Alternative Treatment Abroad Update

[Hopecontinues]

Hi,

I decided to go ahead with a tandem ivf round with cytoplasmic transfer. This means I do a round of stims at the same time as a donor. After egg collection, they take the donor cytoplasm and inject it in my eggs, which is supposed to improve chances. They also do just donor eggs, so I have a back up if mine don't work.

First of all, I received a protocol with a maximum dose of stims and I suffer from OHSS, so I dug my heels in, but they wouldn't budge until I pulled out on day 2 of my period. They then gave me a new prescription, but no new protocol, other than 300 iu of gonal f from Day 3 with 150 iu of menopur starting day 8. This would leave me 1 day short of gonal f, but my coordinator wouldn't give me any help, so I've had to guess the dose I should take. Yes I know insane.

After my first scan, the coordinator told me I didn't need any further scans, that was last Friday, but the doctor told her to tell me to hold off on cetrotide yesterday on the basis of that scan. I am terrified of getting OHSS again, so had a private scan today and already have 6 follicles over 16mm with 2 over 18mm and a further 12 follicles ranging in size. My transfer is Sunday. No idea what to think of this and whether my coordinator will even speak to a doctor.

Anyway, whilst I was having the scan the nurse said she had a patient who also went to North Cyprus for treatment, met a pregnant woman in the waiting room, got chatting to her and she said that she only had one embryo, but somehow was pregnant with non identical twins. They kept in touch and apparently after the birth, they discovered that one of the babies looked Chinese. 😳 That means someone is missing an embryo that is now a baby.

I'm in this now, but this is one bumpy journey and I definitely wouldn't recommend alternative treatment in unregulated places. Will keep you updated. If anyone has a success story from doing this, please share.

Thanks

X

[katiehopeful81]

Hey Hope, how old are you if you don’t mind me asking? I asked a clinic in the Ukraine if they would do pronuclear transfer but they refused given my age

[katiehopeful81 in reply to katiehopeful81]

I’m 42 btw

[Hopecontinues in reply to katiehopeful81]

That's a shame, as that has good results. Can't believe I'm saying this but I'm 46. I'm not sure I'd recommend what I'm doing, it's so stressful. I had a full medical with work on Friday and I had borderline high blood pressure for the first time in my life. They asked me if I was stressed, erm yes just a bit.

If it works though, I might wax lyrical about it, so it's best I get my story out now.

I take it you're not ready for donor eggs?

[katiehopeful81 in reply to Hopecontinues]

I don’t know. I’ve done 4 failed rounds and had a natural miscarriage a couple of months ago. I’m just really fatigued with it all. So not really sure what I want to do anymore are you using your own eggs?

[Hopecontinues in reply to katiehopeful81]

That's tough. I'm sorry you've had to go through that and totally get why you are at a cross roads. This is my 4th round with my own eggs. I don't have a problem producing eggs, but I've never had a BFP, so this is the in-between option. If it doesn't work I'm done with my own eggs and will use the donor embryos. I fly out on Thursday, so will let you know what it's like.

Don't lose hope.

[katiehopeful81 in reply to Hopecontinues]

Thanks. I really have lost hope this last week or so. Good luck with everything. Feel free to message me and tell me what the clinics like and how it goes x

[Hopecontinues in reply to katiehopeful81]

I was like this last year, month after month went by. Maybe I needed the break, but now I'm 46. You have somewhere between 6 and 13% chance at 42, this drops off at 43. 6% is a 1 in 17 chance, so unfortunately it can take many rounds. I know it's hard and expensive and physically and mentally challenging, but this is your time. Have you tried DHEA? Have you done all the tests?