Friday, February 22, 2013

Next Steps

Dr. W wanted me to get another beta test done last week, as a follow up to the D&C to make sure I didn't have any lingering pregnancy material left behind.  My hcg came back as a 4, which is considered a negative beta so she is comfortable moving ahead.

Yesterday, I finally had my scheduled phone appointment with her to discuss the next steps toward our FET.  My biggest concern was the two frozen embryos that we have and their chances of even surviving the thaw process.  She was able to put my fears (mostly) to rest.

I learned that the new freeze process is called vitrification, or a flash freeze in layman's terms.  Basically, the old way of freezing embryos was a slow freezing process.  Dr. W compared it to putting them in a refrigerator freezer, where it takes awhile for them to actually become frozen.  When it is done that way, it causes ice crystals to form inside the cells of the embryo, which can potentially cause problems if those crystals later break off during the thaw process.

This new process, vitrification, is done by sticking the embryos in liquid nitrogen which freezes them then and there.  The survival rate for these embryos is more than 90%!!!  I feel a tremendous amount of relief and comfort in knowing that most likely, we will have the chance to at least do the transfer.  My fear was that we'd get all geared up for this, only to find out we had no embryos to transfer.  We only have these two embryos left, one is considered a good blastocyst and one is very average.  All our hopes for a future family are riding on this FET.  This is it for us, so it is a huge relief to know that we at least don't have to worry about them surviving the thaw.

I also learned the reason why my clinic waits until the embryos achieve blastocyst before freezing, rather than freezing on the 2nd or 3rd day.  After reading several of your blogs and hearing about how many clinics freeze the embryos early, I was concerned.  I feel much better now that I understand this vitrification process.  Research has shown that vitrified embryos have better post-thaw survival rates, higher pregnancy, and better live birth rates from FET cycles.  Because of this, allowing the embryos to reach the blastocyst stage (day 5 or 6), rather than freezing early, embryos that are chromosomally abnormal are weeded out. 

Dr. W wants me to have a saline infusion sonogram done before we actually start the FET cycle.  She wants to make sure that everything still looks okay, that no polyps have developed or anything else that might prevent the transfer from working.  As soon as I start my period, I am supposed to contact their office and get the sonogram done.  We aren't planning to do the transfer until May, but we don't want to wait and then find out we have a problem which could end up delaying us until the end of the summer.

I am so excited to know we have a plan!  May sounds so far away, but in actuality, I could be starting bcp's at the end of March!  I will be on bcp's for about 2 weeks, then start the Lupron injections, take estrace, then start the PIO injections about 5 days before the actual transfer.  With all of that, it times out to be about the middle of May.  Of course, it all depends on when AF decides to visit me now.  I have NO idea when that will be since it's been so long since I've had one.

It's amazing what one phone call can do to perk me up and get me excited for AF's visit!  I hope she's packed her suitcases and is on her way!

44 comments:

  1. so glad that you have a plan and are feeling excited and optimistic!! embyro freezing has come a long way so hopefully you will have two to transfer! Hope AF shows up soon and you can set this baby making plan in motion ASAP! We are rooting for you!

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  2. I am so happy that your doctor was able to put some of your concerns to rest. A 90% thaw rate is amazing. I know so many woman who had success on their FET's after failed fresh cycles. You were able to get pregnant and lost baby due to chromosomal issues, so I think this cycle is looking really good. Yay the end of March is not that far away. I will be cheering you on!

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    1. I feel so much better after talking with Dr. W. So far the odds really haven't been on our side, but I am still optimistic and so happy to at least have a chance!

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  3. Keeping my fingers crossed that this works for you!

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  4. I hear that clinic is amazing. I am so happy that you have a plan! It feel so good to know you are moving forward. Time flies... it will be here before you know it! Yay!!

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    1. I know! It's almost March already anyway. I just need AF to visit here by the end of Feb. to make that March deadline.

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    2. Come on AF! Only interfiles would say that!

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  5. I'm so glad your RE was able to ease your fears about the thawing process. I was also under the impression that embryos were only frozen at the blastocyst stage until I have read on other blogs recently of them being frozen earlier. I am constantly learning new things from this blog community. Hope AF shows soon so you get get started on the road to your FET. Thinking hopeful thoughts for those embryos.

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    1. I feel like I am learning something new ALL the time. Some things are reassuring, and others make me nervous and question everything! lol

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  6. I am so happy to hear you are feeling less stressed. You are in my thoughts and I am sending you lots of baby dust for your upcoming frozen transfer :)

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  7. Your plan sounds excellent and I can't wait until May!

