Mega...I need to know something....
8 Replies
linds99 - November 9

Hey Mega, I read that you went through IVF (and you have PCOS) can I ask you what your doctor told you about the initial IVF cycle that didn't work (why it didn't?) I read that you implanted two embies and they didn't take the first time...did they say it was poor quality eggs or did they indicate an endometrial lining issue? I'm just curious because I have PCOS and I am going through the IVF procedure in a few weeks and I am looking for a little more insight on what to expect.

 

Mega - November 9

Hi Linds! Good luck to you. Yes, that's right I do have PCOS. My embies were both blastocysts (day 5 tx) & truthfully I'm not sure why they didn't implant. I just went straight into a frozen transfer when I got my BFN. I didn't have a consultation with my RE. But my gut feeling on why it didn't work is partially egg quality but we also have male factor, my DH has very low morphology so we did ICSIs too. And I think it was a combo of both. But also of the batch of 8 embies that the 2 they txed came from, they left the remaining 6 out to grow more and none of those made it to blast except for 1, & that one quickly arrested. So it doesn't sound like my 2 inside had much of a chance. But from that same egg retrival I also had 7 frozen at the 2pn stage (fertilzed egg), & just got a BFP today from the FET. It's a low #, but I am pg! So there was at least 1 good egg from my PCOSy ovaries. Do you take Metformin? That helps with egg quality. Plus the thing of it is, it's a numbers game. Don't let my 1st IVF BFN freak you out. We're all different. It's a crap shoot picking embies to tx, whether the patient has PCOS or not. If this embie had been tx on the fresh cycle I'd probably be getting ready to go into my 2nd trimester now. But anyway, hang in there. And good luck to you. I'm excited to hear how your cycle progresses. Please join us on the Oct/Nov IVFers thread. We'd love to have you post with us. Sorry for my novel, but I hope this helped you. Hang in there, it's a tough road, but well worth it.

 

linds99 - November 9

Thank you so much for rewriting your story for me,as I know you probably have written it a number of times. And a big congratulations on your positive today, it is truly a miracle and blessing that we have science available to help us PCOSers. I hope you get through the next 9 months effortlessly, after all you have been through, you deserve some mercy right! Just to clarify, I am on metformin actually, for the last 6-weeks, so did your doctor tell you that (assuming you took it too) that the medication is "proven" to better the egg quality? I have read this, but have not heard from a real pcoser that this was the case. 8 embryos is a good number to retreive...sounds like they didn't over stimulate you at all. Were you at all worried about over-stimulation?

 

Mega - November 9

Thank you! I totally agree--science is just amazing. I'm in awe everyday, now even more so. And you're very welcome. I know it helps hearing stories from others in similar situations. I actually had 24 eggs, 19 mature, which they all ICSIed & 15 fertilized. My clinc works in smaller batches though. Any # over 9 they automatically freeze the remainders at the 2 pn, frozen egg stage. So I still have 4 embies on ice. I was worried about OHSS & I was at risk for it but thankfully I didn't get it. My e2 was almost 4,000 2 days before retrival, they put Albumin (blood product) in my IV during the retrival to stave off bloating. Maybe that helped, I don't know. I drank lots of gatorade which I've heard helps. You know, I can't remember if my dr said it helps egg quality per se, but he definitely thought it would benefit me. I'll see if I can't find some credible sources that discuss Metformin & egg quality.

 

Mega - November 10

Linds--I did a quick google search on Metformin improving egg quality. Here's a cut & paste of a reply I found on iniic.org: "Do insulin-sensitizing medications improve egg quality in IVF?

The follow-up for women taking insulin-sensitizing agents who subsequently undergo IVF/ET is currently limited. No controlled data exist (yet) that proves whether or not normalization of insulin levels has an important effect on oocyte quality, but some generalizations suggest this may indeed be the case. It does appear that use of metformin may increase the number of mature eggs retrieved. "

Here's a link to that whole web page, it has lots of Q's & A's regarding PCOS women TTC. http://www.inciid.org/faq.ph
p?cat=infertility101&id=
2
(remove any dashes that may appear. The other punctuation in that URL is supposed to be there though). HTH!

 

linds99 - November 10

I shared your response with my husband...as he has been very concerned about me being hyperstimulated. So your words were of both comfort to him and me. Did your doctor tell you to drink gatorade or did they just tell you to stay hydrated before the procedure? I assume that all the electrolytes and water did probably help you, but was that something you did on your own? Thanks so much for finding the info on metformin...I will read it now. You are too kind...How are you doing today? When do you go in for your next beta test?? I was thinking about you last night and your story and I hope I can be as strong as you have been, as I anticipate what is next.

 

Mega - November 10

Good, I'm glad I was able to reassure you & your DH at least somewhat. I drank Gatorade on my own, I'd read lots of anecdotal evidence about it being helpful, I also drank lots of water. Definitely keep hydrated as you're stimming. After the retrival, esp. right around tx, start weighing yourself a couple times a day at least, watch for a 3 + Ib weight gain a day, that's a OHSS warning sign my dr told me about. OHSS or not you'll be bloated, uncomfy, my nurse said it gets to the worst point 5 days post ER, & she was right! So keep that in mind. You're welcome--I hope the article helps answer some of your Met questions. How are you doing on s/e? I'm doing pretty good today, thanks. Trying to stay positive, POAS obbsessively, looking for signs my HCG is going up, up, up. My beta is at 8 AM tomorrow. Just hoping for the best. I truly believe you'll find strength going thru this you didn't know you had, you'll do it b/c of the prize at the end. IVF is tough, come to me, come to the other ladies on the board when you need to vent, what not. But you'll get through it. Keep me posted on how you're doing. What stage are you in now? Suppression? Anyway, happy Friday. I'm going to grab some food & then put my feet up for a while. Later!

 

linds99 - November 10

Gosh, you are a rock. Thanks for that. I am going to remember about being hydrated and stock up on some gatorade this weekend. Thanks so much for the tip and alerting me about the weight gain sign. I have a teach on Monday when I sign all my consents and they show me how to do all the injections and I should start lupron on Friday of next week (after blood test confirms no pregnancy since I ovulate today/tomorrow). But after next friday, I examined the calendar and expect to start the FSH a week after that and I will probably have the retrieval at the end of the month first few days of December. So, by that time you will be about 6 weeks preggers right? Hopefully we can start a post IVF thread for women having summer babies. I just hope...thanks for being so helpful and supportive.

 

linds99 - November 10

Good luck on your beta tomorrow!! I hope it skyrockets!

 

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