Aa
Poor Responder- 1st IVF a Disaster?
My husband and I just completed our first IVF Cycle. Long Protocol. I'm 39 FSH 8.7 everything else in the normal range. I had a Tubal 19 years ago. Here is my wonderment, having never done this before, I don't recall the antral Follie count. I was told I had 4 eggs (or follies during the growth period). We went to retrieval and was told we only had one egg out of 3 follies. Which didn't fertilize. Now I am starting the Micro Flare Protocol. Being a Doc, would you have canceled that Cycle with such a low response? I wasn't educated enough to know that was a option. And is Micro Flare going to be much better? My Doc said she would try this then go to Donor Eggs, which is my other question..why give up so quickly after only 2 tries?
gosh - this is scaring me. I did IUI 2x - the first time i had 15 follicles at baseline and the 2nd one I only had 12 i think... i wonder if i'm losing follies too? i remember the dr said he likes to see at least 15 at baseline... i really had no idea that things would get this bad so fast once we hit our later 30's.
carrie - what is AMH? I know my RE did a slew of tests but not sure if i remember him mentioning AMH.
carrie - what is AMH? I know my RE did a slew of tests but not sure if i remember him mentioning AMH.
Have any of you had your AMH levels tested?
Any of your RE suggest treatment with DHEA 25mg three times a day?
Any of your RE suggest treatment with DHEA 25mg three times a day?
I think Missienal is losing her folliciles.
I think I might not be far behind her. I just turned 38 in Feb when I had my follicile count at baseline scan I only have 5 or 6. When I did my first IVF in Nov 2009 I had 13. I had no idea it could change so quickly. I am praying that this cycle I am in they can get some good quality eggs.
I think I might not be far behind her. I just turned 38 in Feb when I had my follicile count at baseline scan I only have 5 or 6. When I did my first IVF in Nov 2009 I had 13. I had no idea it could change so quickly. I am praying that this cycle I am in they can get some good quality eggs.
your dr mentioned donor eggs at 39 and FHS of 8.7? why? I am 38 and my FSH is a 9 and now i'm freaking out. I am just starting the process for my first IVF. My 2 IUI's did not work. I guess when dr retrieves my eggs we'll have a better idea about what is going on with me and why i can't get pregnant. maybe my eggs are bad?? will you try IVF again? Keep me posted and good luck!
i had high follicles in jan...and then low ones if feb and thats when i concieved. i think its less important how big they are and more important how cooked up they are. my problem was i didnt have enough hormones. i was ovulating bigg multiple eggs for nothing they weren't healthy or mature, for my injectables the hormones made them riper and even though they were smaller, they were better eggs. and poof i'm pg.
good luck! i'm sending you some baby dust!
good luck! i'm sending you some baby dust!
Hi Ladies,
I think I am falling into the wagon of poor responders also. It seems like it happened over night which upsets me. When I did IVF #1 in Nov 09 I had 13 follies. I did IUI in march & everything was normal.
I am now doing IVF #2 (mid cycle of meds now) I am on 450 Gonel-f & 2 menopur. I started with BCP & Lupron. I had about 5/6 follies at baseline & praying that they grow. Has anyone had low follies one month & then the next a higher amount? I am praying this works for me. Any suggestions???
I think I am falling into the wagon of poor responders also. It seems like it happened over night which upsets me. When I did IVF #1 in Nov 09 I had 13 follies. I did IUI in march & everything was normal.
I am now doing IVF #2 (mid cycle of meds now) I am on 450 Gonel-f & 2 menopur. I started with BCP & Lupron. I had about 5/6 follies at baseline & praying that they grow. Has anyone had low follies one month & then the next a higher amount? I am praying this works for me. Any suggestions???
Yes, my cycles are pretty regular..mamom is correct..they have to have you on the BCP before IVF in most cases. Specially before Microflare, which is what we are starting now..so yes my doses are going to be up. She told us the next day our one little egg looked good. I asked about being put out, and she said they didn't have the equipment to bring you "back" if something happened. Which surprised me seeing how I am seeing a very well know named place. They do give you a local, however I can tell you..it's a very painful thing..kinda like a sharp stab to each side. Fun!
I dunno, just all seem kinda weird to me..but again..I'm not a doc..and that was my first time..so who I am.
