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IUI

Meet Heather!

Jan 15th, 2012
by Krissi.
1 comment

Survive Infertility and ThriveMeet Heather, My newest success story. She writes at Survive Infertility and Thrive! Read on for her inspiring story:

1. How long did you struggle through infertility? About 5 years.

2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

I remember sitting staring at that phone. I must have sat there for a long time before I got up the courage to make that call to the fertility clinic. All the fears of: “How much was this all going to cost?”, and most of all, “Can they actually help me?” were swirling around in my head. Because, as the years pass, it gets harder to trust another doctor and embark on another procedure. It gets harder to open up to trying again after repeated failures.

Four years back in 2007 I went to my first gynecologist. He treated me like a complete idiot. Just because I couldn’t remember exactly how long my periods were, or exactly how long I’d been off the pill. I was so ignorant back then. I didn’t question the doctor when he merely counted days and didn’t scan me to figure out exactly when I was ovulating. I was so sure I was not fertile on that first transfer. He drew out seven pipes filled with blood because of course everything was not lined up and ready. He made catty remarks such as “You really don’t want to get pregnant, do you?” But what did I know back then? I felt like complete shit, and was cramping like hell. The second day was a bit better pain wise. (I was a bit more fertile by then). I was in a better frame of mind and hubby took me out for breakfast. I drank two cups of coffee. What did I know about caffeine and fertility back then? Not much. But we did our best that we knew how to do at the time, and it was a negative outcome.

I took a bit of a break after that. But I used the time to get better informed. My mom bought me a book called “Fertility Wisdom” which made a whole lot of sense to me. I went to a homeopath. I started subscribing to fertility newsletters. I heard about Sarah Holland and her fertility conference and I learned a whole whack more. So in 2010 we went for our second IUI, with a different gynecologist. This guy was nice to me and did lots of scans and injections. Yip, definitely in better hands. This time I proceeded the treatment by six months of acupuncture, homeopathic tablets and a very strict no sugar, no caffeine, no dairy, no gluten diet. I landed up becoming real skinny. I wasn’t taking any chances. I listened to Circle and Bloom. I did EFT tapping. I poured myself into this. The IUI took place during SA’s Fifa World Cup and I was so filled with hope.

Again, another disappointment. This was worse because of putting in so much effort from other avenues. And to top it all off my maid’s 14 year old daughter gave birth. We were even offered her baby two months later. To say it was a hard time and a hard decision would be an understatement. Nobody should have to make these kinds of decisions. And you can imagine the effect on our marriage. Adoption versus biology was suddenly this huge issue and we had to figure it all out. In the end, after going for some EFT tapping to calm myself down and realise there were other options, and blogging through all of this, the best thing that could have happened gradually did a work in our relationship by the following year. I became more accepting of adoption and we even visited an orphanage together. My DH became more accepting of IVF and came on board with taking money out the bond to pay for it. Nobody talks much about how hard this all is, but we got through it.

In 2011, I took a different approach. I went to a different acupuncturist who was also a homeopath who had been recommended to me. He was very good. While I tried to stick to the fertility diet, I was not as strict as last time. I did eat unhealthy stuff at times, but I didn’t stress about it. I was not going to get skinny again. The doctor at the fertility clinic was excellent. I had heard a lot of good things about him. He immediately did a scan and picked up some problems. I had also been having very bad period pains and he suspected endometriosis. He scheduled a laparoscopy. He also put me through a load of expensive blood tests. They found out that my TSH was slightly too high and I went onto Eltroxin. They also found that I had antiphosholipid antibodies which could also be medicated once I got pregnant (they had the potential to kill a developing fetus! Thank goodness I found out about that!) I had the op. My mom came up and looked after me. DH even helped out. They found stage two endometriosis and removed a big nasty fibroid. It was all about “out with the old and in with the new”. We prepared for IVF.

The last month before IVF I went for a follow up appointment with Dr. R. He said I would be ovulating on Thursday, and should try for conception as a last chance. I thought this was hilarious. It was just like my homeopath trying to get me pregnant naturally. It had never ever worked before, so why should it work now? But what the heck, we tried. I went for acupuncture on that day. I listened to the pre-IUI/IVF Circle and Bloom audios. I focused on that healing path. But my mind was the next month. Two weeks later, waiting for my cycle to start so I could get going with IVF, I was still waiting. And a miracle happened. Two lines happened. As I write this I am 17 weeks pregnant. It is still very early days. But I am so glad that I persisted. I am so glad that we did not give up. I am so glad I picked up that phone. Sometimes it really does take courage to keep going. It takes courage to ask for help when you’ve had some bad experiences before.

