Clinic abandoned my IUI cycle as too many follicles ☹️

[MandyBee]

Hi everyone, it’s my first time posting here and I am desperately looking for advice! I was all ready to go ahead with my first IUI treatment cycle next week, but had a scan at the fertility clinic which showed I had too many viable large follicles and they insisted they abandoned the treatment as the risk of multiple births were too high. I’m absolutely devastated as I’m 37 and my AMH levels are very low and time is not on my side. I feel like the clinic are just taking our money and reducing my chances of falling pregnant. They won’t even give us the option to go ahead despite the apparent multiple birth risk...Has anyone experienced this? I’m feeling so upset and powerless... please can anyone offer any advice or ideas??

Could it be converted to an ivf cycle?

Thanks @physicskate I don’t know as they didn’t give us that option? Is that a possibility?

Ask? How many follicles?

@physicskate I have 6- the same number as I had last week at my scan! It’s just they are all bigger now. I will ask, thank you. I’m beginning to feel like we should change clinics...

Hi Mandy.
This happened to me back in December, my IUI cycle was cancelled as I had 3 medium sized follicles rather than the standard giant one as they'd expected. I was most definitely over-medicated. I felt the same as you did, like I'd been robbed as they took our money and the refund was pitiful. However... we had angry sex anyway and I am now 13 weeks pregnant. Might be worth taking your chances anyway but you'll need to consider how you would feel about multiples since you have 6 follicles?

@florafoxtrot. Congratulations!! I'm so pleased to hear a good outcome for you! I hope you are having a happy and healthy early pregnancy!! Did you worry about having multiples?
I guess the most frustrating thing is that they didn't even give me an option to proceed- seen as my AMH is so low anyway, the chances of me conceiving are pretty low, so surely the more follicles the better! (multiple birth risk aside) I personally am not adverse to having twins or triplets (despite being slightly riskier and less likely to carry to term) as we both would like more than one child anyway if possible.
Also, I hate that these professionals have such total control over our future like that- it makes me so upset!
@morewashingtodo No- I didn't even know this was a thing?? Have you had experience of this? Which clinic if you don't mind me asking? I'm with the London Women's clinic.

The multiples was a worry and I'm not going to be all blase and deny it! However like you we would like more than one child and after infertility I'm not sure that the idea of more than one in one go is such a bad thing! I also reasoned that after trying for so long and no fertilization/implantation - it would be a bit mad for 3 to fertilize and implant together!
Totally sympathize with feeling helpless and like people that seem to have no clue have such control over something so important to you, I had all those feelings too, it was the run-up to Christmas and I was just so angry. Those feelings are justified and they should have warned you that this was a potential outcome? I'm assuming they didn't? I hope you manage to salvage something out of this - but definitely don't be afraid to just throw caution to the wind and have a shag!

Ah! Flora your post has made me chuckle!! makes me feel like I'm not going totally crazy- thank you!! It really does make you angry and I totally agree with you, when your chances are so limited in the first place it seems mad not to take every opportunity you can! Thank you for sharing your story of hope .

Morewashingtodo glad to hear you had success on your 3rd cycle it also sounds like your clinic was loads more helpful than mine has been so far! I'm going to try and chill out about it and stay positive.

Hi! I know this post is old, but wondering what happened florafoxtrot?
We’ve just had out Iui cancelled a few daw before insemination as my partner tested positive for covid. He has no symptoms and weve been super careful, so very sure he doesn’t have it. He’s since had another neg test result!
Anyway, they won’t treat us now and we’re isolating. We had two follicles on the first scan, but have had no scans for 4 days now. They’ve told us to stop the medication, but I’m still taking it we think we’re just going to try naturally this week. It’s such a stange and sad situation, and I can’t find anyone else in the same one, but we figure out only risk is falling pregnant?!?

Hello! I’m still around! Unsuccessfully TTC for number 2 but what happened to me after the abandoned cycle was that I now have a 2.5 year old. Obviously my situation was a bit different but I’m so sorry you’ve found yourself where you are, it’s really bloody hard going and I can’t imagine how frustrated you are. As I understood it at the time, the reason they cancelled our treatment was because of a risk of multiples and I was a lot more blasé about that at the time than I am now on reflection but still... I stand by my comment above that after a long time of infertility I would have been shocked if suddenly more than 1 (or 2!) eggs were successfully fertilised and implanted. Did your clinic offer you any more advice?

Thanks for your reply, and that’s amazing! So pleased for you. They told us to stop the meds and abstain from sex for 2 weeks, for risk of multiples, as they can’t track what’s going on. I’ve calmed down a bit now, but with the covid and drugs I was on it was all a bit much yesterday.
I’ve stopped the meds, but we’ll probably give it a sneaky go anyway 😉

All fingers and toes are crossed for you. Hopefully the meds you’ve had should give you a bit of a boost. It’s a really rough time so look after yourselves.

Thanks. This would also be our no 2. At this stage amazed we were lucky enough to have our son who’s just turned 3.
Good luck to you too. I hope it works out for you :)