Follicles

[ashort]

Can anybody explain what a follicle is?  Are they there all the time or just before you ovulate?  I went to the RE today for the first time and he said I had 4 follicles on one ovary and I think 3 or 4 on the other is this good?

[ashort]

Yeah...I can't see anything on the normal internal sonogram sooo I'm glad he knows what he's looking at haha...he's recommending and it's covered by insurance so why not?  Thanks for the luck...good luck to you too!

[SDScientist]

I think the opinion on the hysteroscopy varies.  Mine was uncomfortable but I wouldn't say it hurt and it took all of 2 minutes.  I have heard some women say theirs hurt.  I did cramp for about an hour or so later.  But that was it.  It is kind of weird to see your uterus in color on a screen.  At least I thought is was a little weird.  :)   Good luck on the HPT.

[ashort]

I think it's the hysteroscopy that I'm talking about...he said something about him injecting water into my uterus to see if I have any polyps...he called it a water sonogram though...did it hurt?  He seemed to think it was good that I had 7 total...18-20 sounds great...I'm not doing IVF...I hope I don't have too...right now their are a lot of maybes...he says I could have scar tissue from the D and C that is causing me not to get my period...but he doesn't think so.  He also said that b/c my cycle is 38 days...it might mean I don't ovulate consistently...I have a lot of unanswered questions...I'm going to talke a HPT tomorrow morning...

[SDScientist]

I have not heard of a water sonogram.  I know that sometimes when they want to do an u/s of your uterus they will have you drink lots of water so it fills your bladder and they can see your uterus better.  There is also a hysteroscopy, where they put put a thin catheter with a camera up your cervix into your uterus and fill your uterus with water to see if there is scarring in the uterus.  I have had both done.  
About the follicles, as SDteacher said, some are empty...I had 18-20 follicles and only 13 eggs were retrieved.  I did IVF-this many eggs is not even close to normal for a natural cycle.  :)  

[ashort]

Thank you guys sooo much for the info.  Tonya...I'm glad you got something out of it too.  The RE was talking so fast and it was so much new info...that I was just taking it all in.  SDteacher...I haven't done either..  I just had a m/c in June and a D and C it's been 8 weeks and still no AF.  I was having spotting.  It was actually my first visit yesterday.  My cycle is usually long 35-38 days.  He told me that 38 days is pretty long and I might not ovulate consistently.  I also had blood tests done...so we'll see.  He wants me to get a "water sonogram."  Has anybody had this and does it hurt?  He thinks I might have scar tissue from the D and C.  Good luck to you guys too.  SDScientist 5-6 on each side that sounds good!

[TonyaB]

Thanks for asking this!  I kind of knew a little about follicles but had no idea about their function or what would be good or bad.  I have an ultrasound for CD12 to check my follicles so I'll probably be searching for more information myself!

[SDteacher]

I'd like to add to what hoping and SDScientist said.  Even though we take all of those stimulation meds.... it doesn't mean that the follicle will produce an egg.  In some cases the follicles get very large from the meds and no egg.
4 & 4 is good.  Good luck!  Are you doing an IUI or IVF?

[SDScientist]

The easiest way to describe a follicle is the fluid filled sac that contains the egg.  You have follicles all the time.  The last u/s I had showed 5-6 on each side.  Your follicles change size during your cycle.  In the beginning of your cycle right around the time of AF and a few days after they are small.  As you get closer to ovulation one or two of your follicles will grow to around 1.5 to 2 cm.  At ovulation your "lead" follicle will release an mature egg and the other follicles will shrink up.  The remnant of the follicle that released the egg is the corpus luteum and its function is to produce progesterone to tell the uterus to build up the lining and support pregnancy.  Hope that helps.

[hopngfortwns08]

sounds good! a follicle is what produces your eggs. each follicle contains one egg. and yes it usually happens when your body is preparing to ovulate. the follicle matures and releases the egg. Good luck!