12 replies to this topic

[Seem14]

Hi ladies, 

 

Just needing to clear my head... and vent.... (I'm currently on 225ui of Menopur and Puregone, and just finished my last dose of Saizen tonight.  I started off with one month of Androgel and about 10 days of Estrace priming.)

 

So went in for my second ultrasound today and it confirmed just two follicles. I am now on day 10 of stims.  The doctor today didn't seem discouraged and if anything he's saying that we should go ahead with retrieval.   He said that even though I have two, I have age on my side as he considers me "young" and that chances are the quality of my eggs would be good.  He said that the sizes at this point are really good - both were measuring a little over 17mm. He's optimistic that they will find eggs in them.  I don't know what to think.  I was almost hoping they would just cancel my cycle but he said that at this point "there's nothing they can do for me and that this could be the best I could do".  I still don't know about that though. I feel like I could do better.... but I won't argue with the expert at this point. 

 

He asked me for my AMH value and I told him it was normal and his nurse looked it up and confirmed it was and it was done Dec 2015.  He said that there's something that "doesn't jive" with my blood work and how I'm responding.  He says that with this results I should be producing a lot of follies, but I'm not. He said that from that time of testing, my AMH could've changed at this point? (can it really drop that much though?? to a point where I could be considered DOR?  - that doesn't make sense to me, but ok).  He also said that I'm on the highest dose of meds, something that they would give a 48 year old.  ULLGGGHHH just don't know what to think now... and then he did say, if all fails, I could consider a mini-IVF to see if I respond better.  So, this is something that I would look into for sure.  All he said was this will entail lower dose meds to see if my ovaries will respond better.... we'll see about that... for now I'm just taking it one day at a time.  I have another BW and US this monday.  He thinks I'll be triggered then and ER as soon as wednesday.... 

 

He also checked my uterine lining and it is about 7mm I believe, and he says that my lining should be fine and will keep thickening in these next couple of days.  I don't know what to think... 

 

I would love to see some success stories.  Morale is a bit low today, though I'm trying with all my might to take it one day at a time. My DH is definitely more optimistic than I am and I am grateful for his never ending support but right now, I feel the need to hear from others who's gone thru the same experience I am having... just feeling down at the moment.

 

Sorry for the long message! I definitely got carried away but thank you for your patience reading!  

 

Hope everyone else is having a better day than I am! 

[ndo_inwaiting]

I'm sorry seem14 that your cycle has produced so few follicles of size. Is there any chance some of the smaller ones may catch up? I haven't had any experience with poor response (lots and lots of failed cycles in spite of good response) but I do have a friend who only got two embryos that made it transfer and they are her five year old twins. I know it must be something disappointing and scary- but hopefully your doc is right in that your body has focused on quality vs quantity and these are your golden eggs. Fingers crossed for you.

[ndo_inwaiting]

The ducks told my friend to cancel and she did not follow their suggestion.

[ndo_inwaiting]

The docs I mean! Darned auto correct!

[nervus optimist]

I read somewhere that the number of eggs retrieved is usually roughly half of the AFC on day 3 of a cycle. In my case, it was always around that number, and at the start of any given cycle I had anywhere between 4 and 13 visible follicles. Once I had a better understanding of this DH and I decided that we would ourselves choose not to even start a cycle unless I had at least 12 visible on day 3. I'm not sure if this is helpful at all, but at the end of the day, if you have made it this far, and you can afford to continue with the cycle, there is certainly no harm in trying, and just as ndo said, you never know what could happen, this cycle, even with so few eggs, could still be so magical. I do know of some people who after so few follicles develop convert a cycle to IUI, so it still has a chance to do something, but spares the expense of IVF. And if this isn't your magic month, perhaps take a look back at previous cycles to see what your day 3 numbers have been like, and discuss with your doctor what the best options are moving forward. 

 

Wishing you lots of luck

[Seem14]

Ndo - thank you so much for sharing some positive story of your friend! I really appreciate it. I don't think there were any little ones visible.  Just the two large follies.  I don't know whether to be sad or not, but two is two and is better than none.  

 

Nervus - yes, I've heard of that stats too.  It's just very confusing coz my current baseline AFC without the meds (and this was taken before I did my first IVF in October 2016) was 11 and my AMH came back normal too.  I was started on a lower dose of menopur then and was increased toward the end and I got 6 that were big and 3 so-so follicles.  This time RE started me on the highest dose (and also used saizen and androgel as adjunct meds) and I got a whopping 2 follies.  So I don't know... it really doesn't look like my ovaries like the meds. I'll definitely be discussing this with my RE in the future if I ever end up going for a 3rd IVF (praying not, but it's a possibility). 

 

*sigh* 

 

Just looking for some good stories 

[nervus optimist]

It may not be the story you want to hear, but mine is in some ways similar to yours, and does have it's own happy ending. I never responded well to stim meds, and never got any impressive number of follicles at all. After 2 IVF cycles doctor recommended donor eggs. We ended up having a son through a donor embryo, and then somehow after 12 years of marriage and years of infertility treatments, we have a spontaneous PG. I hope this  cycle does bring some magic into your life and that if it doesn't your doctor can offer you some ideas and options and information to help you make decisions moving forward.

 

[Frannie2012]

So...when I was stimming I responded poorly (even though i almost over-stimulated on clomid...weird)....they retrieved only 5 eggs (I totally thought the cycle was a bust)....and I have a beautiful 3 year old from that cycle. It was my first IVF and we did a fresh transfer. Really....you only need one....I wish you the best of luck!!

[Seem14]

Thank you so much Frannie2012 and Nervous Optimist - just did my trigger shot tonight and truly just hoping for the best now.  I will update you ladies as I move forward along. 

 

I appreciate all the responses! 

[From0to3]

Hi seem - good luck with the trigger shot and retrieval! Hope they can find more follies and you get a few more eggs. I also had two dominant follicles and 3 or 4 immature ones last cycle. My regular RE didn't do my last ultrasound and the doc on duty recommended I cancel or convert to IUI. My first cycle produced over 20 follies and 17 eggs so I was certain it was game over but my own RE hammered home to go forward as it only took one. They ended up retrieving 6 eggs resulting in 3 babies and 2 embies frozen. For some of us low numbers are actually better eggs than double digits. Sending encouragement and positive thoughts your way.

[Seem14]

Thank you so much From0to3! did my egg retrieval today and they found two eggs.  They are now incubating and waiting for a call tomorrow... so fingers crossed this 5 days (or 3) fly by quickly! 

[hopefuldadsomeday]

Hi Seem14, hope the 2 grow well and that at least one will grow into your lucky bean!  We're going for our orientation session next month, and we're also scared what kind of results we will get.  In the meantime, I'll send any luck I have your way!

[Thisismyyear]

Hi guys,

Seems--I hope your everything went well after ER.

I am in need of support to...we were supposed to start IVF in May but found out that we got pregnant on our own in March. However, i had a miscarriage at 7weeks. It will be a month on June 6 since I took the medication to start the miscarriage. I am finding that I have no motivation to eat right or exercise.

How do I get out of this funk. Any suggestions are welcome