3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

I varied through different moods. Sometimes I would get depressed. Other times I would be filled with hope and strong in my faith. I think that the support from my husband and the love from my dogs did help a lot, as well as blogging, and chatting with friends. I always maintained that each failure was there to teach me something: to make better decisions next time, and it was true that I did select better doctors each time.

4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

Blogging through my problems has definitely been a big help and support. It is really amazing to get not only support but also information from other people out there who have been through what you have been through. I also had a friend going through infertility treatments at the same time as me which helped a lot.

I used acupuncture through both my IUI cycles and I found it relaxed and strengthened me. Particularly with my second acupuncturist, he used to look at my tongue and know exactly which meridians required assistance. He gave me acupuncture on the day I conceived. I did a fertility yoga dvd and enjoyed this one simply because it worked for a non-fit person such as myself. I have reviewed this dvd on my blog here.

I used Emotional Freedom Techniques which is like acupuncture without the needles. You tap on certain meridian points and say affirmations. This kind of thing particularly helps in fearful situations e.g when picking up the phone, facing an operation or procedure. I’ve put together a comprehensive overview of infertility emotional issues using this technique here. I also did pray a lot! And I had a number of people praying for me.

I have put together a free series of survival techniques you can read on my blog here.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

Don’t give up. This journey is extremely hard, but it is often at the point where you are really ready to throw in the towel that you experience your greatest breakthrough.

Get all my survival tips here.

Blog: http://surviveandthrive.co.za

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/heather.surviveandthrive

Twitter: http://twitter.com/heatherstep

Heather and her dearest hubby at 14 weeks pregnant. Their other children (i.e. dogs) are in the background).

 

Thanks so much Heather! Good luck with the rest of  your pregnancy!

Go to her blog to follow her journey into motherhood!

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Meet Hannah!

Dec 4th, 2011
by Krissi.
No comments yet
Meet Hannah, my newest success story! She blogs at Hannah & Sam. Read on for her incredible story!
 
1.     How long did you struggle through infertility?  
 Two years. I had wanted to start trying a couple years before that, but we were waiting for better jobs, and we wanted to buy a house. When we finally decided we were ready for a family, I was thrilled! Then, after a few months, the confusion set in. Why am I not pregnant? Is something wrong with me? Why is everyone else able to get pregnant? One of the hardest things, for me, was the extreme emotions. I would be so hopeful, excited about starting a new fertility treatment, and then hurt and confused when I still wasn’t pregnant. On top of that was the strong desire for a child. I wanted to look at cribs, hold baby blankets, and paint the bedroom that would be our nursery, but it was too painful. I was convinced I’d eventually be a mom, but what all would we have to go through? 
 
2.     What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?
 We tried on our own for a year, and then went through a year of infertility treatments. At first, my Reproductive Endocrinologist identified ovulation irregularities. So to correct that, I was on Clomid, then Femara, then Femara and Menopur (ganatrophin shots). To increase our chances, we added IUI for a few cycles. Nothing produced a pregnancy, and my doctor wasn’t sure why. She said we could try a laproscopy, an outpatient surgical procedure, that would identify whether endometriosis was present. There was only a 50/50 chance I had endo. Still, I wanted to find out. We scheduled the surgery for a couple months out, and during those two months, my husband and I went to two adoption seminars. That was a big step for us. It was the first time I allowed myself to think that maybe I wouldn’t experience a pregnancy. That was hard, and yet I’ve always believed that to parent a child is more important than having a biological connection. I left those adoption seminars a little overwhelmed, but encouraged. I needed to know that no matter what happened with the lap, I’d be able to become a mom. My doctor did find endo and removed it. A month later, after the lap, my doctor said we could just try on our own, but I was too scared to do that.  We did a femara/IUI cycle and then got our first positive pregnancy test.   Nine months later, our sweet baby boy. 
 
3.     How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?
 I cried. There were tears every month for two years. To help, my husband and I would usually plan something on our test day. We’d go to the mall, or to IKEA, or to see a movie. Something that would help distract me, but that wouldn’t require me to pretend I wasn’t upset. I also blogged and wrote out my prayers. 
 
4.     What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?
 Prayer and blogging. I felt compelled to do both. I knew God heard my cries, but why wasn’t I a mom yet? Writing helped me process what I was feeling and thinking. That’s why I first started blogging. I didn’t know if anyone would ever find my blog, but I had to write it. Then, finding a support group online was amazing. It was so encouraging to know that others understood exactly how I felt.
 
5.     If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?
 Hold on to hope. Find a support group. Also, find ways to feel like you’re still in control of your life and still moving forward. I joined weight watchers and started exercising more. It made me feel like I was in control of my body for a change, and I loved losing the extra pounds I gained during infertility. 
 
