Hcg test follow up

Went back for follow up check today. My hcg has dropped from the thousands range to 100 today after a week. So doctor reckoned I can do a hp test in 2 weeks time to check if my hcg gone down to below 5. If it's faint line, she suggest to wait a week and do a second test and only to come back If it's still positive. 

She saw something on the scan and couldn't tell definitely if it's blood clot or polyp. She didn't think it will affect pregnacy n so it's ok to leave it. 

Meanwhile my man and I decided to check our chromosome n my immunity which will take place after my period. That means my body will take a break from probes n meds. As the blood needs to be sent to CU ( Chinese uni), it has to drawn in the morn before 12pm and on mon - Thursday only. If the day after is public hols, it's not possible either as they need the blood to b as fresh as possible. 

If fortune telling books is to be believed, the same guy (whom my mum is a fan of) said there is no hope of pregnancy for me this year. The same guy who said I will have no hope either last 2 years and predicted accurately I will be moving home this year. Crap. 

Hcg test follow up

Went back for follow up check today. My hcg has dropped from the thousands range to 100 today after a week. So doctor reckoned I can do a hp test in 2 weeks time to check if my hcg gone down to below 5. If it's faint line, she suggest to wait a week and do a second test and only to come back If it's still positive. 

She saw something on the scan and couldn't tell definitely if it's blood clot or polyp. She didn't think it will affect pregnacy n so it's ok to leave it. 

Meanwhile my man and I decided to check our chromosome n my immunity which will take place after my period. That means my body will take a break from probes n meds. As the blood needs to be sent to CU ( Chinese uni), it has to drawn in the morn before 12pm and on mon - Thursday only. If the day after is public hols, it's not possible either as they need the blood to b as fresh as possible. 

If fortune telling books is to be believed, the same guy (whom my mum is a fan of) said there is no hope of pregnancy for me this year. The same guy who said I will have no hope either last 2 years and predicted accurately I will be moving home this year. Crap. 

5 week 5 day: Miscarriage confirmed after bleeding

After Tuesday blood test, went in again today to test my 2nd Beta. 

As expected, I have miscarried at 5 weeks plus. My hcg on Tuesday was 5000+ but today it has dropped down to 1200+. The scan also revealed most of the blood has gone and some tissues remained. She did a comparison and said it's actually more cleared this time than my last missed miscarriage. 

So she will give me the pills again to try to expel everything rather than wait for the body to do it and be incomplete. We will scan again next week to see if the uterus is cleared completely. 

I asked about test for autoimmunity and chromosome and she said we could wait till 3rd attempt but I was thinking if we should do it now to rule it out first. Dr is ok but recommends till hcg goes to zero so that there will not be a false positive for the tests. 

Lesson to take away from this 2 miscarriage. Even if we start off at high hcg, which is 410 for 8dp3dt for frozen egg, it isn't a warranty that it has a higher chance. My 5 day blast started with half that hcg level but lasted longer with fetal pole seen at 8 week without heartbeat. 

I don't know why I'm having miscarriages repeatedly when I don't feel anything wrong with me and I don't drink or smoke or eat junk. Is 38 yo eggs really that bad??? 

I don't know how many many rounds of Ivf I want to go through. I still have 6 frozen but I don't know how good they are even though they have good grading. This is the moment I really want to rant at the sky n go WTF is wrong?!!!

5 weeks 3 days: follow up checks after blood clot bleeding

Called hospital this morning since I figured they take forever to reply my email. Managed to secure a 1230pm walk in after I explained I was bleeding clots last night. 

Basically, after 2 rounds of blood clots shedding, the bleeding kinda ease up. I went in fully expecting to see nothing.

My doctor before the scan took a quick manual examination at my cervix. She told me she still see something in my uterus like the sac but she cannot confirm because we haven't had our first scan prior. However it is likely that my body is miscarrying. She asked if I had cramps n I said no. Only pinkish discharge.

So I went in for blood test today and another on Friday to see if my HCG is falling. That will be a sure indication of what's happening. 

I'm not hopeful and I told her I m mentally prepared. She said should it be the case, then once again we will have to use the abortion pills process. 

I asked her if there's a need to test but she said no. Normally they only will consider after 3 consecutive miscarriage.

So for now, all I can do is wait n see what happens on Friday. With that much blood loss, even if it's hope against hope, I still like to hope for a miracle. 

5 week 2 day: Started bleeding clots. Natural miscarriage

Just after I blogged about 3weeks + on my home test, I ended up with natural miscarriage tonight. 

First it started with a very "full" feeling like cramp and by 6pm, I felt a gush n didn't think much until I realise it felt too bad. To my horror, I went to toilet and saw my panty liner was soaked thru with bright red blood. 

