Low AMH Level

hopefuljj

Thank you @capps42613!! I would honestly feel much better doing them myself! As crazy as that sounds!  That is so wild that your DH chickened our for trigger! Women are such warriors!!  Way to take matters into your own hands:)
@hopeful_mom  I have never once wished for more junk in my trunk,  but I sure am wishing for it now!!!  Thanks for the idea about the videos! I’ll definitely look on YouTube!   DH can help me with them, but for whatever reason having to rely on someone else makes me more nervous than just doing it on my own.  Control freak much? I know.  Haha

capps42613

@hopefuljj I'm sure if I was 100% adamant on him doing it he wouldn't have a choice but once I noticed he was unsure of being able to do it right (the first time) I was like "oh hell now, I'm not going to be stuck more than once." lol So yeah, I figured if you want it done right, do it yourself lol

hopefuljj

@capps42613 that is 100% how I feel about all the shots! I wanted to do my own trigger every time but he was adamant about sticking me! I would never have even considered letting him do the subcutaneous ones. Hahaha!  If he so much as hesitates I would gladly rip the PIO from his hands and just figure it out.  Even though I can’t stop seeing that giant needle and having quiet panic attacks;)

capps42613

Hey friends, my area (South Jersey) is having a Walk of Hope for Infertility Awareness in April. I made a team page and included a detailed entry about our IF journey. If any of you live closeby (which I doubt lol) and want to join up, we'd love to have you. Or if you just want to read my story click the link. *TW* it does include struggles/loss/success so please be aware ahead of time. 

https://www.classy.org/team/161833

Kp214

@hopefuljj for the pio shots, you might consider a foam roller to use afterwards. That helped me. However, what made the most difference for me was where I have the shot. The closer I was to the side of the hip vs more to the back/butt area was less painful. Squats also relieved some of the pain until i found the foam roller and a better spot. Also, doing them myself was less stressful than having dh do them. I could just get it over with rather than have the anticipation and anxiety build up waiting on him. 

JamieH2000

@capps42613- Thanks for sharing! I like in WI, but would come if I was close to you! I read your story and loved it. I htink you are brave to share! I was really hoping this was the year I could share my story during IF awareness week in April, but I just can't "come out" until I have success. Its still too painful.

@hopefuljj- I swear the anticipation of the shot is worse than the actual shot. I was surprised how not painful the actual shot was, but how achy the muscle is the next day.

AFM- didn't leave my lining check feeling great. the Tech wasn't overly nice and wouldn't really answer me what I asked how thick. She said she has to take an average... so now I'm worried it wasn't great and she just didn't want to say that. Last week was 7.6mm and they upped my estrogen... so just hoping its over 8mm which I know is fine (especially for an ERA). And they forgot my lab order so I had to email my nurse. Hoping my bloodwork isn't delayed. it just can't ever be easy right?! 

hopefuljj

@kp214 thank you so much for the PIO tips!!! I so appreciate it!!  Thank you!!!  @capps42613 that is so awesome!  I loved reading your story:) I love that you have chosen to stay active in the infertility world and to be a source of support for us ladies!!  It will be a couple days after my  long awaited first ever transfer otherwise I would most likely drive the 2 hours down there to meet up! But I’m gonna be a lunatic trying to just lie around that weekend coercing my embaby to implant!

@jamieH2000 uuuuugh!! WTF?  I’m so sorry you left feeling less than great.  Will you get an update from your nurse or RE when the tech gives them the results? I swear I would go crazy if my RE didn’t do all my scans.  I hate that feeling of not knowing and worrying:(. I bet the lining is over 8 and be you are all good to go.  Also, I totally feel you on not being able to come out in the infertility world until you have overcome.  I kept telling myself when doing IVF last April that this April would be the year I came out too:-/

Hopeful_mom

@jaimeh2000 is that tech new to the job I just can't even.  Like u haven't been through enough!! I'm sure it's at least at an 8 too!

@capps42613 how awesome is this!! I would love to go, count me in for next year unless I try another FET right away  Not scared so much of the walking as I do try to do it often now but I'm still a nervous nelly doing long drives right now!  @hopefuljj we'll road trip together!!

capps42613

Thanks girls. I know you are all caught up in your own journeys right now and I would never expect you to do anything to disrupt that. 

@JamieH2000 You'll know when the time is right. Some women never share their story and that's perfectly fine too! I hope your lining is improving! 