6. What does motherhood mean to you now?
On February 28, 2011, when the doctor placed my son on my chest, I couldn’t help but sob, and sob loudly. Here he was, after everything we had gone through, after almost losing hope that we’d ever get to this point. And now, 9 months later, I still look at him in awe. I walk in his nursery and am still overwhelmed by my feelings of joy and thankfulness. Sometimes I wonder if I’m living a dream, as being his mom is even more gratifying than I had imagined. This intense love and gratitude sustained me during all those sleepless newborn nights, and it reminds me now of what’s really important as my little guy throws food off his highchair tray or tries out his new teeth by biting my arm.  This child was longed for, prayed for, and is loved unconditionally.
Now, my sweet baby boy is 8 1/2 months old already!  I’m treasuring this time. (I’m also still trying to figure out how to balance everything as a working mom.)   
 

Thank you so much Hannah! Your little boy is adorable! Check out her blog!

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Meet Aracely!

Nov 13th, 2011
by Krissi.
2 comments

  My newest success story hails to us this week from Aracely who blogs at Here’s to Unwavering Hope and Answered Prayers. She just had her son about a month ago on October 8th and says that motherhood is everything and more than she dreamed. Read on for her inspiring story!

1. How long did you struggle through infertility?

My husband and I faced infertility for 2 years.  We started trying when I was only 26.  I thought it would just happen for us but life had other plans. I have always been a planner so when we were ready to start trying I wanted to be carefree about it. This only lasted about a couple of months. We began using ovulation kits.  When those didn’t pan out, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the $200, Clear*Blue Fert*ility Monitor. After 6 months on the monitor and another 3-4 months trying with the ovulation kits nothing was happening. Something told us that we may have a deeper issue at hand.

2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

Once we had the suspicion that there might be a deeper issue, I made an appointment with my obgyn and told her that we had been trying for about 10 months and nothing was happening. I was glad that she did not tell us to wait it out. I was scheduled for an HSG (hystosalpingogram) which was so painful but I was hopeful that my tubes would be flushed out and then we could conceive. In the meantime my husband was scheduled for a semen analysis.

So began our diagnoses. My results came back inconclusive with one tube clearing and the other one leaking only a little. I felt so upset but was reassured by my obgyn that my tubes were clear. This was not the cause of our difficulty. My husband’s SA came back abnormal.  His dx was abnormal sperm morphology—3% (WHO method).  His counts and motility were borderline.

We were devastated but determined to do whatever it took. My obgyn’s exact words were, “I’m sorry but this road might be longer than we thought.” We felt so hopeless and my husband felt responsible.

We were referred to a fertility specialist in a fertility clinic.  We began blood work and started our 1stIUI (unmedicated)-2 scheduled inseminations for the first month. We were hopeful but were unsuccessful. I was given news that I had tested positive as a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis.  My husband tested negative. We were given 25% of our child having this disease. This was a shock and it made me scared. We were reassured that the chances were low. This just seemed like another bump in the road.

We tried IUI again but this time I requested that I be put on clo*mid so that we may increase our chances. That month I produced 3-4 eggs. We had 3 scheduled inseminations. BFN again. We decided to try once more the next month. Once again I produced 4 eggs. We had 2 scheduled IUI’s. We were determined to do whatever it took but were really hoping this would be it. Once more we were heartbroken. We met with our doctor and were informed that my hormone levels came back higher than someone should have at my age.  I had no idea what FSH levels were but was informed that my levels were 11.5.  I was only 27.  My doctor wanted to test my levels again in case it was a glitch because in his words “he couldn’t believe it.”  The second test came back better but still pretty high at 7.8. I would later hear exactly how this would affect the rest of our journey.  We also found out that I had developed cysts on my ovaries due to the clo*mid, which once again my doctor found surprising since he only sees this in about 5% of patients.  At this point, I was beginning to believe Murphy’s Law as it related to our fertility.

Every time we tried something new, we were sure this would make the difference.

We began to discuss IVF and scheduled an appointment to begin treatment. I started on a regular dosage of drugs but was not responding so they placed me on the highest dosage. My FSH levels pointed to the fact that I have DOR (diminished ovarian reserve). With all of the drugs I still only produced 3 eggs.  One was an empty follicle (that was strange), the other 2 went on to become 2 beautiful A and AB embryos. We were told that we could be “more than hopeful.” So we were. When we received our negative beta, we both cried and held each other. We felt confusion and heartbreak.  We were determined to do whatever it took.

We decided to try again.  This time I was not put on bcps. We used the highest dosages once more and I produced several follicles but when they went to retrieve them, all but 2 were empty. We were so confused. My doctors weren’t sure why this had happened. In any case, only one egg was mature. It fertilized and became a beautiful grade AB embryo. Two weeks later we received our negative beta. We were devastated once again.

