[Itwillhappen]

Hello everyone
I am despertely low at the moment  . I started my 6th IVF cycle last tuesday to then have it stopped on day 7 due to only producing 3 follies, 2 of the follies had stopped growing on my day 7 scan so I took the decision to halt the procedure and cut my losses!
I manged to get my FSH levels down to 9 as before they were much higher so I was so disappointed with the response I got. I am on very high levels of drugs for stimulation 600 of the menophur plus 150gms of clomid, has anyone else taken a similar drug regime and also got a poor response, and maybe you had your drugs changed for others and you got a better response?? I am currently at the Bridge but I have an appointment at Holly House in November as I understand they have a good success rate for women over 40! Anyones advice or suggestions  would greatly appreciate. Hope you all have great weekend and  vibes I am sending your way.
Corrinne

 

[nikkiank]

Corrine

I had my first cycle of IVF in May after responding fairly well on IUI.  My cycle had to be abandoned as I only produced one follicle.  They changed my protocol for my July/Aug IVF to a short protocol regieme and full meds (although not as high as yours 450 menopur) I still only got 3 follies although 2 kept growing and we went onto EC and had 2 eggs.  Sadly it wasn't meant to be this time around.  My ovarian reserve is low and I am a poor responder.  Just wanted to give you a big hug as you feel so low.  I know it is so hard.

Maybe a new clinic will have some different ideas of the way forward for you  especially if they are getting good success rates for us over 40's  What protocol were you on this time around - maybe that can be changed for you??

Sending you lots of love
Nikki xxxxx

 

[littleJen]

Could you afford to go to the US for treatment? Colorado (CCRM) and New York (Cornell) have great results for older women and poor responders. Their protocol is the pill for a month, then a short protocol with small doses of downregulating drug Lupron only for 2 days and then add in 150iu of Repronex (FSH/LH mixture) and 300iu of GonalF (FSH only). I think the closest clinic to the US over here is ARGC, but CARE may also do a similar protocol I'm not sure. The US clinics do have excellent labs too, which maximises your chances for any embies produced. I'm 40 and had FSH up to 11.5ish (although I always responded reasonably well) and have absolutely no regrets about going to the US for treatment! It is a bit scary though as they do do tests before they agree to take you on (but they will take higher-FSH women) so there's a bit of suspense (and money!). I'd recommend acupuncture for lowering FSH by the way.
Best of luck!
Jen

 

[Ermey]

hi Corinne

I am at the Bridge Centre too. Who is your consultant?

Sorry to hear about your cancelled cycle.  I too am a poor responder and have just had an ICSI tx cycle cancelled, so I know how upset you must feel. I had 2 very slow follies and 2 tiny ones.
I was on 8 powders of Menopur a night which made me feel awful! And still no response. I am only 32 and felt like a real failure.

Are you on the long protocol or short? We have been advised by Bridge (Dr Balet) to try a Short or Flare Protocol next time, which takes advantage of your bodies natural surge. He has also advised that if I take the Pill for a month first, your body often has a bit of an FSH boost just after stopping, so they try and make that work with the tx cycle.

He recommended against Clomid for me because he didn;t want to compromise the quality of the womb lining.

Sorry if you know all about the SP already. Just thought it might help esp. as we are both at Bridge...good luck.

Ermey

 

[Kate-J]

Hi Ladies

Just wanted to give you some hope... I am pregnant after being told that donor eggs were my only chance of conceiving, following High FSH (highest 16) diagnosis and being a poor responder to ICSI.

My fourth attempt at ICSI on 350 ius daily of Puregon (short cycle, no suppression) resulted in one big follie on day 5 of stims... fought to convert to an iui (as DH's swimmers aren't great clinic, Chelsea and Westminster, were not encouraging)... and here I am due to give birth in a month.

Things I learnt during my journey to get here:

Most clinics will disregard you due to high FSH diagnosis in this country - including ARGC - never mind what your response is. Am hearing good things about the Lister at the moment though.

The pill the month before a cycle totally shut me down - I had hot flushes and didn't produce one single follicle on 450ius Gonal F that cycle... it is not the answer for some people.

Getting your fsh down is stressful and is another hoop for your clinic to make you jump through... and there is no evidence that once high and then lowered it will help you chances. Luckily my clinic stopped bothering to check mine as it always remained in the mid-teens.

I got pg the month after Xmas when i drank too much, ate unhealthy food and took no exercise! Being hard on yourself and putting yourself on FSH lowering regimes can be incredibly stressful. I did it for years and it never worked, just made me more miserable.

Some research coming out of America suggests that some women respond poorly to very high dose stims as it totally overloads their ovaries... and that poor responders might be better with medium to low dose short protocols... not sure if you'll find any clinics over here that will do this but it is worth a go. Also the clinics mentioned by Littlejen are supposed to be good for older women and poor responders (but really really expensive?).

If you do a search on 'poor response' and 'high fsh' on this board you'll find some recent discussions which might be useful to you!

Hope this helps and good luck! 

Kate x

 

[Ermey]

Thanks Kate that is really positive advice!  And congratulations on your BFP miracle.

I too have heard reports of ARGC making people wait till their FSH comes down below 10...my consultant said that even if mine comes down then they would still base it on my worst reading, as it is that that indicates what i'm likely to do.

Helpful to know that high doses may not be the answer...I felt like such a no hoper after not responding to 8 powders! DH has extremely few sperm (6 sperm on first TESE, none on 2nd) so I felt like we were losing all our hope.

Particularly glad you did well after eating badly and drinking lots at Christmas...hee hee! License to eat choccie? 

Will do a search on similar discussions.

 

[Teresa W]

Hi ladies,

I started my first cycle of ICSI on the 9th October, my husband and I moved to France last September, though our french by no means fantastic, we get by and understand most things, its still really difficult dealing with something so sensitive  and complicated as ICSI, in a country not native to yourselves and in another language. Though the consultants we have are fantastic and our GP has said I can call at his house, if  I feel confused about anything.  I had my second ultra sound today and was expecting some improvement in number and size to the one that was taken on Wednesday, alas I still have 5 follicles and have been advised that  they are very small I have now  been put on 300mg  Puregon opposed to my initial dosage of 200 mg until Tuesday and been told that if I do not respond to this they will have to abandon the cycle, I was then swiftly hustled out of the room ( it was 8am and maybe he was pushed for time and it is after all Saturday!) and left feeling a little empty and disregarded.

  I presume I will commence again, at a later  date and be put on a higher dosage or different course of drugs?  Would I be correct in thinking that my age being 39 is the main cause of poor  follicular growth? can anyone answer  as I am desperate need of reassurance and possible outcome of further treatment.  Sorry to sound so pathetic, at such an early stage of the game on only my first  attempt at ICSI.

regards,

Teresa W

 

[Lorri]

What an interesting topic. I am  now wondering if high doses could have overloaded my ovaries. Here is my experience

1st cycle of ICSI on 450 Puregon - responded OK, went quite smoothly, no side effects. Got 7 eggs - BFN

2nd cycle of ICSI started on 600 Puregon, poor response (E2 levels slow to rise and even dropped, about 8 small follies - hardly grown between scans). Switched to 600 Merionel - responded better. About 9 follicles (still some small ones), ovulated early and only got 2 eggs. I felt sick throughout.

I am at ARGC who won't treat you unless fsh <10. I have had one instance of FSH being just over 10 before starting first ICSI, but not aware of any problems since. Both tx were Flare Protocol using different d/reg drugs.

Kate - congratulations, your story is inspirational ! What clinic were you at ?

Jen - How much did your tx cost in US?