Welcome to the high FSH/premature ovarian failure board

[BC-tnahope]

iwanababy, with the clomid challenge they like to see your number go down on day 10, but day 3 is your actualy number. Some REs will test every month and let you cycle on a month when your FSH is a little lower and some will not. If you have it tested on day 2 you have to start your meds asap. 15 is on the high side but it is not over for you. You need to find a new RE, Im sorry I cant help with any in your area. Like I said in the earlier post I would start calling all of them in your area and talk to the nurse and see how they act with you, youll know who to have a consult with and who not to. Your RE was right taking Wheat Grass will not fix your problem but it WILL help lower your FSH so that you respond better to the meds. Good Luck and Ill help you in any way I can

[mamamolly]

[oops: I meant to post this on the weekly thread-- but maybe this is the better place for it anyway? Sorry for the duplicate...]

Hi all. I usually post over on the Hypothalamic Amenorrhea board-- but I'm coming over here because I'm really worried that I'm starting to have problems with diminished ovarian reserve. I'm 33 and my IF problems thus far have been of a wholly different variety, so I don't know a lot about this and am pretty scared right now.

What makes things particularly complicated: I do not have high FSH. Indeed, my FSH counts on a recent Day 3 test were less than 1/undetectable. This is because I have Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA)-- which means that my hypothalamus doesn't send the signals out to release FSH, etc. (so my FSH and my estradiol levels are generally next to nothing) and I don't ovulate at all on my own. (This is the form of IF associated with anorexia, etc. though my personal history is a bit different). Because my body isn't sending out any FSH and doing any ovulating, I'm not sure that I'd even start the feedback loop that leads to high FSH counts during ovarian failure. And since high FSH is a symptom rather than a cause of ovarian failure issues, having next to no FSH isn't necessarily indicative that things are a-okay.

I started IF treatments last year (menopur injections and IUI). On my first cycle, I had tons of antral follicles and ended up getting 3-4 decent sized ones at IUI time (but BFN). On the 2nd cycle, I had a good number of antral follicles, though I only got one to grow to a decent size. (again BFN). But on this cycle this year, they could only find 2 follicles on each side (and after about 10 days of injections none of them have particularly started growing-- the slow growth, though, is probably a symptom of the HA-- it took me 17 days of injections in the first two cycles and that's normal for HAers (including those who end up with BFPs)

So, I've been freaking out that in addition to the HA, I've suddenly started to have diminished ovarian reserve. My RE hasn't been terribly helpful on this front. When I asked her about it, she vacillated between: that's probably not what it is; who knows, ovarian failure can start at any time; and it's probably the HA (but she also conceded that low antral counts is not a symptom of HA-- and, for example, has not been an issue for any of the women over on the HA board).

So, I'm pretty scared. HA combined with DOR seems pretty untreatable. I know it's possible at 33-- but I really thought I had more time. Any thoughts or info (especially anyone w experience with these issues in the absence of high FSH) would be helpful. I know a LOT about HA at this point, but very little about these issues (indeed, I've been so scared of it that I always avoid this topic)

Sorry this was so long!

[Going crazy]

Hey guys,

I am 32 and recently dx with elevated FSH --25 and was wondering if anyone had personally heard of FSH that high and preg.. wanting to know what these ppl did (in terms of herbals etc.) I was just married about 1 yr ago, and this whole dx came about b/c of an ov cyst! I know inside I will have my own bio child, but ofcourse it scares the crap out of me at the same time.
Anyone know the best REs in chicago or in the country to deal with that high of an FSH?? I have done a lot of research and can't decide if I want to go with my own RE who wants to do BCPs and low stim protocol, or if I want to bring the FSH down for a few months and go maximal. This is obviously all unchartered waters for me.. I don't think any of us believe this is EVER going to happen to us-- and just trying to figure stuff out and deal with it. Any support will be helpful.
ps--- BC-- thanks for all the inspirational stories, you have done wonders for my spirits!

[Montygat]

I am going to keep this short because I'm having a horrible day.

I am 34 and was dxd in November with POF. I had no apparent symptoms- had gone off the pill in 12/2006. After 6 months of ttc, I forced my ob to start the if screening. I didn't know what high FSH was before that- my first CD 3 FSH came back 42! My ob referred me to FCI- I go to Dr. Jacobs, who has allowed me and is still allowing me to try with my own eggs since we don't have a limit on our insurance. My FSH has fluctuated from 42 to 25 to 52 to 20. So things don't look really good for me. They have been able to get a couple of eggs from me last cycle. This cycle my 3 mature follicles were empty, so we'll probably try again. We're not really ready to give up, but we are also trying to be realistic. Dr. Jacobs has been great in that he wants us to do what we need to do and is not forcing us to go to donor egg. He encourages us to do so, but he says that we have plenty of time and can decide to do that at any time. For me, if I cannot have a bio child, I can at least have a child that I can carry and is a bio child for my husband.

Your FSH is still in a workable level. Your problem is more likely QUANTITY and not QUALITY since you are on the younger side. It's a better problem to have, not that we'd want to have this problem at all.

Best wishes and keep us posted.

[Montygat]

Also, FCI is associated with Pulling Down the Moon which is a holistic healing center specifically for IF. They have offices in River North, Arlington Heights and I think in Downers Grove. They offer a whole bunch of services including accupuncture, massage, herbal, yoga, nutrition therapy, etc. I go to them for accu.

[DixieDoolittle]

Going Crazy, Katie1973's highest FSH was 33. She delivered twins a few months back after several different REs a couple of rounds of IVF. So don't give up.

[BC-tnahope]

Goingcrazy, It isn't over for you yet One thing you should know, is it may be hard for you to find a RE that wants to work with you, if the first one says no, then move on. You could also post on the main board so others could see your post. Good Luck!!!

[Going crazy]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and support. I have to get a second opinion on Friday. I am going to FCI, I have heard a lot of good things about them.

Iwannababy-
there is a great site http://www.highfshinfo.com. It talks a lot about FSH and tells about high FSH friendly docs near the area. I don't know how close this site is to where you live, but I found this on the website--Batres, Dr. Francisco at Arkansas Fertility and Gynecology in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Thanks everyone for your support. I know this is going to happen and I WILL get preg.
BTW for anyone who wants to know-- a good book I was reading -- The tao of fertility.
OK have to run.
Take care!

[BC-tnahope]

going crazy, good luck on Friday.

[Going crazy]

Hey guys,
Just went to my appt. at FCI... good news the Dr there thinks I have some hope. He thinks the FSH level might be my ovaries a little "stunned" b/c of surgery ( I have prettty aggressive endometreosis surgery end of Jan). He wants to use the protocol for Poor responders -- I love that cat -- but thinks this will hyperstim me and we might have to cancel the cycle. He says that's okay though b/c at least we know that way my ovaries are responding rather than try and understim me and have to cancel the cycle. Says I have age in my favor and he is more concerned about quantity of eggs we get back-- thinks quality will be okay... so that is some "good news" after almost a month of bac news! Thanks for everyone's support!
Have a good wknd!