Can anyone recommend a good doctor with a great deal of experience and knowledge about recurrent miscarriages?
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Keepontrying, I am not familiar with doctors who have particular knowledge in this area, but have you consulted some of the doctors that seem to be highly recommended - such as Dr. Philip Ho or Joe Chan - both of whom seem to be popular with women who have experienced fertility issues? Have you tried getting tests done with the fetuses to see whether the problem might be genetic? How many miscarriages have you had - and over what period? Do you have any fibroids (depending on the location and size, this could be a factor - you can get surgery for this)? Might you have PCOS - women with PCOS often have problems with fertility and higher than average risk of miscarriages (but this can be managed with medication). It must be very difficult to go through this. Good luck, and I hope you can find someone who can help you.
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mrsl
17 yrs ago
Keepintrying, I'm not sure where you're from or how practical this might be, but the world expert on recurrent miscarriage is Prof. Lesley Regan at St. Mary's hospital in Paddington, London. She sees patients privately, but you'd need a referral from your own obstetrican. She is very approachable but extremely busy. She obviously cannot reverse a miscarriage, but can run a number of tests that investigate if there is an intrinsic cause that can be managed in future pregnancies.
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hkexpat2007 and mrsl,
Thank you for your responses. I have had 3 miscarriages. I've taken all the tests and they have all come out normal. Also the test on the fetal tissue came out normal as well. As I am able to get pregnant naturally, fertility does not seem to be an issue. Do fertility doctors have more experience with miscarriages than the ob/gyns who do not specialize in fertility? As I am based in Hong Kong, consulting Lesley Regan does not seem to be an alternative. But thank you very much for recommending her.
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PDNS
17 yrs ago
Keepontrying,
I ahd two m/c and successfully the third time after 7 years of marriage. I can get pregnant cnaturally so doc told me to try naturally.... my LO is now 10 months old. So keepontrying. U will have your own soon.
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Hi, Keepontrying, in that case, stay positive and keep trying! If you're worried, and it would make you feel better, you might want to get a second opinion. I think fertility doctors may come across more women who have difficulty sustaining their pregnancy. I gather that your doctor has not diagnosed you with any particular problems that may be complicating things for you? I wish you the best of luck! I hear lots of women who have miscarriages go on to have healthy babies.
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PDNS,
When you say try naturally, do you mean completely natural? I have been able to get pregnant naturally, but given the miscarriages, my doctor believes I could have a luteal phase deficiency and has therefore prescribed progesterone for luteal phase support. He bases his treatment on the scans versus doing blood tests. He indicated that blood level progesterone varies so much from woman to woman that a certain "level" does not really tell you much. He also indicated that tissue progesterone is what is important (to help mature your lining) so the progesterone you measure in your blood is not necessarily indicative of the progesterone level in your tissue. Have you or others found this to be the case as well? Did your doctor prescibe progesterone to you? Or were you able to carry to full term completely naturally?
hkexpat2007,
Yes, I have been trying to stay positive. I have thought about getting a second opinion so may opt for that just to ease my mind. No, my doctor has not diagnosed me with any particular problems. He suggests for me to keep trying. I just wonder if I went a cycle or two without the progesterone, whether that would make a difference. Or perhaps looking at it another way, perhaps I need more progesterone.
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JJZ
17 yrs ago
Hi Keepontrying
I too have had 3 miscarriages, and I then had a healthy baby girl with my fourth pregnancy. I saw Dr Alex Doo, who was very helpful. I also did acupuncture with Troy Sing. Have you had the full immunology workup?
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JJZ,
Yes, I have had a full immunology workup. All came back normal. The fetal tissue test also showed no chromosomal abnormalities. What was Alex Doo's assessment as to why you had recurrent miscarriages? What was his treatment plan for you in your fourth pregnancy which resulted in you have a healthy baby girl? Also, what was the reason why you did acupuncture? I have read lots of women having success with acupuncture, but I have not tried it.