JamieH2000

Thanks ladies! The nurse did call yesterday. The Tech had put my lining in as 7.3mm but the RE looked at the actual scans since that didn't seem right ( last week was 7.6mm) and it was actually 9.3mm! So glad she checked!! so just to be on the safe side they upped my estrogen, but we start PIO tomorrow and ERA is on Wed. Praying so hard we get a receptive result and then I will feel great for my transfer in just over 6 weeks!

Hopeful_mom

@jamieh2000 thats great news!!  We all knew it should be higher!  Was that tech new??  Glad your RE was on top of it and double checked!!

As for sharing our stories it really is such a hard thing to do!  I still haven't shared my bfp just too many nerves...maybe down the road...

@capps42613 you really did a great job explaining the procedures I even had my family read it too

hopefuljj

@JamieH2000 yaaaay!!!!!!! (Insert dancing lady emoji here that I fear will break my post if I insert it for real)  I’m so happy to hear you are on track!!!!!  Crossing absolutely everything that ERA delivers a receptive result!!! 

capps42613

@JamieH2000 that's awesome! My lining was 9 something too. I hope you get actual results this time!

@hopeful_mom thanks! It makes my heart happy that you were able to share it with your family! 

Hopeful_mom

@hopefuljj are we just waiting for AF to show to get started??

hopefuljj

Hi Hopeful_mom!  I visited your acupuncturist today:) !!    I had FET baseline yesterday and it  went great. My RE was like, ok we are checking to make sure after the BC and Lupron your ovaries are nice and quiet and I was like. But, seriously? These ovaries? You know as well as I do they are QUIET as a mouse even when we are hitting them with everything we’ve got! She laughed and confirmed both ovaries were sufficiently asleep. No cysts and lining was thin enough so after they got my blood work back I got the green light to start more meds which I did today! I continue with 20 units of Lupron in the AM and thyroid synthroid..begin 15mg prednisone, 100 mg doxycycline and 2mg estrace. Afternoon I take another estrace and at night another doxy, an estrace and extra folate. I bought yet another fancy pill case on amazon to keep track of all of this, this one breaks the day down to morning, noon, evening, and night. It came from an amazon shop called “What seniors Need” and they threw in a free pill cutter and a giant coupon that reads “what seniors need” and it made me giggle like 10 minutes. I go back in to check out lining etc April 2:) intralipid therapy if things look good possibly on April 3?  So things are really moving now!

JamieH2000

@hopefuljj- wow, transfer is so close!! I am so excited for you! That is smart with the pill box.. i think I need one of those too! FX for a great lining check. Please keep us posted!!

Hopeful_mom

@hopefuljj so happy to see your update! I hope acupuncture went well! She really is a ball full of knowledge so I hope she gave you good enough or just some reassurance!! I really did trust her to poke me up through the transfer and then through the first few weeks which u will need . April is almost here yay!!

im sitting here with a terrible cold and sore throat after the last snowstorm can we explain that  right in time for my birthday, so rude!!

@emmasemm how are things coming?

emmasemm

Hey everyone. Sorry I've been such a stranger. Life has been a bit crazy - and will be until I can get this thesis done.

@hopeful_mom thanks for checking up on me. How is everything with you? When's your birthday?

@hopefuljj You are really so close and I'm so pleased you got all the things added to your protocol. I am crossing my fingers I can get the same when the time comes

@jamieh2000 keeping everything crossed that Wednesday gives you great results so you're good to transfer next cycle

AFM - other than work and thesis stress, and planning for my brother to come with his wife and three kids for 5 days over Easter it's been a weird cycle waiting for results. And we're still waiting. I checked in today and there was still no feedback on the karyotyping, which they said normally means they need to double check some stuff.

Today is CD1 - so looks like our earliest start will be end of April for next retrieval cycle, assuming the tests show we can go ahead.

JamieH2000

@hopeful_mom- hope you feel better soon and for your bday

@emmasemm- good to hear from you! I can only imagine how busy it is with the thesis. How many more weeks? FX all the testing comes back SOON!

Ilky

Hi ladies. I just wanted to give you an update. I had my transfer today and officially PUPO! I hope everything will work out and it’ll stick. 

capps42613

@Ilky PUPO! How exciting. Fx that embaby keeps growing!!

JamieH2000

@ilky- congrats on being PUPO! I hope the tww goes fast for you! Will you be POAS at all?

