Agate's guide to learning from your failed IVF cycle

[citas]

Thank you again Agate, have done D vit test today, very interested in results myself now

[FertilityFriends]

[Lee danielle]

What's the vitamin d test for?

Also should I have some immune tests done before my next Ivf as want to have covered all bases!! Xxx

[citas]

Agate said that it is possible that deficiency of vit D could be the reason of my raised TNF and NK.

have you done any immune testing?

[Lee danielle]

Hi citas,
No I haven't but had 4 straight fails!

They found a septum and the hidden c! But to be honest I want all areas covered xxx

[DaisyBunny]

Thanks Agate for such a useful thread. Pretty sure I've had a chemical pregnancy after DE treatment. I had tested BFP for 6 days with early morning POAS then got a negative. Still awaiting blood levels (slow GP) I was on a protacol that included Prednisone and Asprin but haven't as yet had any immune investigations. I did notice a few days after ET and particularly my last few days with a BFP that I seemed to have a slight fever with a slight dry throat and achey legs (my classic temp symptom) Do you think this could be immunes playing a part. Also, do you know anything about the safety of Prednisone in pregnancy?

Thank you for your time xx

[agate]

yes, I'd be suspicious that those MIGHT be immune signs... you may need to step up treatment to add something like intralipids and clexane?

the main risk of steroids is a small increase in the risk of anomalies like cleft lip and palate... but if its the only way to get/stay pg, many ladies decide to take the risk.

I hope it was just a dodgy test and you are still pg.

best of luck

a x

[Devonmaid]

 Hi Agate,

I hope you can try answering a few questions for me.  you are such a mind of knowledge ... i never know where to post this stuff when it relates so directly to personal experience. I have used this guide for guiding my treatment for last 2 cycles and has been really useful but still not got that longed for BFP - yet!

I have just had a BFN after our first DE cycle at Serum -bit gutted TBH as was hoping main issue was my crappy eggs but seems immunes playing bigger part than i realised! Am waiting to speak to penny about next step and plan for another DE cycle towards end of year hopefully depending on how long she wants me to down reg for this time as will be longer for my endo i think. Is the letrozole protocol worth trying with DE cycle? I do trust Penny implicitly so will go with what she suggests but just interested in your thoughts too? especially as cant speak to Penny for few weeks. 

I got +ve hidden c test results in may and started taking course of anti-biotics for this in june which ran into beginning of my cycle meds so just continued with the doxy/zithro as and when penny told me to. Obviously i havent had this re-tested, out of interest can i now have unprotected sex or do i need to get re-tested first as seems they will treat me with antibiotics now for future cycles/in early pg anyway due to previous positive test results anyway so seems a bit pointless to re-test?
Had hysto in june too and all fine here.
 
This cycle i  had 2 x intralipids (10 and 3 days b4 transfer), 20mg Pred, 40mg clexane,  baby aspirin,  5mg folic acid,daily prontogest,  aquascan 5days before transfer, 3 x 1500iu HCG shots on pennys advice, been taking multivit plus extra vit d, vit d3, calcium, omega 3 before cycle, had given up caffine, chocolate and alcohol for ages before and thought i had pretty much everything covered but it seems not. Waht else cann i try/do?!

We were going to try 1x LIT 2 days before transfer as last LAD results (oct 2011) we very low but not had re-tested since and Penny felt probably wouldnt be of benefit as evidence for this mainly for repeated miscarriage which i have not had (just loads of failed implantation!) what do you think about trying this in future?? Or any other suggestions to improve implantation chances? Thinking about trying cordyseps? Karotyping all fine and sperm DNA fab so no probs with that.

I did experience some aching (wouldnt exactly describe it as cramping) immediately post transfer whilst resting on trolley at Serum but nil further and did start to get sore throat and heartburn towards end of 2ww - was this immune response do you think and if so what more can i do next time to help avoid this?
 
thanks so much as always
Dx

[agate]

if you have mild endo then extra long down reg plus 5 day letrozole makes perfect sense to me, but I can't remember if it was you or another lady who had lining problems on letrozole before?

no sense in throwing away a chance to try to get pg naturally in the meantime!

aching straight after ET is too early to be immunes, sore throat in 2ww might be.

remember that DE success rate for fertile ladies with no immune probs is about 60%, so there may have been nothing wrong, just that this time you were in the 40% - for some of us, even though there is no huge issue it still takes 2 or 3 goes with DE to get there.

what about the sperm?  just because it tests ok, you can never be sure its not the problem.  if you had 2 or 3 goes with DE and it still didn't work, you'd have to start suspecting a hidden prob with sperm.

yes, I'd do LIT - on the grounds that it can't do any harm - and there is a (small) chance it may help even if you aren't an RPL case.

I did try cordy/reishi/coriolus combo and I did get pg, but I can never know whether it was a signficant factor or not. 

[Devonmaid]

Thanks agate i really appreciate your thoughts x

[Surfergirl]

Hi Agate,

Just interested in your thoughts on something if possible?! I have had several DE treatments in Spain and am now having tx locally in the UK using frozen eggs this time. IM in Barcelona (former clinic) wanted me on Aspirin but the clinic I am with now do not like you to use anti inflammatories around the time of implantation as they feel they can interfere with the process??? Am baffled as to why I was advised to use them!! Any ideas?

Thanks so much x