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.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Poor Egg Quality...Really???

I always hear stories of doctors telling their patients after a failed cycle that their egg quality is not good. Usually a patient entrusts their self into the hands of a doctor and leaves the office with a prognosis of future donor eggs. I don't like when that happens. I truly believe that some doctors take advantage of patients that do not do their own research and believe everything they say.

First, let me ask you this - Did your RE explain exactly how your eggs are bad quality? What exactly is wrong with them? You should be able to find out that information.

For example an egg is comprised of a shell (zona pellucida or just“zona”) and the cytoplasm (ooplasm) which, after fertilization, will grow and develop into the embryo. Every lab inspects eggs upon retrieval and they usually have to make notes of their findings. For example, a good egg would have a zona that is perfectly round, that does not have any distortions/deformities and is most often tightly surrounds the actual egg inside. So, if you have a poor egg quality, your RE should be able to to tell you, whether your eggs have a zona that is way too thick or deformed, which can prevent normal fertilization, embryo hatching and thus implantation. Also, you may have a cytoplasm that is way too big to properly surround and "snug" the egg, thus the actual egg within could potentially become damages from “floating” around. There are many more standards by which your eggs are evaluated like fragmentation, color, etc. Poor eggs sometimes will have dark color and look “degenerative” under the microscope.

You must also know that currently, there is not one single test out there that can conclusively determine egg quality. There is no one perfect test for egg quality. Therefore most labs, and RE’s base their assumptions of your eggs ability to become fertilized and produce normal embryos. Therefore I also believe that just one or two failed IVF’s is not the end of the road, since in every cycle your eggs will differ depending on which particular eggs will be produced during that particular cycle. Each cycle is different with different eggs playing the game of baby making. Know that a normal looking egg may possess underlying genetic problems where an egg that appears “poor” may be chromosomally normal and go on to becoming a healthy baby.

So please, don't take one doctor's opinion and give up on having your own babies. Like I said before, having a PhD does not mean they are not human and can predict your fate...You are strong and can’t try again, go for second opinion, third, forth if you need to. Also there are some clinics that specialize in giving women that other doctors gave up on, their own babies. I've heard amazing things about Cornell Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility in New York; Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine; SHER Institutes For Reproductive Medicine.

Do your research and stay strong, don't give up. This road is tough but your are a fighter and you will hold your baby in your arms someday.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Pineapple - Miracle fruit?

I don't think so...

I don't believe in it. But here is the info if it helps.

Pineapple Juice
Usage: There is an old wives' tale floating around that pineapple juice will help a fertilized egg implant. However, pineapple juice is not recommended for use in TTC and/or pregnancy. In large doses, it can actually cause uterine contractions and bring on spontaneous abortions (miscarriage).

Recommended Dosage: Drink only in small quantities, if at all.

Side Effects: Large doses may cause uterine contractions, miscarriage, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, very heavy menstrual periods. Unripe pineapple is poisonous, causing excessive diarrhea.

It’s not the pineapple itself but what is inside of it. Pineapple contains a chemical called Bromelain. Only fresh pineapple contains it and not pineapple juice where the enzyme bromelain is destroyed through heat/processing. Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme that breaks up proteins that inhibit embryo implantation.

Pinapple should not be consumed too early in the cycle because it can actually affect your vaginal and cervical mucus PH, making it more acidic. Sideeffect of too much pineapple (bromelain injestion) include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, menorrhagia (excessively heavy menstrual flow) and possible allergic reactions. One study has also associated bromelain with increased heart rate. Also bromelain is contraindicated during pregnancy as it may cause uterine contractions.



Thursday, February 12, 2009

Crinone - Once or Twice?

Well, someone asked me why some women use Crinone (Progesterone Gel) once a day and some use it twice a day.

I am not a doctor but I have some thoughts on this. Also, medical community still does not have a final verdict on what is better (as you can see by example studies below) so I believe it depends on individual cases.

For example, lets take my case. Usually one dose is sufficient enough because it is a very concentrated gel. I was originally prescribed only one. Once I became pregnant, I had unexplained bleeding for 2 weeks of bright red blood and passing clots. Freaky, I know. I decided to add one more dose just to be safe and my doctor agreed, but she said it might not have any advantages, but if I felt like it, just for my piece of mind, then go for it. After I started using two a day, my bleeding still continued, but at least I felt good about doing everything I can with respect to extra progesterone. Crinone 8% is generally used once a day though. Each doctor will individualize the correct dosing of Crinone 8% based on the patient’s needs and their situation.

