The IVF Club

A Personal Blog About IVF Treatment & Infertility

IVF Round 14: Another Flop

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I know it has been some time since I last wrote. The bad news is that I didn’t get pregnant. This is despite being treated for Natural Killer cells and doing the Colorado protocol. This was disappointing but it happened some time ago now so I have had a chance to recover. I had high hopes to some extent. I had a new doctor and we were doing a new treatment for my natural frozen embryo transfer – something different from my previous Doctor. Unfortunately this round was another failure. My period also came after my blood test but confirmed what I had again suspected – no go.

About one week into my treatment I found myself in hospital being administered Intralipid. What Intralipid is, is a creamy substance that is drip fed into your veins to reduce your immune system so the natural killer cells don’t do their job. This treatment normally takes most people 2 hours. However, it took me much longer as my veins are quite small and I was getting a build-up of fluid in my arm. My tip if this happens to you, is to rub your arm from where the needle is and massage the arm so that helps the fluid to move down your veins rather than get stuck in one place which can be a little painful. I remember fretting at the time as I needed to get home so I could get my new Miele Condenser Dryer delivered.

While I was in hospital I met a lady in a very similar situation to myself. She was older at 43 and a nurse, however this brave woman was undergoing IVF alone with the help of a sperm donor. Seems she had been waiting for Mr Right only he didn’t show up so she decided to fulfill a lifetime desire to become a mother. I don’t know what became of her but I sure hope she got pregnant.

The treatment was ok, although I was overloaded with drugs . The clexane and aspirin that I had been taking really thinned my blood so I was more prone to bruising. As luck would have it, I seemed to bump into everything that month – I fell down the steps after having acupuncture and I fell a few weeks later of my back step when I was sweeping pavers. Oh – I also walked into a park bench. Not great after I had been warned to be careful to avoid bumping into things. So really, the most eventful thing that I remember from that cycle was the lady I met in hospital, the fact that I now know how to alleviate pain from the drip and also the fact that I had bruised legs (from falling over a few times) as well as a bruised belly from those terrible injections.

Natural Killer Cells Intralipid Infusion

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Interesting day today where I had to pick up my prescription for my infusion.  This is final piece of puzzle and complements the other medications I am taking. Here is the latest one that adds to the already fascinating cocktail of drugs I am taking. This is the medication where I fed intravenously. I had no idea this could get so involved!

It was quite a story just getting this little baby. First I had an early morning meeting with a Manager and then I had to duck out to the clinic to pick up my medication.  So I fronted the usual clinic only to find that I had to get it from the hospital pharmacy down the road. So off I trundle to the hospital.

Once I finally located the pharmacy, presented my script and waited for the product to arrive, I discovered that I had left my purse behind so I couldn’t pay for the blasted stuff. So I had to leave medicineless and go back to my car which was parked at the other clinic. Fortunately when I got to the car, I found my purse filled with the money that I had pulled out of the bank to pay for the medicine. And back to the pharmacy I went.

Upon collection, I discovered that this little concoction actually contains 1000 calories – nearly my daily allowance of calories. I guess there is no chance of sticking to a diet tomorrow. Wish me well. This is sure one hell of a ride.

Frozen Embryo Transfer with the Colorado Protocol and Treatment for Natural Killer Cells

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Wow! I thought the drugs when you do a full on IVF cycle quite tough. I reckon just counting the drugs you need to take when you have natural killer cells and are doing a Frozen Embryo Transfer amazing. Imagine if I have to do both full on IVF and treatment for Natural Killer Cells. I reckon doing that would be the end of me.

As I am about to commence another frozen embryo cycle, I am amazed and what my treatment will now become like.  Here is the sequence of events:

  • Dexamethasone and Astrix / Baby Aspirin (day 1 onwards) – one does things to reduce your immune system and the other thins your blood
  • Book in for intravenous feeding of Intralipid – I get lay down for half a day while the anaesthetist drip feeds me.
  • Pee on Ovulation test kit from daily day 10 until you detect a surge
  • The day after the surge, commence Augmentin DUO twice a day for 5 days
  • The day after the urge, start injecting yourself in the tummy with Clexane
  • Have intercourse the night before transfer so it upsets the endometrium and makes it more receptive for the embryo to stick
  • Commence Crinone Gel for 15 days on the day after embryo transger
  • Commence Estradot Patches on the day after transfer

Amazing collection isn’t it. Imagine if I have to do both full on IVF and the treatment for Natural Killer Cells.  The drugs I would have to take would more than double!  That is mind boggling – I never expected to take so many drugs at my age.  I thought it was just something my people did when they got old.

