Hi introducing myself...(long)

Hi again, I wanted to let you know that endo can make it difficult, but like you said Shay, once they figure it out, than they can treat it. And a lot of times, once the problem is identified, they'll be able to succeed. I will share about our situation, in case someone else is reading this in the same situation we were in. DH was diagnosed with Leukemia in 97. He started chemo immediately, and in Jan 98 he had a Bone Marrow Transplant. To prepare for the BMT, he had to have total body irradiation. The oncologist warned that this treatment would make him sterile, and that he could bank his own sperm prior to the radiation. Fast forward 4 years, we decide to start IVF in January 02. We had the ICSI form, they do a GIFT and a couple other kinds, but the ICSI is the kind where they put the embryo back right into your uterus, so it doesn't have to travel at all. GIFT, they put the gamete into the fallopian tube. Then it finds it's own way to the uterus. The first cycle was a dudd. The hormones I was on, I didn't respond to, so they couldn't do an egg retrieval. After a complete cycle, we could try again. This time my body responded very well to the hormones. I don't think I got pregnant this cycle. It did take a couple cycles before I started to get pregnant, but I would notice that each cycle I got a little further so I thought eventually it'd work. We started IVF at the hospital where DH was treated for his Leukemia, because that's where his sperm was. After a couple years though, we moved further north and found a different clinic (far better clinic, too!) closer to home. This clinic made us read a book "Miscarriage: Why it happens and how best to reduce your risk" (or something like that) it was very helpful... And began to open our minds to the reality that recurrent miscarriage (3 or more) isn't likely an accident or bad luck, but for a reason. This clinic did tons of labs and found that I have antiphospholipid syndrome. (Same thing Courtney Cox had) which is very treatable. We did one cycle treating this, and it ended in miscarriage again. Now the docs do more tests, on both of us. Come to find out, DH has major chromosome problems. Mismatched and translocated chromosomes. It's unclear if the chromosome problems were there before or after the chemo, but in any case, his sperm had been produced post chemo. We did one more cycle, where they did PGD testing (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) on the embryos. Out of 9 embryos, all but 1 came back abnormal. That one, they cautioned could still be abnormal, just not in the chromosomes they screen for. They can only currently screen for 10/23 pairs of chromosomes, so any of the other 13 pairs could very well be deformed... We moved forward with the IVF with an agreement that regardless of the outcome, it'd be our last cycle. I had a couple cycles with severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, and that's no picnic. This last cycle was the worst. I made the most eggs I ever had (33, lucky Larry Bird!) so the OHSS was pretty bad with this cycle. Anyway, it ended in a miscarriage and the doctor told us then, that this would just never work for us. I think I knew in my heart for some time, it was very hard for DH. We met with the agency last February, during my last miscarriage. So we jumped right into adoption, but it was something we had considered and looked into a year earlier. Anyway, that's what happened with us... I love to hear about IVF working for other people, and I really don't mind answering any questions at all. I really wish I had found these forums while I was going through IVF, but never in a million years thought to. I did feel very alone during that, whereas with adoption, everyone knows someone touched by adoption, you know? So it can be a long and lonely road, don't hesitate to reach out. Things to expect with the hormone shots... if you're going that route (Shay, I imagine you'll be going to IVF since you had your fallopian tube removed, but not sure) the hormones may give you hotflashes and headaches, but to be honest, it wasn't that bad. I actually got a kick out of the symptoms I had because to me it meant they were working, it was like gratification for doing my shots on time, you know? You will have to go to the docs, a lot. Sometimes every day. Maybe even a couple times a day at times. But, if you are like me and do better with knowing than not knowing, you probably won't mind going. You'll get to see your eggs as they develop and you'll get to see your embryo when they implant it. That I thought was the coolest thing, how many other parents have pics of their children from EMBRYO to birth? I did enjoy that a lot. Sorry it's so long.. wanted to share so nobody thinks that it won't work for them since it didn't work for us. We had some weird things in our way, not typical at all. It will be exciting to watch you all go through this. Best wishes.

Julie, thank you so much for sharing your story. I wanted this board so that we could be a support system to those who may be ttc after adopting and maybe they have never tried more evasive procedures to get pregnant. Also for those who may not have somewhere to go to talk about ttc after adopting. So thank you for sharing this with us, it really means a lot. Also I am sorry that your husband has had a hard time too. I hope things are better. So are you done with ttc or adopting anymore children? I did try IVF and was doing the shots but they had to cancel midway through the cycle due to not starting me out on a stronger dose of fertility drugs. But due to financial concerns we may ttc on our own for a few months and then may consider adopting or IVF.

Having a tube removed doesnt automatically mean IVF Җ its actually very possible (in my case almost guaranteed) that you can and will get pregnant with one viable tube. I carried two successful pregnancies with one ovary (I think, still trying to confirm) and one tube҅we too are struggling with infertilitybut our issues are male factor and provided DHŒs numbers have come up someӔ next week, well be going in for our first IUI on the 13th. We havenҒt adopted but we were foster parents for about six monthsօso I hope that counts :)

