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Conference moira::parenting_v3

Title:	Parenting
Notice:	READ 1.27 BEFORE WRITING
Moderator:	CSC32::DUBOIS

Created:	Wed May 30 1990
Last Modified:	Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1364
Total number of notes:	23848

1298.0. "Good thoughts needed for a GIFT friend in MKO!" by MVDS02::BELFORTI (Time to get a new Timmy!) Thu Jan 30 1992 18:49

    I know there are a lot of notes in here about GIFT and IVF.... but this
    is a special note....  really!

    I have a friend, here at work, who has been married for over 10 years. 
    About 5 years ago they started with infertility counseling, and also
    tried just about everything available (not sure if they actually did
    GIFT or IVF at that time)... she went through the months of shots and
    meds, on one off the next... etc.. nothing happened!  They gave up, and
    decided to let her body settled down a bit.  She had been doing this
    for about 2 years....

    Last October she got pregnant on her own... but unfortunately lost the
    baby after about 7 weeks.  The Dr. was very encouraged by this, she did
    it on her own, so there is more hope.  She immediately started going back 
    in to the specialists down in Boston.  At Thanksgiving they did a GIFT, 
    that did not work.... lots of disappointment!

    Last week she went in for a second GIFT, with the one embryo that
    survived the freezing and thawing process.... 

    She should know by next week if this one was a success!  She is so
    anxious to know that she has thought about doing a home pregnancy test,
    but with the extra hormone she is taking, she isn't sure it would give
    a proper reading... she has also thought about going in for a blood
    test, but again, isn't sure the hormone levels may throw the whole
    thing off!

    She has been feeling a little run down this week, and 2 days in a row
    has felt nauseous.... but with all the flu going around, it could be a
    touch of that... or even nerves, or even mind over matter... phantom
    morning sickness!

    I have a BIG request....  can you all send your wonderful thoughts her
    way.... we are all pushing for this one to be it... but every little
    bit helps at this point.

    Thanks all,

    I will let you know the out come.... hopefully 9 months (8 1/2) from
    now...   ;^} 
    
