Unexplained Infertility - the struggle!

LauraJon2015

We did all the testing available at our clinic and they haven't found much. I have "PCOS symptoms" (i.e. irregular cycles but I'm ovulating) but don't actually have PCOS. My doctor has me on three Letrozole a day for 7 days and she thinks my cycle will stay regular now. But... BFN every cycle. We've done one IUI with Letrozole + trigger shot, BFN. Dr says we should try only 2 or 3 more IUI and then move on to IVF. I'm struggling to stay positive because we have no idea what's wrong, and no idea what treatments will get me to BFP. I really wish I knew if we should just move on, or if it will happen if we keep trying.
Anyone else feeling hopeless? Have you found any techniques to keep you positive?

babydust2507

Hi @LauraJon2015, looks like we're in the same boat. I have unexplained infertility too and it is really frustrating not knowing why we can get pregnant. We run all tests, I have been TTC for almost 4 years. Had 5 IUIs which 3 were regular and 2 monitors with triggers shots. My cycle is not really irregular but they said I may have PCOS because of the number of my follicles something like that don't quit remember and I also ovulate on my own. We're moving to IVF. GL to you

LauraJon2015

GL with IVF!

babydust2507

How are you doing @LauraJon2015? I'm here if you need someone to talk, I know it's hard to say positive. Are you trying another IUI?

LauraJon2015

Yes, IUI #2 this cycle that just started. I am seeing an infertility counselor tomorrow, so hopefully that will help a bit. Some days I’m feeling positive and can just stay busy, other days I’m feeling really hopeless. I’m hoping the counselor can give me a few tools to get through the bad days.

Holls214

I was eventually diagnosed with PCOS after years of thinking it was unexplained. You can still ovulate regularly on PCOS as I was most of the time, but I had irregular cycles, a bit of a hormone imbalance and hair growth. Best of luck on your journey.  

babydust2507

@LauraJon2015 Hoping that the counselor will be a good help and best of luck on your 2nd IUI
@Holls214 where are you at in the process, or are you already pregnant ?

Holls214

@babydust2507 *tw* I just recently had my little guy through IVF. He’s 2 months old. I went through 7 IUIs before doing IVF. 

babydust2507

wow! congratulations!!!!! that's very good, hope mine will work 1st attempt too!

Holls214

I hope so too! Best of luck to you.  

mbradfo2

We were unexplained as well with no clear markers of what 'might' be wrong. All of the tests, labs, exams, etc were totally normal. I have regular cycles with strong ovulation indicators. My husband is all good.

What my RE said was that unexplained isn't that there's no reason -- it's just that we can't figure out the reason with our current technology. He ALSO said that often IVF is the best thing for unexplained since 1) you get a sense of egg quality, genetic issues  and 2) he feels alot of unexplained couples actually have issues at the gamete level which you are only examining during IVF cycles.  So their eggs aren't good or there's some genetic issue causing failure to fertilize or implant, etc. He felt that as a result, many unexplained folks actually have the best chance of IVF being successful since it 'steps around' their issue --- getting to a healthy embryo - and implantation chances are peaked with meds/supplements/etc. 

We did 3 IUI's before IVF and all BFN. First IVF - 2 blasts frozen. We transferred them next month and voila, baby girl.  (Both embies implanted and had HB at 6 weeks, but Twin B had stopped developing at the next scan.)

babydust2507

Thanks for sharing your story @mbradfo2!  did you do PGS? is there a reason why you chose to do FET instead of fresh egg transfer?

mbradfo2

We did not do PGS as our RE did not feel it was necessary for us -- your mileage may vary. If we had more recurrent MC, he would have recommended it - but 1 MC does not make a pattern. We're also under 35. Well...were! I turned 35 two months ago haha. 

As for the FET,  my doctor recommended it because it gives you a break from the IVF stims and gives them time to make your womb as receptive as possible. They also said getting the blast to a stage and quality where it can be frozen is a major milestone and if we could get a few that made it, we'd have a much higher chance of success.

