After sending hours on the train, in the waiting room, at cheap accommodations and anywhere but home during the weeks of our previous two PGD-IVF cycles we decided it was just too stressful. We contacted the two IVF clinics in our city and luckily one of them is willing to assist us. They are going to do all the necessary tests prior to treatment and all the scans and blood test during treatment up to egg collection.
On work days I just have to get up a bit earlier as tests are at 7:30 am and the hospital is 10 minutes from work. This clinic is realtively small so hopefully it will not be as busy as the London one and I can start work at 8:30 the latest. (I normally start at 8 but it is flexible).
On Lily days I don't have to take her to a whole day trip where her meals and naps are completely mixed up. We won't have to move to London either as we did at the busiest parts of both previous treatments. She can sleep in her own bed and play in her usual playgroups.
I completely trust our local clinic. They are willing to follow whatever protocol we are given and we had a really good consultation with them.
Although they do not offer PGD the actual consultant we saw had PGD experience. We discussed the effect of testing on the embryos. Testing is done when the embryos are 8-cell big. The embryo's outer layer is pierced and one or two cells are removed for testing. These cells are destroyed during the test because of the nature of the testing.
What remains is an embryos with less cells and a hole in its shell. This is a shock to the embryo and might delay further growth. There is however a similar procedure called "assisted hatching".
Accroding to the Human fertilisation and Embryology Authority "before an embryo can attach to the wall of the womb, it has to break
out or ‘hatch’ from its outer layer called the zona pellucida.It has been suggested that making a hole in or thinning this outer
layer may help embryos to ‘hatch’, increasing the chances of the woman
becoming pregnant in some cases."
A lot of clinics tried this approach including our local clinic. According to our consultant they did not see any changes. Neither for better nor for worse. So at least the hole might not affect our embryos that much, only the sudden loss of cells.
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Slight changes
Our next PGD cycle will be in April.
I am trying to be relaxed but I tend to go over and over things in my mind. The clinic we go to is wonderful but not always very well organised. My biggest fear is that we miss a test which has to be on a specific cycle day and we will be delayed. I am also unsure whether our tests from October are valid or not. It is very difficult to get hold of people on the phone. They do call back but last time they did I was in a playgroup with Lily. I could not go out and leave her alone so I tried to say yes and no only. Obviously it meant I did not get to ask my questions and was just told they can't say anything so early and to ring after my March period.
Our next cycle will be the repeat of our fist cycle with slight changes.
IVF doctors want to regulate the patients menstruation cycle so they have better contol of timing. On my first two cycles I was given microgynon (contraceptive pill) in the month prior to the treatment. A few days after I stopped taking the pill my monthly bleeding started and thus treatment started alonside it.
I was asked to take another pill this time instead of microgynon. I forgot the name but remember that it is a progesterone only pill. To quote the consultant it does not contain the "bad" oestrogen only the "good" progesterone.
Personally I don't think oestrogen is "bad", progesterone is "good" and the whole matter is so simple. They are natural hormones with complex roles in the body. I wish I could just go ahead without taking any contraceptive in the month prior to treatment. It feels really silly when I want to have a child. However if it works we can say that we got pregnant the first month after stopping the pill :)
The other change might invole the use of a "growth hormone". I was not told which medicine it is exactly but apparently it is the same thing what is given to children with growth hormone deficiency. I really really do not want to take it. It seems like a random thing to me. On one hand it is great that my clinic tries to be in the forefront of research and constantly trying new things to improve success. However fertility science is far from precise and if they keep changing they will never have a good enough sample to produce proper statistical results and determine the usefulness of each approach.
I am trying to be relaxed but I tend to go over and over things in my mind. The clinic we go to is wonderful but not always very well organised. My biggest fear is that we miss a test which has to be on a specific cycle day and we will be delayed. I am also unsure whether our tests from October are valid or not. It is very difficult to get hold of people on the phone. They do call back but last time they did I was in a playgroup with Lily. I could not go out and leave her alone so I tried to say yes and no only. Obviously it meant I did not get to ask my questions and was just told they can't say anything so early and to ring after my March period.
Our next cycle will be the repeat of our fist cycle with slight changes.
IVF doctors want to regulate the patients menstruation cycle so they have better contol of timing. On my first two cycles I was given microgynon (contraceptive pill) in the month prior to the treatment. A few days after I stopped taking the pill my monthly bleeding started and thus treatment started alonside it.
