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I was told high FSH do I have it tested again?
I'm 34 yrs old I did the clomid challenge and was told I have a high FSH and a 1% chance of getting pregnant. Do I accept that answer or do I get tested again?
Best Answer
Don't feel bad, I struggled as well with all the emotions. I so remember just crying and crying and crying over this and feeling so helpless and like my body was letting me down. I convinced myself that if I couldn't give a baby to my DH, he would eventually regret marrying me. All of that couldn't be further from the truth, my DH loved me and was so supportive during this, but the emotions and the meds and the disappointment can drive us almost crazy. You're not alone! The best thing for me, was just getting on here everyday and talking it out with people and realizing that "everyone" was going thru the same thing I was.
There is ALOT of incorrect or misinformation on the internet, most people on this site have been thru, tried, failed and succeeded at just about every single aspect of infertility and fertility, so just keep asking questions. This site became my "light" everyday. It was the one thing that gave me compassion and understanding and information on what to do next.
I always felt I had to be the strong one with my family, so I never allowed myself to break down at home. Here is where I got to share all my emotions and get answers.
Just take one step at a time. If you don't find a clinic and RE that you feel is listening to you....try a third or a fourth....this is the most IMPORTANT step....find a great RE that is willing to try and try and try. You are NOT too old and your fsh is NOT too high to keep trying.
You can talk to me or ask questions anytime you need, you'll get thru this, I have a good feeling about this for you.
There is ALOT of incorrect or misinformation on the internet, most people on this site have been thru, tried, failed and succeeded at just about every single aspect of infertility and fertility, so just keep asking questions. This site became my "light" everyday. It was the one thing that gave me compassion and understanding and information on what to do next.
I always felt I had to be the strong one with my family, so I never allowed myself to break down at home. Here is where I got to share all my emotions and get answers.
Just take one step at a time. If you don't find a clinic and RE that you feel is listening to you....try a third or a fourth....this is the most IMPORTANT step....find a great RE that is willing to try and try and try. You are NOT too old and your fsh is NOT too high to keep trying.
You can talk to me or ask questions anytime you need, you'll get thru this, I have a good feeling about this for you.
Alexis,
I appreciate all of your comments. It helps me the past few days I have been a wreck. I have had a short temper and have been snapping at my husband. I don't want to fight with him. I do have an appt. scd to find out medication options. I don't really know how to deal with this, to feel each day, how not to think about it constantly. I have been seeing a lot about acupuncture. Does that really help?? I'm up for anything I need some sort of way to release these emotions.
I appreciate all of your comments. It helps me the past few days I have been a wreck. I have had a short temper and have been snapping at my husband. I don't want to fight with him. I do have an appt. scd to find out medication options. I don't really know how to deal with this, to feel each day, how not to think about it constantly. I have been seeing a lot about acupuncture. Does that really help?? I'm up for anything I need some sort of way to release these emotions.
Alexis I just saw your response thank you. I will look into another Dr. At 39 your FSH was lower than mine at 34 yrs old. Day 10 it was a 21. The fertility specialist I am seeing didn't mention trying fertility drugs they just saw my FSH and recommended donor egg. Is it the dr I'm seeing or because of the high FSH? Good to know the fertility med made it happen. I will continue with research and finding another dr for their opinion. THANKS
I think Alexis just brought up another very very important point, and that is to trust your own judgement. A good Dr. never minds you questioning things, looking for more info, or having your own suggestions and recommendations. Good luck to you again!
My FSH was 13 when I was 41, so that was almost 2 years ago. I'm sure this year when I DID get pg that it was MUCH higher. I was not recommended for IVF either. when I did suggest IVF, they told me that it would be wiser if i was considering spending that kind of money to use donor eggs with it.
I stuck to IUI's and the fertility medications. For me, the IUI's didn't work, I had 9 cycles total of fertility treatments. 5 were IUI's - never got pg with IUI - however many many people do, I just have a weird body I guess.
Of the 4 cycles I tried "the good ol fashioned way" with meds and acupuncture, I got pg 3 out of the 4 cycles. Statistically you have better odds with IUI, however by paying attention to YOUR body and having an RE that really works with you, you will figure these things out. Its all a numbers and timing game. You are so young, way to young to give up on yourself yet. Have faith, start writing everything down about your cycles and do lots and lots of research. I would also check into a few other RE's, sounds like your's might unfortunately by all about the money.
Also, even though I had a really good RE that I loved. this last cycle that I did get this current pregnancy on.....my RE told me to take the Ovidrel to force ovulation on Thursday morning. Well, I'd been doing this for awhile and I thought he was way too early. I used my own judgement and I took the Ovidrel on Saturday night......looks like I was right :). I told my RE and he was so happy for me, he didn't even care that he was wrong. they do the best they can, but its YOUR body, take charge and do what YOU are comfortable with. sounds like you are not ready for the donor egg route yet in your heart. You need to be ready for it. for the people that are, it works great and they are so happy, but they also know in their hearts that they have used EVERY available option and this is the right choice for them.
