IF Treatment and Testing Check In Week of 7/10

adirat

Want to hear a funny story? Today I was talking with some extended family (who know about my loss) and mentioned that we are considering ivf. I said, "We're going to talk to the doctor at the end of the month to find out more. I don't really know a lot about it." Because I feel like I don't know nearly enough...not cost or timeline or protocol or anything. Anyway, my aunt says, "What really is ivf?" and I give the thirty second summary and she says, "Wow that's what you call not knowing a lot about it?" 

I wanted to say to her, "You don't even want to know how much I've learned about cervical mucus..."

Big hugs ladies and special good juju thoughts to our FETs this week! 

LadyMillil

The vagina and penis are both covered with bacteria and that is completely normal and healthy. The types of bacteria differ from person to person and can even differ from day to day. The are some bacteria in the vagina that can cause pregnancy complications in some women (I'm actually consulting on a clinical trial to try to figure out why since nobody knows yet). Ureplasma is one of the ones that can cause pregnancy complications because in some women it can travel up the vagina and into the uterus leading to miscarriage or preterm rupture of the membranes. Treating it now is a precaution and when you are pregnant I would suggest asking your care provider to check you for it as a precaution @50Wife

KariAnn323

@JuneRoseRuby Have a wonderful trip to Europe! It sounds amazing.
@lulu1180 Thank you for letting me "sit" with you guys! So many hugs. I'm with you, no matter how much I tell myself to not get my hopes up during TWW, there's still a little bit of hope and then I'm crushed.
@beachbunnyxo123 Yeah, they shouldn't have an issue monitoring it. I'll just have to request it because he'll probably not suggest it (which is irritating). At this point I've met my deductible for the year so the more data I can get for the RE the better.
@shortstack930 Sorry for the BFN and the fake out temps. Are taking progesterone supplements this cycle (or a higher dose than previous cycles) that could be causing your temps to stay up?
@mispanda I definitely don't feel bad for waiting. It's more of a "WTF I used to seriously panic about ever getting KU and did everything to prevent it and now I want to get KU, and I can't?" kind of feeling. 
@safire3 FX for Thursday! We're here for you
@Aurora1973 GL tonight!

AFM I told one of my friends about the RE appointment. Her response: Well you're not like tracking your cycles and stuff are you, the stress probably wouldn't help. It took my sister a long time to get KU, it took her 6 months. I managed to keep my facial expressions and my words under control, but it was hard.

lulu1180

GL today @antoto @leekat14!!  So excited for you ladies, sending you all the sticky vibes!!!

50Wife

Thank you so much @LadyMillil!!! So definitely still a bit scary and something to monitor but not as doomsday as some people were making it out to be.  I appreciate the response! 

@adirat my mom has told me about these tests that give you a smiley face and let you know when to try. Her friend used them and got pregnant that month... 
I know she's trying and really being positive for me and trying to help in any way she can...but it is also amazing how little people who easily got pregnant legitimately know about all of this. 

lund

Gah, I need to catch up on this thread! I hate it when I have to actually work at work.

@antoto @leekat14 SUCH GOOD LUCK TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! Sending all the sticky bean vibes!!!

kiwi2628

Good luck today @antoto and @leekat14 !!!


AFM, some of you know, but I triggered this AM after my BW and u/s. My IUI #1 is tomorrow and #2 is Friday! My u/s today (CD 10) showed a 22 mm, a 20 mm and a 19 mm and either another cyst or another follicle at 20 mm, so 3-4 follicles!

haylsbayls-2

@antoto @leekat14 gokd luck today ladies!!!!!

Redpuma119

Sending positives vibes to @leekat14 and @antoto. So exciting!!!!!

shortstack930

@KariAnn323 nope, not taking any progesterone. And a major eye roll to your friend!

Good luck today, @antoto and @leekat14!!

