IUI newbie

[MomaJoni]

Newbie Here! I'm sorry if this is extra long.

Go easy on me, I don't quite know the lingo yet. I will try to keep my story short and I'm really excited to get some advice from you lovely people.

After roughly 9 years of infertility and medical conditions including PCOS I was finally approved for IUI and IVF treatment. My consultant gave me the option of what to try first. Giving me 3 IUI tries and 1 IVF. I opted for the 3 tries of IUI and if those don't work, then I will try IVF.

My first try of IUI started in March, I was given 5 days of Chlomid to take from day 2 of my cycle. went for scans on day 5, day 11, day 13, and day 15 but my follicles had not matured enough for us to continue and the clinic was also shut down due to COVID-19 and our treatment was abandoned. The nurse encouraged us to try naturally that month anyway as she said my follicles were growing but not fast enough and so we did.

April came, my period didn't and for the first time in my life I was given a positive pregnancy test. I retested over and over and one after another was positive, I had no idea what to think or how to feel, excitement and fear mainly but then the next day I started to bleed. I was in incredible pain for a couple of weeks and it was obvious that the pregnancy was unsuccessful.

The following month (May), no period came and I was so upset thinking it is all over, I kept taking pregnancy tests and being faced with that horrible single line every time. But finally my period has arrived now, better late than never and my clinic is back open. So IUI will be back on the cards FINGERS CROSSED.

I was told that this time they will try me with Menopur which I have heard is used during IVF to encourage ovulation. Can anyone give me any stories on their IUI story? Specifically using menopur and the outcome.

I look forward to getting to know you all. And thank you in advance.

Jo

[Twiglet2]

Hi Jo, welcome to the forum 🤗 sorry to hear about your early miscarriage in April it’s so difficult to get that positive test and then for it to be snatched away 😢 xx

I am glad your clinic is open and you can look to moving forward. I have had 6 IUIs, 3 natural and 3 medicated and for the medicated I was on menopur injections and nasal spray (can’t remember what’s in the dreaded nasal spray again!😂) for ovulation. All of mine went ahead thankfully but I was almost cancelled a few times as too many follicles were maturing and they don’t like the risk of multiples but luckily only the right amount were there on scan day so I would say menopur worked for me in terms of growing follicles. The actual IUIs didn’t work for us and weve moved onto to IVF now but I have heard many many success stories both on here and personally with friends. I wish IUI had worked for me as it’s much less invasive and feels as close to natural conception as treatment can be so I don’t regret my choice to start with it first and then IVF even though it didn't work for us. Hopefully with the extra fertility that can happen after a miscarriage it will work for you very soon ☺️ Lots and lots of luck 💫💖 xx

[MomaJoni in reply to Twiglet2]

Thank you Twiglet2 and good luck on your IVF journey. My auntie had had 3 babies, 1 with IVF, 1 with IUI and 1 with ICSI (not sure that’s the right Name).

I still don’t think it has sunk in that it was a miscarriage because I didn’t get chance to see it or feel it but I know it was there and if anything it gave me a little ray of hope that my body can do what it needs to do.

I also have a friend who is due to give birth this week after her first successful IVF. I was so excited to be offered IVF but you’re right, it’s far more invasive so IUI is definitely worth a go first.

I appreciate your response and can’t wait to follow your journey xxx