January - November 2008: I went off BCP at age 32 after 10 years on it, primarily because I wasn't having much sex at that point and it seemed unnecessary to be on medication. My period didn't come back on its own for almost a year, even after two attempts to medically induce it. Thought that was weird but I actually kind of liked not having to worry about it.
January 2009: Get future husband drunk and seduce him. He does the honourable thing and starts dating me.
April 2011: Married!
September 2011: Start trying to conceive naturally. No luck.
November 2011: Start taking basal body temperature and using ovulation predictor kits. That's weird, I'm ovulating on CD10. Seems early. What's up with that?
May 2012: Six months trying over age 35 = trip to doctor for referral to fertility clinic.
June/July 2012: Diagnostic cycle reveals high day 3 estrogen, normal FSH (totally unreliable of course), and an antral follicle count of 13. Then the really bad news...my AMH is effectively in the toilet at 0.17 ng/ml. Diagnosis of Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR). Also, husband's sperm analysis comes back revealing abnormal acrosomes. Recommend skipping IUI and going straight to IVF with ICSI. Also start taking CoQ10 for egg quality.
September/October 2012: First IVF cycle: BCP suppression followed by long Lupron protocol with 325 units Gonal F. Best antral follicle count yet, basically normal at 23! Too bad my ovaries turn out to be big fat teases...only one egg decides to grow. IVF cancelled after 8 days of stims for poor response / dominant follicle. Convert to IUI. Period shows up before beta. At least I didn't have to get up early for it.
December 2012/January 2013: Start IVF #2. A shorter period of BCP suppression with a Cetrotide shot for good measure. Baseline bloodwork gives my first ever high FSH result at 13. Antagonist protocol with max stims for 12 days yields 9 eggs, 8 mature, 4 fertilized with ICSI. One makes it to day 5 and is put on ice, since RE advises against fresh transfer due to rising progesterone after my HCG trigger shot.
March 2013: FET of our one and only Day 5 blastocyst. Short protocol with no BCP or Lupron suppression, just a couple of weeks of Estrace followed by Crinone. BFN.
April 2013: Start DHEA supplementation, which takes three months to reach full effect. On a much-needed break from TTC.
June 2013: Endometrial function test to determine if I'm missing any of the essential elements for embryo implantation.
July 2013: Endometrial function test results are in, and show a moderate abnormality of my lining due to a lack of synchronization between my glands and stroma. Treatment involves two months of Lupron-induced menopause to reset my system. But IVF first, to hopefully get some decent embryos.
August/September 2013: Start IVF#3 with an all-time low AFC of 8 (4 on each ovary). Estrogen priming protocol with microdose flare. Max stims for 12 days yields 7 eggs, 7 mature, 4 fertilized with ICSI. One blastocyst graded 3AA frozen on Day 5.
October - December 2013: A couple of months of Lupron-induced menopause designed to fix my endometrial abnormality.
January 2014: Period finally returns after Lupron Depot. FET of our lone frozen embryo. Given my poor response to three IVFs, we decide that this will be our last attempt with my eggs.
February 2014: First ever BFP, leading to first ever chemical pregnancy. Beta at 11dp5dt is 14.
March 2014: Grieve. Breathe. Regroup. Start researching donor egg options.
April/May 2014: Choose a donor egg clinic in the Czech Republic and begin initial consultations. We pick a donor, pay our deposit, and wait for instructions.
June 2014: Begin birth control to synchronize cycle with Czech donor.
July 2014: Anonymous donor egg cycle in Czech Republic gives us 12 eggs. 11 fertilize, 5 make it to blast. Transfer of a single hatching 5AA blastocyst, with 4 in the freezer. BFP!! Estimated due date of March 27, 2015.
April 2015: Welcome our little boy Q on Easter Sunday. 8 pounds 10 ounces, delivered via c-section after a failed induction attempt at 10 days post-due date.
June 2016: Natural BFP. Not a total surprise, since we had decided to kinda-try naturally, not really thinking it would work. It did, and on the first try.
July/August 2016: Probably not surprisingly due to my legitimately crappy 40 year old eggs, missed miscarriage discovered at 8 week ultrasound. Take misoprostol to induce bleeding. Take misoprostol again after retained tissue observed.
September 2016: After almost two months of hellish checkups, finally have a big bleed and expel last of fetal tissue. All clear ultrasound and beta back down to zero.
April 2017: Return to Czech Republic for our first FET. Transfer one hatching 5AB blastocyst. BFP again! Baby boy #2 is due on December 21, 2017.
