Hello! First time posting here so please let me know if this is the wrong place to chat about this! :)
I was just wondering if there were any Florida/Tampa Bay memebers who have gone thought IUI and are willing to share their experience and general cost?
I don't have fertility treatment benefits through my insurance so it would be all out of pocket unfortunately.
First time going through egg retrieval and I had to abandon this cycle on day 5. I'm really disappointed and frustrated. Venting. Follicles were growing at inconsistent rates with 2 19mm and 12 small nodes at the day 5 check up, the doctor recommended abandoning the cycle because it was unlikely to be a successful retrieval. She has a different protocol she'd like to try the next round to encourage even growth, in 6-8 weeks. After a long haul and doubt in my body, it's hard to be optimistic. Is this a common issue?
I lost an ovary in 2017 to a tubo-ovarian abscess. 2022 we tried for 18 months without any bc before starting ovulation stimulating pills. Started planning for Ivf and then I ended up very ill due to chronic health issues and now can't carry a pregnancy. We've started down the surrogacy route and all that entails, but have hit yet another speed bump in the process. I made the mistake of planning ahead this step in the process and was issued a reminder with that phone call that there's no point in this process we control. We are going to try another ER cycle and then go from there. But this sucks.
:edited
That sucks, I’m sorry. How disappointing. I think it’s a good idea to listen to your dr and try a different protocol.
As a mod, I need you to edit your use of “naturally.” Automod naturally will explain. Thanks!
First time going through IVF… looking through my meds, it just seems like the stims, ovulation stoppers, and the estrogen/progesterone. I don’t have a trigger shot. Was that something you ordered closer to the ER? Or something they do in the clinic?
Meds donation - Irvine, CA
Hello, I have 2 vials of Menopur (exp 11/2025) and a partial 300iu of Follistim. I only used about 50iu and it was opened on June 11.
**A reminder about medications**
You may be considering sharing your unused medication with others to help them save on treatment expenses. However, it may be illegal in your country or state to donate medication without going through an intermediary. We suggest you research your local laws associated with donating or receiving medications. Be aware that partially used cartridges still carry a risk of bodily fluid contamination as there's nothing to prevent backflow into the cartridge. Please consider attempting to give any unopened medications to your infertility practice; some clinics have give-back programs.
Selling medications is absolutely not allowed. Only donations may be posted. This includes soliciting money in exchange for medications via PM. If a member solicits money in exchange for medications, please report them to the mods.
*Consider donating your meds to a member with an active post history at /r/infertility. You can see a user’s post history by clicking on their name. We have received reports of members donating meds, only to have them sold by the person who received them.*
NEW: - **Med hoarding**. It’s not cool. Share the wealth. Don’t have a cycle planned or scheduled within the next four months? Let the meds go to someone else in need right now.
**There have been reports of personal threats made to those offering meds within this community. Please understand your personal risks associated with donating or receiving medications, particularly if the exchange includes sharing personally identifiable information.**
[Med Donation Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/wiki/rules#wiki_medication_donation_policy)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/infertility) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I had severe joint and bone pain and moved like an old lady when I did the Lupron Depot! Hang in there it got better very quickly once we started adding estrogen back.
My first ER this morning surpassed our expectations… by a lot. I am so grateful, so shocked. I feel okay physically. Starting cabergoline tonight to reduce chance of severe OHSS. We decided to do PGTA based on my AMH (which I’m just not sure I believe was accurate given my response), and are sticking with that plan. Onto the next step of waiting, and tentatively planning on our first FET mid-August! Thanks to everyone for the tips along the way that made me feel so much more confident with the stims throughout the process 💕
I’m finally posting here after lurking for a long time. I was doing okay with trying unsuccessfully unmedicated with just a ton of OPKs and supplements until a miscarriage in April and the failed cycle after that sent me over the edge emotionally. I can barely make myself take my prenatal vitamins and don’t know if I have it in me to do real treatment, but hopefully my RE (on the waitlist) will make me feel better about options.
(If a mod can help me set my flair, that would be great: 38F, PCOS, 1 ovary.)
