[Cecelia]

fairiedusst -

we are going to a Reproductive Endocrinologist fertility clinic specifically and there are 5 doctors we see there. They rotate out. We have a main doc, but it is good seeing all of them so they can put their heads together for solutions. i haven't asked about lap yet, but I think they will agree to do it. if not then i will get a second opinion. thanks for the suggestion!

rebekkahlahey -

I think you may be right as far as the earlier IUIs we did. The ones we did naturally without monitoring may have had lining issues and the IUI we did with Clomid I know had a lining issue, Clomid thinned it, but they thought we should try anyway. Our last IUI I had a nice cushy lining of 10mm at least. How does baby aspirin help implantation? how much do you take and when do you take it? Thanks for your suggestions!
Unfortunately I don't know of any IVF clinicals in our area, but that was a great idea.

[crob]

cecelia, if your insurance doesn't cover a lap (mine doesn't), it might be the most cost-effective to go ahead w/ ivf. that's what our RE recommended if this iui doesn't work. (especially since i didn't have any symptoms) also, clomid and letrozole can thin the uterine lining and it doesn't make for the best environment for reproduction. injectibles-only tends to increase your chances, even w/ just one or two matures eggs, b/c it makes a nicer lining and environment in there for implantation. i know injectibles are more expensive, but just a thought. good luck to you!

[Cecelia]

DeannaRN - they haven't done a mycoplasma or ureaplasma culture as far as I know. I also don't think they have tested my Thyroid function either. I will ask our RE about these things as well. The first 4 IUIs we did were not monitored, so no idea on my lining for those. This last one was definitely good though. The sperm counts have all been good for each IUI. Our RE does blood tests to help determine the exact best time to do the IUI, so I dn't think that has ever been an issue. I ovulate on a fairly consistent schedule. (fortunately) Hopefully it is all just more of a case of it taking time, but the few vials of swimmers we have left is what concerns me the most, it is what is making me feel so pressured. Best of luck with your IVF, hope it happens the first time.

babygood1 - do you mean you have them do an intravaginal ultrasound at the same time they are inserting the IUI catheter? For placement of the swimmers? I will take a look at your older posts. I so hope you got your this cycle.

[Cecelia]

casb77 - i am going to ask my RE for a hysteroscopy as well, just to make sure all is well in there. I am sorry to hear your IVF wasn't a . for next time!

annajacob - I will see if we can get the Antisperm Antibody test done on our remaining 6 vials of swimmers. I don't know if they will be able to do it since they thaw them right before IUI takes place. thanks for your kind words.

mgmsrk - we are changing up protocols as we progress, you can check out my signature to see what we have done each time. I only wish I hadn't done 4 natural cycles before getting more agressive, but that was my call. With our insurance helping out, we only pay $164.00 for each IUI we do. If we did IVF, it would kill us financially. It unfortunately isn't an option. Thanks for your suggestions.

colleen - we are timimg our IUIs closely and using the Ovidrel trigger shot, so that seems to be good. the swimmers we are using are my wife's. (She is trangendered and transitioned from male to female. We banked sperm beforehand so we could have children one day) I want this to be a genetic child from both of us if possible, that is why the few remaining vials are so precious to me. I am using acupuncture and I hope it does help us get preggers. thanks and good luck with your IVF!

[Cecelia]

Hi babygood1,

What people are talking about when they say they are getting a "lap" for "endo" is that they are getting a laparoscopy procedure done to see if they have endometriosis or something else on the outside of their uterus or ovaries that could be causing their infertility. A laparoscopy involves a slender tube camera that is inserted into the abdominal cavity so the doctor can see the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the uterus. It also enables them to see if you have anything abnormal in there that they can possibly correct. The slender laparoscope is inserted through a tiny incision made just below your naval. I haven't had one done yet, but I am sure at the very least they use local anesthesia and possibly pain medication for directly afterwards. I would think also it would delay you at least a cycle if you were close to your next cycle beginning. Others that have had a lap though can explain it better than I can no doubt. Best of luck!

[AmyK]

Originally Posted by babygood1

I hear people talking about the lab for endo...how is it done & does it hurt and does it cause delays?

I just had this in May. My RE ended up having to remove a large fibroid from the outside of the uterus. This extra procedure (called a myomectomy) delayed my healing. You will be under general anethesia. I think a normal recovery is about a week (mine was longer). he burned of quite a bit of endo that we did not know was there.

