#makeithappen TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided. All welcome. Thread 11

[kwick]

This thread is for anyone trying to conceive... or thinking about doing so through donor IUI or donor IVF. Nothing TMI - feel free to join, we are a lovely group here to support and help keep the cray-cray away!

Here is the link to the previous thread
Thread 9
Thread 8
Thread 7
Thread 6
Here is the link to the one before that: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2832207--makeithappen-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome
Here is the link to the one before that one: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2769549-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome-makeithappen-loadsofBFPs
Here is the link to the thread before that: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2688511-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome-makeithappen
Here is the link to the one before that one: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2587046-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome
And the one before that!: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1877198-Donor-IUI

We also have a weight loss spin off thread: //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/donor_conception/2889818-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-weight-loss-spin-off-thread

[TinyPaws]

@Bear1980 I'm so sorry, that really really sucks. I haven't have a negative pregnancy test yet either, scared I might have retained products.

[Bear1980]

Thanks tiny yeah thats what I keep thinking too and am going on holiday soon so just hope it resolves.

[pickle162]

Oh @Bear1980 I'm so sorry to hear that lovely. If you ever need to chat I'm always here for you xx

[Bear1980]

Thanks pickle I appreciate it x

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

bear, that sounds very tough. I'm sorry.

Might I ask you about something you mentioned? When you say you produce more follicles than eggs - do you know what's happening there? I keep wondering, doing IUI, whether I'm just releasing an eggless follicle, and how I would know. I have PCOS, and early on in the diagnosis someone mentioned producing 'empty' follicles, but I never got to the bottom of whether there was a link or not.

I have had pregnancies, so clearly they're not all empty, but I wonder if there's any way to know you're predisposed to do that.

No need to answer if you'd prefer not.

[Bear1980]

Thanks lrd.

I potentially have PCOS as well, not officially diagnosed but my amh levels would suggest that.

In my first cycle (which was geared to prevent overstimulation) he expected to get 4-5 eggs and only got 2 mature and 1 immature. In my last cycle (which was a flare protocol for a poor responder) I think I had around 12 follicles of mature size but they only got 5 eggs (4 fertilised), I also think I had mild OHSS. They haven't specifically said why and I haven't had a review consultation yet but from what I have read it can be caused by either immature eggs or over mature eggs not releasing from the follicle. Not sure they can explain it but I think it's a case of you don't really know until you have had your 1st cycle.

The way I look at it is that if the eggs don't come out then they wouldn't make very good embryos anyway. Given my age I tend to hope for 2 good quality blasts any more would be a bonus.

[TiredAndIrrational]

God, reading your stories and updates really brings it home how hard this all is. Hugs to you all.

I had my endometrial thickness ultrasound this morning - not great, only 6mm. I've to increase my Estrimax dose but I'm really worried it won't thicken any further.

[Bear1980]

It never goes easy foes it tired, what cycle day are you on? Hopefully it thickens yo soon. I had an IUI cycle where my lining was really thin (around 4.5) I was worried about it but next scan a couple of days later it had thickened to more than 8 so hopefully things will work out for you

[Ttc2017]

I'm really sorry to hear your messages and praying your levels change so you can move forward with treatment I am so sorry for your losses and hope you are looking after your self as much as is possible x

I have a question will the progesterone affect my next cycle and my period if this one fails will I be able to go straight into next one or will progesterone make lining to thick at baseline or something like that x

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I had two IUIs back to back, and my clinic would happily have let me do a third, only (annoyingly!) they only confirmed that after I would have needed to start, so I had to sit that month out. Still, personally I think it was right as I did feel a bit battered around the uterus by then!