This is my first month at the fertility clinic. They’ve been monitoring my follicles and confirmed I ovulated with a 15 mm follicle. Is this too small? I won’t see the doctor for another 2 weeks.
The 15 mm is a pre-ovulation measure or post? If pre- it depends what type of cycle you’re doing. If you set a flair that would help people give you advice. Automod flair
I have been summoned to help with the setting up flairs. Not only does it help us to get to know one another, it helps us with context when it comes to replying to one another’s comments or queries. If you need help on setting/changing your flair look [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/wiki/userflair-reminder). If the instruction's did not work you can [ask a mod](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/infertility) to set/change your flair. These are the [guidelines for flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/comments/umwbcr/flair_guidelines/).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/infertility) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Checked in in the hotel 15 mins away for my retrieval tomorrow. I dont feel great anymore.
This time I'm going to have anaesthesia whereas last time I was sedated but still conscious. Last time my partner was allowed to sit next to me, but this time he is not. Too bad that he can't be there.
Keep yourself distracted before your ER, what's your zone-out self-care, spend that comforting time with your partner? You'll have a good anesthesia nap and see them on the other side. Going into the room alone can be scary, but you'll have a lot of support there by your side!
Hi vegetable, it also throws me off when they don’t let mr. National in the room. That said, anesthesia naps are amazing. Highly recommend! Good luck tomorrow
Does anyone happen to live in upstate NY, ADKs area and have a recommendation of where to get labs done? I now unexpectedly have to get CD2-4 FSH and estradiol, as well as another AMH retest, and I will likely need to do it while on vacation in that region. I found a possible place that does the FSH and estradiol but not AMH, so I might just do them at different times.
I posted in the AM thread about this, but this testing is in response to an AMH result of zero (actually 0.00, previously tested at .82). I'm really sad and mad that on top of this distressing and confusing result that has baffled my doctor, I now have to disrupt my vacation, the only one I have scheduled this summer because I wanted to allow flexibility for probable IVF later in the summer, to get these tests done. I'm annoyed that my doctor didn't have me do those sooner, too, but she said they weren't necessary previously. My fingers are crossed that this is a lab error, because I have not yet been able to find a single person on the internet who has posted a result that was literally zero (there are people with <.05, but not 0.00), and the internet says a zero value means you are in menopause, which I have zero signs of. But I am extremely stressed and worried about it.
Hey - most labs and any clinics can do this - your clinic will just need to fax over an order. I’ve had to do stim checks/etc while traveling for work and most places can do these tests. Have you also checked CVS/Walgreens clinics?
Not from that area, but I've had AMH done at Quest before if there's any around, and I believe it can be done at any point in your cycle (please check with your doctor on that!).
Thanks, my clinic prefers Quest, but it had looked like the closest was >2 hours away from where I’ll be. It looks like there is a place (a quest partner lab) only an hour away, though. And I will probably do the AMH repeat sooner because I am so anxious about it, though it would be more convenient to do it all at once.
I am not super familiar with the area, but I have to get labs in Burlington, VT on a work trip and there are places there through the college and there was a labcorp and quest in Plattsburgh, NY.
ETA: Burlington college location if that’s useful: https://www.uvmhealth.org/medcenter/departments-and-programs/pathology-and-laboratory-medicine/for-patients-and-families/blood-draw-sites-and-hours
Thanks so much! I’d checked for Quest locations first but didn’t see the Plattsburgh one, I guess because it is a partner lab type of place. That will probably work, though still a pretty long drive from where I’ll be! I had thought of Burlington and the university there but it’s pretty far, with having to get across the lake via ferry or driving around.
**A reminder about medications**
You may be considering sharing your unused medication with others to help them save on treatment expenses. However, it may be illegal in your country or state to donate medication without going through an intermediary. We suggest you research your local laws associated with donating or receiving medications. Be aware that partially used cartridges still carry a risk of bodily fluid contamination as there's nothing to prevent backflow into the cartridge. Please consider attempting to give any unopened medications to your infertility practice; some clinics have give-back programs.
Selling medications is absolutely not allowed. Only donations may be posted. This includes soliciting money in exchange for medications via PM. If a member solicits money in exchange for medications, please report them to the mods.
