Hi everyone,
This post is for Bridget, so sorry to everyone to put all of this in here, but I can't PM Bridget. Here is my history and what I did:
Unexplained infertility
Oct 07 BTs Day 2 FSH level 12.
Nov 07 Cycle #1 IVF down reg FSH 225, overstimmed, 20+ follies, cycle cancelled at day 8 as E2 levels were 25,000
Feb 08 Cycle #2 IVF down reg FSH 125, overstimmed, 20 + follies, EPU only, E2 at day 12 was 22,000, 19 eggs retrieved, 15 fertilised all frozen Day 1
May 08 Cycle #3 FET HRT, 1 x Day 3, 6 cell embie with moderate fragmentation. BFN
Jun 08 Cycle #4 FET HRT, 2 x Day 3, 5 and 6 cell embies with moderate fragmentation. BFN
Jul/Aug 08 Cycle #5 FET HRT, 2 x Day 5, 7 cell embies with moderate fragmentation. BFN. Out of frosties, they all seemed to be slow growing with fragmentation, maybe crappy due to high E2 levels at EPU?
Sep/Oct 08 Cycle #6 IVF down reg FSH 75, upped to FSH 100, 19 follies, 12 eggs, 9 fertilised, 3 blasts, 2 transferred, 1 frozen. BFN
FS ordered implantation failure and immunological blood tests, all clear. Decided to try Colorado Protocol anyway.
Dec 08/Jan 09 Cycle #7 IVF down reg Colorado Protocol (Prednisone and Augmentin for 5 days from trigger) FSH 100, 20 follies, 16 eggs, 7 fertilised, 4 blasts, 2 transferred, 2 frozen. BFN
FS referred me to Dr Julie Lindstrom at City Fertility Brisbane as he felt he had done all he could for me.
Jan 09 Met Julie, some implantation failure blood tests missing, new tests done, tested positive for MTHFR. Now on low dose aspirin daily for life, mega folate (5mg) daily for life and high dose B6 and B12. Recommended Clexane from ET or from postive BT (I pushed Julie for Clexane from ET as I had never gotten to BFP before). Continued to take Prednisone while not cycling at 6.25mg per day (quarter tablet) in case of NK Cells (though tested neg on BT, I never did a biopsy but Julie was happy for me to continue). Also tested thyroid levels, TSH, T3 and T4, they were a little off so took thyroid support.
Mar 09 Cycle #8 FET natural, 2 x average blasts transferred, Clexane from ET. BFN
Apr 09 Cycle #9 IVF antagonist cycle FSH 75, too low, 3 lead follies, converted to IUI. BFN but low hcg 9 and prog levels high, possible chemical pregnancy. I had sneakily done Clexane every second day from O day, I think this might have made a difference. Julie hadn't recommeded Clexane as it was not an ET.
May/Jun 09 Cycle #10 IVF antagonist cycle FSH 100, 20+ follies, 23 eggs, 14 fertilised with assisted hatching, 3 blasts, 2 transferred (1 hatching blast rated 10/10, 1 early blast rated 7/10), 1 frozen. Clexane from night of EPU. BFP.
What did I do differently?
Low dose aspirin, mega folate, B6 and B12 for MTHFR
Clexane from night of EPU (my thought was that by a Day 5 ET, it was a little too late).
Prednisone - I had 25mg tablets, CD1 to trigger quarter tablet (6.25mg), from trigger for 5 days (full tablet 25mg), then from there half tablet (12.5mg - in previous cycles I had dropped back to 6.25mg) - I had been on Prednisone since Jan 09.
I did assisted hatching for the first time, I had previously never had a hatching blastie.
This was the only cycle that I did NOT use Embryo Glue
This was the only cycle that I did NOT do acupuncture the day of ET, I had 1 treatment the afternoon of the day after (weekly treatments in the lead up).
I stopped taking Sharkey's herbs in Feb 09 after being on them for two years.
And the only cycle I had no caffeine at all from from CD1
I think it was a combination of treating MTHFR for a few months, being on Prednisone for a while, starting Clexane from night of EPU (my FS had said day after EPU), low dose aspirin, getting my TSH levels right, and a nice hatching blast.
I did self medicate by staying on the Prednisone between my Dec/Jan cycle and meeting Julie, she was of the opinion that I could test for NK cells via biopsy, if positive would then be treated with Prednisone, as I had very little reaction to taking it, she was happy for me to continue regardless. I did sneakily do Clexane injections earlier than Julie recommended a couple of times
, and I stayed on low dose aspirin for pretty much the entire time except for a few days before EPU.
I hope this helps, sorry for the long post, please note I don't recommend self medicating, but I was willing to push the boundaries a bit because of my history. There are risks with doing this. But if I have to do this again I will push for the exact same cycle. I wish you all the best. xx