Continue with another D-IUI?

[Peace22]

Question for you knowledgeable people...I just did my first IUI with donor sperm and it did not work. Theoretically I wasn't expecting it to before the cycle started, but got my hopes up really high that the stars had aligned (especially after I thought I experienced implantation bleeding) and this was my time.

My background - started as severe MF. Did 6 IVFs plus 1 IVF with DE. Got pregnant on 2nd IVF and baby's heartbeat stopped at 7-8 weeks. 3rd IVF also got pregnant and went into my 17th week - regular OB appointment and no heartbeat. Actually 2 years ago today was my D&E for that and today was the news with the failed IUI.

I have been tested for everything under the sun and both pregnancies were genetically normal. My FSH is on the rise, but still under 10 (was 8.something a few months ago, I am 39). The two REs I've used said it's poor egg quality even though FSH does not indicate so. DE cycle, the donor had OHSS and produced low quality eggs...

I agreed to doing IUI with injectables b/c it did not seem as invasive and new RE thought we had a shot. I actually thought it was not bad at all, especially compared to IVF. I could easily do it again, but am I crazy? The let down is so hard, we have already moved onto getting our homestudy done for the adoption process. I just still have the hope somewhere, someway that I will get to experience a full pregnancy and deliver my own child. I have to give up sometime...I thought I kind of had until this IUI which gave me that hunger for it to work out "just this once."

Any thoughts. Should I continue to doing one more IUI if doctor recommends it? Sometimes it kills me to know that I got pregnant twice and maybe there's another pregnancy out there for me and other times I say to myself, this is my path and I have to accept it. Having a hard time accepting it today.

[4cats]

I'm so sorry you lost!!! If your babies were genetically normal why did your RE think poor egg quality had anything to do with your m/c? I'm also doing DS IUIs as my 'last hurrah' before giving up totally, so I don't have any advice for you.

[BC-donor]

I'm so sorry for your losses. I think the fact that you've gotten pg twice is a good reason to keep going. Unless your losses were due to chromosomal issues, I don't see any reason to stop & give up your dream.

If doing another IVF with DS is an option, perhaps that might be the better way to go, so that you know that you're transferring the best embryo's. If not, then I would definitely do a few more IUI's.

Hopefully 1 more IUI will do the trick & will be the one to let you hold your baby in your arms instead of in your heart.

Good luck! Let us know what you decide to do, ok?

[thepetite1]

Hi everyone!
BC Donor, I have a question.....I see that you have had multiple DE cycles, and then you were successful. I have had two cycles (both frozen from the same donor) that didn't work. May I ask how did you pay for the multiple tries? And may I also ask, how many tries until success? I am pretty much done right now, because I can't afford to do another de. Any insight on financing it would be great!!

[rjc0704]

Peace22 - I'm so sorry for your losses. How devestating. I"ve had natural preg m/c under 8 weeks, and that was horrible enough.

I would always want the best chances possible and from what I hear, IUI is not much better chance than natural preg. Whereas IVF has better success, but is much more expensive and evasive.

Regarding financing, I was pretty much in the same boat...after 1 cancelled IVF and the DE spech several years ago, we were faced with trying a 2nd cycle on our own because I was possibly oversupressed, or do DE,where we had a better chance. It was pretty much one or the other.

Several years of coming to terms with DE and trying to save $$, we still weren't really very close to being able to afford it. Then my husband found Shady Grove Fertility clinic in Rockville/Baltimore. We live in CT. They offer a varity of packages and disclose all costs up front, unlike arc fertility. They also cater to out of staters and require only two visits. I went down for initial testing and don't have to go back until ET! I will get all my monitoring done local and they will communicate with Shady Grove.

They have programs where recipients can share donors. two or three couples can share a donor. You can pay for individual cycles which for in the 1:3 program (3 recipients share donor) runs about 14K total. Or you can elect the 6 fresh cycle package (unlimited FETs included) and you get every penny back if you do not have a viable delivery. You can quit between cycles even up to cycle 5 and get full refund. But the money back guarentee is more money. I am in the 1:2 program, refundable 6 fresh cycles for 37,000.

I can say that Capital One is very liberal with loan programs. We financed nearly 1/2 of ours and don't have the greatest credit and moderate income.

I just started cycling. And a friend I met here used Shady Grove, was in the 1:3 program, got 10 fertilized eggs and first attempt is preg with twins.

The website is below should this possibly be feasible and you want to look into it more:

http://shadygrovefertility.com/


Best wishes!

[thepetite1]

rcj~ Thanks so much for the information! It was really helpful!

[BC-donor]

peace22- what have you decided to do?

[cat mommy]

Peace: It sounds to me like emotionally you are not quite ready to give up on using your own eggs. If you can swing it financially, I would try another two rounds of IUI. With 3 rounds of IUI, you have a 60% chance of getting pregnant, which is not a bad percentage.

[msshino]

Hi Peace

Have you tried DHEA supplementation prior to your IUI cycle? Extra B vitamins will help too. After trying many IVFs and IUIs you exhaust your adrenals which in then causes less of a chance of getting pregnant. I can't stress this enough. Many say that they have immune issues but it's because their adrenal hormones are not balanced.

I am sure you will have your pregnancy. Just make sure you are healthy and your hormones, not just estrogen and progesterone, but all other adrenal hormones such as DHEA, and aldosterone are in check. It may take a month or two get them back to health but it's worth it. Those that produce babies naturally don't exhaust their adrenals like we do so they don't have such issues but because we are forcing our bodies to have the best chance at conceiving, our bodies tire out faster.

Please make sure all is good, if not try DHEA supplements or natural progesterone and you should be good. When your body is tired, your embryos do not grow correctly due to lack of energy.

This is just my opinion, I am sure everyone else has their own. Many tell me to try Yoga or acupuncture but that only helps to a degree if it's mental stress. If your body is truly stressed without outside factors it's necessary to see an endocrinologist.

Good luck and I know things will work out for you.

Shino