WTF appt. - lap being considered

bluefish63

I had my WTF appt. after 2 failed injectible/iui cycles and my RE is dumbfounded. I have 2 options at this point. I can move on to IVF or I can try additional iui cycles but have a lap. first. I am leaning towards the additional iui cycles because deep down, I don't feel like IVF is the right choice for me yet. I'm scared sh!tless about the lap though. I don't know much about it or what to expect. I've never been pegged as an endo. candidate so I think the odds of my RE finding any scar tissue or adhesions or anything is pretty low but for the peace of mind of eliminating the very last possible problem, I need to do this. What has been your experience with laps? WWYD in my situation?

tootlebug

how is your RE dumbfounded???  i dont get it.  im thinking maybe you should switch REs.

gervaisj6

I agree with Tootlebug. I mean we are on d-iui #3 know...iui 1 and 2 I was on the same amount of meds. This time they upped my meds. My RE said if this didn't get it in the next 2 cycles, we would talk again...she said possibly a lap, but because of our dx and I don't have any symptoms that would make me a candidate for a lap...so that is why she really doesn't want to do unless I am having symptoms that eould make her suspicious that I needed a lap.What she said that really made since after our 1st and 2nd bfn d iui, technically, you have 12 chances out of the year to get pregnant, and you've only had 2...so, don't get discouraged. That helped me keep it in perspective.

bluefish63

Post correction..."dumfounded" is the word I use to describe the fact that not too many possible reasons for cycle failure were given (not that I really expected any, as I know there's only so much rhyme and reason to all this.) As an FYI, I respond really well (almost too well) to the meds, producing at least 3 matures every cycle and a super rich lining. We have no MFI. In the spirit of keeping things in perspective, the fact that we could just have been unlucky twice does not escape me. My RE did say that that is completely possible and might be probable. Also, @ Tootlebug, I asked whether my low body mass could be contributing to fertilization or implantation failure and the answer was no. The way it was described to me is that the injectible cycles and hormones given are creating a controlled environment for pregnancy to happen. Nothing I do or do not do can screw it up. Also, just FYI, I have been working on increasing my body mass, but it's not as easy as I thought and is obviously going to take time. SO. That is why I am considering the lap. But as I said, I don't know much about it and was wondering what everyone's experience has been.

tootlebug

well - i mean other REs might say something differently.  mine definitely wanted me to gain weight. 

5'7 and 112 pounds isnt enough for fertility. (i dont know if that is still what you are)  i understand what he is saying about the "controlled" environment...but still, you cant trick your body.  i responded well when i had the HA too. i had 5 mature follicles on clomid that were huge....i think i already told you this. 

am glad you are taking steps to increase it though...i know it's going to be hard...but i think it would be helpful to get into a better place with that overrall before you have baby....im not trying to harp on you.  i just look at your posts and how upset you are and all i can think is that you wouldnt have to be going through any of this if you would just get into a normal weight range... 

bluefish63

tootlebug:

well - i mean other REs might say something differently.  mine definitely wanted me to gain weight. 

5'7 and 112 pounds isnt enough for fertility. (i dont know if that is still what you are)  i understand what he is saying about the "controlled" environment...but still, you cant trick your body.  i responded well when i had the HA too. i had 5 mature follicles on clomid that were huge....i think i already told you this. 

am glad you are taking steps to increase it though...i know it's going to be hard...but i think it would be helpful to get into a better place with that overrall before you have baby....im not trying to harp on you.  i just look at your posts and how upset you are and all i can think is that you wouldnt have to be going through any of this if you would just get into a normal weight range... 

I appreciate all your advice - I really do. I see the logic in all of it. I think the part that I hate the most about this whole thing is that I'm being told so many different things by different people. For example, I have your experience to draw from and then when I talk to my RE about it, he tells me that while it would be good for me to increase my BMI just for general health reasons obviously, I probably still won't ovulate. The periods may come back but they will most likely be annovulatory and there are cases to support that too. It's just all so frustrating. That being said, I am getting a second opinion on Friday from a different RE so if nothing else, it will be interesting (and probably frustrating again) to compare the two.

missjul61

You have to do what you're comfortable with but I can share my experience re: laps. DH and I were diagnosed with unexplained IF as his SAs were perfect and my standard tests, incl HSG were great. After 3 failed IUI cycles an an ectopic PG after IVF, I pushed for getting a lap before I proceeded with cycling again because I wanted to be sure everything was "ok in there" (mainly no tube damage due to the ectopic). I'm glad I trusted my gut because not only did they find tubal damage, they found stage 2 endo for which I was completely asymtomatic.

