For those who did IVF

How long was it before you decided to go that route? Did you try a bunch of other alternatives before making the decision?

My RE wants us to go straight to IVF and Im wondering if we should try anything else first? We havent done anything yet except try naturally and I wasnt even able to time ovulation because of PCOS. Im not even sure when I ovulate. Ive never had a positive O test.

Im 36 yrs old so I dont want to wait too long and I have PCOS and one blocked tube.

Im just not sure what decision to make.

Re: For those who did IVF

i only have one tube and we did 4 IUI's with injectables, all BFN's. our next step, whenever we decide to take it, will be IVF.

Re: For those who did IVF

We first tried Clomid with IUI, but never actually got to the IUI because the meds didn't work. Then we went straight to injectibles with IUI, but I hyperstimulated so badly that I was put on very light activity. I was instructed to go straight to IVF because of the hyperstimulation. It was too dangerous to do more IUIs.

ETA: I just read you have PCOS. I have that, as well, which is why I hyperstimulated.

Message edited 11/9/2011 11:35:44 AM.

Re: For those who did IVF

I too have PCOS. I did one IUI and after speaking with my doctor, we both agreed that IVF would greatly increase our chances. Fortunately, I have great medical insurance, so money wasn't an issue. I had a fresh IVF cycle three and a half years ago that was successful on the first try which resulted in my DD (we put in two embryos, one took). I just finished my second FET cycle (with the frozen embryos from my fresh cycle three and a half years ago) and it's another BFN
If you have the insurance coverage, I wouldn't wait given that you also have a blocked tube and PCOS. Wishing you the best of luck

Re: For those who did IVF

I am 32 and unexplained IF. I did not want to do IVF except as a last resort. We did 7 iuis (3 with clomid and 4 injectables). We took time off, took a vacation, tried everything under the sun. After 2+ years, I was done. I just wanted to be pregnant already.

Our first IVF was successful and I am now 36w pregnant with . I wished we did this so much sooner. I also have 6 embryos frozen if we want future children. They told me the good thing about having them frozen is no matter how old I get my embryos are 31 year old embryos which they said is great.

I'm assuming they want you to move to IVF because you are 36 and also mainly because of your one blocked tube. IVF has a very high success rate for PCOS and it completely bypasses the blocked tube issue.

If I were you, I would probably just move forward with IVF. I know how hard it is to accept that this is your fate (at least it was for me anyway). But, I wouldn't be surprised if we hear you're pregnant soon. . GL!!!!!

Re: For those who did IVF

Everyone's situations/factors/etc are different.

For me, I'm 27 and when we just started almost 2 years ago, we thought my only issue was PCOS. We did 3 IUIs and I got pregnant. I had a loss at 17wks, and when we started over I had a chemical on my 3rd IUI. (so at that point, 6 total IUIs). The chemical lead us to do further testing and we found out I have a nasty slue of autoimmune and clotting issues.. When we made the decision to move on to IVF, it was a year after starting IF treatments. IVF is a big deal, in my opinion, and not something to just rush into unless there is real reason to. Emotionally in my opinion, there was a very big difference between BFNs from IUIs and BFNs from IVF.. not to mention the financial strain.

Re: For those who did IVF

looking back i wish i did ivf straight away.

my diagnosis is endo...

i ended up starting out with 2 iuis, a surgery, 3 months on lupron, 1 last iui then finally ivf.

ivf #1 worked and we are pregnant with
twins!

if i had started with IVf from the get-go, i would have probably saved myself a lot of heartache and time...

but i can also understand the need to exhuast their ther options...

but my unsolocited advicde to you is to listen to the DR and go straight to IVF.

Re: For those who did IVF

2 years with nothing to show for it made my decision.
got pg after 2 months.. chemical... tried natural,lky for 1.5 years... then 4 IUI's 2 medicated-nothing.
We have male factor so IVF is probably the best route. We're starting end of dec/begining of Jan.

Re: For those who did IVF

do you have ivf coverage? if so go for it now.
if not do iuis medicated and timed with trigger shots.

i understand the age thing bc i am 36 and hubby is 39.

the most important thing is being happy and confident with your doctor wether you do iuis or ivf.
but with a blocked tube...ivf makes alot of sense gl!

