I took a ton of notes. Here are the highlights of our conversation:
- He started with "so who decided you have decreased ovarian reserve?" which made me realize he wasn't quite buying it. Hoorah!
- At SIRM, the live birth rate for women in my age group (35-37) is about 30% per cycle. For those who make it to transfer, the live birth rate is higher.
- He considers my infertility "unexplained." Egg quality is probably an issue.
- SIRM doesn't use CCCT. The results are not all that useful except to tell me time is of the essence.
- Nine antral follicles isn't great, but is still enough to qualify me for their Outcome Based Plan. I need to have at least that many at my February baseline.
- My prolactin of 26 is a tad too high and needs further investigation (My OB and Dr. Negative said it was fine, but having milk this long after breastfeeding is kind of freaky-nice to know it may be impacting my fertility, too).
- He would like me to cycle in January, but I can't miss two weeks of school in January. February is the earliest I can go. Sigh.
- He knows my RE, Dr. Negative. Well, he knows of him. He was nice, but he said that Dr. Negative's group is the biggest Egg Donor program in the country which probably explains why they were pushing donor eggs on us at our first visit.
- There is no escaping the BCP because he wants my ovaries to "rest" before IVF.
OK, I need your help. Do I go ahead and try a December round of injections and IUI here with Dr. Negative and Nurse Joy(less). Or do I try on my own until I go on the pill in January? I'm torn.
Pros to trying here:
- Got lucky with injections/IUI before.
- Much, much less expensive than IVF
- Potential to become pregnant sooner.
Cons:
- Lower likelihood of conception
- Dr. Negative and Nurse Joy
- Would I be wearing out my ovaries by stimming?
- Dr. Negative and Nurse Joy.
Help me decide, please.
3 comments:
Em I have to be honest that I feel like you should rest your body too. I think the drugs put a serious tax on your body. Don't you want to be in excellent form for that very promising round in February? I know it's hard to wait and an IUI seems like a good treat meanwhile, but I'd keep the big guns treatments in the hands of the big guns treatment people and leave Dr. Negative by the wayside. He's done enough damage to your psyche!
Not that you shouldn't try like a madwoman on between then and now though ... ;)
I'd wait for the IVF. You seem committed to it.
By the way, do we go to the same clinic? I'm in NC.
Thanks for the advice ChrisC and Chris.
We are still trying to decide. It turns out I have enough fertility insurance left to cover 65% of an IUI cycle, but not enough for IVF (not that I thought we had enough for that). I may just use it up. I think I'll email Dr. F for advice.
I am in coastal SC.
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