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JJZ
17 yrs ago
Keepontrying
Dr Doo never really did have an explanation for my miscarriages, and the last miscarriage I had was tested and was show to have trisomy 16. However, he put me on low dose aspirin( baby aspirin), and blood thinners( Clexane, but there is also heparin which is cheaper) In addition, I took large doses of folic acid. I did that because one of my tests came back heterozygous for the MTHFR mutation, and that has to do with the body's ability to process folic acid. He also had me on progesterone, both suppositories and the injections since I had some bleeding in teh first trimester. I did acupuncture because orgiginally I thought I had infertility, since after my first miscarriage I had trouble conceiving aggain for awhile, but then after I sarted the acupuncture, I had no problem getting pregnant. Acupuncture is supposed to help with all aspects of infertility, including recurrent miscarriages. You may consider an initial consultation with him. Who is your current doctor? Did you have all the immune testing done in Hong Kong? I don't think all of the tests can be done there.
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JJZ,
I have had all the tests which are recommended for recurrent miscarriages. I'm not sure what specific immune testing you are referring to. What are the names of these?
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mrsl
17 yrs ago
Dear Keepontrying, sorry, realise that it's inconvenient; it was just that if you are from London, you could see her if you're back for an extended period of time in the summer or whatever. It takes months to get an appointment. Many doctors follow her test protocol anyway, and after the battery of tests that you've been through, chances are that yours does too.
I've seen 3 different obstetricians in addition to Prof. Regan and, like you, inspite of a myriad of tests, could not find a cause for 4 miscarriages. Each doctor just put it down to 'bad luck'. In a way, I wanted them to find something wrong that could be 'managed', but Prof. Regan was pretty firm that 'no news is good news' and that perseverance was our best hope. She did recommend baby aspirin until about 20 weeks and in my last pregnancy, progesterone for the early stages. We now have 3 healthy children, and as heartbreaking as the m/cs were, the perseverance was absolutely worth it.
Good luck with it. I totally understand your frustration. Like you, I felt that I had to be taking active steps to find a solution. I really hope that time just brings that solution for you; and that your run of bad luck turns very very soon.
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PDNS
17 yrs ago
Dear Keepon trying,
My ob-gyne in Manila ( i am not a filipino) told me to go natural after i explained to her my situation. She did prescribe so meds to me but told me to take it once i am pregnant but I did not take it at all. once i was pregnant i went to my gyne here, he told me DO NOT TAKE ALL THOSE MEDS as it will harm my fetus...... a little confusing by this two gyne in the beginning but my hubby and I decided to go all the way naturally at age 42 but had a C-section because baby was breech till the last day!
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Keepontrying, what kind of progesterone do you have? I heard from one of my doctors (I tried a few), that crinone is more effective than utrogestan. Also, also heard that the progesterone injections which raise blood level may not be as effective as the suppositories (since as you point out, blood level progesterone is not wholly indicative of adequate levels. I've tried Dr. Doo by the way, but was not happy with him. Another friend who had a miscarriage had a bad experience with him and is switching doctors.
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JJZ
17 yrs ago
Keepontrying
The immune tests that I took are as follows:
http://www.millenova.com/tests/preglosspan.cfm
http://www.millenova.com/tests/thrombpan.cfm
Some of these tests can be done at the labs in Hong Kong, while others cannot. Has your doctor given you any of these particular tests?
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JJZ,
Thank you for the site. I recognize many of the tests and have taken many of them. Some I am not sure about so will take the list to my doctor and ask him about them. Thanks so much.
mrsl,
Congratulations on your success! So there IS hope for all of us who are going through this. I admire your perserverence. I too was looking for something I could manage, but so far the tests are all coming up normal. And like your doctor, my doctor tells me this is actually "good" news. All I can do then is to stay positive, keep on trying and hope I get some good luck.
hkexpat2007,
I am using utrogestan. I have not heard of crinone. I have also used elomet (?), which is the progesterone suppository. During one of my pregnancies, I was on hcg injections and supplemented that with utrogestan. What was it that you and your friend were not happy about with Dr. Doo if you do not mind me asking?