Ilky

@capss42613 and @JamieH2000 thank you! 
My husband doesn’t want me to poas at all and wait till beta, which is on the 5th (10 days after transfer). I was thinking maybe I’ll test on day 8?! Not sure though. I don’t want to stress if it’s too early but on the other hand want to be ready if the news are bad. 

JamieH2000

@ilky- i think if you wait until day 8 or day 9, 80-90% chance it should be accurate. I would try to hold out until then. That is usually what I do. I need to know before I get the call and I can also stay home from work if needed then too.

hopefuljj

@Ilky. Yay!!! PUPO!!! Congratulations lady!!

AFM...just kidding on the transfer:-/ got weird results back from the EFT yesterday and everything turned upside down.  I got moderate degree of glandular developmental arrest (GDA).  Some studies suggest that GDA can negatively impact implantation.
Most commonly they use 3 months of depot Lupron to try and correct this.  My RE also said “The appearance of the biopsy was a day advanced from where we expected it to be.  I'm not terribly concerned by this, as with this cycle we only used OPK, not Ovidrel.”. This made me VERY concerned personally.

I asked if she was now thinking I DID need an ERA and she said Yes.  So today was insane and with the help of my sister because I was trapped at the office and in meetings, she called around and found a clinic in NJ who will take me without becoming a patient and without going in for a consult! They take NY patients if they get a script from their RE to do the ERA and I was able to get in for April 11, so I’m spinning this FET into a mock cycle and ERA instead.  

I am super super torn on the Depot Lupron treatment.  You put your body into menopause for 3 months hot flashes and all.  The side affects look terrifying.  Like really intense, not being able to put sentences together and crazy stuff like that!  And it seems women really do get those symptoms!!  The jury is REALLY out on this as well as on the GDA (glandular developmental arrest) and it seems both infertile and fertile women can have this, so I just don’t know what to do.  The research really seems totally minimal...it’s why I was originally joking about how the test was likely BS....  I’m super happy to go do the ERA. It was just something I felt in my gut I should be doing...I only did the EFT because I couldn’t get an ERA and wanted a scratch and to check for the endometriosis infection.....there is  a redit thread that makes me really hesitant to believe in even doing the treatment...talking to my Acupuncturist about this and my RE in the AM. Acupuncturist says she knows women who have done the treatment after EFT with similar results and some have had success and some have not.    She also said lots of clinics do not believe in the test or treating based on its  results but some do:-/ https://www.reddit.com/r/infertility/comments/22q7z6/any_res_around_i_have_a_question_re_glandular/
I truly can not unread this thread.......it’s a pretty good argument AGAINST listening to that part of EFT results.   Decisions decisions.  And I just get older every day.    That’s all for me.  I’ll let you ladies know what ends up happening I guess??

emmasemm

Oh @hopefuljj I’m so sorry there are yet more hurdles for you! But I am so pleased you are doing the ERA and even more that your sister was able to support you to make it happen so quickly.

I too would be really really scared of the depot lupron. The symptoms, whether you get the same quality lining back afterwards... let alone maybe ending the days of ovulating naturally... 

Maybe the clinic where you will do the ERA has an opinion on the EFT results too. Or you could do a phone consult to go over your EFT results with a second opinion? Maybe just a phone consult to keep it from being too expensive and make it fast?

And I know what you mean about not getting any younger too. 

FX you get a clear direction in the appointment with your RE

hopefuljj

Thank you @emmasemm!!  I’m just going back and fourth and back and fourth with the depot Lupron...I think the hardest part of this journey is having to make decisions based on opinions and little research at times.  Just so tough.  Thank you for your kind words:)

JamieH2000

@hopefuljj- gosh my heart is broken for you. No one understands better than me how it is ALWAYS something that comes  up. However I am glad that your RE is reco'ing the ERA now like you wanted from the beginning. I read that link you posted and I am also confused about this made up medical term by the EFT people. What did you RE think about lupron depot? has she had patient have this result and has the depot helped? I have heard that it is supposed to help with implantation for people that have endo, but maybe that just stems from this EFT test. Here is my thought. If you do the ERA and get a receptive result, move forward and transfer 1. If it doesn't stick, more seriously consider the lupron depot. Another idea- you are familiar with Dr Rodgers (my RE) from the beat infertility podcasts right? She does a ton of ERAs and just gave a talk on them. I would be interested in her opinion on the EFT and your result, and her confidence in your prognosis if you got a receptive ERA result. On the podcast, she says she does skype consults, so I think that could def be worth the $$. I got into her super quick and so did my friend, so maybe you could have a quick chat to get a second opinion even in the next week or two.  Anyways, i think the first step is ERA and then you have more time to consider everything. So sorry again that you are delayed. its heartbreaking when you think you are SO close to ending this painful journey and there is yet another roadblock.