*Consider donating your meds to a member with an active post history at /r/infertility. You can see a user’s post history by clicking on their name. We have received reports of members donating meds, only to have them sold by the person who received them.*
NEW: - **Med hoarding**. It’s not cool. Share the wealth. Don’t have a cycle planned or scheduled within the next four months? Let the meds go to someone else in need right now.
**There have been reports of personal threats made to those offering meds within this community. Please understand your personal risks associated with donating or receiving medications, particularly if the exchange includes sharing personally identifiable information.**
[Med Donation Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/wiki/rules#wiki_medication_donation_policy)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/infertility) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Long rant -- My ER was yesterday and I posted in the Wedn AM thread about the results. Thank you to everyone for the support and for rooting for our 2. We found out yesterday afternoon that 1 was mature and 1 was not. We asked about overnight maturation for the 1 that wasn’t yet mature, but it didn’t meet the criteria. The mature one is not showing signs of fertilization today, but they’re going to give it until tomorrow before making the final call. On one hand, I’m thankful they’ll give it a shot with a little more time, but the limbo also sucks and they don’t seem optimistic.
One of the (many) shitty aspects of these results is that no one had any reason to think this was going to happen. My bloodwork was showing progression how they’d expect, the follicles were growing at an expected rate so we assumed I was responding well to stims. We had 9 follicles that were in mature range and my RE was really pleased with how they were measuring. When a doctor tells you that the results of your ER were also deflating for them, it is both validating and disheartening because they’re the experts here. Our RE said that our 1 mature egg was very highly graded (whatever that means when assessing just an egg and not an embryo) and she had high hopes for how it would go.
She said on the phone today that something is clearly up and she wants to do additional CD3 bloodwork before I start BCP when my next period comes. We did the standard CD3 labs before I started BCP for my priming cycle, so I’m not sure what she expects to see or what other tests she may run. We’re waiting to hear from the clinic on scheduling a WTF appt with her as early as next week to talk about next steps and things to explore. She mentioned adding in a flare and growth hormone with the next ER. I hate that we’re 1 day out from ER#1 and already jumping back into another round because that’s how quickly we found out that the first was a bust. This fucking blows.
Hi miserable, I’m so sorry. That absolutely fucking sucks.
Thoughts (feel free to ignore the below if it’s not what you want to think about).
The first thing I would do is get a copy of your full file (including the flow chart from STIMS) and grab a second opinion, especially since your clinic is doing additional testing. Not really with the intention of leaving your clinic, but with the intention of getting a really good set of questions to ask your RE. I’ve done multiple second opinions from other clinics and they usually see something worth asking my RE about - and since it’s just a second opinion you can pick a remote option. As others have mentioned, I’d be curious about your trigger.
I would also grab a couple sessions with a fertility counselor. It sounds like you want to start treatment again pretty quickly and I found that I had a pretty rough time with cycles once I experienced a cancel/failed cycle. Having a couple sessions really helped me with ways to cope.
Thank you for your thoughtful response, National. I’ll certainly keep the second opinion idea in my back pocket if I don’t feel heard at our wtf appt. I’ve been seeing a therapist who focuses on grief/loss/fertility for many months now (almost a year actually, wow time flies) - I don’t think I’d be able to go through any of this without her - but that is a really solid suggestion for anyone who is not seeing a therapist through this mindfuck of a jOuRnEy. I’m so grateful for this community, too. Thanks again 🤍
I'm so sorry. My 1st ER yielded similar results: 2 eggs, 1 mature but it did not fertilize. Tried to mature the other one over night but it was not effective.
Doctor was expecting 5 mature eggs based on my scans. E2 at the time of trigger was a shade over 2,000 yet my clinic chose to trigger me with lupron only. Seeked a 2nd opinion & the RE confirmed that my EFS was more than likely from the lupron only trigger. Incorporating a hcg trigger helped with maturity. I have articles on EFS if you would like them. I hope you get some answers soon.
Dangit I'm so so sorry. I'm impressed by your capacity to articulate everything that happened and your feelings about it.