Aurora1973

@icecubeinthedesert You, lady, are amazing.  Thanks so much for taking the time to scare the everloving shit out of me.  LOL, just kidding.  It all actually sounds really reasonable, and it's so helpful.  And I laughed my ass off at the comment about being covered in sperm!  This was my vision of that:



Of course, my biggest IF worry would simply be to lose the swimmers...those are precious and limited now!!

@leekat14 and @antoto Wishing you the stickiest beans today.  I am going to be on pins and needles until you test or get your betas!!!  GL today!!

Hollyyyyy

@leekat14 @antoto Good luck today!!

mispanda

@leekat14 and @antoto thinking of you two today! 

msmeeseeks

*lurking*
Just wanted to say good luck @antoto and @leekat14! FX, so excited for you both!

purplg8r

@antoto @leekat14 good luck today!!!  I've been thinking about you!!

@kiwi2628 FX for you!!!

KariAnn323

@antoto and @leekat Thinking of you guys today

[Deleted User]

Thank you so much for all the warm wishes everyone  It seriously makes this day even MORE awesome.

laurad75

I'm so behind this week!  GL to the FET and IUI's.  Fingers crossed so freakin hard!

beachbunnyxo123

@kiwi2628 we can be IUI buddies!  I triggered last night and have one scheduled for tomorrow morning too! Good luck!!

Pinky917

I have soooo much to catch up on but wishing you all the luck today @antoto and @leekat14!!!!!

zwink1

I'm wayyyyy behind. 

Good luck today,@antoto and @leekat14. Thinking of you both today!!!!

H's u/s was rescheduled to next Mon (or Weds, we're not sure yet), so that's lame. Womp womp.

leekat14

Omg thank you everyone!!!! Your good vibes always help get me through!

Transfer went great.  Got the embryo right where it needed to be.  Now to continue meds and take it easy.  Dr. said it looked like a great embryo and gave me a picture. 

adirat

@leekat14 Yayyyy! I'm so glad it went smoothly. Now the most interminable TWW EVER!

saralee797-2

@leekat14 Yayy I am so glad things went smoothly for you!! 

tamalahoops

@leekat14 Yay! Every day of the wait is torture after a transfer so I won't bother with telling you to try and relax or that it will fly by! I had my sister help me with a countdown of inside jokes. It went something like "8 more sleeps until your beta and remember that story dad used to tell about the deer?!" It kept me somewhat distracted and I also texted her to keep me from testing early. 

@antoto the same goes for you and I also wanted to add that I googled what time it was in Arizona and can't believe its not closer to 3!!!!

dpjennifer

Hello all, I was encouraged to join you ladies, so I'm going to introduce myself. Just a general TW that this post will contain information about losses and may be TMI. (Sorry, I sorta lack a filter..)

Diagnosis (If you've been): RPL unexplained (my signature shows the whole shebang, but basically 4 MCs since October 2015, and I'm currently in my second set of RPL testing). The first set of RPL testing didn't show anything, and we were encouraged to 'try again,' and hopefully did resulting in a 4th loss. I'm benched again and testing is almost complete. The only thing found this time was Ureaplasma, which according to what I've read could either be a big deal causing my entire early RPL problem, or end up having nothing to do with it. *sigh* The last test I'm waiting on in a progesterone biopsy, and the RE wants me to lose 21 lbs. before we do that. I'm down 6 lbs, plateaued, and generally hate the world. Hoping the progesterone test sheds some light on the situation, because if not we're still operating on a giant '?'. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me, I really am an open book pretty much...

Cycle/CD: CD 8

Status (WTO/TWW/TTA):  Benched/TTA.

Any questions? Despite currently going through my second set of RPL testing, I'm really not so up on my knowledge of IF or what even all the tests I had done prove/show. @adirat That is exactly how I feel! My 'know nothing' knowledge is more than the general population, but has serious gaps for my own possible purposes and for the support of my friends here on TB.

