Posted by
ezpz
16 yrs ago
This year has been an emotional rollercoaster ride for me. Am 41 years old and DH and I decided to try IUI for the 1st time in Feb this year as a result of low sperm count and motility. Since then, we never looked back. Did 3 consecutive IUIs in Feb, April, May and later moved on to 3 IVFs in June, Aug and Sept. We did everything we could and left no stones unturned - acupunture with Troy Sing (just started in Aug), stuck with the same doctors (mainly with Dr Derek Lo and once with his partner, Dr William So) etc. But all failed.
I went to see Dr Lo today and he still could not explain the failed IVF except for my age. I find this verdict conflicting as in the last 2 IVF cycles, Dr Lo said my embryos were good with grade 1 quality. After the 2nd failed IVF, I was puzzled as to why good embryos did not result in pregnancy and suggested to Dr Lo that perhaps I could be suffering from endometriosis or some other problem with my uterus but he kept assuring me my uterus is fine from the X-ray.
Am feeling helpless as to what to do next. Part of me wants to continue as long as I still have eggs and am ovulating but part of me wants to give up as I'm feeling more and more discouraged and self-deprecating after 3 failed IVFs. Needless to say, it is also a drain on our finances especially in this difficult time and financial crisis.
I don't know what to do and will be grateful for some advice.
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Have you asked Troy what he thinks?
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ezpz,
I am sorry to hear that you did not succeed with your third IVF try. I was really hoping to hear some good news. Was your third try also a day 2 transfer and with good embryos? Have you considered either a day 3 or blastocyst transfer at all? As I understand the grading only provides you with an "idea" of embryo quality. The appearance of grade 1 does not necessarily mean that it is a good embryo and able to carry through a pregnancy. The appearance/grading does not tell you whether the embryo has any abnormal chromosomes. By waiting until the blastocyst stage, you allow the best embryos to survive which in theory should mean they are the fittest to carry through a pregnancy. Also, there is also a theory that when you transfer on day 2, you are transfering early as on day 2 the embryo would still be in your fallopian tube and not in your uterus. By waiting until day 5 you actually place the embryo in the uterus at the time when it is supposed to implant. Anyways, perhaps you can have a chat about your situation with another doctor. I understand the Sanitorium is the only lab that does blastocyst transfers so you may want to speak to a doctor who uses that lab.
Good luck and hope it all goes well for you. Don't give up. You are still ovulating and you are still producing eggs so you still have a chance. Perhaps take a break and speak to some other doctors out there and see what they say. After a month or two you may then feel ready to start again. I am praying for you.
Keepontrying
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Hi ezpz,
I joined you as i am one of them. Started all this year, with IUI, and 3 times IVF attempts, i am 40 and just transferred in Santorium yesterday with Dr Alex Doo, for my 3rd attempt, fresh cycle, now during the 2 ww period. I started seeing Dr Troy only 2 weeks. so not sure what will happen to me this time.
Please keep on with hope, as i read this blog, long time ago, someone were still anxious and now they are pregnant. So glad to hear this encourging stories. I think accupunture can help, though i didnt start long ago. I keep my figures crossed and wish both all of the girls here with good luck, including me.
I will try and try again, but keeping good health is good. Hope this time is a success so i can take some rest and enjoy being pregnant.
Wish you good luck, ezpz.
lolo32
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Please keep up your hope - I have had 4 IVF attempts with HK Sanitorium over 2 years and my 5th for the 3rd year with Prolific I have just found I am pregnant.... As you can imagine I am overjoyed and very frightened of loosing my precious package.
So please keep healthy and keep trying.
Annette
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Severe Endometriosis + Polystic Ovaries; 4 IVF & IUI failed attempts.We spent a fortune for nothing.We just gave up 10 months ago as nothing worked.
The miracle solution for me was a simple 179 $ supplement called VITEX found a 360.I immediately saw the results after 2 weeks. After 2 CYCLES I finally managed to ovulate to maturity (first time ever) and became pregnant ! I gave birth to a healthy baby boy 2 months ago.VITEX is safe, cheap and easily available in HK.Probably more profitable for all those private clinics and specialists to ignore this powerful fertility booster. I don't even want to think about the IVF success rate if vitex was prescribed first before any procedure.It doesn't cure endometriosis thought, it just regulates the menstrual cycles allowing the eggs to reach maturity. One more thing, you can't take vitex and clomyd or any progesterone at the same time.
Wish you good luck, try, you have nothing to loose, it changed my life !!!!
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Hi Annettemacau and robertagilbert,
Great to hear two of your stories, that's amazing, both of you get success after 4 IVFs, i am on my 3rd, so hope it is close. I will buy VITEX and try natural cycle if it doesnt get successful this time, as i do need to wait to rest 2 months. And will go for accupunture, but not sure if Chi med can go together with VITEX. Good that i can buy it at HK.