I was asked to take another pill this time instead of microgynon. I forgot the name but remember that it is a progesterone only pill. To quote the consultant it does not contain the "bad" oestrogen only the "good" progesterone.
Personally I don't think oestrogen is "bad", progesterone is "good" and the whole matter is so simple. They are natural hormones with complex roles in the body. I wish I could just go ahead without taking any contraceptive in the month prior to treatment. It feels really silly when I want to have a child. However if it works we can say that we got pregnant the first month after stopping the pill :)
The other change might invole the use of a "growth hormone". I was not told which medicine it is exactly but apparently it is the same thing what is given to children with growth hormone deficiency. I really really do not want to take it. It seems like a random thing to me. On one hand it is great that my clinic tries to be in the forefront of research and constantly trying new things to improve success. However fertility science is far from precise and if they keep changing they will never have a good enough sample to produce proper statistical results and determine the usefulness of each approach.
Life is not easy for anyone
Puil and I sometimes feel sorry for ousrelves because of all this PGD malarky. We ususally quickly realise how very lucky we are.
Sadly some of our friends are in sad or difficult situations at the moment. I don't think any of them reads this blog but my thoughts are with them and with their families and I really hope that things will turn better.
Sadly some of our friends are in sad or difficult situations at the moment. I don't think any of them reads this blog but my thoughts are with them and with their families and I really hope that things will turn better.
Total failure
That's why I never make a new year resolution. I know I wouldn't keep it.
On Sunday I was babysitting for Annie. It was wonderful as her daughter goes to bed a bit later then Lily so I said goodnight to Lily, got a lift from her husband and had a lovely time with her daughter. Annie's husband also drove me back home afterwards so it could not have been more perfect. But I went to bed late.
On Monday I invited some volleyball friends. I wanted to do this for a while and that Monday was not the best choice but I did not want to delay it any more. We enjoyed ourselves a lot but funnily enough I wan't the only tired one. The party finished at 11 which is still relatively early but later then my resolution.
On Wednesday I did housework as my mother-in-law and my mother was coming to visit us during the weekend.
I missed training on Thursday as I didn't feel very well. It feels like a vicious cicrle: I feel bad on Thursday, I miss training, I start to feel better, I play a match on the weekend and then by Thursday I am quite ill again. I am still unsure about tomorrow.
The weekend was great but we stayed up late playing games having nice conversations and generally having a good time.
On Monday I played a game. I forgot to bring my trainers but luckily one of the girls lent me her shoes. She even offered to wear the normal shoes herself and give me the trainers but it would have been very selfish of me to accept. So I did not enjoy the match too much. It felt like playing barefoot but with my toes clamped at the same time.
Today is Puil's day for dancing. I hope after writing this blog post I will not stay at the computer but wait for his return with a book in bed.
On Sunday I was babysitting for Annie. It was wonderful as her daughter goes to bed a bit later then Lily so I said goodnight to Lily, got a lift from her husband and had a lovely time with her daughter. Annie's husband also drove me back home afterwards so it could not have been more perfect. But I went to bed late.
On Monday I invited some volleyball friends. I wanted to do this for a while and that Monday was not the best choice but I did not want to delay it any more. We enjoyed ourselves a lot but funnily enough I wan't the only tired one. The party finished at 11 which is still relatively early but later then my resolution.
On Wednesday I did housework as my mother-in-law and my mother was coming to visit us during the weekend.
I missed training on Thursday as I didn't feel very well. It feels like a vicious cicrle: I feel bad on Thursday, I miss training, I start to feel better, I play a match on the weekend and then by Thursday I am quite ill again. I am still unsure about tomorrow.
The weekend was great but we stayed up late playing games having nice conversations and generally having a good time.
On Monday I played a game. I forgot to bring my trainers but luckily one of the girls lent me her shoes. She even offered to wear the normal shoes herself and give me the trainers but it would have been very selfish of me to accept. So I did not enjoy the match too much. It felt like playing barefoot but with my toes clamped at the same time.
Today is Puil's day for dancing. I hope after writing this blog post I will not stay at the computer but wait for his return with a book in bed.
Sunday 22 January 2012
A long night
It was entirely my fault. Lily slept very well apart from waking twice before 10 (while I was still working) and once at 5:30 am. That is a bit earlier than usual but the poor little girl has a runny nose and it is nice to get upright in such a situation.