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  8. I can totally relate to your fears about the FET. I only had one frozen embryo and it was nerve-wracking wondering if I was doing all the prep only to have the embryo not survive the thaw. It survived just fine and implanted like a champ! I hope yours does the same. Do you think you will transfer both, or will you try one at a time?

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    1. We will definitely transfer both. One isn't really that strong to begin with. And secretly (maybe stupidly?) I'd actally really like twins.

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  9. I'm so glad to see you have a plan in place and that your doctor was able to ease your fears. Good luck!

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  10. that is really awesome news! Many clinics are actually getting better rates with FETs.
    if you haven't had a saline sono before, it's not too bad!

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    1. That's good to know. I don't think I've had one before....

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  11. That's really interesting about vitrification. I have no idea if that's how our blast was frozen, but I'm definitely asking our RE next week when I'm there! I'm glad you have a plan and are happily moving ahead with things.

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    1. I had no idea either. I didn't even know there was a difference, and I never knew I should have asked! Crazy that we are ALWAYS learning something new about this process.

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  12. I'm so glad to hear that there are new ways of freezing that helps keep embryos safe. I was always terrified of cryopreservation for my own embryos because of that reason, though I never ended up having anything to freeze. Good luck!!!


    Happy ICLW!

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    1. We didn't have any to freeze doing IVF with my own eggs, and we barely had two with my sister's donor eggs. I'm so glad to know of the high success rate though, since we did end up with the two!

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  13. Best of luck to you! I will be rooting for you. Our clinic also likes to get them to blast before vitrification. It's nice when you know your clinic is constantly keeping up with the latest advances. (here from ICLW!)

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    1. I had never heard of vitrification before this. It is definitely nice to know our clinics are up to date in their practices.

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  14. I'm so happy things are moving along for you. May will be here before you know it! I'm excited! You could ask ur doc for prometrium to induce AF. I had some from a previous cycle and I took them to start my FET cycle. I'm so impatient. Lol

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    1. It's good to know what I should ask for if it were to come to that, but I will wait it out for a bit. They told me to expect AF 4-6 weeks after the D&C. Hopefully, it will just happen naturally... and soon :)

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  15. Plans are so empowering! I'm excited for you!

    Don't let quality be a thing that scares you. I know of several ladies who got pregnant with twins from two poor quality embies. One woman even got quads from three barely transferable embryos. ;)

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    1. This is very reassuring and I thank you for the info! I can't imagine quads from barely transferable embryos. There is still hope! (not for quads though, haha!)

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  16. Sounds like a solid plan, Amber! I hope those two frozen babies survive the thaw and end up coming home with you. :)

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  17. So glad that you have a plan in place! It totally agree, that having a plan is a huge step... knowing that we have something to focus on, even if it's a few months away, is huge for our IF minds :) Praying for your best May ever!!

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  18. Thnax for popping in from ICLW> Glad you have a plan, its the best things knowing what to do next!! Good luck xxx

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    1. And thank YOU for returning the gesture and stopping by MY blog :) Happy ICLW!

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  19. Best of luck to you!! It so wonderful to have a plan and something to look forward to :-)

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  20. That's such great news about the vitrification. I had no idea the survival rate was 90%! Woohoo!

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  21. I am SO glad to hear that you have a plan and that you're excited about it! May is just around the corner. And it sounds like you two are in great hands!

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  22. You're so "lucky" (relatively speaking, right?!) that they let you go at 4 ... my second-to-last decreasing beta was 3, and I had to go back one more time to get the big fat zero!

    So glad to hear that you have a plan in place and that you're getting excited.

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    1. I'm sorry you had to go back for another one. It's like, just let this be over already!

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  23. We are pretty lucky to live when we do, where things like vitrification have been discovered giving so many people who otherwise wouldn't be able to conceive the ability to have a child. I work with a clinic and am tasked with looking at blogs and offering encouragement, so I hope that you are successful with this and able to beat the egg freezing costs that hamper so many others. And FYI the technology is getting better, slowely but surely.

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  24. Amber, I think you have a new career in the making. You had a phone call and have all of this info that you can repeat. You are like a sponge soaking all of this knowledge up!! I am go glad that it gave you hope and May is literally just around the corner now!!!! I've sent a prayer up for you!! TWINS - now that's a pleasant thought!!!! Auntie

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