IVF with PGD #6

Welcome to IVF with PGD forum. This forum is for those that are undergoing IVF with Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis..

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Thank you so much ladies....
One thing i will say is thinking back to our very first appointment with the geneticist is that he told us that statistically it could take 3 FRESH PGD cycles. At the time i thought pfft no way, but here we are 3 fresh cycles later.
The reason i am telling you this is because i know you all struggle with wether PGD is worth it sometimes. And for us it was easy as we had no other choice.
xoxo

Hi Ladies,

I"m joining this forum for the first time... I'm undergoing my first IVF cycle with Pgd and I'm just really looking forward to learning from your experiences and hopefully finding some wisdom in your words when times are tough.

:)

Kimmi

Hi Kimmi, I wanted to wish you the best of luck for your first cycle. Hopefully it only takes one cycle for you :) It took us two cycles to fall pregnant with our precious little Apple Blossom, but we had some really bad luck with chromosomal abnormalities with our little embies. Fingers crossed you will have much better luck.

I think the best advice I can give is to not stress to much about things (yeah yeah I know, it's much easier to say than to actually do, lol). To be honest, I'd read so many horror stories about how hard IVF is, and how sick the drugs can make you etc etc, that I was rather worried when we started. But I must admit that it was much easier than I had expected. Of course it was devastating when we got bad news with our first cycle, and then it was heartbreaking when we found out that in our 2nd cycle we had only one healthy embie from 21 eggs, but one was all it took for us! So it just goes to show that you just need to stay positive and little miracles can and will happen!!!

Aww thanks for the reassurance Mylitta! I will most definitely take your advice on board, and like you, I am not (so far) finding the medications any where near as bad as I thought they were going to be. I had a small shocker on the weekend, which I can only attribute to Cetrotide, but other than that, I've been fine. I even managed to get to the gym this morning at 5:30!

I'm having a scan tomorrow and that will determine if I have my epu on Friday or Monday. I'm hoping Friday, but happy either way.

At my last scan, I only had 6 Follicles reasonable follicles and many smaller ones, so here's hoping the little baby ones have grown.

I have severe PCOS which is where our fertility issues come from, and then DP is a carrier for Chromosomal issues that previously caused the death of his brother and sister, so we are absolutely keen to avoid that, hence the PGD.

I am feeling good about it all, optimistic, but certainly not expecting a miracle this time around.

I really look forward to getting to know you ladies much better.

Kimmi xx

Welcome Kimmi..!!

Hope your cycle continues to go well. I found mine went better each time, in all ways.. emotionally, physically and of course successfully.
My advise would be that if you are determined to not pass on DP's gene do not give up on PGD. It is a much harder journey than regular IVF and i almost gave up so many times. But like is said each cycle your FS will learn and you should find more success.
x

Thanks Jaki! Just an update. I went to see the fs today and my cycle has been cancelled. So now I have to wait for AF to turn up so we can start again.

(deep breath in)

I hope you don't mind me lurking around this post until we start again.

Kimmi

Kimmi,

I have to agree with the other ladies...it's such a frustrating process. Not just that, but we build up so much hope and it's so hard when we get bad news. It was for me at least.

My husband and I finished our first cycle a month ago. All embryos were perfect, but all had chromosomal problems. It devastated me. But, we'll give it another go - maybe in October. And, I am feeling much more optimistic. But, we gotta be optimistic right?! haha.

take care!

oops, typed that silly "image verification" into the title of my last message "I'm hectors"!?

this time around I got "amputated magazine"- that would have been much funnier as a title

haha, ok Hector's! I'm glad your magazine isn't so amputated after all!

Well, yes, you are right. We have to be optimistic. I'm sorry to hear about your last cycle! That's especially frustrating seeing as you had all those wonderful embryo's ready to go.

Let's hope October is a better month for you!

Kimmi

Kimmi im so sorry! Thats really got to P you off hay. (((((hugs)))))
But like i said before is the best thing about a bad cycle is your FS should learn from it and make the next one better.
And stick around for sure! As long as you guys dont mind me hanging around too! xoxoxoxoxoxo

Thanks for that Jaki..... You're right, it will make for a better 2nd cycle and that's all I can hope for.

I just can't wait to start the injections again.... Is it weird that I miss them?

Not at all. I guess it makes us feel pro active... like we are actually doing something to 'make a baby'.
Maybe thats how regular people feel when they DTD to make a baby. hehe
x

haha, I love it! I've never thought of it like that....