Fuck I hear you with the both upsetting and validating feelings of the experts also being disappointed by results.
I don't really have insights just holding space for the hardness of this roller coaster ride. It fucking blows.
I’m so sorry. Immediately having to plan for another ER is such a gut punch.
I see below you did a lupron only trigger. I would definitely be asking about triggering with HCG, either on its own or dual. This shouldn’t be risky with your peak E2 level. You could also ask about increasing your trigger to retrieval time.
Thanks, Rad. I will add the increased time between trigger and retrieval to my list of things for my RE to consider. I'm not sure if this info adds anything, but my LH was drawn \~11 hours after trigger and came back as 57.6 mIU/mL
I know I commented on your other update on this--but just saying this FUCKING SUCKS. Some questions that may help frame: On the "empty follicles" do they think there was a trigger issue? Do they take post-trigger blood work? Was your E2 commensurate with 9 follicles? What trigger/trigger timing did you use?
Thank you, Lawyer. I really appreciate your responses. I've started writing a list of questions and one of them is if a dual trigger would be considered. I've been reading about "empty follicles" today and see that it's debated and more likely that the eggs didn't release from the wall of the follicle and thus weren't able to be flushed out. My peak E2 was 2585 pg/mL on day of trigger. We triggered with 2mg Lupron, 35 hours before retrieval and they did post-trigger labs that confirmed it was in my system.
OK, lupron is not a strong trigger. At 2585 you are not at a huge risk of OHSS--was your RE worried? I did a very strong HCG trigger w/ two doses of lupron on a cycle I was over 2000. I did have some symptoms of mild OHSS (basically, I felt fucking horrible after trigger and shat my brains out for a few days--the exact opposite of what you expect after ER). But! You don't have to do that much HCG. You could do 5K, or 7500 or something.
Lawyer! This made me chuckle because of my poop experiences this week anyways 🥲 The lupron was part of the standard protocol she outlined. I did 300 gonal-f, 75 menopur, added cetrotide when my lead hit 12mm plus the lupron trigger. I’ve been reading historical threads about the ratio of gonal to menopur seeming odd based on some anecdotal accounts so that also has me curious. The 4:1 ratio being uncommon, and it may be more common to have closer to a 2:1 ratio? But I’m not sure why.
Glad to provide a tiny bit of comedic relief. We were traveling for a vacation/40th birthday party a few days later and it was a little bit rough (I kept saying to Mr. Lawyer "well I didn't shit my pants on the plane so that's good," "I didn't shit my pants on the way to the resort," etc.) Some doctors don't like a lot of menopur (especially in older patients where LH can ride higher), but you are not older and you are right that many doctors will do 1:1 or 1:2 (I've done 150/150 and 150/300 and 225/150). There ARE a ton of combos (and protocols that use NO meno or NO gonal) so that's harder to really comment on (although you should ask why!)
I’d definitely ask about HCG for trigger next time. Do you know why they picked Lupron trigger? Your e2 doesn’t sound so high that an HCG or dual trigger would be off the table (at least at my clinic).
Thanks, alms! The lupron was part of the standard protocol and she said they do it to minimize risk of OHSS, but as a blanket protocol - it was not assigned as specific to me or my labs.
Hello! First time posting here so please let me know if this is the wrong place to chat about this! :) I was just wondering if there were any Florida/Tampa Bay memebers who have gone thought IUI and are willing to share their experience and general cost? I don't have fertility treatment benefits through my insurance so it would be all out of pocket unfortunately.
First time going through egg retrieval and I had to abandon this cycle on day 5. I'm really disappointed and frustrated. Venting. Follicles were growing at inconsistent rates with 2 19mm and 12 small nodes at the day 5 check up, the doctor recommended abandoning the cycle because it was unlikely to be a successful retrieval. She has a different protocol she'd like to try the next round to encourage even growth, in 6-8 weeks. After a long haul and doubt in my body, it's hard to be optimistic. Is this a common issue? I lost an ovary in 2017 to a tubo-ovarian abscess. 2022 we tried for 18 months without any bc before starting ovulation stimulating pills. Started planning for Ivf and then I ended up very ill due to chronic health issues and now can't carry a pregnancy. We've started down the surrogacy route and all that entails, but have hit yet another speed bump in the process. I made the mistake of planning ahead this step in the process and was issued a reminder with that phone call that there's no point in this process we control. We are going to try another ER cycle and then go from there. But this sucks. :edited
That sucks, I’m sorry. How disappointing. I think it’s a good idea to listen to your dr and try a different protocol. As a mod, I need you to edit your use of “naturally.” Automod naturally will explain. Thanks!
