Infertility

Intro --multiple losses and pregnancy mentioned

Hi Ladies, I've been part of the bump family since 2010.  I started out in the Sept 2011 birth club and then the pregnant after loss board.  But I believe this is where I belong now, if not please let me know!

Here's my story: Patrick and I were married in 2010 and we wanted to have a family right away. I had been on the pill previously, so I just stopped taking it and we stopped preventing, but not actually trying. We soon found out we were pregnant, we were over the moon excited. I did everything I was supposed to. Made smoothies full of vitamins, until I couldn’t handle the texture with my MS, stayed away from lunch meat and yummy cheeses, and of course stayed away from wine and sushi 

We couldn’t wait to find out what we were having as we walked into our 20 week u/s appt. Unfortunately, that was and remains one of the worst days of our lives. We found out our baby was sick. How sick? They didn’t know exactly, they hadn’t seen a baby like this before with all the genetic anomalies together. They tried their best to prepare us for the unknown future, and one doctor didn’t really think the baby was going to survive the pregnancy at all. Our baby boy Dylan was born that August by an emergency C-section. He was 6# 13oz and had a full head of hair. He was taken away immediately because he was struggling to breathe. They had to give him doses of surfactant to help his little lungs (thanks March of Dimes) and they had to put him on a vent and incubate him since he couldn’t breathe on his own. My little warrior had 8 surgical procedures, and countless blood draws. He smiled all the time and flirted with all the nurses.

We had 2 months with our sweet boy before we had to say goodbye. I cherish every second I had with him, including when he was in my belly. 

Because the doctors couldn’t tell us why Dylan was sick, they also couldn’t tell us if it would happen again. To be safe, they said there was a 25% chance that it would happen again (a recessive trait-since both my husband and I don’t have any of the anomalies). After many discussions and many prayers, we decided to try again. We got pregnant again and anxiously awaited our first appt. I was considered high risk now, so they met with us earlier than they would’ve previously. At our 12 week u/s, they said they saw some similarities to Dylan, but wouldn’t be certain for another week or two. I hung onto the hope that this baby only had one of those anomalies, the cleft lip that they saw that day, and that we wouldn’t be reliving that same nightmare.

 Unfortunately that was not the case. Noah was also sick and now because I had already had 1 c-section, the doctors were concerned for my health. We knew that we didn’t want to put Noah through everything that Dylan had endured, so we choose not to have heroic measures taken when he was born. The doctors induced me early to prevent any complications for my health (which I still feel guilty about) and our little Noah was born at 1# 13 oz. We were surrounded with our families, and Noah felt nothing other than the love hugging him in that room. Noah lived for just under two hours.


Because of Noah (being our second child with the same genetic defect), our genetics team was able to fight our insurance company and get them to pay for the genetic sequencing that they had wanted to perform after we lost Dylan. We couldn’t afford the $32,000 price tag for a “we might be able to find the cause” So many people asked us “oh can’t they test for that?” This wasn’t a commonly known disorder… to simplify, think of a huge downtown library, with rows and rows of stacks of books. Now I tell you to find the word that’s missing. That’s all I tell you. I don’t tell you the row, the stack, the book, or the page. They sent out our DNA and the boys and in this past October, the results came back. And they found it. They found the needle in the haystack.


So here we are now. We have the info, we know the what. Now we have to decide where to go. If anyone has any tips or a question list they went off when picking an IVF clinic, please share! I’m all ears!! The cost is tough as well, but the thought of us having a healthy biological baby makes living on ramin noodles or mac and cheese worth it.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and i hope to get to know you guys and be another shoulder of support as we go through this journey together.
****Signature warning Losses Mentioned****






Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


BFP#1 07/01/2004 ~ EDD 03/10/2005 ~ 
D&C 8/1/2004 @ 5w5d
BFP#2 12/27/10 ~ EDD 9/06/2011 ~ DS born 08/14/11 via c-section, passed away 10/17/11
BFP#3 09/07/12 ~ EDD 5/09/2013 ~ DS born 01/30/13 survived for 2 hrs
08/06/14 Waiting for 1st IVF cycle to begin

IVF#1: started stims 9/15; trigger 9/24; ET 9/26-5R 5M, 5F. 3 biopsied for PGD

image           image





Re: Intro --multiple losses and pregnancy mentioned

  • I don't have recommendations for you but just wanted to give you hugs. I am so sorry for your losses. Prayers that you will find the perfect RE to help you achieve a healthy pregnancy.
    ---- Elizabeth
     (Child mentioned) 

    Dx: PCOS + MFI (low motility and morphology)

