s/o IUI + injectables

Maybe Joleisa · January 2012

For those of you who are doing/have done IUI with injectables, did you start out with a different protocol? (be it Clomid or other non-injectable drug) If so, what was the reason you were switched to injectables?

I've done 3 IUIs with clomid + gonal-f + ovidrel and each time my ovaries responded just fine to those drugs. Our WTF appointment is on Wednesday and I have a feeling our RE is going to suggest we move on to IVF. If she does allow us to try more IUIs, I'm pre-concerned that she's going to use the same 'ol protocol as IUIs 1-3 which resulted in BFNs.

brooklynesque · January 2012

I did a couple of Clomid cycles before moving on to injects. I did the Clomid with my gyno; my RE switched me to injects after I met with her because I complained about some of the side effects on Clomid (mostly moodiness). The injects were much better for me in that regard.

I think some REs do the combined Clomid/injects cycles because they're also effective and it's cheaper to do, say, 4 days of injects than 8+ days -- and Clomid is cheap. An injects-only cycle might make sense even if the combined cycles have worked well for you if you've shown signs of a thinner lining on the Clomid or something like that that makes her think an injects-only protocol would be worth a shot (pun not intended, lol). Whether or not you want to try injects-only if there's not a compelling reason might depend on the structure of your insurance coverage -- if, say, you have an $x total fertility cap you might not want to put any more money towards IUIs, while if additional IUI cycles would not affect the IVF cycle coverage you have it might be worth trying a couple rounds of injects-only. Good luck with whatever approach you choose!

genmalone · January 2012

My RE recommended that we move to IVF but said it was our decision. She will do as many IUIs as we want. We have decided to go ahead and do IVF as we have already done 7 treatment cycles.

If you don't want to do IVF right now I would ask about an injects only cycle. It is supposed to help a little with egg quality compared to the combo cycles (although I loved the combo cycles too).

Maybe Joleisa · January 2012

brooklynesque:

Whether or not you want to try injects-only if there's not a compelling reason might depend on the structure of your insurance coverage -- if, say, you have an $x total fertility cap you might not want to put any more money towards IUIs, while if additional IUI cycles would not affect the IVF cycle coverage you have it might be worth trying a couple rounds of injects-only. Good luck with whatever approach you choose!

I think that's what it is boiling down to for me. We have a lifetime max for infertility treatment, but $0 can be used towards IVF. We don't have compelling evidence from previous testing (DH's S/A or my bloodwork) that anything in particular is "causing" our infertility, so while I want a baby yesterday--I'm in IVF OOP sticker shock and am willing to do a couple more IUIs just to know we've done all we could do on that front. My 1st cycle on Clomid I had all the typical s/e; my 2nd cycle I was fine except my lining was a smidge thinner than they like to see and they put me on estace; 3rd cycle was unremarkable.

Best of luck to you, as well.

Maybe Joleisa · January 2012

genmalone:

If you don't want to do IVF right now I would ask about an injects only cycle. It is supposed to help a little with egg quality compared to the combo cycles (although I loved the combo cycles too).

Thanks--I will ask her about them. I wish I could fast forward to Wednesday and get this appointment over with...I'm horrible at the waiting game.

MelleTX · January 2012

I did three unmedicated IUIs, each month producing one follicle. All BFN. Then I did three Clomid/trigger cycles, each producing 2 follicles, all BFN. According to my RE, if we continue on this path, it will eventually work, but at some point, I have to find the point of diminishing return. When would it have been cheaper to do IVF? I am all OOP.

On paper, I should have been pregnant by now, but each IUI cycle I only have a 20% chance to get pregnant and the %s aren't cumulative. I would prefer my higher odds with IVF (60%).

We decided not to move on injectibles, for fear I would over-respond and I am not comfortable with higher order multiples. Twins I can handle - triplets or more, I cannot. My RE seems to think I will do much better in an environment where they can control fertilization, so I move on to IVF.

Sometimes I think...one more IUI and it will finally work and then other times I look at how much money I have spent and have nothing to show for it. I am committed to spending the money for IVF and hope and pray that at the end of the day, I have a baby to take home.

You have to find your line, your point where you KNOW and FEEL it is time to move to IVF.

Bubs711 · January 2012

We started with injectibles because my RE didn't think Clomid would help me. He did three IUI's and offered a 4th, but we decided to skip that since he gave it a less than 10% chance of it working. He gave me a 60% chance of getting pg by moving on to IVF with DE, and with time/money constraints we decided to go this route.

GL with whatever you decide as you move forward, and don't be afraid to self-advocate!

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