IVF #2 Results and a Bad Day ...

Just got in from work after having a flat tire on top of everything else :(

I went for beta this morning knowing it would be low or negative because I started cramping late last night, bleeding this morning and I passed embryonic tissue right before I left for beta. Clinic called this afternoon beta was negative but technically this was a c/p. Not sure why I keep having so many c/p when all 0f my immune results are normal (This makes c/p #3). I have to schedule a WTF w/ my RE then I will do an FET in March or April. Overall I am still happy with how this cycle went and with my new clinic. Just trying to rest and now I am curled up in the bed watching TV. It has been a rough day... Thanks so much for all of your support ladies ;)

Snowbaby Report!

My RE emailed me this morning and in his words he said, "You have 7 beautiful expanded blastocysts frozen for your future use. Not too shabby : )" I had been praying about my remaining embabies and this truly made me realize how much I love my new RE/Clinic.

A Relaxing Embryo Transfer

Well, I am home from ET after trekking it in the snow to my RE Dr. T today. After talking for 30 min we agreed to transfer 2 expanded blasts. They are going to watch my remaining embryos until tomorrow night to see if they become expanded blasts (my clinic only freezes expanded blasts) and right now he says they are early blasts. The transfer went smooth and they told me I fell asleep after the transfer and that they did not want to wake me up. I was only supposed to rest for 40 min and I woke up after 1.5 hours. So without further adieu I will introduce my LO's:




Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and I thank God that this has been a very smooth IVF cycle with my new RE.

Let the 2ww Begin...

FERT Report

My RE's office called with my FERT Report Sunday, but I missed it since I was in church. So they called me again Monday morning and here is what was going on:




Of the 33 eggs retrieved 24 were mature (Dr. T said he takes out everything he sees to try and prevent OHSS)

Of those 24 eggs all 24 fertilized with ICSI

Embryo Breakdown Thus Far:

12 excellent quality embryos

7 are still developing

5 may or may not make it

Dr. T has pushed me to a 5 Day Transfer on Thursday

Egg Retrieval & The Notebook...

What can I say about my new RE Dr. T? I absolutely adore him. My Egg Retrieval yesterday went really well. Dr. T retrieved 33 eggs. This was a shock to me because at my old clinic for IVF #1, I stimmed longer and on a much, much higher dose of Follistim. Now that I am at home I am curled up in bed and I am watching the Notebook for the very first time. I am really enjoying thus far... FERT REPORT is tomorrow.

The Rainbow Connection...

When I was a little girl growing up, my parents took me to see the Muppets and told me that I should dare to dream and that if I could dream it I could achieve it. I listened to Kermit as he sang "The Rainbow Connection" and knew growing up that wishes and dreams were possible....

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Today I went in for my second Follie Check and my wish came true. I have been praying all along that this cycle go smoothly, that I feel at peace, and that I grow lots of follies. Today's ultrasound was great! I had 12 or more follies on each ovary 10 and above and tonight my dose of Follistim drops to 150iu for the next two nights. I go back in for my third and final Follie Check on Thursday. I told Dr. T that he was amazing and asked him how could he get so many eggs from me this time at a much lower dose; when my first IVF at my old clinic stimmed me with 375iu. He smiled and told me that he just knew. I love the fact that my RE is so positive and a dreamer like me. God has used him to make so many people's dreams come true and I know some way, some how mine will come true one day too...

Until Next Time,

In a NY State of Mind...

So I drove into Manhattan this Morning from the Outer Boroughs to my clinic clearly in a New York State of Mind for my first Follie Check and E2 Blood Work:

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My lining was a 10 after 5 nights of Stims.

On the right - There were many Follies under 10


On the left - There was one Follie that was 13, one that was 11, two that were 10 and many more under 10


My E2 results will be coming in this evening. Dr. T says we are on the right track and he wants to be careful with me and go a little slower, because I have PCOS and we have a tendency to produce alot of eggs, which can lead to OHSS.

My Instructions:
Continue Stimming with 225iu Follistim for the next 3 nights
Lupron 5 untis AM
Folgard
Dexamethasone
1 Prenatal Vitamin
0.5 vial of Luveris
Add 500mg Ciprio twice daily


My next Follie check and E2 are Tuesday January 18...

