# Follow Up and Final Tx Preparation



## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

Well I am getting ready for my FU and thinking about my final tx. Me and DH decided (mainly DH) that we should give IVF one more go and then if that one doesnt work do no more. We could end up going on and on and still never have a baby so have decided that we need a proper plan.

I want to go into my FU fully prepared and armed with questions for every conceivable option available to me - and this is where you my fabulous FF's come in. I really need your advice, words of wisdom, comments and anything else you have to offer regarding things that helped you or others or even hocus pocus that may help this tx work. 

Just to give you a re-cap on me and my history
DD born 1998 - c-section birth
Dec 08 HSG bilateral hydrosaplinges
May 09 Lap bilateral tube clipped (removal not an option)
1st tx Aug 09 LP d/r 31 day stimm menopur 350 - abandoned poor response
2nd tx Nov 09 SP menopur 450 3 eggs, 3 follies - et day 2 2 4cell embryos - BFN
3rd tx Apr 10 SP Menopur 600 6 eggs, 4 follies - et day 3 1 6 cell and 1 7 cell embryos - BFN had AH, steroids, cleane and gestone

I would really appreciate your help on getting questions ready for the follow up and for the next tx. I find that I learn so much more about tx from you girls and that I am so much better prepared for things after being on here. If you think there is something that canhelp me then please let me know. 

I want to thank you all now for  taking the time to help


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## Ravan (Apr 4, 2008)

dont have any advice for you,just wanted to say I think you are right to go in with a plan.And want to wish you luck for your next step.Thinking of you today


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

i agree that you are not ready to stop treatment

on average it takes couples 1 to 3 cycles to get pregnant so 3rd time might well be lucky for you. i also think you need a second opinion on those hydros, call clinic and ask for an appointment with mr griffiths at least then if he says no too you know 100% removal is not an option. hydros are *****es hun and its great they are not leaking so that is deffo in your favor!

looking at your embryos they seem good and i would go with AH, steriod, clexane and gestone again and maybe ask about a womb relaxant

you can carry a baby as your body has proved that before so i would say implantation is the key here and this can be down to getting the right embryo which sometimes can take a while (look at me...13embryos!)

i would also be tempted to ask about different stimulation but then you would run the risk of not knowing what would happen but it could be good or bad, are you willing to take that risk?

please know that you did nothing wrong at all


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

Cheers girls

I have thought that maybe a change of stimms drugs may produce more eggs. I think that if we change the drugs and I dont stimm well we would abandon and try again (I hope that dh means that we get a full go before stopping and not that if we abandon we stop). Not sure if anything else can be done while I am stimming to produce more eggs or not - can you take other meds to help during stims? or take before? I hope they go all out to help and not say 'try this' or 'try that'.  I need drastic action  

It does seem that implanting is a problem for me so hopefully they can do something about that. Will get all my bloods done again when my body is back to normal and I am going to start on DHEA and see if that helps. Hopefully my bloods are ok and there are no real problems there but will see and investigate that further once I have the results.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

DHEA might be worth a go hun, you will need to take for 12 weeks before ec i believe. dicuss the different options for stimulation at your FU.

sometimes steriods can also be used during stimms could be worth a go!

the really postive thing is you know you produce eggs and embryos


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

It is good that I can produce eggs and embryos just not many. It would be good if we had a few more. Taking DHEA is not a problem as I dont feel ready to jump into tx too soon. I need to get physically and mentally ready for it. I think me and dh need some down time for a few months and then maybe in Sept/Oct try again. 

We are going to go away for a few night in June to enjo some time together - I cannot wait.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

taking a break is a good idea as sometimes we get into treatment we often forget to enjoy life


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

indeed, it is all consuming when it starts 

Where is the best place to get DHEA from, it have been looking over the net but not sure where to buy from. I know online pharmacies are dodgy for drugs but does that apply to DHEA??


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

michelle will be able to tell you where to get it hun


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## SarahJaneH (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi Sugar

I'll just add a few bits and pieces of 'extras' that I've done differently between first and this cycle. All doses of drugs have been the same, I produced the same amount of mature eggs (7), fertilisation was a bit lower, but fragmentation of embryos was significantly improved. It remains to be seen whether it makes any difference to the outcome, but I have felt calmer and better prepared.

I started acupuncture in early Feb. I think you said before you'd had this. My impression is that they like to have some time to work with you to get your body as ready as possible, rather than doing acupuncture only when you are doing tx. I know it is expensive, but it might be something that you feel you can do whilst having a break from tx itself, that helps you feel better physically and deal with the emotional upheaval of what you hav been through. It's not for everyone, but I know that it has helped me. On the advice of my acupuncturist, I gave up wheat and dairy. That's not what they recommend for everyone, but for my 'type' I was told this would help. On the subject of diet, I found The Baby Making Bible very useful for tips on what to eat at certain points in the natural cycle. There's also a section on good foods to have during different parts of the IVF cycle. I haven't stuck to it rigidly, but tried to incorporate as much as is practical and it is also pointed out that treating yourself to naughty foods is good and keeps balance (I liked that bit...)

Pomegranate juice and brazil nuts while stimming

I am on pregnacare conception (3 months before, last time just took folic acid) and fish oils (started these a bit later as I found out a bit later about those). DH has been taking fertilaid since before Christmas (we have MF issues). 

we have less embryos this time, but they are in better shape

Good idea to have a bit of a break, take time for each other and to heal, be good to yourself. Will pop back on if I think of anything else xx


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks Sarah

I have been taking pregnacare and omega 3 and eat brazil nuts while stimming - plus milk and water and decaf tea. I have just ordered the zita west ivf book from amazon but not sure if there is anything new in there that is not on this site  

I had accupuncture last time but not this time as I got made redundant just before tx and time passed so quickly that I was at ec before I had rung for an apt   . Will defo be booking myself in again though, i loved it and found it incredibly relaxing.