PDNS,
Congratulations on your success as well. Yes, different doctors will certainly have different points of views which makes everything all that much more difficult because you never know whether the treatment you decide to go with is the best one in the end. I have thought about giving the "all natural" way a go as well, so will bring this up to my doctor during my next visit. Could I ask you what meds in particular you are referring to that supposedly would harm the fetus?
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It's hard to be specific, as this site is censored. I think the main problem was that because he is so much in demand, every visit was rushed and he had no time to give any full explanation, and I suspected that because of his caseload he could not always keep track of my history in the short span of each visit. My friend had a D&C - He was rushed and insensitive. And extremely pricey.
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Keepontrying and expat2006,
I have had 3 m/c's in the past 12 months - so I too share your disappointment and pain. Because each of my m/c was for different reasons, the doctor has not associated them. I am currently seeing Troy Sing who I believe can improve the quality of the egg. I have taken a break from TTC in the past 2 months (after my last m/c) and we will try again in 2008.
I do wish you all the best. have faith and keep on trying!
HF
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Havefaith, we have such similar experiences. I have been giving acupuncture some thought. How do you find Troy Sing? Does he say he can help with egg quality?
expat2006, you are so right when you say the doctors do not have control of this. However, I keep trying to see if there is something I can do to help manage the process. Otherwise, I am just left with trying and trying and hoping I get some good luck. About your acquaintance's mother who had 5 m/c's...that is perserverence and so admirable. My doctor did say that it all depends on the batch. So for a given cycle you may have a poorer quality egg and in the next a better quality one. You just never know. Wishing you and Havefaith all the best the next time you do TTC. I keep saying to myself that it will happen one day as long as I keep on trying and have faith. Another thing I am exploring is ovulation induction. I am ovulation naturally, but understand with ovulation induction (clomid), that I could get two mature follicles to release two eggs. This would double my chances of pregnancy. I am thinking about this as well as seeing an acupuncturist.
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Keeponontrying,
We have had similar experiences - I think you brought that up on another thread. I was with Cecilia The before - from March to abouth Sept this year. I had two m/c's during that period. Cecilia recommended I try Troy Sing because she did not feel she could help me anymore than she had. I have been seeing Troy for about 2 months. He has told me he can improve the egg quality - with at least 3 cycles. I quite like him. I find he has a different approach than other TCMs.
Troy is a man of very few words. However, when I ask him questions he does answer them very thoroughly.
HF
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Havefaith,
Would you please forward me Troy Sing's contact details? I have read a lot of good things about him and would like to give him a try.
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Keepontrying:
Troy Sing
Address: 10/F, Unit F, Winner Building
27-39 D'Agilar Street
Central, Hong Kong
Phone: 2526 7908
HF
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Havefaith,
Thanks for the info on Troy. I will call him. In order to improve the egg quality, is it only acupuncture that you are doing with him? Or do you also take herbal medicine? Given your miscarriages, had your doctor ever discussed steroids and heparin injections with you? This seems to be the next more aggressive step according to my doctor, although since my tests are all coming up normal my doctor does not recommend them given the risks. It seems then that I am left with continuing to try and try again and helping my lining mature with progesterone. I have not been successful so far under this treatment plan so I wonder if there is just something else I could be doing (perhaps acupuncture). Otherwise, I am just left with waiting for some luck and hoping I get a good quality egg sometime. For me, I keep looking to see if there is something I can do to help my situation, but there does not seem much.
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Keepontrying,
I am doing both accupuncture and herbal meds with Troy. I have discussed this with him and he feels it is not going to be that helpful to do just accupuncture. My doctor has not really given me any solutions/recommendations for the m/cs - he feels they are not associated because each m/c was different. He did however say the m/cs are related to the egg quality.
Give Troy a call - there was a 3 week wait for me before I got to see him but I do have confidence in him.
