Post your high fsh/premature ovarian failure success story here

[Sweedie]

Let's give other ladies hope.

I was dx'd with fsh of 17.6 ar 36 yrs old. My RE wasn't preaching doom and gloom. He decided I should go on bcp's for a month and then re test and do IVF if my fsh was below 11. Well, it came back at 11.4 and RE said go for it as it may be the best reading I get.

My ivf was unsuccessful so I decided to give up ttc. I already had an 18 month old beautiful boy. That was September.

In December I got pregnant naturally by total surprise. In fact, when they did my 1st u/s they told me I ov'd one egg on each side!! All on my own!

My now 17 month old daughter was born in August 2004.

[janetm]

I was given a high FSH diagnosis at the age of 36. We started trying when my son was 6 months old and a year of trying later lab work revealed my FSH was 12.1 and considered high by most infertility clinics. All other tests for both DH and I were normal.

The first IF clinic I went to told me that Clomid would be a waste of time with my FSH and urged me to take a very aggressive approach given my advanced maternal age and predictions that my FSH would continue to rise. I felt like they were really trying to sell me on IVF with glossy brochures and with the doc focussing on their high IVF success rates. I was totally uncomfortable with this approach and sought a second opinion.

The doc at clinic #2 felt that FSH levels are overrated and overused, ran additional tests including a repeat semen analysis, and recommended Clomid and IUI's. IUI #1 resulted in a short luteal phase (10 days) and failed. IUI #2 progesterone was added starting the day of the IUI which fixed the luteal phase problem but still failed. During this cycle I did spot every single day I took Clomid which I didn't think too much about and didn't mention to my doc at the time but would later prove to be a clue as to the true cause of my IF.

I started IUI #3 cycle but started spotting on Clomid AGAIN. This time I did my research and I KNEW this was not a normal side effect of Clomid. I called the RE's office, spoke with a really snotty nurse who admitted it wasn't a normal side affect but urged me to continue. I had a doc on an IF forum who mentioned one of the possible causes could be cancer. I totally FREAKED out, stopped taking the Clomid, and decided I was NOT going to continue this cycle. I knew SOMETHING was wrong and decided no more drugs until we could get some answers regarding the spotting.

Due to insurance reasons and the fact I was mad at the nurse for treating me like an idiot at clinic #2 I made an appointment with yet a third RE. This doc recommended a laparascopy/hysteroscopy to check for physical causes of my IF that wouldn't have been picked up on an HSG before proceeding with any further treatment. He did want to do a repeat FSH test which I refused. At this point we had been trying for almost two years and my gut hunch told me that all of my eggs were NOT rotten and I refused to go through more FSH hysteria.

The lap/hysteroscopy revealed a decent sized uterine polyp, very likely the cause of the spotting, which the doc removed along with some cysts. We chose to do a third IUI/Clomid cycle but this time I took the Clomid days 3-7 (100 MG). I did NOT spot during this cycle and for someone who supposedly, according to Clinic #1, Clomid would be a waste of time I produced four mature follicles. Looking at the u/s this doc casually mentioned that I had certainly gotten my money's worth from the Clomid. This cycle was a success and I gave birth to a healthy baby girl 1-27-06 at the age of 38.

I have no idea what my FSH was at the time of conception but I am so glad I ultimately went with my gut hunches and didn't buy off on the high FSH as the cause of my problems. If I had believed Clinic #1 I probobly never would have conceived.


-JanetM
FSH of 12.1
IUI #3, 100 MG Clomid days 3-7, resulted in a BFP
DD born 1-27-06, my age 38

[Demeter]

I was diagnosed with 15.9 FSH with a clomid test and got very discouraged that I would have kids of my own genetics.

I knew there was something wrong when I didn't get pregnant after 3 months, yes, you may think this is unrealistic but I had been pregnant after the first try in the past so I went to see a specialist so I did not waste time.

Based on other women's experiences, tests and diagnose could take up to 6 months and it did. There was nothing wrong with me, tubes were fine (one spasmed on day of HSG test, but I think it was ok) my uterus was in good shape, as the Doc said, it was an example of a healthy normal uterus, my DPs SA count was also fine, and hormones were normal too, but my FSH was high.

While I took many tests and waited 6 months to get to the final decision to start IVF #1. I did not like the RE, he said that the only way to achieve a pregnancy was through an aggressive IVF treatment.

I went to the IVF information session and the following week I was about to start suppression with BCPs. So I was waiting for AF to come when I tested just as a joke because I spotted and thought for sure AF was on her way, and sure enough, it was POSITIVE.

I could not believe it!! I tested the next morning and again, positive, I went for my first BETA and it was 344 at 15DPO and the second one 1,260 at 17 DPO. Needless to say I cancelled my appointment with the RE and now I am waiting for the first ultrasound next week.