    IVF w/ ICSI cycle #1 
    9 days stimming with Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotide
    ER on 4/21 - 19 eggs retrieved, 12 mature, 8 fertilized normally
    3 embryos survived to blastocyst
    2 hatching blastocysts transferred on 4/26
    Faint BFP on 6dp5dt and getting darker each day
    Beta #1 (11dp5dt) = 292
    Beta #2 (18dp5dt) = 6,154
    Ultrasound at 6w2d reveals a single baby with a heartbeat of 125 bpm! EDD 01/12/2015
    Ultrasound at 8w0d: heart rate 164 bpm
    Ultrasound at 9w4d: heart rate 185 bpm
    Panorama tests returned in 10 calendar days. Low risk for everything!
    It's a boy!!!
    ~~~~~~~~~~
     Mom to a 7 year old daughter, conceived with IUI (Clomid + Repronex) after 2 years of IF, 2 cancelled IUIs and 2 BFN IUIs
  • Loading the player...
  • Thanks mama :) We hope so too! Checking out 2 here in Wisconsin next month, and then heading over the boarder to Chicago to meet with 2 others. 
    ****Signature warning Losses Mentioned****






    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    BFP#1 07/01/2004 ~ EDD 03/10/2005 ~ 
    D&C 8/1/2004 @ 5w5d
    BFP#2 12/27/10 ~ EDD 9/06/2011 ~ DS born 08/14/11 via c-section, passed away 10/17/11
    BFP#3 09/07/12 ~ EDD 5/09/2013 ~ DS born 01/30/13 survived for 2 hrs
    08/06/14 Waiting for 1st IVF cycle to begin

    IVF#1: started stims 9/15; trigger 9/24; ET 9/26-5R 5M, 5F. 3 biopsied for PGD

    image           image





  • Im so sorry for everything you have had to endure. I've seen similar experience up close with my sister and 2 of her children. My heart goes out to you. While I dont have any advice to give I will tell you that you have found a forum of women full of support. Im praying for you and wishing you and your H the best! 
    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Waited a long time, tried a lot of stuff, science made me a mom.
     Loss and IF veteran. Current mom of DS 5.5, DD 2, and sometimes DH 40. Due June 2021 with TWINS
  • pblgepblge member
    Welcome. I'm so sorry for your losses.
    **********************siggy/ticker warning**********************

    ***Losses mentioned.*** TTC #1 since May 2012. Me: 37, OH: 41. Ectopic August 2012 => tubal damage. :'(  Stage 1 endo removed June 2013. IVF #1 Oct/Nov 2013: Long Lupron with Gonal-F. 7R, 7M, 7F. 2 txfer@3d. Nothing frozen.  => M/C @ 8 wks. :'( Selected RPL panel all normal. Very hyper and brittle response to stims. IVF #2 (antagonist protocol) Feb 2014 => Converted to IUI (Perfect conditions). BFN. IVF #2.1 w/ new RE June 2014: Antagonist protocol. 33R, 31M, 30F, 19 blasts to test!!! I made it through without crashing!! :) Hats off to Dr. Fancypants!! ET of one 5AB blast. BFN. 13 10 CCS'ed snowflakes! FET #1 PUPO as of 7/29 Betas: 8/7@24, 8/9@97, 8/11@334 (etc.) Two sacs on 8/15, one seen on 8/18 after a bleed. U/s 8/25 (6+3) "perfect": 5.9 mm + HB@120bpm! U/s 9/4 (7+6): 15.9 mm + HB@172 bpm! Please, PLEASE stick this time!!!!
    http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae39/catfreeburg/866da40f5178fed79efe23fc8a4e8a_zps4498a9cc.jpgimageimageimageimage
    image
  • WOW....you have been through so much. I'm so sorry for your losses.  I would definitely see a RE and ask about genetic testing.  Maybe the genetic issue you have can be ruled out with PGD. 