Don't give up, have faith, my prayers are with you.
Hugs
I stuck to IUI's and the fertility medications. For me, the IUI's didn't work, I had 9 cycles total of fertility treatments. 5 were IUI's - never got pg with IUI - however many many people do, I just have a weird body I guess.
Of the 4 cycles I tried "the good ol fashioned way" with meds and acupuncture, I got pg 3 out of the 4 cycles. Statistically you have better odds with IUI, however by paying attention to YOUR body and having an RE that really works with you, you will figure these things out. Its all a numbers and timing game. You are so young, way to young to give up on yourself yet. Have faith, start writing everything down about your cycles and do lots and lots of research. I would also check into a few other RE's, sounds like your's might unfortunately by all about the money.
Also, even though I had a really good RE that I loved. this last cycle that I did get this current pregnancy on.....my RE told me to take the Ovidrel to force ovulation on Thursday morning. Well, I'd been doing this for awhile and I thought he was way too early. I used my own judgement and I took the Ovidrel on Saturday night......looks like I was right :). I told my RE and he was so happy for me, he didn't even care that he was wrong. they do the best they can, but its YOUR body, take charge and do what YOU are comfortable with. sounds like you are not ready for the donor egg route yet in your heart. You need to be ready for it. for the people that are, it works great and they are so happy, but they also know in their hearts that they have used EVERY available option and this is the right choice for them.
Don't give up, have faith, my prayers are with you.
Hugs
thank you for everyones responses it definately helps. I'm in Texas and have been seen at RMA. I can see what your all saying they are looking at their % of success staying high. It's good to know that other women had high fsh and got pg. I also have a blocked tube so I think my chances are even lower. so the women with a high fsh was around the my numbers? and did you get pg on your own?
To add to what I said...the medical research indicates (and my REs admit) that there IS NO WAY to really tell how many good eggs a woman has left. FSH is a number they use because there's not much else the medical community has discovered to approximate fertility, but women with high FSHs are getting pregnant all the time. They don't completely understand it. It's just less likely you will produce tons of eggs with IVF treatment - maybe not even enough for them to want to continue the cycle. But...it only takes one! :)
I wouldn't bother to get your FSH tested again. I had a high FSH and was given negative prognosis by the doctor, too, and I ended up getting naturally pregnant at 39 years old.
Because of your age - you are relatively young! - your FSH doesn't mean as much and you still have a higher chance of getting pregnant than does someone older with a lower FSH.
However, what a high FSH probably means - from all the hours and hours I spent researching this - is that you probably won't respond as well to IVF treatment. Your quality of eggs could still be good (and probably is ok, given your age) but your brain-ovary communication lines (eg the FSH) aren't where it should be to respond to the IVF drugs.
What I would do is invest in a very good acupuncturist who specialized in fertility for six months to a year and see if it happens naturally. If it doesn't, you can always retest your FSH then (acunpunture could help it go down) and either go for IVF with your own eggs or donor eggs then. I wouldn't give up so soon unless you just can't wait another minute to have a baby...which sometimes you get to that point!
Because of your age - you are relatively young! - your FSH doesn't mean as much and you still have a higher chance of getting pregnant than does someone older with a lower FSH.
However, what a high FSH probably means - from all the hours and hours I spent researching this - is that you probably won't respond as well to IVF treatment. Your quality of eggs could still be good (and probably is ok, given your age) but your brain-ovary communication lines (eg the FSH) aren't where it should be to respond to the IVF drugs.
What I would do is invest in a very good acupuncturist who specialized in fertility for six months to a year and see if it happens naturally. If it doesn't, you can always retest your FSH then (acunpunture could help it go down) and either go for IVF with your own eggs or donor eggs then. I wouldn't give up so soon unless you just can't wait another minute to have a baby...which sometimes you get to that point!
I also agree with everything Alexis did. However, in terms of IVF with your own eggs, chances are your RE won't recommend it. The reason is that when your reserve gets low, the quality of your eggs tends to diminish, so your chances of success would be low. Doesn't mean it won't happen, just means the odds are lower. So they will tend to recommend donor eggs to give you a much higher chance of success.
Anything is possible, and there are happy ending stories every single day. Yours could absolutely be one of them. It doesn't hurt though to explore other options that increase your odds. Really, its up to you to decide.
Alexis is absolutely correct about the number fluctuating. I had mine tested more then once, and some months it was significantly lower then others. The best thing to do is get all the facts and then go from there. There is certainly nothing wrong with continuing to try, then deciding when you are ready (and if you need to) where to go from there.
I wish you luck!!
Anything is possible, and there are happy ending stories every single day. Yours could absolutely be one of them. It doesn't hurt though to explore other options that increase your odds. Really, its up to you to decide.
Alexis is absolutely correct about the number fluctuating. I had mine tested more then once, and some months it was significantly lower then others. The best thing to do is get all the facts and then go from there. There is certainly nothing wrong with continuing to try, then deciding when you are ready (and if you need to) where to go from there.
