Showing posts with label implantation failure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label implantation failure. Show all posts

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Reproductive immunology


We are finally moving on to our next endeavor and I'm not talking about the donor embryos. We have decided to work with a reproductive science and immunology consultant. She's experieced infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss herself and has decided to help others determine explanations for their own unexplained infertility. It's not that we are against putting the adopted ones in. I just want to make sure my body wont kill them the way it has possibly killed my own. Have any of you worked with an RI? She's not an actual RI,  just a consultant that helps you find an RI. Since all of this will be long distance, we feel we could use her help and felt her fees were reasonable. Here is what she's helping us with:


"I consult in all areas of infertility and all stages of infertility, but the majority of my clients have "unexplained infertility" or recurrent miscarriages. They have tried IUI and even IVF and failed. I work with them to determine why they have been unable to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term or why their current treatment plan is not working for them.  In order to be thorough, I would like to have a copy of your current medical records. This will allow me to see the tests, results, and treatments that you have completed. I can see what is missing and what may need to be done. I can evaluate how treatments were given and determine reasons for why they may not have worked. Most importantly, based on your past medical history, we can come up with directions and plans for the future. We can also make sure that nothing important has been overlooked (even many things that are not immune related). I will go through your records very carefully and create a "consulting packet" for you. This will contain tests that you have had and an interpretation of them. It will contain tests that I recommend, and why I recommend these tests and what information they will provide us with. Many of the tests can be done through a local lab that is contracted with your insurance company (such as Quest, LabCorp). For the specialized immune tests, your (and your husbands) blood can be mailed to a lab in Chicago called the Clinical Immunology Labs at Rosalind Franklin University. They accept most major insurance plans, but we can email or call them directly to find out if they are contracted with your insurance. If they are, great! If not, we can order from a less expensive lab (that sends the blood to RFU anyway) or we can prioritize the tests to make sure that you are only having the most necessary and fewest tests possible. What I love about this is you can find answers without spending a ton of money (or any money at all).  I can also order blood tests from Rosalind Franklin (an immunology lab) or Reprosource, if that is necessary. I will mail the packet to you and then we will have a comprehensive consultation appointment where we can discuss the packet and I can answer questions about the packet or ANY other questions that you may have. The consultation can be done over the phone or via Skype since you are located in Tennessee. Providing you with the "consulting packet" before we talk makes our time very productive - it gives us plenty to talk about and will give you time to come up with any questions that I can answer during theconsultation appointment . My fee for the comprehensive consultation (reviewing medical records, the packet and the consultationappointment (this appointment usually lasts 2-3 hours) is $500.00. Following the “comprehensive consultation”, you may contact me anytime to ask specific questions about tests, treatments and results, plans or for emotional support during your infertility treatments or pregnancy. Following the comprehensive consultation, my fee is $75/hour (prorated)."


--
Karen E. Pace, Ph.D.
Conceivable Solutions, LLC.
Reproductive Science and Immunology Consulting
@end_infertility




--
Karen E. Pace, Ph.D.
Conceivable Solutions, LLC.
Reproductive Science and Immunology Consulting
@end_infertility


Wednesday, March 7, 2012

News

I finally got to talk to my doctor yesterday about our failed cycle. The first thing he said was how sorry he was that it didn't work again. The second thing he said was IVF alone would never work for us. Those words were very confusing to me. In my mind IVF was the last resort. What else is left? Donor embryos?

So I asked him if our embryos were poor quality and if donor embryos were our only hope. He said we most definitely did not need donor anything. We fertilize well and made good embryos. The problem is implantation failure. He said if we are willing he would like to try something called endometrial trauma before our next try. (I'm not even sure what that is so if any of you girls have been through this, please educate me. I can't find much about it except clinical studies that talk about injury to the endometrium. Sounds like fun.)

He said we really don't even have to do IVF with this because we know we fertilize well and make quality embryos so the only thing they could do to help would be assisted hatching. He said we could just do injectables with IUI again. But I really feel like that would be a huge step backward. Plus injectables scare me since you have no control over how many babies like you do with IVF.

So I guess it was just news-not necessarily good or bad. Good that we made quality embryos but bad that it doesn't matter how good they are if my body won't implant them. I'm not sure how to feel. Anybody out there want to donate their uterus for 9 months, free of charge?