Low Ovarian Reserves

[JosieSmith1]

Hi, I have a question I would like to discuss with as many people as possible!

We have been TTCing for about 20 months now with not even a wiff of a BFP. We started fertility investigations before xmas and I found out that although my tubes are ok, I have a tilted uterus/womb/pelvis (not sure what exactly) but my ovarian reserves are low. My letter off the clinic telling me this said 'fertility is still possible but the chances are slightly reduced' and now as I have obviously been reading up on it (good old internet) I have terrified myself into believing that I will never get pg naturally, and that all attempts at IVF will fail!

Does anyone out there have any experience with this? I am back at the clinic on Tuesday but I'm terrified they will tell me I'm infertile and I'm panicking a bit!

Thanks

do you know what the actual figure is?
Strange that they sent you a letter, our clinic gets you in for a consultation?
I'm guessing that it's the AMH result, which is a little bit contentious.
Apparently clinics use it as an indicator of how well you will respond to ovarian stimulation drugs.
It means the number of eggs you have left isn't a lot, but it's not an indicator of the quality

I can find the levels if you need them
I have the same, it's all new to me, but I'm led to believe it's not the end of the world

Someone on here will be more imformative, I'm sure

Thanks, that actually helps a lot. It was amh but I don't know the levels but I can have a look and see if it's on the letter.

Try not to panic tells you how much stim drugs are needed. Friend 43 AMH 0.53 is now 11+6 weeks scan last week all ok. Natural conception

Thanks, I think I'll have to try and find out what my levels were, although, I'll be back at the clinic on Tuesday so will find out the score then. I'm hoping they'll tell me I'm worrying unecessarily and that I have as good a chance as everyone at getting pg through IVF (I know my chances at natural conception are reduced). AIBU to be at receiving a letter telling me I have reduced fertility, rather than being told face to face, and with a chance to discuss my worries

I've got 0.67 amh when 0-3 is the lowest band. My doctor used it to put me on the highest dose of ovary stimulating drugs on a super ovulation programme. He wasn't worried at all and even said I could wait to start the treatment. On the treatment I've been ovulating with around two eggs per cycle. So don't worry too much about the amh. I don't have experience with tilted uterus, though, so not sure what effect that has on fertility. And yanbu that you should have had this info face-to-face! Definitely don't despair.

Well, had my appt at the clinic, it's not good news. We are starting ivf in the next couple of weeks, get my meds a week tomorrow. She said she doesn't expect me to respond well to the medication and if there are only one or two follicles after stimulation they won't go ahead with it and that will be the end of the road She gave me a 10-15% chance of success. I'm gutted

Hi josie so sorry to hear that. Was the bad news related to either the amh or the tilted pelvis in particular? I'n sure you want to get on and start treatment, but I wonder on the amh side if it's worth a second opinion? My doctor recommends super ovulation over ivf for amh. Just a thought. I wish you all the best in your journey towards parenthood.

Josie have u ever been for acupuncture? It can help with anything ttc related and help reduce stress too. Best of luck with it all.

Thanks but I'm not keen, terrified of needles! Would consider anything at the moment though

josie sorry about the news which clinic are you at. I repeat friend 43 AMH 0.53 is now 12+4 naturally conceived. She has had recurrent miscarraiges could not afford IVF etc is on progesterone, folic acid 5mg and aspirin.
Due to our age our chances with IVF same ball park figure as you ok we did not get lo but we did getBFP and saw heartbeat at 7 weeks so likely chromosome probs. Also at 38 got miracle ds naturally when we were told only ICSI would work. So have hope it is really important but obviously there are no guarantees and they are preparing you.
second carebear

Thanks Bugsy, that's the most annoying part, the low egg count shouldn't be stopping me getting pg naturally so they don't know what's causing that. In the next couple of months we'll know either way I suppose. But then, am I going to spend the rest of my life still wondering month on month. Argh, so many things going through my head right now, and I have to sit at work and pretend like everything is fine when I'm really one 'are you ok' away from breaking down. The girls in the office know though, so I'm gonna ask them not to talk about it, I'm not ready yet

Hope you're ok Bugsy

Josie, are you happy with the explanations they have given you.
It's just that it sounds a little different to how it was explained to me.