I went on to cook dinner and my bleeding continued. I knew deep down it's another failed pregnancy. By 8.30pm I went to shower. I decided to stand in tub n my instincts was right. I passed out a huge blood clot with a whitish sac like thing attached to the clot.

 I knew it was over and my body has expelled the unwanted tissue, once again. 

Right now, I'm just bleeding bright red blood without clots. 

I didn't have the heart to tell my poor husband since he is going on a trip tmw. 

Oh well. No one says pregnancy for old woman is gonna be easy. 

5weeks 2 days (21dp3dt)

21dp3dt

Decided to do a clearblue digital pee stick today. Even though I didn't use the first urine of the day as required, it still says 3+ weeks thankfully which coincide with my 5+ weeks counting. This doesn't say much except my hcg is rising but at what rate, unsure. 

Nothing much has changed. Did experienced a shocking night sweat few nights back. I woke up cold and completely drenched in my thin layer of tshirt in an Aircon room. I was so literally wet all over and I just had to crawl out of bed to get changed. 

What did worry me a little was seeing a very slight pinkish discharge for a couple of nights. I wasn't sure if it was irritation from inserting the endometrin suppositories, which I have found it increasingly harder to stick it up my vagina. At the early weeks, it has been relatively been a breeze to slide the applicator up but this week, I really struggled at the entrance. It's like the damn passageway is refusing easy access.

Other than that, sometimes, I felt like something is stuck at back of my throat in the afternoon but it's gone after I sip water. Initially I Thot it might be morning sickness only to realise that it was part of the side effects from overrating cherries, apart from runny tummy. Oh well.

Starting today, tummy been feeling a little cramp like too. It's more like nagging discomfort rather than actual pain. 

It's 13th jan today. Another 8 days to go before I know the outcome from the u/scan. No point being worried I guess since there's absolutely nothing I can do to change anything. I'm glad I'm moving, so that I have something else concrete to distract me and look forward to, something within my control. 

4weeks 4 days (16dp3dt): Ramblings

4weeks 4 days (16dp3dt)

Time seems to fly past when I'm not hung up on dates.
Today, I dropped by my TCM to pick up some herbs which is targeted at potential mothers with miscarriage history. Hopefully this will help.

I still feel normal and the same.
I did a pee test yesterday and ok, it says 2-3 weeks now. Hope that means my little bud is growing, alive and kicking inside, figuratively speaking of course.

Compared to the last round, despite the mild cough and sniffling, I feel better in the sense that I dont feel as cold as previously. Also, my weight remains at 52kg. No funny business of dropping down to 49kg like the previous round.

Been eating alot of cherries, so that definitely helped with my bowel business and prevent constipation due to progesterone. Then again, constipation will prob be a more serious problems for mothers with a bigger tummy I think.

In terms of food, maybe its still early but unlike previous round, I dont have much cravings either.
Just the usual food to get back.

The only thing I am waiting to see if it happens is morning sickness.
Of course not everyone who suffers from it will have a live birth but somehow it seems to prove to be a stronger indication. We shall see....

Apart from baby business....I have tons of work mapped out before me!

Been a busy week, finalising the paper work for our new rental place and trying to contact various movers for appointments to get free quotes for the local HK move.

Narrowed down to
- Expert movers (waiting for someone to call me back to fix a date)
- Links Relocation (waiting for someone to call me back to fix a date))
- Santa Fe
- Tradeswind
- Yamato

Definitely ruled out Crown after the disastrous experience I had with my international move with them from Sydney to Hong Kong. Crown Australia is SHITTY and EXPENSIVE and INCOMPETENT. They damaged so many of my furnitures and they couldnt even finish packing in Sydney and I had to chip in to help pack. So no, NO MORE CROWN thank you very much. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one with shitty service from them....was trolling the forums and other expats had the same problems with them.

I thought about trying local movers but the thought of them possibly ruining my plasma and other ex furniture made me pause.

Meanwhile, my HK landlord seemed like a really nice chap. I guess being born rich affords to be nice to tenants unlike our previous cheap nasty wannabe rich HK landlord. This new landlord is only 34yo, holds a high position and graduates from Harvard. Very nice chap who had his staff to meet me to discuss about my needs for blackout curtains etc. His only request in contract is no smoking in the premises which is totally fine by me, since personally i HATE smokers and since I was 10yo, I banned all my relatives form smoking inside our house. Yes...I was a terror back then. Good thing all my uncles doted on me and were happy to hole up in the balcony to lit up.

Meanwhile,  informed my part time helper about my move and if she is willing to continue to follow me to my new place. She was more than happy to continue working for us. I joked with her "Thank goodness....at least that means I'm not a bad employer!" Lol! I reckon she prob like my new place better being closer to Central. That means she spend less on transport getting to my place coz she can walk down the escalator.
Everyone's happy!

