Ivf converted to iui? Poor response

[Dreamy33]

I'm hoping for some success stories to keep my spirits up at this difficult time. This morning I went for my day 7 scan to see how I have responded to stimming and it wasn't great news. Basically, I have three viable follicles over 10 and several others under 10 mm. Dr is baffled because my amh (18.5) and antral follicle count suggest that I should have responded much better than I have. This is my second attempt at ivf and my last cycle was cancelled due to poor response ( funnily enough, three follicles then as well!).

Clinic have suggested I convert from ivf to iui and I'm feeling very low about it all. Does anybody have any success stories to share to keep me going until my next scan ( and decision day) on Friday?

Hi Dreamy
I'm sorry to hear you had a poor response the second time. It's so disappointing with all the hope and expectation you put in to it. Did they try different drugs or a different dose? Did you convert to iui the first time?
I had a poor response on my first ivf (only 2 eggs ) and was converted to iui which didn't work (but felt good to have tried it I suppose, I'd always wondered about it and whether it would fix our problem ). I'm trying again in May (hopefully) and have decided that even if my response is the same I want to go for egg collection anyway and see what happens. For 1 there are clinics that do natural ivf with only 1 or 2 eggs and also I hear so many stories of people getting pregnant when they only have one embryo. It only takes one!
There's the financial aspect too of course but I'd be tempted to go for it if I were you, unless of course your DR comes back to you with a genius plan to get a better response next time
Loads of luck to you with whatever you decide and hopefully some others will be along soon to share their success stories to keep us going!

I've spoken to you on here before Dreamy. If I remember right, last IVF you went straight to stims and this time, you did the pill beforehand. I assume this was to hope you had more follicles at the same size and get a better response?

Personally, I only get a few eggs. My first IVF, the follicles grew at different rates. The doctor suggested pill before next IVF for this reason - and still the same result just like you. I since did estrogen priming with a much better result.

I don't know how your NHS system works. Is this cycle funded? If you continue with this cycle, will you get another funded go? So hard to know the right choice. They always say it only takes one and could one of those 3 eggs be it????

Hi zippy. Thanks for your response. We are also unexplained and I, like you, have often wondered if iui would be the answer to our problems ( although as time goes on, I'm beginning to suspect my eggs may be the issue). The clinic are not keen on going to egg collection with just three so if nothing has changed by tomorrow's scan, it looks like I'll be pushed to iui. How did you find it?
Good luck with your next try in May x

Hi Shellster. Thanks for sharing your experiences. You're absolutely right about my background. I'm amazed you remembered all the detail!we're paying for this treatment so it's a case of trying to rescue something from the situation after spending so much on drugs. I will ask dr if they would consider ec with my three and see what they say- definitely weren't keen on Tuesday. Let's keep fingers crossed for some good news for us poor responders soon! X

I have a low AMH of 3.9. I find it amazing that you can have an AMH of 18.5 which I can only dream of, and yet only 3 are growing.

I don't know how your system works; how much more will you be out of pocket by continuing on to egg collection? I just hope for you that Friday brings you some good news. How far behind were the follicles under 10mm.

Hope to hear from you after your appointment on Friday as I will be thinking of you.

I guess it depends what uve spent on drugs vs the cost of collection.
And your age. (Whether you can wait for another ivf)
I think my drugs were only a couple of hundred maybe 500. (I was on a very low dose) But the EC is expensive maybe 4k for icsi
Can they get more next time?
Why would they want to convert - because it qont affect their ivf stats?
If you are unexplained iui could work. But if you were already ovulating anyway , and the sperm swim well...
I did 2 icsis first 7 eggs 2 fert and 1 baby.
2nd 9 collected 4 eggs mature, 3 fert 1 abnormally 2 put back not pregnant.
Maybe they could tell you the percentages of success with 3 eggs (but bear in mind if they are different sizes 1 or more could be immature) not all may fertilise, some sometimes stop growing.
But the advantage of ivf is you know they have fertilised or not and that you definitely have a chance of pg if they do put some back.
My DSis was unexplained and have now had 2 pg from icsi (they did get a lot of eggs though). But gad no success with iui.
It all depends what is wrong.
There just seems no guarantee of how many eggs (which is annoying).
Are you on menopur or g

That should have said gonal f? As i think people can respond better to different ones

I'm on gonal f Naty and was on that for my first cancelled cycle as well. Dr did suggest that a change to menopur may improve the situation next time but who knows... I've been on 300 dosage so dr not sure why ovaries haven't responded.
Shellster, at the moment we've paid about £800 on drugs. Iui will only cost a couple of hundred whereas to go to ec would cost nearly £3000. If only we had a crystal ball eh? Dr is as baffled as you about why I seem to respond so poorly. She explained that few ladies follow textbook patterns but I'd love to be one of those, just this once!

Will let you know how tomorrow goes but preparing for the worst and it can only get better!!

Hi Dreamy
I know the chances of success are less with less eggs but considering you are paying for your cycle, I would have thought your clinic would let you call the shots at this point. The way it was put to me was that it was a lot 'to put me through' for what they consider a much reduced chance of success than if they got 8 eggs for eg.

I'm happy to go through anything really, if there's a chance, even a small chance of success. Mine will be funded though so I know it's a whole other weighing up process when large sums of money are involved.

My iui was fine. My advice is to not have too full a bladder though! They were running late and I was really bursting for a wee I finally got called and the nurse rummaged around down there looking for my cervix, couldn't find it, had to call the Doctor who rummaged around some more (whilst I was chanting in my head, 'don't pee, don't pee, please don't pee ).

Eventually was sent off to pee and drink more water and come back in an hour I think the bladder can press on the uterus and tilt it so changing the positioning of the cervix? Something like that anyway. They found it straight away that time thankfully and it was easy peasy. Less uncomfortable than a smear test.
Do come back and let us know how you get on tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed for you. Hope it goes well x

Hi Shellster
My amh is similar to yours so a poor responder too which sucks I've done a bit of research (googling ) to find out about different drug regimes that work better for poor responders (we will prob try again if our next round doesn't work). What is eostrogen priming? How much did it improve your response? I hope now that you are finding what works for you that you get success

x post Dreamy. Ouch, that is quite a difference in cost

Sorry for post hijack OP but ZippyBopit I don't think AMH is the only predicter of response level as my AMH is super high (over 80) and I haven't grown one follicle on menopur after 3 weeks....

I suppose on the plus side there is a fallback to iui (as we had icsi this wouldnt be an option and would probably ne a cancelled cycle.)
It seems such a wait between cycles i gave my period dates in dec for jan dud cycle in jan /feb and march 2ww and revovery. Now waiting for review appt in apr and then more waiting as we are on hols. I do long protocol so at least 6 weeks. Im trying to get in before im 35 and i will just with all this waiting
Good luck

Hi j200, how dissapointing and frustrating that you've not responded at all. I think that's unusual for someone with such a high amh? Hopefully the drs can come up with a plan that works for you. You have the eggs, they just need to get them out!

My Dr took into account my age (39), weight and amh to determine my drug dose (pretty high). He was expecting me to be a poor responder and unfortunately I was. I'm hoping for a small miracle on my next go...

Naty I hate all the waiting too It's torturous how long everything takes. Hope your review app goes OK and good luck with your next round.