Today I had my first official day 2 b/w done (before was from random day). Not so bueno: FSH 20, Esradiol: 165
The RE was nice and said he'd do whatever I want, which is, of course, TO HAVE A BABY WITH MY OWN EGGS! He said he would do IVF on me, but that the chances are very low. He did say he does the estrogen priming protocol that Check does, and he has had some success rates.
Am I being totally unrealistic thinking I can get eggs with FSH 20? Should I go straight to Check? Has anyone ever gone to Check with FSH of 20?
I am also hoping that since I just started my thyroid meds 1.5 weeks ago that those will help.
In my heart I can't give up, but feel like a fool going through with it knowing the odds.
jennifer
Dr Check sees women, from what I understand, with FSH into the 100s. Yours is not sooo high. It depends on your financial constraints, your age, your ability to and requirement to travel...
And FSH does go up and down again; some docs believe that cycles with lower FSH (even artificially lowered), have more success with IVF, so it may be good to wait; or not. If your age is borderline, and you feel huge urgency, then get on the bike; also, your thyroid meds may well have a huge impact on your FSH and fertility in generaly; you may want to wait a few cycles to see if that was all you needed to push you over the boundary into fertile land.
good luck.
laura
Me 39, HIghest FSH 33.8 aug 06
DH 44 SA great
Grade 1V endo since puberty, many laps and bowel surgeries, hashimotos
DD born 2000 after 8 years of ttc
new DH
herbs, diet, acup, yoga bring endo symptoms into line
ttc#2 3years no bfps
FSH went high aug 06, labile.
Three failed ivfs, two converted to IUI, 2 chems. One more IVF planned with my own eggs, in May.
I believe my acupuncture, thyroid, healthy living etc will continue to lower the number, but you know the old saying about only being as fertile as your highest number.
Thank you so much for the advice. I'm 35 by the way, and feeling the crunch big time.
You mentioned the finances---you know I"m in Los Angeles and the fee for the IVF is 7000 plus 3000 for the meds?????? Sounds like Check is alot less expensive than that!
My RE said to come by next week and see where my ivaries are at, and we can discuss at that point what to do.
I'll keep you posted, thanks so much for the reply!
jennifer
Did you ask what impact on the scenario the high E2 has? I have a highest known FSH of 20 also, but my E2 is always low on Day 2/3. You might ask your RE what that means for the FSH reading before making your decision.
But truly, you won't know how you respond to an IVF protocol until you try, so I would do at least 1 or 2 before looking at other non-IVF options. Everyone is different and you don't know until you try a few approaches if it might work.
Thanks so much for replying! My E2 is high because I have a cyst from last months ovulation producing estrogen. I don't think he was to concerned about it.
When I go in wed for an ulatrasound I'm going to ask.
thx!
Jennifer
Just wanted to wish you good luck!!! Heres to a BFP real soon.....
Kitty
Age 35
Lost right ovary when I was 14 (Botched appendix surgery)
FSH- btw 8-15
AFC- btw- 6 and 16 left ovary
DH- Age 36 -great SA- poor morphology (2-5%)
3 BFN IVF's (Sept. 2006, Sept. 2007, Jan 2007)
BFN Letrozole/BD March 2007
June 2007 Clomid/Gonal F IUI (5 follies)BFN
April 2008 Natural IUI (2 follies) BFN
"Am I being totally unrealistic thinking I can get eggs with FSH 20?"
NO!
I also had an FSH of 20, and I have had good eggs to work with.
My RE never talk about my FSH because, in her words, I respond to treatments like a normal woman. So keep in mind that FSH is an indicator, but you need to pursue treatment and see how you respond.
Erin sounds like your RE is awesome. You have given me hope and I am going to continue thinking positively. It's been really hard though as I feel like I'm at such a disadvantage---I feel a bit "doomed" from the start.
Anyway, I"m going to shake it off. I'm also making an appointment with Check where I don't feel like the RE is thinking the whole time "this is a waste of my time".
Thanks for responding.
jennifer
Especially if he does estrogen priming. You won't stim until the estrogen has brought your FSH down lower. Also, ask him about a trick that really really worked for me on my BFP cycle. We waited until my own estrogen rose above 20 THEN started stims. On cycles that we stimmed prior to my own e2 rising I oversupressed which seems to happen often with high FSHers.. . (no eggers and my FSH flew into the 100s). When we waited we only retrieved 2 eggs(expected 5) but hey, one of them was my golden egg. At that time my highest day 3 was 18.9 and I started that cycle in the 14s (lowered by estrogen so who knows what it "really" was)
Also, it isn't like you have to decide IVF exactly. Basically, if you don't produce enough mature follicles, your RE will likely convert you to IUI which is less $$ - so it's not like you are paying for IVF if you don't respond to stims - probably just drugs and monitoring (still not cheap but way cheaper). If you DO respond well, you will go to retrieval and have the IVF (a nice yet financially large problem to have:)) Make sense?
