Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Well...my secret identity is out, I posted under my orginal name...I was prayingforababy.

Here is my dilemna....

I really need some outside opinions, don't worry you won't hurt my feelings. I just need someone elses point of view.

Background: I have PCOS, no periods, don't ovulate at all. DH has some slight sperm issues but nothing horrible. 2 failed IUI's with injectables (gonal f). Each IUI had 1 follicle measuring 16-18. I had lots of smaller follicles though. We have 2 insurance plans, mine is maxed out ($5k lifetime max) and now all we have left is DH's which has a $15k lifetime max.

I went to the doctor yesterday to discuss our options because after our money runs out then that's it for us. We don't have thousands of dollars to pay out of pocket.

The doctor told me that if I had all the money in the world he would recommend up to 6 IUI's and then if nothing we would move onto IVF. He said my likelihood of getting pregnant on my own is pretty much 0, with IUI 10-15%. He told me with IVF we have a 60-70% chance and he would hope to get around 6-8 eggs that could be frozen for later use.

So here's my question. I keep going back and forth. We basically have enough money for 1 IVF cycle or a few IUI's. I guess my hesitation is that IVF does seem like a drastic step to take but what if I try the IUI's and then nothing and then I don't have any money left. I hate to treat this like a financial situation.

I don't know, sorry for the rambling note here, I just needed to get that all out and see what you an outsiders view is.

I think I am scared to put all my eggs in my basket (literally lol).

Thanks girls!

Message edited 4/24/2012 8:33:48 AM.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF. If we had coverage we wouldn't have waited a year like we did. You can always go back to IUI if you want to. You can also try to get meds on your own to save from your ins paying for it. that's a big expense of IVF. Good luck.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

HI Christine i didnt see you out yourself but im sorry that you have to be here too



I would do the IVF without a doubt... i think having those frozen embies could be a benefit in the future whether your financial situation increases significantly or your insurance situation changes you can use them.

and like PP said, you can always go back to IUIs...

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do the IVF. I was faced with the decision to do more IUIs or move on and when you look at the success rate of each proceedure to me it was a no brainer.

You could do IUIs forever and because they do not really up the probability much it to me isnt worth it.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Thanks Ang!

I have to say it's nice to see other LIW girls on here, it is comforting and my doctor just said to me yesterday that I need to have a really good support system.

I think we will go the IVF route, I guess I just needed some confidence and support.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would def go the IVF route if you are 100% ready physically & emotionally especially if you have a lifetime max...Good luck!!!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Posted by stinenandy2010

Thanks Ang!

I have to say it's nice to see other LIW girls on here, it is comforting and my doctor just said to me yesterday that I need to have a really good support system.

I think we will go the IVF route, I guess I just needed some confidence and support.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

oh Christine!!! I'm so sorry you have to join this club!
i would definately go forward with IVF. we have no coverage for this either and we will continue to do IUI's for awhile, but i know that if those don't work for us, eventually, we will have to pay OOP for IVF

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

i would do the ivf.

and lets say it doesn work and you have a couple frozen embryos....

you could save up for a transfer down the road at least knowing you have some frosties.

i hope you come to a descision you feel comfy with xoxo

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF. Much better chances of getting pregnant than IUI. Why waste time and money not to mention heartache month after month with such low chances with IUI KWIM?

Good Luck!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would absolutely take the 60-70% chance with IVF.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Hands down - ivf. You'll up your chances greatly and you'd hopefully have a few embies to freeze.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would definitely do IVF rather than the IUI's. It seems like your best shot at it.

Good Luck

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would definitely go with IVF. You both have issues and that is the best way to bypass them IMO. Also, just as an example, we had $10K lifetime coverage for IF and we did 6 IUI's and 2 fresh IVF cycles and didn't run out of money. The meds were not included though...

Good luck!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF. But just make sure that your insurance covers IVF first. Mine covers IUIs but not IVF.

If you have to pay OOP for IVF I might try 1 or 2 more IUIs with a slightly different protocol first.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I have been posting similar questions on here about when to move to IVF from IUI and everyone has been really helpful. With their advice and some research I am definitely doing IVF. I've read that a lot of statistics show that your success rate will drop after three IUIs. My advice would be maybe one more IUI then IVF. The $15k max might be able to cover both of those things and it would buy you some time to feel a little more confident. If the 15k wouldn't cover both and you couldn't supplement the remainder I would do IVF next.

Hope that helped.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF next cycle...hell with the IUI's! At least if you get several embryos from IVF and if first cycle doesn't work and you do a FET it won't be as much out of pocket! If you continue to do IUI's and no sucess the out of pocket expense for IVF is a lot!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Thanks so much girls! I really appreciate everyone's feedback!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF. We are also on a 15K IVF max so I feel your pain. We have severe MFI so we had no other choice.... Our other insurance overs $0.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF. Good luck!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

i had no idea

go for the ivf

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Personally I would go for the IVF. This is only b/c I went through 5 rounds of IUI's with all failures. I have no "issues" nor does DH. For us IVF is what has worked.
I wish you lots of luck on your journey

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

Aww, Christine.

I would do IVF too. If you're that uncomfortable with it, split the difference, try 3-4 IUIs and then IVF.

Lots of for you!

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

I would do IVF. I did 2 failed IUI's and wish I just went to IVF right away.

Re: Please please please need some non bias opinions!

The emotional torture of 4 failed iui's and a chemical were al most too much to bear. If I knew how low the stats were, I would have never ever wasted my time. IVF was so much more calm, controlled, and positively optimistic for me. I wish I would have gone to IVF a year ago. I'm now expecting twins! good luck!!