The lap answered a lot of questions and my dr thinks that has been our issue preventing us from getting PG this whole time. I don't want to scare you into moving fwd with a lap as I don't necessarily feel it's a must for all, but wanted to share my story since you're asking for other's experiences.

bluefish63

missjul61:

You have to do what you're comfortable with but I can share my experience re: laps. DH and I were diagnosed with unexplained IF as his SAs were perfect and my standard tests, incl HSG were great. After 3 failed IUI cycles an an ectopic PG after IVF, I pushed for getting a lap before I proceeded with cycling again because I wanted to be sure everything was "ok in there" (mainly no tube damage due to the ectopic). I'm glad I trusted my gut because not only did they find tubal damage, they found stage 2 endo for which I was completely asymtomatic.

The lap answered a lot of questions and my dr thinks that has been our issue preventing us from getting PG this whole time. I don't want to scare you into moving fwd with a lap as I don't necessarily feel it's a must for all, but wanted to share my story since you're asking for other's experiences.

Thank you!!! That is exactly the sort of info. I am looking for. The assymptomatic endo. is one of the things pushing me to have it done. I agree that it's not the right step for everyone but for the peace of mind alone, I am very strongly leaning towards it. What was the prep and recovery like for you? Is it truly terrible?

missjul61

bluefish63:

missjul61:

You have to do what you're comfortable with but I can share my experience re: laps. DH and I were diagnosed with unexplained IF as his SAs were perfect and my standard tests, incl HSG were great. After 3 failed IUI cycles an an ectopic PG after IVF, I pushed for getting a lap before I proceeded with cycling again because I wanted to be sure everything was "ok in there" (mainly no tube damage due to the ectopic). I'm glad I trusted my gut because not only did they find tubal damage, they found stage 2 endo for which I was completely asymtomatic.

The lap answered a lot of questions and my dr thinks that has been our issue preventing us from getting PG this whole time. I don't want to scare you into moving fwd with a lap as I don't necessarily feel it's a must for all, but wanted to share my story since you're asking for other's experiences.

Thank you!!! That is exactly the sort of info. I am looking for. The assymptomatic endo. is one of the things pushing me to have it done. I agree that it's not the right step for everyone but for the peace of mind alone, I am very strongly leaning towards it. What was the prep and recovery like for you? Is it truly terrible?

I was extremely lucky and had an easy recovery time. I didn't have gas pains many people experience and minimal overall pain. Mainly discomfort. I was on Percocet which I'm sure helped me get there. I stayed home from work a total of 4 days to rest my body. Let me know if you have any other questions. DH and I are going to workout now but I'll check back later.

emca

I had a lap/hysteroscopy.  Dr. B. did find very mild endo, which no one really thought was causing any issues, but I did not have any symptoms.  I had a lap since I had a fibroid/polyps, but you have to do what is comfortable for you.  If you feel that you want to investigate all areas before moving on, then I would do the lap. 

Physically, I did not think it was that bad.  It is a bit uncomfortable afterwards.  They fill you with gas, which causes strange shoulder pain.  I took some pain meds when I was at home and I was completely back to myself within a week or so. 

Good Luck with your decision!

tootlebug

bluefish63:

tootlebug:

well - i mean other REs might say something differently.  mine definitely wanted me to gain weight. 

5'7 and 112 pounds isnt enough for fertility. (i dont know if that is still what you are)  i understand what he is saying about the "controlled" environment...but still, you cant trick your body.  i responded well when i had the HA too. i had 5 mature follicles on clomid that were huge....i think i already told you this. 

am glad you are taking steps to increase it though...i know it's going to be hard...but i think it would be helpful to get into a better place with that overrall before you have baby....im not trying to harp on you.  i just look at your posts and how upset you are and all i can think is that you wouldnt have to be going through any of this if you would just get into a normal weight range... 

I appreciate all your advice - I really do. I see the logic in all of it. I think the part that I hate the most about this whole thing is that I'm being told so many different things by different people. For example, I have your experience to draw from and then when I talk to my RE about it, he tells me that while it would be good for me to increase my BMI just for general health reasons obviously, I probably still won't ovulate. The periods may come back but they will most likely be annovulatory and there are cases to support that too. It's just all so frustrating. That being said, I am getting a second opinion on Friday from a different RE so if nothing else, it will be interesting (and probably frustrating again) to compare the two.

okay....so why did i ovulate after i gained only 5lbs??  and my BMI technically WAS in the normal range beforehand.  i totally understand that everyone's body is different and i have a feeling that my situation might have been a little different than yours...you might not just start ovulating again ASAP depending on how long this has been going on.  but, i think, that it will come back eventually.  have you ever thought that maybe your RE is telling you that to keep your business??  any doctor will tell you that you need more than that for fertility.  remember, my first RE said the same thing....that i wouldnt ovulate again right away if i gained weight.  he was 100% confident that i wouldnt.  BUT he did still tell me to come back in a month after i had gained some weight....and then i just gained 5lbs and started ovulating.....