Unexplained IVFers

yogisunam · November 2009

I know this has been asked before, but can any of you who had an "unexplained" diagnosis share your story. Either if you were unexpl before IVF then found a reason through additional testing past your first IVF, or if you remained unexpl thoughout.

I'm currently 5dp5dt my first ivf, had a great cycle with 12 eggs retreived, 9 embryos, and 2 blasts returned. None made it to freeze. I know my chances are "good", but I also have had perfect cycles (clomid and inject/iui's) in the past, so my hopes remained hedged.

Thanks in advance.

waitwhat · November 2009

I can't offer advice but I just wanted to say good luck. I am also unexplained and thinking of moving on to IVF next.

lnle · November 2009

well, I guess I was sort of "explained" with my dx of mild endo, but 4 IUIs were not successful after my lap, so we moved to IVF. Then IVF wasn't successful at first, and they found something with my husband's sperm that required ICSI. I don't think we really have an explanation for why we produced crappy embryos, but it eventually took ICSI, assisted hatching, and transferring 4 embryos to have any sort of permanent success (we had 2 m/c after an FET and IVF #2, that the RE chalked up to "bad luck").

good luck to you!!!

Kristin&Frank · November 2009

We are officially unexplained. Frank's swimmers are a little lazy, but not enough to create our problems. In all of the IVF stuff we found that my hormones were mediocre, but again, not enough to explain. Your story sounds a lot like our first IVF - we didn't have anything to freeze and did a 3 day transfer. Success with a singleton.

muppet.fan · November 2009

We're unexplained with slightly low morph. We ended up doing IVF with ICSI and had good results, so RE believes our issue was somewhere with fertilization since we too had "perfect" IUI cycles.

We were going to test that theory by ICSI'ing half and letting half fertilize naturally, but didn't have enough eggs to risk losing half if they didn't fertilize.

It sounds like you had a great cycle...good luck!!

krissyh21 · November 2009

I was unexplained until my first IVF, then was dx'd with DOR. I had normal FSH levels for my age group, my AF count was normal as well. I responded as I should to IUI stims. When I went for my first IVF, I only got 5 eggs on high dose stims on Long Lupron, it was assumed that I over suppressed so for the second IVF we switched to antagonist and I responded better (8 eggs) but the eggs we got were pretty much bad quality.

So for the 3rd IVF, I went to a new RE who gave me the tittle of DOR (no additional testing - just by going over my records) and placed me on a protocol meant for DOR (antagonist with estrogen priming) which much better results. I still had a low egg count, but the quality was higher due to the estrogen.

MNheidi · November 2009

We were unexplained and after 2.5 yrs of tttc (incl. 4 failed IUIs), our first IVF was the golden ticket and that's how Max & Luke came along. Your chances ARE good but I know it's hard to get too hopeful.

BTW, I'm one of those who must have been "fixed" by an actual pregnancy b/c our surprise is to arrive in Feb.

lckytabby3 · November 2009

We were unexplained and still after doing IVF dont have a reason.

I was treated for possible PCOS and Mild Endo but never diagnosed as having it per say.

I had a lap and a very small bit of endo was removed but not enough to say that was the problem. As for PCOS I was put on Glumetza but OB was never convenced of PCOS but I stayed on the meds because it was helping me loss weight.

Good luck, I hope one of those blast stick!!!! And that 2 week wait flies by for you.