In my mind, knowing mine and DP's issues, I never really relate DTD to making a baby. So I guess that's why I take so much pleasure in my injections. At least it leaves DTD for enjoyment purposes only! No pressure there!

Hehe ;)

Congratulations Jaki!!!!!! You must be thrilled!!! Have you had an US yet? What a relief after all the stress.

Hi kimmi, sorry to hear about your cancellation. Why did they cancel it?

I've started the pill and waiting to start injections in a week. Yes, I look forward to the injections too, feels like we're finally doing something rather than waiting around!

So 3 fresh cycles hey? They told us to do at least two; I guess I'm tossing up what to do if this one doesn't work, but I suppose it's worth another go. What do you guys think?

Thanks foxy! My scan is tues the 10th. I will pop in and let you all know how it goes.

I think give it 3 tries, but i still also think it would be lovely if you used your partners eggies :)
xoxo

Hello ladies!

A question for you all...I had my period almost 2 weeks after egg retrieval (right on time as doctor told me to expect). But, now my period is 5 days late, 5! Insane I tell you. I am usually like clockwork, 28 days. Maybe all the ov stim...my body is slow this month?

Did any of you have a late period after your IVF/PGD cycle?

Not after but it was always late waiting to start a cycle, i think its a mind thing. I was waiting for it so it didnt come. If you dont want it to come it does!
x

Yeah, I agree with Jaki, it's amazing how your mind processes can change your body's functions. Grrr, so frustrating for you.

We are starting injections for our second cycle tomorrow, so really looking forward to it. Fingers crossed again and Jaki, send some of your good luck our way :)

Figures...this morning I got my period!

Jaki80- You must've been right! Hope you're feeling well in your first trimester!

Kimmi - Best of luck this cycle! Keep us updated. Jaki80 and Mylitta need to blow some babydust our way - most definitely!! haha.

Foxy77- Best of luck to you too! I have thought so much of doing the second cycle and then if it doesn't work...would I do a third? YES. But, I would personally be waiting maybe 6 months or so. Just to give my body and mind time to recover....plus, I'd need "normal" time (without dr's appt's and meds).

I gave my nurse and doctor a call this morning to get on the schedule for Oct injections. God willing we will all have some good news by years end! What a wonderful thing that would be!

Kimmi - how are you going?

Mia's mama - that's exciting you're starting again in October - not so far away now!

I started injections today, it's exciting after waiting so long! US this Friday, hopefully the stims will work better this month. I'm on 600 units gonal F plus 75 units levaris - they're pulling out all stops this time so hopefully it will be our month!

Foxy77 - So good to hear the doctors are going "all out" this cycle!!! I sincerely hope this is your month!

Kimmi - How's your injections going?

Good luck foxy!!!!!

Hey Ladies,

I haven't been around for a few days.. But injections are going well! I had a scan this morning and it appears (although they are still small) I have about 11 follies coming along nicely. That was a huge relief, I was convinced that nothing was happening and this cycle would be canceled too!

I'll do another week of stims and at this stage, subject to a scan on Friday I will be having epu on Monday or Wednesday of next week.

Foxy - Fingers crossed for you... I'm only a couple of days ahead of you in stims, so best of luck to us both I say!!

Mia's Mumma - October is JUST around the corner, it will be here in no time!

Hi Ladies,

I am about to start a PGD&IVF cycle because of DH's balanced translocation. I was told by genetic counsellor that the normal embryos and BT carrier can now be differentiated but during the nursing interview scientist told me it is still in the testing stage, and it is not likely to differentiate them. It seems some ladies here have their embryos tested as normal or carrier. I am a bit confused...I am with SIVF.

Hi Molisa and welcome!

My first IVF cycle with PGD resulted in all of our embryos having chromosomal abnormalities. Because this was a pretty high rate of abnormalities, DH and I had a blood test that looked for chromosomal abnormalities in our own genetics. We were told it was possible (but still unlikely) that one or both of us may have a balanced translocation, so while we were waiting on our results I looked into it a bit and asked some questions about what it meant in regards to future embryos and PGD testing.

It turned out that both of us were given the all-clear, but it was good learning about it anyway. From what I was told, PGD testing can be done to look for the specific balanced translocation that your DH has. With normal PGD testing they use a technique of analysis called FISH which cannot differentiate between the presence of a balanced translocation chromosome and a normal chromosome. So when one person has a known balanced translocation they create a test specific to the translocation they are looking for. Then they can tell you which embryos are clear of the translocation, which have the balanced translocation, and which ones have an unbalanced translocation. I'm guessing it would then be up to you as to whether you would want to only transfer "normal" embryos, or if you would also want to transfer the embryos with the same balanced translocation as your DH (as the child would be normal like your DH, they would just be able to also pass on that translocation to their children also).