I wish you luck!!
alexis2358 said is so perfectly. please read her response over and over again. i would copy and paste her response b/c that is exactly what i was told and what i experienced. AND she is a living proof that it can happen. PLEASE read here comment again.
as for using your own eggs... you can definitely still use your own eggs. again read alexis2358's response. REs and IVF clinics have different standards (they have to watch their success rates too... you know) and they watch their profit. so ask around (ask here) for a good ivf clinic... research it. i asked and i followed women who have had success (like alexis2358). i'm in nh and we don't have a lot of ivf clinics, let alone good ones, so at one point i was even considering traveling to go to a good ivf clinic. it is possible.
good luck and don't loose hope. again, did i say read alexis's response. i'm sorry for saying this again b/c you will get alot of missed information .... but hers explained it perfectly and oh sooooo correctly.
as for using your own eggs... you can definitely still use your own eggs. again read alexis2358's response. REs and IVF clinics have different standards (they have to watch their success rates too... you know) and they watch their profit. so ask around (ask here) for a good ivf clinic... research it. i asked and i followed women who have had success (like alexis2358). i'm in nh and we don't have a lot of ivf clinics, let alone good ones, so at one point i was even considering traveling to go to a good ivf clinic. it is possible.
good luck and don't loose hope. again, did i say read alexis's response. i'm sorry for saying this again b/c you will get alot of missed information .... but hers explained it perfectly and oh sooooo correctly.
I have been going to a fertility specialist and they said the only way I can get pregnant is to use a donor egg. Why can't I do IVF with my own eggs. my FSH day 3 of cycle was 16 and day 10 it was 21. Do I just face I can't get pg on my own and use a donor egg? I'm soooo hurt frustrated, lost
I wouldn't bother to get it tested again. Its only a number, which can vary at different times of your life. Its used to give a "guestimate" of how your egg reserve is doing. A higher number "generally" means your egg reserve may be getting low. Taking herbs to lower it, may give you a lower number, but if you are running low on eggs, it certainly won't make you new ones. We have what we have, however with that being said....that number fluctuates many times throughout the year. You could take it every month and get a different answer every month. I am 43 y/o and 14 weeks pregnant. I was told I had a high FSH and a 1% chance of getting pregnant and well....here I am. Don't give up, don't read into the numbers. I had a great RE and he told me the facts, told me where to spend money for fertility and where not to. He told me what things mattered and what things didn't. That's how I learned about the FSH...It can mean everything...or it can mean nothing. He told me that just because my egg reserve may be getting low, doesn't mean I don't have eggs, and even though due to age I may have alot of bad eggs....I also most likely have some good ones. He told me as long as I can keep going emotionally then keep trying and he would help, eventually we would find a "good egg". I had 2 m/c's along the way, but this time with alot of patience and time, we found the "good egg" and I couldn't be happier. so even with a 1% chance.....pregnancy CAN happen.
Good luck to you.
Good luck to you.
Try other meds, clomid doesnt always agree with everyone and it is alot of drs first choice to use. My RE doesnt even use it anymore because it also thins your lining and can cause cysts which btw can affect hormone levels too. We went to femara, follistim, novarel, estrace, and progesterone and it worked first cycle after my surgery. Good luck to you.
I took clomid 3 times, then had the I thinks it called hcg test and it found a tube blocked. I then had laproscopy done they found endometreosis removed it. I then went through the Clomid challenge and was told my FSH is high and a 1% chance of getting pregnant.
Hi, I am 36, I had high fsh and was told I was in early menopause by 2 diff drs. I finally visited an re for more advanced care and testing and found that wasnt true. I Had endometriosis, low amh, and high fsh. After lap to remove endo, my fsh dropped and after meds I am now 22w5d pg. Good luck to you.
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You need to at least have some cycles evaluated by ultrasound to determine if you are still producing your own eggs before you even THINK about donor eggs. If you are producing eggs, you need to give at least 6 months of TTC using medications. If after a minimum of 6 months of TTC and no luck with medications, THEN you may begin to "suspect" egg quality problems.
I needed the medications vs. just natural because my follicles never got mature enough on their own by ovulation to expel the egg. I took Femara to bring up more eggs to increase my chances and then used gonal-f injections to help the follicles mature and get bigger. this caused them to be mature enough to expel the egg at the correct time. I probably would never have gotten pg on my own without the meds. But that seems to be all it took.
I would definately try at least these two steps before you contemplate donor eggs. Once you know in your heart that you have exhausted every resource, only then will you accept the donor egg route.
Now trust me......this whole process is NOT inexpensive. I probably spent about $10,000 - $12,000 over the past year between meds, ultrasounds, office visits and acupuncture. My health insurance is great, but does NOT cover infertility - so all of mine was out of pocket.....HOWEVER......it could have cost me a million dollars - cause it was SOOOOO worth it!