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Serum General Thread part 5 22/02/12 - 25/03/12

123K views 972 replies 107 participants last post by  tracyl247 
#1 ·
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#2 ·
Hi Ladies,

I am looking for some advise.  I have just had our 4th failure at IVF, this last time was a blastocyst transfered via a natural FET.  I have been in touch with Penny and we are going to see her next month for me to have a aqua scan, the test for NK cells and possibly if needed a hystoscopy.  I am wondering if anyone can tell me what their experiences of these tests are??  do they hurt?? 

I am a little upset as Penny was what I classed as my fall back, the clinic we have been for the last 4 transfers said at our last consultation that if our last transfer didnt work then we wad had to go down the DE route.  I have always heard such amazing things about Penny that I just thought she could work miracles but when I spoke to her yesterday (bless her after my e-mail to her I am sure she thought I was possibly sucidial as she called me within an hour of my e-mail) she agreed when she looked at my notes that the DE route would be the way to go.  Please don't get me wrong if this is our only route then we will take this route as we want a family more than anything and I can see the plus sides of having a donor, especially as I am now 39 and donors always have to be much younger.

My mum is financing our IVF and she is making this decision really hard as she feels that the baby (should it work) would be 50% my DH and nothing of me.  I don't see it like this but she is making it hard for me to move forward with this decision as she is not supporting me in it.  We are really close but on this she just doesn't understand.

Has anyone had DE at Serum, could you tell me about your experiences.  How do they chose the donor?  I am little worried as I am blonde with pale skin that by going to Greece to have the donor we would find it difficult to find a match.  I want as much as possible for the child to have a similar colouring to me.

I feel very confused about all of this, it is not our first choice of having a child but then IVF would of never been our first choice and after 3 years of fertility treatment I have come to realise that when/if we do get preganant it will be a miracle.

I just want to be a mum and my husband to be a dad. 

This journey is so hard  :'(

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

xxx
 
#5 ·
Freeze - Hiya Hun I can help with your query re the hysto - I went out a week and a half ago for the hysto.  It was absolutely fine, it was slightly sore afterwards and there was some bleeding but that was it, it is fine.

I can't really help re the donor side of things as I am not in that position but there are many lovely Ladies on here that are who will be able to help you out on that one  ^hugme^

Ladies - my question might get missed so I'll ask again - when booking IVF insurance did you book it for your other half aswell......
 
#7 ·
Hello ladies

sorry for a me post....but Ive just com,e back from our satelite clinic to have follie scan on day 5 of stimms.  My follies are between 2mm and  7mm and have a good 9 follicles.  There is 3 or more under 2mm.  Im a little disappointed if I can be honest.  :-\  I guess im worried that they are growing quite slow  :-\ .

My DH thinks im being silly as we have at least recruited one more follie on the lazy right ovary?  I guess the good thing is they are all kinda the same ranges/sizes

On a positive noTe this is the best recruiting we've done on  day 5 of stimms but?????? why are they so small and growing so slow?  I havent spoken to cons yet till tomorrow. Any ideas anyone?

sorry to be a grouch xx
 
#8 ·
Just bookmarking xx
 
#9 ·
Hi Freeze
I'm mum to our lovely little girl. She's from DEIVF and it's the best decision I've ever made in life. Having the chance to be a mum is such a gift. In the beginning the fact that she didn't look like me did effect me. Particularly when people said she looked like me as I felt I was living a lie  - no one knows you see. I do miss not seeing myself in her but as they get older this is less and less. Sometimes I wonder if biological parents love their children more but I sincerely doubt this. My love is huge every day. If you have the chance grab it.
 
#10 ·
aqua scan - really doesn't hurt the way that penny does it because she does it with an ordinary catheter, not the balloon kind.
the test for NK cells  - just a blood test
hystoscopy - general anaesthestic so you won't feel anything and will be asleep.


Have a read up about epigenetics - the baby will be your DHs, but will be a lot more you than you might think. the egg donor gives the genes, but your body will control a lot of which genes are actually expressed (switched on/switched off) in baby.  This is a very significant contribution to what baby's character, health and physical traits will be.  i can't remember but I think I've probably written up something on epigenetics before - maybe its in the ivf bit of my immunes faq - if not you could try doing a search on FF for epigenetics - or have a google - its fascinating stuff.

Serum has about 250 donors on their books at any one time.  A big chunk of the book are polish/ukrainian with blonde hair and blue eyes.  Penny will never skimp on getting you a reasonable physical match.

You would probably find a dip through my serum file would help.

bettyboop:  its really hard to say much about the scan because day 5 is so very early - a lot of clinics don't start to scan until day 7 - by which time its a bit easier to know whether follicles are really 'joining in' or not.
 