[lovelymojitos]

My clinic makes me wait for a normal period in between IUI's - I don't know if this related to them routinely giving people progesterone pessaries for the 2 week wait and so thinking the lining would be too thick to do it back to back...?
Had my baseline scan today - all looking fine, started menopur again this eve - always find it stings - any tips to make it more comfortable? I hadn't realised it's called menopur because it's from the urine of menopausal women who have high levels of fsh and lh...! One of my colleagues suggested I could just use hers direct - gross!! Next scan is next Friday, hoping for a quick response - first cycle it was 4.5wks because they were being really cautious with the doses but 2nd cycle I was all done by day 14...

[pickle162]

Mine too @lovelymojitos , I had to have an enforced break to allow my body to recover and clear old lining etc and mentally (one id got over not being able to do back to back) I'm pleased I did have the gap and felt a lot better for it as it really did flare up my anxiety of would it work, would the lining be thin enough to start, thick enough to implant etc etc

[Bear1980]

I did a back to back cycle with one iui and then had a break before the second (my choice). I wasn't on progesterone but have to say I was glad of the break. First time I thought it was good to jump straight back in as it took my mind off negative but emotionally the second cycle was tough.

[Ttc2017]

13dpiui still bfn I usually have a luteal phase of 15 days so should I wait until 15 days then stop the progesterone?

[lovelymojitos]

Sorry to hear that ttc - yes, I would carry on with the progesterone until day 15/16 then stop. Hope you're doing ok.

[Bear1980]

Sorry for the bfn ttc, not sure what to advise re:progesterone. When I was on it I stayed on it until I got bfn on official test day

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Sorry about the negative ttc.

My clinic says to stay on progesterone until the official date, but TBH I stopped when I could tell from my body I wasn't pregnant. There's certainly no harm staying on it - I was just being a cheapskate as I was pretty sure I wasn't pregnant.

Best of luck next time!

[Ttc2017]

Thanks guys I went out and brought a load more tests thinking sods law I will have af by time I am home as could feel like it was coming. Not here yet though but pretty sure I'm out this month. Will wait until weds official test date as 16dpiui then stop progesterone. Feeling very angry and low but that is probably as much to do with af coming as the disappointment of bfn. X

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I hate negative tests too. So depressing.

[Ttc2017]

Af came feel empty and gutted x

[TinyPaws]

Sorry @ttc it's a horrible feeling.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

It is rotten.

Will you go for next cycle? It is strange feeling you're throwing the dice and knowing that the chances are it will be negative. I keep wondering whether to go to IVF - though even there, statistically, it's still more likely to get a 'nothing doing' response than anything else. But it's hard to know what to do.

[TinyPaws]

I have the opposite problem, pregnancy tests are still positive 3 weeks after medical management of miscarriage so I'll call EPU when they open to arrange to be investigated for possible retained products.

[closephine85]

Hi everyone

Would you mind if I join you? I am currently 11dpo on our second cycle of iui using donor sperm. We have secondary infertility and have been ttc a sibling for our DS for five years now my husband has a low sperm count and poor morphology and after 2 failed rounds of IVF and more failed or abandoned IUI’s than I can remember we have moved onto donor sperm.

I’m feeling a little despondent as I had lots of symptoms very early on (weird strong pains around 4/5dpo) but I tested negative on Saturday and Sunday and now everything feels very quiet down there. We only bought 3 straws as wanted to see how we got on first/have sunk so much money into treatment it was all we could afford. So one more go and then I don’t know what!

Just wondering what the average number of cycles realistically it should take? I know they say 6 but I seem to see so many people saying it worked first/second time...

Sorry for the rather miserable first post!

[lovelymojitos]

Hi closephine, welcome! You've had a long journey to get to this point, blimey! Still could be good news for this cycle though...I think it's virtually impossible to tell from symptoms whether a cycle is working or not, lots of people seem to have got pregnant on cycles where they feel completely normal!
I'm doing IUI with donor sperm (as I'm single) and on my 3rd cycle. Started stims 4 days ago so still a way to go. I bought 3 tubes of sperm as well, think I'll prob go to IVF if this cycle unsuccessful.
Was reading down the thread and although there's not been very much good news very recently lots of people have had BFP's along the way so fingers crossed for us all.