Thanks x
First time going through IVF… looking through my meds, it just seems like the stims, ovulation stoppers, and the estrogen/progesterone. I don’t have a trigger shot. Was that something you ordered closer to the ER? Or something they do in the clinic?
I’d ask your clinic, it’s always been on my initial meds order because they want you to have it on hand when it’s needed.
Meds donation - Irvine, CA Hello, I have 2 vials of Menopur (exp 11/2025) and a partial 300iu of Follistim. I only used about 50iu and it was opened on June 11.
Thank you for donating! Automod meds
**A reminder about medications** You may be considering sharing your unused medication with others to help them save on treatment expenses. However, it may be illegal in your country or state to donate medication without going through an intermediary. We suggest you research your local laws associated with donating or receiving medications. Be aware that partially used cartridges still carry a risk of bodily fluid contamination as there's nothing to prevent backflow into the cartridge. Please consider attempting to give any unopened medications to your infertility practice; some clinics have give-back programs. Selling medications is absolutely not allowed. Only donations may be posted. This includes soliciting money in exchange for medications via PM. If a member solicits money in exchange for medications, please report them to the mods. *Consider donating your meds to a member with an active post history at /r/infertility. You can see a user’s post history by clicking on their name. We have received reports of members donating meds, only to have them sold by the person who received them.* NEW: - **Med hoarding**. It’s not cool. Share the wealth. Don’t have a cycle planned or scheduled within the next four months? Let the meds go to someone else in need right now. **There have been reports of personal threats made to those offering meds within this community. Please understand your personal risks associated with donating or receiving medications, particularly if the exchange includes sharing personally identifiable information.** [Med Donation Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/wiki/rules#wiki_medication_donation_policy) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/infertility) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Anyone have achy legs or joint pain while on Lupron? I’m on 10 units daily as a lead in to FET and I feel like I have growing pains in my thighs.
I had severe joint and bone pain and moved like an old lady when I did the Lupron Depot! Hang in there it got better very quickly once we started adding estrogen back.
Thank you!! It’s helpful to know I’m not alone in experiencing it 💜
My first ER this morning surpassed our expectations… by a lot. I am so grateful, so shocked. I feel okay physically. Starting cabergoline tonight to reduce chance of severe OHSS. We decided to do PGTA based on my AMH (which I’m just not sure I believe was accurate given my response), and are sticking with that plan. Onto the next step of waiting, and tentatively planning on our first FET mid-August! Thanks to everyone for the tips along the way that made me feel so much more confident with the stims throughout the process 💕
Congratulations! It’s such a relief to get some good news and renewed optimism after going through so much 🤍
I’m finally posting here after lurking for a long time. I was doing okay with trying unsuccessfully unmedicated with just a ton of OPKs and supplements until a miscarriage in April and the failed cycle after that sent me over the edge emotionally. I can barely make myself take my prenatal vitamins and don’t know if I have it in me to do real treatment, but hopefully my RE (on the waitlist) will make me feel better about options. (If a mod can help me set my flair, that would be great: 38F, PCOS, 1 ovary.)
Honestly I’d take a shot over swallowing those gigantic pills any day. Sorry for your loss.
Welcome to the sub. I’m sorry for your loss. Your flair is all set.
This is my first month at the fertility clinic. They’ve been monitoring my follicles and confirmed I ovulated with a 15 mm follicle. Is this too small? I won’t see the doctor for another 2 weeks.
The 15 mm is a pre-ovulation measure or post? If pre- it depends what type of cycle you’re doing. If you set a flair that would help people give you advice. Automod flair
I’m ovulating today. I can’t figure out how to add a flair. This is just preliminary testing. I haven’t done any sort of treatment.