[SmilingHelps]

I don't know my FSH numbers, but I know that I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure. All of our infertility treatments were futile. We went through 2 cycles of clomid (pointless), 2 IUIs and 1 IVF. After the IVF, it was obvious that there was a problem and I was officially diagnosed. The doctor said that I simply did not have enough eggs to get pregnant and would need to use a Donor Egg. After much contemplation, we chose t give up the donor egg idea and adopt.
6 months after quiting infertility treatments, we discovered that we were pregnant naturally. When I went into the RE's office, I asked him, "how is this possible with ovarian failure?" he said, "well, nothing is 100%"

[sybil]

Hi ladies,
I just had to post. I have a FSH of 14 and just received by official beta #'s today (hCG 145 prog. 43.3). It is such a joy for me to post because this is truly a miracle for me. This was my 4 IUI unmedicated. I am literally on cloud 9.
Ladies it can happen!! I will be for BFPs for all of you.

[mamaha]

I don't really know anything about fsh etc. I know that my daughter suffered a miscarriage in July 05 and has tried to get pregnant since. She is not ovulating and has had 2 cycles of clomid and the DR says she is still not ovulating. She was told to wait 35 days and if nothing happens she is to see a specialist. Anyone have a similar experience and any advice to share?

Thank you

[Sweedie]

Congratulations Sybil!!!! I'm so thrilled to read your success story!!!

[AnneRN]

Hello Ladies!
My name is Anne. I usually frequent another mommy/TTC board but there are very few High FSH women there. Many people have a hard time understanding what the diagnosis means.

I was diagnosed with High FSH in April 2004 with an RE. I was 30 years old. My cd3 FSH was 33. Yeah. Talk about a shocker when the RE's nurse told me over the phone how sorry she was and that DE was still an option. WHAT? I'd never heard of High FSH, let alone what it actually meant... and donor eggs? huh?
With clomid, my CD10 FSH was 25- still outrageous.

Anyway. That was such a tragic thing to hear. My husband and I had been married almost two years and had been actively TTC for a little over a year at that point. We were in the middle of building our house and I was finishing up my Bachelor's degree at the time. SO, it wasn't a good time to get involved in TTC at the clinic.
We waited to start until August 2004. The RE let us try injectable stims and IUI. The first cycle was negative. The second cycle was positive - but eventually found to be ectopic. That was a heartbreaker if there ever was one.

After my ectopic was resolved with methotrexate injections, I had a followup HSG done to make sure my tubes were still in good shape. That test went well and we were set up to start another IUI when my next cycle started.

We waited... and waited... and waited... my cycle didn't start. I was getting frustrated, actually quite ticked... mad that my body was being a PIA once again.. uncooperative.
One night at work I realized I was three days late. I'm an RN in a hospital BTW.
A lab tech drew an HCG for me. I wanted to know why my body wasn't 'behaving'.

LMAO! I was pregnant!!!!! .. yeah, and I was 'mad' at my uncooperative body. Go figure.

My little boy, Andrew, was born September 12, 2005. He's perfect in every way.
We are so overjoyed to have beat the High FSH odds and have this little guy in our lives. He's now 8 months old.

Dh and I are scheduled to return to the RE's office May 25th for a returning patient consult.
We are going to try IUI's again in hopes of a sibling for our baby boy.

Praying that lightening strikes the same uterus twice.

[Sweedie]

Wow, AWESOME story Anne!!! I'm glad we are getting more success stories over here. I can't tell you how many times I've heard stunned ladies get the DE speech with fsh as low as 11. And like you and me, they are absolutely clueless as to what high fsh even means.

I remember how I was casually told. I had gone through 6 IUI's to conceive my son. I was undx'd while ttc him. My fsh was in the 7 range. I started ttc my daughter when ds was 1. I did 3 IUI's and decided to skip to IVF. Had the normal panel of blood testing. I got the call from the RE's nurse saying that my fsh was 17.6 and that's 'higher than they like to see'. So casual, no other info for me. I was MAD. I had schedule an appt w/my RE to discuss it.

I was lucky as he was optimistic. We did the IVF cycle but it was so stressful and lackluster that I decided to give up.

I woke up (naturally) pg 3 months later on Christmas Eve day!

Glad you found us!! There is also another great fsh bb. Yahoo 'high fsh' and visit the New High FSH Fourum.

[danzini]

: hello everyone! I see no one has posted in awhile so I hope you check in soon. I am in an IVF cycle finally. For months I had my levels checked and they were 21. At first the dr. did not give me any options. I was left at a dead end. I was really upset and called them back later in the day. They said I could keep coming back for blood work for a few months, that sometimes fsh levels could fluctuate, "but it was highly unlikely" she said.
So I went back for the 3rd time and my fsh was an 8.3. So I was "accepted" in the program. I start taking lupron on fri,june 23 but that is pending the prog levels. Can anyone tell me if it could be another setback? I think they said they are just looking to see if I ovul. What is a good number? Or what is a bad #? Well after reading your amazing stories, it did give me hope! This whole proceess is leaving me feeling like I am in limbo and do not know where this road will take me. I appreciate your support and hope to pass some on to new friends. Best wishes to all and good levels!
bye for now
Dee