Have a Great MLK Weekend,

Kicking it into High Gear....

I start STIMS today!



I will be on 225iu of Follistim in hopes of kicking my ovaries into high gear to grow some good follicles and eggs. Here is my stimulation protocol for this week:

AM 5 units of Lupron
Folgard
Dexamethasone w/ Largest Meal
1 Prenatal Vitamin
.o5iu Luveris
PM 225iu Follistim

My first Follie Check/Estrogen Hormone Check is this Saturday, so I will have another update then...

Stay Tuned,

Waiting on Mother Nature...

This afternoon I met with Dr. T and had my Baseline and Ultrasound. Both ovaries look good, no cysts and now I am just waiting on Mother Nature so I can start stims! That's right Mother Nature has to shed my lining so I can have a bleed then I can move on to the next phase of my IVF cycle...

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I took my last BCP on Thursday so Mother Nature should be here before Friday God willing...

Last BCP of 2010.

Today is officially my last day of Birth Control Pills. My Baseline and E2 Ultrasound are on Monday and if all goes well I will be able to start stims next week.

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Looking back on 2010 it is was a rough year for Mr. Blessed Bud and I but, a new year brings a renewed sense of hope and faith that God has our situation under control. Wishing all of the Buds and Bloomin' Babies readers a very Happy New Year!!

Until Next Year,

Just Another Manic Monday and....

I start Lupron!

As my IVF Cycle is getting underway I realize the holidays have pretty much flown by already. It is back to work tomorrow in a blizzard no doubt, but such is life. I will be on 10 units of Lupron until my Baseline Ultrasound and E2 with Dr. T on January 3. Speaking of Manic Mondays, I will leave for your viewing pleasure the original Manic Monday by The Bangles, which was written by the one and only musical genius Prince... This song always made my Mondays a little better...

Until Next Time,

IVF Calender: Check!

We finally have our IVF Calender from Dr. T and I can't believe our cycle is about to get underway! I will be on BCP's for the next 2 weeks and my wonderful clinic sends these pretty color coded calenders via email that look something like this:

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The IVF calendar is a crucial part of the In Vitro process, as it provides the tracking and reminder capabilities necessary for the mother to stay on track during the process. If a scheduled step is missed, the entire process could be put at risk, hence the need to have a detailed and well thought out IVF calendar...


My meds have been ordered from Freedom Pharmacy and I have my baskets ready to organize them when they arrive. I will be doing the Long Lupron Protocol with Dr. T and I am nervous and excited at the same time since this is a new clinic.

Until Next Time,

Busy, Busy, Busy ...

Mr. Blessed Bud and I have been extremely busy with work and I recently started working part-time for the holidays. With all of this pre-holiday hustle and bustle going on, we have decided to move our IVF cycle to January 2011. It is not that far away when you think about all of the pre-cycle things that have to be done the month prior to starting stims. Since my clinic cycles in groups, I will be back on BCP's in December, which is right around the corner...

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Until Next Time,

New Clinic= New Protocol

I recently received my IVF Protocol from my new clinic and I will be on the Long "Luteal" Lupron Protocol. This will be my first time undergoing this protocol and I am really excited. Here is an example of a Long Lupron Cycle after Birth Control Pills have been taken for 21 days.

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So Mr. Blessed Bud and I have lots to do before our cycle in November. We have to get blood work this weekend and I just ordered my meds. My stimulation will consist of using Follistim, and Luveris. I have no worries and no fear as I know this cycle is in God's hands.

Congrats to the Worry Buds on the birth of their beautiful daughter! Thank you Make-Up Bud for posting about iamtheface.org.

Until Next Time,

Acupuncture & IVF

Zen (zĕn). noun. Complete and absolute peace.

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My new clinic, which I love by the way, has an on-site acupuncturist and he offers a free consultation to all patients under Dr. T's practice. I have done acupuncture twice in the past and I really love how relaxed I felt after those two appointments. Here is what my future acupuncturist believes are the benefits of acupuncture for IVF and infertility:

1) Acupuncture and Chinese medicinals help to improve ovarian function by increasing blood flow to that region of the body. This may allow for the development of better quality eggs and strong, healthy embryos.

