Callling IVF Poor Responders

ValentineG · July 2011

Hey girls,

I am 35 years old and we are starting our third IVF cycle. (First was successfull, second was not.) We seem to get the same results no matter how much medication we use. (8-9 follies, which results in 1 - 2 for transfer tops.) We are currently on 450 follistim.

Anyone else get around this many or less on an IVF cycle? Any thing that you did that helped you respond better?

I know this might be a lot for some but I am feeling discouraged and blaming myself. I am trying acupuncture this time. I just keep thinking that if I were to do something different maybe I would respond better.

kbrodie06 · July 2011

Will be starting first IVF cycle this week so will find out soon. HOwever, we are very lucky if I get 3 follies with IUI on a huge high protocol for meds. I am 41 and this is for baby #2.

Kristin

apaige25 · July 2011

Here is my protocol. No bcp's or lupron, 300 iu of Bravelle, 75 of luvaris. I did that for 6 days and added ganarellix on my last day. Then triggered on day 7 and retreival was day 9. They retreived 6 eggs, of which 4 were mature and all 4 fertilized with ICSI. I had a 2dt and transferred 3.

I had the best response on this protocol vs anything else I was on.

I hope this helps. Good luck on your next cycle!!!

meganfauer · July 2011

I have been labeled as a poor responder, I guess you would say. I am a healthy 31 year old and our issue is MIF. My first IVF I did The long Lupron protocal with Lupron, 150 ius of Follistim and 2 vials of menopur and had my ER on day 15. They got 6 egss, 5 mature, 4 fertilized, transferred 2 blasts day 5 and BFN with no frosties.

IVF #2 we did 150iu follistim and 2 menopurs for 8 days and then 3 days of Ganerellex and Follistim up'ed to 225ius. Had ER on day 13, they got 4 eggs, 3 were matured 2 fertilized and transferred 2 8-celled embryos day 3, again no frosties. I POAS today and got another BFN, Beta is tuesday.

I am furious and not sure what is "wrong" with me, since our issue was supposed to only be MIF. I am interested to see what other "poor responders" say about their protocols. Best of luck to you and hope that you get a BFP!

njohnson1972 · July 2011

I am a poor responder and DOR and was 38 years old.

My first IVF attempt was Antagonist. I started on 225 IU Follistim and 225 IU Menopur. After a few days, I was upped to 300 IU Follistim and 300 IU Menopur. I only ended up with 4 at ER, transferred 3 and BFN.

After that, I started acupuncture. I also brought up EPP to my RE. We decided to do EPP Agonist/Antagonist protocol. I took as much as 750 IU Follistim the frist 5 days and was reduced to 225 IU for the remainder of my stims. I ended up with 5 at ER, transferred 2 and ended up with a chemical pregnancy. EPP is added to protocols to help grow more follies at the same rate.

Then I started DHEA to try and help my egg quality. This final attempt was my best. We got 6 eggs, I made it to a 5dt for the first time, transferred 2 and I am now pregnant with one baby. I don't know if it was the protocol, DHEA or just got lucky but something finally worked.

I did always have good fert rates (4 out of 4, 4 out of 5 and 6 out of 6).

I always did take high dosages (each cycle ran me around $6,000-$7,000 in meds).

The hard part about IVF is that it isn't a science for everyone. Some of it is just trial and error to figure out how to get that BFP.

Good luck.

Edwina.McDunnough · July 2011

mm29 · July 2011

I'm probably not much help, because I responded really poorly, only two eggs retrieved, but it is suppose to be an awesome protocol for poor responders.

Here was my protocol, BCP for a month, 10 units of Lupron for 5 days, then decreased to 5 units for two days, and then 0.5ml of cetrotide until trigger. 0.2 ml of EV2 IM on CD 5 and CD 8. Ev2 supp 2mg CD 10 until trigger, 600 iu of Gonal-f starting CD 11 for 6 days, and then decreased to 375 iu until trigger.

GL with your upcoming cycle.

katezta · July 2011

I ended up being a poor responder after a mildly successful long lupron cycle (m/c) and no idea why. I am 34 yrs old. I had 2 cancelled cycles (one long lupron and one antagonist) and the one that worked was a microdose lupron cycle. I was on 15 days on BCP, 20 units of microdose lupron 2x daily, 450 Gonal-f, and 225 Menopur. I stimmed for 13 days. I had nine eggs retrieved (I only have one ovary), one mature and fertilized with ICSI, then 4 more matured overnight and fertilized about a day later. Three transferred and twins resulted.

Stuckinthemiddle · July 2011

The cycle that worked for me was the microdose lupron, 300 follistim/am and 300 menopur/pm. The meds cost about $7,000 that cycle. My first IVF was long lurpon, I ended up with 9 follicles, but nothing fertilized. My second IVF had 8 follicles, two out of four eggs fertilized, and I got a BFN after a 2dt. My third IVF (microdose) was cancelled due to poor response, and for the 4th IVF cycle (also microdose) I ended up with five follies, three eggs, one embryo. My RE did assisted hatching for the first time on that one embryo, a 3dt, and I am now pregnant.

I started this game with an unexplained diagnosis, and at age 33 (at the time) my prelim tests didn't show any evidence of DOR. Apparently I either am DOR, or I am just a horrible responder to meds. All I know is that sometimes its not necessarily the number of follies/eggs that you end up with - its the rate of growth and the progress of the cycle that helps. Though I had less follies and eggs with the last cycle, my RE had said that it was my best cycle ever - and this was prior to the BFP. I still don't quite get that logic, but since the cycle did work, I never had the chance to ask questions and have him explain that line of reasoning.

I can say that I used to want to throat punch people who told me "it only takes one" and never thought I would be on the other side of that coin, but it does happen. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

07may07 · July 2011

I think I would be considered a poor responder (especially for my age). I've had 4 IVF cycles.

1. 5 eggs retrieved, 4 fertilized (Long Lupron)

2. 3 eggs retrieved, 2 fertilized (Antagonist)

3. 7 eggs retrieved, 4 fertilized (EPP)

4. 15 eggs retrieved, 11 fertilized (EPP)

For me, the Estrogen Priming Protocol worked best for me. Specifically, my last cycle was by far the best cycle I had. For cycles 1-3 I was on the max dosages of Gonal-F with very little success. Very similar to Stuckinthemiddle, on my last protocol, my RE changed up my dosages to an even amount of gonal-f with menopur. I was on 300 units of each. This resulted in my best response.

Good luck!

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