endo and ivf

turtle0619 · Post by **turtle0619** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:12 pm

Hi everyone. I'm new to these boards and i will be starting my first ivf cycle in a few weeks. i have stage 4 endometriosis, and i am very worried that the ivf wont be successful because of this. I dont know anyone else with endo so i am feeling very alone now. i was wondering if anyone had success with ivf with endo and how many times it took. any positive stories or advice would be very welcome! thanks!
~franny

wolffie · Post by **wolffie** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:38 pm

Hi turtle!

I am on the september board with you! I also have endo, but I don't know what stage. I conceived on my own a few years ago but that resulted in an ectopic because my right tube was blocked. The tube ruptured and I had emergency surgery and lost the tube. With the endo diagnosis and the ectopic by doc suggested I go straight for IVF as it would be "safer" for me. I got pregnant on my first try! We transferred two excellent looking 5 day blasts. Both of my little embies implanted but we lost one at 6 weeks. My beautiful little boy is now 13 months old. I am working towards a FET in September. There is hope with IVF and endo. Has your doc given you a "prognosis"? I have been on this and another fertility board and I have seen many women get their BFP's with endo. Remember that if a cycle isn't successful it may not have to do with the endo but could be b/c of the embryo. There are so many factors that go into conceiving. Try to stay positive. You'll have your BFP soon enough, I can feel it!

Warren Dew · Post by **Warren Dew** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:41 am

My wife had "moderate" (stage 2 or 3, I think) endometriosis. It took the doctors a couple of years after the "unexplained infertility" to figure that out.

When they did, she had an endometriomectomy to remove the large endometrioma they had found, and we proceeded to IVF. It took us four tries to get to a heartbeat and a baby. However, I wouldn't be too discouraged by that - I think the main reason the first three tries didn't work was because the drug regimen was giving her continuous headaches. When we went back for a second baby, it took us only one try to get to a heartbeat, using the revised drug regimen, and hopefully we'll have a second baby in six months or so.

I think IVF is a pretty good solution for infertility due to endometriosis. It seems like endometriosis generally prevents the embryo from even getting to the uterus, and IVF is pretty good at getting the embryo there.

turtle0619 · Post by **turtle0619** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:46 am

thank you so much for your support and positive thoughts!! i think i'm gonna like it here, and its already helped! so thanks for taking the time to respond.

Path Finder · Post by **Path Finder** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:30 am

Hi Turtle0619,

I too have stage 4 endo and am going through IVF. When I had my ER, they retrieved 4 eggs, and only 3 fertilized. When I had my ET 3 days later, 2 had 7 cells each and 1 had 4 cells. Currently I am waiting to go for my BETA test on August 7th. My RE assured me that even women with endo get pregnant with IVF.

Best wishes with your IVF cycle!

astoltz75 · Post by **astoltz75** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:40 pm

Sounds like our situations are similar. I have stage 4 endo and will start my first ivf cycle in apx. 3 weeks. I've started my lupron injections and had a mock transfer today. I'm scared! Keep me updated with your progress and good luck!

Sari · Post by **Sari** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 3:57 pm

Hello turtle:

I have mild endo, uterus myoma (6cm) and ovarian cyst, to make it all more beautiful, my DH has low sperm count and motility. Have been trying for more than 15 years with pills, inseminations, injections, but never IVF. On march we tried IVF for the first time and it was a success. I am 19 weeks pregnant with a baby boy and very happy. So don't lose faith, there are worst cases here and they are a success story. Be positive and pray a lot, because at the end the only one who can do the miracle is God.

We are here for you when you need to talk.

Sary

kimn · Post by **kimn** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 3:35 am

Hi there-
I'm very new to the online posting but wanted to share my story with the hopes of supporting other out there going through this journey.

I have been TTC for 6years. My husband and I are highschool sweethearts. Been together for almost 20yrs, married for 7yrs. I'm 33 years old and he is 36. I was diagnosed with endo early 2007. My husband also has low sperm count and issues with motility and morphology. I went through laprascopy surgery in October 2007 followed with 3 months of lupron depot shots. I was told my chances to conceive should be immediately following the lupron by trying IVF. Due to cost associated with IVf we choose to try on our own for a few months and unfortunately...no luck. We then tried 2-3 rounds of clomid with timed intercourse. Round one...nothing. Round two I had a chemical pregnancy. March, 2009 we tried IUI with clomid and again nothing.

