Line upon Line

After 6 yrs of trying & 8 miscarriages

After 4 yrs of doctors not listening to me

After 3 yrs of tons of ultra sounds and blood work

After 1 1/2 years of extensive Fertility procedures

and NEVER having ANY answers

But continuing to follow the spirit

I CANNOT believe it!


THEY KNOW WHY I MISCARRY!

The doctor called yesterday!



The RESULTS are in.

The feelings and impressions that I had about these tests were true

I have elevated NK cells ( natural killer cells)

&

Ryan and I share a similar antibody

The doctor got a little emotional with me as we talked about the GOOD news and how now I know after such a long road of heartache and not knowing.

She told me that she doesnt really know exactly what the results mean other than I will have to have IVIG Therapy

She needed to email her colleague for more information and exactly what the next steps will be as far as how many treatments, where I go to get the treatments, and if she should still be my doctor for this problem

( these are not my words, got the info from the website, thought it was good information for you guys to know if you hadnt heard of this stuff before)

What is IVIg?

Using donor blood that has been washed and processed, IVIg is made up of human-derived antibodies. These antibodies help to keep your immune system from recognizing an embryo or fetus as foreign and attacking it. More specifically, IVIg aids in minimizing the actions of natural killer (NK) cells.

IVIG Infusion Therapy

In general, IVIg therapy should be started from the first month of pregnancy and continue until the 28th week of pregnancy. However, there is some evidence to suggest that administering IVIg infusions even before pregnancy occurs may be beneficial in preventing miscarriage. IVIg therapy is often done monthly and doses can be given anywhere from one to three consecutive days.

 

Because IVIg is administered intravenously, to receive this treatment, an IV catheter will be inserted into a vein in your hand or lower arm. This will allow the IVIg solution to slowly drip into the vein and enter your system. Although IVIg can be administered in your home under the supervision of a nurse, the very first time you receive treatment you will need to visit your fertility specialist. The first infusion is always done in a clinical setting under proper supervision in case you experience a severe reaction to the drug.

In order to guard against unpleasant side effects, IVIg infusion must be done slowly. This means that one session can take several hours to complete. However, if you seem to be dealing with the treatment well with minimal side effects, it may be possible to complete treatment sessions sooner. Just how much IVIg a person should receive can vary as dosage is calculated according to your weight.

Side Effects of IVIg Treatment

There are a variety of side effects associated with IVIg infusions. Typical side effects include:

• Fever and chills
• Nausea
• Back pain
• Headache
• Skin irritation at the site of infusion
• Occasionally, pain in arm during infusion

Just how severely you will notice these side effects depends upon the amount of IVIg you receive and for how long. Generally, those receiving lower, shorter dosages report fewer side effects than those women who receive a three-day dose. In some cases, side effects can take a while to appear, causing a delayed reaction to occur 24 to 72 hours after treatment. Some women notice that they are better able to tolerate the IVIg therapy and experience fewer side effects as they continue with the treatment.

Cost and Success

IVIg therapy can greatly improve your chances of having a successful pregnancy after recurrent miscarriage. Some studies have shown a success rate as high as 80% with IVIg treatment. However, this type of fertility treatment does come with a hefty price tag.

Depending on how much IVIg is required for your treatment, each dose could cost as much as $1500. This means that receiving IVIg therapy during your pregnancy could cost in excess of $10,000. Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not cover IVIg therapy (although it doesn’t hurt to contact your insurance provider to double check). As a result, not every couple will be able to afford this treatment.

I CANT let the cost of this treatment get me down. Even though we DON'T have the funds and the chances of insurance covering it is pretty slim. I have FAITH that Heavenly Father would NOT have taken me down this path for this long to get me the ANSWERS and then say SORRY.

He HAS to have a PLAN and I will keep moving FORWARD allowing him to LEAD the way!

I keep praying that I will have the STRENGTH and COURAGE to be able to go through the extensive treatment and that I will be COMFORTED and SUSTAINED knowing it is what I NEED to do.

Thank you so much for all your LOVE and SUPPORT! I appreciate all of your comments that have been made in my behalf in the past few years as I have opened up my HEART and SOUL and allowed everyone in on my journey! . You have NO idea how much it has given me STRENGTH to continue on KNOWING I have you all in my life! 

The journey is not OVER yet but I do FEEL that it is CLOSER than it has EVER been!

I will continue to keep you posted as I go forward in FAITH in all of this!