Make sure you check with your insurance to see if it would be covered. My RE coded it for bad cramps/heavy bleeding (which I was having) and it was covered (it's also expensive so make sure you are covered). Also, my ob-gyn offered to do the lap in case insurance said no to the RE (since they might think "infertility" if done by RE). All worked out, insurance paid and my period is so much better now. Hopefully, this next IUI will confirm that this surgery was a good idea. Good luck and if you have any more questions, please ask.

[Cecelia]

Hi crob,

Luckily our insurance does cover laparoscopy, so that shouldn't be an issue for us. We haven't had any problem with the Letrozole thinning my lining, but the Clomid sure did. It worked like a champ for my follies, but what is the use of that if they can't implant? : ) We began using follistim last cycle and it worked well, but no BFP. We use used Ovidrel to trigger ovulation in the 5th, 6th and 7th IUI cycles. On our next IUI we will no doubt use Follistim, Ovidrel and Ovidrel to trigger. I will ask my RE if there is something else she might recommend.

[Merryx]

Originally Posted by Cecelia

I wanted to begin a new thread concerning pre-evaluation before fertility treatments. Before we began trying with IUI, we made it clear that we had a limited amount of sperm available from my spouse, 13 vials, that's it. We thought it would be easy to get pregnant with just the IUI and no meds...nope. Supposed unexplained fertility.

Before we began all this, I had bloodwork done, FSH, Estradiol, Progesterone...etc. My RE then had me do an HSG to make sure my tubes were open and my uterus was okay. Everything looked great. I have had a regular 29 day cycle since I began menstruating, so it was easy to track ovulation, etc. I haven't ever had a problem with Endometriosis, PCOS or anything similar. We started TTC when I was 35, so age isn't a huge issue. So WHY after 7 IUIs (4 with no meds and 3 with meds) am I not pregnant? Why has there not even been a hint of a pregnancy? (If I sound bitter, I am) We only have a very limited supply of "swimmers" (6 vials left) and I am currently taking a cycle off. I want to make sure that I have gotten every conceivable test my RE can give me to make sure we are not wasting "swimmers" when there may be another problem they just haven't found because they haven't looked.

I wanted to know what tests others here have done before you started any sort of fertility treatment and then any test(s) you may have had done later as your unexplained infertility continued. Did anyone find anything unexpected that when corrected allowed them to have their ?

I know I may be grasping at straws here, but we only have a limited number of tries left. We can't move on to IVF, no way to afford it, so IUI will have to be the way we go. I desperately want to make sure that we have done everything we possibly can to make this happen. My heart just breaks everytime I see that or shows up. Then my anxiety level shoots up knowing we only have a few tries left.

If any of you can remember any of the tests you've had done, if you found anything out from them and if it helped your fertility issues, please post it under this thread so I and others can see the pathway others have taken. To everyone in the 2WW. to everyone!

I understand completely where you are coming from! I wish that I had some answers for you, but sadly, I am in the same boat. I have just done my 8th IUI...not sure if this one took yet, but I've gotten all for the 7 other times we tried. I too tried with no meds first and now 3 times on meds. I had all the same tests ran that you did...and here I am. If you figure anything out please let me know, and I will do the same.

I will say that I have made sure to take my prenatal vitamins everyday for the last month and a half. I used to skip all the time, but now I make sure to take them every morning. I also have started eating more fruits and veggies to boost my vitamins. I figure anything can help at this point!

[Merryx]

Originally Posted by babygood1

I have said it before and I'll say it again...I think they dont always do the IUIs right. I pay more and have them do a Us with it...they never know where to go...read some of my all posts. this last one I had a US both times and saw it being done..so I know for sure. I should know by 8/7 if I'm.

good luck!

I have to say that I agree with you on this topic! The last time that I went in for my IUI when he grabbed the tube to insert in to my cervix, he said "oh it moved, hold on" then had to use a different speculum to try and find the opening and before I knew it he said that it was done. Now, usually I feel a prick and it is uncomfortable. This time...nothing. As soon as he walked out of the room, I turned to my partner and said "I don't think he didn't put it past my cervix". She thought that I was being rediculous, but you learn how it feels and that wasn't right! I didn't realize that you could request to have an ultrasound done with it. If I am not pregnant this time, maybe I'll go that route once I find a new RE!

[charms]

we had unexplain IF and finally went to see an RE.

we did the HSG and both tubes were clear, however when we did the Lap, we found that one tube was twisted (hydrosalpinx) which filled with fluid that is toxic to an implanting embryo, so the clipped the tube and that my uterus was tilted almost 90 degrees with a polyp growing right in front of the entrace of the cervix which they removed. we proceeded with several attempts with natural cycles and IUIs, however, my dominate ovary was the left - and we clipped the left tube, so we ended up moving on to IVF.

the laporoscopy can defiantly provide better insight to what is really going on in there.

good luck!