Nevertheless, we felt more determined than ever to try again. Somehow, at sometime, in some way we would be parents. I felt such peace and for the first time, I surrendered.  I surrendered to God’s will and what I believed to be his promises for my life. We tried IVF for a third time and were so elated to find that this time it had worked! The amazing aspect is that we only had one mature egg, one embryo. It only took one!

3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

My faith in God gave me hope, strength, and perseverance. I knew that God had called me to be a mother. He had placed that desire in my heart.  I believed that one day it would happen. I surrendered to His will and it finally happened. My husband and I also communicated our feelings. We talked a lot throughout this journey. We grew stronger as a couple because of this hardship.

4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

I began my blog as a way to express all my feelings, thoughts, questions, and doubts.  I also read everything I could get my hands on to learn about infertility.  Following other people’s success stories gave me so much hope. I discovered yoga and absolutely loved it, if for no other reason but that it gave me a sense of peace. I also listened to meditation CD’s during our IVF cycles. On our last cycle, I gave acupuncture a try. I had heard of all the benefits and decided I had nothing to lose. It was very relaxing. I enjoyed it. Whether or not it helped contribute to our success I’m not sure but I would recommend it as a relaxation technique. I also drank Chinese herbs prescribed by my acupuncturist.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

Never give up hope!  Love each other through the pain. Adopt a “whatever it takes” mentality. That level of surrender was what made all the difference. In the end, no matter how you become a parent, it will all be worth it.

Our miracle baby boy, Elliot is here!  The whole pregnancy was a series of miracles. I’ve not taken a single moment of my pregnancy for granted. At the end of this road, I am stronger and wiser.  God is good. He is faithful and close to the brokenhearted. He heard my prayers and has answered them.

Thank you so much Aracely! And congratulations on your son! Go to her blog to read more about her journey!

 

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Lovin’ Heather, Jill, and Lees J!

Oct 17th, 2011
by Krissi.
1 comment

  It’s that time of the week again! It’s BL time! ;-)

  First up is Heather from A Little Hope in My Pocket. She recently took a trip to Alaska and has amazing photos (with another trip part here and here)! She also participated in a Walk To Remember with her family to honor her little boy in heaven, Isaac where they released balloons. Go send her some love and support!

  Next up is Jill from High Heels and Huggies. She is quite profound in her post Say hello to the Green Eyed Monster complete with life lessons. I love when she writes, “Don’t let it consume you.” She has an interesting vlog on Pimples and Parenting Choices. And in Not sad but not happy either, she discusses giving up, but hoping for a green light for an upcoming IUI. Go wish her luck and send her some love!

  And lastly, we have Lees J from Under Our Tree. She has recently celebrated her sixth year wedding anniversary and has scheduled an appointment with an RE. Love how she says, “after all we’ve been through, we have been through it together.” How sweet! She recently had a BFN and in The art of losing what you never had , she is contemplating her next steps. Go send her some love, support and happy wishes!

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Lovin’ Jaime, Lyndsay, and Darek!

Oct 11th, 2011
by Krissi.
No comments yet

It’s BL time! ;-)

  First up is Jaime from IUI to Roux-en-Y to ?? She went through a Roux-en-Y bypass surgery this summer and has now lost 100 pounds! Wow! She admits to being a bad blogger but has been busy with phlebotomy classes. Jaime participated in ICLW last month, so here’s a welcome post all about her history. And in her newest post, she is thanking all her new followers and celebrating her first anniversary! Go congratulate her and say hello!

  Next up is Lyndsay from Waiting for that Positive.  In her Positivity post, she lists all the things that are positive for her right now as she waits for her upcoming IUI cycle! She has had some ups and downs that you can read about. And, she recently reviewed The Conception Chronicles for The Ladies in Waiting Book Club. Check it out and wish her some luck!

 And lastly, I’m lovin’ Darek from The Eternal Guest Room! She is scared about her upcoming IVF cycle and overwhelmed by the process. She recently visited the newest member of her family, her sister’s son and expresses some real moments of sadness but I love it when she writes, “Sometimes the hardest things in life turn out to be the best things you can do, and this was one of them.” And in something crazy, she recently decided to lead her support group which she has been going to for over a year and a half but has been so shy at. Go send her some love and encouragement and wish her some luck!

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Lovin’ Lauren, Damita, and Sarah!

Aug 22nd, 2011
by Krissi.
5 comments

  So, it’s ICLW time and in case you don’t know,  I do a little thing I like to call Blog Love Mondays where I pick bloggers at random off my blogroll. So, if you’re not on my list, let me know and I’ll add you on! At this time, I usually randomly select off the ICLW list but this week, since I’m featuring furry friends for Friends Month, I started reading and commenting until I found bloggers with four legged companions! So here we go:

  

First up, I’m lovin’ Lauren from Not Just an Army Wife. She has two pups, Bella (her crazy daschund) and Murphy (her lovable corgi). Read her  ICLW post to learn more about her. And, she is now 3 days past her IUI so go wish her some luck!

