40 yr old failed IVF with chemical pregnancy

[kellyshope]

April 2009 failed IUI
June 2009 failed IVF with chemical pregnancy. Two embryo's sorry I don't know the grade. I was so setting myself up for a let down and yes I tested myself almost everyday even 8 days post and still a negative. I told my husband that it just didn't work until I woke up the next morning and their I see but a faint positive line. I think I looked up at the bathroom ceiling and began to cry, thanking god for answering our prayers. I went to work that day with what I was told "A wonderful glow". Later that day I began to spot, which started to worry me, so I called the doctors office they told me that it's probably nothing to worry about. The next day I went in for my beta it was a very low 25, the doctor said that it should be between 50-100. I can't even explain how deeply my heart sank to the floor when he told me that, yes I was pregnant, but I am going to be miscarring, better terms chemical pregnancy. Later that day I began to spot even more, the entire 3 days of heavy spotting and severe cramps before starting AF. Has anyone been through a chemical pregnacy and had a successful 2nd IVF round???? I look forward to speak to anyone about this as I have had no one to vent to about this, that would truly understand me.......

[kval]

So sorry to hear about your loss. I too had a chemical pregnancy last month. It took a little over a week b/f my betas started to drop though, so I got to walk around with that "glow" for an entire week! Although I think that just made it that much harder to accept in the end. I have done a lot of research on CP and spoken with my RE about conception following, and everything I've found states that it has no impact of future successful pregancies. So try not to lose hope, I'll be thinking of you!

[kellyshope]

Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. I am also sorry for you too. I always think to myself why? I see so many other women that don't seem to care, we saw a woman the other day she was about 7 months pregnant smoking like a chimney. It angers me so. I called the doctors office today because I am still experiencing cramping on my left side, my period just ended so I wasn't sure what it was. The nurse told me that I still could be releasing follicles from my last cycle. Has anyone else experienced that as well???

[HCJ]

Originally Posted by kellyshope

Has anyone been through a chemical pregnacy and had a successful 2nd IVF round???? I look forward to speak to anyone about this as I have had no one to vent to about this, that would truly understand me.......

I'm so sorry about your chemical pregnancy. I had one last year (age 39) and as you said, it's such a let down when you think it finally worked. The good news is that my next two IVF cycles did work - one unfortunately ended in a lost heartbeat late in the first trimester, but I'm now 13 weeks pregnant with twins. The fact that at least one of your embryos did implant is a really good sign that IVF will work for you, so don't give up hope. Please feel free to PM me with any other questions or just to chat. One thing I think was important for me was putting back more embryos. We put back 4 with this last IVF and did AH with two of them....

[kellyshope]

Hello and thank you so much for responding...I am so very happy for you that you are having twins!!!!!! Did you have a 3 day or 5 day??? We had a 5 day and only two made it and yes I initially wanted to have 4 implanted. I had two other additional embryos but they didn't make it, for the freezing point. Was there anything that you did differently this time? Acupuncture? Yoga? Taking time off of work??? Please give me some insight into this.... It has been 7 days post my chemical pregnancy and I still have some slight cramping. The doctors office said that it still could be follicles from the last cycle. I responded a little to well that I initially had over 40 measurable follicles, but only 18 retrieved. The day before the procedure I couldn't even walk and I could do is barely wobble. I think that was the worst part about all of this, is feeling all of those follicles over taking my ovaries. But at least now when we do our next cycle, I know what to expect....

[kindhiker]

I went throught the same thing with my first IVF. I am hoping with all of my being that this next one develops into my family. The "CP" was horrible and each time I went to the bathroom was a horrible reminder. HCJ, you are an inspiration.

[HCJ]

Originally Posted by kellyshope

Did you have a 3 day or 5 day??? We had a 5 day and only two made it and yes I initially wanted to have 4 implanted. I had two other additional embryos but they didn't make it, for the freezing point. Was there anything that you did differently this time? Acupuncture? Yoga? Taking time off of work??? Please give me some insight into this....

We have always done 3 day transfers. My clinic is a bit more conservative in deciding who will go to day 5, and for me, they have always recommended going ahead and putting back the best embryos on day 3 instead of trying to go to day 5. I'm not sure if this is because of my age or because we usually only have about 7-9 fertilized embryos, of which about 4-5 end up being grade 2 ("very good"). (BTW, your numbers look really great - 18 retrieved, wow).