GTKY: Pack your bags!  You're going on vacation!  Where are you going and what are you doing? New Zealand! DH and I went to Australia on our honeymoon and it was amazing and we want to go on another big trip like that, and NZ is supposed to be amazing and beautiful and beaches...

adirat

@dpjennifer I'm sorry you find yourself here What is a progesterone biopsy? Is it an endometrial biopsy of some sort? And does your doc think your weight is related to rpl? I haven't seen that connection before. 

I know what you mean about knowing a lot but feeling like you don't know enough... You said you don't know what all your tests show -- does your doc not give you copies? 

dpjennifer

@adirat Well, the tests were explained to me at the time I took them, but when they would come back OK, sometimes I can't always remember EXACTLY what the complications or all the issues of what they were looking for on them were. Does that make sense? (So I know a bit more about ureaplasma because that test came back positive for me).
Apparently the biopsy is done one to get an overall picture of your progesterone levels, rather than testing throughout various parts of your cycle. Since weight can possibly affect your cycle overall and progesterone levels, they wanted me to lose some weight before the biopsy, instead of having one then and then losing weight and needing another one.
Additionally, I think RE's and everyone have sort of washed their hands of me at this point. They don't really seem to have any more tests (besides the progesterone) or any more of an idea of what's causing the RPL than they did before the testing. Basically the second RE said that my current chance of MC is like 35% (although honestly I feel this is BS cause it feels like my chance of MC is more like 95% at this time.) They think my chance of losing another baby with IVF would be 30%. However, they think that if I lost the 21 lbs. that it would put me in a weight range to have my MC rate down to 30% as well. 
So essentially I think it boils down to: Lose 21 lbs. and take this last possible test, then give it a go and hope for the best. 

Aurora1973

@beachbunnyxo123 It's sounding like we're probably more IUI buddies than not since mine will be at 6:30 tonight and yours is early tomorrow.  @kiwi2628 what time is your IUI tomorrow?

@dpjennifer Welcome to the club that no one wants to join.  I'm so sorry to hear about your losses.  I hope that you get answers soon and don't have to stay here long.  However, if you don't have a filter, especially about TMI stuff, I like you already

dpjennifer

@Aurora1973 Thank you. I just feel that life is too short to beat around the bush! Especially with everything I've been through, I often say that my 'give a crap-o'meter' is busted!

50Wife

@dpjennifer I just tested positive for Ureaplasma!  And I basically found the same information - either devastating or literally nothing to do with anything.  We found out we had it after we tried this cycle so I'm waiting to see what happens...if we were lucky and got knocked up then I need a certain type of antibiotic for it. If not, I have an rx waiting at home to fill for both of us (as that rx isn't safe for pregnancy).
FWIW - the nurse that told me that I tested positive for it said it was totally common and they just like to clear it up because it can cause issues. But she seemed totally not phased by it at all. 
If you scroll up a bit, @LadyMillil gave a nice explanation about it since I asked the other day! It was helpful but essentially still leave a lot up in the air.

adirat

@dpjennifer Hmm, interesting. I've not heard of an endometrial biopsy being used that way but obviously I'm far from an expert on that. I'm sorry your rpl is unexplained. That's so frustrating. I agree with you about the stats -- how can they give you a reliable estimate when it's unexplained? Not that it's really that helpful even if they do give you a population estimate...before I had testing done with my pregnancy I was told my risk was between 17-33 percent (quite a range right?) then after it happened they said if it happens once then your risk is more accurately identified as 25-33%.

I was like...this is not reassuring to me in the least....

dpjennifer

@50Wife Yeah, it sounds like not a big deal. I'm really hoping it's the cause of my issues, but seems unlikely due to some research and because my ex had no problem later on getting his new wife KU...

adirat Yeah, a biopsy was not what I was expecting them to say either!?!? I'd heard of testing, but usually always around various parts of your cycle. But who knows? The stats thing is very frustrating! Sorry you had more favorable chances and then got knocked down to higher percentages. Ugh! This is actually the main reason we're not considering IVF at this time. I mean, if the RE's would be all "WE think IVF would really help you and allow you to have a successful PG and take-home baby" we'd be all for it. But it's a LOT of money when the problem could be my body rejecting the PG for some reason and no matter how good the eggs are, it would end in a MC anyway. Guess we'll keep waiting it out for now...

