flat about will it every happen.

I get about 8 eggs of which 50% fertilise & end up with 2 that make it to blasts - last cycle 2 good ones, but the cycle before only 1 good blasie....but just doesn't go from there. :shakehead:I believe I have autoimmune issues as I just remembered a skin condition I have and thought I'd google it and just found out that it falls under Autoimmune issues!!!!!!!.!!.something to do with protein k??..

..I can't wait to see my FS again to let him know as I'd forget the first time. and maybe this is the reason I'm not falling PG?? My last cycle I was on dexamethasone 1mg..which can treat immune issues but I intuitively feel I need a higher dose like other girls are on.

I will keep DHEA in mind if the next cycle doesn't work. I mean at what point do you ask your FS for it ?- when egg numbers get low?..should I be asking for it if my results continue .

BTw - What is pregnyl? progesterone support?
Anyway thanks for sharing - I was just thinking where is some posts of 40plus girls which I can read to make me feel better. I'm starting to feel desperate!!!..I'm doing everything, accupuncture, clexane etc..
Thanks Alice great information - enjoy your beautiful pregnancy. Best wishes:clap:

Hello charleotte! Thanks for your lovely congratulations - it is a still such a shock but I'm v. happy.

I'm sorry you are having auto-immune problems and hope your doc will listen to you and give you all the help possible.

Yes the Pregnyl is the progesterone support. I also had it for my trigger but much higher (5000).

I didn't know about the DHEA my doc told me about it as it was our last go and I guess he'd been thinking about the poor result we had the cycle before. It might help and it's worth asking about when you see your doc.

Yes, it's good to know about other over 40s isn't it? Like you I'd tried lots of things and acupuncture is great but I didn't do it this cycle though now I'm pregnant I'm wondering if I should so will find out about that.

Thanks again for your lovely wishes and good luck to you too. I hope to hear some good news for you soon! Don't give up!!

Hi Alice,

First of all, congratulations on your BFP - you must feel so happy and relieved!

I haven't posted on here for awhile as we've had disappointing results from IVF so far. Sometimes it feels easier to lurk than to post.

I see that you're in the Blue Mountains. I am in Western Sydney and I was wondering which IVF clinic you went to?? I am with IVF Australia in Westmead.

I am very interested in DHEA and Clexane. My FS is not really interested in investigating why our egg numbers are so low and why our embryos are not implanting. He believes my failure to fall pregnant is related to excess weight. DH and I are taking 6 months off IVF to deal with the weight issue, but I also have a gut feeling there is an underlying issue not related to my weight. I'd love to try DHEA and Clexane but don't know how to bring up the topic. Do you have any suggestions?

Again, congrats - it is extremely heartening to know that this IVF caper can work for some of us older wannabe mums!

Vicki

Hi Vicki,

Thankyou! It still feels quite surreal but yes, we are very happy and relieved!

We went through Sydney IVF as the doc who looked after me for my endo does IVF through that clinic. He is a lovely man, very sensitive and interested, so we've been very lucky.

I would say very strongly to trust your gut instincts and maybe get a second opinion. It's too important to just stay put if you have reservations. We put a lot of trust in doctors and it sometimes we just have to find the right one to help us.

As for bringing it up, I would just say that you have read about the drug DHEA being used in IVF treatment for women with low egg numbers/poor quality and ask if he/she knows anything about it and whether that is something you and your husband could try. Although I'm sure the DHEA helped us, I have a feeling that the Clexane has been the key because we've had some good quality blastocysts in the past that haven't taken. It is quite commonly used from what I can tell.

Good luck and I really hope you things work for you soon.

PS I wouldn't call yourself an older mum just yet but thanks for kindly including me :)!

:redface:

I'm sorry Alice, I didn't mean to be ageist, just that your story gives me hope that it will happen for me too.

All the best for a H&H 9 months.

Vicki

Not at all!!! I thought it was very sweet of you to include me in your age group (sorry if that sounds patronising - it isn't meant to it's just that I was 35 by the time we got through all the ops so I could start IVF and it seems so young to me now). I'm sorry if it came across all wrong.

I guess what I am saying is that five years is a long time in IVF - you've got so much to be hopeful for and I'm glad that my story has helped you to see that hope.

All the best to you and I hope you get your BFP very very soon!
Alice

Alice thankyou so much for posting your story, and a massive CONGRATS!!! Thats overwhelmingly fabulous news :)

I am 41 and we are TTC #2. our son is nearing 2yo and we had him from our second IVF cycle. At the time I produced 4 eggs 9cycle 1) and 4 eggs (from 7 follies) in cycle 2. tended to have good fertilisation rates and embie quality though.

I have recently had two IVF cycles, both simply puregon injections, but the second also had clomid tabs. In both I have only developed on follice, and in the second, that follice was dysfunctional. I am devastated and assume that its all over for us.

Your post has given me fresh hope and I will seek Dr googles opinion forthwith!