This weekly check-in is for anyone using/considering or who has used a 3rd party method of reproduction, including: Donor egg, donor sperm, embryo adoption, gestation carrier, or surrogate - also Donors, GC's and surrogates are welcome as well! If you don't check-in for 3 weeks you'll be removed from the list but we'll happily add you back next time you check in!
*PLEASE NOTE: Board etiquette - please post a warning in message with BFPs announcements.
Check-In: How is it going? What are your next steps? How are you feeling?
::: Married June 2003:::
TTC #1 since: Aug. 2008
Me: 34, DOR, MTHFR-A1298C (heterozygous), decreased blood flow to uterus, Mild Endo
DH: 38, Balanced translocation 5&10, unexplained MFI, normal SA and SCSA
Tx History: IUI 1&2= BFN
IVF# 1 W/ICSI= BFN
IVF# 2: cancelled d/t no response
IVF# 3= 1 egg retrieved=immature/not viable
IVF# 4= c/p
***CCRM ODWU***
Found DHs BT and Me-decreased blood flow to uterus
Recommended DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture. Decided to cycle locally
***New RE***
DE IVF# 1(cycle #6) w/pgd, (freeze all): 30R, 23M, 15F, slow/poor embryo development, 4 biopsied, 1 Normal "Norm"; DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture.
IVF# 6: (OE/DS) cancelled
IVF# 7: (OE/DS) 1R, 1M, 1F, arrested day 5
Plan-DE IVF# 2 (cycle #8): DE/DS in May 2015
http://icanhazbabyz.blogspot.com/

Re: *third-party reproduction check-in* feb 15th
QOTW: In honor of SNL’s 40th Anniversary, do you have a favorite SNL skit? If so, what is it? For extra credit post a link
Currently Cycling/Scheduled
@refeek1 – DEg – I hope your FET went well on Friday!! Snuggle in LO(s)
@Thespis7 – DS – IUI #5. In the dreaded 2WW!! Hang in there.
@ceemonkey – DEg/DS – transfer scheduled 3/6. Wishing you a lot of Luck!!!
Waiting to Cycle
@Km672 – DEg/DS – on a break while waiting to consult with Dr. KK.
@mm29 – DEg/DS – Looking for a new donor.
Donors/GC’s/Surrogates
@CinciSurro – GC – EDD 8/4/15! You haven't checked in for a while. Any updates?
Pregnant!
@datingbettyboop – IP-GC – EDD 2/17/15 - It’s a GIRL!! Induction of baby girl 2/10. Anxiously awaiting to hear the birth story!!
@1220winterbride – DEg – EDD 5/25/15 - It’s a GIRL!!!
@IRR - IP-GC -EDD 7/23/15. Feb 13th is just around the corner. I'm so excited to hear what you are having. You haven't checked in for a while. Any updates?
@RunCC37 – DEg – EDD 8/4/15. One beautiful little fighter!! Congrats on graduating!!
@CinciSurro – GC – BFP!! EDD 8/4/15. Twins. Congratulations x2!!
Parenting
@DoublePortion – DEm – Boy/Girl twins born on 6/30/14!
@e74 – DEm – Twin boys born in 2013!
@Lacyj67 – DEg – Parenting foster son! Baby G
::: Married June 2003:::

TTC #1 since: Aug. 2008
Me: 34, DOR, MTHFR-A1298C (heterozygous), decreased blood flow to uterus, Mild Endo
DH: 38, Balanced translocation 5&10, unexplained MFI, normal SA and SCSA
Tx History: IUI 1&2= BFN
IVF# 1 W/ICSI= BFN
IVF# 2: cancelled d/t no response
IVF# 3= 1 egg retrieved=immature/not viable
IVF# 4= c/p
***CCRM ODWU***
Found DHs BT and Me-decreased blood flow to uterus
Recommended DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture. Decided to cycle locally
***New RE***
DE IVF# 1(cycle #6) w/pgd, (freeze all): 30R, 23M, 15F, slow/poor embryo development, 4 biopsied, 1 Normal "Norm"; DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture.