I however was very naughty. After stopping work I was just too tired to go to bed and went on doing stupid things on the computer. This resulted in me becoming useless in the morning and while Puil and Lily had a good time I was totally knocked out. I also couldn't go to the party as it would have been impossible to get ready on time. The original plan was that we all go to the party and I leave after an hour to get back home on time for my lift to our match. So I just walked them to the bus stop and here I am doing a bit of cleaning and than off I go.
From today till the PGD in April I will be good. I will go to bed at 9:30 the latest each day (apart from training and match days as they tend to be long and are out of my control). I will be a good and fun company for Puil and Lily and I will work very hard so that I can relax a bit in April. Now that I wrote it down I really can't back out.
I however was very naughty. After stopping work I was just too tired to go to bed and went on doing stupid things on the computer. This resulted in me becoming useless in the morning and while Puil and Lily had a good time I was totally knocked out. I also couldn't go to the party as it would have been impossible to get ready on time. The original plan was that we all go to the party and I leave after an hour to get back home on time for my lift to our match. So I just walked them to the bus stop and here I am doing a bit of cleaning and than off I go.
From today till the PGD in April I will be good. I will go to bed at 9:30 the latest each day (apart from training and match days as they tend to be long and are out of my control). I will be a good and fun company for Puil and Lily and I will work very hard so that I can relax a bit in April. Now that I wrote it down I really can't back out.
Saturday 21 January 2012
A busy week
Spent 3 days at work, went twice to the soft play centre, visited 1 new baby group, bought a lot of boring (healthy) food, cooked 5 meals, drank 10 litres of water, exercised 3 evenings, slept 42 hours and had 1 PGD appointment.
The PGD appointment was over phone and was quite quick. It seems that we are mostly going to repeat our first cycle with slight differences. The main idea is to start on a low stimulation dose and not to increase this dose unless absolutely necessary. It is written onto our notes and e-mailed out to everyone. We are not sure though what to think about that. Last time it was written onto our notes that egg collection should not happen before day 14 and it still happened on day 13.
I also have lower back pain which is quite unfair given that I am not pregnant.
Work is quite exciting much-much better than what I expected. And I also appreciate the time spent with my family even more. Tomorrow is Sunday and we are going to a family friendly party. Unluckily I also have a match to play so I will have to depart early and leave Puil and Lily behind. I hope we win at least.
The PGD appointment was over phone and was quite quick. It seems that we are mostly going to repeat our first cycle with slight differences. The main idea is to start on a low stimulation dose and not to increase this dose unless absolutely necessary. It is written onto our notes and e-mailed out to everyone. We are not sure though what to think about that. Last time it was written onto our notes that egg collection should not happen before day 14 and it still happened on day 13.
I also have lower back pain which is quite unfair given that I am not pregnant.
Work is quite exciting much-much better than what I expected. And I also appreciate the time spent with my family even more. Tomorrow is Sunday and we are going to a family friendly party. Unluckily I also have a match to play so I will have to depart early and leave Puil and Lily behind. I hope we win at least.
Friday 13 January 2012
Another great day
My supervisor agreed to my plan to work 4 days a week. She had her reservations but as long as my project is going OK it should be fine. She is the only person at work who knew about our PGD. She was also very honest about it. She didn't think it was a good idea but she couldn't have been more supportive. I love her.
The local hospital agreed to cooperate with our London clinic to do the blood tests and scans. They do the tests between 7:30-8:00 a.m. so noone will notice that I am doing an IVF PGD treatment. The consultant we saw was amazing and she even had PGD expertise from her previous job.
A telephone consultation is booked with our London consultant for next week. I really hope we can get started soon.
Today I have a whole day with Lily and tomorrow Puil has a whole day with her. And finally Sunday is for all 3 of us.
Life is great.
The local hospital agreed to cooperate with our London clinic to do the blood tests and scans. They do the tests between 7:30-8:00 a.m. so noone will notice that I am doing an IVF PGD treatment. The consultant we saw was amazing and she even had PGD expertise from her previous job.
A telephone consultation is booked with our London consultant for next week. I really hope we can get started soon.
Today I have a whole day with Lily and tomorrow Puil has a whole day with her. And finally Sunday is for all 3 of us.
Life is great.
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