kristinamh6 · November 2009

This is going to get kind of long so sorry in advance. Your question fits my situation exactly so I will tell you my story. First off I hope this IVF cycle works for you and you don't need further testing or treatments. I have seen plenty of BFPs on this board when nothing made it to freeze and even when the embryos looked questionable or poor quality. So good luck! We were pretty much unexplained for 3.5 years until I had a lap on 11/26/08 at my own request. My RE found Stage II endo, cleaned it out & I got my BFP less than a month later with IUI & injectibles. I had a failed IVF in 12/07 and several failed IUIs both before and after the IVF attempt. The only test that offered some insight into our infertility prior to the lap was a beta-3 integrin test. My RE recommended it after our "perfect" IVF cycle resulted in a BFN. The test is an endometrial biopsy (ouch!) that checks for a protein called the beta-3 integrin that is believed to aid in implantation. Many REs don't use/believe in the test but mine did and I thought it was worth a shot before I used any of my frozen embryos (we have 4). I did not have the beta-3 protein so my RE said I had an implantation problem, and I was treated with 3 months of Depot Lupron to "correct" the issue. I had a repeat biopsy after the lupron which showed the protein was now present. We tried on our own & did several IUIs after that and still no BFP. That's when I requested the lap and my RE found the Stage II endo. I was so happy to finally have a diagnosis after so long. If I knew then what I know now I would have skipped the beta integrin test and the lupron and just had the lap after (or actually before) my failed IVF. I had no real symptoms of endo which is why none of my REs (I had seen 3) suggested a lap. Actually the lack of beta-3 integrin is showed to be linked to endometriosis, but that was the only symptom (besides infertility). I truly believe my lap was what finally brought us our BFP, and I encourage ladies, especially those that are unexplained, to ask their RE and/or consider having one before spending all the $ and time on treatments. For me I would rather diagnose and treat the underlying issue then just go through treatments to "get around" the problem, which in my case didn't work. I know it does work for lots of people though so this is just my opinion. Again sorry this is so long, and hopefully you won't need to use any of this information because the IVF is successful. But if it's not, then you have to advocate for yourself and do what you feel has the best chances of bringing you success.

MBandBud · November 2009

We are Dx Unexplained. We actually got pg after only 3 months of trying, but that ended in a blighted ovum. We tried after that for over a year with no luck. We sought out all the fun tests, and everything came back normal. We tried clomid a few times then moved on to 2 IUI's. I responded great and we thought that was going to be it for us. No luck. We decided to move onto IVF. We were wanting to limit the number of eggs ferted b/c we didn't want any leftover embryos as we weren't sure what the future held for us. I responded awesome to the meds, wound up with 21 eggs, ferted 5, 6 were not mature, and we froze 10 eggs to keep our options open down the road since I'm 38 and we essentially 'froze time'. I was feeling very optimistic until a few days before we were going to do the hpt and then talked myself out of it. Why would this work when everything else hadn't? I even made Dh read the pregnancy test. Low and behold, it was positive the journey continues. Hold onto hope girl, I know your shoes!! Hoping to see you over here so very soon!!

yogisunam · November 2009

Thanks for sharing, and giving me both hope, and some good information on how to proceed in case I have to do this again.

KoCoLoCo · November 2009

Here is mine:

*Cycles like clockwork, ovulate predictable, every month. Initial blood screening indicated no issues (perfect health), DH SA was normal. HSG/Dye XRay test showed mild endo = straight to IVF.

IVF 1 - perfect cycle, lots of eggs, lots Grade A and B embies, transferred 2, BFN.

IVF 2 - perfect cycle, lots of eggs, lots Grade A and B embies, transferred 2, BFN.

*Additional blood screening, RPL panel, Chromosonal Analysis for me and DH all normal, indicated mild MTHFR (altered PNV to fix).

IVF 3 - microdose lupron protocol, doubled trigger. Perfect cycle, lots of eggs, lots Grade A and B embies, transferred 3, BFN.

*Hysteroscopy and D&C surgeries revealed no issues.

IVF 4 - normal protocol, doubled trigger. Perfect cycle, lots of eggs, lots Grade A and B embies, transferred 3, BFN.

*Endometrial biopsy for Beta-3 integrin normal, no issues.

FET 1 - perfect cycle, transferred 3, BFN.

*Lap surgery reveals stage I endo, removed some endo tissue.

IVF 5 - normal protocol, doubled trigger. Perfect cycle, lots of eggs, lots Grade A and B embies, transferred 3, BFN.

*RE says she has nothing else to check for, she doesn't know if it is something medically unkown w/ me our something hidden with our embryos.

IVF 6 - normal protocol, double trigger. We used PGD to select the best embryos, tranferred 2 into a gestational surrogate, BFP with twins!

So, obviously I am some sort of medical anomily.

Aliki · November 2009

We're unexplained and went through 4 medicated IUIs in 2008, all resulting in BFNs.

We then did a lap, found stage II endo, lasered it all off and was dx as "normal". Told to try on our own for 3 months but no luck.

We started IVF in June 2009. We retrieved 14, 9 fertilized, transferred 2 and froze 5 blasts. Only 1 of the 2 transferred stuck so we hve a singleton pregnancy right now.

I wish you all the best, yogi!

yogisunam · November 2009

KoCoLoCo:
...

Wow!

KoCoLoCo · November 2009

yogisunam:

Wow!

LOL. I hope it doesn't come to that for you (or anyone), I guess the moral of the story is where there is a will there is a way. Good luck!

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