IVF# 6: (OE/DS) cancelled
IVF# 7: (OE/DS) 1R, 1M, 1F, arrested day 5
Plan-DE IVF# 2 (cycle #8): DE/DS in May 2015
http://icanhazbabyz.blogspot.com/
Hi. We transferred 2 frosties on Friday. Beta will be February 23rd.
QOTW: I love all skits with Chris Farley!
ETA: Link to Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze- Nevermind, unable to link.
Have a great week!
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.
::: Married June 2003:::

TTC #1 since: Aug. 2008
Me: 34, DOR, MTHFR-A1298C (heterozygous), decreased blood flow to uterus, Mild Endo
DH: 38, Balanced translocation 5&10, unexplained MFI, normal SA and SCSA
Tx History: IUI 1&2= BFN
IVF# 1 W/ICSI= BFN
IVF# 2: cancelled d/t no response
IVF# 3= 1 egg retrieved=immature/not viable
IVF# 4= c/p
***CCRM ODWU***
Found DHs BT and Me-decreased blood flow to uterus
Recommended DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture. Decided to cycle locally
***New RE***
DE IVF# 1(cycle #6) w/pgd, (freeze all): 30R, 23M, 15F, slow/poor embryo development, 4 biopsied, 1 Normal "Norm"; DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture.
IVF# 6: (OE/DS) cancelled
IVF# 7: (OE/DS) 1R, 1M, 1F, arrested day 5
Plan-DE IVF# 2 (cycle #8): DE/DS in May 2015
http://icanhazbabyz.blogspot.com/
::: Married June 2003:::

TTC #1 since: Aug. 2008
Me: 34, DOR, MTHFR-A1298C (heterozygous), decreased blood flow to uterus, Mild Endo
DH: 38, Balanced translocation 5&10, unexplained MFI, normal SA and SCSA
Tx History: IUI 1&2= BFN
IVF# 1 W/ICSI= BFN
IVF# 2: cancelled d/t no response
IVF# 3= 1 egg retrieved=immature/not viable
IVF# 4= c/p
***CCRM ODWU***
Found DHs BT and Me-decreased blood flow to uterus
Recommended DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture. Decided to cycle locally
***New RE***
DE IVF# 1(cycle #6) w/pgd, (freeze all): 30R, 23M, 15F, slow/poor embryo development, 4 biopsied, 1 Normal "Norm"; DE IVF w/PGD, incorporate electro-acupuncture.
IVF# 6: (OE/DS) cancelled
IVF# 7: (OE/DS) 1R, 1M, 1F, arrested day 5
Plan-DE IVF# 2 (cycle #8): DE/DS in May 2015
http://icanhazbabyz.blogspot.com/
Qotw: I love snl and I would have to say Eddie Murphy with too hot in the hot tub and Mr.Robinson's neighborhood are my favorite.
@mm29- Thank you for the link, I'll check it out later, but I bet that's it! (Work blocks youtube, etc). I'm so happy to hear that your donor changed her mind!
@Thespis7- I'm glad you have a med change and are already starting your next cycle! Good luck!
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.
Well, in an age-related panic, we've decided to TTC#2 already - S will be 6 months old on Saturday, so it seems WAY too soon, but we don't want to be 100 when our second kid graduates high school, should we be lucky enough to get a second kid.
Here's the plan: We are doing a MEB frozen egg bank cycle with our same egg donor (she did a MEB freeze-all cycle before doing our fresh cycle). We also secured the last vial of our donor's sperm, so our attempt is for a full genetic sibling.
Here's the bummer: Her frozen eggs were divided into two lots, one of 6 and one of 8. The first lot was a complete failure - 3 didn't thaw, and 3 fertilized but arrested before transfer. If it wasn't our same donor, no way in heck we'd want this egg lot! But, somehow a full sibling feels very important. The other good thing to factor in - our donor did 5 fresh cycles... and *every* family has a child at home, and two of them have 2 kids. She is a very successful donor overall, so we are hoping the other frozen eggs were a fluke of some nature - or a sperm issue - or something. That said, our RE said "you need to be prepared there may be nothing to transfer." Ug.
