Wanna play doctor? Looking for guidance.

peregrinefalconx · November 2014

Good morning ladies.

It is a bright and beautiful day, and I am fretting about babies/life. My situation:

MMC in 11/12. Nothing was ever seen in the sac. Did not have a good OBGYN, so know very little except it was supposedly a BO.
Developed a rare, extremely painful brain condition in 4/13, had a bunch of strokes, got PTSD, profound insomnia, panic, etc. Brain condition resolved and no leftover physical manifestations (thank God!!) but my sleep is still iffy at times and my good old Generalized Anxiety Disorder will always be with me. But other than that, I am good as new!!
MC in 11/13 at 8-9 weeks. Blighted ovum? No HB ever found.
Had full cadre of tests at RE. I have diminished ovarian reserve, but nobody told me that then, just said my follicle count was low. Did acupuncture, took CoQ10, baby aspirin, been on prenatals for years now.
MMC in 8/14 at 12 weeks, chromo normal M stopped developing at 10 weeks. Had a wonderful D&C.

Last RE discussion after last MC was basically: just keep trying naturally. He didn't feel like IVF would actually produce any good eggs for me and that my chances would be just as great (or not great) of getting and staying P on my own, as with IVF. He did tell me that a DE was my best chance (which is typical under my circumstances, I've read). Due to my sleep/GAD issues, I feared taking P unless necessary, as a 10-day trial a year ago ended with me feeling very, very badly. Brought back my PTSD/sleep anxiety (but maybe it would be better a year later??) I think he would probably do medicated cycles if I wasn't so worried about my mental health, but I am close to just saying we need to try it, even if it doesn't work or I need to stop. (If I do IVF, I'll need to do it anyway).

So now I am just taking chinese herbs, CoQ10, baby aspirin, prenatal and we are doing it the old fashioned way. I am going for a 2nd opinion at another RE next month. But I feel like there is something else I am supposed to know, or some other cycle testing, or something that you all may be aware of that I am not. My acupuncturist says that the numbers/tests make it seem like my low AMH situation is black and white (FSH was normal), but it's not. I do get pregnant relatively easily and my body stays pregnant well, but things aren't happening right. What should I know here? Are you, or do you know somebody, who has been in a similar situation? What was your protocol? Thank you!!

meredithcarole · November 2014

I'm sorry. That just sucks. The RE said to me yesterday (very matter-of-factly) that "we know at your age (35) that 30 to 40 percent of your eggs aren't good quality." That was a piece of somewhat harsh infomation, but this is part of the reason older women have more miscarriages in general. It honestly could be as simple as that. I don't think it would hurt to see a second RE and with IVF they can screen for healthy eggs so who knows, maybe that would help.

ctk181 · November 2014

I have no advice or experience but wanted to say I'm sorry you're having to deal with all this. ((Hugs))

blackbird818 · November 2014

I'm sorry for your losses.

But I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one online. That's why you go to the people who went to college for this stuff. I strongly support being an advocate for your own health and getting a second opinion is never a bad idea. Is your current RE aware that you are seeing an acupuncturist/taking chinese herbs? And are the two working together in your treatment?

edit typo

FutureMrsWright2012 · November 2014

Sorry that you're going thru this and for all of your losses. I would definitely get in to see a new RE for a second opinion. I agree with the PP's that low AMH is probably affecting your quality of eggs, but apparently not the quantity?

GL with new RE. Hope they're able to find some answers and a plan for you.

[Deleted User] · November 2014

I don't have low AMH but I have had IVF. If you are concerned about egg quality you can always have egg retreival, have them fertalized, and then get them tested for genetic issues. This way you can transfer the best quality embryos. We haven't done this yet, but may when we do IVF again.

bunnybun4 · November 2014

I'm not a dr. and I agree with pp's that you need to run your chinese herbs and anything else you are taking by your RE first.

I had three losses between Nov. 12 and Nov. 13...one late loss and two miscarriages...I thought that getting pregnant was not our problem it was staying pregnant because i always got pregnant on our first shot...then I got my amh checked...it is slightly higher that yours but still very low. My RE said that IVF is our best bet at this junction (I also was unable to get pregnant on 6 cycles of fertility meds)...also he thinks that doing PGS on my embryos can hopefully eliminate the eggs that I would otherwise miscarry. As for using a DE, my RE said I'm not there yet but that could be something we discuss in the future.

I would definitely seek another opinion if I were you.

PinkCamino · November 2014

king26 said:

I don't have low AMH but I have had IVF. If you are concerned about egg quality you can always have egg retreival, have them fertalized, and then get them tested for genetic issues. This way you can transfer the best quality embryos. We haven't done this yet, but may when we do IVF again.

It's really not that easy. Having a retrieval includes so many factors - IVF is no joke. It's extremely expensive and not everyone is a candidate.

Nikolie93 · November 2014

Much smarter ladies than me in here have already replied so I will just say I am sorry for your losses and good luck.

kyliehopeful · November 2014

Hi, sorry for your loss. I'm also dor however I also have a high fsh so I've been told I likely won't respond to ivf and de is my only other option other than naturally.
My last loss ( of 4) was a male trisomy 15 (rare trisomy) and likely due to my age and dor. My doctor told me I have a 50% chance of a healthy egg at this stage.
Like the others have mentioned get a second opinion and make sure they know about the Chinese herbs as some contain a blood thinner and you shouldn't take another blood thinner on top of it.

peregrinefalconx · November 2014

Thanks, everybody, for your support. It's too bad that every piece of information we get comes at such a high cost, physically and emotionally (monetarily and timewise). Sounds like the second opinion will be the way to go. We all get tiny steps ahead. Just wanted to see if any lay experiences here might inform my direction. The chinese herb thing is new, but I have not informed the RE, so thanks for the reminder. I'm not even sure what the baby aspirin is supposed to do, since I don't have clotting issues. I think it falls under my doc's "can't hurt but could help" category.

Ugh. and I just got my Ovarian assessment report and and I am "reduced". It says statistically, I would likely get between 0-4 eggs. No wonder the doc didn't think I would be successful!

kyliehopeful · November 2014

Sorry about your ovarian result, I cried when I was told the same thing, used so many tissues at the re appt.

jjbmstinco · November 2014

I just wanted to say that I am sorry that you are going through this.

peregrinefalconx · November 2014

kyliehopeful said:

Sorry about your ovarian result, I cried when I was told the same thing, used so many tissues at the re appt.

I remember we talked a ways back about the DE. did you make any other decisions or have you looked further into DE? i remember you saying your choices were limited. I found one lady in a bank that made me say "I want her!!" and I actually felt good and excited. The bank in my area through my RE doesn't really have the breadth that I would like. My therapist yesterday told me to do hypnosis for fertility. Hell, I'll try whatever I can!!

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