2) Acupuncture increases blood flow to the uterus. Studies indicate that increased blood flow to the uterus can help to promote follicular development and encourage implantation of the embryo.

3) Acupuncture and Chinese medicinals can help support the ovaries to respond more efficiently to the hyper-stimulating drugs thereby allowing for the production of more follicles.

4) Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can regulate estrogen and progesterone levels which can augment the lining of the uterus for proper implantation.

5) Acupuncture strengthens the immune system. Since approximately half of chemical pregnancies miscarry, one of the treatment goals is to boost the patient’s immune system using acupuncture and herbs.

6) There are high levels of physical and emotional stress associated with trying to get pregnant. Acupuncture and herbs are very effective in reducing stress and alleviating the side-effects of the hyper-stimulating medications, which help the patient to be calm and relaxed.

7) Acupuncture treats the root cause of female infertility and many other gynecological conditions that contribute to infertility such as irregular menses, endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes and PCOS.

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A recent study in the Journal of Fertility & Sterility in February 2002. In this study, 160 women underwent routine IVF. Half of them were randomized to have acupuncture both before and after the embryo transfer and half were not. The results were also blinded to those who had acupuncture and those who didn't. Randomization and blinding made this a very good and unbiased study. The acupuncture group had a pregnancy rate about 40% higher than the group that did not have acupuncture.

I will be calling tomorrow for my initial consult and I am excited to get the acupuncture ball rolling again in preparation for my fresh cycle in November...

FSH & Hysteroscopy Results

Well it looks like its time to try and make a baby again....

The Hysteroscopy
Last week I had a hysteroscopy with Dr. T and the procedure went well. I love my new clinic already. As they were putting me to sleep Dr. T told me to dream about visiting my family in Panama on a sunny beach. When I woke up I had a heating pad on my stomach and a pillow underneath my head. Dr. T came in and told me the procedure went well and that he removed a small polyp. He also said my uterine lining looks good and that anatomically we are good to go for my fresh IVF cycle in November.

FSH Results
Dr. T also gave me my FSH results after my hysteroscopy and my FSH is 5.9 and he said he is pleased with that. I will continue birth control pills and make an acupuncture appointment at the clinic next week, as well as make a payment on my upcoming cycle. Below is a chart explaining FSH from Advanced Fertility in Chicago and I found it to be quite helpful:

Day 3 FSH level	FSH interpretation for DPC Immulite assay
Less than 9	Normal FSH level. Expect a good response to ovarian stimulation.
9 - 11	Fair. Response is between normal and somewhat reduced (response varies widely). Overall, a slightly reduced live birth rate.
11- 15	Reduced ovarian reserve. Expect a reduced response to stimulation and some reduction in embryo quality with IVF. Reduced live birth rates on the average.
15 - 20	Expect a more marked reduction in response to stimulation and usually a further reduction in embryo quality. Low live birth rates. Antral follicle count is an important variable.
Over 20	This is pretty much a "no go" level in our center. Very poor (or no) response to stimulation. "No go" levels should be individualized for the particular lab assay and IVF center.

Tons of Baby Dust to Everyone,

What's the 411?

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I had 2nd opinion consult with a new RE on 8/31/10 and his name is Dr. T. The second opinion consult went really great and I have decided to switch clinics. As much as I don't want to leave my current RE because I adore him (he does all of the monitoring and the IVF cycles are done somewhere else by a different Dr.) I have to do what is best for me. I am transferring the 2 snowbabies we have left to my new clinic, where all of my treatment will be done under one roof. My new clinic even has an acupuncture facility on the premises. After our consult, Dr. T took CD3 blood work from me and I will be on BCP's for 2 months because Dr. T wants to lower my andgrogen levels that can be very high in PCOS women. I will have a hystersocopy and acupuncture consult soon and I will do a Fresh IVF Cycle in November where he will also unthaw my 2 snowbabies, so I don't waste one of my FET's covered under my insurance. In my heart of hearts I feel good about my decision and I am much more comfortable with the level of service I will be getting on a whole.

Back from Dr. B's Hall of Justice...