  Ok, next we have Damita from Digital-Damita.net. She has 3 cats Arthur, Kit, and Onion with pictures of them on a recent wordless Wednesday post. She has been trying to look for a job at the moment, so go wish her some luck as well! In other news, she’s been trying to get pregnant for a year now and is venting about “relaxing.”

  And last but not least, we have Sarah from The Rocky Road to Motherhood. She has two cats, Poppy and Lucy who you can see in her about me page. But even more exciting than that, she is a new mom and has adorable pics of her son! And she recently found out he has a heart condition and will need open heart surgery soon, so keep him in your prayers and send good wishes along.

Go send some ICLW love!

And don’t forget to write up your posts about your fur babies/furry friends to link up on Friday! ;-)

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Meet Still A Guest Room!

Jun 12th, 2011
by Krissi.
No comments yet
*This is the last success story I have to post until I get more so if you’ve been successful and would like to share your story here and in my book I will be working on, go to this post to get the info and thanks in advance!
 
Today, meet Still A Guest Room! Through a difficult journey of recurrent loss, she has just found out she is pregnant with twins-a boy and a girl! Read on to hear her incredibly brave story!
 
1.   How long did you struggle through infertility?
I began having extreme pelvic pain in November 2007.  After consulting with multiple doctors, I had surgery to confirm my endometriosis diagnosis.  Unfortunately, removing the visible endo did not end the pain.  Through spring 2010, I tried everything from pelvic therapy, bladder surgery, to special diets, but nothing helped.  Finally, my husband and I decided to just go for it and stopped birth control in April 2010. 
 
2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.) ?
A luteal phase defect was quickly detected, so I began Clomid in July 2010.  During my second Clomid cycle, we conceived, and I was ecstatic.  Our first beta, however, was just a 9.  The doctor was extremely concerned, yet we held out hope.  The beta rose, but nothing ever showed up in my uterus.  Finally, about three weeks later, the pregnancy was diagnosed as ectopic and methotrexate was administered.  That was the longest, hardest day of my life.  We had a terrible experience with our doctor (we changed immediately after the ectopic), and spent an entire day being shuffled from specialist to specialist trying to figure out what to do.  The next month, without medicine, we conceived again.  This pregnancy dissipated after just a few days.  The next month, we did an IUI so we could use a stronger dose of Clomid, and again got a positive pregnancy test.  The beta was the strongest yet, so we had great hope.  Unfortunately, that pregnancy lasted just over a week. 
 
Clearly we could conceive, but we couldn’t get to a clinical pregnancy.  My doctor felt strongly that though the HSG showed that my tubes were open, they were not working, and that all of my pregnancies had failed because they were not able to reach my uterus.  He believed the only viable option was IVF.  I was devastated…how had we gotten here so quickly?  After two second opinion consults, we decided to go all in and signed up for IVF.  I began stims on New Years Eve, and on January 25th received the best news–we were pregnant with an amazing beta!  About 10 days later, we got the even more amazing news that we were expecting two little miracles!!!  I am now almost 23 weeks pregnant with twins.
 
 3.   How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

We shared general information with family and friends, so one thing we did was establish that I did not want to receive phone calls asking about our status.  When we had news, we emailed it out, and that avoided many painful conversations.  We also tried to be together to receive news as often as work would allow.

 

4.  What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)? 

 I did meditation during IVF, which was wonderful, and also got fairly regular massages throughout our journey.  Also, I am an attorney, and when we began I had a very stressful job which required extremely long hours.  During the fall of 2010, I took a less time-consuming job that allowed me to commit more time to treatment.

 

5.  If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

If you are going to share information with family and/or friends, set up a system to communicate the information you want them to have.  If you have bad news to share, only having to write it once can be really helpful.  Also, don’t let other people tell you how you should feel.  Sometimes you will grieve more deeply than people think you should, and sometimes you will get over setbacks more quickly.  Do not try to conform your emotions to other’s expectations.

 
Thanks so much for sharing! Follow her journey here on her blog!
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Meet Athena!

Jun 5th, 2011
by Krissi.
No comments yet

Meet Athena! She blogs at A Field of Dreams. Read on for her inspiring story!

1. How long did you struggle through infertility?

About 6 years. I turned 29 and DH and I decided it was time to start our family. After establishing careers, holidays and buying our home – children were next on the cards.

