Hello all,
I start IVF on my next cycle I have been told at by base line scan i only had 4 follies and with the AMH test looks like i may not respond to the IVF treatment very well. Has anyone had the same sort of start but found they responded with the drugs better than the hospital thought they would?
x
I was put on the highest dose of drugs for a cycle of IVF as we were told I probably wouldn't respond very well. Sadly they were right and even on the high dose I didn't respond well at all resulting in the cycle having to be cancelled. We went on to use a donor egg and I am happy to say I am now 16 weeks pregnant. Deciding to use a donor egg was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make but it was either use a donor egg or be childless and now I wouldn't change anything for the world, the baby is definitely ours. This is probably not what you wanted to read but just thought I would let you know although it is heartbreaking there are other choices for you. Good luck and really hope it works for you xx
Hi Gemma36,
Just read your post and it made me feel better. I've had one failed ICSI cycle this year using Gonal F and Buseralin. I only produced four eggs and only one fertilized normally. It was a grade 1 but I wasn't confident it would take. I have severe endometriosis and have had several laparoscopies over the years but did manage to conceive naturally last year. Sadly I had a miscarriage at eight weeks (on my honeymoon) and had my AMH test not long afterwards.
It was 10.2 but six months previously it was 5.25. I've heard that miscarriages can make you more fertile immediately afterwards. Guess I got my hopes up for first cycle thinking AMH was higher but I was so disappointed to respond so badly.
Second cycle has just started although scan today showed a tiny cyst on my ovary. Waiting for blood test result tomorrow morning to let me know whether I can start Menopur.
Anyhow reading your comment about donor egg made me feel better as this is our next step to being parents (if this cycle fails). I wanted to go to donor after ICSI1 but husband wanted to try this again.
Best wishes for your pregnancy and so glad you got your happy ending x
Hi Blondyboo. Just wanted to wish you well with your next cycle of treatment. I don’t know which protocol you are to do, but often women with low ovarian reserve are put on a “short” protocol, so as not to “switch off” the ovaries too much. Most don’t yield many eggs, but many are usable, which is what we are looking for. Fingers crossed that it all works out for you, and the eggs retrieved all fertilise. Diane
Thank you for your reply Diane x
Pleasure - will be thinking of you. Diane
Blondyboo. I have low AMH, but when it was last tested a year ago it was 6.9 so just inside the low/ normal category rather than low. On a medium protocol last year I had 7 follicles and then 5 eggs, but on scans this year I had 9 follicles and then only 4 eggs retrieved with a higher dose protocol. So I guess it often depends on how many follicles there happen to be at the time of each cycle. Sometimes it can be more, but it doesn't mean they will all contain a mature egg when they come to retrieve them. The higher dose can help to 'ripen' what is there already, but can't do much about the numbers.
At the end of the day don't get too hung up on numbers of eggs. It's about the quality. Of my 4 eggs 3 fertilised and 2 were good enough for transfer. I'm now 9 weeks pregnant. All the best xx
Thank you BluChakra I dont know what my AMH was just that it wasn't great. The doctor said she would expect 3/4 eggs from me.
I will try not to worry too much on how many eggs just the quality just hard reading other people getting such high numbers but still not working just makes you feel if i have only possibly 3 I have such a less chance. They have said if I get enough eggs they will put 2 in.
Just looking into acupuncture as heard this is good and also booking a last minute holiday before i start the drugs! x
Congratulations on your pregnancy!! xx
I have very low AMH levels for my age (39). For my most recent ICSI cycle, I was put on the maximum dose of Menopur and I ended up with 4 follicles, of which all contained eggs. All 4 fertilised; two progressed and were top quality embryos and were transferred back. Unfortunately, they didn't stick in my case. 😢
With my first cycle, I was on a lower dose of Menopur and got 6 follicles but only three eggs. None of these eggs even fertilised.
I wouldn't worry too much about your AMH levels as there is nothing that you can do about it. IVF / ICSI seems to be a massive lottery and not many answers!
I'd definitely recommend Acupuncture- I started before my most recent cycle and continued throughout. It certainly helped me to remain calmer and I didn't seem to suffer from the medications side effects the second time around! I'm still carrying on with Acupuncture too while we decide what to do next.
Good luck with your journey x 🍀
Thanks Blondyboo. Yes it's true it can be really offputting to read about people getting 10 or 20 eggs retrieved and I remember my heart sinking as I was coming round from sedation and I could hear a nurse telling another patient a few beds away they had just got 9 eggs. I had also heard her give her date of birth and I knew she was 10 years younger than me so of course immediately you are thinking " I've got no chance."
But you can be in control of getting yourself as healthy as possible so keeping stress down by having a holiday is great. You could also try guided meditation or self hypnosis MP3s. I also ate Brazil nuts every day, had a lot of good fats like olive oil and avocado and made horrible veg smoothies! I also tried to have acupuncture every 2 weeks leading up to IVF and right before the transfer and took tons of vitamins. xx
Thank you guys this site is bloody brilliant with everyone! I feel more positive from when I wrote that first post this morning!
BluChaka I just ate a whole avacado with salad for lunch and munching on pumpkin seeds! was thinking of getting a smoothie blender thing might have a look about.xx
Sweetpea i have left a message with someone that does the acupuncture they get back from holiday on the 7th i just worry ive left it too late to work as i start IVF on my next cycle (due on 14th Sep) and start taking the drugs on day 19? would it still help?
going to book the holiday last minute when I have come on and leave when ive stopped (dont fancy being on in Egypt!) only going for a week as I want to be back home for when I start the drugs on day 19. doctor said just take them with me?! but i dont want to be doing that abroad so we are just going for a week. Also will probably just go half board now as I wont be drinking although I was shocked when my other half asked the doctor and she said drink is ok in moderation? I thought it was a big no no!
Go you!! Yeah a blender is your best friend and you can make a nice green smoothie that's not to hard to stomach with an avocado, a chopped apple, loads of spinach and watered down with some fresh apple juice and water. The mistake I made once was adding protein powder to this and it was just one step too far!
Acupuncturists do say its good to start about 3 months before IVF, but there is no harm in having a few sessions close together to get all your body systems working well and start to work on your ovaries so I would start now if you can.
I've read you should try to stop alcohol completely before IVF, but then some people carry on having the odd one and it doesn't seem to make a difference so I guess the dr is thinking the odd glass or cocktail on your holiday. It's up to you, but I would probably try to avoid it or just have a drink with a meal 2 or 3 times during the week so you never actually feel tipsy and you also feel reassured that you have done your best from your end. If it helps to reduce your stress levels its not a bad thing! xx
I have low AMH and did short protocol ICSI IVF. Short protocol means less time to wait till EC and ET and also less injections (i think - someone correct me if I'm wrong). I was also monitored very closely, scans and blood tests every other day to check on the follicles and levels and tweak the level of hormones I was taking. We ended up with 9 follicles, 8 eggs collected, 7 fertilized, 3 made it to blastocyst stage, 2 were good enough quality to put back. The result was a twin pregnancy. It's good that your doctors are keeping you grounded but that doesn't mean you have to give up hope. Good luck. Xxx
Hi. .I had a very low amh. It was only 0.57! ! Despite funding we were refused treatment at st mays in Manchester so we went private. I was on max dose menopur. I got 9 eggs, 7 fertilised. 5 to blastocyst and 1 frozen. My little boy is 4 months. Shows that they arnt always right. ,,
Thank you for your replies I am feeling much more hopeful....... Just had another avacardo...... X 
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