New to Forum-age 44

[Darlene]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and wanted to join.

Husband and I just started in December. RE started us on Clomid (100), 1 injection of Follistim 150 units, and 1 injection of Ovidrel. Responed well to treatment; however, eggs matured on right side where my tube is blocked. Could not begin 2nd round due to cysts. Hoping for a better outcome when I go back in at the end of Feb.

Status of anyone else just starting?

[Troy]

Good luck. This board used to be really active, but has been very quiet. I am all done and ended up by doing oocyte donation after multiple IUI with stims, and one IVF -- it's definitely a bit of random walk with luck when you are trying over the age of 42 with your own eggs, and most doctors would probably recommend that you would go to IVF if one of your tubes is blocked. Using stims will produce more eggs and more eggs means a better chance that one of them might be normal.

[Darlene]

How does oocyte donation work? I really hope to use my own eggs if possible, but we'll see what the future holds. It's very nerve wracking to go through this, as well as, to read everything that is out there. It really doesn't sound encouraging.

How long have you been trying?

[Troy]

I tried with medical assistance for approximately one year, from the time when I was 42.5 to 43.5. I tried for about six months before being told that I really needed medical intervention because of age. I personally found that what matters is not how long you've been trying, but how much you feel like you've exhausted the possibilities you are willing to try (IUI, IVF, or whatever).

There's a lot involved in oocyte donation! There's an egg donor support board that can help answer questions.

[Darlene]

Hey,

I think we need to continue with the IUI treatment for a bit longer. Being a very impatient person, waiting is not something I'm good at. This is making me become a patient person. I think my RE will tell me to go through our projected course of action of IUI for a bit longer.

I understand the success rate of oocyte donation is high.

[McGoo]

If it were me, I'd tell the RE to stop wasting any of your precious time using Clomid in your protocol. I'd drop the Clomid and use injectibles with IUI for a few cycles. That will give you an idea of how you might respond for IVF (that is if the RE would even consider IVF), if IUI were not successful. Also, many RE's will not use Ovidrel for trigger - it was something to do with it resulting in more immature eggs at retreival for IVF than regular hCG.

My RE always said that all it takes is 1 good egg and that we just had to keep rolling the dice trying to get one. Good luck!
Janet

[Troy]

I know my RE refused to do IVF for women over 44, after his insurer told him they wouldn't cover him for those procedures. But I agree re stims and IUI. The chance you're going to end up with multiples is just remote.

[Darlene]

Dropping Clomid

Well, I had an appt. with my RE yesterday (2/10) regarding a more aggressive approach with injectibles. This will be my second round and we're doing straight injectibles....not clomid on this round. Although I responded well, I had 6 eggs and 2 matured, she feels that doing Follistim for 5-7 days and 1 ovidrel would be a good choice.

I won't have my menses ( I really don't like that word) until the 18 or 19, so...wish me luck. One good thing, I found that my insurance will cover the injectibles! whew.

[McGoo]

Great news that you are dropping the Clomid and that the stims are covered by insurance. You might ask your RE if she feels strongly about using Ovidrel for triggering. If not, ask her if she'll prescribe one of the other hCG's.

You should expect much closer monitoring this cycle. For me it was day3 for bloodwork (FSH, E2) & ultrasound, start stims on cd4 and go in for bloodwork (E2 & P4) & ultrasound 2 or 3 times before triggering. Stimming only 5 days would put you triggering on cd9 - not sure what's up w/ that. Seems like I recall one of the RE's here writing that stimming for 7+ days was desirable because of better outcomes - something about slow and steady yielding better quality.

You will be amazed at how much better you feel w/o nasty Clomid in your protocol. It has such awful side effects - headaches, moods, blech! Clomid turned me into a crazy woman - injectible cycles were such a relief and also they are so much better controlled cycles.

GOOD LUCK!
Janet

[Darlene]

Thanks for the feedback! I should start my cycle today (18th) or tomorrow, if I follow the same from the last 2 months.

I'm excited not to be on Clomid this round. I hope that I feel better than last time. I'm already a moody person and suffer from migraines, so me 10x moody is awful! I'm just glad that headaches weren't part of issue. Just being moody.

Are you not taking Ovidrel? What are you triggering with?

[McGoo]

Hi, Darlene - m, success implied

Sorry for being slow to respond, I just float thru there every once in a while. I am a lurking graduate and no longer ttc.

It's been a while, but even 6 years ago my RE & her partners would not prescribe Ovidrel because of the issues with less mature eggs (possibly why you had residual cysts last cycle).

Hope this cycle is going well and a BFP is in the near future!
Janet

[Darlene]

Hey,
Went in for my D5 US and ready to go. Responded well. I just need to wait for my RE to call me this afternoon to see where my estrogen levels are. "longer ttc"...what does that mean? Still up on all the lingo.

[Guest]

donor egg?

Hi,
I am new to this forum. Over 40 and trying to have a baby! I started at age 42, with my first IUI cycle which didn't work, a year later we did a IVF cycle, which was cancelled because I had such a poor responce. So, we were advised to try a donor egg. So, my search began.
Searching all the donor egg agencies online, I chose Loving Donations. After choosing 3 different donors from their data base, who, they could not even get in touch with, and subsiquently removed from their data base, I should have gone somewhere else then. But I finally found a donor, to find out she had a hormonal IUD, which had to be removed. So, we waited 2 months in order to use her. Then one week before we were to start our meds, my doctor called, the donor tested positive for a virus, and it would be against regulations to use her as a donor. I was so excited to start the cycle, I was devistated!
I have since found out, that Loving Donations does not do any medical or blood testing before accepting a donor, that it's up to my doctor to test her. Is that the way it is at all agencies?
We wasted 4 precious months trying to start this cycle to only end in disappointment! I got the money back which was for the donor, but the $5000 dollar agency fee is non refundable. I thought the agency fee was for testing, obviously not, what's it for?
Does anyone know, is that the way it is at all agencies?
I feel like they are just taking advantage of woman desperate to have a baby! And I am scared to search more
Thanks,
Disappointed

[Darlene]

Hi 2bmommy

I don't know how to answer your question since we are doing IUI. Have you contacted Liz through INCIID? She's very helpful. Emotional Issues Moderated by Liz O'Donnell, Ph.D.

It's understandable that you're scared to search for more donors,but keep searching. I know that you will find the right organization. Have you gone to the Professional Services link on INCIID? Also, the Donor Eggs and Legal Issues & Third Party Reproduction links too.

Good Luck,
Darlene

[Troy]

Hi, I am so sorry for what must be incredible disappointment. There is a donor support board that some of us still visit. But in answer to your question about testing, most agencies don't do testing. Even if they do, your clinic will insist on doing its own testing for ethical and legal reasons.

Agencies tend to have more donors and are especially useful if you are in an area of the country where there are not a lot of donors. Where I live, clinics have their own programs, and the benefit is that each donor is medically prescreened before they are even put onto an approved list of donors. The legal work is also done for you by the clinic. But lots of people prefer agencies notwithstanding, and since this agency was so bad, I would find another, or just try to find a clinic that has its own program. GL.