I think each doctor has some preferred protocols but I am seeing alot more FET now than I did before.

Holls214

We did do PGS testing on our embryos even though they suggested we didn’t need to due to age. (I was 32) We both figured with so much money being spent we might as well spend some more to be sure. We also got 11 embryos after and 8 tested normal. I know a lot of people who don’t do PGS testing so it is really up to you. 

babydust2507

Thank you ladies! Good information!

LauraJon2015

Thanks everyone for sharing. My doctor doesn’t like to go into the details (I think she finds them depressing as she did IVF while being an RE), but I feel so much better knowing all the facts. IVF seems so expensive and invasive, but you do get to learn a lot of geeky facts about reproduction!

LauraJon2015

Counselor recommended I focus on the here and now, rather than the what if’s. I’ve been a worry wart since I can remember, so it’s a hard habit to break. When I get really worked up, I am supposed to reframe my thoughts until they are factual. I still get worried this is a huge waste of time/money/energy, but I try to focus on the fact that it can work, that this has worked for many many other couples and it will probably work for us too.

babydust2507

how's everything going with your IUI? where are you in the process @LauraJon2015?

LauraJon2015

Ultrasound this morning was good news, did my trigger shot today and IUI tomorrow. This time I’m on Prometrium. Fingers crossed!

babydust2507

GL @LauraJon2015! Sending prayers your way! Had my ER today and they retrieved 33. Dont know yet how many were matured and fertilized. Will keep you all posted!

babydust2507

@LauraJon2015 how did your IUI go? I had an update from the clinic 21 were matured out of the 33 and 14 fertilized. will know tomorrow about the quality and transfer day. praying for all of us that august will be our month!

LauraJon2015

14 is great! Wishing you luck.

IUI was fine, except sperm count was lower than they would like. Initial sperm analysis was on the low end of normal, first IUI had normal sperm count and then this time it was low. Maybe next time we will have to skip the BD for a few days before. But they say, it only takes one sperm and one egg! Fingers cross it works for us, and everyone else here.

babydust2507

yes only one! I pretty sure you'll be fine! GL

babydust2507

so I got a report from the lab, all 14 are growing at the same pace which they said they were pretty happy about it (4-6 cells) graded B so far. I don't know the grading scale of my clinic yet, will ask tomorrow when they call for a new update but they said B was pretty good for D2 at their Lab. My transfer will be on Sunday 

babydust2507

So I just got the daily report from the Lab and I also asked about their grading scale they do + and - on the letters but they said they don't focus on the sign because they can change really quick. So the 14 embies are still growing 8-12 cells, she said some are growing faster than what they're expected it to be on D3, because they wanted to be around 8 if I remember correctly, which gives me some B+ and B- forgot the exact number, sorry... but they still all Bs. And They will decide on Sunday which one to transfer and which one can be frozen, and no more reports until transfer day. Wish me luck!

mbradfo2

That sounds awesome!!! We only ended up with 2 embies on ice!

babydust2507

Two frozen is good @mbradfo2!
So my transfer went well, they transferred 1 4AA, they said they rarely give this grade so I'm pretty excited about that. 4 were ready to be frozen, 3 more by this evening and probably some tomorrow. I will get the exact numbers and grade that got frozen when they call me tomorrow. Blood work to confirm pregnancy is on the 22nd. Wish me luck and GL and baby dust to us all!

LauraJon2015

Good luck!! Sounds like you have spectacular chances. I hope you get good news next week

babydust2507

hope so too, thank you @LauraJon2015!

babydust2507

I got the last report from the Lab, so I'm again confused with their grading, this one has + sign in it again, Anyway, so 9 got frozen (B+A, B+B+, B+A, BB, BA, BB, BB, B+A, and BA) and 4 out of the 14 fertilized didn't make it to freeze, still pretty thankful that we have that many to freeze either for baby #2 or if this one didn't work (but hope it won't be the case FX!)

