At a total loss, no eggs at egg collection 😭

[Beechnut1]

Hi all,

I haven’t posted in a long old time. However I am on here regularly.

Quick background is I have a beautiful 2 year old who was my 4th transfer. I am 35 with low AMH and back on the rollercoaster to try for a sibling. I feel incredibly grateful to have my little boy, however the desire to have another is still so strong and infertility still sucks! Hugely, massively sucks!!!

I had egg collection today and they got no eggs. To say I’m devastated is an understatement. I was on the same protocol that worked for my son, long and max dose stims. I had a similar response with 5 follicle. My extra special weirdness is I have an abdominal ovary, which is always collected from abdominally. However today despite 3 extremely painful attempts no eggs collected, the consultant had to stop as he was scared of causing damage. My pelvic ovary had 2 empty follicles.

They did perform IUI on the off chance the 2 follicles ovulate an egg (incredible unlikely).

I am completely lost as to what to do next, as this is the first time they have been unable to collect eggs. When I heard the news my first thought was ‘I just can’t do this anymore’ the emotional and finical toll is just becoming so hard to bare.

Should I cut my losses and just be grateful for what I have? The stubborn side of me says ‘no! The majority of the population can choose to have another baby, why can’t I?’ We would never say to a fertile couple you already have 1 you should be grateful and not have another.

Not sure what I’m after here fine people, any advice, experience, words of wisdom? Anything that will help me pick myself up and keep going xxxx

[Hoping20]

So sorry to read your post. This must be so hard. Give yourself time to process what has happened and to work out your next steps. Hopefully your consultant can give you some advice when you are ready to meet with them. In the meantime, be extra kind to yourself and give your son lots of hugs and cuddles x

[Beechnut1 in reply to Hoping20]

Thank you for such gentle and kind words, it’s very appreciated xxx

[Skittles11]

Hi there.

I have been here and the devastation is very real. I got no eggs at my first ever egg collection, I felt so awful and cursed my body for it. In all honesty it took time to heal, and even now I feel it was a real real low on my own journey. My advice is to let yourself feel what you're feeling. Talk to a trusted person that you can share what has happened with. Cry. Be angry. But also allow yourself to do nice things. Phone your clinic and arrange a debrief at their earliest slot, I had to wait weeks after my no eggs and it added to the frustration. You will be okay xx

[Beechnut1 in reply to Skittles11]

Thank you 🥰 yes feeling like a failure is real that and the huge finical costs with nothing to show for it! Good advice to book a follow up, I am the type of person that needs to keep the ball rolling. Thank you for all your kind words and good luck with your journey xxx

[Skittles11 in reply to Beechnut1]

I also needed to keep the ball rolling so I had some sort of next steps in place. Hopefully they will be able to shed some light on what might have happened and give you an alternative plan for next time if you choose to try again. How are you doing this morning? X

[slinky00]

So sorry to read your post today. It is so hard to go through max stims and put your body through a rough journey for what must feel like no reason as nothing was collected. Big hugs to you. I also have low AMH and been diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve so each stim cycle for me is like jumping into a black hole hoping this round will be different. I have personally found that I respond so much better with mild/low stim cycle, my ovaries seem to come to the party when they are cajoled long and slowly (typical me, I always played hard to get), being hammered and dragged to the party clearly is not their preferred dating style (as I like to think of it). When you do have a follow up with your consultant, maybe it could be a question to pose to them? See if you respond better to low stims (not to mention it is a lot less costly on the pocket as you don't take as many meds).

I agree with other responses here though, first and foremost be kind to yourself, your body has been through a lot. big hugs

[Beechnut1 in reply to slinky00]

Thank you for making me laugh!!! I’m starting to feel more and more that mild/ low stimms is worth a try my first ever cycle I was on a lower dose and yielded similar. If anything I simply can’t afford the drug costs. I’m in disbelief how much they have increased in the 3 years since my last cycle, makes me feel quite mad! I can really relate to jumping into a black hole, but after a short rest back into that hole I will no doubt jump! Huge thanks 💪❤️

[slinky00 in reply to Beechnut1]

I have had to find a space where I can laugh at myself, I have been travelling the fertility road for more than 7 years and as you know it can seriously take its toil. I am glad in your sad moment that you smiled and had a chuckle...we have to find ways to cope. I understand, and it hurts me at times to know that others are having to suffer the same way I do.

I live in Cape Town, SA and fertility is still costly but a lot cheaper here than in UK. I think I would have had to give up long ago if I stayed in the UK for treatment. The costs are absolutely extortionate and for some it means they are unable to chase their dream, which is so wrong, and like you said if low stims has previously produced similar results then don't spend the money of additional meds. It will save you a lot and could actually end up allowing you to do more cycles, if that is what you want to do.

💜💙💚💛🧡❤️

[letro112]

I am soo sorry this happened.. def give yourself and you body time to heal and recover.

To give you some hope .. my first round only 3 follies..did get some eggs... round 2 AND 3 2 follies did ER and zero eggs collected. To say i was devasted was an understatement.

I decided to try one last round ... got 10 follies .. 6 eggs and 4 mature. Unfortunately it was decided surrogacy was our best hope. Had to do another round and got 7 follies, 5 eggs and 3 mature.

In my case I have been told that the all the stim meds helped recruit more follies. Equally for the last 2 rounds I did double triggers with buserlin.

It could just be an egg maturity issue. I do believe you still have eggs .. but they can't release if they are not mature enough . I hope this offers some hope 🙏

[dexy1389]

I am so sorry... I found this article helpful - I was a low responder myself and during the third ( and successful cycle), I took 2 tablets of 0.5mg of dexamethasone during the stimulation ( and 2WW), and got 4 eggs and 2 blastos.. if your doctor is willing to try this, I think it really helps.. one blastocyst is my 6 weeks old son. Good luck!🍀❤️ academic.oup.com/humrep/art...

[Beechnut1 in reply to dexy1389]

Thank you so much, I will definitely give this a read ❤️ and huge congratulations for your lovely son, hope it’s all going well? Those early weeks are a whirlwind! Xxx

[Hidden]

Hi lovely, so lovely to hear from you again but so rubbish its in such circumstances, I am so sorry its all gone wrong this cycle.

I don't think you should give up. This all sounds like really bad luck to me. In my experience our ovaries move around all the time so there is no guarantee this would happen next time. it sounds like it was a perfect storm of negatives that meant your lead ovary was the one they couldn't get to. So next time it might not be, and next time they might be able to get to it, as they have done before.

I say have a good sob and a glass of wine and get angry at the world and then over time I would pick up the pieces and go again, but make sure your clinic have some ideas too.

Hugest of hugs xx

[Beechnut1 in reply to Hidden]

Awww Daisy thank you for your gentle lovely words, they have made me quite emotional 😢 you are right, it is likely rotten luck. I will indeed feel all the feels and dust myself off and keep going 💪❤️💪 have follow up in 2 weeks and will be looking for answers and changes! Hope you are well and recovering?? Lots of love xxxx