    Best of luck. 
    ***SIGGY WARNING***

    DX: Unexplained
    6 Failed IUIs (Clomid and Gonal F).  
    IVF #1 began August 2013- BC, 4 days of Estrace, stimmed with Gonal F and Menopur, Ganirelix, 9R 5M 5F, Medrol and Doxycycline, 5 day transfer of 2 early blastocysts- good quality, Progesterone, Estrace, and baby aspirin, BETA on 9/20 BFN,   IVF #2 began September 2013, stimming with Gonal F (higher dose) and Menopur, Ganirelix, 18R 14M 9F with ICSI, 5 day transfer of 2 BBs one was starting to hatch, 2 frosties: 1  BB and 1 AC, BETA on 10/21, BFN BETA was a 5- chemical 
    Getting some more testing and trying to figure out what the issue is before FET in December, started acupuncture on 11/10, RLP and some other BW nothing major to report except slightly high Prolactin. Prolactin was slightly high when I started with my RE and I already had an MRI which was Neg.  Endo biopsy=negative.  WTF is wrong with us???
    12/18/13 FET of 1 BB and 1 AC.  Hoping for a miracle.  Beta 12/26 Low BETA-8 2nd BETA 5- chemical
    After 3 failed transfers IDK where to go from here.  Still no real answers as to why this isn't working.  Getting a second opinion in February and looking into immune testing.  
    2/14- NEW RE- Immune testing showed a partial dq alpha match with DH- On prednisone and did intralipids prior to transfer.  3/14 Lupron, gonal f, menopur, HGH.  ER 15 mature all 15 fertilized!  5dt of an early blast grade 1 and an expanded blast grade 2.  BETA on 4/21.  1 grade 2 embryo frozen
    BETA #1 59 BETA #2 148 BETA #3 283 BETA #4 2,783! US at 6w2d shows 1 bean measuring right on track! HR 121.  US at 8w3d measuring on track HR 177. Released form my RE.  EDD 12/28


    All Welcome
  • WOW....you have been through so much. I'm so sorry for your losses.  I would definitely see a RE and ask about genetic testing.  Maybe the genetic issue you have can be ruled out with PGD. 

    Best of luck. 
    It def can! :) Since they located the specific gene, it can be found with PGD! Otherwise, we might be looking at adoption options instead.
    ****Signature warning Losses Mentioned****






    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    BFP#1 07/01/2004 ~ EDD 03/10/2005 ~ 
    D&C 8/1/2004 @ 5w5d
    BFP#2 12/27/10 ~ EDD 9/06/2011 ~ DS born 08/14/11 via c-section, passed away 10/17/11
    BFP#3 09/07/12 ~ EDD 5/09/2013 ~ DS born 01/30/13 survived for 2 hrs
    08/06/14 Waiting for 1st IVF cycle to begin

    IVF#1: started stims 9/15; trigger 9/24; ET 9/26-5R 5M, 5F. 3 biopsied for PGD

    image           image





  • I'm sorry for your loss.  I don't have advice as to how to pick a clinic, except to maybe ask doctors you already know and trust.  I asked my OB for a recommendation and he had a few, but then narrowed it down to one based on my location and I think my personality.  Turns out it was the perfect fit.  I hope you find a great clinic.  I hope PGD can help you. 
  • Tea+Tea+ member
    So sorry for your losses. I'm sure there's not much anyone can say to make you feel better about that but I do agree that the women here are a wonderful group. I hope your time here gives you the support you may need during this part of your journey. You should check out "Hanging on to a Dream" check in if you don't know when your cycle for IVF will start or any other month if you know. Welcome and I hope you find comfort here as I have. Good luck! xo
    TTC Since 2012
    Me: Endo Stage IV (20+yrs) (who knew? Not me)
    MyLove: Pretty Ok. Low #s (i think) 
    IVF#1: No Eggs to Retrieve
    Taking time to ourselves
     Poor Responder will add COQ10 & DHEA next cycle
    **All Welcome**


    image



  • dp21dp21 member
    Sending lots of prayers your way.  Your story made me cry :(  Hope IVF will help you have a healthy baby.  I'm new here as well, but support you on your journey.  As a peds nurse, I really respect the decisions you made for your precious Noah.
    image

    Me:
    30, DH: 32
    My hx:  uterus/hormones normal Dx: low AMH 0.5 = poor ovarian reserve
    hubby hx: low sperm count, poor motility, started on clomid, retest in May showed no improvement, will be on clomid another 3 months, another retest scheduled for August

    Started IVF #1:  ~BFP Mentioned~
    • ER (Thursday April 17th, 3 precious eggs).
    • April 18th: Received news 2 out of 3 eggs fertilized!
    •  Planned 3dt: Easter day, transferred two 8B embryos and received pictures :)
    • BFP starting 8dp3dt 5/1 Beta #1: 87, 5/3 Beta #2 206 
    • 5/19 Heartbeat 123bpm
    • EDD 1/8/15


  • dp21 said:
     As a peds nurse, I really respect the decisions you made for your precious Noah.
    This just made me teary, thank you so much.  It was an excruciating decision to make.
    ****Signature warning Losses Mentioned****






    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    BFP#1 07/01/2004 ~ EDD 03/10/2005 ~ 
    D&C 8/1/2004 @ 5w5d
    BFP#2 12/27/10 ~ EDD 9/06/2011 ~ DS born 08/14/11 via c-section, passed away 10/17/11
    BFP#3 09/07/12 ~ EDD 5/09/2013 ~ DS born 01/30/13 survived for 2 hrs
    08/06/14 Waiting for 1st IVF cycle to begin

