About Me

2 years to conceive a baby is the last thing I thought could happen to us...

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I'm 25 and my husband is 27. We have been together since Oct 13, 2000 - I was 16 & he was 18. We've got married Dec 24, 2006. We started trying to conceive in February 2007 with no success.

In September 2007 we were referred to our current doctor (RE) and she specializes in Gynecologic Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility MSc, MD, FRCSC at fertility clinic in Toronto. Me and my husband did many test which all came back with great results. We were tested through Sonohysterogram, Laporoscopy, Hysteroscopy, Hysterosalpingogram (HSG), Semen DNA Fragmentation to name a few...

We did 3 IUI's; Then we decided to start doing IVF to increase our chances. Unfortunately, we found out that I have unexplained poor response to medications. We spent over $36,000 out of the pocket just in 2007 & 2008 for all our procedures. We had 4 failed IVF attempts, some canceled after weeks of expensive injections. Every cycle was a heartbreak and the pain never goes away.

Our diagnosis is UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY
Unexplained poor responder
Unexplained elevated prolactin
  • Natural - Feb.’07-Oct. ’07;
  • IUI#1 - Nov '07- Clomid 50mg (cd5-9); HCG; Progesterone 400g;
  • IUI#2 - Jan '08- Clomid 50mg (cd5-9); HCG; Progesterone 400mg;
  • IVF#1 - Long Agonist Protocol; Feb '08 - BCP; Mar '08 - Suprefact / Puregon 175IU; Canceled after 9 weeks of injections due to 3.2cm cyst on the right ovary
  • IVF#2 - Long Agonist Protocol; April '08 BCP; May '08 - Puregon 200 IU/Orgalutran 250 mg; ER May 14 - ET May 17; 5 eggs-3 mature-2 fertilized; Day 3 transfer; transferred two 8-cell & 7-cell grade 1 embies; Progesterone 600mg;
  • Natural - June ’08; Aspirin 81mg/Pre-Seed;
  • IVF#3 - Short Antagonist Protocol; July '08 - Canceled after 10 days of injections due to elevated prolactin 36.6 & poor response; only 8 follicles and not developing
  • IVF#4 - Short Antagonist Protocol; Aug/Sept' 08 -Gonal-f (225iu)/Menopur (150iu); Cetrotide (250mg);Ovidrel 10,000 IU; Progesterone in oil injections (50mg), Aspirin (81mg) Cancelled after 12 days of injections (less than 7 follicles); Later converted to IUI#3
  • IVF#5 - Estrogen Priming with MicroFlare Protocol; Oct '08 - Start Estrace Oct5 (7DPO); Stop next CD2 after AF (Oct11) start stim with Gonal-F (450iu) & microdose of Lupron/Suprefact (0.05iu); Took Aspirin 81 mg; Almost canceled due to poor response after 13 days of injections (only 6 follicles developing) + ovarian cysts; ER on cycle day 21 (!!!) after 18 days of stims; Got 10 eggs; 7 mature; 5 fertilized with ICSI; Day 5 transfer of 2 blastocysts (2AB both); one was hatching; None to freeze, all arrested; Crinone 8% & Estrace 6mg after ET
  • Greater than 50% of patients achieve pregnancy on their first IVF cycle.
  • Close to 50% of patients who had a second cycle also achieved pregnancy.
  • Finally, 40% of patients who did a third cycle achieved a clinical pregnancy.

Statistically, most people have become pregnant by their third cycle.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

IVF#2 - BFN

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

This cycle was a bust!

Even though we have unexplained infertility and had two good embryos transferred.

My BETA today was 0

Just as I thought

What next?

Going to try to take a a break if I can.

We've tried before, but it is so so hard to stop dreaming that one day I will hold a baby in my arms. How can I give up that dream and just "take a break", forget about it?.....How can I? Could you? If you were in my shoes...I bet you would not....

Thursday, May 15, 2008

IVF#2 - 1 day post ER

Got my update Crying or Very sad

5 eggs retrieved
3 mature
2 fertilized

Shocked

This is only day 1 after retrieval

I don't think they will make it to even day 3 transfer

Sad

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

IVF#2 - CD 12 - RETRIEVAL

5 eggs retrieved.
4 from my right ovary
1 from my left ovary

The retrieval wen smooth. We came in at 7:30am. I was called in to the prep room. Changed into hospital gown and was right away was hooked up to glucose (sugar water) and sodium (salt water) IV. My husband was called to produce a sample. Around 8am he was allowed to come in to the prep room. We stayed there until 9:15am. After that we were taken to the procedure room and I was administered sedative medication as well as the pain medication.