4weeks2 days (14dp3dt) : Decision to defer my u/s

My original u/s was due on 17th Jan. However, after looking at the pregnancy week by week calendar, I decided to push it backwards by a few more days to 21st Jan.

You see, 17th Jan (Friday) is estimated to be end of 5weeks. So that means apart from verifying whether the sac is planted correctly, i cannot see anything and I will prob have to (worry) and come in again just the day before chinese new year to see if there is flickering heartbeat at close to 7 weeks.. That would means I have to pay the scan twice which isnt cheap (at least HK$1000+ x2) just to see if its viable.

However if i pushed it to 21st Jan, I should ( ideally for a healthy development) be able to see at least flickering scan if its a viable birth since the date puts me at about mid of 6week. If I dont see anything or the prognosis isnt good, then I know I can get prepared mentally and get started on the inevitable earlier than wait around for another 2 more useless weeks. Since now that I know my hCG drops so slowly, I am better prepared to anticipate what to do now.

If I can see something, then at least it will be a good new year and can wait till my next scan after CNY to see what happens.

Hoping. Really hoping. and crossing my fingers.

I was looking at all the "possible" scary dates from 6wk, 8 wks, 10wks, 12wks.

They either falls on CNY, near Valentine, near my birthday. It's almost freaking scary that all my pregnancy milestones are always around those important dates. If this baby can be good enough for a live birth, then its due will be exactly the same date as the day I was pronounced with miscarriage in Sept this year. Talk about coincidental....

I'm actually less uptight about the weeks and dates now this time round. I pushed it out of my head. Had to check again online to find out what I am today and i'm feeling alittle moody with my man.

Last night, my area behind my belly button felt funny. Twinges, tugging pain.

Not sure if its a good or bad thing.

Still drinking alot of water.

Still no nausea nor swollen boobs symptom and healthy appetite.

Also ate alot of oysters these two days, cooked ones of course. They were having 4+1 promotion and the French oysters looked really good!!! Fat and juicy. Well, they tasted cooked. I hope i didnt do something stupid.

We are gonna move!

I reckon this will be a busy 2 months for me. We have decided to move to a bigger apartment, with a roof top.

One of the main reasons for the move was that I was too fedup with the neighbours upstairs constantly stomping around in the morning ranging from 6-8am, and at night after midnight and sometimes even 2am at night. It was impossible to sleep through and even with ear plugs, I could still hear them. Even my hanging lights will shake when they stomp around. Else she would be clumsy and drop things all the time.

The worst is that it isnt kids. It's this skinny HK mother who refuses to lay any carpet or rug over their cheap wooden floor. And their son's room is partially next to our master room and so that big fellow will wake me with any chair dragging or when he decide to throw things on ground.

I tried to talk to her nicely a few times, even offering to buy the rug or indoor slippers but she refused. It was impossible situation.

So after 3 years, much that i LOVE my apartment since everything was customised to suit our life style, I had to move. It was too much stress. I rem my last 2 pregnancies, her stomping caused me much distress and I wasnt able to sleep properly. That cannot be good nor conducive for a healthy birth I'm sure.

So after spending half of dec looking around, we found one in central or rather near midlevels area. It doesnt have a nice view like ours. And its not smacked centrally like mine now surrounded by restaurants and supermarts. However, we are hoping that being on the top floor, it will offer us some quieter nights to sleep in and being lesser neighbors, no more constant renovation noises through the year too.

In a way I'm excited, and in a way nervous.

In Chinese culture, you are not supposed to move during pregnancy.
I'm also worried as to if there are potential molding problems in new place.
Also need to get rid of the renovation smell.

To say i will not miss my beloved apartment and all my lovely EXPENSIVE furnishing will be a lie. Though I must admit I did design this place "minimally" with possible renting it out in mind. I will miss my very expensive lights, and my very expensive curtains. Still wondering if I can move mine along to the new place but I think the height might be a problem.

Anycase...I try not to think too much. Just hoping this will be a brand new start and if the baby sticks, at least we have a bigger place to work with and play with.

3week 6day (11dp3dt): hCG beta level report is out!

Okie. Off to a good start of the year.

I was about to head off to buy groceries when the nurse called me at 2pm that Dr Lok has approve my request for early blood test. One of the reason I had wanted to test early, apart from confirming the HPT is that my progesterone tablets will finish by this Sunday. That will mean I will miss Monday's dose if I waited till Monday to get my bloodwork done.

So off I went, strolled to Level 1 to get my bloodwork done.
I had a really grumpy looking old woman to take my blood.
Oh well.