    Much regards,
    
    M-L

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1298.1	Sending Mine!	KAOFS::M_FETT	alias Mrs.Barney	`Thu Jan 30 1992 19:55`	8
	Definitely want to share good thoughts with your friend -- sometimes its truely difficult to keep your head up and an optimistic glint in your eye, but it certainly makes you feel good when you've got it, and that's what I hope for her - courage and a happy beginning! Monica
1298.2	I don't think the hormones would interfere with a home pregnancy test	BSLOPE::BOURQUARD	Deb	`Thu Jan 30 1992 21:00`	10
	The hormone tested for in pregnancy tests is hCG which is only produced by an implanted, fertilized egg. I don't know exactly what hormones they give someone going through IVF or GIFT, but I would suspect that they are FSH, LH (hormones which stimulate the ovary to produce an egg) and progesterone which builds up the uterine lining. Typical disclaimer: I'm no medical expert! And, of course, good thoughts go out...
1298.3	a home pregnancy test won't tell anything	MEMIT::GIUNTA		`Fri Jan 31 1992 12:24`	21
	The hormones given in conjunction with GIFT and IVF are HCG, so you can't take a pregnancy test early or at home and expect accurate results. That's one of the reasons that they do 2 blood tests 3 days apart when they check to see if you're pregnant after a GIFT cycle. If the first test, which is done 2 weeks to the day after the procedure, comes out positive, they do another blood test 3 days later to confirm the results and check to see that the hormone numbers are going up. I wish your friend the best of luck. Tell her to keep her spirits up, and that when I had my GIFT cycle done (I only did one), I was absolutely positive that it had not worked because I got all the usual cramps a few days before my period should have started. I went for the blood test as scheduled just because I was supposed to, but I was positive that it had not worked. Turns out that the cramps I felt were the eggs implanting. I now have twins thanks to GIFT, and I didn't even want to try GIFT. If she wants to talk to someone who's been through it, she's welcome to call me anytime. Regards, Cathy
1298.4		NOTIME::SACKS	Gerald Sacks ZKO2-3/N30 DTN:381-2085	`Fri Jan 31 1992 13:11`	4
	re .0: Just a nit, but there's no freezing of embryos with GIFT. With GIFT, fertilization takes place in the fallopian tubes.
1298.5	sort of a mini-IVF	MEMIT::GIUNTA		`Fri Jan 31 1992 14:43`	12
	Re. .4 That's not exactly true. If they harvest more eggs than they plan to put back during a GIFT procedure (in my case, that would have been anything over 4, but I only made 3), they do what they call a 'mini-IVF' where they get another sample from the husband and put that sperm with the extra eggs in a petrie dish to try to get them to fertilize. Then they freeze the embryos that are formed, if any. These can later be implanted in an IVF procedure, which is what I suspect the basenoter's friend had done and not another GIFT, at a later date. It saves the woman from having to go through all the hormone shots and egg retrieval again. It is quite common to do this for women that make a lot of eggs during their cycle.
1298.6		MVDS02::BELFORTI	Time to get a new Timmy!	`Fri Jan 31 1992 16:55`	15
	Exactly.... I knew what I wanted to say... but for some reason it didn't come out.... In November they GIFTed 3 eggs.... nothing happened! They IVFed 3 more, all three fertilized. All were frozen, but only one made it through the freezing and thawing process! Total harvest was 6 normal health eggs! We keep hoping that the one who survived was hearty enough to implant! Thanks for helping me clear this up! M-L
1298.7	The time just wasn't right... I guess!	MVDS02::BELFORTI	Time to get a new Timmy!	`Tue Feb 04 1992 14:25`	8
	Well.... after all this... the answer is NO this month! We are all very disappointed! She will go through the harvesting again, either next month or the following month... and hopefully it will happen then! Thanks for your good thoughts..... I'm sure they will help when the time is right!
1298.8	Cross your fingers... and toes too!!!!!	CSSE32::BELFORTI	Time to get a new Timmy!	`Thu Mar 12 1992 19:19`	14
	Update: she went in this past Monday..... 9 this time! I have not spoken to her yet, she sent a message via the net! (My office has moved to another facility) I am going to call tomorrow to see how she is feeling! Her worst fear is that ALL 9 will take.... I realize (and so does she) that that would be a rare instance... but the fear is still there!!!! I will keep you all informed of the outcome... the next 2 weeks are the "hold our breath time". Thanks all, and keep the good vibes flowing!!! M-L
1298.9	they put all 9 back?!?	MEMIT::GIUNTA		`Fri Mar 13 1992 11:46`	11
	They put back all 9 eggs, or they harvested 9 and put back some smaller number? Standard procedure at most places is to put back 4, with higher numbers (usually 6) used if there are particular problems. I've never known anyone to put back more than that. And my doctor said that if I had made enough eggs so they could have put back 6, we should be prepared for a discussion on selected termination to reduce the number of babies and give them better chances of survival. If they really did put back all 9, which I'm finding tough to believe, I expect her doctor to have had a similar conversation with her prior to the procedure. I'll be thinking of her and wishing her luck. Let us know what happens.
1298.10		CSSE32::BELFORTI	the mini phone call..... click	`Thu Apr 09 1992 20:50`	36
	Here is the latest update! They harvested AND put back all 9 eggs! 4 on one side, and 5 on the other! At exactly 2 weeks she went in for a blood test... it came back positive... but with all the meds she was on, it could have been false. They wanted to do another one in 3 days, if she was pregnant the count would triple.... it quadrupled! Meaning...... more than one! To say the least, they were thrilled.... but scared too! She went in yesterday for her first ultra-sound.... it showed very healthy, beating little hearts..... Oh how many???? (ain't I terrible??? to make you wait???) they are seeing double......... TWINS!!!!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! All looks GREAT right now!!!! Thanks all for your positive thoughts..... Now hurry up Dec. 1..... (or sooner with twins... her birthday is DEC.6, and her husbands is Nov. 14.... how nice)
1298.11	Congrats	MACNAS::BHARMON	KEEP GOING NO MATTER WHAT	`Fri Apr 10 1992 08:44`	4
	Will you offer my good wishes and congratulations to your friends. Bernie
1298.12	congratulations	MEMIT::GIUNTA		`Fri Apr 10 1992 13:38`	3
	Congratulations to your friends!! I have twins from GIFT, and always thought that was such an appropriate acronym. May she have a very healthy pregnancy.
1298.13	I knew I was going to jinx this by saying anything!	CSSE32::BELFORTI	the mini phone call..... click	`Fri Apr 10 1992 14:03`	12
	Now we need your POSITIVE energy.... more than ever!!! She is home in bed today! All she told the other sec'y was that she was having difficulties today!!!! She was fine when I saw her yesterday afternoon!!!! I am so worried... I can barely work! I don't want to call... if she is sleeping, I don't want to wake her!!!! I'll keep you all informed as I know more! M-L