Post your high fsh/premature ovarian failure success story here

[Montygat]

Ugh. Those docs are wrong.

I'll keep this short as it feels like I've said this a million times, and I wish docs would stop this, especially with someone as young as you!

1- Age is on your side. Yes, your FSH is high, but you clearly have some antral follicles. That's a better indication of success.

2- As far as the "medication contains FSH so it won't do much good" well, that's not true- completely. And as a matter of fact, IVF is one of the very few ways that we high fshers have any consistent degree of success with. Sometimes, we need MORE FSH for LONGER than our bodies would normally be wired to produce. With POFers, our bodies also are signaled to prematurely have the LH surge, which triggers ovulation. Often, we ovulate, but immature eggs and those can't be fertilized. With IVF, docs are able to carefully control the balance of hormones necessary to mature the follicles, and consequently, the eggs inside.

3- The FSH number is just one part of a much larger hormonal and health snapshot. Be sure that you are working with an "FSH friendly" doc who will test EVERYTHING, including your thyroid and ovarian antibodies.

4- When I got my diagnosis, I was lucky enough to be referred to an "FSH friendly" doc. And he encouraged me to take care of myself. I started acupuncture 1-2 times a week, did yoga for fertility, changed my diet (started as much as possible to eat organic, eliminated processed sugar and caffeine- I already didn't smoke or really drink), I meditated, I prayed. After an original FSH level of 42 at the age of 34 AND a HIGH FSH level of 52 (average antral follicle count 8-12), 8 months of the aforementioned lifestyle changes AND 4 IVF with maximum dosages of those "useless" FSH- medications, I am writing you sitting on a couch where one of my little follicles is napping on her mat at my feet and the other is napping in her crib.

And it was a hard road- IVF #1, 3 eggs, 1 embryo, 5 cell- Negative. IVF #2- 3 follicles NO EGGS!!!! IVF #3- 3 follicles, 3 eggs, 1 embryo, arrested day of transfer so no transfer; IVF #4- 5 follicles, 5 eggs 3 mature, 3 8-cell grades 1 & 2 embryos- BFP!!!! Twin girls. We hit the infertility JACKPOT! Most uninformed docs would look at my FSH levels and would have told me I was well into menopause. Poo on them.

So that's my story. Does it guarantee that you will get pg? No. Does it mean it will be easy? Definitely NOT. But it IS possible, and the biggest factor you have in your favor is your AGE- YOU'RE NOT EVEN 30 YET!!!

Sorry if I seem angry; I'm indignant on your behalf. It just floors me that docs deliver such news to such young women. Yes, DE is an option and a great option; cycle #5 was going to be a donor cycle, but #4 worked. Definitely stalk these threads- lots of women who are amazing and who have gone through/ are STILL going through this journey and fighting the fight. You couldn't have come to a better place considering the circumstances.

I have to go as I have a ton of work, and I get to feed my baby girls- my girls that such docs would say shouldn't even be here according to their stupid statistics- they're just starting on baby rice.

Your time will come too. You will be a mommy.

[kvans81]

Thank you Montygat!!

Such a great success story. Thanks for being angry on my behalf. I'm still upset over the whole thing, so anger hasn't really hit me yet.

I know I won't give up until I use every last possible source to get pregnant using my own eggs.

P.S. -- What protocol did you use?

[MRG22]

hi montygat. i was going to ask you also, which protocol were you successful on? congrats to you!!!

kvans, i told you our time will come one day too!!!

[Montygat]

I did Birth control pill suppression (which is sort of like estrogen priming depending on the pill used) then antagonist.

I was a SLOOOOWWWW stimmer. My IVF cycles were generally 12-13 days at maximum dosages (600 Gonal F and 150/225 Menopur). Normal stim lengths are about 8-10 days. Any shorter and again, they worry about egg quality.

I know there are some debates about the longer you stim, and with higher dosages egg quality can be compromised. That may be true, although I have two babies sitting here, so they were good enough to make healthy babies!!

BTW- I don't think that's ever been proven decisively.

Also, the cycle I got pg, my FSH was 30. Go figure.

Lastly, you might consider reading a book called In*conceivable and another called The In*fertility Cure. One's a pretty inspirational story, another is a great guidebook into how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help to support and work in concert with Western Medicine approaches.

PS- Your doc probably said that IVF wasn't an option for you because it will probably take you more tries to get pg, and that drags their success numbers down. Their "perfect" IVF patient is a 25 year old with perfect ovaries who just has tubal issues. With high FSH, you're a little more of a Rub*ik's Cube and may take a couple of times for a doc (a good one willing to follow you on your journey to parenthood) to figure you out.

The * in the middle of words is so that people don't come to this place if they goo*gle or do a search for the term. Just FYI. I know it can look weird at first.

[Sam22]

I love reading your post Monty!! It was such an inspiration to me when I was feeling like it would never happen... 25wks 3 days pg today!!

My "stats" were probably worse, FSH 42, AMH 0.1 ug L \ 0.7pmol. IVF didn't work for me - I didn't even have one little follicle develop, but I fell pregnant a few weeks afterwards without even having a period in between!

I too become really outragged with these doctors who say DE is our only option - lazy b$%ggers!! Our chances maybe slim, but with some effort we still have a chance!!!

My advice would be read ALL you can, get to know how your own ovaries are functioning and what makes them tick (DHEA seemed to tickle mine, or was it the downregging with the BCP??), and have LOTS of sex.

xxx

[MRG22]

Montygat- I am a slow stimmer also. I was on 300iu gonal and 2 menapurs and I still stimmed for 14-15 days both times. Turns out the quality of my eggs were better with my most recent MDL protocol...hoping it is a success story that I will be able to post here!!! (I find out Monday!!!!!!!)ahhhh

[MRG22]

Also, did any of you have symptoms in your 2ww?

[Feona]

Montygat - Thank you for sharing your story and giving women like me hope. I am 31, TTC for one year, and was diagnosed with POF this past June 09 with FSH of 33.7 after 3 cycles of clomid and BNF. I tried IVF in August 09 but produced no follicles. My protocol included Menopur and Follistim, no BCP. I have heard that Menopur can cause some women to produce fewer follicles. Has anyone heard this? I will be seeing a new RE and new clinic (3rd clinic in one year) in 2 weeks and after 3 months of being on a break from all this, I will be trying again. Wish me luck!

I honestly thought of giving up after my 1st cancelled IVF. I kept thinking of the call I got from my first RE telling me (as he was leaving for vacation so he said he didn't have time to explain anything) that I have POF, am entering menopause, and my only options are DE or adoption. WOW, how devastating.

Hearing these stories of preserverence and strength has really inspired me to keep going and try again. Thank you.