Fertility Appointments and Beyond: Electric Boogaloo

[thislittlebird]

Hit capacity on the old thread, will tag you in!

@Tillybabs yeah it’s a tough call. If you go that route and you do do it, get it out the way now before you’re older and then maybe consider PGT-A, I really think it made a difference for us (and we tried 7 times all in all). There’s a woman on the EMMA ALICE ERA thread over on infertility who had her baby at about 43, it’s not a bad one to join for long timers.

@thislittlebird thanks I will check it out and yes if I decide to do another EC I will look to do it sooner rather than later.

Morning ladies I hope everyone is well. My AMH has come back and it's 8.4 pmol so it has less than halved since my last test in 2021.

I really don't know whether to try another E/C or not. I'm 43 years old now. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

We have one more untested frostie

@Tillybabs I'm sorry to hear this and I hope you're ok ... you've really been through it.
My AMH was similar right before my cycle last year and I got really fixated on it. It's not the main indicator, so it would be good to see how many follicles you have on a scan too. My AMH was about 8/9 and I had about 5/6 good size follicles on each side ... I ended up with 14 eggs, 10 of which were mature. At the same time, my SIL had an AMH of 36, she got 16 eggs, 12 of which were mature ... so there wasn't a huge difference in outcome.
Are you still with Croydon? x

@JeanieJ hey thanks for replying!

How are you doing?

Yes I am still at Croydon but this round is now self-funded.

I think what I’m worried about is getting no embryos from this cycle and then because of the EC it even brings on my menopause sooner. I mean, is that what could happen as it obviously does lower your egg reserve?

@Tillybabs I'm ok thank you 🙂 ...
Is it actually true that it brings you closer to menopause? I hear some people say that, but I thought it was debunked 🤷🏻. I think your AMH is pretty good for 43 ... I was told that mine was good for my age at the time (35).
Are you finding thing's different with Croydon now that you're self funded? Are they giving you anymore guidance? I felt like I just got standard advice from them last year .... it was ok, but they never really dig deep with me x

I actually have no idea if it’s true or not 😂

I think I just was shocked that I went from 17.1 to 8.4 in the space of a few years. But then maybe it’s because they took 16 eggs at retrieval! I have no idea 😂

Hmmm I wouldn’t say things are that different tbh. I have asked Dr G take the lead with my case going forward as I just find him better than Dr Shubha. She didn’t even tell me he’s a specialist in my condition and it has always been me suggesting to her what we should do. I only found out because I had a scan with him when she was off and he was brilliant.

I think AMH is a bit of an unreliable measure. Age and euploidy is probably more important. For example, I had an AMH of 36 at one time, it probably dipped a bit to low 30s/high 20s over three rounds but I only ever had 10-15 eggs collected. Then some one else on here had an AMH of 5-10 (can’t quite remember) and also got 10 eggs.

If I were you I’d be most focussed on finding someone who will throw the kitchen sink at you, if you go again and/or if you transfer the frostie.

@thislittlebird yes this is what I’m debating. The kitchen sink involves me having open surgery which I’m really aapprehensive about doing. I’m having a chat with the Dr next week so will get some more details from him and make a more informed decision after.

@Tillybabs yeah, I found Dr G way more helpful ...
Are you gonna do the surgery with him via NHS or private? I did a lap & dye privately with him in Shirley BMI and it was a pretty good experience... it was all arranged in about 3 weeks ... expensive though 🫠 x

@JeanieJ no if I decide to have it I will do it on the NHS as the waiting times aren’t that long now. Also, it suits me to wait a bit longer for it.

Yea I’ve heard good things about him!

@thislittlebird so I've read into it a little and I feel a bit silly now because I didn't know how the whole ovulation process works. Every month naturally we ovulate and our ovaries will hold a number of follicles with eggs which don't mature and they end up dying because usually only one matures and is released.

I was under the assumption it was just one and the IVF stimulation drugs somehow add more eggs on that cycle 🙈

But no, they mature the follicles already in your ovaries in that cycle.

I'm sure you already know this and it's just stupid old me 😂. I think I will try another EC

@Tillybabs oh it’s amazing how much you learn in this process! For me the thing I found fascinating was how the fallopian tubes are mobile and roaming around and they arrive at the right place to collect the egg each month! Crazy.

I had read this stuff at some stage, yeah, there’s a set amount that are just hanging in there waiting their turn. I have had scans where I’ve had 26 or something in there on a non-ivf cycle but even with meds only 15 at most would ever grow with the meds and maybe 8-12 of those would be mature.

Are you feeling more like you’d want to do another right now?