[lovingwife]

Originally Posted by Cecelia

Hi babygood1,

What people are talking about when they say they are getting a "lap" for "endo" is that they are getting a laparoscopy procedure done to see if they have endometriosis or something else on the outside of their uterus or ovaries that could be causing their infertility. A laparoscopy involves a slender tube camera that is inserted into the abdominal cavity so the doctor can see the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the uterus. It also enables them to see if you have anything abnormal in there that they can possibly correct. The slender laparoscope is inserted through a tiny incision made just below your naval. I haven't had one done yet, but I am sure at the very least they use local anesthesia and possibly pain medication for directly afterwards. I would think also it would delay you at least a cycle if you were close to your next cycle beginning. Others that have had a lap though can explain it better than I can no doubt. Best of luck!

The lap isn't too bad. It's an outpatient surgical procedure. They knock you out completey and depending on how much they have to remove once they get in, it only takes 30-45 minutes. Mine was really quick. I think only 20-30 minutes in the operating room. You're in pre-op and recovery longer than in the operating room. They go in through 2 or 3 incicisons and use just a couple stitches to sew them up. They do give you pain meds for afterwards. I was out of work for a week. You tummy will be pretty tender, but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it!! I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to. I ovulated about a week after surgery, so we tried naturally-the RE said it was o.k. to start trying right away. The following month we got our BFP.

[WorldsGreatestAunt]

Baby Good,

The lap was super easy for me and they removed some endo. My husbands 30th bday was 3 days later and I was as good as new and even jumped on a jumpy castle(prob. not the best idea ) Anyways, the RE let me do Clomid that cycle so to have no delay, however he wouldn't allow injectables. Good luck to you

[fairiedusst]

Originally Posted by charms

we had unexplain IF and finally went to see an RE.

we did the HSG and both tubes were clear, however when we did the Lap, we found that one tube was twisted (hydrosalpinx) which filled with fluid that is toxic to an implanting embryo, so the clipped the tube and that my uterus was tilted almost 90 degrees with a polyp growing right in front of the entrace of the cervix which they removed. we proceeded with several attempts with natural cycles and IUIs, however, my dominate ovary was the left - and we clipped the left tube, so we ended up moving on to IVF.

the laporoscopy can defiantly provide better insight to what is really going on in there.

good luck!

Charms, I have the same situation as you! I too only have my right tube, but my left ovary appears to be doing all the work. I finally, just this month, got on the list for IVF (a 2 year wait in the Navy), but only because I refused to do anything else until someone started talking to me about it. Just curious, how long and how many cycles of natural/IUI did they have you do before you were able to do IVF? Was it your suggestion or theirs? Sometimes I wonder about things...the Navy REs are the only ones I can see, no second opinions for me.

[smithbecky8]

Unless you're completely confident about the RE you're seeing now, I would look at going to a new RE. Take a copy of your chart and have the new RE take a look at everything--like anything else in life, sometimes a fresh set of eyes will notice things that others haven't. I'm not saying your current RE is doing something wrong, but I'm a firm believer that it never hurts to get a second opinion, especially when you have a limited number of vials left.

Also, like others have mentioned, IVF does have higher success rates, and my RE's office charges the same for IVF as they do for 3 IUI's. So, in some ways it might be more cost effective to do IVF, since the success rates are so much higher.

[Jennib88]

Originally Posted by Merryx

I have to say that I agree with you on this topic! The last time that I went in for my IUI when he grabbed the tube to insert in to my cervix, he said "oh it moved, hold on" then had to use a different speculum to try and find the opening and before I knew it he said that it was done. Now, usually I feel a prick and it is uncomfortable. This time...nothing. As soon as he walked out of the room, I turned to my partner and said "I don't think he didn't put it past my cervix". She thought that I was being rediculous, but you learn how it feels and that wasn't right! I didn't realize that you could request to have an ultrasound done with it. If I am not pregnant this time, maybe I'll go that route once I find a new RE!

The last 2 IUIs we have done, we did with the U/S. Now it probably didnt change anything but i know it sure gave me the confidence that the guys were in the right place and that the cath was all the way past my cervix. My first one i was like you, i think the RE couldnt get it thru so she just squirted into my cervix and walked away, because on the first one i had a bunch of "leakage" (sorry TMI), and on the other two ---- NONE... so I wouldnt do it again without the U/S. Just my 2 cents.