Hi, the BCP 's are to regulate the cycle and for your RE to have complete control over your your cycle and body. I have not heard of a regular IVGF cycle without BCP. Cannot tell you about FET as never had one
Missienal - I am surprised that they did not put you out during your retrieval that is strange. Infact my RE had a trial retrieval to see how I would respond to anaesthesia and teh type of catheter to use etc. In both times I was put out. Yoiu really need to check other options. Also have them increase your dosage. BTW, I remember asking the RE who did my retrieval the quality of eggs retrieved etc. He told me it was too soon to comment, they need atleast 24 hours so I think your RE messed up to immediaty have an analysis on your follies , never heard of that either
Missienal - I am surprised that they did not put you out during your retrieval that is strange. Infact my RE had a trial retrieval to see how I would respond to anaesthesia and teh type of catheter to use etc. In both times I was put out. Yoiu really need to check other options. Also have them increase your dosage. BTW, I remember asking the RE who did my retrieval the quality of eggs retrieved etc. He told me it was too soon to comment, they need atleast 24 hours so I think your RE messed up to immediaty have an analysis on your follies , never heard of that either
Hi,
The Doc said the BCP are just regulate my cycle. They are a low dose. I had a Tubal almost 18-19 years ago..at the time I really didn't know the scope of how it would affect me in my later years. So sadly, IVF is now my only option.
i am also a poor responder. My dr said NO WAY to bc. that it would only suppress me. Do you know why you are on the bc. With only a couple follies would you consider iui?
Thank you, that's what I was thinking.."Just like that you are dismissing me?" I think maybe she messed up the trigger shot or something. First she say's I have 5 follies, then it dropped to 4 with 3 good 1 so-so, then we go to retrieval and they don' put you to sleep where I go..and they are sucking them out and she says we have 5! I got so excited ( pitiful, excited over 5, but I was). Then I go to recovery, and 5 mins later I hear her telling my hub we had one. Said I had empty follies. I am going to try again if this Micro Flare doesn't work..I will go else where. She doesn't seem like she is open minded about other protocols. Thank you girls..I just need some positive..I really thought I was a shoe in for IVF, and turns out I'm not. :(
I think your RE is giving up hope too soon. I started trying last year when I was 39 years. I had only 10 follies of which 3 fertilized. I was so stressed and to be honest I did not know too much about IVF and it failed. The next time around I spnt hours educating myself and we invreased the dosage and I had 12 follies of which5 matured and they were all grade A. We froze 2 of 5. I am now 34 weeks pregnant with my own egg and not Donor egg. Please get a second opinion if necessary. If you have questions email me I iwll be happy to answer. Don't give up hope yet!! I got pregnant @ 39. It makes me angry when I see RE/OB's reacting the way your RE did. Good luck
I think in the end it is really up to us to keep trying with own eggs...
If you girls have the courage the money and the support to keep trying with your own eggs you can keep trying.
There are times when I feel that getting donor eggs will be a totally unbelievable thing to do (the thought sometimes gives me nightmares at night) but there are other times when I see anybody's baby and feel I could just adopt it if they just gave it to me. At these times I feel very OK about donor eggs and tend to think of it as adoption but with the whole experience (pregnancy etc). Would you ever tell your child however?
If you girls have the courage the money and the support to keep trying with your own eggs you can keep trying.
There are times when I feel that getting donor eggs will be a totally unbelievable thing to do (the thought sometimes gives me nightmares at night) but there are other times when I see anybody's baby and feel I could just adopt it if they just gave it to me. At these times I feel very OK about donor eggs and tend to think of it as adoption but with the whole experience (pregnancy etc). Would you ever tell your child however?
See, I guess that's what confuses me. She stated that by all accounts there was no reason she could see not trying again. Everything "looked" good. The numbers, uterus, blood work. She said my 1 egg looked really good too. One hand she say's "Everything looks good and I think you just had a crappy cycle." Then on the other she say's "We will try MicroFlare, if you don't get 6 or more Follies I suggest donor eggs". This was in the same consault. I don't have any other problems other than not enough eggs to get to trans. I feel like if I could just get one in there...it would stick. That's my happy thought any way. :)
Lost...
