Jac168, here it is.
Sorry mahaba.
Profile & History:
Me – 36, PCOS with Cat I (LAT) & II (APAS) immunological issues, coffee-drinker
Husband – 39, normal, non-smoker
IUI#1 clomid + Puregon cycle, BFN
IUI#2 clomid + Puregon cycle, BFP but had miscarriage at 8 weeks,
had D&C. I’ve been reading about APAS and asked my OB (then) if I should test for APAS. She told me protocol is to test for APAS after 2 or more miscarriages, I don’t know why. But I insisted on testing for APAS anyway. Result took weeks so we continued TTC while waiting.
IUI#3 + Puregon cycle, BFN
We got APAS result after IUI#3 and decided to change OB (one of the best decisions I ever made). She had me take a series of blood tests to check immunological factors. Results confirmed that aside from PCOS, I was positive for APAS and LAT was 0% so she referred me to an immunologist, Dra. Aleta and we started LIT treatments to get my LAT up. Additionally, she prescribed several vitamins which I continue to take up to now.
Meds and vitamins I’m on (since Sept 2012):
Metformin 500mg, 2x/day
Neurobion 500mg, 1tab/day
VitD3 5000IU, 1tab/day
Thyrax, 1tab/day
Aspirin, 1tab/day
Folic Acid, 1tab/day
I went on 2 cycles of Clomid (increasing dosage each cycle) but results were still negative. Took a few months break and that’s when we started considering IVF while continuing LIT treatments.
- how many times have you done ivf before it became successful? Where and when did you do ivf in the past?
- in your recent ivf, how many eggs retrieved? How many fertilized and how many transferred? What meds have you taken or injected? How many times per day?
Ans.: This is my first IVF. We originally planned to go to Taichung. In fact, we were already communicating via email with Dr. Lee in March, hotel arrangements made and were planning to travel to Taichung by June. At that time I was still undergoing LIT with my immunologist and was just waiting to get my LAT to at least 85% (I started at 0% in Nov 2012). My immunologist asked if we were planning to do IVF and happened to mention that one of her patients told her about Kato opening an IVF clinic in Makati. She didn’t know at the time if her patient was successful but I did my research just the same. So we attended the free seminar, but we weren’t so sold to the minimal stimulation protocol because we thought we’ve essentially done them all before (they’re the same as preparations for IUI). That was in March, and since hubby and I already decided on Taichung, we figured we might as well try IUI in Kato while we’re waiting for June to come. So the plan was IUI, but it turned to IVF as detailed below.
CD3 EPLB blood test, Infectious Disease Screening (Husband), B-scope
I was advised to take Clomid (CD 4-13, 1 tab/day)
CD8 ELP, 100IU Puregon
CD10 100 IU Puregon
CD12 ELP and B-scope – Dr P told us that I had too many eggs (she saw more than 6) that she said IUI would be risky (I might end up like the Octo-mom). We were told that our only options were to proceed with IVF or stop (meaning no IUI that cycle and try IUI following cycle). Since we’ve already spent almost Ph30k at this point and this was the first time that I had more than 6 mature eggs with minimal stimulation, we decided to proceed with IVF.
CD14 ELP
CD16 Egg Retrieval – they harvested 6 but only 5 were mature. 1reached 3d and 2 reached blastocyst stage. The other 2 arrested. So I had 3 good embryos to choose from. (the 5-days after harvest when you’re asked to call the clinic every day to ask status of your embies were just nerve-wracking)
We could have done the transfer on the following cycle in April but we decided to postpone to July because of work and personal reasons, which I won’t bore you with.
June-July cycle (transfer month)
CD3 ELPF, b-scope
I was told to take Femara CD3-7, 1tab/day and told to come back on CD12. Dr. P asked us how many embryos we wanted to be transferred. We had the following choices:
Transfer 1 x 3-day embryo on my CD19, and save the 2 blastocysts for future FET’s
Transfer 2 x 5-day embryo on my CD21, in which case we’ll have 1 left for future FET if this cycle fails.
We had until the next consult day to decide.
CD12 ELP, b-scope – Dr. P said I had 1 mature egg and I should expect to OV by D16. We decided to go with the 2-blastocysts (5-day embryo) because the chance of success was higher (Dr. P explained and showed us a chart)
CD19, transfer day.
We came in at 8am to do blood tests to make sure my levels are okay for transfer. God the results of the blood test at 9am; Good thing they were okay so transfer was a go. Waited another 2 hours to thaw the frozen embryos. Transfer was very much like IUI so I barely felt any discomfort unlike in the harvest (which was painful for me. I think I have high tolerance to aneasthesia that’s why). The procedure took only 10 mins (maybe less)
Immediately after the transfer, I got up and walked back to the Recovery Room and lied down for 30 mins. After that (and after payment) I was free to go. Dr. M advised me to take Duphaston 1tab 3xday, and Progynova 1 tab 3xday, and Crinone 8% (it’s a progesterone suppository) 1xday for the next 7 days. We were to come back after 7 days for beta HCG blood test.
I laid in bed the rest of that day. Took rest and stayed home for the next 6 days after that.
Waiting for day 7 post transfer was filled with worry and paranoia. I was just watching out for every little change and waiting to feel anything. I don’t know what I was expecting to happen exactly.
Day 7 after FET – blood extracted. The usual 30-45 min wait seemed longer this time. Our number was finally called and as we entered the room I saw Dr. M’s expression was serious and so I was preparing myself to getting bad news. Still with the serious look, Dr. M finally said “…So your HCG is 153, so it’s positive.”
I wasn’t sure I heard him correctly so I asked him “huh, did you say positive?!” and he said “Yes.” (still with the serious face). I told him I thought he was gonna say it’s negative judging from his look. He just smiled.
Dr. M told us BHG should double every 2days. We were to come back after 5 days to check BHCG levels again.
Day 12 after FET – blood extracted and BHCG was at 1200, higher than expected. Dr. M says this is a good sign. He said ultrasound will be done after 5 days (d17 post FET). We’re now waiting on that, fingers crossed. 3 days to go.
- who was your doctor in kato in the recent success?
– Kato doctors were either Dra. Perillo or Dr. Mendiola (whoever’s available the days of your consult). Dra. Perillo did the harvest and Dr Mendiola did the transfer.
I was also continuing to see my immunologist Dra. Aleta.
- what factors you think made you successful in this ivf? Any secret formula
?
I can’t say I did anything different this time and to be honest I still don’t want to get my hopes up at least until we see that sac, heartbeat, and til we get past the 3-month period. I’ve had a previous miscarriage (with my 2nd IUI) at 8 weeks even after we saw the heartbeat.
- what did you do after embryo transfer? How many days bed rest? Strict bed rest even eating or wee wee?
I took 7-day leave from work and just stayed home. Not complete bed rest but I tried not to do anything strenuous.
Did you eat anything that is believed to contribute to the success?
No, not really. I read online that eating pineapple core (I guess that’s the hard stem-like-part of the pineapple) after transfer is supposed to be good for you. Unfortunately, I don’t eat pineapples. (I barely eat any type of fruit and vegetable). I stopped drinking coffee from transfer day. Let me tell you, for someone who takes at least 2cups of coffee a day, it’s a daily struggle.
I still continue to take all my vitamins.