hopefuljj

@jamieH2000 thank you so much for your input! It means so much to me!  After talking to my doctor and acupuncturist I actually think I’m going to do the Lupron.  My RE pointed out again that she has been saying my DOR is from Endo this entire time....and this could also help with those challenges with implantation....I could get a lap to confirm but I have other autoimmune issues so I pretty much agree with her. I really really want a shot at 2 kids even though after a year of IVF to get 2 embryos I know that is asking for a LOT and not realistic, but my RE never gives her opinion and she is saying after everything if I do this I can truly know I tried everything and I think for me I might need that.  If the side effects are too bad I’ll not do the 2nd Shot on month 2  and just move on to transfer knowing I tried and I just couldn’t.    Good grief.  I will never know what’s right but I feel like I have to give this route a go.   

adc0417

Hello everyone!! Sorry, I’ve been away for a few weeks.  Had a lot happening.  My grandmother passed away last week.  I also started my micro dose lupron IVF cycle after getting great baseline results.  But today, after 5 days of stim my estrogen is still low and ovaries still quiet.  What exactly does lupron does in the microdose lupron cycle?  And on the DE front, we are still waiting for her initial testing results.  

@hopefuljj so sorry to hear about yet another hurdle on your end.  I really hope you get the strength to make the right decision

@llky congrats on being PUPO!

@emmasemm hoping you get the test results soon

@JamieH2000 how are you doing?

emmasemm

@hopefuljj sounds like a good plan 

@adc0417 hoping your ovaries wake up soon. The MDL is initially to have things quiet and then to stop you ovulating during stims was my understanding. If you look back through the history here, MDL either works great for you, or it’s your worst cycle ever. 

AFM well the results are in! But the RE wants one thing clarified with the lab, so we have a follow up phone consult booked for next Thursday. Nervous as hell about what they found. If it’s with me and we have to do more treatments or go to DE that’s ok. But if it’s something with DH then I don’t think donor sperm is an option. This will be a long week wondering... 

JamieH2000

@hopefuljj- glad you feel comfortable with the lupron after talking to your RE! Are you still going to do the ERA first? I am still waiting for my second ERA results, but I feel like if I don't get a clear result again, the lupron depot may be in my future too. I did have a lap two years ago and they found mild endo (only a few spots) and removed it.  Hoping its not back too much or causing issues, but who knows right.

@adc0417- The microdose lupron is supposed to give a "flare" effect at the beginning of the cycle resulting in a quicker rise of estrogen at the beginning, at least per my old RE. It did not work for me, and I could tell my body just did not like it. It keeps your ovaries are from ovulating (so you won't need ganirelax or anything), but the FSH is supposed to make the follicles grow, so its kinda like oppsing forces in a way. Like emmasemm said, its either usually awesome or a bust.  You have already tried estrogen priming with antagonist right?

@emmasemm- glad the results are in, but that is stressful! I really hope its nothing major! Just curious why donor eggs are ok and not donor sperm? I would hope that if you were willing to make the genetic sacrifice so your DH could have a genetic child, that he would be willing to do the same for you. Trust me, I get how much it sucks to give up your genes, but when compared to the next options, I still think its the best one out there. No judgement tho- to each their own!

tosh24

*lurking*

@hopefuljj I just attempted a Lupron suppression  prior to my next FET for suspected endo. I had read absolutely scary things about Lupron  (including the death of young girls from heart-related issues while taking it for endo) so instead of doing the Depot for a few months,  I convinced my RE to just have me do the MDL shots daily so that I could stop them if I had bad reaction (at the time,  I was mainly worried about my migraine disorder). Thank God I trusted my gut that something felt off about taking it because within a couple of days of taking the MDL, I was having heart-related side effects and my clinic pulled me off it ASAP. Really scary. I looked into things further and Health Canada issued a warning about heart-related deaths and strokes in men taking Lupron for prostate cancer a few years ago,  but nothing official about women taking it. I know REs tend to give out Lupron liked candy, but it's actually a very heavy drug with very serious side effects. The reports of women dying were after taking the Depot shots, and their hearts didn't crap out until weeks later. If you have any reason to believe you have underlying heart issues (murmur,  arrhythmia, etc.), I wouldn't take it. If you are still nervous about taking it,  I would ask your RE if you can take it in MD form to make sure you can tolerate it. Plenty of women seem to take it without issue, but I didn't want to risk it and become a statistic.

