IUI and Letrozole for Unexplained Fertility

[Nutellaandacuppa]

Has anyone tried IUI and Letrozole for unexplained fertility?
my partner and I have been trying for about 20 months.. we’ve both had all the tests and have unexplained infertility. We’ve been using a private clinic where the doctors advice was to just keep trying but I asked to try Letrozole and we got pregnant the first month of trying that (possibly a coincidence) but unfortunately we had an early miscarraige. We’ve used Letrozole since and been unsuccessful..
I’m now thinking maybe we could try Letrozole with IUI to see if that helps! we have the option of IVF which I know has a high chance of working but I know it’s a tough process to go through so if there’s other options with potential to try first I will!
does anyone have any advice or experiences?

Following! I'm on a similar journey ...after TTC for 20 odd months with unexplained infertility, finally got pregnant on the first cycle with clomifen (after checking the tubes and uterus) but had an MMC at 12 weeks. Since then it's been 6 months, 4 normal cycles with clomifen but no success. tried letrozole the last cycle and nothing! so seeing a fertility specialist tomorrow...might ask for IUI before we consider IVF!

I’m so sorry about your mmc and that things aren’t going smoothly for you either..
sounds like our stories are pretty similar!
would be interested to hear what your specialist advices tomorrow! Ours is very laid back and thinks we should just keep trying unless we’re “in a rush”.
I’m reluctant to rush into IVF because we did have one successful month, it just didn’t work out in the end, so it’s given me that bit of hope to keep going. It’s just an emotional rollercoaster!
anyway, I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow and you get some good advice :)

yea same! he keeps saying we should try normally..and that I wouldn't need an IVF because we did get preggy once. but I'm soon going to be 35 and all this unexplained infertility is just driving me nuts so much so that I've started believing in astrology and the stars aligning etc! Things I refused to believe in while I was younger! Anyways, sure will let you know how it goes and you too, pls keep me posted on anything that you hear :) good luck to us!

That’ll be me googling the life out of astrology later!!
I’m 35 in a few months too! our doctor was adamant earlier in the year that I am still young in IVF terms so not to worry about that. I’ll let you know if of any updates or if I get any advice x

@Iammagic hope your appointment went well today! Did you get any good information or advice?

Hi both - also interested to hear what your doctor says. I have been trying for about a year and all tests seem ‘normal’ and so my doctor is reluctant to prescribe Clomid/Letrozole because it looks like I am technically ovulating on my own already, and so I was wondering if your doctors said anything similar or if I should get a similar opinion? Doc has basically said that waiting/IVF are my only options but that seems like a huge jump and so I would also like to consider medicating my cycles or IUI first!

Hi @Goldendoodlelover
have you had your tests with the NHS or private? We had ours privately because of the long NHS waits and the doctor didn’t recommend anything other than IVF but was fine with us trying the other options when we said that’s what we wanted to do. I don’t know if that would be the same as NHS, although I don’t see why it’s not worth a try!

we haven’t gotten any advice or talked to the clinic about IUI, we’re giving letrozole a try again this month (and got a Fertilily cup to try!)

Hi @Nutellaandacuppa (great name btw, two things most needed during the two week wait 😂) I went private just because the NHS waiting lists are so long - it’s hard enough just trying to get an appointment with my GP and I wanted to get the ball rolling before the 12 month mark and I wouldn’t be seen by an NHS GP before then. I think I probably just need to go back to my doctor and push a bit more - I just took her word for it when she said there was no point doing Letrozole if I’m ovulating but if it doesn’t hurt I’m willing to give it a go?! Going from no treatment to IVF just seems like such a jump! Best of luck this month with the Letrozole and Fertilily 🤞

Haha two of life’s little pleasures!!
we felt the same way about going straight into IVF. The doctor was pretty open to us trying other options but I suppose it might depend on the doctor. I haven’t had any definite side effects so far, but I think the letrozole has maybe made me ovulate earlier than I used to. Both times we’ve had a scan on day 10 (scan was recommended to check if the letrozole was effective and if more than one egg was likely to be released) there was an egg ready to be released, which is earlier than I would have expected!
I have read of some people having bad side effects though!

Hello both @Nutellaandacuppa@Goldendoodlelover sorry it’s been a crazy two weeks for me. In laws staying with us and doctor appointments and next week is birthday week, always look forward to it but for the first time i dont! Dont want to turn 35!the stress is getting to me!
anyhoo.. so the specialist on day 11 of my cycle (with no clomifen/letrozole) and he said there was no dominant folicle which means I may not ovulate this cycle so birthday hope/wish gone down the drain!
he says he will try the next 2-3 cycle with clomifen or letro and if it doesn’t work then direct IVf. No IUi because that is useful only when theres a problem with the sperm motility.
thats all folks! I’m struggling to stay positive Im sorry!

Hi @Iammagic
I know there’s nothing worse than someone trying to get you to be positive when you feel crap.. but maybe this month can be a freebie, putting the pressure of ovulation and dtd on the right days etc on hold until next month and enjoying your birthday! It might still happen this month, but if not you’ve got clomid/letrozole to try in November..

I know exactly how you feel though.. it’s a total rollercoaster each month and really hard to stay positive throughout. I’m learning to just accept that it’s normal to be upset and sorry for yourself when it means so much and not pressure myself to “be positive” when I don’t feel it (I know in a few days I’ll be back on the “this is the month” hopeful train again). It will happen..

We’ve just finished our letrozole for this month. So I’ve gone from the awful feeling of cd1 last Friday to sitting here wondering how I’m going to cope with triplets if letrozole has super powers this month!! Madness I know!