 2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

The first year was the ‘see what happens approach’. I also saw my local GP and had blood tests and an untrasound done to check that I had a functional reproductive system. All results came back excellent. By the second year I began monitoring my cycles more regularly with OPK’s, and tempting as well as taking over the counter supplements. My husband finally had his sperm tested. All was well there too. This year also introduced ‘robot sex’ – basically baby dancing was timed and only occurred strategically during ovulation time. Towards the beginning of the third year it was apparent that something was wrong. A laparoscopy identified endometriosis which affected 40% of my fertility. Laser surgery removed it and we again tried naturally. I then embarked on intrauterine insemination (IUI). 3 cycles of this were unsuccessful. My fertilty specialist didn’t want to pursue this treatment anymore and by the 4th year I began the tumultuous journey of IVF and FET. My first cycle produced 16 follicles with 7 eventually making it to the embryo stage. I also had a mild case of ovarian hyperstimulation. 2 fresh embryos were transferred. This was unsuccessful. The followong 3 months were medicated frozen embryos transfers, again twins were transferred however the last month was cancelled as the last remaining embryo did not survive the thaw. I received this phone call from the clinic only a few minutes before I got there. I then embarked on another IVF, again the same results with 16 follicles retrieved and only one embryo making it to transfer, this embryo was a blastocycst as opposed to the first round which were all day 2/3 transfers.

 Failed and on the brink of depression. Finances were tight and our relationship was losing its grip. I decided to take a break from the assisted reproductive technologies and took on a holistic approach to my fertility. I starting seeing a counsellor as well as taking Chinese herbs. By the end of the 5th year I fell pregnant having only been taking the herbs for one cycle. This PG unfortunately ended in miscarriage at 7 weeks. I continued with the herbs and also introduced a personal trainer to my new gym routine. I ate healthy, exercised and overall felt great about myself. On New Years Eve 2008 as the 6th year of infertility came to a close I saw again the two lines which confirmed a pregnancy. I was only 2 weeks away from starting another IVF cycle. My miracle arrived at age 36 on the 8th September 2009. One day before my wedding anniversary. Callum is Gaelic Heritage meaning Dove – The Harbinger of HOPE. He was 4.16kg and 52cm long. I had an emergency c-section after being induced and diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

 3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

There were a lot of tears shed. The first year was obviously the easiest. Most couples take only 20% to conceive in the first year of trying. I was older so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy for me. As the years went on each failed month of naturally trying was dreadful. Each IUI, IVF or FET was met with sadness and hostility toward myself for leaving it to a later age. Guilt ridden and always anxious. I am not your poster girl for handling disappointment too well. I’m also the kind of person who puts other people first. My husband and family were also devastated and I usually consoled them more than myself.

 4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

It wasn’t till I started the Chinese herbs towards the end of the 6 years and started going to the gym and exercising that I finally felt stress-free. Having those endorphins pump through you is exhilarating and making love more enjoyable and less “robotic”. Acupuncture was also accompanied with the herbs but I can’t say whether I felt anything different from this treatment. My gym routine also included pilates which is great for stretching and relaxing. I also joined an online support forum that helped me immensely as a long term trying to conceive and miscarriage survivor. I still keep in contact with some of those members who have become an integral part of my life.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

Regardless of your diagnosis for infertility I believe that exercise, eating healthy and having other interests and hobbies other than trying to have a baby is paramount.

If you find yourself not being able to cope, on the brink of depression that you can’t seem to get out of – please see a counsellor. I believe talking to someone else other than your partner, friend or other family member puts this issue into perspective and gives you the opportunity to truly let go of any negative feelings.

Trying all methods/options as possible. I literally tried everything and anything. If I did go on to do the 3rd cycle of IVF and it failed, I probaly would have considered surrogacy or adoption.

Never give up on HOPE. Never.

 Please read the full story of her IF Journey here. 

  

Thanks so much Athena! Your son is adorable! ;-)

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Meet Pregnant Yuppy!

May 22nd, 2011
by Krissi.
4 comments

  I can’t believe it’s ICLW time again! Where did this month go? If you’re new here, welcome! I try to post a new success story every Sunday (if I have one) so if you’ve been successful and would like to share your story here and in my new book I’m working on, go to this post for the format of questions! And thanks! Also, don’t forget to check out my giveaway in honor of National Infertility Survival Day which will end on the 31st! Thanks for stopping by! Now without further adieu, meet Pregnant Yuppy! I featured her here for Blog Love(which I do every Monday–this was at a time where I only did one blog at a time and now I feature 3 randomly from my blogroll so if you’re not on it, let me know and I’ll add you on!) Read on for her incredible story!

1. How long did you struggle through infertility?

I stopped birth control in around 2006.  I had decided that I was done with adding artificial hormones to my body.  I told my husband that if he didn’t want to have kids, then birth control was now his responsibility.  So without actually TTC (trying to conceive) I did indeed get pregnant in March of 2008.  Unfortunately I miscarried at 10 weeks.  After that we decided to actively TTC.  I figured that since now we were trying, that I would get pregnant right away.  Not so.

