One more try?

In early January, I had a follow up call with Dr. Rosen about possible next steps. Not that I was ready to jump into IVF again, I just wanted to get his thoughts on 1) if he still had such high hopes for me and 2) what he would do. Thankfully, he believes me to still be a great candidate for IVF. After throwing out a whole bunch of options – HCG infusion to help my lining, co-culture to support the embryo, Human Growth Hormone, DHEA, etc – he promised to present my case to all the docs at UCSF for discussion and to come back with a new protocol.

And four weeks later, I finally heard back from him. To be fair, he did say it might be awhile. The good news and probably no surprise, all the docs agree I should be able to get pregnant. There is no big underlying something we are missing that makes it impossible for me to conceive. So here is what he came up with in no order except how I wrote it down:

-       No more baby aspirin. This makes me nervous but he quoted some evidence where it may not help. I did conceive DS without it so why not?

-       Take DHEA

-       Switch to the Antagonist protocol – yay for no more Lupron!

-       Do the PGD – apparently everyone now does the same kind of testing as CCRM’s CCS. Even better results may come within enough time for a fresh transfer. Not sure how that works but I am ok with it.

-       Use Lovenox at transfer based on my elevated anti cardial lipids and placental abruption with Miles.

-       Add Human Growth Hormone if doing a fresh transfer

-       Do a HCG infusion to help with lining

-       Co culture my embryos

-       Consider natural FET (if FET) with some progesterone support if needed.

-       Uterine biopsy to aggravate the uterus and help it grow back stronger. Dr. Surrey also recommended that as the only change he would make if I cycled at CCRM again.

-       And of course ICSI and assisted hatching are assumed.

There you have it. And if it works, we wont have any idea what made the difference. And it wont matter. I will be pregnant.

So you may be thinking based on my last posts, arent you just going the adoption route? Why the new talk about IVF? Yes, we are going the adoption route and yes, we are trying au naturel with the help of preseed, Dr. Liangs herbs and our brand new Clear Blue easy digital fertility Monitor which I love! I am about options and its hard for me to say goodbye to my own chance to carry our biological child. I am not ready to jump in tomorrow but three months from now, I might. A year ago, I hated the thought of wasting anytime between cycles but for now, I am totally okay with it. Why? Maybe its that I realized that it probably wont work or its that DH and I just completed the 21-day Standard Purification Cleanse.

No caffeine, no alcohol, no refined sugars, dairy or flours, no bread, no gluten. Plus we took a regiment of supplements –omega oils, flaxseed, super green food and fiber. We both feel amazing now that we have replaced crackers and chips with fruits and veggies and sandwiches for big salads. Not that we were really unhealthy before but I more strongly believe that these changes will only help our chances. Both of us are committed to keep these changes (but with the occasional chip, piece of dark chocolate or cup of coffee). Given that follicles start to develop three months before ovulation, I’d like to get my body in the best possible shape before another cycle and if we get lucky in the meantime (on our own or through adoption), even better.