IVF newbie - CRGH - Slow growing follicles

[user1479588581]

Hi All,

Looking to get some advice.

I've just turned 39 and started my first cycle of IVF with CRGH. I was on norethisterone and progynova to regulate period and then Clomid and then i started the stimms which were 150 Fostimon and 75 Meriofert every other day. I had 17 follciles on day 5 which I thought was pretty good considering im considered low amh etc. They upped my dosage to 225 Fostimon and 225 meriofert every other day and ive just gone in for my day 9 scans where apparently only FOUR out of the 17 follicles are growing...13 are still under 6...they havent changed my dosage and im still doing every other day 225 of each. My egg collection at the moment is predicted for Monday next week. Is there a chance the cycle will be cancelled? I was so ecstatic to get that many follicles to start with and then find that only a quarter of them were responding.

Does anyone have any advice? Feeling a bit overwhelmed about it all and wondering whether throwing in the towel. We very fortunately have a 3 year old, and miscarriage in march this year. I seem to fall pregnant easily after surgery to remove endometirosis but only a short window hence why weve moved to ivf due to age.

So you are stimming every OTHER day? At this point I don't think a drug change would make much difference as if you are having collection on Monday you'll be triggering on Saturday

I doubt they will cancel unless they really thought the strategy was wrong and they could have got more to grow with daily stims or something but every month is different and there are no guarantees

Usually it's 3 follicles which are the cut off below which they cancel but I've gone to egg collection twice with just 2 follicles and for the best quality blastocysts I've ever had when I got fewer eggs

Ok if I were you I would email your consultant's secretary and insist on a quick chat with the consultant. The consultant should give you the contextual info you need regarding how your cycle is going. Too often clinics only give you info on a need to know basis. The nurses often aren't that well informed. Really hope you can get some clarity.

@ivfbeenbusy

Hiya, thanks for your reply. Yes, I've been stimming every other day. They started me off on low dose 150/75 and then upped it to 225/225. I have no communication from the consultant at all during the process. I was meant to start also taking growth hormone every other day from day 3 as well but they never put that on my drug regime so I stuck it in the fridge forgot about it and only realized yesterday which is obviously too late to start taking it. I'll see how it goes, this is only my first cycle but feel Ive got so much to learn and their expensive mistakes! I'm thinking of switching to the evewell clinic to get some actual 1:1 with a consultant, they see you after every scan there apparently so more of the american model which i prefer.

@msgloria

Thanks for your reply, I'm going to email him now. I managed to get his email address from another lady on an infertility forum i'm on, Ive not had it direct from him!

I'm already feeling fed up and this is cycle no 1, I don't know how others manage to keep going. Feel very fortunate to have our 3 year old

You're welcome. I have personal experience with CRGH, and whilst I do trust them from a clinical perspective I think their lack of meaningful communication is really stressful. You are absolutely reasonable to expect them to give you a view on how it's going in the course of your cycle.

I think part of the issue is that it's your first cycle - with your first, they are in observer mode seeing how your body reacts so they can learn lessons for subsequent cycles if needed. Sorry I know that doesn't sound particularly helpful.

Thanks Gloria, most other people I've mentioned this to on boards etc have stated they've never heard of stimming every other day so now I'm wondering if I've been giving enough medication! I'm just fed up with being treated like a sausage in a factory there and getting out after this cycle and trying somewhere new. I've heard good things about Evewell and Fertility Plus so organizing appointments at both.

Just on the stimming every day - this is normal when doing a natural modified IVF cycle and I've done 3 of those but that tends to be very low dose drugs whereas yours is a fair bit higher. But perhaps that's why - they wouldn't give you that dose daily as it would just overcook your eggs and could cause OHSS so just giving them a boost every other day

Hi @user1479588581 how are you getting on? Are you triggering today?