[kzawisl]

maybe "advice" isn't the righ word. I think I just need to be talked down out of the crazy tree.
Started stims day 3.

Days 3-7: 75iu Menopur
Day 8 u/s: no measurable follies
Days 8-10: 112.5iu
Day 11 u/s: 5 follies, largest at 6mm
Days 11-12: 150iu
Day 13 u/s: 7 follies, largest were 8mm (3 of those)

They want me on 150iu tonight and tomorrow, and another u/s on Wednesday.

Had a hard time measuring my lining b/c of some fluid in the uterus.

IS ANY OF THIS NORMAL!? I just need to know that this is par for the course!!

Dx hypothalamic amenorrhea (not the "i exercise too much and don't eat enough" kind....just the "i don't get my period" kind. DH and I are both 30, and his SA was great in all categories.

Thanks in advance.

[mayjay315]

Is menopur the only thing your taking? What kind of cycle are you doing? I'm in the middle of an IVF cycle right now and they did put me on menopur. However, I also did gonal-f. I started with 75u of menopur and 75 u of gonal and monitoried every other day. They lowered the gonal, but never changed the menopur.

[kzawisl]

Originally Posted by mayjay315

Is menopur the only thing your taking? What kind of cycle are you doing? I'm in the middle of an IVF cycle right now and they did put me on menopur. However, I also did gonal-f. I started with 75u of menopur and 75 u of gonal and monitoried every other day. They lowered the gonal, but never changed the menopur.

We're actually not doing IUI or IVF....we're going to give TI a shot, since the only issue at play is the fact that I don't ovulate.

[kcmd79]

Hi! Are they checking your estradiol level at each ultrasound as well? It seems that your response is a little sluggish--- there is a high risk of cancelling the first month on stims anyway since it is really the first time to see how your body responds. I started with 150 units of menopur, and this morning I have a crazy amount of follicles all around 10mm--- my baseline es was 33, and I haven't gotten my labs back from today yet. But the level gives another indication of how you are responding to the menopur. My RE said that they will stimulate ovulation when my follicles get to 18mm (as long as I don't have too many of them-- then we will need to cancel the cycle or switch last minute to IVF). I asked about a long cycle with delayed stimulation before my US this morning because I have to go to a conference next weekend, and the nurse said that if I wasn't ready by cycle day 15 or so I probably wasn't going to be ready this cycle at all--- Well, anyway, good luck!

[poohbear183927]

I believe you are a little ahead of me on your cycle. Started 75 IU of menopur - C8 - no measurable follies
Dr up my dose to 150 IU menopur - off to the Dr tomorrow 5/5/11 for ultrasound and blood work. Good luck to us!!

[kzawisl]

Originally Posted by poohbear183927

I believe you are a little ahead of me on your cycle. Started 75 IU of menopur - C8 - no measurable follies
Dr up my dose to 150 IU menopur - off to the Dr tomorrow 5/5/11 for ultrasound and blood work. Good luck to us!!

Yup, just a few days ahead! ad another u/s this monring, biggest follie was at 11, and they're keeping me at 150iu. Estradiol is on 66, but it was only 33 2 days ago, so at least it is climbing.
GL to you!!

[kzawisl]

Originally Posted by kcmd79

Hi! Are they checking your estradiol level at each ultrasound as well? It seems that your response is a little sluggish--- there is a high risk of cancelling the first month on stims anyway since it is really the first time to see how your body responds. I started with 150 units of menopur, and this morning I have a crazy amount of follicles all around 10mm--- my baseline es was 33, and I haven't gotten my labs back from today yet. But the level gives another indication of how you are responding to the menopur. My RE said that they will stimulate ovulation when my follicles get to 18mm (as long as I don't have too many of them-- then we will need to cancel the cycle or switch last minute to IVF). I asked about a long cycle with delayed stimulation before my US this morning because I have to go to a conference next weekend, and the nurse said that if I wasn't ready by cycle day 15 or so I probably wasn't going to be ready this cycle at all--- Well, anyway, good luck!

They are checking my estradiol at every appt, and it was 33 on day 8, but DROPPED to 20something on day 11. It was 66 today.
Good luck to you....hope the rest of your cycle goes smoothly!

[kcmd79]

Well, Kzawisl,
I'm out this cycle it looks like--- slow may be the way to go, since it is only cycle day 10 for me and I have nearly 30 follicles. At least 6 are already mature and another 10 could easily be soon, or more--- too many to convert to IVF. So we have to cancel this cycle and try to pace ourselves out a bit more next month. And no BD for at least a week--- my estradiol after 5 days of shots was 560, today it is probably even more but it isn't back yet. So good luck to you! Post if you have success, on to try #8 for me!

[poohbear183927]

Well my biggest follicle was 10mm on yesterday. Dr wants me to cont on the Menopur 150 until Sunday. Then back to the Dr Monday for another Ultrasound and bloodwork.....Dr told me not to be disappointed, that it will happen. Trying to keep that in mind.. My mom dreamed about fish. In our family, she dreams about fish, babies are on the way

[kzawisl]

Originally Posted by poohbear183927

Well my biggest follicle was 10mm on yesterday. Dr wants me to cont on the Menopur 150 until Sunday. Then back to the Dr Monday for another Ultrasound and bloodwork.....Dr told me not to be disappointed, that it will happen. Trying to keep that in mind.. My mom dreamed about fish. In our family, she dreams about fish, babies are on the way

Well, tell her to have a fish dram for me, too!
I went in today and have a 14mm follie, but my E2 is only at 72. Going in tomorrow for anotehr check.
We are totally OOP, so these $400 appointments are really kicking my ***.

[Francesca13]

Kz....Your story sounds just like mine. They would start me on a low dose and I would putter along for awhile, then they'd raise my dose and nothing would really happen. One time I went in and had a follie at 14mm and 2 at 11mm with my E2 at 99, but the next time it was at 96 and nothing had grown. That cycle was cancelled. According to my RE, until the level hits 100, they consider it a "baseline measurement" because of the variation in testing. They told me there isn't much difference between a level of 25 and a level of 50 (I used to obsess about this constantly!!)

What worked for me was to use a mix of Menopur and Gonal F. I also took a month off on the BCP and that seemed to help, too. In fact, the cycle after the one above, I made 12 giant follies in a few days and had to be cancelled for overstimming (we didn't want to jump right to IVF) with an E2 of 700+. It was the cycle after that where we found success....they lowered my dose and I only made ONE follicle with an E2 around 175. We did TI and I got pregnant with our son who is now 8 months.

I did have to advocate for the change in meds. I said "I don't seem to be responding well to the Menopur alone, so can we switch medication?" and the doctor was like "oh yeah, okay, that's worth a try."

Oh, and I had fluid in my uterine lining, as well! They always seemed concerned about that at my appointments, but never really told me why. The cycle that I got pregnant, though, there was no fluid. My lining also got much thicker on that cycle (thicker lining corresponds with higher E2, I think). I had to take progesterone suppositories for that successful cycle, and that also seemed to help things "stick."

PM me if you want to chat more. Best wishes for growing follies and a I did LOTS of crying during those horrible appointments where nothing happened. It's very stressful when you don't even feel like you can get to the part where you actually try for a baby.....but I'm living proof that there is hope. And it only took us 4 cycles....but while you're in it, it feels just awful. Have hope, girl!!!