# Next steps?



## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Well, I know I said I wasn't going to think about donor eggs until this cycle was over, but I decided to have telephone consult with LWC to get name on donor list etc just in case

Just spoke to the consultant who said she would definitely not recommend donor eggs for me. Sees no reason why I would need them and says the chances are only a little higher with donor eggs than my own eggs. I feel partly reassured that I am doing the right thing by having another own egg cycle at Reprofit (obviously didn't share that info with LWC) but also partly upset that moving to donor eggs won't improve my chances that much. I guess I'd seen it as the next step if this cycle fails, but now it seems that it won't necessarily get my any closer to my own baby anyway. 
So feeling a bit confused

Interestingly LWC said this time they would recommend going to blast - which they have never done before (when I queried why they don't do it as standard if it's more successful - she said it was relatively new technique and they had been waiting for their embryologist to get really comfortable with it before they started recommending it more widely...which I suppose is an honest answer but also makes me think they are a bit behind the times/behind other clinics on this)

Also recommended the full load of drugs - clexane, gestone, aspirin and prednisolone (steroids) so I shall be asking Stepan to prescribe all that for me for this cycle too

I have insisted on being put on the ED list anyway....because it takes 6-9 months for a match and by then I will be fast approaching 40 and my stats will plummet - don't want to get to that point and then have to wait 6-9 months on the list. I still have the ED slot at Repro in early April though...and now I am wondering if there is any point taking it up or whether I should keep going with own eggs.

Will be asking Stepan the same questions when I'm over there so I can get a second opinion but Dr V at LWC seemed quite catagoric that it's too early for me to move to donor eggs because there is nothing wrong with my own eggs and my own response to tx. But if that's the case, why aren't I pregnant?

Not sure if there is even a question in here girlies, think I just needed to get it down on paper. Obviously my next step is this cycle I am in the middle of and hopefully it will succeed and I won't have to worry about all this
But in the back of my mind I am also preparing myself for having to make the decision about what next, and now I am even more confused than before as I was sure I would go donor eggs next, and now I'm thinking maybe not...

Thoughts welcome, otherwise thanks for listening to the rant!
Suitcase
x

Must go and do some work now - hope nobody in the office overheard that particular telco (I went and hid in a small meeting room but conscious of people sitting outside and in rooms next door)....


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## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

Suitcase (feels funny calling you that!) 

I don't have any words of wisdom except to say that I have everything crossed and lots of prayers that this is your year! Has LWC told you why they think you haven't had a successful pregnancy yet? If they or Stephan have a theory that might help you make a decision!


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Thanks hun

Got so used to being called Suitcase/Suity now that I forget I ever had another name!!

Yes, fingers firmly crossed that this cycle works. Will def be asking Stepan for his opinion on all this too...

Suitcase
x


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## Betty-Boo (Oct 14, 2007)

Suity  - sounds like your heads spinning!!!!
mini x x


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## madmisti (Sep 1, 2008)

Hi Suity - not surprised you are confused.

I will say that the odds at Reprofit with donor egg are 60% - higher than in UK because they use young donors in their 20's, rather than egg share donors as in UK, who can be up to 35.

Try not too think about it too much - you need to concentrate on this cycle. Hopefully having a chat with Stepan while you are over there will reduce the confusion  

Lol
Misti x


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## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

Suity, I suppose it is reassuring that the LWC consultant thinks that there is no reason that you shouldn't use your own eggs, but it still doesn't answer the question of you not having a successful pg yet. Perhaps the recommended drugs will help this time. I think a chat with Stepan is a good idea and may help you make a decision on your next steps should you need them.

 that this cycle works for you and that you won't need to give the DE vs not DE route any more thought.   

Lou-Ann x


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

suity- can I ask you when does Stephan tell you take the steroids,aspirin and clexane?
L x


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

JJ - haven't actually discussed this with Stepan yet. Had telco consult with LWC today and she mentioned it. Said if I cycled with them again I should take aspirin and clexane from transfer, the steroids from halfway through stimms...will talk to Stepan at the weekend re the steroids and see if he thinks I should go on them from Saturday onwards - although not sure what I will do about a prescription...

Thanks everyone else for the well wishes - I know I just need to focus on this cycle but I can't help jumping ahead to what I will do if it doesn't work - partic as have the donor egg cycle booked for April..

Trying to think day by day, but not very good at that!

Suitcase
x


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## bingbong (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi Suity,

Sorry that you are more confused now! As you know I don't know that much about all of this but I was thinking that this is one man's opinion, so it's good that you are going to talk to Stepan. 

As others have said I   that you won't need to worry about this all after this trip to Reprofit. Totally understand you wanting a back up plan though!!!

Good luck! 
BB x


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## indekiwi (Dec 23, 2008)

Hi Suitcase, this donor egg business is incredibly confusing to me too.    If women are not permitted to donate after age 36 in the UK due to (presumably) poorer quality eggs, then why would a UK based consultant be so adamant that you continue to use your own eggs after this age, regardless of whether or not you responded well to treatment in terms of number of eggs produced?  Does the fact that many women go on to have successful pregnancies in their late 30s / early-mid 40s following IVF using their own eggs suggest that 36 is merely an arbitrary cut off point?  There doesn't seem to be much logic about this and frankly, I suspect that fertility treatment is still more of an art than a science.

Like others have said, you have managed to fall pregnant in the recent past, so hopefully this is repeatable  and in any event, I hope a successful pregnancy ensues before you need to make a decision one way or other.  A-Mx


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