The consult...a look back, plus a plan

So you saw our questions in the last post. Now we have some answers. Thank you for all of your ideas about what to ask - both those left as comments and those privately emailed. Will and I appreciated all of your thoughts.

The RE's main point was that we shouldn't lose hope. He feels our prognosis is still very good. That we had bad luck with the chromosomal abnormality and miscarriage our first cycle ("That could have happened to anyone"). And that we can't read too much into the failure of cycle #2 because we only cultured three embryos (freezing six others at 2pn stage) and only transferred one.

He still thinks we can succeed with our own eggs (and even said he would not allow us to use a donor at this point if we wanted to, which we don't). Surprisingly, he felt the embryo quality throughout the three cycles has been fairly good. (Could have knocked me over with a feather with that statement. I was like "Really??!")

He continued to say that PGD would do more harm than good and that CGH is still too experimental (he said he thinks that the technology is still years away). He said they don't do micro-dose lupron except in the case of poor responders ("and you're not a poor responder," which was nice to hear). He seemed so-so about assisted hatching (but I think we'll ask for it anyway).

In terms of what's next, he said we should probably do endometrial co-culture and he's changing our protocol, removing lupron, upping the dosages of the meds a bit, and adding Ganrilex and menopur.

We are on the cancellation list to try to get in to do a co-culture biopsy in late January. I'm going to stay on progesterone through Friday to delay my cycle starting (who thought I would ever agree to extra PIO shots?!). If we're able to get the endometrial biopsy done in late Jan, we'll be on to cycle again in late Jan/early Feb.

So it looks like we're on to (gulp) IVF #4.

I can't believe we have to cycle again. But since we do, it feels so so much better to have a plan.

By the way, it is freakin' COLD in NYC today. Like Minnesota cold. Those of you who live in northern climes (Canadians, I am talking to you), I applaud you. I don't know how you do it.

Thank you again for all of your encouragments, stories, suggestions on blogs to read, and medical advice. I never realized how interactive blogging can be. Your thoughts and comments have been an enormous help.

We are past the solstice. There is a bit more light today than yesterday. Hoping for brighter, warmer days ahead.

Mo