Low amh / 3 lead follicles - need some hope!

[VenusStarr]

I'm doing my first round of IVF, this is my one and only nhs round. I have low amh (5) so was warned they weren't expecting much from me. I have had 4 naturally concieved miscarriages and am following an immune protocol but worried about my low numbers.

I've been on stims since Thursday and had my first scan today. I have 3 decent sized follicles: 2x12mm, 1x10mm plus 5 smaller ones all about 5mm. The nurse seemed happy but thinks that the smaller ones won't come to anything. Follow up is Wednesday and looking at egg collection sometime between Friday and Monday.

I'm on another thread and everyone has loads of follicles / eggs, so struggling not to compare. Due to my low numbers, we've already discussed a day 3 transfer, but I'm worried we won't even get that far.

Please share any positive stories. X

@VenusStarr I am a few days behind but similar situation to you, I am 34 and have a low amh of 3, AFC was 5 last september. I am on day 3 of stimms today so not sure how many follicules I may grove but I share your feelings and so scared of not growing any- indeed 3 sounds like a relief to me atm!. On my first scan the nurse didn't really say how many I have, she said only thing they want to check is that there are no big cysts etc but I guess I have 5-6 follicules and one of my ovaries wasn't seen easily she said with drugs it can grow and become more visible hopefully. So yeah I am really stressed about the scan on wednesday which is the first time we'll get a picture of how the prospects of this cycle looks for me!

and yes I do read other threads and also feel bad about having so few follicules as you said. It will be nice to hear others in similar situation!

Hi @jolly86 the whole thing is stressful at different points isn't it? I'd settled into stims but now I'm worried again. I have to add on centrotide tonight and I'm worried about getting that wrong.

I've got a follow up scan on Wednesday and can just feel a massive headache brewing. I just wish I knew how it was going to turn out.

Hopefully you'll get some positive news on Wednesday.

Have to keep reminding myself that this isn't bad news, I'm responding exactly as they expected and so that is a good thing. I think I had a small bit of hope that we'd get some sort of miracle.

What meds are you on? I'm on 225 of bemfola, adding centrotide tonight. X

Hi there,
I recently finished a cycle of ICSI that was unsuccessful, but not due to low number of eggs, so I thought I might be able to give you some hope... I'm 35 and my AMH was 5.7 a year ago. My average AFC was 9 throughout the year.

My first scan, 9 days into stims, I had 5 follicles 10-15mm, all on the right. Then 2 days later, I had 6 follicles 12-18mm on the right, as well as 3 follicles 11-12mm on the left. At EC 4 days later, they got those 9 eggs, which were all mature, and 8 of which fertilized and made it to day 3.

I remember feeling really demoralized and worried after my first scan, and thinking that my left ovary was dead, but there was quite an improvement over the next few days, and I hope it will be the same for you. I know that every follicle counts, and you must be thinking 'at least 5 is better than 3 to start off with' but try not to compare, and remember that quality is much more important than quantity :)

Wishing you both the best of luck, and take care of yourselves x

Definitely try and ignore what other people are getting in terms of follicle numbers - it really doesn't mean anything - I've known someone get 50 follicles (OHSS) and none fertilised normally and didn't get any to transfer

Myself I have twins born in January....from the cycle my clinic and I purposely only went after 2 follicles. (I previously had 2 failed rounds with awful fertilisation where I got 14 follicles each time so quite often high numbers Of follicles can mean low quality)

Thank you @beachbum85 I'm sorry this round wasn't successful ❤️ it does help to hear that you did have more follicles at your second scan. I can't help but think that as ivf is a numbers game, you need a few more to play with. But I'm also hopeful that it is quality over quantity. X

Congratulations @andivfmakes3 this also helps. It sounds like focusing on the 2 was the right thing.

You've definitely both given me some hope 🙂 thank you x

@VenusStarr

I recall you're with Create aren't you? (I was at the same clinic and same geographical area) you are in good hands with them x

I am @andivfmakes3, I recognise you now! :) I've had a good experience so far with them. The nurses were really kind today. Trying to trust the process x

It really does only take one.
My first round I had 5 eggs, 3 were mature, 2 fertilised (one very low quality)- both transfered on day 3 and one became my DD now 2
My amh was 9 at the time.

Fast forward 3 years and my amh is 6.7, I've just done a fresh cycle with higher stim dosage and this time 6 eggs, 4 fertilised and 3 made it to blast stage. Currently 7dp5dt.

Lots of follicles doesn't mean a better success rate, it just means you respond better to the stimulation drugs. I don't know much about it but I believe natural ivf is of benefit if those with a low egg reserve or poor response to stims, although nothing to say that's the case for you yet.

Also, some follicles do have a sudden growth spurt in the last couple of days. Before my latest EC the measurements were suggesting I'd get about 4 eggs, but there must have been a surge from the stragglers as 2 caught up.

Try to just take the results of each scan at face value ie they only show you the situation there and then. You get the biggest growth in the second half of your stims I think.

Everyone is different but for a fellow low AMH-er comparison, I have an AMH of 6 and had an AFC of 4 on baseline scan before starting stims. Ended up with 6 eggs, 5 fertilised and a day 5 transfer of 1 slow growing embryo which hadn't even reached full blast stage (therefore un-gradeable), and no spares for the freezer. 27 weeks later our slow grower seems to be doing okay in there! We were lucky, but a good example of how individual everyone's journey is. Women who had more than double my amount of eggs sadly aren't in the exceedingly lucky position I now am. It really is such a lottery unfortunately.