Thanks, Shay! I should have mentioned the most important part, DH is very well! Thank God. He is considered cured now. PHEW! Yeah, I think they often start women out on a very mild hormone the first cycle.. and we end up not being able to have the cycle completed. I assumed for us it was because they had to show our insurance company that they tried less expensive hormones first.. or jumped through the insurance company's hoops basically. It can be very expensive without insurance, we would not have tried as long as we did if we didn't have it. The clinic we went to I believe is a national clinic. They have the best success rates in the country, and they have a plan where they will reimburse you almost all of the fee if the cycle does not end in the birth of your baby. If anyone wants the name of the clinic we went to, please don't hesitate to pm me. I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone in this situation. They were very personable and knowledgeable and just had so many nice touches. There's a website I could direct you to, and you could check it out. Shay, I hope you and yours have much success in your efforts... and maybe even a little fun trying!:evilgrin:

Brandy you are so funny...of course fostering counts. My DH also had "lazy" sperm and low count. So the odds are against us but your post makes me hopeful that it can happen for us. I will keep you in my prayers for your first IUI!!! So have you been on Clomid or anything? Boy do I know all about IUI :eek:

Oh I am so glad your hubby is better. I couldn't help but wonder sorry if that seemed too personal. You are too funny in this regard about having fun trying. You know it was weird how it really wasn't fun after the 15th million time we tried IUI. i mean it was like "ok honey, I am ready are you"...well I have to do this or that"...it got to be "routine" as far as a certain time and such. Maybe since we are doing this more on our own this time we will have more fun trying ;) :evilgrin:

Shay, funny you should ask LOL DH also has low count, but they found the cause and hope to be addressing it. I did take Clomid in Nov, my Dr. wanted to stimulate more eggs so we could see if that ovary was there or not...but because of some stupid ticket lady at the airport counter at Midway Airport the day before Thanksgiving - I ended up having to camp out at the airport for four hours, missing that appointment for the US to see about the ovary - so the whole cycle was a wash. We decided to bypass Dec - there was just to much going on and I didn't need the added stress of driving to the clinic an hour away three days in a row... So, tomorrow, I start my 2nd cycle of Clomid to increase the targets for the few sperm due to low count and then on the 12th go in for the US and have the first IUI on the 13th...*sigh*

That is good they found the cause...I wonder if drinking beer could slow your swimmers up a bit...LOL That ia awful about the airport and the cycle being a wash (no pun) intended. So today is the big day od cycle 2! Good Lcuk and you know you know have to keep us posted!

Well, today is actually CD3 and I'm waiting for the pharmacy to fill a script for Estrace so it puts my cycle on hold for a day, so I can go in for an US tomorrow *sigh* and then start Clomid. Not as easy as I'd hoped...I gotta see the Dr. this month *sigh*

Although I am no longer TTC, I am a battle-scarred veteran of the "assisted reproduction wars." I am posting to offer my experiences to anyone who is interested in ART and wants to ask questions of someone who's been down that road. I have had 6 IUIs (intra-uterine inseminations) - some with Clomid, and some with injectible meds. These processes resulted in 2 pregnancies - both miscarried. I also had one "lightning in a bottle" natural conception. This also ended in miscarriage. I also had 3 IVF cycles. Two pregnancies resulted. Both failed. I also had a frozen embryo cycle. This resulted in an ectopic pregnancy that had to be terminated. I did accupuncture to complement my IVF treatment. So, I've pretty much done everything except ICSI. I also had a positive lupus anticoagulant test, so I was on baby aspirin and heparin. So, if you want to bounce ART or miscarriage questions off me, please don't hesitate. By the way: our official diagnosis - "bad luck" We had every test modern science could offer and nothing came up. We even had a chromosonal analysis after one of the miscarriages and the result was "normal" - no chromosomal irregularities. The doctor said, "You could get lucky on the next try - or on the hundredth try." But, after all those procedures and six miscarriages, we were exhausted...and have since devoted ourselves to the adoption process and have not looked back. 'Roo

Oh my Roo! I feel your pain although I haven't had that evasive of procedures but have had what I consider to be enough for me. I may try some more evasive procedures after ttc on our own and also seeing where I stand on the Endo (if it is back and to what extent). I may need your insight so thank you for sharing your story and I am sorry that you have had a time of it, but look forward to the day you bring your child home! HUGS!!!

Hello all! Thanks for putting this link in your siggy Shay, I am a ONKNC member and saw it in your post there. I am so glad to be able to talk to others (that I already know-yeah) about this side of the journey to parenthood. Before TTA we TTC for almost a year with IUI's and clomid, none resulted in a pregnancy and we were told if we wanted to continue we would have to see an RE. We were taking classes to become foster parents at the time and decided that nothing had worked because we were supposed to follow that path to parenthood. Two years later I have two wonderful girls but would still like to experience pregnancy. We went to an RE 11/05 and he did initial tests to see if there was any reason why I did not get pregnant through my previous tries. He didn't find out why.....but did find out I had early stage cervical cancer. In 12/05 I had a procedure to remove all cancerous cells and I go back in just three weeks for a follow up. We will discuss then when I can safely resume TTC. Wow that was a long story.....:)

jandn...oh my please know I will pray that everything comes back clear!!! I am so glad you came to join us as you can see it is new and it may take time to get people over here, welcome!! It is a subject that is not really talked about in the public because it really is about adoption persay...you know what I am trying to say right? I had talked with Madden'Mom and she was going through the same feelings I was about wanting ttc again before looking into another adoption. Anyway...you know our stories. Please let us know what the results are and we will be here for you. You are not alone and now we know we aren't either!!! HUGS and prayers to you!!!!

Hi Shay! I look forward to getting to know you as well... I posted an intro under another thread... best of everything in your trying!!!!

Thank you Tammy, you do not know how good is feels to be able to have a place to discuss this and know that you have support! Thank you!!