I am a poor responder too.. In my first IVF we had two embryos which were not dividing as expected. And I did not get pregnant.. And in my second IVF I ended up with only one embryo. . which was also dividing abnormally.. Ofcourse this failed too. . I am 27 and my fsh was 8 last year. All other hormone levels and my husband's sperm count were perfect. . I always had high antral follicle counts ..between 15 and 20.. but we will retreive very few mature eggs. .I was categorized under 'unexplained infertility' until the IVFs. My doctor suggested we can try with our own eggs one more time .. with 600 iu follistim per day. . He also said that he was not very hopeful that it would work as he felt that something was wrong with the eggs.. And he suggested donor eggs.. So we have moved on now.. I am starting my first donor egg ivf tomorrow. I don't know if its a good decision .. but I badly want a baby.
Hi there!
I am the same age as you, turned 39 last month.
I had 2 failed IVFs and I was told by my doctor that I am a poor responder.
The first try (3 months ago) I was on high doses (450 per day-short protocol) and I produced 4 eggs, 3 fertilised and transfered but did not get pregnant.
Second try I did the microflare protocol (more or less the same as previous time but higher doses 600 units per day) again it is a short protocol and I produced only 2 eggs, one of them made it to be a blastocyst and transfered on day 5 but did not get pregnant.
My uterus is not perfect either (have a myoma) but my doctor believes that it is my eggs quality that is not good and this is indicated by my poor response to drugs.
She recommends using donor eggs and this makes me so sad... I cannot decide what to do and I feel I shouldn't waste any more time but she is so reluctant doing another cycle with my eggs so if I want to try again with my eggs I will have to change doctors.
Take care
I am the same age as you, turned 39 last month.
I had 2 failed IVFs and I was told by my doctor that I am a poor responder.
The first try (3 months ago) I was on high doses (450 per day-short protocol) and I produced 4 eggs, 3 fertilised and transfered but did not get pregnant.
Second try I did the microflare protocol (more or less the same as previous time but higher doses 600 units per day) again it is a short protocol and I produced only 2 eggs, one of them made it to be a blastocyst and transfered on day 5 but did not get pregnant.
My uterus is not perfect either (have a myoma) but my doctor believes that it is my eggs quality that is not good and this is indicated by my poor response to drugs.
She recommends using donor eggs and this makes me so sad... I cannot decide what to do and I feel I shouldn't waste any more time but she is so reluctant doing another cycle with my eggs so if I want to try again with my eggs I will have to change doctors.
Take care
I'm sorry my other question is..did your doctor have you wait to start another cycle? We just ended the cycle on the 2nd of March..I started taking the BCP this past saturday, so like 12 days later we are going forward.
Hi, Thank you. I am on the BCP now, and if all goes well I will have retrieval the week of the 11th. I was on 300 follistim, I did take the gonadal, menopure. They are now going to BCP 27 days- Follistim 450 units and Oveldril. Excuse the mis spells. I would like to know how you progress as well..
Keep in touch..good luck you guys!
Keep in touch..good luck you guys!
I had only 6 follies last month and my IVF was changed to IUI instead. I also will switch to microflare. My doc said that knowing I only have one shot at IVF ($$), and since I have miscarried, that we should try the Lupron and see if I get more than 6. If not, then at least we know I max out at 6. I have gotten prey before with iui before so it was not a waste. Whereas IVF may have been. Keep in touch I start in 3 weeks.
I guess the Dr feels you are not responding to the meds. How much of the drug where you given? Did you use Gonel-F?
I guess she didn't want to cancel because she was not sure if the eggs would get fertalized or not. You can always go & get 2nd opinion. Best Wishes to you!!
I guess she didn't want to cancel because she was not sure if the eggs would get fertalized or not. You can always go & get 2nd opinion. Best Wishes to you!!
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Fertility and Trying to Conceive Community
Many couples are turning to acupuncture to treat infertility. But does it work? We take a closer look.
Does exercise really lower fertility? We take a look at 8 common myths about fertility.
Your guide to safely exercising throughout your 40 weeks.
Learn which foods aren't safe to eat when you're eating for two.
Is your biological clock sounding the alarm? Dr. Elaine Brown explains new advances in egg freezing.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