Fingers crossed for you, just take it one step at a time 🤞

It is great to hear from others. @VenusStarr I am on 150 menopur and 225 bemfola for the first 5 days then they’ll add fyremadel. You mean you have 225 bemfola only for the first 5 days? What was your age and amh? Today is my 4th day I start to worry as I don’t feel like bloated etc. Hope you get some good news tomorrow!

I'm so pleased that your day 3 transfer gave you your daughter @Herewegoagain83 🤞 for you this current round.

Thank you @MGee123 congratulations! I'm really pleased that it worked for you. It's a complete unknown and a bit of a head🤬 but I'll try and take each day as it comes.

We've been trying for number 1 for so long and had so much heartbreak, I just struggle to see that it could work out for us. But both of you have given me some hope, thank you xx

Yes, I'm only on bemfola @jolly86. I'm 37 and amh was 5.9 in November. But it was 9.5 in February 2020, so it's probably lower now. Afc was 8 and I've got 8 follicles now. My fsh and lh were normal.
I've woken up with a swollen tummy today, which is surprising me because I've not got a lot going on in there 🤞 for tomorrow. When's your scan? X

@VenusStarr I don’t think necessarily amh changes so much in 6 months i think it may be more that tests are not that accurate- I hope so at least! I have seen people whose amh increased from one to another test. I don’t want to test again as I don’t see the point apart from upsetting me.
It seems you are on a lower does than me then, probably because amh is higher.
My scan is tomorrow too. Good luck X

It's a bit of a minefield and no rhyme or reason to how you'll respond. I know someone who had an amh of 30 but only had 3 follicles, but all went well and she's about 6 weeks pregnant now, so I do logically know that it doesn't matter. But emotionally, it's so hard not knowing how this is going to turn out.
Hope all goes well at your scan, let me know @jolly86 x

@VenusStarr I went for my day 5 scan and 5 follicles are growing in a balanced way, the nurse was really pleased, although doesn't think more will join. I am adding frymedal from tonight and going back in two days. I do feel relieved that there are no bad surprises and the drugs seem to work, although not a surprise in terms of getting more follicles than expected either. Hope your scan went well too. x

Glad your scan went well @jolly86 and you've got 5 decent follicles 🤞 hope all goes well at your follow up scan.

Mine was ok, I've got 4 potentials but one is getting to trigger size, so have 18,16,12,10mm and then a few smaller that are around 8-9mm. Got to go back tomorrow morning but they did my bloods as well, so I might be triggering tonight with collection on Friday if my lh is rising.
I had to call and speak to the nurse when I got back as I didn't really take it all in this morning, so I initially thought one of my follicles was 21mm but she confirmed all the numbers. She doesn't think the really small ones will do anything now.

Starting to feel tender on my tummy now xx

@VenusStarr that sounds very promising, Now good luck for egg transfer 🤞 x

I meant egg collection first obviously :)

@VenusStarr I do hope you don't mind me hijacking your post 😳 I've been reading the feed and it's so reassuring - my IVF meds are being delivered tomrrow to start protocol at the end of the month. Because my AMH came back low (4.6) and my AFC was in line with that result (7) I was absolutely terrified that I'd get zero results from stims - your messages have definitely given me reassurance that I'm not alone and wishing you both the very best for the rest of your treatment ❤️x

Not a hijack at all 🙂 @Luan82 glad it's helped reassure you. I was surprised that my follicles have grown as I wasn't expecting many (but hoping I would get some).
My doctor pushed me back, so I'm going in tomorrow morning (didn't go today). They want to push my smaller ones, just hoping I don't lose the bigger ones!

Keep us updated when you get started. I'm finding the injections have made my tummy sore and I'm tired now.

How are you getting on @jolly86? X

Thank you - I will! 😘

Hi @Luan82 yes like you I also was scared if I'd respond at all to stimms but there is no reason why you shouldn't, indeed 7 sounds great and if you can get 7 to grow that is a safe number of eggs!

@VenusStarr I am ok have added frydemal since 2 days and today is my day 7 of stimms, going back for a scan midday and hopefully will have a better idea when I'll do the trigger. Interesting that you are stimming longer as new follicles seem to have caught up? Sounds promising. Do you have any dates for trigger and egg collection? I'll update later. X

@jolly86 - thank you! That really is reassuring to hear. No male factor issues so it really is all about the quality of my eggs - I'm feeling the pressure just a little ! 😂 I've been reading posts from ladies who've collected ten eggs and feeling deflated that it's not more (I need to step away from Instagram!). It's so nice to hear from ladies that are going through the same thing with a more realistic perspective!! I hope your scan goes well today 🤞🏼 ❤️

Booked in for egg collection for Monday morning at 8.30. Last bemfola tonight and I might need to take 1.5 dose of cetrotide tomorrow, doctor calling later to confirm (ugh, hate mixing that one, it's fiddly enough without doing a half dose!). So I have to go back tomorrow for another blood test to monitor my lh and estrogen levels. Really only 3 follicles in the running, it's unsettling only having a few, just hope it's quality over quantity and there's a couple of good eggs 🙏

Hope you get on well @jolly86 🤞

What protocol are you on @Luan82? X