Follicle Numbers

[fifi blue]

Ladies, I had cd 6 b/w and u/s today.   I'm on my first ivf cycle and a poor responder to meds.  I had a 15, and 2 small follicles under 10 in left ovary and 12, 11.5, 10.5 and 2 under 10 in right.  Do you think I'll be able to recruit more follicles?  I'm on lupron and 300 follistim.  I'm worried they'll be nothing to transfer because of the small amount of follies I've produced.  Anyone had success with a number this small?

[Chrissieanddan]

Hi honey
I had transfer yesterday they called & got me in so now on 2ww.. Good luck today honey all the best praying you get some good quality eggs x x x
Sending lots of SSBD
Chrissie
p.s you are probably gonna feel a bit grogy today from drugs so take it easy x x

[fifi blue]

Chrissie, my retrieval is tomorrow and I probably won't be checking this forum for a few days so I just want to wish you all the best for Wednesday.  I'll be praying for you.  If I have anything to put back, and please God I will, it'll be a 3 day transfer scheduled for Friday.

SSBD
Fiona

[Chrissieanddan]

Hi fiona
No just having 2 put back they have gotta make it til wednesday so hoping they survive.
5 day transfer. well you still have a couple of days the trigger shot helps them mature so whatever you have should be ok, keep your chin up, if they didnt think it was ok they wouldnt do egg collection.

Will be praying they get some good quality eggs, at the end of the day you only need one to fertilise & implant.

Sending lots of SSBD
Chrissie x

[fifi blue]

Hi Chrissie, just got call form RE with instructions.  I have to take regular dose of lupron tonight and 600 follistim. I go back for more b/w & u/s tomorrow morning and then probably trigger tomorrow night.  So, IVF is still on the table.  Looks like retrieval will be Tuesday.  I hoping for the best but not a whole lot to work with.  At least I'll find out what my egg quality is.  

9 fertilised is brilliant, are you doing 3 or 5 day transfer? will they put back all 9 if they make it?  I'm really excited for you.  

Lots of SSBD to you too.
fiona

[Chrissieanddan]

how long have you got til egg collection? have they not upped the meds?
I dont understand why 23 is to big I had a couple that were 21/22.

I am feeling bloated, & a bit sore but ok.
I am excited about transfer hope they survive til then. Your prays must have worked so far as I got 9 fertilised..
Just hoping they make it. You may as well carry on until they say not to, maybe you would respond better to different drugs. If you still have a while on these meds it can all change, so please keep positive. keep me posted.
Keep your chin up
Sending lots of SSBD
Chrissie x x

[fifi blue]

How are you feeling?  I was thinking of you yesterday.  That's a great number to work with.  I wish you all the best and know that I'm praying for you.  Let the dreaded tww begin :)
I had b/w and u/s today.  Follicles were 23 (too big), 17, 17, 12, 12, 10 and couple too small.  So have even less then the other day.  I'm really disappointed and not sure what the next step will be.  I'm thinking they might cancel ivf and do iui.  There's too big a gap between the 17's and the rest.  Waiting for b/w results and instructions.  I'm sick of this rollercoaster ride.  One minute you're up and the next you're down, literally every minute!  I'd like some semblance of a life back.  Ok, vent over.
Keep me up to date on your news.
ssbd.
fiona

[fifi blue]

How are you feeling?  I was thinking of you yesterday.  That's a great number to work with.  I wish you all the best and know that I'm praying for you.  Let the dreaded tww begin :)
I had b/w and u/s today.  Follicles were 23 (too big), 17, 17, 12, 12, 10 and couple too small.  So have even less then the other day.  I'm really disappointed and not sure what the next step will be.  I'm thinking they might cancel ivf and do iui.  There's too big a gap between the 17's and the rest.  Waiting for b/w results and instructions.  I'm sick of this rollercoaster ride.  One minute you're up and the next you're down, literally every minute!  I'd like some semblance of a life back.  Oh, vent over, I'll be fine.

[Chrissieanddan]

Hi fifi
yeah really did start with only 6, I am sur they will be fine, keep me posted on how its going.
they got 13 eggs yeaterday, so am happy with that. there was only 15 the right size so if you look at those odds even if you get 9 you should end up with 6 or 7 eggs..
I will be praying & keeping fingers crossed that you get loads dont stress, because that will effect it you want to try & stay happy & positive like andykk said. It does make a difference
Good luck hon
Sending lots of SSBD
Chrissie

[Julie1615]

Hi fifi, you know, I have exactly the same worry:( But your attitude is great and it gives me a lot of hope too!

