Hi everyone,
This is my first time posting in this sub but I’ve been following along on everyone’s journeys in preparation for my first egg retrieval. I’m hoping for some advice and/or to hear any similar experiences.
To start with a little background: This is my first egg retrieval. I am 34 years old, my amh last year was 0.85. They tell me I have unexplained infertility and DOR. I have been pregnant without reproductive assistance once that ended in MMC at 8 weeks. We have been trying for 2 years. I have done 6 unsuccessful IUIs (only because my insurance required this prior to starting IVF). We do not have any male factor issues.
For this retrieval I am on a micro dose lupron flare protocol. When I got the ok from insurance, my clinic started me on birth control. I was on that for 8 weeks. I asked multiple times if this was going to over suppress me, and they assured me it wouldn’t. I could not find any similar priming stories on Reddit for BCP for such a long time. I should probably mention this clinic does batch cycles.
4/20- stopped BC, first ultrasound AFC 11, estradiol 15.
4/22- microdose lupron 10 units morning and night starting today
4/24- start gonal 300 and menopur 150
4/28- next ultrasound now shows 17 follicles, all under 10mm. Estradiol 40. Clinic tells me to continue 300 gonal and now do 300 menopur.
5/1- ultrasound now shows 19 follicles, all under 10mm except one that moved into the range of 11-13mm. Estradiol 150
The clinic called me on 5/1 to tell me I’m at risk of being cancelled due to not responding to the meds. But, they are going to continue protocol this weekend and check me again tomorrow. They said I may have to do IUI this cycle. I asked again if I was over suppressed from the BCP and they said no and they do this all the time. I’ve never had issues growing multiple follicles during IUIs using Clomid, letrozole, and gonal. The doctor called me and I asked what he would change for next time based on my poor results, and he said he had me on max doses and an aggressive protocol. I felt like he was insinuating that IVF just wasn’t going to work for me if this strong protocol didn’t work.
Have any of you guys had similar experiences where you didn’t respond to stims and got cancelled? Any experiences with birth control priming over suppressing? Any experiences with MDLF protocol taking longer to grow follicles, and maybe I’m still in this? I appreciate any insight.
I feel so hopeless right now and I know the first cycle is supposed to be diagnostic in a sense, but I can’t help but feel like my clinic did me wrong.