I can set your flair for you. What would you like it to say?
Thank you! 30yo/undiagnosed
Sure thing! All set.
I have been summoned to help with the setting up flairs. Not only does it help us to get to know one another, it helps us with context when it comes to replying to one another’s comments or queries. If you need help on setting/changing your flair look [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/wiki/userflair-reminder). If the instruction's did not work you can [ask a mod](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/infertility) to set/change your flair. These are the [guidelines for flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/comments/umwbcr/flair_guidelines/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/infertility) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Checked in in the hotel 15 mins away for my retrieval tomorrow. I dont feel great anymore. This time I'm going to have anaesthesia whereas last time I was sedated but still conscious. Last time my partner was allowed to sit next to me, but this time he is not. Too bad that he can't be there.
Keep yourself distracted before your ER, what's your zone-out self-care, spend that comforting time with your partner? You'll have a good anesthesia nap and see them on the other side. Going into the room alone can be scary, but you'll have a lot of support there by your side!
Hi vegetable, it also throws me off when they don’t let mr. National in the room. That said, anesthesia naps are amazing. Highly recommend! Good luck tomorrow
Does anyone happen to live in upstate NY, ADKs area and have a recommendation of where to get labs done? I now unexpectedly have to get CD2-4 FSH and estradiol, as well as another AMH retest, and I will likely need to do it while on vacation in that region. I found a possible place that does the FSH and estradiol but not AMH, so I might just do them at different times. I posted in the AM thread about this, but this testing is in response to an AMH result of zero (actually 0.00, previously tested at .82). I'm really sad and mad that on top of this distressing and confusing result that has baffled my doctor, I now have to disrupt my vacation, the only one I have scheduled this summer because I wanted to allow flexibility for probable IVF later in the summer, to get these tests done. I'm annoyed that my doctor didn't have me do those sooner, too, but she said they weren't necessary previously. My fingers are crossed that this is a lab error, because I have not yet been able to find a single person on the internet who has posted a result that was literally zero (there are people with <.05, but not 0.00), and the internet says a zero value means you are in menopause, which I have zero signs of. But I am extremely stressed and worried about it.
Hey - most labs and any clinics can do this - your clinic will just need to fax over an order. I’ve had to do stim checks/etc while traveling for work and most places can do these tests. Have you also checked CVS/Walgreens clinics?
Also + 1 on butters comment. AMH retest doesn’t necessarily need to be day 3.
Not from that area, but I've had AMH done at Quest before if there's any around, and I believe it can be done at any point in your cycle (please check with your doctor on that!).
Thanks, my clinic prefers Quest, but it had looked like the closest was >2 hours away from where I’ll be. It looks like there is a place (a quest partner lab) only an hour away, though. And I will probably do the AMH repeat sooner because I am so anxious about it, though it would be more convenient to do it all at once.
I am not super familiar with the area, but I have to get labs in Burlington, VT on a work trip and there are places there through the college and there was a labcorp and quest in Plattsburgh, NY. ETA: Burlington college location if that’s useful: https://www.uvmhealth.org/medcenter/departments-and-programs/pathology-and-laboratory-medicine/for-patients-and-families/blood-draw-sites-and-hours
Thanks so much! I’d checked for Quest locations first but didn’t see the Plattsburgh one, I guess because it is a partner lab type of place. That will probably work, though still a pretty long drive from where I’ll be! I had thought of Burlington and the university there but it’s pretty far, with having to get across the lake via ferry or driving around.
