Does it make ANY sense to go from IVF to IUI?

[mulligan]

Hi Everybody,

Just got a BFN from FET #2 and now we are out of embryos (we actually have one left that we don't want to use) so we need to do another fresh cycle. Problem is that we don't want to right now. I'm just not emotionally ready for it at this point so we thought we'd try on our own for a few months. Well, the more I thought about it the more I started thinking that maybe an IUI wouldn't be a bad way to go either. I've never tried it and I don't know how successful it is, but I thought it would be easier than a fresh ivf cycle and maybe give us a better chance than just trying completely naturally on our own. Have you ever heard of going from ivf to iui? Does that even make sense? I know people go from iui to ivf all the time, but the other way around? Is it even worth our time or just I just suck it up and do another fresh cycle? What do you think? What would you do?

Thanks!
Mulligan

[ICSI GIRL]

well here goes my cents and i haven't done the IUI thing...... we did the clomid rounds.....and then normal ob referred to RE.....RE's assessment of OUR situation was that bc our biggest "issue" was male factor (i.e. - slow/not strong enough swimmers) --- that IUI would be a waste of our money and that we should go directly to IVF w/ ICSI.....so that's what we did --- and i'm exactly 4 weeks pregnant today!!!! so i guess what i'm TRYING to say is ask your RE what he/she thinks.....

good luck --- i know these decisions are emotionally wrenching!!!

[nicaliw]

My answer to that is that anything is possible. If you are feeling like IUI's are the way to go it will improve your odds from ttc naturally but not increase your odds statistically as much as IVF would. I think you should follow your heart. I have read a LOT of stories on these message boards and so many times am I delighted to hear of yet another success story from a couple who conceived unexpectedly or not the way they thought they would.
Best of luck, sorry about your recent dissapointment.

[jomae]

Hey there
sorry to hear about your negative result we had one round of ivf with icsi but had to go the donor route at the last minute next round we switched to iui thinking no need for full cycle we did three cycles before found i was a lazy egg maker and then switched back to full ivf cyle which we got pregnant with. I guess it depends why you need treatment to begin with if its male factor and depending on the severity it may be a wast of your time your best option would be to ask your doc and see what your chances would be and go from there and to be honest although its not so much expense and you don't need to take such harsh drugs its just as hard it still affects you emotionally Goodluck with what ever you choose

[mulligan]

Hey,

First of all, ICSI GIRL, congrats! Congrats! Congrats!!!!! That is wonderful news!!!

Thank you all for your thoughts. I think you're right and should see what my re thinks before I make any decisions. DH and I are meeting with him on Tuesday pm so we'll have a long discussion about it all then. I'm not sure what he is going to say. DH has no issues so that's good. Yes, it's apparently all me. I have PCOS which I think is a big factor in this, but maybe there is something else going on. I don't know, I'm really just wanting to get af and then try again asap. I don't want to waste anymore time!!!! I know I need to get over that. Anyway, I'll let you all know what the doc says on Tues. Thanks for your support.

Congrats ICSI GIRL!!!!

[JustinesBaby]

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[michelle38]

Hi Mulligan,

I have done both IUI (4 times) & IVF ICSI (1 time). All BFN. My 2 cents is very similar to everyone else's-

There is no reason why you can't go from IVF to IUI. But RE's naturally want to start you with the least expensive and least invasive type of treatment, (IUI) Iunless there are specific reasons why you cannot do IUI, those reasons being total lack of ovulation, fallopian tubes been removed b/c of disease, etc..

You did not mention why you started out doing IVF instead of other treatments first? There must be a reason..? Does your insurance cover everything? If that's why, I would certainly stay with IVF. The stats are so much higher.

As previously mentioned, at your young age, you have much time to try naturally, other options, etc.... whatever you do, something will work for you.

Lots of baby dust!-
m

[mulligan]

So, my re was really not much help. He'll do whatever we want to do. We have a few options, none of them really all that appealing. I don't know why this has to be so hard. Why can't I just know when I'm ovulating, have sex and get pregnant. Why does it have to be so hard?! I"m really not having that great of a day. AF is here and pissed. She has not been very nice during her visit so far. That beautiful lining....
My best friend found out that she is pregnant today and another really good friend of mine gave birth to twins yesterday. I"m happy for them, but being selfish and feeling crappy about my situation and failures in getting pregnant. It really sucks.

Ok. Enough self pity. Here are my options:

1.) Another FET with our last remaining embryo that has two inner cell masses so could potentially split into identical twins. Apparently, this is a bad thing. Dangerous situation even though it almost sounds ideal to me.

2.) A fresh cycle. I have PCOS so egg quality is an issue for me. I'm 33, but with PCOS you can have low egg quality. This is why they think my last 3 ivf/fet cycles have failed. If we do another fresh ivf, we'd have another issue where all of our attempts would be from the same batch and all could fail if egg quality is bad.

3.) Ovulation induction and then IUI. Our chances of success between 15-20%. I'd take a drug called anastozole, go in for monitoring as a follicle becomes dominant, ovidrel shot to ovulate and then iui.

4.) Timed intercourse. On our own. Maybe a drug to help me ovulate. Chance of success 8-10%.

No matter what we choose, it looks like I'm starting the pill tonight. It's not recommended to get pregnant the cycle immediately following a m/c (that what a chemical pregnancy basically is). Then I'm doing a bunch of blood test this week and and hsg to make sure I don't have a blocked tube once AF is gone. The pill will keep my cycle from being a long one (it usually is) and will suppress me at the same time.

I'm sorry this is such a long post. I know you all don't know me and are total strangers, but you know what I'm going through so your advice means a lot to me. We don't know what to do. We don't want to waste time so we're tempted to just do a fresh cycle, but that didn't work and we don't want to base all of our next cycles on bad quality eggs. Does that make sense?

Help! I need advice!!!

[sharishu]

Mulligan-
Have you considered acupuncture? I remember my acupuncturist telling me that for each stage of IVF/fertility treatment, he can treat a variety of problems which may arise. I'm wondering if acu. can help with egg quality. Doesn't hurt to find out. I wish you LOTS of luck. May your next attempt result in a beautiful baby (or two
Shari