Intro and question about too many follicles?

lazydaizy

Hi ladies, I have been TTC since January 2012.  Had my first IUI with RMA-NJ in November (BFN) and am in the middle of my 2nd IUI cycle.  Started Follistim on Thanksgiving (cd3) and after my third monitoring appt yesterday morning I got a phone call saying that they want me to come in again this morning for monitoring and to be prepared to cancel this cycle due to too many follicles. I have 6 follicles.. 15, 14, 12, 11, 11, 11  and my estrogen was 719.  My nurse told me not to take any meds tonight and hopefully the lead follies will pull away from the pack.  Any chance this will actually happen?  I was thinking about asking if we can still go ahead with IUI, I know RMA is pretty conservative about reducing the risk of multiples, but do these numbers really seem that risky?  I'm new to this, still trying to figure out what the numbers mean so any help is appreciated.

poohniki

Hi. I'm also at RMA and about to start my first IUI there with my next cycle.

I don't know too much about it- I know the TTTC board has a lot of girls who are currently doing IUI. From reading signatures, it seems some people use timed intercourse instead of IUI when there are many follicles, but I'd speak to the nurse about it.

Good luck!

lazydaizy

Thanks poohniki! I just started poking around here and wasn't sure where would be the best place to go for advice. I will check out the TTC board. The nurse actually told me if they cancel my cycle they will ask us to refrain from intercourse as well. We will see in a few hours. Good luck with your IUI! Which office are you going to?

poohniki

Thanks!

I'm in south jersey so I go to the Eatontown office. Nice little office. I'll be doing my IUI in Basking Ridge because it looks like it will be on or really close to X-Mas and all the other offices are closed.

How about you? 

lazydaizy

I go to Somerset but I've been to the Basking Ridge office for weekend and holiday monitoring.

STBMrsMiller

lazydaizy said:

Thanks poohniki! I just started poking around here and wasn't sure where would be the best place to go for advice. I will check out the TTC board. The nurse actually told me if they cancel my cycle they will ask us to refrain from intercourse as well. We will see in a few hours. Good luck with your IUI! Which office are you going to?

I believe Jon and Kate conceived their sextuplets by ignoring the doctor's advise on avoiding intercourse with too many follicles.

lazydaizy

Yes I have read that, I'm not saying I would ignore my doc. I just thought since they dont even do IUI until follies are over 16 and most posts I see when women have IUI the follicle sizes are more like 18-20s it doesn't seem like I really have that many mature follicles. I don't really fully understand the numbers that's why I asked.

princessisadora

This happened to me. I over responded on clomid 100mg. I had 9 follies at my monitoring appointment largest was 16 smallest 14. The options they gave us was to cancel or convert to IVF. We converted it was not conventional IVF bc we couldn't afford it at the time. I ended with a BFP but it was a chemical pregnancy/ early loss. Ask about the cost of converting to IVF they may give you a better rate just so you won't lose the cycle.

ksgsmu

I think it depends on your age and diagnosis on how many follicles an RE will let you do an IUI with.  I was allowed to have 4 because of my age and DOR diagnosis, but I would have been cancelled with anything more.   I discussed this with my RE and since I do no believe in selective reduction we agreed with this cutoff.  I was still made to sign some paperwork saying I understand my risk of multiples etc..

You may have a lead follicle or two take over and this might not be an issue... I would ask them if converting to IVF is an option for you if you are willing to go that route.

Good luck!

badrianne

I did 3 IUI's all with 3-4 mature follicules >18mm.  I asked on the  TTTC community and lots of people had gone ahead with 3-4 mature follicles. Although you have 6 now, I would wait to cancel and  maybe get another ultrasound to see if only 3 mature continue to grow.
I only had an ultrasounds on cd 3 and cd 10 (2 days post stopping meds) and I didn't have my estrogen drawn so can't help you with that number.
None of my IUI's worked and the RE said that even with 3 mature follicles I only had a 10-15% chance of getting pregnant each IUI.

lazydaizy

Two pulled ahead of the game and are 21 and 18 and there are 2 measuring 14 so we are going ahead with IUI tomorrow and Friday. Hopefully this one works!! Thank you all for your input. Fingers crossed and baby dust to all :-)