Help!!Baseline Scan - fewer follicles

[Chegotsi]

Hiya,

I am a little upset, we have on our 3rd round of IVF & The baseline scan shows we have five follicles! Which isn’t even 50% of what we had last October. We have 11 follicles back then, granted all 11 of them came to nothing after ICISI. I am petrified that this means we won’t get good eggs out of me AGAIN! I have been strict with my diet, exercise (ditched this after I started this round only walking now) & positive mindset. I have been taking the supplements from that book it starts with an egg.

I am not saying I was expecting miracles (actually maybe I am all of us want that right?) but I expected some improvement. What does this mean? Only 5 follicles surely that’s a recipe for disaster, with my 20% of it working I am anxious.

My internal scan was about 15 minutes long and my insides are so sore. I actually thinking to nap as a result.

This journey isn’t for the faint hearted is it? I feel to prepare my mind for the worst already and I was doing so well emotionally.

Maybe it’s too much to wish the blessing of being a mum! Its a lot at 31 years old.

Has anyone had success with few follicles?

[Nat246]

Hi I only 6 follicles, egg collection went ahead without any concerns and mature eggs collected. It is worrying when you see ladies post about double figure number of follicles when you have just a few, but it’s always about quality x

[Chegotsi in reply to Nat246]

Thanks for your response, that made me feel so much better. Where are you on this rollercoaster? Are you in your 2WW?

[Nat246 in reply to Chegotsi]

I am nearly 6 weeks pregnant. And that was from a low number of follicles so it really is about the quality. When is your next scan?

[Chegotsi in reply to Nat246]

That’s amazing! Congratsssss! I so wish for that to be my journey too. We can be bump buddies.

So they are keeping me on busereline for another week, I go back on Tuesday and they will see if can start my Stims then.

How are you feeling? Where your embryos 5 day Blastocyst? In the last two rounds our own didn’t make it past day 3 :((

[Hope76 in reply to Chegotsi]

Hi, just reading this. I went for my baseline scan today only had 6 antra-follicles in total. Was gutted only 1 on my right ovary when last time was 3. I guess am a year older since last cycle so maybe it’s down to age.

I just wanted to ask you about why they keep you on buserelin and any idea what it does? I have feeling it’s for quality but forgot to ask today. I have to take buserelin for 3 days and start gonal f for stimms tomorrow.

[Chegotsi in reply to Hope76]

Hiya so with Busereline reduces the thickness of your endometrium lining. But I went back after a week and I had more follicles so don’t give up just yet. I started Stims on Tuesday so we are on the same path :))) I am not on gonal F. Xx

[Hope76 in reply to Chegotsi]

Thank you. That is fab you had more follicles. 😀Am back next Friday for next scan so will have positive thoughts and drink gallons of water before then. (Heard it helps). I requested gonal f as generally seem to have better response on it than the other drug my clinic offers... Menopur. Some women respond better to Menopur although my DR insists they all do the same......

wishing you heaps of luck 🤞🏼🙏🏻💪

[Chegotsi in reply to Hope76]

Oh wow! I am also back in next Friday! 😁😁😁

I was on gonal F on the first round it was Oky but I responded better to menopur.

Wishing you the best of luck too!

X

[Hope76 in reply to Chegotsi]

Ace, roll on next Friday, are your follicles all growing nicely? 😘

It’s funny how we all respond differently, I had a failed cycle with Menopur but had 2 x BFP’s with gonal f .... 1 of who is 4 years old and sat next to me 😀.

This is my 6th attempt for his sibling 🙈🤞🏼🙏🏻

[Chegotsi in reply to Hope76]

I think they are growing, I am a bit tender but nothing too bad at the moment. I can’t wait for the scan on Wednesday to see if they are growing nicely! Aww what’s your journey if you don’t mind me asking? This is our 3rd attempt to get our first one! We are so ready and desperate!

[Hope76 in reply to Chegotsi]

Sounds like they are growing nicely 🤞🏼 My journey has been quite long, started 6 years ago. If you get a minute I have detailed it on my profile .

I am hoping you are 3rd time lucky 🍀

[Itsalongjourney26]

Went through treatment at 27. 0 follicles at first scan, 2 at next scan with 2 suspected cysts and slow growth. Prepared for a cancelled cycle, but clinic went ahead but prepared that I very well could have no eggs collected. Ended up getting 4 eggs (I cried when 1 for collected because that was a victory for us), then only 1 fertilised and I had a 2 day transfer because we only had 1 embryo.

But, I am just home from my 34 weeks appointment and our baby is is thriving. You only need 1 - the 1 thing that got me through, although cliched, is just celebrating and focusing on the step ahead. For you now, it is probably another tracking scan. It might help you to focus on this only? Then go to the next step when you have that over you. I felt that otherwise I got very overwhelmed. I wish you all the best. Try not to compare your current cycle with your previous. Easier said than done I know!! 🙈😆

I wish you all the best for your cycle. Xx

[Chegotsi in reply to Itsalongjourney26]

Oh my gosh! Congrats! Soo happy for you. Your journey has inspired me! Thanks so much! Definitely will focus on one day at a time, I will just focus on getting through today and see where that takes me! Thanks so much! Xxx

[Daughterofaking]

Hi, like its said, its quality over quantity. People might have so much eggs retrieved and at the end of the day 1,2 or might make it. Having 5 follicles isnt bad provided they are of good sizes. If I were you I will channel all my positive energy to that five believing this will work for me. You just need one or 2 to get pregnant. For me I had 9 eggs retrieved and 6 fertilized and I transfered 2 on day 3 while the other 2 was freezes. Now I'm pregnant with twins. So day 3 transfer works well too. So dont feel bad your five eggs might all fertilize and make it to day 5. Some retrieved 2 or 3and it all made it to day 5.

Wish you all the best in your cycle. xx

[Chegotsi in reply to Daughterofaking]

Thank you so much. You are right! I need to channel my energy and love towards the five that are there instead of focusing on the negative. My husband kept telling me that it’s quality over quantity yesterday and I didn’t want to listen. I am going back to apologise now lol.

Your journey has inspired me! Thanks so much! Xx

[Ivfgotadream]

I changed protocols to focus on fewer follicles and my friends thought I was mad. I’m currently pregnant with twins from the cycle where I only had 2 follicles

It’s all about quality over quantity and actually for me the less eggs I was forced to produce the better quality they were

Last year I did 2 short protocol cycles with ICSI - total of 28 eggs, less than 30% fertilised and 4 average blastocysts

When I changed profile to natural modified - in 2 cycles I got 9 follicles, 100% fertilised and 4 top quality blastocysts

[Chegotsi in reply to Ivfgotadream]

Oh wow! I am definitely happy to focus on my five now. I am praying that I also get 100% fertilisation too. I am on a long protocol (always have). But hopefully with the five follicles my body will get the best chance to spread itself across evenly! I actually want twins too now. Desperately wishing & praying for that outcome! Thanks so much for your encouragement. Xx