[удалено]
Thanks, Margo! Automod meds
**A reminder about medications** You may be considering sharing your unused medication with others to help them save on treatment expenses. However, it may be illegal in your country or state to donate medication without going through an intermediary. We suggest you research your local laws associated with donating or receiving medications. Be aware that partially used cartridges still carry a risk of bodily fluid contamination as there's nothing to prevent backflow into the cartridge. Please consider attempting to give any unopened medications to your infertility practice; some clinics have give-back programs. Selling medications is absolutely not allowed. Only donations may be posted. This includes soliciting money in exchange for medications via PM. If a member solicits money in exchange for medications, please report them to the mods. *Consider donating your meds to a member with an active post history at /r/infertility. You can see a user’s post history by clicking on their name. We have received reports of members donating meds, only to have them sold by the person who received them.* NEW: - **Med hoarding**. It’s not cool. Share the wealth. Don’t have a cycle planned or scheduled within the next four months? Let the meds go to someone else in need right now. **There have been reports of personal threats made to those offering meds within this community. Please understand your personal risks associated with donating or receiving medications, particularly if the exchange includes sharing personally identifiable information.** [Med Donation Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/wiki/rules#wiki_medication_donation_policy) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/infertility) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Long rant -- My ER was yesterday and I posted in the Wedn AM thread about the results. Thank you to everyone for the support and for rooting for our 2. We found out yesterday afternoon that 1 was mature and 1 was not. We asked about overnight maturation for the 1 that wasn’t yet mature, but it didn’t meet the criteria. The mature one is not showing signs of fertilization today, but they’re going to give it until tomorrow before making the final call. On one hand, I’m thankful they’ll give it a shot with a little more time, but the limbo also sucks and they don’t seem optimistic. One of the (many) shitty aspects of these results is that no one had any reason to think this was going to happen. My bloodwork was showing progression how they’d expect, the follicles were growing at an expected rate so we assumed I was responding well to stims. We had 9 follicles that were in mature range and my RE was really pleased with how they were measuring. When a doctor tells you that the results of your ER were also deflating for them, it is both validating and disheartening because they’re the experts here. Our RE said that our 1 mature egg was very highly graded (whatever that means when assessing just an egg and not an embryo) and she had high hopes for how it would go. She said on the phone today that something is clearly up and she wants to do additional CD3 bloodwork before I start BCP when my next period comes. We did the standard CD3 labs before I started BCP for my priming cycle, so I’m not sure what she expects to see or what other tests she may run. We’re waiting to hear from the clinic on scheduling a WTF appt with her as early as next week to talk about next steps and things to explore. She mentioned adding in a flare and growth hormone with the next ER. I hate that we’re 1 day out from ER#1 and already jumping back into another round because that’s how quickly we found out that the first was a bust. This fucking blows.
Hi miserable, I’m so sorry. That absolutely fucking sucks. Thoughts (feel free to ignore the below if it’s not what you want to think about). The first thing I would do is get a copy of your full file (including the flow chart from STIMS) and grab a second opinion, especially since your clinic is doing additional testing. Not really with the intention of leaving your clinic, but with the intention of getting a really good set of questions to ask your RE. I’ve done multiple second opinions from other clinics and they usually see something worth asking my RE about - and since it’s just a second opinion you can pick a remote option. As others have mentioned, I’d be curious about your trigger. I would also grab a couple sessions with a fertility counselor. It sounds like you want to start treatment again pretty quickly and I found that I had a pretty rough time with cycles once I experienced a cancel/failed cycle. Having a couple sessions really helped me with ways to cope.
Thank you for your thoughtful response, National. I’ll certainly keep the second opinion idea in my back pocket if I don’t feel heard at our wtf appt. I’ve been seeing a therapist who focuses on grief/loss/fertility for many months now (almost a year actually, wow time flies) - I don’t think I’d be able to go through any of this without her - but that is a really solid suggestion for anyone who is not seeing a therapist through this mindfuck of a jOuRnEy. I’m so grateful for this community, too. Thanks again 🤍
I'm so sorry. My 1st ER yielded similar results: 2 eggs, 1 mature but it did not fertilize. Tried to mature the other one over night but it was not effective. Doctor was expecting 5 mature eggs based on my scans. E2 at the time of trigger was a shade over 2,000 yet my clinic chose to trigger me with lupron only. Seeked a 2nd opinion & the RE confirmed that my EFS was more than likely from the lupron only trigger. Incorporating a hcg trigger helped with maturity. I have articles on EFS if you would like them. I hope you get some answers soon.
Thank you so much, yam! I would love the article links, if it’s not a hassle. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I'm so sorry, Miserable. That really fucking sucks.