#11 ·
Freeze, I had to respond. I'm so sorry about your bfn and that you're now in this place. I had 4 OE cycles before going for DE with penny and I'm now 12 wks pg. It isn't an easy decision and yes sometimes I feel sad for what might have been. But we were exhausted of cycling and of being so sad and knew this gave us the best shot. We're thrilled to be pg and it was such a relief to step off the awful rollercoaster of "will I respond", "how many eggs", "will they fertilise", "will we get to transfer". It isn't the way we wanted to do this and we moved our goalposts so many times its crazy!! But here we are and we're happy. I'm also blonde, blue eyed and quite pale. My donor was polish and penny has loads of donors like this. Wishing you lots of luck. I'm off to google what agate mentioned as never heard of this and I think this will help me too! X

Love to everyone. Xxx
 
#12 ·
agate said:
Have a read up about epigenetics - the baby will be your DHs, but will be a lot more you than you might think. the egg donor gives the genes, but your body will control a lot of which genes are actually expressed (switched on/switched off) in baby. This is a very significant contribution to what baby's character, health and physical traits will be. i can't remember but I think I've probably written up something on epigenetics before - maybe its in the ivf bit of my immunes faq - if not you could try doing a search on FF for epigenetics - or have a google - its fascinating stuff.
Hey Agate - That is really informative, not something i had made myself aware of thank you

Tracy
 
#13 ·
Hi Freeze
I have a 4 month old daughter via DE ivf at Serum and I couldn't be happier or love her more, it's by far the best thing we ever did and I would wholly recommend it to anyone who is in the same position. I can see loads of myself in Alice, maybe because of epigenetics and nurture vs nature, but even if i couldn't it wouldn't affect the overwhelming love i have for my precious baby. My mum (who felt the same as yours) is head over heels in love with her too and can really see how she is very much made from me as well as my husband - I told her about epigenetics and it really helped her (although I think by now she's got such a bond with her she's almost forgotten all about the DE issue!). It's a very personal decision, but all I can say is I'll always thank my lucky stars I met Penny and now have the family of my dreams. Best of luck - I hope your dreams come true too.
Lulu xxx
 
#16 ·
agate said:
bettyboop: its really hard to say much about the scan because day 5 is so very early - a lot of clinics don't start to scan until day 7 - by which time its a bit easier to know whether follicles are really 'joining in' or not.
Agate and the ladies that have pmed me, thank you all so much! I really appreciate you guys! Im much happier now. Onwards and upwards with lots of protein for now! xxxx
 
#17 ·
Bettyboop - as Agate said, day 5 is early days, there’s still plenty of opportunity for your follies to grow.  On my last cycle, even by day 10 mine were still really slow growing and I was worried my cycle would be cancelled, but they then had a growth spurt and I got my best follies so far.  So try not to worry, although I know that’s easier said than done.  ^hugme^

I posted on here for the first time a couple of weeks ago about flight timings to arrange a hysto, well, everything is now booked and I’m off to Athens tomorrow morning!  I’m excited but scared as this is in preparation for what will be my final attempt.  I know I’ve left it a bit late, but if anyone will be out there and fancies meeting up tomorrow evening, let me know. 

Little D x
 
#18 ·
Hello ladies!

I have been keeping my eye on this thread as I have had four fresh cycles (one immune) and one FET and been TTC for 5 years and never had a single BFP. I have heard marvellous things about Penny, especially her hysteroscopy, and am thinking of giving Serum a whirl. I am also toying with OE versus DE decision as in my last cycle my doc felt my egg quality may be an issue.

So, I have my first telephone appointment with Penny tomorrow which I am both excited and nervous about! Will I need all my notes and test results with me? I need to be all prepared as I don't even know what to ask. I hope she will come up with some ideas having seen my questionnaire but if anyone has any advice that would be great  :)

Its been great reading about all Penny's success stories in this thread and I am really hoping some combination of treatment/procedures with Serum will make the difference to my cycle.

Thanks for reading  ;D
 
#19 ·
Oh and I meant to say to Freeze, I have just read through Agate's File of Serum stuff and its brilliant, answered loads of my questions!
 
#20 ·
Swinny xxxxxx am so sorry xxxxx  ^hugme^

nursejue
xxxx
 
#21 ·
Bath1975 hiya  :)
I don't post here too much as I haven't done TX at Serum (yet). I did have a consultation with Peny last month and will have another next week. I strongly suggest that you send her all of your pertinent test results and photos BEFORE your consultation so that she has more background to better assess you. For example, I managed to send photos ( i photo'd them and sent by email, but scanning is probably better) my before and after photos from hysto operation. If you have photos of your scans, AFC or something, send that too. If you have had any urine/vaginal/blood tests for infections of any kind, send those too. It's not just the STD results that are important. Good luck on your consultation  ^reiki^
 
#22 ·
FTLPlease - so sorry for your BFN  ^hugme^ ^hugme^ ^hugme^
 
#23 ·
Oh FTL - I will pm you honey. I'm so sorry. I am crying my eyes out here for you. I know how you are feeling  ^hugme^ xx
 
#24 ·
FTLPlease
I'm so sorry to read your news  :( It is devestating  ^hugme^ I will send you a PM.
 
#25 ·
Thanks ladies - I'm in work so don't be making me cry!!!!  ekitten and Shamrock you can cheer me up by getting your BFPs  ;) thanks so much for your kind words, myself and DH are both taking a half day today from work and will go and do something (possibly involving alcohol!) xxx
 
#26 ·
^hugme^ FTL, your a lovely lady and from what you have told me, it sounds like you have a wonderful hubby and are very much in love. You look after each other and if you need to get drunk, then so be it, but I'm sure you will get thru it together.
You weren't lucky this time, but next time will be yours, don't lose hope, just keep going x x x
 
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