May i know how old are you? both of you?
And for Prolific, i am thinking to try, as i visited Dr Zhou few months ago for a free consultation, but found the clinic is quite dark and the operation is not done in hospital, so i am a bit worried the safety. Annettemacau, can you share with me your experience in Prolific? what made the difference to those in Santorium? and are you seeing William So?
I have been seeing Women's Clinic, Dr Milton Leong, and Dr Alex Doo. They are busy but they are professional. Yes, they dont have time to chat or talk much, but i usually talk with nurse and already had too much i should know. The left behind is the luck and my body condition only, so lately i dont have much to ask, or what to know. In fact, i want to know more true success stories, or experience like you girls, as it is more valid.
Sometimes, even i asked the nurse, the success rate, they simply said 40%, or 20% for age 40 or more, etc. so i know they dont really have statistic (i mean precise one and dont record why they had done) so i try to get on blog and find the stories.
That's great hope to me, even though i fail this time, i will still have chance.
Today is my 7th day after transfer, no symptoms, just normal. I am so happy for you two. Please take care, lovely lovely story.
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EmSu
16 yrs ago
Hi Annettemacau,
Is the name Prolific right? I can not find anything on this. Do you have some more info please?
To all: Pls do read the articles in the thread I posted on DHEA to increase eggs considerably!
EmSu: 3 failed IVFs, all class I embryos (transferred 2, 3, 4 and 4); 42; going to India for surrogacy before it's too late...
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It should be Prolivfic
Longing
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Keep hoping, keep trying.......don't give up!
I've tried 3 IUIs, 2 IVFs, all failed, but now i have a 2 yrs old boy and pregnant again, two pregnancies are natural but with help of acupuncture.
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honeypie,
which acupuncturist did you use/are you using? how long did you try acupuncture before being successful?
Keepontrying
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keepontrying,
Used troy for 6 months for my first. The second one tried his ex-assistant for 1 month.
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hi honeypie,
That's great! and congratulations, it means accupunture really help. It seems most of us are trying Dr Troy. He is very calm, he also said it will take 3-6 months to improve egg quality.
Do you take any chinese herbs, and you just use traditional way to measure the right time and do it naturally? and how often you see Dr Troy per week?
Thanks so much,
lolo32
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Honeypie,
Do you mind me asking you how old you are? I am 30 weeks pregnant - and 41 years old. DH and I are planning out our next year and as to when we will TTC again. I just wondered how long you waited before going back to accupuncture after the first birth. Thanks.
HF
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Hi HF,
I just done the bloodtest and found positive, (i did home test, i see a 'cross') but my HCG level is low the first time. Do you remember how high is your first HCG level ? how does it goes?
This is a good start for me, but 50/50 chance, will stay positive.
lolo32
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HF,
This time around I think my initial HCG level was 188 and then when I went back after 5 days it was close to 2000. I was told it does not really matter if your HCG level starts low as long as it triples in 2 or 3 days time. So dont be too concerned if it is a low count - as long as it has increased when you go back on Monday - by a few folds.
Take care + good luck,
HF
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Hi HF,
Thank you so much, i am worried but i trust it is all arranged. If it is healthy, it will stick. The nurse told me on phone... with uncertainty, no congratulations, just say 50/50. As she said better over 60 the first day to test. Quite a lot is over 100, like you did. I think she is experienced. I test the home test again, the cross is getting darker. I wish it happen to me.
Thanks for the blessing, will keep you inform. Take care, nice weekend
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Hi Lolo,
Good luck! a line is a line in a HPT.
My first blood test is just 150 something, i didn't do the second test, as i changed doctor, he said the important thing is to hear the heartbeat later.
Keep positive that all is well. Relax this weekend.
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I think blood test is the most acculate one so Congratulations! enjoy your baby and dont forget hubby :)
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hi MayC, honeypie, and mscheerful,
Thank you so much for your wishes, that's a great support. It is a step closer for me. i didnt know I need to pass the number requirement besides seeing the stick having one more line. It was a faint line on dpo12, and a clear line on dpo14, that's the due day i went for blood test. At least better than nothing. i told my hubby too, that 50/50 thing. He is very supportive, say may be just hidding, if not this time, may be next time. The nurse told me i should emotionally prepare for the worst, as an advice, when i went for injection this morning.
Be happy and relax, i will :) thanks !
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ezpz
16 yrs ago
Hi lolo32 and All,
It's good to see my thread "come alive" again!