Sedation drugs used:
Fentanyl - a powerful opioid analgesic
Metazoline - sedative

My doctor came in and together with an ultrasound technician, they did an ultrasound to double check my follicles. Then a spectrum was inserted and a gauze with topical anesthetic was applied. Minutes later I felt a sharp needle "down there" which was some additional local anesthetic.

The procedure started. Me and my husband were able to see on ultrasound screen my eggs "shuffled" around in my ovary. Then my doctor picked out the big ones and I felt a lot of pressure and poking/pulling sensations on the ovary. Eggs were sucked out through a tube and given directly to an embryologist through a little glass window that was connected to the embryology lab.

Later I was whisked away to the recovery room where I stayed for 1 hour.

Feeling bloated and have a constant feeling like I need to go to the bathroom. Also some other things that I will not mention since its too much information ;-)

Now wait until tomorrow afternoon for my RE to call with the results of cell devision and fertilization. I am not sure if my eggs will make it to 5 day transfer. We might just have to do a 3 day. We'll see...

Monday, May 12, 2008

IVF#2 - CD 10 - Trigger

Ok.....scared now. Tonight I am suppose to take my last injection of Puregon 200IU and finally trigger with Ovidrel (HCG) @ 9:30pm. Scared because RE told the nurse to "advise patient that she only has 4 follicles for retrieval"....to me sounds like a warning before a disappointing fall....we'll see how many eggies we will get. I hope I will end up with at least one embryo for the transfer. I truly hope...

My stats today:

Right Ovary - 2.1/ 1.9/ 1.4/1.3/ 1.3 + 2 small ones = 7 follicles
Left Ovary - 2.0/ 1.3 + 2 small ones = 4 follicles
Uterine lining - 0.9cm

Taking last shot of Puregon 200 IU + Ovidrel (HCG) @ 9:30pm

Day 11 (May13)

Just bloodwork

Day 12 (May14)

Egg Retrieval @ 9:30am

Sunday, May 11, 2008

IVF#2 - CD 9

I now have ultrasound and bloodwork everyday at 7am. Lack of sleep is really getting to me.
It seems like I made a right decision to fight for my cycle to stay "alive" because my leading follicles slowed down in growth a bit, while the other ones are catching up. Now it seems like ER will be as schedules. Just thinking that if I was not persistent in persuading my RE not to cancel, I would have been doing IUI now instead of this. I really hope I was right, and if I was this is just another example that you should sometimes listen to your gut instincts rather than to your doctor.

Here are my stats as of today:

Day 9 (May11)
Estrogen - 2481
LH - 2
Prog. - 9.9
Right Ovary - 1.9/ 1.6/ 1.3/1.2/ 1.1 + 2 small ones = 7 follicles
Left Ovary - 1.8/ 1.0 + 2 small ones = 4 follicles
Uterine lining - 0.9cm

Friday, May 9, 2008

IVF#2 - CD 7 - Almost Cancelled!

So frustrated and upset!

I am now on my day 7 of IVF cycle.

My doctor was about to cancell it because she said that my follicles got into "groups" of mature ones and immature. She wants them all be at the same level. I put up a fight with her not to cancel.

I said - "I am progressing well and I still have 5 more days of stimulation to go, and my estrogen level is good, I already have 6 follicles. They might grow more in 5 days. Please let's wait and see and if not, I think 6 follicles is enough for ER. I'm willing to risk."

She said - "Only because you are young, I am willing to give it a try and go to ER even with 6 follicles, but that decision is up to you. You night end up with no embryos to transfer, that would be a waste"

My ER is scheduled this Thursday, May 15. So upset and scared now. Tired of waiting. This is second attempt and this crap again??!!

Here are my stats so far:

Today - Day 7
Estrogen - 1515
Right Ovary - 1.5/ 1.2/ 1.1/ 1.1 + 3 small ones = 7 follicles
Left Ovary - 1.6/ 1 + 2 small ones = 4 follicles

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

IVF#2 - CD 5 Stats

So I went today. My lining is 0.8 cm. Not sure if that's good or not.

I have:

5 follicles on right ovary @ 1.3 / 1.1 / 1.0 + 2 very small ones
4 follicles on left ovary @ 1.5 + 3 very small ones

Because I already have at least one "leading follicle" over 1.2cm, I started my Orgalutran today to prevent me from ovulating.

Back for ultrasound Friday, May 9 (CD 7)

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

IVF#2 - CD 4 Stats

I had my CD 4 blood work done to see my Estrogen and it was at 652 today. The nurse had asked me to come back again tomorrow for blood and ultrasound. They want to see if I have a "leading follicle" of at least 1.2cm and if I do, they will add Orgalutran (delays ovulation) to my Puregon shots. We'll see how it goes. Just an update.