I was active on the board back in May when we decided to pursue a FET with donor embryos. After that cycle failed we began working with a reproductive immunologist and decided to give IVF one more try. I switched REs and my new RE thought we should try an estrogen priming protocol along with our immune treatments. So we gave IVF #4 a try and in the begining it seemed like it was shaping up to be our best cycle yet. The cycle was intense, but it seemed to be working since my ovaries responded much better and I had many more follicles than any of my previous cycles. The immune protocol also seemed to be working, steroids had my NKa and cytokines under control and lovenox and baby aspirin had my blood flow back in the optimal range. The one piece that wasn't working out was my lining. My clinic has a cutoff of 8mm and despite adding vaginal viagra and trebutaline, my lining never made it above 7.78mm so my cycle was switched to a freeze all. As disappointing as this was, I was ok with the decision. Since this was our last IVF, I wanted to make sure my lining was perfect before transfer.
This is where the wheels started to fall off the cycle. Despite having 15-16 mature range follicles to we got 10 eggs and was originally told only 8 were mature. We had 8 mature eggs from our previous IVF attempt and it was disappointing to think we changed so much and ended up with the same number of mature eggs. When we got our fert report we found out that all 10 ended up being mature and 7 fertilized normally. We would have liked more than 7 since we have had so many issues with embryo quality, but 7 felt like it at least gave us something to work with. Then we got our day 3 report. As you know, on day 3 embryos should be 6-10 cells and my clinic gives them a grade of 1-3 (1 is no fragmentation, 2 is little fragmentation, 3 is highly fragmented). We had 5 grade 3 embryos (3 cell, 4 cell, 4 cell, 5 cell, and 6 cell) and 2 grade 2 (4 cell and 7 cell). So yet again all of our embryos were slow growing and highly fragmented. I got our day 5 report today and most of our embryos are still in the cleaved stage and 1 is a grade 2 compacted embryo, if it manages to make it to blast tomorrow and remains a grade 2, they will freeze it. Right now I am not holding out hope.
Right now we are planning on starting to search for donor embryos again while also looking into donor eggs. Unlike the last time we will need to make a private match for donor embryos, since we want to stay with our current clinic because of our immune treatments. Also there are very few options for donor eggs in my area (only one clinic has a donor egg program and it is the original clinic I consulted with and didn't like, plus I've heard their wait for donor eggs through their program is over a year), so we will probably have to go the agency route if we end up deciding on a donor egg cycle.
You all were so supportive through my donor embryo cycle, that while I'm sad to be coming back, I'm happy to share my journey with this great group of women.
Update: I am in shock. I got my final embryo updated today and not only did my compacted embryo expand and make it to blast, one of our cleaved embryos decided to compact and expand as well. We somehow ended up with 2 frozen expanded blasts out of our mess of embryos. Right now we are planning a FET in January, which will be our last shot at bio children. I occasionally lurk and will continue to keep you all in my thoughts and prayers! Lots of love and luck to all of you!
TTC #1 since August 2011
September 2012: Start IF testing
DH (32): SA is ok, slightly low morph, normal SCSA Me (32): Slightly low progesterone, hostile CM, carrier for CF, Moderately high NKC, High TNFa, heterozyogous mutated Factor XIII, and +APA
October 2012-May 2014: 4 failed IUIs, 3 failed IVFs, and 1 failed FETw/donor embryos
November 2014: IVF w/ICSI #4 Agonist/Antagonist with EPP and Prednisone, Baby Aspirin, Lovenox, and IVIG for immune issues. Converted to freeze all due to lining issues. 2 blasts frozen on day 6!
January 2015: FET #2 Cancelled due to lining issues
April 2015: FET #2.1
PAIF/SAIF Welcome!
Re: *Updated 11/22*Pretty Sure I'm Back (long)
DOR and AMA
2/12-5/12: 4 IUI cycles = all BFN;
7/12: DE IVF # 1 (with ICSI)- 20R, 16M, 14F, 5DT of 2 blasts; 6 frosties = BFN;
Lupus anticoagulant initially high, then found to be normal on hematology consult;
Follow up testing in September all clear;
Started synthroid for "high normal" TSH;
FET # 1- late October 2012- BFP on FRER; beta # 1- 21(low), beta # 2- 48 (still low), beta # 3- 132, beta # 4- 1,293; beta # 5- 5,606; last beta- over 100,000. First u/s 11/21- heard heartbeat
12/12- Officially an OB patient!
Level 2 ultrasound at 20 weeks shows vasa previa and VCI
Referral to MFM and mandatory c section for delivery
Beautiful baby girl born at 34 weeks
Finally home after 15 day NICU stay!
Trying for sibling: FET # 2- May 2014; beta 5/31, BFN
FET #3, early July 2014; beta 7/14, BFN
DE IVF # 2- August 2014; 14R, 13M, 11F, 5dt of 2 blasts (3 AA), 5 frosties = BFN
FET #4- December 2014, yet another BFN
Dr. KK work up shows borderline uterine blood flow, elevated NK cells, and MTHFR mutation (homozygous for c677t)
Added baby aspirin, prednisone, supplements, Metanx, and intralipids
Switched to large clinic for final attempt; had endometrial receptivity testing in January; FET March 2015 = yet another BFN
Likely OAD- NBC
TTC #1 since May 2010
OE IVF #1 9/2/13 Cancelled- poor response
DE IVF #1 3/12/14- BFP 3/17/14- ectopic, right tube removed 4/11/14 @ 7 weeks
DE FET #1 7/3/14-Transferred 2 5AA 6 day embryos Beta 7/13/14 BFN
DE FET #2 9/5/14-Transferred 2 4BB 5 day embryos Beta 9/15/14 BFN
DE FET #3 in December- Cancelled, didn't respond to meds
DE FET #3 (2nd try) 2/13/15- Transferred 1 4BB and 1 4BA 5 day embryos Beta 2/23/15 BFN again (CP)
DE FET #4 - last 2 frosties....5/22/15- Transferred 1 4BA embryo...only one frostie thawed properly. Beta scheduled for 6/1- BFN (beta 2, 2.81, 6, 23, 49.4) 6/15/15 Discovered ectopic in left tube. Methotrexate given. Moving on to a new donor. Hoping to transfer by the end of the year.
Cant find a donor that is healthy and available. Looking at being happy with just the two of us.
TTC #1 since August 2011
My Blog
September 2012: Start IF testing
DH (32): SA is ok, slightly low morph, normal SCSA Me (32): Slightly low progesterone, hostile CM, carrier for CF, Moderately high NKC, High TNFa, heterozyogous mutated Factor XIII, and +APA
October 2012-May 2014: 4 failed IUIs, 3 failed IVFs, and 1 failed FETw/donor embryos
November 2014: IVF w/ICSI #4 Agonist/Antagonist with EPP and Prednisone, Baby Aspirin, Lovenox, and IVIG for immune issues. Converted to freeze all due to lining issues. 2 blasts frozen on day 6!
January 2015: FET #2 Cancelled due to lining issues
April 2015: FET #2.1
PAIF/SAIF Welcome!