I've taken a 2 month break from this forum and also from IVF. After the 3 failed IVF with Derek Lo, I decided to try a different doctor and went to Milton Leong. The 1st month, he studied my reports and suggested I do an immunology blood test to see why the embryos were not implanting before. Apparently, this test could only be done in Chicago and my blood sample was sent there. True enough, I had very unusual immunity level. Both my natural killer cells and my antibodies were much higher than a normal person. This means it attacks whatever is in my body - implants, embryos etc as they are regarded as foreign objects that my body naturally wants to dispose of! Anyway, Milton decided last month to put me on a down regulation cycle - I was given Yasmin contraceptive pills and decapeptyl. This month, my period came on 1st Dec and I was put on Gonal F and my egg collection just happened on Monday, 15th Dec. I have a total of 13 eggs fertilised and they are doing a day3 transfer tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!!!
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Hi ezpz,
Wishing you all the best with your transfer tomorrow. What were your natural killer cell and antibodies level? Just curious to know what is considered high as I have also had this test done recently.
What was the purpose of putting you on a down regulation cycle? Also, given the number of eggs fertilized, I am curious why Milton Leong would not suggest doing a day 5 transfer as blastocyst transfers have higher success rates. Had you and he considered this option?
Again, best wishes to you this coming cycle!
Keepontrying
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ezpz, congratulations for getting 13 and good luck with the transfer. Stay positive and relax.
Longing
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Hi ezpz,
Congratulations to the 13 eggs retrieved. Do you know how many are fertilised ? I trust Dr Milton Leong is very experienced. He is also the one treating me.
I have to do blood test again next Monday to see if the HCG level keeps growing.
At least Dr Leong told me it is successfully implanted, whether the growth will be healthy, we have to keep checking. And it proved it works. As Milton Leong was on leave during my transfer, Dr Alex Doo taken care of me on the operation side and transfer side. He put me on injection (3 injection per day) previously only 1 injection. Two more is the Heparin injection (morning and night time @) I am not sure if it is the Heparin injection who made this time stick, at least the test came back positive. You can ask Dr Leong.
I am sure he will be giving you the best. Good luck for tomorrow :)
lolo32
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ezpz
16 yrs ago
Hi lolo32
My past 2 months consultation was with Milton Leong (immunology tests, down regulation cycle etc) and like you this cycle, Alex Doo took care of me on Day 1 since Milton was on leave. I think Alex Doo might have stimulating me too aggressively on Gonal F - 450iu for 3 days and gradually reducing it to 225 and 150. When I finally saw Milton last week for the final ultrasound before the egg collection, he counted 18 follicles. On Monday, he retrieved 24 and admitted that I could have been slightly over stimulated but assured that this is their normal practice for 1st time IVF patients with their clinic in order to monitor the body's reaction. Anyhow, as you know, with aggressive stimulation, your body pushes out both good and bad eggs. In the end, I had 13 fertilised but only half survived the day 3 transfer. Yesterday Milton transfered 2 embryos and when I asked why not 3, he advised that it was better to be cautious to prevent twins or multiples as my hormone level is quite high. 6 were frozen.
Like you, I'm given Heparin (1st time for me as Derek Lo never prescribed this) to be jabbed twice a day. I find it painful and stinging - do you? In addition, I need to do a progesterone jab 1 x a day (which makes your bum sore because it is oil based Milton says), uterogestan 2 x a day, aspirin 1 x a day, and because of my high natural killer cells and antibodies, I'm given steriods as well to be taken 2 x a day. Gosh, I'm so drugged out. Can't wait for the 2ww to be over!
Hi Keepontrying
To answer your question on my high immunity level, I can't recall the exact level (have the report somewhere) but I think Milton pointed out that the normal person should be about <15 but I was >20. As for 5 days Blastocysts transfers, the IVF Centre advised that they don't often do this (less than 10% of cases) as it is very difficult for embryos to survive this long in a man-made environment. They think it's safer to transfer Day 3 instead as the uterus is a much better environment to nurture the embryo esp onto Day 4 as it develops fastest on this day. Anyhow, I'm trying not to question too much on everything now and just go with the flow ....
Happy Christmas to all and the very best for 2009! Next year this time, hopefully we'll all be sharing stories on our births and changing nappies : )
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Hi ezpz,
Pls take more rest during these 2 weeks, especially the first 5-6 days. I just done my test, and my HCG level dropped. So i will have my period in few days time as per the nurse of Women's Clinic.
This time it will be a miscarriage then :( Yes, i do have a lot of injections, the only difference, i dont take aspirin, but predinisolone, once a day. The injections are fine, after the first time i got positive on 15th Dec, i learnt to do it myself the progesterone injection. Now my tummy is mostly in purple, as the herparin will have this effect. After this, i think i will take some rest before doing any IVF cycle. As per Havefaith, she does a natural IUI.
I hope accupunture can help, and this time i will do more preparation work before going to another IVF cycle. I have tried 3 times IVF in June, Aug and Nov. So all failed la :(
But still have hope, as i still keep on hearing good news from this site. Ezpz, i hope you will be successful this time, and look forward to hearing from you.
Take more rest, relax, enjoy. you have two babies to be inside you :)
lolo32
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