First, it depends whether you are prescribed Crinone 4% or Crinone 8% gel.

Crinone 8% is generally used once a day though. Each doctor will individualize the correct dosing of Crinone 8% based on the patient’s needs and their situation.

Structure:

Each applicator delivers 1.125 grams of Crinone gel containing either 45 mg (4% gel) or 90 mg (8% gel) of progesterone in a base containing glycerin, mineral oil, polycarbophil, carbomer 934P, hydrogenated palm oil
glyceride, sorbic acid, sodium hydroxide and purified water.

Due to sustained release properties of Crinone, progesterone absorption is prolonged with an absorption half-life of approximately 25-50 hours, and an elimination half-life of 5-20 minutes.

Possible explanation

Assisted Reproductive Technology--Crinone 8% is administered vaginally at a dose of 90 mg once daily in women who require progesterone supplementation. Crinone 8% is administered vaginally at a dose of 90 mg twice daily in women with partial or complete ovarian failure who require progesterone replacement.

Further, Jobanputra et al, in a donor-egg IVF study, showed that 100% “in-phase” endometrial biopsies, reassuring pregnancy rates (46–48% vs. 41%) and mis-carriage rates (14–33% vs. 25%) were seen at both the twice and once-daily dosing levels compared to intra-muscular therapy. Pregnancy rates were as high with vaginal as with intramuscular therapy. There were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy and implantation rate using twice-daily Crinone or once-daily Crinone.
(Jobanputra K, Toner JP, Denoncourt R, Gibbons WE. Crinone 8% (90mg) given once daily for progesterone replacement therapy in donor egg cycles. Fertil Steril 1999;72:980–4.)

Although, In their study, Ho et al 1 report that using vaginal progesterone gel twice daily for luteal support resulted in better pregnancy outcomes than intramuscular progesterone. Vaginal progesterone gel seemed to offer more “targeted” delivery of progesterone to the uterus and improved endometrial receptivity.
(Ho CH, Chen SU, Peng FS, Chang CY, Yang YS. Luteal support for IVF/ICSI cycles with Crinone 8% (90 mg) twice daily results in higher pregnancy rates than with intramuscular progesterone. J Chin Med Assoc 2008;71:386–91.)

Whatever you may choose at the end, make sure you consult with your doctor first.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

It's not fair...and it hurts...just don't give up...

I DO NOT appreciate hearing that it wasn't meant to be or that 'God' has reasons for doing things. First, when I hear 'it wasn't meant to be' I wonder why that crack whore was meant to get pregnant. I do not believe that 'God' has reasons for making people infertile any more than 'God' has reasons for children being molested or women being raped or animals being tortured. Why do wonderful loving people suffer their last moments dying of cancer, while child abusers shoot up cocaine into their veins for years and still have the time to beat the living spirit out of their girlfriends. Why? I do not believe 'God' has any control over those things cause in my eyes you can't just pick and choose what 'God' controls. Why when women get pregnant after numerous IVF, some praise God for it, not the science. Yet when something bad happens, no one mentions God. I do not believe in God and I am not scared of hell. If you were in my shoes you would know – I’ve lived through it already.


I could have given up. I could have listened to EVERYONE around me tell me to stop doing this to myself. No one understands. Everyone just threw their irritating comments about me needing to stop the drugs, which made me gain weight, made me emotional. I was inconsolable. I could have started the adoption process. I could have had friends, memories, and fun times. All the things I missed while playing the stupid waiting game.

I spent months taking drugs and medications. We spent a fortune on them. We could have gone to five star European resorts with that money. I missed travelling, seeing my family and more importantly, I missed my friends children grow up, and I missed my nephews growing up.

I cried. Almost every day. I thought about infertility every hour.

But it happened. Because I didn't give up.

I still cry, and not happy tears. It still hurts. Until I hold this baby in my arms, it's still my dream....and I'll do number 10, 11 and 12 too. Whatever it takes to get my family. It's not a sick game because I'm competitive, and I want to win the prize, a bunch of babies. It's because I want more than ever to be a mom, and I deserve it.

So do you. Please don't give up.