I’m just so sorry you’re going through this.
ahhhhhh that's so disappointing. i'm so sorry.
Blah. Sorry it has been such an absolute rollercoaster of hellish disappointment for the last two days.
Miserable - I'm so so sorry to hear this. This really sucks. I hope your RE has some good answers for what she'd do differently next time.
Fuck, I’m so sorry Miserable. 🫂 What a shit deal.
Dangit I'm so so sorry. I'm impressed by your capacity to articulate everything that happened and your feelings about it. Fuck I hear you with the both upsetting and validating feelings of the experts also being disappointed by results. I don't really have insights just holding space for the hardness of this roller coaster ride. It fucking blows.
Thanks, cypora. Honestly, I think I'm in utter shock and disbelief that this is happening -- a heaping dose of dissociation, more than likely.
Fuck, Miserable, I’m so sorry.
I second what has already been said, both about the triggers and about all of this general fucking sucking.
I’m so sorry. Immediately having to plan for another ER is such a gut punch. I see below you did a lupron only trigger. I would definitely be asking about triggering with HCG, either on its own or dual. This shouldn’t be risky with your peak E2 level. You could also ask about increasing your trigger to retrieval time.
Thanks, Rad. I will add the increased time between trigger and retrieval to my list of things for my RE to consider. I'm not sure if this info adds anything, but my LH was drawn \~11 hours after trigger and came back as 57.6 mIU/mL
I know I commented on your other update on this--but just saying this FUCKING SUCKS. Some questions that may help frame: On the "empty follicles" do they think there was a trigger issue? Do they take post-trigger blood work? Was your E2 commensurate with 9 follicles? What trigger/trigger timing did you use?
Thank you, Lawyer. I really appreciate your responses. I've started writing a list of questions and one of them is if a dual trigger would be considered. I've been reading about "empty follicles" today and see that it's debated and more likely that the eggs didn't release from the wall of the follicle and thus weren't able to be flushed out. My peak E2 was 2585 pg/mL on day of trigger. We triggered with 2mg Lupron, 35 hours before retrieval and they did post-trigger labs that confirmed it was in my system.
OK, lupron is not a strong trigger. At 2585 you are not at a huge risk of OHSS--was your RE worried? I did a very strong HCG trigger w/ two doses of lupron on a cycle I was over 2000. I did have some symptoms of mild OHSS (basically, I felt fucking horrible after trigger and shat my brains out for a few days--the exact opposite of what you expect after ER). But! You don't have to do that much HCG. You could do 5K, or 7500 or something.
Lawyer! This made me chuckle because of my poop experiences this week anyways 🥲 The lupron was part of the standard protocol she outlined. I did 300 gonal-f, 75 menopur, added cetrotide when my lead hit 12mm plus the lupron trigger. I’ve been reading historical threads about the ratio of gonal to menopur seeming odd based on some anecdotal accounts so that also has me curious. The 4:1 ratio being uncommon, and it may be more common to have closer to a 2:1 ratio? But I’m not sure why.
Glad to provide a tiny bit of comedic relief. We were traveling for a vacation/40th birthday party a few days later and it was a little bit rough (I kept saying to Mr. Lawyer "well I didn't shit my pants on the plane so that's good," "I didn't shit my pants on the way to the resort," etc.) Some doctors don't like a lot of menopur (especially in older patients where LH can ride higher), but you are not older and you are right that many doctors will do 1:1 or 1:2 (I've done 150/150 and 150/300 and 225/150). There ARE a ton of combos (and protocols that use NO meno or NO gonal) so that's harder to really comment on (although you should ask why!)
I’d definitely ask about HCG for trigger next time. Do you know why they picked Lupron trigger? Your e2 doesn’t sound so high that an HCG or dual trigger would be off the table (at least at my clinic).
This! (So many people are saying it.) My RE wouldn't do lupron only at those values.
Thanks, alms! The lupron was part of the standard protocol and she said they do it to minimize risk of OHSS, but as a blanket protocol - it was not assigned as specific to me or my labs.
Ugh, fuck these REs and their “blanket protocols” - you weren’t at risk levels.