# TTC2L & Recurrent Miscarrier, whose about to turn the big 4-0!



## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

Hope you don't mind me joining you?  But  I need to be with some other like minded mum's in waiting!

Brief Bio is 40 next month, TTC since Apr 2000. 4 Natural Conceptions, followed sadly, by 4 natural missed miscarriages - 2 @ 12 weeks, 2 @ 10 weeks.  Last mm/c, Oct '03. Cause likely to be sticky blood.  So aspirin and Clexane from next +ive HPT, however, no sign of a PG since 

Last lot of LH/FSH etc fine - FSH was around 4, LH around 2 from memory. Currently waiting to get these re-done, as was 1-2 years ago, CD21 tests at same time, fine too, (again, awaiting getting this re-done). Seem to O every month.   DH's spermies v. good as of June '06.  Due another HSG in next month or so. Right tube has been blocked, Left tube ok, as at Jan '06.

Am starting to naturally, get very frustrated, but determined to conceive naturally again.  See my Con next week, so am hoping he is keen to help!


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## Cotswold Girl (Nov 16, 2006)

Hi Tamsin,

I'm so sorry to hear about the difficult journey you've had so far. I hope that life really does begin at 40 for you with a little bundle of joy    

Good luck with your appt next week -  they have some answers for you. Let us know how you get on.

A fellow mum in waiting   

CG xxx


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## pip7 (May 5, 2006)

Hi Tamsin

Can I join in?  I'm a bit of a sporadic poster here - I just don't seem to be organised enough to post regularly, so my apologies in advance if I disappear for days before posting again!

So sorry to hear about everything you've been going through - I really feel for you.  I'm a 41 year old recurrent miscarrier - I have also had 4 natural pregnancies, all ending in early miscarriages, and I don't get pregnant easily, so just keep hoping that it will happen again (last one was August last year).  I've had 2 IVFs and 4 IUIs, all BFN, so it's hard to know if it's worth continuing down this route, but after a few consultations in different places, we think we'll give it at least one more go with my own eggs before moving on to donor eggs.  I found out today that I have a number of immune problems that I wasn't aware of, so I need to get those sorted before I can have another go at IVF.  In the meantime we'll just keep trying....

I find the hanging around waiting for appointments almost as frustrating as the treatments themselves.  I'm trying to adopt a different attitude towards the whole thing at the moment - I feel as though I've spent the last few years being totally obsessed   with fertility issues, and I'm not sure it's got me anywhere, so I'm trying to be a bit more   about the whole thing.

Have you had your meeting with your consultant yet?  Hope he's going to be sympathetic and helpful.

Best of luck, to you and to CG

Pip xx


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## Terribellalulu (Jun 5, 2007)

Hello Tamsin,

I just saw your post and wanted to send you a cyber-hug and some positivity if I can.  My story is slightly different but I too was classified as a recurrent miscarrier and was fast approaching 40 with some dread.  I had my first baby aged 33 with no particular problems but then had two miscarriages in 2002 followed by nothing . . . I didn't know at the time that there is a link between miscarriage and finding it difficult to get pregnant in the first place but I now do!  I was kicked around from one doctor to another at the local hospital with no real success - was put on clomid and then told we needed IVF.  I wasn't happy with the differing information we'd got so asked to see another consultant (and this time saw the consultant rather than six different doctors which had happened previously - never the named consultant).  Straight away he referred us to the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic at St Mary's under Prof Regan . . . no-one else had put 2 + 2 together and realised that I had an auto-immune problem due to my juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  Have you been referred on to a specialist unit that deals specifically with miscarriage?  If not, I would ask for this to happen.

We were impatient and despite the fact that my doctor at St Mary's was convinced that we could get pregnant naturally again, I didn't believe him so we started an IVF/ICSI cycle but the test results we got back were very poor before I started downregging and we were given a very low % chance of success.  We decided we would give up and made the choice to go for overseas adoption instead . . . however, I found at the end of THAT month that I was pregnant!  Completely naturally.

I think one of the main differences must have been that the pressure was off because we'd decided to finally stop ttc - I'd also been using a hypnotherapy cd daily as part of the IVF prep - maybe that helped too.  Once I got pg, I think it also made a difference having a lot of support from the clinic - I had lots of scans from about 5 1/2 weeks onwards and I would definitely recommend this - it helps you get from one week to the next.

I know everyone's personal story is slightly different but I hope that my story can give you some hope that it can work for you too one day . . . I was almost 40 when I managed to have my second baby so don't let your age worry you too much.

Now we're trying again . . . nothing has happened yet and we've been trying for over six months . . . I'm not going down the fertility treatment route at all this time but that's easy for me to say as I'm lucky:  for me it's not the end of the world if nothing happens.  However, I do have the hope that despite now being 41, it could still happen.

I hope it works for you very soon!