I hope that has helped you somewhat. Good luck with your cycle!!!

Hi Molisa........ I am also with SIVF, i have my embies tested for carrier and for affected. However im not sure if it is because the disease i carry is sex linked... so if its an affected boy it has my disease and is its an affected girl it is a carrier. Im not sure if this is what they do but i presume it must help in my case that is is sex linked, other wise they wouldn't even look at the sex.
Good luck and keep us posted!

Kimmi and foxy i hope your injections are going well and your EPU's are just around the corner!

xoxo

Hi, Mylitta and Jaki,

I just got my FE's reply back as below:

The scientists may in the future be able to differentiate between carrier and normal embryos but at the present time this is not possible.

Very disappointed...

Not sure if I should go ahead with it, don't want my children to be a carrier.

Jaki, congratulations on your pregnancy, amazed by your third time try!

Thank you, we said we'd give it 3 go's and thats what it took.
As for the carrier thing, i'd rather have carriers than children who would suffer from a disease. Imagine what technology will be like when our children are having children.
x

goodness, i just googled your DH's gene and i didnt understand anything it said!

Basically just a part of his two chromosomes switched positions. He is the only one who has the problem in his family which I guess could be attributed to his mum's age (40) when gave birth to him. I just started my work up process which will take a while (8-12 weeks it is said). I am thinking maybe I try naturally once while I am waiting. Do not know if it is a wise idea.

Have you seen the genetic dude at Sydney genetics? He was awesome. He is in the same building as sivf. He may help rationalise things for you. It's so hard to make these desisions! If you want his details I can pm them to you.

Molisa, I definitely won't tell you TO try naturally, or to NOT try naturally, but I wanted to mention that unbalanced chromosome translocations very rarely result in pregnancy, and if they do they most definitely end in a miscarriage. It's because when it's unbalanced there is actually genetic information missing that is essential for life. For that reason if I were in your position I would probably try anyway, unless you were only planning on transferring embryos that are not even carriers of the balanced translocation (which it sounds like they can't distinguish for you yet).

As for your concern about whether to even go ahead with it considering the limitations of the test, well I'm assuming the main reason that IVF with PGD is used in a situation like yours would be to reduce the number of potential miscarriages (or months where you don't even seem to conceive) because you are more likely to create embryos that have chromosomal abnormalities.

Molissa - I completely agree with everything that Mylitta has to say!!!

I had my daughter naturally and quickly. However, when trying for number two, I had several miscarriages - like 6. We were tested and I have a Paracentric Inversion in chromosome 22.......MIVF made a test just for me and my chromosome. They also do the "generic PGD test".

Best of luck to you and whatever decision you make.

yeah, I had two miscarriages in the past 6 months, none of them passed 6 weeks. Since my second miscarriage, I have seen 2 GPs, 1 OB, 2 Genetic Counsellors and 3 FS. Apart from these two M/C, my first pregnancy, I didn't know I was pregnant then and did three vaccinations which could have big damages to the embryo , had to be terminated as suggested by Dr. That one was going well before we stopped it. Theoretically we should have 50% chance to have a healthy pregnancy according to GC, and there is also a small chance that a baby with unbalanced chromosome be carried to full term with serious mental and health problems. I understand the risk of M/C and just like to push my luck a bit. Life has been very tough for me in the past year, I lost my beloved father and then 2 M/Cs, I think I am strong enough to handle another M/C if it is meant to happen...

Oh Molisa,

What a terrible year you've had. I'm sorry for your losses but you are a strong woman! Look what you've already survived :)

Foxy - are you still here? Hows the injections going?

I am going in for my epu on Monday. So far it looks like there are between 12 - 14 fairly ok sized follicles. Two more fsh stims until my trigger tomorrow night, then we will hope for the best.

Great work Kimmi, good luck on monday!!!

Molisa - I like your attitude! If it's meant to be, it will. This is what I keep telling myself.

Kimmi - Great news! A couple more days...and seems very promising this month!

Foxy - How's injections going?

Trigger tonight :-) Then a relaxing night of watching movies on the couch... I hope my little follies have grown just that little bit more.