I started Lupron last week and feel like a total emo over-reactive nut case, which never happened before! My suppression check is Thursday; lining check March 6; egg thaw March 10th and transfer either March 13 or 15. So fast, but in a way it feels good to just do it and know what is next - after going through so much to get S, this feels fast and "easy".
We of course pray for a fabulous blast to transfer on day 5 (3/15) but could have lower quality embies and do a 3-day transfer of more than one, which terrifies me, but I'd rather transfer 2 than zero, even though I have no idea how we'd deal with twins + S. Of course in the scheme of things, that would be a good problem to have.
QOTW: My sister sent me this and told me "you better not be caught in these!" Mom Jeans!
Me (43) and J (45) - same sex couple. And we don't feel 40+!
June'12 - First RE Visit
Sept. '12 - Tubes removed
Dec. '12 - Donor Egg/Donor Sperm IVF Cycle - 4 good embies!
Dec. '12 - Fresh transfer, BFP! EDD 8/29/13
Mar. '13 - Missed m/c at 16w1d, baby boy stopped growing at 15w4d
Loss due to umbilical cord clot...baby was perfect.
Jul '13 - FET#1 - c/p
Sept. '13 - FET#2 - BFN
Dec.' 2, 2013 - FET#3 with our last chance embie - BFP!!!
Dec' 26, 2013 - hb!!
EDD 8/20/14 with a baby girl!
Little S was born on 8/21/14 - 8lb, 14 oz and 20 inches long.
We live in Seattle and used SRM for our donor egg IVF cycle
My heart is as open as the sky.
Read about it on the blog
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Check-In:
How is it going? Overall fine. Been getting migraines. Found a gestational surrogate in another state to carry and she is doing work up. So moving along but so... Long
What are your next steps? She is doing uterine cavity thing , hsg. Next will be psychological for her and me. Partners too. I need doctor to approve officially so we can do contract.
How are you feeling? Wasn't this the first question? Um... I'm fine. Irritated I can't just handle the situation. Would rather her go go go. But she has a life too.
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
I was most worried about bringing up Czech Republic Egg Donation to the RE, since I've heard horror stories of people's doctors being critical, unsupportive, and even rude about the idea. So I opened with "I've been really worried about bringing this up to you, because I've heard all of these bad reports of other RE's not being supportive... etc." which I guess was kind of manipulation on my part, because she definitely couldn't be too critical after that. Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised that she gave a great unbiased opinion. I thought she would be critical of the protocols (some use baby aspirin or embryo glue, which my clinic believes to be pointless - based on research). Anyways, she admitted that the protocols aren't the biggest issue - she really wants us to consider the ethical implications. For example, we found one CZ clinic that will accept HIGH SCHOOL age donors... seriously??? So she helped give some recommendations and questions to ask about how they screen, treat and compensate donors and how much after-care the donors get. These were all things we really thought were important in the first place, but I was surprised the RE was passionate about this and not just poo-pooing European clinics. Anyways, I'm rambling, but as of right now, we are looking at fall 2015 as a possible date to travel. It's exciting and scary at the same time. We will be doing MORE research and MORE contacting of clinics in the next few months so we can make our final decision (the RE agreed to review the protocols of our top clinic choices and give her opinion!). DH is still very hopeful that we'll be magically spontaneously PG in the meantime. I don't share that hope any more so even though that would be wonderful, my hope and faith is in this egg donation possibility. Sorry for the long update!
QOTW: I am a HUGE SNL fan. I have to say my most recent favourite was Melissa McCarthy's Hidden Valley Ranch skit. She is so brilliant and it makes me snort every time! I loved her tribute to Chris Farley on the 40th anniversary show too!
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/taste-test/n13215
Reserved a semi-known proven donor in August .
Waiting for consult/screening and protocols with estimated fresh cycle timing in October