All the best,
Terri


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## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

*CG* - Thanks for your post and positive vibes!  to you

*Pip* - Thanks for your post. So sorry to hear that you have lost so many times too and wish you all the luck for the future!

*Terri * - Thanks for your reply! I am indeed under St Mary's RMC in London. Been going there since March '02! I see Raj Rai! Have had another lot of CD2 / CD21 and an HSG done, and go back for the results next month. I suspect, as per usual, they will all be ok and we'll just be back to Square 1, i.e. Unexplained! I need to get in better shape physically, so am hoping by doing this, that may improve our chances too, although being overweight has never stopped me in the past!!


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## pip7 (May 5, 2006)

Hello again,

Just noticed that this thread was still going, so thought I'd post again  .

Terri, it's great to hear stories like yours, it helps me to believe that all this effort may not be in vain.  I really hope you succeed again.  

Tamsin, I know St Marys is a real centre of excellence when it comes to miscarriage, but I wondered if you'd considered some of the other places that do more immune testing?  I had an appointment at St Marys, and although I found them really helpful, and I may well go back there at some point, I also felt that they were quite conservative in their approach.

I'm having another go with my own eggs, this time at CARE, and started downregging last week with buserelin injections.  Before that I had LIT at the Portland, having discovered that me and DH share an HLA allele, and I'm on high doses of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid as I'm heterozygous for MTHFR.  I'll also have viagra, gestone, aspirin, steroids and clexane.  Oh, and I'm also taking metformin.  I'm hoping that if that lot doesn't work I'll feel that I've done absolutely everything I can possibly do before moving on.  

Having done a fair bit of research I realised that different doctors have their own particular areas of interest, and the treatment you get is to some extent dependent on who you see.  After my last failed cycle I decided to take matters into my own hands and arranged a number of consultations in different places so that I got as much information and all the investigations that I thought I needed before deciding what to do next.  It may turn out that none of it makes any difference, but I felt I had to give it a go.

Anyway, whatever you do, I really hope it works out for you.  Here's hoping that we all succeed in the end....

Love, Pip x


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## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

Hi again Pip,

Well, I had the NK Cells test done at Liverpool Women's Hosp, when Siobhan Quenby first started her trials there and was deemed to have normal levels - 1.9% - this was the womb biopsy test, as opposed to the controversial blood test. I've obviously had the usual blood clotting tests done, a few times!  As well as St M's TEG tests! I had 1 positive result for APA.

I do often wonder whether I should try somewhere else, but in all honesty as I'm already seeing a Senior highly respected Consultant, who is trained in Infertility, as well as miscarriage there, I'm not sure anyone else could give me any new answers! I mean if tube is ok, hormones are ok, ovulation is ok, no fibroids, endo, or PCOS and DH's S.A. is ok, what else is there?  I agree though that St Mary's, have many times been deemed to be somewhat conservative in their Txs etc, but you can usually get them to accommodate your needs/requests, with a bit of persuasion! 

Wow, you sure are on a lot of meds aren't you!  I agree, you really would have tried everything!  Although a friend of mine, who has suffered 8 m/cs is currently 9wks, with her 9th PG and is on NO meds whatsoever - having before been on aspirin/heparin/steroids/progesterone in the past, so we're all hoping and praying this one makes it and will go to prove that, sometimes, going without anything, can work and that maybe diagnosis are not always 100% accurate!



Tamsin
x


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## pip7 (May 5, 2006)

Hi Tamsin

I'm glad to hear that you also feel that you're doing everything.  I also hadn't realised that St M doctors could be persuaded to try other things - definitely worth knowing.

Interesting about your friend - I really hope it works out for her by the way, stories like that give me hope, so I'd be really interested to know if this one sticks, and I'll keep everything crossed for her - I'm aware that all of my pregnancies have happened naturally.  In between assisted cycles we do keep trying, and if I could, I would much prefer for it to happen that way.  But every few months I feel that I have to throw myself into trying out other options.

Good luck with the appointment next month, and keep us posted...

Pip x


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## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

Hi again Pip,

Yes, I've known friends in the past, who have pushed Raj Rai and he's willing to help / try new ideas, e.g. for blood clotting issues, St M's prefer to only give 20mg and only from when a heartbeat is seen, however, I will be on 40mg from a +ive HPT, as seems to be the norm for most places now.

Well talked to my friend last night and so far, so good!  She has another scan on Saturday and is currently 9+5. The furthest she has ever got is 10+3. So like you, am keeping everything crossed for her!  It will truly be a miracle and also go to prove that sometimes, it's more down to mother nature deciding when the time is right, than drugs needing to be used!!  I'll keep you posted on her progress!

Howz the DR going?

Tamsin
x


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## pip7 (May 5, 2006)

Hi Tamsin

Well, I'm still downregging.  Fortunately I don't seem to get side effects from it.  DH hasn't commented on any craziness so far.  I'm just a bit impatient and wanting to get on with it - because the clinic is so heavily booked, I can't have my DR scan and bloods until next Wednesday.  I'm also starting to feel slightly anxious about the effect the Buserelin might have on my egg quantity and quality, as I'm a poor responder.  I saw my acupuncturist this morning who thought I was worrying unnecessarily, so I'm trying to forget about it.