Are we the same age as well? I just turned 40 last month. I just cant believe how similar our experiences are.
HF
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Havefaith,
What do you mean that each miscarriage was different? Yes, my doctor says that given my age (and yes, we are similar age) he believes my m/c's are due to the egg quality as well. Therefore, I feel as if there is not much I can do except hope I get lucky one of these days. I am curious though how herbal meds and acupuncture can help improve the quality of the egg. I don't know much about accupuncture and herbal meds but I thought they helped in getting your body back into balance, improving your circulation, etc. Did Troy explain specifically how his treatment would work to improve the egg?
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Keeontrying,
The first m/c was a blighted ovum, the second one was lost within a matter of days, the last one had a heart beat but stopped at 91/2 weeks. He said all three were related to egg quality but they were all different. I am not sure how accupuncture and herbal meds help improve egg quality - I can ask him when I see him.
HF
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Havefaith,
My doctor believes my m/c's are due to poor egg quality as well. I will call Troy and let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the info. Wishing you and everyone else on this forum a very Merry Christmas!
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keepontrying,
I have asked Troy as to how accupuncture and chinese meds can improve the quality of eggs. His response was by improving blood circulation to the reproductive organs the quality of the eggs will improve.
HF
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Dbob
17 yrs ago
My wife had 8 miscarriages. She conducted all the required tests and they could never find out what was wrong. We then went and saw Dr. Philip Ho. He asked us if we ever thought of doing IVF. None of the other doctors we went to even suggested this as a option. We decided to at least try and we now have a 2 year old daughter! If the problem could be egg quality then you may want to try this as an option.
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Havefaith, thank you for the feedback from Troy.
Dbob, I discussed IVF as an option with my doctor but the view was that IVF would not necessarily increase my chances given that I was ovulating regularly and have been getting pregnant naturally. How does IVF help to improve your egg quality? Another option we are discussing is ovulation induction to increase the number of mature eggs released at ovulation which should increase my chances of pregnancy (although this also increases the chances of multiple births). I suppose, logically speaking, this would then increase the chances of seeing one of the embryos maturing to full term. Over what time frame did your wife have 8 miscarriages? And if I may ask, how old was/is she? During these miscarriages, did your doctor prescribe any medication?
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Havefaith,
How are things going? I gave Troy Sing a call and you are right. He is very booked up. I called two weeks ago and could not get an appt to see him until after the Chinese New Year since he was going on holiday. His assistant told me that I should be taking my basal body temperature every day for the next few weeks prior to seeing him. Did you have to do something similar and do you know what the reason for this is? While I wait to see Troy, I am still trying. This cycle, I had two mature eggs prior to ovulation since my doctor put me on clomid. My doctor now has me on progesterone suppositories (endometrium) and hcg injections. We will see in two weeks if I am pregnant.
Dbob,
If I am not pregnant in two weeks time, I am thinking of giving IVF a try for my next cycle as your wife has done. Where is Philip Ho located? Do you have his contact details?
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Keepontrying,
Your first appointment with Troy is more of a fact finding exercise for him. The BBT record will give him some information on past cycles. It is probably easier after you have taken your BBT to chart it - as opposed to giving him use the record. Good luck with your appt with Troy - Let me know how it goes!
HF
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Hi keepontrying,
My friend had FIVE miscarriages before she had a son, she now has two. She was also desperate on what to do as she gets preggy easily. She researched on her own and found out about aspirin, she took it the next time she was preggy, with her doctor's approval, as it doesn't do any harm, usually they give aspirin for blood flow. She completed her term with that aspirin.
Please don't think that it's the magic medicine, but if you talk to her, that's what she will say. Good luck.
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Havefaith,
Thanks for your response. Will certainly let you know how it goes.
honeypie,
Thank you for your note. Yes, I have heard about baby aspirin and how that has worked for many women. I will look to give it a try the next time around.
