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1064785 tn?1406638398

IVF poor responder

I am nearly 39 years old and I am going through my 2nd IVF cycle. This is my 4th day of taking stims (high doses of 600 units per day) and my ultrasound today showed just 4 eggs developing. I knew I am a poor responder (FSH around 10 and previous cycle only had 3 eggs to transfer) but I was expecting a bigger response with such high doses of stims...
Do you think there is a chance that I will develop more eggs in the forthcoming days? Is it worth continuing the cycle? Could there be a chance of success?
I am a bit dissapointed and I would very much appreciate any kind of help....
12 Responses
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1117711 tn?1296827938
Keep the faith... everyone responds differently. My first cycle started with 75IU and after every 2 days the doc kept increasing it till I was getting 600IU and only then I rsponded. Now after many cycles the docs have tweaked my dosage and I get 375-450IU daily for 11-12 days and then the follies develop. At 4 days they can't even see any follicles, usually by day 6 the follies appear on the ultrasound.
There is always a chance of success, its just a matter of time. As long as they find the right dosage for you, its ok.
Higs and babydust,
Sam
Helpful - 0
1064785 tn?1406638398
Thank you very much Sammy... it is so frustrating though to feel so ready to get pregnant and your body not be able to respond as you want it to.
They do say that the more follicles you produce there is a better chance that they are of good qualiy and age is an important factor as well.
I wish you the best of luck in your 2ww...sending you positive energy and lots of babydust.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Apparently doctors see things differently. My doctor told me that increasng the dose does not necessarily result in higher number of eggs. If i have poor ovarian reserve, there is nothing that can be done about it. This was becasue we only had 2 mature follicles. Don;t feel bad. I only had two mature follicels adn several smaller ones (one apporaching a decent size). Doctor retrieved 6 (apprently three others were worth retrieval). Three fertilizsed and the three were transferred. We have a positive for what looks like a singleton pregnancy.
It is not the number that matters as much as the quality. My FSH is 12.9 but my AMH (.7 i think) shows that my eggs are ok quality, just harder to get them out of the ovary. I was on e150 menopur and 225 follestim daily.
I hope my eperience helps answers some of your questions.
Rasha
Helpful - 0
1064785 tn?1406638398
Dear Rasha
Thank you very much for your answer.
I had a second u/s but the number of follicles remains 4 but thankfully they are growing. My doctor said that we are going for a 5 day transfer if we manage to get them all out in the end.
I am so dissappointed I cannot produce more follicles with such high doses, it has to do with age but also because I am a cancer survivor (survived cancer 3 times)my last incident was in 2005. I received some kind of chemotherapy and I do pray that this  has destroyed only the quantity and not the quality of my eggs.
If this 2nd try does not work out I will give it another try and then go for donor eggs (I think). My doctor said my ovaries are so 'indicative' which made me realised that they are drowned of eggs. So dissappointing....but I should not be complaining since I have won many battles so far, equally (and even more) difficult.
I wish you the best of luck with your pregnancy and try to enjoy every moment of it
MB
Helpful - 0
1145580 tn?1267508175
Hi. Well I took stims and it helped me. I had 16 eggs but 5 were in normal range and I had all 5 transfered. I started spotting on day 12...BFN for me confirmed 12/28. Best of luck sweetie!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Just remember, it only takes one good egg to make a baby. Sometimes women produce large amounts of eggs that fertilize and grow but do not result in a pregnancy after they are transfered.
doctors cannot explain that.
Too many things are out of our control in this journey. Just try to keep optimistic.
You have been through worst battles. You are already a fighter my dear.
R
Helpful - 0
1064785 tn?1406638398
Thank you Rasha
My follicles diminished to 2 and this is day 8 on stims...
I will go on with the cycle though but it is so difficult not feel miserable and sorry for myself all the time...
I just dont want to fight for anything anymore and cannot even find comfort in praying. Lost my faith you see...
MB  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The two growing may be two good ones, MB.
When i learned i only had five i was devastated. Then the next followup said three were larger then the other. The next ultrasound said two were big enough and one is appraching maturity. I was devastated too. I felt my body keeps disappointing me. In teh end the three eggs that were mature or close to mature fertilized and by day three they looked perfect. We transferred the three based on doctor's recommendations. We are now pregnant. How this pregnancy goes is out of our hands though!
Your two may be good quality and ready for fertilization. I feel your frustration even devastation. You will soon know dear.
Helpful - 0
1064785 tn?1406638398
Thank you very much for giving me some hope R
I have my next ultrasound tommorrow (1/1/10) and I really hope the 2 follicles will be growing.
I am going out 2night and hopefully I will forget a bit about it.... may be have a glass of wine.
I became so obsessed with this when I put the injections and there are some drops left in the bottles (impossible to get out) I am worried I have not taken the whole dosage and I will ruin everything. As if it would make a difference.
This morning when I got really sentimental and cried a bit, DH agreed considering donor eggs in the future. This is plan B which I feel good to have in the back of my mind.
Sometimes I just wonder why is this 'door' closing for me slowly slowly. Wasn't cancer enough? But I guess one thing let to the other.
I hate myself for being miserable and pathetic, people who know me could never imagine I am like this... but this side makes me feel free to express my true feelings.
I wish you all the best with your pregnancy and year 2010 to be one of the best in your life.  
Helpful - 0
1064785 tn?1406638398
So sorry you got a BFN...
Hopefully 2010 will be a lucky year for all of us.
Take care xxx
Helpful - 0
1064785 tn?1406638398
I went for my egg retrievan this morning. They managed to get out the only 2 follicles I produced. The embryologist said that they looked 'sad' whatever that means. Actually in my language (greek) the word she used is similar to the word 'tired' or 'wilted'....
I just have to wait and see if they will fertilise...
My DH's sperm was very good (he is 45+ and I feel so unfair for us women that age matters so much to fertility)
I do not know if I will have any embryos to transfer... if I have at least one, I will just remain calm the day of the transfer and will just try to forget about it in the following days.
Will have to think seriously about donor eggs I think...
I decided not to be miserable about myself since I managed to come this far, I will not give up now.
Helpful - 0
1117711 tn?1296827938
Praying for a BFP for you, it takes only one!
Hang in there and try to forget about it and not worry too much.
Hugs...
Helpful - 0
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