The Over 40 Crowd

teachertam · Post by **teachertam** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:25 pm

Tracy: Sorry to hear your news.

Rhonda: Glad to hear that your nausea is getting better.

Catharine: Glad to hear that DD is on a schedule.

Santa: Good luck on getting the job done the "natural" way.

Hello to Yasmina.

Take care all,
Tammy

children · Post by **children** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:07 pm

Hi Everyone,

I am still alive, just overwhelmed by two little ones.

Tracy,

Sorry for the result. I remember these days when I was so mad at everything. DH took out to climb rocks which I found useful on the surface. To get over it really was up to myself.

Tammy,

Thanks for your posts. According to books and The Internet, 2 yrs olds like to come to parents bed. DD is now my DH's duty and I did not even hear her last night when she woke up and called her Daddy up to her room...

DS could sleep through the night now if I let him sleep in between us in our big bed. Same as you, when this happens, I could not really sleep well which make me decide to get a King Sized bed soon. We are looking for a bigger house that allows us to do so. Our current one does not even have a master suite. We visited few houses in a more desirable area where schools are better, however, we decided to stay at the same area after few visits. Finding a perfect house takes time, but this time, we are going to take our time.

Catharine,

You are so knowledgeable and I am so impressed by how well you are doing with your DD. I had one thing that I was proud of - early potty training for DD. But now, I cannot feel the same anymore, because I have not been able to put our DS on the potty regularly yet. He does not like it at all and he would scream if I do it. Another challenge to us is that our DS has already been sick at this early age! DD brought virus home from daycare and DS has been so congested which was the main reason that he lost his nice sleeping / eating pattern. Apparently, wrapping him tightly only helped the first few times.

Santa,

Glad that you feel better now and hope you stay this way. Many over 40 ladies get pg while trying ivf and I certainly hope that you are one of these lucky ones.

Kat,

How are you doing? Hope to hear form you soon.

Need to get our DD home soon. Take care everyone!

Yasmina

AKMom · Post by **AKMom** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:17 am

Hi Ladies, just checking in. I apologize for not posting on this board as well. I post on the other over 40 board, and started this one too. so I must be better...here is one of the the posts I posted., since my post (below) my DH and I have decided to travel to Washington for IVF, the program here in AK is very green, and not up to the calibur that we want, considering all of the factors (esp my age!)
Good Morning....wow this board has grown. I dont know how some of you ladies keep it all strait, my apologies for not following along and addressing each of you..things are so hectic this time of year at my company. I work for an Alaska Native Corporation, and this time of year our Proxy Statements are due and elections are being held for board members.

IVF, is so stressful, I am having a hard time finding a balance. It is exhausting just thinking about wanting and having a baby, I know you all know what I am talking about. NOT only do the drugs make your body all crazy but emotionally you are wreck. Beteen thinking all the wishful thinking, praying and everyonce in a while a good smack in the face reminding me that I am 41 is frustrating and heartbreaking.

My husband and I have only been married since June 08, he says that he misses his wife (which I would have to admit, has been a bit pre-occupied and emotional, among other things). So, as result, we have decided to wait about 2-4 months before we venture into this again. We are planning to go to a facility in Washington this time, it will be a little more expensive (since we are not covered by ins.), however, DH is more concerend about my emotional and physical wellness and feels his request is too taxing on me (but its not). So we decided to wait thru mid-summer or so.

Maybe he will change his mind, either way, I will still be checking in periodically and asking questions as I start this process over with a new RE.....there are so many things to learn and obsess about.

So there you have it, I am excited about losing the wt I gained with all the hormones about 17 lbs...I am sure my kids have missed me too. I have been really quiet these days, but it figure it was better than lashing out, know what I mean. Dont get me wrong, I am not this crabby mean mom, I am just not the same....only those closest to me can see it, I guess.

Have a great weekend, and I am so happy for all of you ladies who have given us hope with your BFP's and for those of us waiting for "our turn" or "just one" my thoughts are with all of you and prayers too. My "other family" on the over 40 board...

God's speed and Angle Kisses!

Kat

But I am excited to try again, also does anyone on this board know much about how fragmented embryos...precautions, preventative measures, lab variables etc. thanks ladies.

Sorry so long.

Luv
Kat

AKMom · Post by **AKMom** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:25 am

Oh more thing, sorry Trace...it sucks dont it?

I feel for you...

kat

ps

Do you love Odie?

garfieldtracy · Post by **garfieldtracy** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:12 am

Of course I love Odie - who can resist his floppy ears and slobbering tongue. You should see my place (before getting married) there were Garfields EVERYWHERE - I mean everywhere. After we lost Scott my DH went to the hospital shop and bought me a Garfield holding Pookey (Garfield's teddy bear for those who don't know). Therefore, I said the next time - we were going to call the implanted embroy "Pookey". I guess I will have to wait to talk to Pookey for a couple more months. I am going to the RE Wednesday to discuss the results. Since I know the embroys were the best quality and dividing great (1-10 cell and 1-12 cell) that he will say it is just a numbers game. I want to put all my results on 1 page and see where we had the best results - I am pretty sure it will show when my right overy produced the eggs. Therefore, since we have to wait a month if it is the month that the left works better, I want to just wait one more month to try it on the right again. I know it sounds crazy, but what can I say.
Tracy

garfieldtracy · Post by **garfieldtracy** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:16 am

Kat - just wondering if you were going to do a FET. They are easier and less expesive then a fresh cycle. I hope your trip to WA is successful. May we all get BFP's soon.

Tracy

AKMom · Post by **AKMom** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:49 am

Trac..

We will more than likely go with the FET and start fresh.... the embryos were not the best of quality when they were frozen, the three they put back were fragmented...he put the best three in.