    IVF#1: started stims 9/15; trigger 9/24; ET 9/26-5R 5M, 5F. 3 biopsied for PGD

    image           image





  • I would look at sart.org and look for clinics around where you are that have high live birth rates (as well as do a lot of cycles). Not all clinics do pgd as well so ask about that when you schedule an appointment. No use wasting time if they can't to pgd

    TTC#1 since April 2011
    IVF#1 July 2012 5R, 3 made it to blast, sET c/p
    FET#1 Aug 2012 2 blasts transferred BFN
    IVF#2 Oct 2012
    16R/6M/6F/2-8 cell grade 1 transfer
    Beta 1-237.9, Beta 2-566, Beta 3-8657
    US 6w3d shows one baby w/ HB 115
    US 7w1d no more heartbeat/ D&C 11/30/12 normal karyotype
    IVF#3 Mar 2013
    6R/4M/4F 1 compacting and 2-8 cell transfer
    ectopic pg MTX given 3 month break from TTC

    IVF#4 Sept 2013--BFN
    IVF#5-7 Apr 2014, Jun 2014 and Aug 2014 banking embryos for CCS testing. Praying for normals! Image and video hosting by TinyPic imageimage

    http://i61.tinypic.com/34zll06
  • I am so sorry for your losses. Sending prayers your way.
    **Signature Warning**

    Dx PCOS August 2012
    Clomid x4 = BFN
    Femara+Follistim IUIs x 6 = 3 BFN, 2 C/P, 1 early miscarriage
    IVF June 2014- 43 R, 34 M, 24 F, 12 blasts frozen and severe OHSS
    FET September 12, 2014!
    Beta #1 12dp5dt- 724
    Beta #2 14dp5dt- 1631
    Beta #3 20dp5dt- 12,813
    Pending EDD at first OB appointment 11/6. Grow babies grow!

    "I might have to wait. I'll never give up. I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck. 
    Wherever you are, whenever it's right, you'll come out of nowhere and into my life." ~ Michael Buble

    image


  • :::Waves:::::Hi Jen!
    Aside from finding me on COA you will see me around these parts too.  But I have been spending most of my time on TTCAL these days but as I gear up for my #2 IVF I'll be back over here more.  

    I already told you my feelings on my clinic in IL - FCI.  And I agree that SART is important.  But also how you feel about the RE specifically.  Some people you will just feel more comfortable with, which I feel is important.  If they listen to you, your concerns, etc. and develop a plan that you're both comfortable with.

    TTC since July 2009. Dx MFI & LPD. 
    IUI#1&2&3 (2011 & 2012) BFN
    IUI#4 1/23/13 on 75iu x9 Follistim = BFP then chem preg m/c (Feb 2013)
    IUI#5 BFN (April 2013)
    IVF w/ICSI Oct. 2, 2012 - 13R, 11M, 7F, 1 frozen blast 4BB grade - - - FET Nov 15, 2013
    BFP! Beta 1:104 @ 10dp6dt, Beta 2:178 @ 12dp6dt,  beta 3:366 @ 14dp6dt
    Saw heartbeat twice before missed M/C at 8w3d on 12/27/13, missing my little angel boy
    JUNE 2014 IVF#2;  5R, 2M, 1F Three day transfer 6/7.  Beta 6/18 - BFN
    Child Free Now?
    S/PAIFW , S/PALW

    My Blog

    image



  • Hi Kati!!! :)
    ****Signature warning Losses Mentioned****






    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers


    BFP#1 07/01/2004 ~ EDD 03/10/2005 ~ 
    D&C 8/1/2004 @ 5w5d
    BFP#2 12/27/10 ~ EDD 9/06/2011 ~ DS born 08/14/11 via c-section, passed away 10/17/11
    BFP#3 09/07/12 ~ EDD 5/09/2013 ~ DS born 01/30/13 survived for 2 hrs
    08/06/14 Waiting for 1st IVF cycle to begin

    IVF#1: started stims 9/15; trigger 9/24; ET 9/26-5R 5M, 5F. 3 biopsied for PGD

    image           image





  • Wow, I am sooooo sorry for your losses. My heart bleeds for your situation. I have no advice, but I wish you the very best of luck
    ===siggy warning====
    Me: 40, DH: 42
    Diagnosis: PCOS
    TTC: May 2013
    TX: IUI #1 with Follistim. Canceled due to too many follicles (10 + that were large); BENCHED
    IVF #1 March 6. 14 eggs retrieved, 10 fertilized. 
    March 11, 4 eggs transferred.
    March 21 BFP  :) Beta #1 457, Beta #2 1350, Beta #3 9619. 
    Due Date November 27, 2014
    TEAM BLUE

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