Re: For those who did IVF

We put it off too long b/c I was mis-diagnosed at first. Turns out egg quality was a bigger issue than PCOS but didn't know until I finally found the right doc and broke down and went for it. If I had known sooner what the real problem was, I would have gone for it sooner. But $$$ was also a factor, we were OOP. But we did what we had to do when push came to shove.

Honestly, I would at least try a few medicated IUI cycles since you weren't ovulation. IVF is very emotionally and physically involved and more time consuming IMO.

Re: For those who did IVF

Since you have tube issues I would go straight to IVF.

I started with IUIs with clomid. That was because I was unexplained. The only thing they could tell me is that my age (38) might be a factor.

If I had other diagnosed issues I would probably have thought about going straight to IVF

Re: For those who did IVF

We were 30 when we started trying, nearly 3 years ago. My DH sperm counts came back very good and I ovulated on my own, tubes were not blocked, and had no known issues. We were diagnosed with Unexplained IF. It was, and still is, very hard for me to digest this diagnosis.

My DH and I did not want to wait and we really chose an aggressive path, not b/c our doctor pushed it, but b/c it was the right thing for both of our personalities. I just couldn't handle every day hearing about more and more people that were pregnant. We chose to do 2 IUI's with injectibles. Both cycles ended in BFNs and were completely devastating. Since our insurance would not cover IVF and since we paid out of pocket for all meds, both during IUI and IVF, we decided to go the IVF route after 2 IUIs.. Although it was a very scary step, and not how I ever imagined conceiving, I am so happy we went forward and took that very big step. I am now 37w I look back at all of the heartache and pain, both physical and emotional, and although it was not our preferred way of getting pregnant, it was the best decison we could have ever made. I wish you lots of luck in whatever decision you and your husband make!!! Take the time you need to explore all of your options.

Re: For those who did IVF

we are strating ivf next month..

i have a bunch of crap wrong with me including PCOS

we did on our own,timed intercourse for months,clomid.femara,femara with injectables and 8 iui

doc finally said..ivf is next..

if i couldgo back i would have went straight..it is a huge step and a big one but for some like myself all that other stuff did not work

best of luck

Re: For those who did IVF

I went off the pill when I got married in 2004. We did a bunch of IUI's and then moved onto IVF. Im now almost 35 and 28 weeks pregnant with a baby and this was on my 4th IVF. I wish we would have gone straight to IVF instead of the IUI's. I have unexplained IF and Im praying that we get pregnant on our own after this baby.
IVF is a huge decision but I feel you get more answers from doing IVF then IUI. Good Luck!!

Re: For those who did IVF

With your issues and age I would go straight to IVF. I wasted almost a year of IUI's before getting PG first shot with IVF.

Re: For those who did IVF

I am gonig to be 30 and we tried naturally for a little over a year and a half, then moved on to meds. We did Clomid, for 2 cycles, then Clomid+IUI, 2 Femara/Gonal+IUI, then decided to move on to IVF. BUT, in between all the treatments I have had 1 laparoscopy, 1 hysteroscopy and never a BFP. Unfortunately, that as may test as they did, they never found "something" wrong. With IVF they eliminated a lot of theories, fertilization issues, compatibility, etc.

I would suggest jumping into IVF, given your PCOS and blocked tube. Good luck!

Re: For those who did IVF

I have PCOS and my DH has issues with his motility, morphology, low count, etc etc. I tried one IUI and the doctor assured me it was pointless but I wanted to try for the sake of trying. It was negative. We did IVF 2x and on the 2nd try I got PG, with my son who is now 2. (My posts are on here, if you want to look up my history). Good luck!

Re: For those who did IVF

We started with IUIs. After 4 rounds, and 6 months, the last two which resulted in non-viable pregnancies, we moved on to IVF. The true deciding factor was that the D&C after my last pregnancy showed that there was an unbalanced chromosomal translocation (I have a balanced one, and there is a higher risk of m/c b/c a lot of my eggs aren't good). Once we had confirmation that it was my translocation that was most likely causing my issues staying pregnant, and not PCOS, my small clotting issue, or the few other minor things I had going on, IVF was the logical option, as it is a "numbers game." The more embryos put back, the better chance of getting a "good one". At the time we started the IVF process, we had been TTC for 2.5 years.

I don't know the exact reasons why your doctor is recommending you go straight to IVF, but maybe he figures that with the blocked tube, you'll have a hard time with IUI because you might generate follies on the blocked side?

Best of luck to you, whatever you decide.