jamieswan88

Both my older sister and I have had some bouts with infertility. She actually dealt with PCOS for a while and couldn’t get pregnant. She did everything in the book and ended up giving up for a couple of years because it was too stressful. She did a complete life change and become the healthiest person I know. She worked with a functional medicine doctor, who actually put her on organic chromium yeast for her PCOS and it actually helped her. So, if you are struggling with PCOS, you might look for a solution to balance your blood sugar, because it might just give you the last piece. I am preparing for IUI this fall because we had tried for two years without success and I am detoxing and preparing my body and doing all the initial consults with fertility docs. I figured if it works for my sister, there is a glimmer of hope for me too.

babydust2507

welcome @jamieswan88 and GL in your journey!

babydust2507

AFM, I took the test this morning on my way to work and have another BFN, can't even cry, don't know what to think, just feel like I will never be a mother and just need to accept it instead of spending all that money in fertility treatment and still nothing so frustrating! Have my BETA appointment tomorrow will see what's my next step with my frozen ones. GL to you all

LauraJon2015

I’m so sorry to read that. IUI #2 was a BFN. Stopped Prometrium yesterday and am just waiting for AF to show up. Sperm sample for IUI #2 was much worse than with #1, and I can’t help but be angry with this. I want to be making progress but it’s like taking several steps backwards. 
Don’t you wish you could see into the future and know if the fertility treatments will ever work? My counselor says that’s “future tripping” but seriously, it makes it so much harder to not know when this “journey” will be over.
GL to you. I hope next round will get you to BFP.

babydust2507

I'm so sorry about you BFN @LauraJon2015, and I totally get it and yes it will be nice to know the future. My DH is a counselor too so he helps me go through it. Stopped my PIO too and awaiting on AF to come. Enjoying being off of medicine for awhile. I'm even tired to spend money on prenatal vitamins and pregnancy test, ugh!

ambers18

I have been reading through all of these comments and it feels like my story on repeat. It is both comforting to know I am not the only one and incredibly frustrating to know there are so many of us dealing with this and the doctors have no answer. We had 2 failed IUI's earlier this year. Sadly we lost my mother in law to cancer in the midst of it so I wanted to believe that the stress and sorrow contributed to the failure. Fast forward to our first round of IVF. Everything good, numbers always awesome and then we just did the ER this past Thursday and I was really hopeful when they told me they got 11 eggs with 9 mature. Then I get the first update and only 2 fertilized. Second update was no additional fertilized eggs and "not much movement on the embryos but it can change day to day". I can't help but feel like this is going to be a big bust. Trying really hard to stay positive but its hard waiting on the phone to ring when I know my numbers are below the curve on this one. I keep hoping that those 2 are superstars and will do the trick.

I am curious what kind of treatments the different docs have had everyone on? Mine put me on a regimen of DHEA, CoQ10, Vitamin D and pre-natals from the get go
2x IUI - Clomid, Gonal F, HCG Trigger

IVF:
Birth Control pre-cycle
Gonal F
Menopure
Cetrotide
HCG to trigger
post ER - Cabergoline and Lupron shots

babydust2507

@ambers18 my protocol was the same for my IVF cycle but I wasn't on cetrotide and didn't take the DHEA and  CoQ10 either, sorry again you have to go thru this 

babydust2507

But we here if you need to talk

mbradfo2

Our freeze-all IVF cycle -->

Supplements:
80 mg DHEA daily
600 mg CoQ10 daily
1 baby aspirin daily
Prenatal daily
Vitamin D daily
Doxycycline for 10 days at beginning of cycle

IVF Meds:
Gonal F
Menopur
Cetrotide injections once folli's are 14 mm+
Ovidrel trigger

FET meds:
Lupron until told to stop - 10 units daily
PIO (in ethyl oleate since I'm allergic to the sesame oil)
Vivelle patches (replaced every other day)
Estrace 2 mg pills ONLY if lining not looking good
Medrol dosepak 

ambers18

Wow @mbradfo2 that is my regimen verbatim minus the PIO...mine is the sesame oil.