Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
My GP rang just now about the toxo.
She doesn't have all of the results back from my repeat blood test yet, but she agrees that in likelihood the toxo is an old infection and the steroids allowed it to reactivate.
So it might just happen again next time I'm on the steroids.
My GP will be speaking to the microbiologist at the hospital about my particular case to hopefully get a better insight. She says that between her, the microbiologist and my fertility consultant we'll try to find a solution that works for me.
When I have the full test results back I'll speak to my fertility consultant again, but she implied that we'll try the steroids again next time. I know I'm unlikely to carry to term without immune suppression. But if the toxo comes back again, I guess that's steroids out of the window.
Then what?
Sometimes it feels like I'm not meant to have a family. I really am trying the absolute best I can. I've done everything I possibly could, short of using a surrogate.
I feel very, very down at the moment.
My GP said not to give up hope yet and that sometimes women beat the odds and go on to have two or three children!
I'm going to keep trying. Perhaps the toxo is the final hurdle. I don't really know what to do, how to solve this, no matter how much I think about it, so I'll just take it one day at a time for the moment.
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
I've had some more results back. Takes a very long time to test for toxo, apparently!
The results still show 'strongly positive', at 1000 iu/ml. I'm speaking to my doctor tomorrow.
The results say to delay pregnancy for at least six months from the time that symptoms end. I'm not sure whether the lymph nodes count as symptoms. They're still up, slightly, but I wonder whether they'll stay up forever. They're much less noticeable than they were.
Either way, another six months minimum until I can have another shot at being a mum. It will have been four years of trying by then. Realistically, I'm not expecting my next attempt to go very smoothly either. I don't know what else to do, though.
Feel a bit lost.
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
Hi, six months is a short period of time and you're only young (still 30). I did mention that my daughter (35) is now having a baby but she had a miscarriage last year. She has her own issues endo, PCOS, only one functioning ovary, periods all over the place, IBS, stomach issues to name a few, and was told to have eggs frozen 8 years ago, before she headed overseas for her OE. She ignored this and has beaten the odds by conceiving and keeping this baby. She's 32 weeks.
She did however wait until she met her current partner and got a home sorted, before taking this step. They're not married but are in a committed relationship. My daughter had been engaged many years ago and owned a home with her previous fiance who was also lovely but was wrong for her.
So you see things aren't all doom and gloom and the odds can be beaten. Keeping upbeat, focusing on your career and dating (and finding a life partner if that's what you'd like) should take priority in your young life. Good luck with it x
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
It’s hard I know. I tried to get pregnant for about 6 years, and I am “older” so our egg counts are probably similar. Still, it did happen. It often takes a long time even without problems.
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
have you thought about ivf?
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
Thanks guys.
Glad things are going well for your daughter, Wise. My doctor did say that women did sometimes beat the odds if they didn't give up. I'd love to find a boyfriend and even get married and have a proper family, so I'm keeping up with the dating. I've even been doing socially distanced dating! I'm definitely hoping I'll still become a mum even if I don't meet someone though.
Vanessa, I have actually done IVF. That's the route I'm going down if I don't meet anyone. Unfortunately my problem is more to do with carrying to term, and IVF can't fix that - though my doctors do have medications for me to take to improve my chances.
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
I know you want the experience but what about adoption if physical pregnancy and birth are not feasible due to health issues?
Positive thoughts
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
Hi Fish, yes, possibly. Although I don't exactly see adoption as an alternative to having my own children. It's just... a different thing. A good thing, but different. I think I could definitely help an adopted child, as I'm financially stable and in a good environment, and I might consider it for that reason.
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
My doctor rang today.
My IgG and IgM toxoplasmosis antibodies are still present, as expected. Eventually, the IgM antibodies should vanish, at which point it should theoretically be safe for me to try for another pregnancy.
We're still not certain what will happen when I go back on the steroids for my next pregnancy.
However, my doctor has said they still have some of my blood in the lab from 2019 and they're going to test that for toxoplasmosis! This is great news, because we'll then know whether my infection was new or whether it was a reactivation of an old infection.
Hopefully it's new, which means that once it's died down it might be gone for good.
What seems more likely, though, is that I picked the toxo up as a child and going on the steroids allowed it to reactivate. It is an opportunistic infection, after all. In that case, it seems logical to assume that the infection will come back again next time I'm on steroids.
So, I'm just waiting on those results from my 2019 blood now. I'm not sure how badly affected I will be if they show it's an old infection.
Re: Fertility problems and pregnancy loss
Your doctor sounds great.
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