Fantastic news about your friend.  Is she being regularly scanned?  I think that at St Mary's they have a special scanning clinic for recurrent miscarriers, so I wondered if she was being monitored there.  It's supposed to boost chances of success.  How is she in herself?  Is she managing to take it in her stride?  I think I'd be a wreck if (hopefully when) I get pregnant again.

Hope you're OK too - are you still planning to continue down the natural route?  

Love, Pip x


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## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

Hi Pip,

No, my friend is being seen at St Georges in Tooting.  She actually lives in Egypt, but spent most of her life here, only moving to Egypt about 10 yrs ago.  Her folks live here, so everytime she is PG, she comes here for treatment - privately. Her scan today was perfect, so on to another week, and another week of keeping everything crossed.  She does seem to be taking it in her stride on the outside, but think she is as anxious as hell on the inside - understandably!!

You are correct however about St M's - they scan you weekly - something I was very grateful of with my last PG!

Yep, still going for the eu naturel route - ovulating I believe as we speak!  So onto another 2WW!

Best of luck with DR and the bloods/scan next Weds!

Tamsin
xx


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## Terribellalulu (Jun 5, 2007)

Hi again,

Well - Raj Rai was my doctor too at St Mary's . . . and yes, I have to say that he's great for the infertility as well as the miscarriage issue: I think he very much sees it as all part of the same package. It was down to him that I had the ovarian diathermy done at St Mary's for PCOS - this was really treating the infertility side of my problems rather than the miscarriage. I think he's absolutely wonderful . . . and a total character! Unlike a lot of infertility clinics where the goal is getting pregnant, their goal is always a healthy baby.

Do you know about their Save The Baby charity which is run from there? I always like to mention it to people if they haven't heard about it as they do such a lot of good work.
http://www.save-the-baby.com/

All the best again with everything - I will keep checking back to see how you are getting on. Still no luck for us - not really surprised to be honest and I'm wondering if it would be worth approaching doctors about having another ovarian diathermy as the results do not last sadly - perhaps they will consider me too old now though 

Terri


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## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

Hi Terri,

Wel I had my appt at St M's last Tuesday and unfortunately Raj was on holiday!  Anyway, all the results were good (see siggy), but just wish he'd been there, to discuss where we go next - although I already know that - it's trying to lose weight and get fit again!!  

Unfortunately  showed up last Friday - so another failed month 

Am doubly worried anow, as 2 scans now have revealed a cyst on the left side - has always been on the right - scan I had in April showed right hand cyst had collpased, but scan 7 weeks ago and one on Tuesday, both show one on left side, so am now stressed that a new cyst has appeared on my left side, (as opposed to it being the original one on the right, that has kind of fallen over to that side), and that grows and buggers up my left tube - my open one. Not sure where, if it is a new one, that it is growing from, as the sonographers comments seem to indicate it wasn't an ovarian as such.

So this has really focused my mind on needing to get the weight/exercise issue sorted - incase IVF is only only choice. Hope to see my GP in a couple of weeks to discuss - have my Type II Diabetic check up and know my glucose levels / HBa1c are going to be much higher than they should be 

Best of luck with your Dr's!

Tamsin
xx


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## pip7 (May 5, 2006)

Hi Tamsin

Just thought I'd let you know that despite all the medication I've taken this cycle, I still got a BFN today (I tested slightly early but with a 10mIU test so I feel pretty definite and resigned).  So it's back to trying naturally for us again, at least for a little while.

How are you getting on?  Sorry to hear about your difficulties with the cyst - do you have any more information about where it might be growing from, or if you need to do anything about it?  And how are you getting on with the weight loss/getting fit?  Good luck with it.

And how's the friend you mentioned getting on?  I think of her often, as I don't hear that many stories of 'older' recurrent miscarriers having success, so she's a real beacon of hope for me.  I really hope everything is going well for her.

Terri, how are you getting on?  Good luck....

Love

Pip xx


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## ♥Tamsin♥ (Jun 29, 2004)

Hi Pip,

I'm so sorry to hear of the BFN    I can only imagine how devastated you must be feeling. Do you think you'll have another attempt sometime in the future?

No, no more news on the cyst.  And in reality I'll doubt I'll get into some serious weight loss & exercise until the new year, although hopefully before!  Have yet to go and see my GP!!  I'm back in the 2WW, although we've only had one time of , so chances are slim!

My friend is doing well!  She was 14 weeks on Saturday and still going strong!  She's actually younger than me - 31 this month, but it's the multiple m/c's, followed by a seemingly straight forward Pregnancy with no meds that is the miracle!

Best of luck with everything,

Tamsin
xx


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