July, 2009 we met with a few other doctors in town and decided to make a move to a new fertility center. I am currently in the middle of my IVF cycle. I'm currently taking .025cc lupron, luveris 75iu and 225 of follistim. I saw my doctor today for normal routine blood work and ultrasound which has been every 3 days. She said I have approx 10-12 eggs and everything is looking how it's suppose to look. I will see my doctor again on Sunday morning to determine if retrieval will be Tuesday of Wednesday. I'm very nervous and excited. I'm very curious on the egg quality etc. I know after the retrieval they will watch them for 3-5 days and grade them. What numbers do I want to hear when they call me with updates. What is considered excellent at transfer? I'm also concerend with my husband sperm issues. If we are doing IVF with ICSI do I need to worry since they pick out the best to insert? Is there anyone that has a similar story with a BFP after one IVF?

dogzrule · Post by **dogzrule** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:19 pm

kimn- ICSI takes away any issues with hubby's sperm, so you're good to go there. As for excellent embies, they will tell you the quality on the days they call you with an update. Remember, it only takes one, and there are people here who got their BFP with average embies and people who had perfect ones transferred but got a BFN. It's just how it goes. Ask all the questions you need when they call! I am an example of a BFP on the 1st try with IVF, and I too have endo.

kimn · Post by **kimn** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:47 am

dogzrule-
That is great news! Congratulations. My retrieval is scheduled for tomorrow:-) My husband and I are now battling the "how many do we transfer". He is so afraid of mutiples and only wants to transfer one embryo and I would like to increase my chances with at least two. My doctor recommends 2-3. As you know with endo we have implantation issues. Curious...how many did you transfer? With my IVF package I do have unlimited transfers and my doctor is seeing 12-16 eggs. I know I may lose many of them due to maturity etc. I'm hopeful if one does not take we will have a few left over in the freezer and hope they make it through a thaw. Thanks for the email and insight. It's great to hear you had a similar experience and had a postive result your first try. It gives hope which we all need during this time.

Kim

dogzrule · Post by **dogzrule** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:21 am

We transferred two. Our clinic will not transfer more than two if it's a 5-day transfer, but in our case, they wouldn't have done more than that no matter what because we refused to have selective reduction as an option. I'm with you and would do 2-3 instead of 1. The chance of multiples in our case was 33%, but we got our singleton. Most people will only have one, but it is a risk you are taking. I'm rooting for you!!!

LM1979 · Post by **LM1979** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:06 pm

Hi!
I wanted to share my story with all of you endo girls to be a source of hope!

I was diagnosed with stage 4 endo in november of 2007. I had an endometrioma removed from my ovary at that time laparoscopically. I was told by my ob/gyn that my endo was "as bad as it gets" and to try to conceive on my own for three months and then go straight to IVF. After the three months were up, we made an appointment with our RE. He recommended IVF, and we began our first cycle. The first cycle seemed perfect-lupron, followed by menopur and gonal-f-25 follicles, 13 eggs, transferred 2 good-looking blastocysts-BFN. My doctor was surprised, said let's do a different protocol for round two, and so we embarked on round two with a devestated but hopeful attitude. This time we did the ganirelex protocol with menopur and gonal-f. Again, 13 eggs were retreived, but they didn't look so great on day 5. We transferred 3 morulas, again BFN. For round 3 my RE recommended an FET. We transferred 3 embryos that were pretty good quality (6ab, 5ab, 4ab-I believe). BFN.

I then began Depot Lupron. I took one dose of that (which lasts one month) followed by two more weeks of regular lupron (10 units). We went back to Gonal-F and Menopur, and decided to add Lovenox, a blood thinner, as an extra protection. We also decided to do a day 3 transfer no matter what. It seemed that the quality of my embryos drastically deteriorated after day 3. My RE felt that perhaps the embryos would do better inside my body than in the petri dish. Sure enough, after 13 eggs at retreival (again!), we had 7 fantastic looking embryos on day 3. We transfered 4 8-cell embryos on day 3 and began the dreaded 2ww. 11 days later I had my very first BFP! I am now 31 weeks pregnant with a little girl. It has been a dream pregnancy so far.

I have been where you are. I was nervous, uncertain, anxious, and in some serious need of positive stories to hold on to. There were many points where I honestly didn't believe I would ever be able to get pregnant. While I do think that endo makes it more difficult to conceive, even through IVF, it is most definitely possible. Good luck to all of you!!

endo and ivf

endo and ivf

endo and ivf

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