Hey there - how are you feeling? Are you still on bedrest and just waiting? I am so excited to find out boy or girl!!

I am wondering if you could share with me your successful protocol in detail... you know I just did MDL and didn't have the greatest response - they did get 7 eggs, but only 4 were mature. I had an AFC of 9 - so I would hope another protocol could grow them all more evenly. I suspect the lupron and bcp's may have over-suppressed me, but RE disagrees - she doesn't really "believe" in over-suppression..

anyway, RE mentioned antagonist, and also EPP - and I think your protocol did both, right? I am wondering if you did any BCPs - or what was the suppression? I have to do some sort of it - I had those darned dominants when I did low-stim...

Also - just curious what your RE said about switching after the MDL didn't work? I think I want to try something else - I think it would give me more hope rather than just trying the same way again.

any thoughts you have on this are appreciated...

hugs,
Jess

I had to find this in my email files....I hope it makes sense but if you have questions, just email me or post. It sounds like you and I had very similar response to MDL. I also did BCPs that cycle and it seemed my biggest problem was that my eggs weren't growing evenly. Anyway, after that cycle, the RE decided to go back to antagonist with estrace this time and high stim. I had the highest number AFC that cycle and I wondered if it was because of perhaps leftover FSH in my system. Who knows. I know you are wondering whether to go back to back or not, my philosophy on that is to just go for it (it's easy for me to say that b/c I had insurance coverage so I can see being more cautious if this is all out of pocket). Anyway, here's the breakdown of what I did on my successful cycle:

CD22 - uterine biopsy for co-culture / confirmed ovulation and started 2mg estrace
CD22-CD25 and CD1-CD3 - 2mg estrace
CD4 - stop estrace and start low dose HCG 10ius in the am and 300ius Follistim in the am and pm
Cd4-CD15 - continue taking low dose HCG and follistim
CD11-CD14 - start Ganirelix in the pm
CD16 - retrieved 10 eggs and did ICSI along with co-culture / start medrol (steroid)
CD17 - 8 embryos fertilized with ICSI
CD18 - 5 embryos still around
CD19 - 5 embryos made it! took 1 valium and 1 Tylenol3 1 hour prior to transfer (I have a funky cervix so catheters really hurt me). Transfered 4 embryos (8-cell grade1, 7-cell grade1, 2 6-cell grade2) and started 1cc PIO.
During transfer a harpist played live music (I was in the study group of a Harp Study that my clinic was doing...something about the string vibrations, patient relaxation and pregnacy rates).
CD21 - 5th embryo (a 4-cell) arrested

Throughout the cycle I took 1 baby aspirin and a multivitamin high in folic acid. I had been going to acu since February 2008 but started going twice a week starting in August. Did acu the night before transfer and immediately after trasfer. Drank lots of water. Ate pineapple and pinapple core after transfer. Drank raspberry leaf tea in the beginning of the cycle (only a few cups because I ran out and the whole foods by me stopped carrying it).

My clinic doesn't routinely monitor FSH so I don't know what my FSH was for this cycle. I had 10 AFC and this was the highest number I have ever had. I wonder if the back to back cycles had an effect on my AFC (remaining FSH in my system?).

Of the 3 full IVFs I did, this had by far the best quality embryos and I think the co-culture really made the difference....or maybe I just finally got lucky.

thanks for that! The nurse said even with antagonist or EPP I would do BCPs, so I guess each place does it a bit different? I've done the estrace before w/Cooper and that didn't stop me from having a dominant, so I don't know if this protocol would work for me... ugh. HATE this!

yeah, we are totally self-pay, big factor. This will most likely be it - I don't want to do DE and DH is on the fence about adoption. Feels like the stakes are just so high...

we're going away this weekend and I am not going to think about it. can't wait to hear your good news!!!

J

I would really recommend that you do take the weekend away to NOT THINK about it. When I was on a break some time ago I truly wanted to take that advice and I just didn't...really regret that because I ruined a perfectly good vacation. Even if you don't jump right back into IVF again Jess, I really think you still have a shot at this. Good luck with everything and please post updates, if you feel up to it.