Edit: typo

adc0417

@JamieH2000 yes, I have tried estrogen priming antagonist cycle, and no response.  Now this MDL, and my estrogen doesn’t seem to be rising.  They had me take 20u lupron for first 2 nights, and now 10u lupron.  Just wondering if they should take me off lupron since my estrogen isn’t rising?

@emmasemm I can understand your curiosity is killing you, but know whatever it is, you’ll be able to handle it.  I have the same question as jamieh2000....why is DE ok but not donor sperm?

Hopeful_mom

Boy it's been a busy couple of days around here!!

@hopefuljj UGH!!! What a whirl wind!!!  Im
glad u have all this research and an ER u trust!!! You've worked so hard to get to this point it's awful when there r still more decisions and choices that have to be made!! Glad the era drama is now figured out!  I had that you're delayed but glad it will yep get the rest of the ducks in a row!!!

@emmasemm ugh forgot u have to be a grown up through this and still work!! Hope the thesis is going well and ur almost done!!! I'm sure ur nervous we all like our info stat, hoping it's just more answers for u to move forward!!

@ilky pupo how exciting!! Sending u super sticky vibes good luck!!

@adc0417 sorry for your loss it's  always hard losing loved ones no matter the age!

@jaimeh2000 girl we could've already had a best seller with all the knowledge we have accumulated! When do ur results come back??

AFM: thanks for the love girls!! So far it's a really bad cold and not strep so that's good!! My dr laughed as he knows I hate going to the dr and would just take theraflu and call it a day!!  But we know I've already got the best birthday gift so I stay put and take care of us!! No fever is the goal!!!  I will have to try and keep my germs to myself this holiday!!
You know birthdays get hard when you think of what's suppose to be and I keep trying to focus and live in the moment!! Is it May yet!!

happy Passover and Easter for those that celebrate!! I know at times holidays make things tougher at times so sending extra love and strength to all!!

emmasemm

@hopeful_mom as always you’re my beacon of light 

@jamieh2000 @adc0417 DH was clear from the first time he met that he is only into his biological children. I kind of get it, as with DE we still get to carry the baby and you get full participation in the journey. With DS he feels like it would be nothing to do with him. Let’s see where it goes, and what we feel if it comes to taking those paths though - sometimes you think you know what you would do, then when it actually happens you do something different.

hopefuljj

@tosh24 I greatly appreciate your input!! Thank you!  Wow...I mean....just wow!   Is the MD the form the regular 2 week kit where you do subcutaneous injection with insulin syringes? That is what’s I am currently doing for my FET converted to a ERA.   She did say I could keep doing that (without the estrogen which is counteracting the affect it would have on my lining that she is going for) for as long as I could take it if I didn’t want to do the monthly.   The long half-life just scares me!!!!   Ugh......here I am again wondering if I should just do ERA and see what that says and then take the plunge..... it’s  so hard, I know lots of women do this Lupron suppression thing but I really don’t want to be a statistic either!!!! On the Lupron right now with the estrogen I have had 0 side affects.  So part of me assumes I would be fine on it.   I’m on day 13. But now I’m thinking of just not doing it at all...

hopefuljj

@JamieH2000 as you can see I’m back to not feeling good about the depot Lupron!  I am still doing ERA on my planned FET date:) very excited to be getting that done.   Totally wavering on taking the Lupron all together.  Having lots of anxiety about it.....

hopefuljj

@JamieH2000 when do you expect your ERA results???  Do you have to wait for those before any planning for your FET? I heard it can be a 2-3 week wait just feels like too long!

tosh24

@hopefuljj if you're already taking the daily Lupron with no issues,  then you may be completely OK with the Depot. I didn't mean to scare you and I didn't know you had taken Lupron without issue before.  I wasnt even ok with the MD Lupron (yes,  that's the 2 week kit) so I can never even do that again,  let alone the Depot. If you're cool doing the daily injections and you think it would remove the anxiety around the high dose of the Depot,  I'd say do that.  Sometimes it's about the whole mental aspect of this process as well.  But if you can't fathom doing the daily injections for months,  then look into the Depot. GL with whatever you decide

*Edit to fix autocorrect