Month after month of doing everything right yielded no results except for stress and frustration.  My family doctor would not refer me to a specialist for another year since we had already gotten pregnant on our own (despite being over 35).  It would be 2 more years before I got pregnant again.

2. What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.) ?

  When we finally met with an RE she conducted lots of tests.  Bloodwork for me on cycle days 3 (to test for FSH), and at 7 days past ovulation (to test progesterone levels), and an HSG.  Hubby only had to “endure” (as I teased him) a semen analysis test.  All of the tests came back normal and a review of my charts were textbook. Our infertility it seems was “unexplained”.  The RE felt that given our ages that IVF would be the best option.  The wait list was about 6 months so I wanted to try other treatments too.

In December 2009 I started on Clomid.  Due to my ovulation falling during the Christmas holidays we did not do any other treatments that month.  In January 2010 we did Clomid and an IUI, coincidentally the day of our IUI was the day of our IVF orientation class.  It also failed.  In February we were getting ready to try another IUI when I got a call from the clinic.  Our names came up for IVF!  We opted to skip the IUI and go straight for the good stuff.  So in March 2010 I started my first of the IVF drugs and on March 31, 3 sub-grade embryos were transferred into my uterus.
During the IVF process they harvested 24 eggs from me of which only 19 were mature.  We opted to have them fertilized via ICSI to increase our odds. Even so, only 13 fertilized.  Each day that followed the report from the embryologist got worse and worse.  On top of that, I was in danger of developing OHSS and having the transfer cancelled completely.  Due to the poor state of our embryos, the embryologist went to bat for us and insisted that they do the transfer or risk us losing all of our embryos.
They transferred the 3 best ones.  And 1 stuck!  We had our son in December 2010!

3. How did you handle disappointments through your cycles (natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?  

This may seem weird to some, but I would reward myself if AF showed.  After each failed cycle I would pick out something to buy myself if the next cycle was also a bust.  It could be new shoes, a new purse, a mani/pedi, etc.  I found that having a little luxury took the sting out of the failure.

4. What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

  I don’t know if I would have gotten through the miscarriage and all of the months that followed if it wasn’t for my online support.  For the most part I could be found on www.justmommies.com  But also I wrote on my blog http://thepregnantyuppy.blogspot.com/ and I could be found on Twitter as well: http://twitter.com/#!/YuppymomCanada  We live in a great age where you can find support for anything!  Take advantage of it.

For years I have gone through acupuncture for migraine treatment.  I continued with that for fertility as well.  I also started to see a holistic doctor who specializes in fertility treatments for a few months.  
And I downloaded the Circle+Bloom meditation.  At that time they did not have one specific to IVF but they do now. It is a great program.

5. If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

Relax.  Talk to each other.  Know that you will be okay if you don’t become parents in the way that you intended.  Reach out to others, whether in your community or online.  You are not the only one going through this.

  

Thanks so much for sharing Pregnant Yuppy and congratulations on your son! He is adorable!

Check out Pregnant Yuppy to follow her journey! ;-)

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Meet Sharon!

May 15th, 2011
by Krissi.
No comments yet

A new success story! Yay! Meet Sharon! She blogs at I Believe in Miracles. Read on for her long & devastating but inspiring story! Also, check out my giveaway for a Lia Sophia bracelet in honor of National Infertility Survival Day.

1.       How long did you struggle through infertility?

Seven & a half years.

2.       What did you go through (as far as treatments, different doctors, adoptions agencies, etc.)?

Under the care of a gynaecologist, I had 4 naturally conceived pregnancies and 4 first trimester miscarriages. After my 3rd miscarriage, we moved over to our first fertility specialist. Under his care I had one laparoscopy, where I had 2 orange size fibroids removed and diagnosed with a blocked right fallopian tube. After all the blood tests were completed we started trying timed, stimulated cycles, I had about 8 or 9 or these. One of which resulted in a pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage. We then moved onto an IVF using PGD. Of our 8 embryo’s, only 4 were of good enough quality to survive the PGD process. Of that 4, 2 were perfect genetically male embryo’s and 2 had Patau’s Syndrome (Trisomy 18). We transferred the two male embryo’s on day 5, both of them were A grade hatching blasts but the cycle was negative. We then attempted 3 IUI’s, all of which were negative followed again by another 2 IVF’s, one of which was cancelled due to zero fertilization and the second we transferred again 2 A Grade hatching blast embryo’s and again the cycle resulted in a BFN. Our RE. then started talking about using an egg donor and the possibility of surrogacy and it was then when we decided to pursue a second opinion.