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keepontrying
chinese med & acupuncture is a good alternative. In fact, I tried to make an appt with Troy previously but found that he was heavily booked then I switched to another chinese med dr for acupuncture and herbal, and had my iui, now I am pregnant for 4 weeks. My chinese dr. also gives me herbal to prevent m/c
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hi, lilimama
big congratulations!!!!!! can you please tell us how long do you have the chinese med and acupuncture before you get pregnant? thanks!! hcy
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lilmama,
Congratulations! It's so good to hear these success stories. My appointment with Troy is tomorrow, so will let you all know how it goes.
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hi hcy,
I visited my ch med dr for around 2 months before iui. He treated me with acupuncture and ch med until my western med dr. started the stimulation - by that time, my ch med dr then only treated me with acupuncture w/o herbal .
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lilimama,
could you please pm the ch med dr info to me, thanks
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Hi, Lilimama
Thanks for your reply, can you also tell me which dr you are seeing, for i am still struggling as to which dr to go to for iui. Thanks.
hcy
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Havefaith,
How are things going? I went for a session of acupuncture with Troy Sing the other day. His intent was to increase my blood circulation around my ovaries, etc. as he said that would help the development of my follies/eggs. I found it very interesting that after he placed the needles around my lower tummy area, he connected some sort of electric probe (?) on two of the needles. I felt a bit of vibration in that area during the session. No pain or anything. However, for the following three days I had some very light brown bleeding. Do you know whether that is normal? I'm not near the time for my period at all as the acupuncture took place on day 6 of my cycle. Any insight you have would be great. I emailed Troy over the weekend but have not yet heard back from him.
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Keepontrying,
I have never had any bleeding from an accupuncture seesion - so I am not sure what the brown blood is. It sounds like some old blood that got pushed out. Give him a call and leave a message with Dora - I have emailed him once before I started seeing him and he has still not responded to that email.
The needles dont bother me too much. I dont mind the needles. One time I actually fell asleep. I quite like the machine that he uses at the begining of the sessions with the bar charts.
Take care,
HF
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Havefaith,
Thank you for your response. I will give him a call.
By the way, have you or anyone on this forum using acupuncture had acupuncture done with these electric connectors? I did a search on the internet and it seems as if this type of acupuncture is called electro-acupuncture. Is it safe and has anyone had any luck with this?
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JJZ
17 yrs ago
Hi Keepontrying
Troy Sing also used the electro-acupuncture on me and I had success with it. I have since moved and when I started strying for my second, I went to someone else who used it also and I had success again. I am now 15 weeks pregnant with my second. I did not hesitate to allow them to use it. As far as safety, well I can't say since I am no expert on this but you may want to discuss it with Troy on your next visit. Good luck!
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I've been seeing Troy for 3 months now, although not pregnant yet he also uses electro-accupuncture. Apparently, the electric pulsing is used to remind the brain and the body that the accupuncture needle is still there. The best thing is to ask Troy on your next visit he's very helpful and answers all your questions when he's in the room.
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He always uses the electro-accupunture on me too. I have also had that from another TCM doctor whom I saw years ago. I think the machine is to increase the effect of the needles - the vibration is supposed to do that.
HF
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JJZ, longing and Havefaith,
Thank you for your responses. It certainly makes me feel a lot better that there are some who have had success with this. I am new to acupuncture and do not know what to expect. Thanks again.
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I've only had accupucture for 3 months and when I went the first time after consultation I was really surprized how many needles I needed...if it works I would double the quantity any day!!!!
Just relax and you won't feel them and the pulsing as much, at least it helped me anyway.
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Hello sisters
I'm new to this forum.
I have tried TCM and accupucture for nearly 6 months, still can't pregnant. Before that, I had failed in 4 ivf la.
Actually, how long do you wait for success after using TCM & accupucture, should I change doctore.
Hello lilimama, can you also send me your TCM doctor information.
Thanks you all
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It's really hard to say, you need to keep going and have faith. I've had 2 IVFs and 1 FET but it hasn't worked yet and waiting for my 2nd FET. It will happen soon.
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