The cost is really not a factor, thankfully, it is just that we wanted to start building and it will have to wait. We are busy with our home, 3 kids, a dog and a (4-pkex---dont get me started on the headache that thing can be, for starters one of our renters had to move due to a family illness in the lower 48...) so things will be put on hold, we were very optimistic --overly optimistic since i have had 4 children already.

Like I said the ART program in AK is just getting started and I guess you guess what you pay for. We've only spent about 10K so far, so I figure that with one canx protocol, and one failed IVF, ---you get what you paid for. So hopefully Seattle will be ans to our prayers. Has anyone heard of Seattle Reproductive Medicine? I found one great review...this woman went there and has 4 children (one set of twins)..with SRM. and still has two more frosties...

I am excited and optimistic, but guarded.

Kat

I've always loved Oodie! He always makes me smile..

garfieldtracy · Post by **garfieldtracy** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:12 pm

I don't think there is any way to "fix" fragmentation. I think of it as the shell that is holding everything together - and once you get a BFP - the shelll will shed and a baby form - so who cares about fragmentation. I don't know if that is correct - but it is my theory. Also, my clinic does grading 1-4 (4 being the best). I got PG with a singlton with 2-3's and 1-2 (figure one of the 3's was the fighter- FYI we lost him due to a placenta problem - the baby was perfectly healthy). This time I had 2-4's - the best quality and got a BFN - go figure. Just trying to say don't count out the lower grade embroys - they may surprise you !!

Tracy

children · Post by **children** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:11 pm

Kat,

While fragmentation is one of the things that RE use to judge embryo's quality, I would get everything back in me if possible. My RE told me that sometimes, the ugliest embryos give rise the most beautiful babies. He likes to do 3-day transfer because he does not believe the cell culture conditions are optimal for embryos to grow outside the womb. I appreciate that since he gave me 2 live babies!

Good luck!

Yasmina

Catharine · Post by **Catharine** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:27 pm

TGIF

All my embies exhibited fragmentation. I have to agree I have a beautiful DD from some pretty fragmented embies. I also agree with Yasmina's RE w/r/t culture conditions used in the clinics. Although the media is optimimal for nurishments outside the body, I do not believe it can be as good as what our bodies can give the embryos directly. We, too, did 3 day transfers.

With fragmentation there is no clear concensus of what causes it let alone if there is a direct correlate to decrease implantation. There are reports stated that over 80% of embryos created through ivf contain fragments. Some clinics are providing a fragmentation removal procedure, but again there is no statistically significant data suggesting that removal of the fragments increase rates of pregnancy.

Thinking of everyone. Have a great weekend.

Catharine

mrscutter · Post by **mrscutter** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:36 pm

Kat, by all accounts, my embies were as good as you can get no fragmentation great grade. also did 3 day transfer and still got a negative!! sometimes I think we get so emotional and we dwell on the "things" that aren't perfect about the situation and it really doesn't mattet too much. As you heard the other ladies say plenty people got positives after yucky looking embies and like me perfect ones got a negative. Try to relax and dont drive yourself crazy on the Why's and how's of it all. I remember I drove myself crazy trying to disect everylittle thing the doc said and looking at this board for hours trying to compare my situation to others. It just doesn't work that way. Everyone is so different and we don't know why some make it and some don't. I just had to let God be in control and give it all to Him. What happens happens and we can't do a darn thing about it. I followed the rules perfectly. No caffeine- no exercise-bed rest after transfer-accupuncture-you name it I went by the book and still got the negative. but when i gave up, i drank sweet tea which I love -got in the hot tub-had an alcoholic drink and did everything i wanted and boom-i got pregnant. So hang in there and dont drive yourself crazy like I did. Take a deep breath and say what is meant to be is meant to be. Take care.

rhonda

teachertam · Post by **teachertam** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:28 pm

Hello Ladies:

I got the result of my cycle day 3 FSH and estradiol today.
The FSH = 8.9 and the E2 = 29.
My Ob/Gyn was very encouraged.

Tammy

children · Post by **children** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:08 pm

Tammy,

I too, am very encouraged, beautiful FSH level! What are you going to do from here? Another ivf or natural route, which ever, good luck!

Hi all the ladies here,

A bit update here. I am getting more sleep now since DS decided to go back to sleep directly after being fed - he was fussing b/c he had cold and was congested badly. I now fall in sleep while he is sucking in the night and I just wake up 30 min or 1h later to put him and myself back to crib and bed. That is it! I am back to work full time now.

Yasmina

teachertam · Post by **teachertam** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:38 pm

Yasmina: I think I will try the Femara this coming cycle (April) to see if it produces more follicles/eggs. After that I'm not sure if we will continue with Femara or try something else. What would you do?

Did I tell you that my friend, tracy just got a natural BFP? She turns 45 on 4/02.

It is good to hear that you are getting more sleep!!

Tammy

children · Post by **children** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:58 pm

Tammy,

I think I have read it somewhere about your friend Tracy's pg, it's truly inspiring. As you know that I am never a "infertility" believer, I think we can get pg if all conditions required are met, but we often don't know what optimal conditions are. In our age group, main factor affects us is not that we cannot fertilize an egg, it is mostly we cannot keep the pg longer than 5 weeks, as most of the eggs are genetic defective which are not compatible with live. Or sometimes just we don't have the hormone needed to keep the pg, such as our progesterone level is too low. Anyways, the more eggs you produce each cycle, the more chance that you will have one good egg among those eggs, hence the more chance you will have one continue to thrive to become a live baby! I strongly support your decision of using clomid or Femara to stimulate more egg production in each cycle to increase your chance. Are you going to monitor the number of follicles next cycle? I would not worry if you have 5 or more b/c again, at our age, as you know very well, we cannot expect everyone is at good quality.

All the best!

Yasmina

The Over 40 Crowd

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