Tuesday, October 25, 2011

IVF The Remix (Conversion)

For those of you not on Twitter, my Monday morning monitoring revealed only TWO viable follicles at 22mm each and estradiol holding steady below 200. Basically, fuck all.

My clinic has a 4 follicle minimum for IVF retrieval, so they recommended to convert to IUI. When I explained the situation with my FSA money, they gave me the option to move forward with IVF if I really wanted to. But. The success rate for IVF with two follicles versus IUI with two follicles is the same. Obviously, IVF comes with some risks that IUI does not have. It is surgery and there is no guarantee that they will actually collect the eggs.

There is no chance of another IVF cycle this calendar year. I called the FSA administrator and they confirmed that if the procedure is not performed before December 31, 2011, I WILL lose the money in my FSA. So we are now poring over the eligible expenses list to see what we can use the balance to purchase.

This was our choice. And we chose the IUI. As badly as I want to close the book on this process and as heartbreaking as it is to essentially get cancelled again... this feels like the right decision. Silver lining: No PIO and we get to have sex as soon as the IUI is done.

11 comments:

  1. I'm sorry it didn't end up the way you'd hoped. Good for you for seeing the silver lining, and who knows, this could be it! Thinking of you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So sorry. Sounds like a good decision though, and I'm hoping and praying for the best!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am sorry, I hate that they disappeared. I am hoping with the DHEA that the eggs the follicles will produce will be super strength ready to be implanted into your lovely womb. Ok that sounds weird but you know what I mean.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Everything happens for a reason. Hoping and praying this will be the one.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It sounds like a good choice even though it was under frustrating circumstances... Sending good energy your way!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so sorry things didn't go the way you hoped. Sending you positive vibes that the IUI is the ticket!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sorry to hear this. What a hard choice to make. Does your $$ kick in for next year in January?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so sorry! But here's hoping the IUI works... sometimes it's the last thing we expect that actually works!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Boo! I'm so sorry about this but will send you good thoughts for the IUI!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am so sorry. I really know how this feels - in fact, our profiles are scarily alike! We're basically the same age, I also have a low AMH (0.35 /0.5) and I had a terrible response to my first two IVF cycles. The first one I produced only 3 eggs and none of them made it to retrieval - I compared our results at the point where you cancelled, and they were about the same. My clinic decided to push on, I think because they probably felt this was the best I could do so might as well try. The second cycle was about the same - I only produced two eggs and made one embryo. Going through that and realizing how miniscule our chances of success were was devastating.
    Believe it or not, we are trying again (I am a glutton for punishment) but with a new clinic this time. I am viewing this as our last chance - if we don't get any improved results then we're moving on to Plan B, whatever that is.

    I really hope that this IUI actually works for you...will have my fingers crossed. If not, just know you're not alone!

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is so frustrating that you couldn't do the ivf. I'm glad you can still do the iui though and I hope it brings success ;)

    ReplyDelete