We also attempted some alternative therapies including Chinese herbs, reflexology and acupuncture. I conceived my 6th pregnancy this way but once again miscarried at around the 6 week mark.

 We moved to our new clinic were my new RE pointed out there were a number of standard tests which had not been done, including an HSG X-Ray, which was then performed.  The findings showed that what had previously been described as a blocked right fallopian tube, was in fact a Stage 3 Hydrosalpingus which was filled with pus and which most likely had been poisoning any pregnancy as the fluid was draining back into my uterus. He also diagnosed me with scar tissue and a uterine septum and lesions covering my entire pelvis, resulting in my bowl, bladder and uterus all being glued together and misplacing my one ovary, all of which was repaired during my second laparoscopy. Because of my previous history of naturally conceived pregnancies, my RE again suggested we try naturally, so we did a further 4 or 5 naturally timed cycles before once again moving back to IVF. My 4th IVF was my dream IVF, I stimmed really well on the new protocol, which included Intralipid infusion, and produced 16 eggs, 15 of which fertilized and 14 of which grew beautifully to day 3. Unfortunately I developed stage 3 Ovarian Hperstimulation syndrome with my ovaries swollen to the size of oranges and free floating fluid in my abdomen and I was put on bed rest. 3 days after fertilization, when we were called in to the clinic and told that all 3 of the Dr’s had met and agreed that we had the best quality embryo’s that they’d seen in a very long time and that we should freeze 7 embryo’s on day 3 and grow the remaining 7 to day 5 for transfer. On day 5 we transferred 3 A grade embryo’s. Again, the cycle was a BFN. I sank into a very deep depression and we decided to take a few months off, just to give me a chance to heal mentally and emotionally.

 Five months later, I was ready to try an FET. We defrosted all 7 embryo’s and much to our surprise 3 survived the thaw and in such great shape they had managed to maintain their previously fresh quality. We transferred all 3 and a few days later, much to my dismay, I started spotting. I was crushed! Devastated. Beyond believing! The spotting only lasted a day and a few days later I started to have those familiar early pregnancy symptoms. My 7th pregnancy was confirmed a few days later. Beta no. 1 was 30. Beta no. 2 was 231 and then devastation… Beta no. 3 was 197. Once again, we prepared to deal with the fall out of my 7th pregnancy loss. I started bleeding exactly at what should have been 6 weeks of pregnancy.

I told my husband then and there that I was done. That I was not prepared to be pregnant ever again. And it was then that we decided to pursue adoption as it had been something we had discussed previously. Two months later we started the profiling process. Two weeks later, we were contacted by our social worker informing us we’d been selected by a birth mother and we were to meet her that weekend. What followed was a whirlwind! We met our wonderful birth mother on the Saturday and on the Sunday our Social Worker called to say she was in labour and our daughter was born at 10h50 on the Sunday, exactly 2 weeks and 6 days since finalizing the screening and 8 week post our 7th miscarriage.

3.       How did you handle disappointments through your cycles
(natural and otherwise) or months of waiting?

I drank a lot of wine in between cycles! J Nestled deep into a very close knit circle of friends I’d made through online forums and meetings at clinics. I trawled infertility support forums, gave advice, gave support and received advice and support in return. I started my blog (http://sharonannevanwyk.wordpress.com) a network of online buddies, spread out all over the world. I also found myself a really good therapist and leaned on a her lot during the very dark days. She spoke me off many a ledge, especially after my 6th miscarriage when I was so dark and so depressed that I threatened suicide.

4.       What were the ‘stress-free’ techniques that you tried that helped you get through the cycle or time (yoga, meditation, acupuncture, support through family, friends & on-line, etc.)?

 I had regular monthly treats like manicures and pedicures, I enjoyed shopping (alot) and reminded myself that I could indulge in all kinds of goodies I wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford if I had a child. I had acupuncture and reflexology and went regularly with my close girlfriends for spa days.

5.       If you could give advice for couples going through infertility now, what would it be?

 Don’t emotionally over invest in one Dr, get a second opinion. A fresh set of eyes can often see something that could have been over looked. Discuss what you are and aren’t prepared to do in order to achieve your dream of parenthood so that you don’t get any surprises later on. Look at all your options – don’t limit your miracle.

And the one that may sound so rich coming from someone in my position, but if its something you want enough, don’t give up. Keep getting up, keep dusting yourself off, keep placing one foot in front of the other, keep moving forward, you will get there in the end and you just never know how close the end could be. I could never have dreamed that a mere 8 weeks after my 7th miscarriage I’d become a mother!

“Everything will be alright in the end and if it’s not alright… Its not the end!”

Thanks so much Sharon! Check out her blog to follow her journey!

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