The AMH is an indicator of how many eggs you have left, if the figure is low it's also likely that those eggs are not good quality and that is why they aren't fertilising. However there is not really any evidence of this. One good quality egg can still get through.
Are they happy that you are still ovulating, have you had those tests. FSH levels?
Please don't lose heart, they really don't know how well you will respond to the drugs. There are indicators, but you never really know until you do it.

I'm in a similar position to you. Still hopeful, but I know there is a time limit on how long I can do it for.

My FSH is high so they thought my ovaries were working too hard to ovulate every month, but they do think I'm ovulating. They did a scan which showed only 2 follies growing on each ovary and the AMH test confirmed their suspicions that I have fewer eggs. They can't explain why I haven't got pg naturally yet because I'm releasing an egg every month, but they don't think I'll produce many follies in response to the ivf drugs. That's about the jist I think, does that make sense?

yes, that makes sense. I think it's the higher FSH that makes them think you won't respond to the drugs. But who knows what will happen.
I've just been back over all my notes and they gave me a 5% chance!

Well you are in my prayers too lostboysfallin, here's to both of us defying the odds

Just thought I'd post a quick update. I start my first lot of meds on Sunday. Had a practise injection yesterday, wasn't too bad, stung a bit but wasn't as bad as I thought. The dr we spoke to the last time said we had a 20% chance but I'm ignoring their stats tbh because I don't know how they calculate that, so I have decided they're guessing .

I'm a lot more positive than I was when we were first told. It's a little bit exciting even!

The tilted uterus won't have any effect - 1:5 women have this and it just means the cervix points towards your spine a bit. Unless you are having sex in some v odd positions I don't imagine that this is causing an issue. (I have it and also have DS - conceived quickly and naturally at 37yo.)

Don't forget about your partner in all of this. I have a 'low fertility' amh level (9.5) but am definitely oving and had 11 follies at last scan, so was convinced that something had to be up. Lo and behold we have discovered that my partner is also low fertility due to poor sperm motility. We are both being really healthy - no booze, supplements, acupuncture - and hope this will give us just as good a chance (the stats for nat conception are about the same as IVF at this age btw).

Yes - try to ignore your dr's 20%. Do everything you can to keep yourself healthy and positive... Good luck! xxx

Don't give up hope Josie. I'm ancient, 43, and when I had IVF I had a FSH of 23 and AMH of 1. The result of my first round of IVF is currently serving tea to his motley collection of toy puppies. Good luck.

Hurray to that Ipod - how lovely.

That's lovely Ipod

Bean DH has been checked and there's no issues with him

Had the first injection on Sunday, I cried, got a bit panicked, then didn't feel it so that was a positive experience. Monday night's I felt, then on Monday morning I passed out at work and kept slipping in and out of consciousness (on the tea room floor ) and ended up being put into an ambulance to the hosp and I had really bad abdominal pain. Then the symptoms stopped on their own and I was fine! I was terrified it was a reaction to the buserelin cos it started with what I thought was a hot flush, but the hosp didn't think so, and when we spoke to the fertility clinic they didn't think so, and I took my next jab last night (which really hurt and left a bruise) and I'm ok so far today. Hosp said it's just one of those things! I'm terrified it's gonna happen again.

So far my IVF journey has not been easy and I don't suppose it's gonna get any easier, maybe yesterday was a warning that I'm knackered. I feel physically and emotionally like I've been hit by a bus but I'm determined to carry on

Hope you are all managing ok x

Oh no Josie you poor thing. If you'd like a free meditation / relaxation cd let me know, I've got lots going. Fingers crossed it will be smooth sailing from here onwards. X

CareBear that would be fantastic if you don't mind! I'm a big believer in meditation/relaxation and I do think it'd help a lot x

Thanks CareBear, I received it yesterday
I can't PM for some reason. Anyway, thank you

I also have low ovarian reserve and been through several failed attempts at IVF including the use of donor eggs.We had a success 7 years ago with a fresh cycle and have a little boy, although i miscarried his twin in the pregnancy.

I am now at a low point and trying to research anything that can help regarding my own eggs.
Has anyone had success with royal jelly, DHEA or co enzyme 10?
Willing to try anything at moment but trying not to let the continued failure take over my life.
xxx