TTC Timeline

2007:
  • Started Trying in February
  • Started Worrying in August
  • Started Temping in November - Confirmed ovulation and regular cycles

2008:
  • RE#1 appointment in January says maybe we just need a better egg, let's try clomid IUIs
  • HSG and hormone tests done in Feburary - All looks normal
  • IUI #1 w/ clomid in March - BFN
  • IUI #2 w/ clomid in April - BFN
  • IUI #3 w/ clomid in May - BFN
  • RE#1 pushes us towards IVF because I'm getting OLD! We aren't ready. Decide to take a break.
  • Try naturally and go to Acupuncturist #1 after reading An Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis during the summer. Just need to cure my 'liver qi stagnation'
  • No luck with TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) after 6 months, so decide to go see RE#2 in Nov.  She says, "You guys should be pregnant. On paper you look fantastic." Decide to try a few more IUIs along with TCM.
  • IUI #4 w/ letrozole in Dec - BFN

2009:
  • IUI #5 w/ letrozole in Jan - BFN. RE#2 suggests in a much nicer way that we move to IVF. We agree.
  • IVF #1 in April - agonist protocol, gonal-f - 16 eggs retrieved, transfer 2 grade A blasts on day 5, freeze 2 hatching blasts on day 6, progesterone high on day of trigger (premature lutenization). Feverish during 2ww- Chemical.  Sad, but a slight bit of hope.
  • FET #1 in June- 2 grade A day 6 hatching blasts transferred. Feverish during 2ww- BFN
  • IVF #2 in Sept- agonist protocol, gonal-f - 12 eggs retrieved, transferred 3 'good but not great' blasts on day 5, none to freeze, progesterone high on day of trigger, more premature lutenization, more feverish feelings in 2ww - BFN
  • Spend remainder of the year researching why this isn't working for us
  • 2nd opinion consult with RE #3 in Dec. Thinks I may have implantation issues and possible endometriosis because of the patterns in my bbt charts. First time an RE even looked at those.

2010:
  • Exploratory Laparoscopy in January after convincing my OB to do this. Found 1 small spot of endometriosis found, 1 small spot of inflamed tissue. All removed. Think that maybe, this could be it!
  • Acupuncturist #2 and TCM and try to conceive naturally now that I have a 'fresh start' in February
  • Free phone consult with RE#4 at SIRM because nothing is working. Getting frustrated and wonder if maybe there are some immune issues. Orders immunology blood workup.
  • Immune test results back in July. Found some mild possible immune issues: MTHFR, borderline APAs, high CD56+ and also Insulin resistance. Started Metformin, extra Vitamin B6 and baby aspiring daily.
  • Researched clinical trials in August because we are sick of spending $$ on this. Found one with RE #5 and go through testing to see if I qualify.
  • Testing all clear in September and get a confirmed spot in trial for next IVF.
  • IVF #3 via clinical trial in October - Antagonist protocol, follistim, 2 4cell day 3 embryos transferred. Insane day or transfer. Read about it here... Chemical. Back to the drawing board.
  • WTF apts in November with RE #5 & RE #2 - say my egg quality sucks. I could try again, but would have better success with donor eggs or adoption.
  • Decide to try my eggs one last time for closure before moving on to something else.
2011:
  • IVF #4 in January- Antagonist protocol, gonal-f & menopur, 14 eggs retrieved, 8 mature, 6 fertilized, high progesterone on day of trigger, decided to freeze most on day 2, but still transferred the 2 lower quality one on day 2 for kicks.... Beta = 1.0. BFN
  • RE#6 in April- Phone consult with CCRM. Recommends doing another fresh, doing blastocyst CGH microarray genetic testing to rule out genetic issues and also a beta3 integrin uterine biopsy to rule out implantation issues. May want to do 2 months of depot lupron if biposy comes back iffy or negative. For now, just keeping these things in the back of my mind.
  • FET #2 in April with RE #2 - Transferred 3 remaining day2 embryos from IVF#4 and had a follicle growing through the Lupron, so we triggered that with HCG and could potentially have quadruplets! (HIGHLY unlikely, but...)... Beta 16dpo - 25.3, Beta 18dpo - 9.8. Chemical... again.
  • Talked about all of our options with RE #2, had a white-board session with my sisters about not really knowing what is wrong and laid all options out there... more fresh cycles with my body, try a surrogate, move straight to donor eggs?  Donor Eggs it is! Read about our decision here.
  • DE IVF #1 started in May, first donor was a dud, so found a second donor. Took us a while to get to retrieval, but sometime in late September, our donor kicked some serious ovary butt! 24 eggs retrieved, 20 fertilized, transferred 2 day5 blasts, froze 6 expanded day 6 blasts. BFP!!! Beta 15dpo = 204, Beta 17dpo 966. First u/s at 6w1d showed two beautiful sacs with two beautiful heartbeats.... we are finally pregnant!!!
2012:
  • After a blissful easy twin pregnancy, M&M and the Bean Burrito were born on June 12, 2012. They are the answer to our dreams and the children we were most definitely meant to have.

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