Freaking out a little, HCG is going up but really slowly.

[Lifelove]

My first beta on Tues was 13, I just had it done again today and it is 77. The nurse told me to watch for cramping and heavy bleeding that would indicate signs of ectopic. She said it could also be just an early miscarriage. When I asked if there was a chance i could go onto to have a healthy pregnancy she said they don't focus on that but she supposes it could happen. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? I don't know what to think, I have more blood work on Monday...

[moorebaby]

i'm a little confused. if it was 13 on tuesday, then by thursday (yesterday), it should've been 26 (doubled). so that would mean a 77 today is great! unless i'm missing something here. why did the nurse say anything about it being ectopic or a m/c? was it b/c it started out as a low #?
i think you're fine. the #s (at least to me) seem to be doubling just fine!

[Lifelove]

The nurse said on Tuesday that it was too low to be anything so she had me stop my crinone, now I am wondering if I should take it upon myself to start it again or if it would be a problem if it was in fact ectopic.

[Lifelove]

I had some cramping and bleeding on saturday which would have been 12/13 days post transfer, so that might be why she assumed that this was the end of it.

[nwquiz]

there was a girl on this board who had very low beta i think started at 5 and was not doubling like they wanted. do you know she ended up with a healthy baby? so be positive its doubling.

[DandMe]

The nurse said on Tuesday that it was too low to be anything so she had me stop my crinone, now I am wondering if I should take it upon myself to start it again or if it would be a problem if it was in fact ectopic.

I WOULD NOT STOP THE CRINONE... UNTIL IT WAS PROVED non viable!!!!

[Lifelove]

I haven't been on the crinone since Tuesday when the nurse to me to stop it. I just called the on call dr to see if she could help me with this situation. I don't want to stay on the crinone if there is a possibility that I could rupture a tube... this is such a roller coaster.

[riogirl71]

I would not stop either until you get a dropping beta, ectopics go up then down then up again, yours is just up - go get another beta now!!!!!!!!!!

[babydreamz]

My first beta on Tues was 13, I just had it done again today and it is 77. The nurse told me to watch for cramping and heavy bleeding that would indicate signs of ectopic. She said it could also be just an early miscarriage. When I asked if there was a chance i could go onto to have a healthy pregnancy she said they don't focus on that but she supposes it could happen. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? I don't know what to think, I have more blood work on Monday...

Lifelove- I would not stop meds. I have heard of several cases of low beta in the beginning and they to have healthy babies! Your beta is still rising, try to get another one soon. My prayers are with you. All the best!

[TammyS]

There was a girl on here a couple of years ago who started off with a 13 and it went up very slowly as well...she had twins. Call your on call doc to verify that it will not hurt anything at all...and get back on your meds as soon as possible. Good Luck to you! Keep us posted.

[Lifelove]

I called the on call doctor and she assured us that the crinone would not hurt us either way. She said after they get a BFP it's really just added protection but not 100% necessary, she also said it is more vital to a frozen cycle. I guess if I haven't been on it since Tuesday and my levels are still rising maybe it's ok to stay off? I'm trying not to be too nervous although it's hard.

[TammyS]

I would still get back on it no matter what. For sure.

[DandMe]

I called the on call doctor and she assured us that the crinone would not hurt us either way. She said after they get a BFP it's really just added protection but not 100% necessary, she also said it is more vital to a frozen cycle. I guess if I haven't been on it since Tuesday and my levels are still rising maybe it's ok to stay off? I'm trying not to be too nervous although it's hard.

There is a possibility that you have a viable pregnancy, but you won't if you don't stay on your meds. Your body won't product the hormone on it's own.

[Ghost]

An hCG level of 13 at 11 days post day 3 transfer is low, but could still be viable. I've seen lower than that result in live birth. My clinic would not have stopped your meds at that point. While the low initial value is not a good sign, the increase to 77 is a good sign. With mixed signals, we wait for more information. The embryo is still too small to rupture a tube, if it happens to be ectopic, so there is a safe period in which to find out what is really going on.

Since this is a fresh cycle, you have all those follicles from which your doctor just collected your eggs. After ovulation, a follicle becomes a gland called a corpus luteum. Each corpus luteum makes progesterone in the presence of LH or hCG. Your hCG level of 77 should be sufficient to cause your follicles to make progesterone. Supplemental progesterone, such as Crinone, is provided just to be sure, and success rates are improved with it. It's definitely needed in a (typical) frozen embryo or donor egg cycle because there is (typically) no corpus luteum to make progesterone.

[DandMe]

An hCG level of 13 at 11 days post day 3 transfer is low, but could still be viable. I've seen lower than that result in live birth. My clinic would not have stopped your meds at that point. While the low initial value is not a good sign, the increase to 77 is a good sign. With mixed signals, we wait for more information. The embryo is still too small to rupture a tube, if it happens to be ectopic, so there is a safe period in which to find out what is really going on.

Since this is a fresh cycle, you have all those follicles from which your doctor just collected your eggs. After ovulation, a follicle becomes a gland called a corpus luteum. Each corpus luteum makes progesterone in the presence of LH or hCG. Your hCG level of 77 should be sufficient to cause your follicles to make progesterone. Supplemental progesterone, such as Crinone, is provided just to be sure, and success rates are improved with it. It's definitely needed in a (typical) frozen embryo or donor egg cycle because there is (typically) no corpus luteum to make progesterone.

I learned something important.... I thought that since the eggs were harvested that the corpus luteum failed to develop properly and that is why the progesterone was so important. Thank you for the useful information, Ghost.