The only thing we did differently this time around is put back four - the first cycle (age 37) we put back two and ended up with my son, the second cycle (age 38, almost 39) we put back 3 and had the chemical pregnancy, the third cycle (age 39) we put back 3 and one implanted, but we lost the heartbeat at 10 weeks. Since we had already put back 8 in total and had just one successful pregnancy, I really felt like it was the quality of my eggs that was the problem. I read somewhere that as a woman gets older, a large number of her eggs have chromosomal problems and even if they fertilize, won't make it past the 7-10 week point (when the main organs are developing). I felt like this is what was happening to me with the chemical pregnancy and the lost heartbeats, so to beat those odds of "older" eggs (I was two weeks from turning 40), I asked the RE to put back as many embryos as she felt was safe (I was pushing for five, and although reluctant, she would have done it had I been insistent, but DH and I finally agreed to put back only four this time, and if it didn't work, five the next (and last) cycle). We also had to decide on assisted hatching. From appearances alone, the embryologist didn't recommend AH, but she did recommend it because of my age. I decided to let them hatch two and leave two alone. I'll always be curious to know if it was the two that were hatched that took, or the other two, or maybe a combination, but I guess I'll never know.... (In our first cycle, we didn't do AH, in the second cycle (chemical), we hatched one of three, and in the third cycle (lost heartbeat) we hatched two of three).

As for other things, I didn't do anything else special (no yoga, acupuncture, etc). I actually decided to just go on with life as usual with this last cycle. With previous cycles, I stressed about everything. This time, I decided I was going to not worry about every little thing as much because I really felt like it working or not working had nothing to do with anything I was or wasn't doing but the quality of the eggs. I should add, though, I lead a pretty quiet lifestyle anway and I'm not a smoker or heavy caffeine or alcohol drinker, so continuing on with my normal routine was probably okay..

With all of my cycles, I didn't work out once I started the stimulation, and after the retrieval, I was very strict about not lifting anything heavier than 10 lbs until the beta HCG test. I stayed home from work from the day of retrieval until 3 days after transfer, and although I did take it easy, I didn't stay in bed the whole time either - I pretty much just had some very relaxing, lazy days at home.

I know this is a long response, and probably more information than you wanted, but I hope my situation does give you some hope. I think the chemical pregnancy is a great sign that everything is working okay with your body and that it's just a matter of beating the odds of our age and finding the right egg/embryo that doesn't have chromosomal problems. Put back as many as they will let you (within limits of course) and as many as you feel comfortable with if they do all happen to make it (chances of which are very very slim at 40+). You will get there!

Hanna

p.s. I read somewhere that most natural twins are born to older moms because older women often ovulate two eggs at time. I think this is nature's way of trying to beat the odds of chromosomal problems as well.

[HCJ]

Originally Posted by kindhiker

I went throught the same thing with my first IVF. I am hoping with all of my being that this next one develops into my family. The "CP" was horrible and each time I went to the bathroom was a horrible reminder. HCJ, you are an inspiration.

Chemical pregnancies are so hard, but many clinics (mine included) see this as a success because it shows that implantation can occur. A very good friend of mine (who I met through the IVF) had a chemical pregnancy her first cycle. Her second cycle ended up in twins, who just turned three. She went through a few more chemical pregnancies after that and is now 14 weeks pregnant with one baby. Keep your hopes up - things will work for you as well!

[kellyshope]

Hanna,
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom and my gosh your response really made my morning. Another question if it's not too personal??? What was your diagnosis or your husbands???
You truly are insperational and I hope that someday I can leave my words of wisdom to someone that needs it like me and many others on this forum.
I soppose this time around I'm a little bit more relaxed, because I know what to expect and stressing myself out with it is not going to help.
My new acupuncturist is wonderful and she gives me such great hope too. I am also considering a short term leave of abscense from work, not too sure yet what I want to do. My work has been very supportive, but it's also very stressful. I have also started Japanese herbs which so far seem to be working or could this be all in my mind?? I soppose it doesn't matter, because it is making me feel good. Have a great day and for anyone else that's reading this, please vent how you feel with these wonderful people on this forum. It has truly helped me. Have a great day, everyone!!!!!!

[Birdee]

I'm so sorry to hear about your chemical pregnancy. I also just went through my 2 IVF and had a chemical pregancy. What a crappy rollercoaster! My 1st bhcg was 10, two days later it went to 28, two days later 41, two days later 48, then two days later 108. AF came Sat with an angry vengance. I just took another bt today to make sure the numbers are going down to ensure it's not ectopic. However, my friend went through serveral IVFs and had her first baby at 40 and then her second at 42! Her story, as well as others on this website, keep me going! We'll try again in Sept. I have one little snowbabie to try - so we'll keep our finger's crossed! Otherwise, I'll gear up for another IVF. Keep your head up! It's so nice to talk to people who really understand what we're going through. It'll happen for use multiple IVFers! In the meantime, just ride out the crazy emotions as the hormones get out of your system.