Cancelled cycle high responder to low response! The irony 🤯

[Joeysjourney]

Updated:

Morning everyone. Just an update from me. Had my second scan this morning and still only 2 follicles are responding (10mm and 14mm) I've said I want to cancel and am waiting on Dr calling me.

It's a very unusual response given that I spent all of last year battling with over responding, ohss, high hormone levels and follicles that insisted on containing eggs despite being on down reg for weeks.

Amh was 16.7 last year so I can't see how it could have dropped that much but going to have it retested. Last cycle I'd 15 follicles by egg collection and got 10 eggs. First ever cycle I'd 11 follicles and got 13 eggs

I'm at a loss. Ivf throws so much at you and then somehow thinks of even more creative ways to mess with your head.

Is it just a blip or am I too old now? Turning 42 in April and I really wanted to get my eggs out while I was 41. Its just my worst fears at the minute that I'm too old.

Has anyone else had such a strange cycle? Did you go on to have a more normal cycle after?

[Hidden]

Hi, sorry to hear this. I've been advised every cycle is different. I'm 42 and like you have good amh for being over 40. Mine was tested early last year so unsure if there's been any change. I would not cancel your cycle but ask if you can increase the dose. Lower follicle numbers tend to have better quality eggs.

[Joeysjourney in reply to Hidden]

Thanks babe. Yes I will question him once I get to talk to him. Although the nurse said at this stage and increase in stims isn't likely to make much difference?

Don't want to spend all the money on a collection for 2 when it's not a normal response for me. But I do trust my Dr so will take his advice! I def think fewer eggs isn't necessarily a bad thing, and would have been happy with 4 or 5 let's say. But this is a drastic drop xxx

[Hidden in reply to Joeysjourney]

Hi, I totally understand how you may be feeling. At my second scan I only had 4 follicles, but this had improved by 4th and final scan. Follow your heart, every cycle is different remember so I wouldn't go donor route yet.

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear this, can't imagine how frustrating it was.

I did have one random cycle where I only got a few eggs, on scan 2 I was showing 3 but when they pushed to scan 3 a few more appeared. I was told it was because a) sometimes they fluctuate and b) it depends on which the lead ovary is that month, and sometimes one ovary has a lot more follicles than others.. so I found my left ovary only had a couple and my right had loads, but when my left ovary was the lead ovary my right didn't respond so well and so I got lower numbers of eggs. It didn't mean it was the same the next month, it was just a bit of a random nuance x

[Joeysjourney in reply to Hidden]

Daisy frustration is the very word, thank you. I wasn't able to verbalise what I was feeling there. You know when you're so angry your calm....i'm so frustrated I'm numb.

Last year was just a constant battle with my hormones and overresponding and only managed one collection and 2 transfers cause of it and now this!

I'm hoping it's just a one off. They did question if I'd had covid recently but I haven't that I know of. They said they'd been seeing some people have funny cycles after covid.

It's strange cause each ovary has one and the others aren't moving at all. Too small to barely see. It's like the leads have just taken over.

How are you and bump getting along? I did say if my next cycle didn't go to plan it might give me the push I need to go donor and seeing your success definitely helps xx

[AuroraXen]

I'm sorry lovely 😢 IVF throws one barrier in our path after another 🤦‍♀️ Obviously see what your doctor advises, but given your AMH and track record, I would really be tempted to view this as a blip. It can definitely happen (I posted on your earlier message about my experience, 3rd cycle was rubbish in terms of response but my next was my best ever (for what that's worth! Not saying much perhaps 😆).

So I definitely wouldn't panic too much yet. It's hard, as you may well get 2 good eggs from those follicles and they might well give you one or even two good blasts! Like you say, if it were a few more, say 4 or 5 decent sized, it's an easier decision to make. But whatever you decide, don't automatically assume you've tipped over some sort of cliff (that was very much my consultant's view, to be honest, when it happened to me and I wanted to cancel... he basically cautioned me that next time, i might get nothing! 🙄 So was quite interesting when next time I had 10 good sized follicles 🙏)

Sending lots of love xx

[hazzahill12]

how frustrating for you, I haven’t ever had experience of getting more than 2-3 follicles on any of my stims cycles so can’t imagine what you head and heart is feeling to drop to this amount. You have to go with your gut feeling, only you know if you will regret not going ahead and that you really have to do what you need to do and have no regrets. Definitely speak with your dr as others have said quality over quantity and you just don’t know until they collect them what quality they are. Hope you reach a decision that you are comfortable with Xx

[Joeysjourney]

Spoke to my Dr girls. He's just as shocked as me and doesn't have an explanation. Can't guarantee another cycle won't perform the same. He doesn't think increasing the stims will change anything at this stage.

Options are:

cancel and try naturally with the eggs that might be in there.

Cancel the icsi and go for iui to see if we can salvage it.

Or go for it and see how we get on with the two follicles.

He made the point that he's seen people get pregnant from 2 follicles, and people not get pregnant from 25!

My gut feeling is that we should cancel the icsi and try iui. At least we'd salvage something and we can try icsi again by recouping some money back. If we have the same result on another go, then we are no worse off and we have another bite at it. My hesitation with iui is that my first ivf cycle showed we have naturally low fertilitisation rates.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts as my head is all over the place. It just feels like my journey has come to a very abrupt end and I'm gutted.

Thanks for everything xx

[Skittles11 in reply to Joeysjourney]

Joey I'm sorry to hear this. It's hard making these decisions. I can't tell you what to do but I can share how I now deal with few growing follicles. I now will only go to egg collection if I have a certain number of follicles that look promising (ie a good size). This is because I've had experience of no eggs collected and also of 2 eggs collected but with abnormal division once fertilised. Bear in mind I have a different diagnosis though as I am low ovarian reserve and you are not so the two can't be viewed in parallel.

I think with your situation I would turn to IUI personally. You can then try again and hope for improvement. At least then you'll have more evidence too as to if this was one off. Good luck in your decision xx

[Joeysjourney in reply to Skittles11]

I think you're in the same way of thinking as me babe. So sorry you've also faced this. We have different issues but the struggles are hard aren't they.

I just can't believe this has happened. We reduced my stims slightly to avoid over responding again so this is just a total shock. So scared my ovaries had shut off for good.

I'm going to carry on my drugs over the weekend and have a scan on Monday and make a decision then but leaning towards iui. Seems like a good compromise? Xx

[Skittles11 in reply to Joeysjourney]

I think getting another scan on Monday and then making the final decision sounds like a really good idea. Try and find some nice things to do over the weekend xx

[butterfliez]

Hi I am sorry you’re faced with this it really is very frustrating. In Ivf there can be times like this when something else happens to hinder things that we never expect. So damn annoying.

In my first egg collection I only had 3 follicles collected which resulted in 3 eggs & 2 fertilised & 1 day 3 embryo. You just never know what to do for the best

I wish you well with your next steps & in what you decide to do , keep us posted Xx