Update on my WTF?? appointment

Firstly, thank you so much to everyone, once again for all your comments on my last post. I can't tell you how much they meant to me and how much they helped me to get through this last week and get to a stronger place in my heart.

You are all amazing.

Secondly, I wanted to give a shout out to Her royal fabulousness. She has had a really rough month and really needs support right now, so please visit her if you can.

Lastly, an update on my WTF? appointment with Dr L:

He firstly expressed his disappointment that our first cycle failed as he had been very optimistic, which I thought was quite sweet.

I said that despite knowing that the first cycle routinely fails for couples, I too had had high hopes. I explained what happened last Weds and that it felt like I'd had an 'early miscarriage'. I told him how it had felt like something was trying to happen in my body post transfer and about the pregnancy symptoms I'd had. I then went on to explain how this has actually happened a few times in the last 2 years - maybe 4 or so times where I have had a delayed monthly, pregnancy signs but then it just hasn't happened for us.

I asked him if he agreed that the cycle went well - i.e. that we had a really good number of mature eggs despite the low dose drugs and despite my borderline AMH and that we had a very high fertilisation rate and great embryos. He readily agreed.

I then explained that new information had come to light about my family and talked him through the various autoimmune disorders in our family. I've found out that not only does my dad suffer from Mysthenia Gravis (a recent diagnosis) but my uncle, sister, grandfather and great grandfather are/were all affected by various autoimmune disorders.... He raised his eyebrows as I was talking. I said that as a result of:





1) this new information about my family


2) further research I have done


3) my gut feel that this there may be an implantation issue,


and finally 4) at the recommendation of my parents who are both pathologists


I would like to be tested for potential immunologic implantation dysfunction.

To my complete surprise he agreed and immediately started writing out a script for further blood tests. He did say that there may be no family link for me or link to our infertility, especially as these disorders have manifested later in life in my family (my dad and uncle are in their 50s and 60s). I then said that that is fair enough, but does he think that it would be good to at least test and rule these out as a possibility? He agreed.

Unfortunately I can't read his handwriting on the script but there are at least 6 things they will test for which include gene mutation, my clotting profile, antithrombin 3 deficiency, protein C deficiency and antiphospholipid antibodies.

I asked what would happen if I tested positive for any of these and he said that some of the treatments for me might then include Clexane or Steroids depending on what they find.

So yes - all in all, exactly the outcome I was hoping for. I specifically didn't bring up natural killer cell testing this time. After further research and thanks to Heather, I found out that there are routine blood tests that can be done to look into implantation failure which I think may be important to have done first. My plan is that if these all turn out to be negative, I will then look at getting a referral to the other doctor for a 2nd opinion and potential NK cell testing.

So yes. I feel proud of myself for the strides I have made this week. Who knows what we'll find out, but it will be interesting as always!

Have a lovely weekend :-)

BW