Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Not so much with the duelling, then.

One of the RE's went home sick, so that consultation has been rescheduled to Friday.

But I spoke with Dr. S. of Big Clinic, and he thinks it's very reasonable to try again with my own eggs. He said we got a good number of eggs, got good quality embryos and he would recommend doing the same protocol again. He said the reason we haven't succeeded up to now is likely to be chromosomal issues due to my "greater chronological experience", to steal a phrase from Julie. And if that is true, then we've no reason to change protocol as it's partly due to luck whether we get a chromosomally good one or not. The only thing he suggested was perhaps delaying trigger for an extra day to try to get more mature eggs, but then said that they make that decision based on E2 levels, number of follicles, etc, so it's hard to say whether even if we say now we'll push an extra day, it will actually happen. And the reason they trigger early is to have good quality eggs, and mine have been good quality, blah blah blah, so why push it just to get another egg or two of questionable quality? The other thing we discussed was running a more detailed thrombophilia blood panel than I've previously had done, which he is quite happy to do. In fact, he said we could run that while I'm preparing for the FET if I like, so we have the results ready to go should we need them. [Or presumably I could incorporate the results into my treatment should the FET miraculously succeed.] I asked about doing a lower dose of stims to try to go a bit slower but he didn't think that was worth trying.

He did say that he'd be honest with me if he thought it wasn't worth trying again. He says he has patients who get fewer and fewer eggs with each cycle, or with worse and worse quality, and with those women he does tell them it is time to stop and move on. But that I'm not in that situation and it's really up to me whether I want to try again.

I don't know what to think, really. I guess we wait to see what Friday brings.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad the doctor was so encouraging! Too bad the other doctor was home sick. Darn doctors! Don't they know they can never get sick?! ;)

Anonymous said...

HI Sarah -

Sounds like a positive WTF - Dr. S said something similar to me. I like that he is willing to work with us GCE patients.

Alacrity

bleu said...

I like the thoroughness of his answers. I like his answers. I do think seeing what Friday brings is good but I am glad this one was as positive and willing as he sounds.

Almamay said...

One of the reasons I cycle in Warsaw is the Eastern European directness. I don't want a bunch of pussy footing around when I need to make the decision. I like your RE's directness.

Did you ask him about the swelling?

Amy said...

Sounds like a great doctor! Are you going to CCRM? I can't remember?