adirat

@dpjennifer I don't want to be that obnoxious person who says "have you tried xyz" when they're super obvious things a doctor definitely tests for, so forgive me, but do you know how expansive your testing has been? Can you share what you have been tested for and have you had any testing done on the fetal tissue in your losses? Does your doc go in on reproductive immunology or any of the new frontier subfields of rpl? I recently went down the rabbit hole of reproductive immunology for another friend and it's intense. (and also mostly new and unproven yada yada yada) I'm just being curious/nosy

50Wife

@dpjennifer are you both on antibiotics to get rid of it so it's not a factor going forward?

dpjennifer

@50Wife WE were both on antibiotics to get rid of it (cause you can pass it sexually), and I'd assume we'll get tested for it to make sure it's gone when we go to TTC again.

@adirat Sure... This won't be an expansive list, but what I can remember off of the top of my mind. The first RE had me do a TON of bloodwork, including stuff for STDs, A1C, etc. (I have the paperwork for the list but it was like 12 tests for me and 8 tests for DH). We also did the genetic karotyping and the Counsyl test. DH did a semen analysis and workout. All of those came back fine, with no problems for TTC. Except I had low vitamin D (so I'm now taking pills for that) I had the hsg/dye test, and they thought they saw something so I had a saline sonogram, and it was fine. They did some test where they counted the number of my eggs (can't remember if that was part of the dye test or a separate thing.) The second RE retested my vitamin D which was fine. Then we had tests for Ureaplasma (which came back positive) and a few other bacterial tests, which were fine. So we're just waiting on progesterone. 
God... um... I'm probably forgetting something... 
As for testing the tissue, unfortunately no. The first PG was a suspected molar pregnancy so I had to have a D&E. That testing came back as just a MMC, but they didn't test for issues since it was my first one. (Sigh. Regrets). The second one, my OB was still all happy "It will be fine" and lost it at 5.5 weeks so was still too early to really have anything I could pull out. The other 2 were so early, again, there hasn't been anything to save to test. I've never seen a heartbeat on an Ultrasound. So that makes tissue collection difficult.

icecubeinthedesert

@adirat and @dpjennifer, I hope it's ok if I jump in here about progesterone tests. My OB put me on progesterone suppositories after O after my second loss, but I never had blood tests done to show low P. She said she doesn't recommend them because blood profession levels are not always a good indicator of uterine progesterone levels, which is why there biopsy is recommended. But she didn't want to do that on me since it can run a risk of scarring. Her rationale is that there is no demonstrated risk for progesterone supplementation, only a potential benefit, so she didn't need to see the test to feel comfortable prescribing it. I know there are lots of different opinions about this, but it made sense to me. Has anyone gotten different information or opinions about this?

adirat

@icecubeinthedesert Interesting. Yeah there seem to be differing opinions about biopsies' diagnostic value compared with the high risk of pain and slight risk of infection or scarring. My RE just did bloodwork for me for my LPD. I get why your doc would go straight to supplementation though. 

mispanda

@icecubeinthedesert that is pretty much what my RE and OB said.  The only reason why I didn't do the progesterone biopsy was because I would have to be benched for two cycles.  They just have me take progesterone after I ovulate.

dpjennifer

@icecubeinthedesert That sounds about right. Basically my RE made it sound like if you didn't take the blood test at the exact right time, it could change and it can vary cycle to cycle. I think that's why a biopsy was preferred. Also, my RE said he doesn't like to just prescribe the progesterone if they're not sure a person needs it or not, because apparently it can be messy and annoying and they don't want to force anyone to be on it if there's not a medical need? I mean, after my 4th loss I'm sorta at the: "pray to the mashed potato gods and circle three times around a cucumber" if my RE said it would help stage of TTC. LOL.