I never thought of myself as being brave doing 13 rounds of IVG but now I really have to consider that I really am brave just doing this. I am not too happy about the effects it has my immune system and my blood.

I also need to be careful not to bruise myself because the aspirin and clexane thin my blood. And I can be quite klutzy. Lucky I happened to walk into a park bench yesterday and cop the big bruise on the leg (which is still sore) while I was just on aspirin and not clexane. I need to watch and bruising and be ready to report to nurse if the bruising does not subside.

The other good thing is that I am just recovering from a cold. The Intralipid and the Dexamethasone lower my immune system so I reckon I would be best off avoiding sick people.

If I am confirmed pregnant then I still have to continue Crinone, Estradot, Asprin, Dexamethasone and Clexane.

Meanwhile I still need to continue taking my naturopathic medicine such as Elevit, Omega 3 Fish Oil (EPA/DHA), CoQ10, Vitamin C and Chinese Herbs. Here are some of them pictured below. The Chinese herbs are missing from the picture and yeah I forget to mention the acupuncture treatment I also have.

Natural Killer Cells and Cycle Number 14

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Just saw my new Fertility Specialist today to find out my new treatment protocol now that I have been diagnosed with Natural Killer Cells. I arrived with my box of tissues  in tow – not because I was sad but because I have a cold. It was hard to concentrate but the Doctor seemed to think that being diagnosed with natural killer cells a good thing as it gives him (or maybe me) hope that I might become a mother.

In any case, because Aunt Flow arrived yesterday and I am now in day 2 of my cycle, I have discovered that I need to start taking two Dexmethasone tablets from today, see my new nurse tomorrow and get booked in for an “infusion” Thursday week (5th August).  Sounds like a lethal cocktail to me.

For those wondering, dexamethasone is classed as a steroid drug that acts as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant. Mmm – I wonder if this will hinder my recovery from my cold….

The “infusion” on the other hand refers to Intralipid.  This involves intravenously feeding me with a syringe in the arm for half a day with the Intralipid Treatment.

Treatment is at the clinic and so I will need to take some time off work. The Intralipid is used to down regulate the Natural Killer Cells. The substance is synthetic and is cheaper than the natual IVIG which is not available in Australia. It apparently has no side effects and is therefore safe to use.

This time I get off lightly. Not a lot of drugs considering that I am just doing a simple embryo transfer and not full blown IVF where my ovaries are stimulated. Perhaps this is a good way to be introduced to the treatment.

In any case, all my and my partners blood tests came back normal and the blood tests worked. Thank goodness for this as I really didn’t want to sit through another blood test again. The last two have not been fun at all.  The first blood test didn’t work and the second one took ages (even with three separate needles).

Natural Killer Cells

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Sheesh – I just found out I have tested positive for natural killer cells. It seems my body kills embryos.  Now that might explain why I have have 13 IVF failures.  I wish I saw my new Doctor sooner. Now we just have to worry about my husbands sperm, my natural killer cells and our age – well my age!

From what I can gather the next step in the process is steroids and medication to suppress my immune system.  Goody – I wonder if this means I am more likely to get sick. I have been disgustingly healthy – I think I had all my illnesses as a child.  However, if they suppress my immune system I guess I am now more likely to catch various illnesses.  I don’t like being sick and I don’t make a good patient.

Do how does one get tested for natural killer cells.  Well basically you have to book your appointment for day 21 of your cycle. Your fertility specialist will then dig into your uterus and take a specimen for testing. This is not a pleasant test. It hurts for 10 seconds it takes for the specialist to get the speciman as well as afterwards.

My next step is to see the good doctor when he returns from his conference to get the low down on the treatment. Now this is going to be interesting. It seems the more you do IVF, the more drugs get pumped into your body. Anyways, my fertility specialist seems to think that 60% of women get pregnant after being treated for natural killer cells.