Update - We have a plan!!!

I FINALLY had my follow-up appointment with the RE yesterday after my FET c/p in March and my RPL panel bloodwork. I am so impressed with my RE. There is a reason that he's one of the best! He had spent a long time reviewing our chart and previous history and had a plan ready for us.

He first went over our RPL results. Everything came back normal EXCEPT that I have heterozygous Factor V Leiden. It's a blood clotting issue that means my blood is more prone to forming clots. He says that he does NOT think it has anything to do with our three loses, though. Apparently it's a big debate in the IF world because 10% of the population have Factor V, but only .5-1% of people have repeat pregnancy loss, so it may or may not be related. He said that our treatment options are taking aspirin or H.eparin injections. He discourages H.eparin, though, because the risks outweigh the gains.

His main conclusion is that our problems are a result of poor egg quality. With an FSH of 11.4, I'm above normal, which could indicate egg quality issues. His goal with our next IVF will be to try and improve egg quality by using "softer" stimulation and by adding growth hormone, which recent studies have shown to improve quality. He is also swiching L.upron to GnRH antagonist which won't give me such extreme headaches. We're hoping to get fewer eggs of better quality. In the past, they've retrieved 23 eggs each time but only about 14 have been mature and 9 fertilized (both cycles were pretty similar), although in the first cycle, my embryos after day 3 had poor quality and poor morphology. So, if we can have fewer eggs that are better quality and more able to fertilize, plus take aspirin for the Factor V, then maybe this is a recipe that will work!

Mr. C and have had our hope restored a bit after hearing what our RE had to say. We're ready to move along with this next cycle (probably in July). Mr. C. is feeling positive and supports this new plan, so that makes me feel so good!

Mother's Day Angel Exchange

Today is a difficult day for a lot of us. I can't help but have the thought creep in from the back of my mind that I've had two due dates come and go in the last year and I should be celebrating my motherhood today. BUT, I'm choosing not to dwell on my own situation, but instead focus on celebrating the amazing mother that I have been blessed with.

Speaking of amazing women, I am part of a group of strong, supportive ladies on the Trouble Trying to Conceive board on The Bump. They continually provide information, support, and cheerleading to anyone who is struggling with IF and I have found such comfort in their words. One of the ladies (Tarah) had a wonderful idea to make us all feel better on Mother's Day and organized an Angel Exchange. We drew names on Elfster and bought our secret pal a Willow Tree angel to open today.

I received two beautiful angels from Manda; Thinking of You and Angel of Wishes. They are beautiful and made this a happy day worthy of celebration. THANK YOU Manda!