Meanwhile Dr. B and Blessed Bud mapped out a final plan of where they were going to go with treatments and when it would be time if necessary, to seek other options...

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My meeting with Dr. B last Thursday went extremely well. He believes I have a Progesterone issue most likely related to my PCOS. He thinks it may only be a slight egg issue (random abnormal eggs, which I am more prone to because of my PCOS) and that our embabies would not have made it to 5/6 Day Blastocysts if there was a severe egg issue. When we went over my medical history he does seem to have a point about the Progesterone issue:

Miscarriage #1 May 2006 (Not TTC/Natural PG) Low Progesterone; no supplements

Miscarriage #2(c/p) August 2009 (Injectables and Timed Intercourse; Low Progestrone (level 10), no supplements

Miscarriage(c/p) #3 December 2009 (Injetables and IUI); Low Progestrone (level 10), vaginal progesterone suppositories

Miscarriage #4 June 2009 (FET #1); Low Progestrone, Crinone

So, for FET #2 I will be on PIO instead of Crinone or Suppositories. I am not nervous about the PIO because I did the Delestrogen (also an oil) shots by myself for FET#1 with a 22 gauge needle. Because we just moved to a new house and are still getting settled; and are going on vacation around the end of August, we decided to push FET #2 back to September. We agreed that we would do IVF #2 if FET #2 is a BFN. For IVF #2 we would freeze all embryos and then I would do an FET because Dr. B and I realized my body does not do well with a combination of a transfer and being pumped full of medication. I have a second opinion with SIRM NYC on August 31 just to have a fresh set of eyes look at my case and see what IVF protocol would be best if IVF #2 is a go.

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So Blessed Bud put on her wings and left Dr. B's Hall of Justice with a positive attitude and stronger faith in God. Knowing that somehow, someway at his appointed time she and Mr. Blessed Bud will be bringing home their baby. Stay Tuned...

Our Genetic Testing Results are in...

A Very Busy June...

June and July have been quite busy months for myself and Mr. Blessed Bud. In June we made preparations to move into a new house and we underwent Genetic Testing to see if a genetic defect is the cause of our miscarriages. We had blood drawn for the Male and Female Karotyping Tests. This test also known as a Chromosome Analysis looks at the structure, number and arrangement of all 46 pairs of chromosomes. This test looks mainly for something known as a Balanced Translocation, which causes recurrent miscarriages.

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What are Balanced Translocations???
A chromosomal translocation is a condition in which part of a chromosome has broken off and reattached in another location. In a balanced translocation, a person usually has all the genetic material necessary for normal growth -- a piece of a chromosome is merely broken off and attached to another one. However, when that person's cells divide to create egg or sperm cells for reproduction, the egg or sperm cells can end up with extra genetic material or missing genetic material, which could lead to miscarriage depending on which chromosome and genes are affected. Balanced translocation is diagnosed through a test called a karotype in which blood samples from both parents are analyzed looking for the translocation. Some research suggests balanced translocation in the mother is most likely to be associated with recurrent miscarriages, but fathers can be carriers as well.

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Treatment for Balanced Translocations
There are no cures for Balanced Translocations, and these are the options for those TTC:

A. Keep going on your own and the odds are in favor of a successful pregnancy eventually, you will most likely experience more miscarriages
B. IVF w/ PGD
C. Donor Egg or Donor Sperm, or Donor Embryos depending if one or both partners have the Translocation
Our Test Results and What's Next?
Both of our Test Results came back NORMAL! It's kind of annoying because there is absolutely no explanation as to why I am miscarrying. We have a consult with Dr. B this Thursday to discuss our upcoming FET in August and what changes he will make to our protocol. I know one change he is making is to switch me from Crinone to PIO so he can monitor my Progesterone levels closely. For my first 2 pregnancies/miscarriages (one natural and one with TI and injectables under a different RE) I had no Progesterone support. My third miscarriage a c/p I was on vaginal suppositories and for this most recent FET/miscarriage I was on Crinone. I will have an UPDATE on Thursday from my consult and in the meantime we are still busy settling into our new place, which we absolutely adore.

Have a Great Weekend,

My New Mantra...

FET #2 Coming in August...