While I was having an incredibly difficult time hunting down to buy replacement shoe laces for my man's Timberland shoes, I received a NO ID call. Hospital that quick??
It surprised me that the report was ready under an hour this time.
The last time my blood test took 3 freaking hours to be ready.

Dr Ingrid identified herself and confirmed that my 2nd IVF treatment via FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) is a success.

She said  "Congratulations, u are pregnant again" Ha ha ha. That is funny considering she said that to me the first time 4 months ago. She is genuinely happy for me I know but my joy is just muted but I still tried to sound cheerful for her sake. Afterall, it's not her fault that my first pregnancy failed. I could tell it wasnt easy for her the last time and she kept a very neutral face while delivering the bad news. Maybe it's just me, but one dont just suffer a loss recently and then skip with joy even though this is indeed good news and start. Truth is, I'm just relieved that the hCG is not a low number to start off.

I dont even care to hope or pray now since I know that doesnt work squat the last time.

Until the baby is actually born, then I will thank my lucky stars. Otherwise, I will just try to live day by day and do my best. Afterall, what determines whether its viable is the chromosomes more than any prayers. Staying pregnant seemed to be my biggest problem. Sigh.

At 11dp3dt, the nurse told me my hCg level registers at 410. I can't rem what was my previous 5day transfer value but I vaguely think this might be higher than the previous reading. I'm wondering if the nurse told me the wrong number because over 400 seemed too high for a single embryo transfer at such early stage. I am wondering if she had told me the progesterone level instead? I will know in 2 weeks time after I get back my blood work report.

My scan is scheduled on 17th Jan 2014.
Unlike in the States where repeated blood work is done 2 days later, HK definitely do not have this obsession. If the doctor deemed the first hCG level is in good range, then that's it. The doctors here are more pragmatic. Looking at the scan 2 weeks after the 2WW is more beneficial than the blood works results since the blood work will not tell u if its blighted ovum or etopic etc.Wish me luck for my scan in 2 weeks time.

I guess my food restrictions will start again.

According to TCM, eggplant and pears are believed to cause problems during pregnancy and should be avoided. Excessive amounts of green tea can deplete folic acid levels and caffeine of any sort deprives the fetus of oxygen and blood; therefore any caffeinated tea consumption should be avoided. Mint tea dries up breast milk and should be avoided during the last trimester and while breastfeeding. All prescription drugs and nutritional supplements should be reviewed to determine any effect they may have on the production of breast milk.

To help reduce the risk of food allergies in the newborn, pregnant women may want to limit peanuts and eggs. If there is a history of sensitivity to wheat, dairy, or sugar prior to pregnancy, then avoiding them during pregnancy is recommended. For baby girls, the reproductive system is developing during the first and second trimesters and TCM practitioners believe a healthy diet during pregnancy is critical to promote fertility for future generations.

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Meanwhile for those interested, here's a hCG chart I found from this link.

hCG Levels

Days from LMP	Weeksfrom LMP	Events	Avg hCG mIU/ml	Range hCG mIU/ml
26	3w+5d		25	0-50
27	3w+6d		50	25-100
28	4w+0d	Missed period	75	50-100
29	4w+1d		150	100-200
30	4w+2d		300	200-400
31	4w+3d		700	400-1,000
32	4w+4d		1,710	1,050-2,800
33	4w+5d		2,320	1,440-3,760
34	4w+6d		3,100	1,940-4,980
35	5w+0d		4,090	2,580-6,530
36	5 1/7		5,340	3,400-8,450
37	5 2/7		6,880	4,420-10,810
38	5 3/7	yolk sac	8,770	5,680-13,660
39	5 4/7	yolk sac	11,040	7,220-17,050
40	5 5/7	yolk sac	13,730	9,050-21,040
41	5 6/7	yolk sac	15,300	10,140-23,340
42	6	heartbeat	16,870	11,230-25,640
43	6 1/7	heartbeat	20,480	13,750-30,880
44	6 2/7	heartbeat	24,560	16,650-36,750
45	6 3/7	embryo seen	29,110	19,910-43,220
46	6 4/7	embryo seen	34,100	25,530-50,210
47	6 5/7	embryo seen	39,460	27,470-57,640
48	6 6/7	embryo seen	45,120	31,700-65,380
49	7		50,970	36,130-73,280
50	7 1/7		56,900	40,700-81,150
51	7 2/7		62,760	45,300-88,790
52	7 3/7		68,390	49,810-95,990
53	7 4/7		73,640	54,120-102,540
54	7 5/7		78,350	58,200-108,230
55	7 6/7		82,370	61,640-112,870
56	8		85,560	64,600-116,310

- See more at: http://www.babymed.com/hcg-level-in-early-pregnancy#sthash.qulMvgR6.dpuf