Can IVF be done without the drugs??

[Shellyann]

Hi everyone...I am facing to possibly have IVF. I have one tube that is open but damaged from previous ectopic. I'm worried about the ovarian cancer risk from stimulating the ovaries with drugs. I was curious as to if IVF can be performed by using the egg that is produced naturally without the use of drugs. I know I ovulate and my husband had good sperm. Does anyone have any information as to if this is at all possible. Thanks!

[Traceysainsbury]

Hi

St Georges used to offer natural cycle ivf, but I'm not sure if anyone else does.

Tracey

[DebraP]

Hello, I just popped over from the June Cycle Buddies to say yes, there is another way. Someone on our board is having something called IVM (in vitro maturation) done. BUT....she's in the US, I've looked online and it looks like Denmark and maybe Korea also do it....it seems to work on the basis of a naturally occuring egg being removed vey early on ie. before it is ready, left to mature in the lab then fertilised and transfered later. I could see a Danish report online saying it was proving successful. You might want to do a more thorough search than mine and see if anywhere in the UK comes up. I can understand your wanting to avoid unecessary ovarian stimulation, most of us however are prepared to take the risk

Good luck,
Debra.

[Dagny]

Hi

Does anyone know the risks of getting ovarian cancer from the IVF drugs? The more treatments I have the more worried I get

Dagny xkx

[IWannaBeMommy]

Hello, I'm new here and to IVF. I have my first IVF Consultation on Tues. July 6 and was just wondering if anyone may be able to tell me when they may start me on the drugs and how far later the IVF. I already went to get all my medical records to bring to my consultation. I have so many emoitions going through me right now. Excited (finally have appointment), nervous (not knowing what to expect), scared (afraid they will say that can't do anything for me), worried (that it won't work). Little about me: I'm shy until I get to know people. I'm 32 with history of 2 ectopic pregnancies. Both tubes are blocked and one ovary gone the other (?unknown, at the present moment ).I'm also looking for others in the Bangor,Maine area to go through this together. Can't find any support groups in the area.

[Dagny]

Hi IWannaBeAMommy!

Welcome to the site you wont regret it as everyone on here is so helpful and full off advice. There is a July Cycle Buddy thread on the General Forum which has girls starting treatments in or around July. Come over and have a look. The General Forum is much busier than over here and you will find more people will have a response to your questions.

You emotions are only natural as we have all felt like you at one point or another. I am half way through my 4th treatment and I still feel scared,excited, worried, pi$$ed off, etc, etc. There are no guarantees with this whole IVF lark so we need to have faith in our doctors and in ourselves.

My treatment protocol usually lasts about 4 weeks. From the start of down regulating (shutting the ovaries down) to stimulating (making the ovaries produce more follicles and eggs than normal) to EC (egg collection) and then finally ET (embryo transfer). It depends on your own bodies natural cycle and whatever factors you have fot fertility treatment to what treatment protocol you will have.

Come over to the General Forum. Good luck for the 6th by the way.

Love Dagny xkx

[TanyaVincent-Tomlinson]

Hi Shellyann

I think what you're referring to is Natural Cycle IVF (or NC-IVF). There isn't an awful amount published about it, but I, like you, was also concerned about all the drugs and hyper-stimulation. In my first consultation, I mentioned NC-IVF to the doctor and that was the way we decided to go.

He recommended taking Clomifen (I think that's Clomid in the UK) for days 3-8 of your cycle. Then you have to do an injection before ovulation, in order to time it correctly.
The egg/eggs are then taken out- and the rest is the same as IVF, I guess.

He said that the quality of the eggs through NC-IVF are usually very good. You take the Clomifen to try to increase the number of eggs released (there have been studies of this done at Glasgow University).

We had 4 eggs, but I ovulate very quickly, so one was lost. All three that remained were of good quality and all fertilised. Two were replaced... we had our first scan this week and we saw two blobs, so fingers crossed, they will hang on.

I haven't got any experience of conventional IVF, but I think that this method is a lot easier and less stressful- and I would mention it to your doctor when you see him/her, as I don't think it's something that they would usually offer. There are also, of course, cost benefits of going this way, as you don't have to pay for all of the costly drugs either.

I hope that this helps.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Tanya

[Jjj]

Hi Tanya and CONGRATULATIONS, I went on your site to look at the blobs..... You must be really happy. I myself have only started posting recently and was just looking through the different posts when I read yours. I will look into that for myself as I do not really respond well to the expensive drugs anyway. I had tried natural cycle ivf two years ago but i was not given clomid like yourself, instead for me they relied just on the natural cycle egg. However it did not fertilise, but atleast you can have more goes with less cost. Can I ask where you had your treatment?
All the best Jjj x

[TanyaVincent-Tomlinson]

Hi Jij

I had my treatment here in Frankfurt at the University clinic.... it's been a little difficult at times with the language difficulties!! Particularly when I phoned to find out the results from the pregancy test..... ! When I spoke to my gynaecologist, he said there was a choice of two clinics for us around here, but with much of a muchness in size, number of ivf cycles and results. In Germany, they aren't legally bound to publish their success rates, so they look very low.

My doctor did recommend the clomid, as he said that I would most likely produce more eggs. As I was at the right time in my cycle, I didn't have much of a chance to research into everything, but I didn't have any side-effects from the clomid- I had to take one injection of ovitrelle prior to ovulation.

Since then I have been taking progestorone pessaries (crinone). Other than now feeling really rough--- waves of nausea.... there haven't been any sorts of adverse side-effects.

I hope that that helps you... please feel free to mail me if you have any questions at all.
Good luck!
Tanya x

[Jjj]

Hi Tanya, thank you for your reply. I will try and find out more information on that protocol. I will be going on hols soon, so will not really get a chance to look. But I am glad I read your info. Keep eating a ginger biscuit, supposed to help with nausea..... Keep us all informed with your progress, take care Jjj

[TanyaVincent-Tomlinson]

Hi Jij,

Just thought I'd update you... found out this week that it's twins... and hence the increased fatigue and nausea... it'll all be worth it!!

Both embryos have implanted... so I would definitely give NC-IVF the thumbs up!!!

Take care- good luck and let me know how you get on.

Tanya

[ogr1]

congradulations
what wonderful news
becky

[Jjj]

Hi, what fantastic news, I am so pleased for you. It is always good to hear of a different type of treatment working. It always gives hope to others too. You look after yourselves and eat well, keep us all posted Love Jjj x

[ogr1]

jjj what have you been up 2?

it has been raining here.
it has also been very busy. had 3 kids that decided to have blow ups.
but i think they are on the right track again
becky

[Jjj]

Hi Becky, i posted you on othe other thread, i am still figuring out the quick way to catch up on them so i do not miss any messages What do you mean by blow ups Jjj x