My next step is right now uncertain. I have exhausted most of the insurance coverage so treading carefully before my next IVF. I have heard of acupunture and yes, I'm starting on it this weekend. They told me it takes atleast 3 months for it to have any effect, so I'm guessing I will be taking a three month break from any IVF cycles for now.

[fifi blue]

Thanks Ladies, I feel a bit better.  Did you really start with 6 and end up with 27, wow!  My dr was looking for about 9 from me.  I just respond really badly to meds.  I go in for b/w and u/s on Saturday, hopefully they'll be a few more.  Retrieval will probably be Wednesday.  My meds stay the same, 10 cc of lupron and 300 follistim.  

Good luck with the retrieval tomorrow.  You must be excited, I'm be praying for you, for both of you.

Thanks again.  I really do feel better about it.

[andykk]

I agree w/ chrissie...the size and amount can change so quickly, so don't get discouraged! It will all work out in your favor (even if it doesn't seem like it at the time!) Stay positive and don't get down yet!!! You have lots of support and you know you can vent, complain, etc...all you want!! But don't get down!! :O)

[Chrissieanddan]

Hi when are you due for egg collection? Have they upped your meds?
I started with 6 & they kept upping it every few days.
I now have 27, stomach pains are bad with that amount though. I go in tomorrow for collection, this monday only one of mine was at 16 the rest were between 8 & 11.
The nurse said they increased my dose so that I would stop producing more, but that the ones i have would increase in size.

The size can change so quickly, dont be disheartened..
Are you having blood tests everytime they scan you?
chrissie

[fifi blue]

Thanks for your kind words Julie.  I've read other posts and some ladies have so many follicles that I can't help but worry about my small amount.  I know a lot of follies don't even get fertilized never mind make it to transfer so....  Anyway, I can't change it so I'll make the best of it and pray that it works out.

What is your next step?  Have you tried acupunture?  It can help with fsh numbers.

[Julie1615]

Hi Fifi,

Oh I can imagine exactly what you're feeling. Your E2 and FSH levels look great though. My E2 level is 69-87 and it is artificially supressing the FSH to 6.0.

I had 9 follicles, and after 13 days of fsh and the stims, they retrieved 10 eggs. The RE who did the retrieval told my hubby that they all looked mature enough to fertilize, but unfortunately only 2 did!! And of that only 1 embryo was transferred on day 3 which was a 6 cell embie. Please don't be disheartened by this because my hubby and I are also dealing with male factor (poor morphology). So if you have atleast 8 eggs retrieved, and all of them fertilize, you have an excellent chance of getting good quality embryos!

best,
Julie.

[fifi blue]

Sorry, I forgot to thank you both for your response.  Good luck to you both.  

[fifi blue]

Hi Julie, I'm 39 and my last fsh was 7.7 and e2 was 32.  On your last ivf did you have many embies to transfer?

[fifi blue]

I'm staying on the same amount of lupron and follistim.  I'm just a poor responder and I think they're happy enough with the amount I've produced.  I'm worried about the very things you mentioned, what if there's nothing to transfer!  

[Julie1615]

Hi Fifi,

From your post I gather that you have about 8 follicles in all? I think that's a good average number of follicles to have. The low range would be <8 or <6 I think. I too have a low number of follicles, about 10 and I'm a low responder to meds too. On my first IVF cycle (which failed) I was also on 300 units of Gonal-F which is similar to Follistim I think. I was also on 1 vial on Menopur and 5 cc of Lupron.

If you don't mind my asking... how old are you? and what's your FSH and Estradiol level? Wising you good luck with your ivf cycle!

best,
Julie

[andykk]

are they going to increase your meds? that is the protocol at the clinic i go to. if not stimiming enough...leads to med increase. When are they planning for a retrieval? I know in our clinic if there aren't a good amount of follicles measuring good they will cancel the cycle and possibly do and IUI instead. It is a lot of work to retrieve and then a lot of eggs don't make it to embies. But also...when they go into a retrieval a lot of times they end up w/ more follicles than they hoped for. Good luck! And question your clinic as MUCH as you want....that is their job and they should be doing what is best for you and your cycle. It is a lot of work emotionally, physically, etc...and they should want a successful outcome as much as you do!  :O)