December 2017: Baby boy I is born via scheduled c-section at 39 weeks, weighing 8 pounds 4 ounces. Big brother Q is ecstatic!
December 2012/January 2013: Start IVF #2. A shorter period of BCP suppression with a Cetrotide shot for good measure. Baseline bloodwork gives my first ever high FSH result at 13. Antagonist protocol with max stims for 12 days yields 9 eggs, 8 mature, 4 fertilized with ICSI. One makes it to day 5 and is put on ice, since RE advises against fresh transfer due to rising progesterone after my HCG trigger shot.
March 2013: FET of our one and only Day 5 blastocyst. Short protocol with no BCP or Lupron suppression, just a couple of weeks of Estrace followed by Crinone. BFN.
April 2013: Start DHEA supplementation, which takes three months to reach full effect. On a much-needed break from TTC.
June 2013: Endometrial function test to determine if I'm missing any of the essential elements for embryo implantation.
July 2013: Endometrial function test results are in, and show a moderate abnormality of my lining due to a lack of synchronization between my glands and stroma. Treatment involves two months of Lupron-induced menopause to reset my system. But IVF first, to hopefully get some decent embryos.
August/September 2013: Start IVF#3 with an all-time low AFC of 8 (4 on each ovary). Estrogen priming protocol with microdose flare. Max stims for 12 days yields 7 eggs, 7 mature, 4 fertilized with ICSI. One blastocyst graded 3AA frozen on Day 5.
October - December 2013: A couple of months of Lupron-induced menopause designed to fix my endometrial abnormality.
January 2014: Period finally returns after Lupron Depot. FET of our lone frozen embryo. Given my poor response to three IVFs, we decide that this will be our last attempt with my eggs.
February 2014: First ever BFP, leading to first ever chemical pregnancy. Beta at 11dp5dt is 14.
March 2014: Grieve. Breathe. Regroup. Start researching donor egg options.
April/May 2014: Choose a donor egg clinic in the Czech Republic and begin initial consultations. We pick a donor, pay our deposit, and wait for instructions.
June 2014: Begin birth control to synchronize cycle with Czech donor.
July 2014: Anonymous donor egg cycle in Czech Republic gives us 12 eggs. 11 fertilize, 5 make it to blast. Transfer of a single hatching 5AA blastocyst, with 4 in the freezer. BFP!! Estimated due date of March 27, 2015.
April 2015: Welcome our little boy Q on Easter Sunday. 8 pounds 10 ounces, delivered via c-section after a failed induction attempt at 10 days post-due date.
June 2016: Natural BFP. Not a total surprise, since we had decided to kinda-try naturally, not really thinking it would work. It did, and on the first try.
July/August 2016: Probably not surprisingly due to my legitimately crappy 40 year old eggs, missed miscarriage discovered at 8 week ultrasound. Take misoprostol to induce bleeding. Take misoprostol again after retained tissue observed.
September 2016: After almost two months of hellish checkups, finally have a big bleed and expel last of fetal tissue. All clear ultrasound and beta back down to zero.
April 2017: Return to Czech Republic for our first FET. Transfer one hatching 5AB blastocyst. BFP again! Baby boy #2 is due on December 21, 2017.
December 2017: Baby boy I is born via scheduled c-section at 39 weeks, weighing 8 pounds 4 ounces. Big brother Q is ecstatic!
Crazy! We've had such similar timelines... and yes, we are totally at the same clinic. Food Network is ALWAYS on -- usually Dinner Wars or Anna Olsen's baking show. :) So funny. I'll email you now and maybe we can look for each other in the waiting room one day!
ReplyDeleteMet my husband in Jan of 2009 (lots of seducing on my part too)
ReplyDeleteGot married in Aug of 2011 (not quite April, but close).
Started trying in Sept of 2011.
Lots of similarities between you and I. Glad I found your blog. I've only read a little bit, but there is no doubt you're a funny one. Thinking all the best thoughts imaginable for you during this 2WW. All the best, friend.
I've been lurking for quite some time since I started researching for IVF for DOR. Now that I have my own blog, just wanted to say hi. Will be following your journey as I start my first IVF.
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ReplyDeleteHey there, just found your blog and although it might not help much my last two cycles yielded the most pathetic haul of eggs ever. Four and Five. The follies were there but they just didn't seem to stim. Anyway. The four cycle awarded me my daughter the last cycle got me a BFN. But no one has mentioned to me using other eggs. A blog by a lady called running mama she has DOR and has had success with less than 7 eggs too. I guess I wanted to say don't give up on your eggs just yet.
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