I think I will defo be looking at my diet for the next tx and going to lose some weight before next tx, just to get my bmi down to around 25 and not 28.

I have lots of things that I want to look into before next tx so hopefully something will help.

I really appreciate the help girls


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## Jule (Oct 12, 2008)

Sugar i done the pomegranite juice and brazil nuts but also took asprin.  Dont know if it helped but if you are able to take it it may be worth a go, there was nothing else i done different to what you havent already tried.


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## julespenfold (Jan 10, 2010)

Hi Sugar

I haven't got anything to add but just wanted to wish you luck in future tx. We're taking a break too so possibly will be cycling at the same time. I have also just bought the Zita West book from Amazon not read much yet will let you know how I get on too 

Jules x


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## Queenie1 (Aug 21, 2008)

sugar good luck with fu.

dh takes wellman conception. i take pregnacare conception, omega 3 and now have started royal jelly. i'm not taking dhea this time as it did not agree with me and also in my case it did not make any difference. my def worth a go. check with clinic though. i do all the other things during tx, organic milk, brazil nuts, pomegranate juice, keepin belly warm. also have listened to an ivf cd. i have taken asprin as well. plenty of protein.

if i think of anything else will let you no.


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks girls

I have got the boots omega 3 (been taking the tesco ones which are 1000 too but less of the other things) and plenty of sanatogen prenatal. DH has got his too but thankfully his sc has always been good (but I make him take them as this is his contribution to the tx   ). The clinic did mention DHEA at my planning last time but i was due to start and didnt want to delay but I have ordered some to try this time (I did say to Marie that if this tx failed then I would start taking it as a few months would have gone by before next tx and no time would be lost). As soon as that arrives I will start on that and extra Vit D - that is supposed to help ovaries too. I did read about vit E but cannot remember what it said. Will have to have another look  

I have read a few other blood test that I think I will ask if I can have and then I will have a full hormonal profile and can then think about what I need to do to make tx the best. When I start I will do all of the other stuff too - brazil nuts, organic milk, protein etc.

I am going to make a huge effort to go cycling every day to improve my fitness and lose weigh. I will go into next tx in the best health that I can.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

luke sperm has always been very good yet this cycle i put him on wellman months before!

what blood tests are you looking into hun? have you decided whether to see mr g?


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

James takes well man too, even if I have to push it down his neck  

I was going to have the usual bloods done again, AMH, FSH, Estradiol, Inhibin B and I read about thyroid problems too so will ask to get that checked out. I will also ask them about my lining and if there is sufficient blood flow there. Dont think that is an  issue but may as well ask about it    I dont think there are any issues with my lining and there have been no problems iwth any scans of my uterus so not sure that is a problem. We have had good fert rates so that hopefully show no obvious problems with the embryos. Maybe we have been unlucky and not had the right embryo yet - that is a hard one to deal with though.


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

And yes I am going to try and see Mr G - even if he says no to surgery hopefully he can tell me more about my hydros and how the affect ivf - drugs and ovaries etc


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

good good, deffo see him as he has different views to JE on hydros. if no removal he might be able to suggest something like draining earlier in a cycle or something i dont know but i think he will come up with something for you


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

That is what I am hoping that he will do, I think they are a problem and am a bit reluctant to try again with my tubes the way they are atm. I would feel much happier with them out but not if they will result in further problems later down the line. I know my insides are a mess and that has to be taken into account too so its not that straight forward. Hopefully he will offer up a few more options though - that would be great if he could.

When does AF show up after a negative? Last time it was the day after stopped the gestone. there doesnt appear to be any sign of it yet, no pain, no feelings - zip.


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## Jule (Oct 12, 2008)

Good news sugar that you have a plan.  I cant remember exactly how soon i bled but think it was about 10 days or so on the 2 cycles and the other i bled on 2ww.  Hope it comes soon for you


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## sugar-fairy (Jan 27, 2009)

Morning all

AF is here   I can start checking my cycles again and work out when to have my bloods done.


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## Queenie1 (Aug 21, 2008)

glad af has arrived and you can start you plan of action


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## mimi41 (Feb 28, 2008)

Sugar glad af has arrived, you can now move on

Just a word of warning about the dhea, it can shorten your cycle and give you spots but on the up side i think it helped with my weight loss as they use this in America as a dietery aid


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## jk1 (Aug 26, 2009)

Hi Sugar, its really good that you have a plan, I'm thinking i have implantation failure too but like you don't really know if there is anything i can do about it.  Its difficult to make the decision that this go will be your last before you start to look at other options, myself and DH will prob only try another 2 cycles before we call it a day - money is the issue!!

Its hard when they tell you that the embryos are good quality, your lining is really good, you don't smoke or drink and your bmi is under 30 so there seems to be no explanation (well that's what i was told in my follow up in Feb).

So much of this is down to luck.........aaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jo xx


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## Queenie1 (Aug 21, 2008)

sugar just and idea how about asking about a monitored cycle. grace suggested one for me. also how about an antral follicle scan. 

just some ideas don't no if they would help you or not.


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## Jule (Oct 12, 2008)

this **** signal, maybe 3rd time lucky  

Have you ahd your clotting done, also what about asking for clexane?


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## Queenie1 (Aug 21, 2008)

clotting is that a blood test jules and do ivf wales test for that


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## Jule (Oct 12, 2008)

yes its a blood test, i ahd to ask to have mine done but it just checks that your blood is  not too thin or thick


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