AAArg I never have time to post anymore. Things have been up, and things have been down. Today has been pretty 'up'.
I drove in to the city today in a snowstorm to go to the clinic. I was actually 15 minutes early, for once, but that is only because I gave myself 2 hrs to get there. I had a sonohystogram, or saline ultrasound, to check my uterus. Everything looks great. It looks like I may have some small fibroids in my uterine wall, but nothing that would hurt an IVF cycle. My ovaries look good, and they can tell that my right one will be the one producing an egg this month. On March 9th I go in for a blood test to see if I've ovulated. If I have, I'll be starting the Lupron. The meds have already been ordered, and will be arriving on the 6th. It looks like we're a go!
My RE seems to thing that the reason the bean didn't make it was genetic. I totally agree, since all my hormone levels were very good, and that even early on the fetus seemed to have an odd shape to it. We talked for a long time about what my protocol would be (the same, since I got pregnant, and had a good amount of eggs that fertilized) and how many embryos we would transfer. On this point, I'm stuck. For women in my age range, the suggest transferring 5. (5?!) I told him that since my last cycle produced 3 good ones, and two that were put in culture but didn't make it to freeze, that maybe I should have transferred all 5? At the end of our talk we agreed to look at the quality. What optimism, heh? :) *update* My doctor's opinion on this is that the best that could have happened is that I would have gotten pregnant with twins and one would have survived. Well YEAH. That would have been cool. Still being pregnant right now and not having to do this again, even if I still lost one, would be better than the alternative.
*updated* I won't be looking at transferring 5 this upcoming cycle. My thought was that if the embryos don't look good enough to transfer, and aren't good enough to make it out of culture, I would rather transfer them and give them their best chance. So...it's more of a quality thing. All 3 of the embryos I transferred last time looked good enough, although not perfect 8 cell beauties. We don't have another cycle after this, and I don't want the dilemma I've had in the past with what to do with frozen embryos...so I will probably put back more than 3 if there is a straggler or two. BUT if there are more good ones than that to freeze, I will freeze them. I think it's crazy at my age to be thinking I could possibly have that many good embryos. HA.
I'm standing in the starting gate, and itching to run.
5! Holy cow! I never even made 5. I'm happy that you're getting started and feel motivated : )
ReplyDeleteLike I said, what optimism he has! I produce plenty of eggs, but with my hubby's sperm, we never get many good embryos out of a cycle. The last one is the only fresh cycle we've done that didn't have embryos enough to freeze.
DeleteSo happy to hear that you are back on the horse!
ReplyDeleteBut what a nasty horse it is. It bucks...it kicks...it bites.
DeleteWow ... 5. Brave woman! Cheering you on from the stands ... despite your bucking and kicking horse!
ReplyDeleteThat would have been for the past cycle. I would have rather tossed back the two that died in culture, than tried to get them to make it to freeze. I don't think I would put back 5 for any cycle unless the quality of most of them is in question.
DeleteGood luck on the 5. I hope you get one good one to stick and stick well.
ReplyDeleteThat would be great. Thanks for the good wishes...I need them.
DeleteUM...5...really?...5? Holy cow, if they all stuck, you could have your own basketball team. I really hope that just one (or maybe two) stick around.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. It was just that I felt bad that 2 languished in culture only to get discarded. They might have done better in me.
Delete5??!!! Um...I didn't know anyone still transferred more than 3. WOW! Hoping and praying one or two dig in really deep.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's the reaction I had. I also said "You do know that I've done the twin thing already?"
DeleteDo you guys do PGD? If you did, you may not have to transfer 5...just pick the ones that are genetically awesome. Maybe?
ReplyDeleteAlso, it sounds as if we may be on a similar cycle if all goes well with my schedule. The more the merrier!
We've never done PGD because we neither my husband nor I have genetic abnormalities, and because we've gotten and stayed pregnant without it. PGD can damage embryos, and you have to take cells off of them to test, so unless you really have a problem getting/staying pregnant it's not worth it.
DeleteI hope I can cycle with you.
So excited for you to get started!!!! Hoping and praying this is going to be a perfect cycle for you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm excited too...and scared to death.
DeleteExcited for you -- and sending lots of good thoughts for the cycle.
ReplyDeleteThank You. I'm sorry about the PAIL dust up. You don't deserve the fall out.
DeleteI don't usually read or comment here but feel I sort of "know you" as we co-comment in enough places.
ReplyDeleteI was sorry to see on SQ news of your recent and per your description pretty devastating loss. Wishing you the best as you move forward.
Thank you for your support. I feel kind of like I 'know' you, too. Miscarriages suck for everyone...it was the timing more than anything.
DeleteIt's such a huge dilemma at our age... I never thought that having to decide how many to transfer would be such a big question before we started IVF ! I'm so glad that you're back at the starting line and itching to go... cheering for you all the way xoxo
ReplyDeleteI can't believe my doctor asks the question long before the cycle even starts. Like how the heck should I know? I may get none, or the cycle may go completely bust, what about one step at a time here?
DeleteSuper excited that you are beginning this part of the journey! May this next cycle bring you joy and a healthy happy 9 months.
ReplyDeleteBTW: I tagged you on my blog. If you're interest (no pressure, honest) come take a peek.
I will! Thanks for the tag :) I'm shamefully bad at getting on the tag wagon in a timely fashion.
DeleteHoly crap FIVE. Lady you may be getting "old" but god damn you create some good embies! ha ha.
ReplyDeleteps thanks for the boobie tip. It was echoed by two others. I will put away my toothbrush.
pps i have good feelings again about this cycle but this one this is going to stick ;)
I've got lots of boobie tips! It feels so good to be useful in that regard.
DeleteI'm knocking on wood right now and hoping your feelings come true.
I cannot wait for you to get pregnant already! I'm so excited for you. BTW, I tagged you! http://highheelsandhuggies.blogspot.com/2012/03/eleven-things-tag.html
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for YOU to get pregnant already :) Thanks for the tag. Your answers had me LMAO.
DeleteSo excited for you lady!!
ReplyDeleteThank You! I hope that this last one is a good one.
DeleteNew to your blog, clicked over from MissConception's blog.
ReplyDeleteI think its a good call not to transfer multiples, especially if you think your uterus offers a very hospitable place for implantation and main issue lies with genetic abnormalities in the embryo itself.
There have been studies that showed that children born of IVF are a tad less healthy (but still fine) compared to controls. They finally figured out that this effect only was found in the groups they were transferring multiples- when you've got multiple embryos competing in the first few days/weeks of their life for nutrients/space, it can have a mild detrimental effect on all of them. And the more you transfer, the more potential for competition.
Best of luck with the FET!
I agree. When my RE told me that they suggest women in my age group transfer 5 embryos I nearly fell out of my chair.
DeleteThat information is very interesting. I have always transferred two embryos at a time, and all of my kids are VERY healthy. None of them has had so much as an ear infection. However, there is an elevated chance for heart defects with embryos that were created with ICSI as mine were.
And I was/am afraid of transferring two! Best of luck on this cycle and beyond.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on your age and the quality. I've never transferred more than 2 before I hit forty.
Delete