Scheduling IUI/IUI without trigger

BernieRae

Hi. I'm wondering if any of you have had IUI scheduled based on a positive OPK instead of a trigger shot. Last IUI cycle my mid cycle ultrasound was scheduled for CD 13, but I got a positive OPK on the morning of CD 12 so ended up just doing the IUI the afternoon of CD 13. I'm doing this cycle on my own and decided to test 2x a day with OPK  to better pinpoint O and sure enough got my positive OPK in the afternoon. If this happened last cycle it's possible that my IUI was a full 48 hours after my initial surge. And if I'm on the early end of both O after LH surge and egg lifespan then the egg was probably long gone by UIU time. Frustrating. The standard for my clinic is to test with 2ndmu before 10am and call with positive by 11am to schedule IUI the following day. I'm just thinking this might always be too late for me. Will definitely talk about this with my RE and ask for earlier and more frequent monitoring for next UIU cycle, but just curious if anyone here has also experienced this type of thing.

KLake42

If you tend to surge early, then they should start scheduling you a bit earlier for the mid-cycle ultrasound. 

But yes, it's a good idea to use the over-the-counter OPK twice a day starting around CD 9 or so.  I sometimes would surge as early as CD 10, but sometimes not.  At least once, when the ultrasound on was on CD 10, my follicles were too small to trigger yet.  I was trying to use the trigger shot every time, but a couple times, I didn't because of early surging.

It is frustrating, but if you're using the OPKs twice a day, you can tell if the surge is happening, and still get a well-timed IUI.

I have a lot of experience with IUIs, but not with getting pregnant.  I think that's because I have crappy ovaries, though, and possibly an adhesion holding my right ovary too far off course, and not because of poor timing with IUIs. Out of my 7 IUIs, only one was poorly timed (after ovulation).

But if you get a positive OPK, then the next day is the proper day for the IUI.  The surge happens 24-48 hours before ovulating.

BernieRae

This was helpful. Thanks for sharing your experience, @KLake42. Sorry that your IUIs were not successful.

emsmama15

KLake42 said:

... and possibly an adhesion holding my right ovary too far off course

Stuck in the quote box.  But was curious about this.  My left ovary is "stuck" up at the top of my uterus.  I've often wondered if it impacts the ability of the egg to get to the right place.  I'm also a little worried they won't be able to get to it tomorrow during my retrieval, but they've told me once I'm under anesthesia, they'll be able to push it down so they can get to it.

Piperella

I had an iui the day after peaking on an opk. That's the way my re does it. He doesn't rely on temps or trigger shots, only opks for most people. I 2nd what the pp said and suggest testing twice a day. The morning test missed it but the evening one caught it. The next morning I didn't register as peak (I have a little window). When doing the iui the RE noticed I was in the process of ovulating on the ultrasound. Caught it just in time. Fx for you!

KLake42

@emsmama15, my RE doesn't know for sure that there's an adhesion, but my right ovary is always behind my uterus, and that's the one I most often ovulate from, so she thinks an adhesion might be the problem-- and that IVF is a great solution for a problem like that.

I saw your posts elsewhere-- it looks like it wasn't a problem for you!  Your numbers look great!

thomasmaynard

I had an IUI and used the trigger shot.
I have not spoken with anyone who did not pair an IUI without it. Good luck!