[hannah01]

hi ladies, it's been awhile since my IUI days, but i've got a friend doing iui injectibles right now and i wanted to ask a question on her behalf.

the last 2 months when she has gone in on day 3, her estradiol (e2) levels are too high so her RE has cancelled her cycle. apparently this is because there is already a lead follicle producing e2, and therefore starting the injections would be pointless. this month, her e2 on day 3 was 57 (her RE likes to see it below 50) and on day 4 was already up to 90. he suggested the possibility that this could be related to a low ovarian reserve.

have any of you had a similar experience with e2 levels being too high early in your cycle? if so, how did your RE deal with it, and/or what did they tell you it meant? appreciate any advice ... my friend is on month 2 of bcp's and we all know how much that sucks! thanks for any tips.

[hopenpray]

I just came back from an appt with my RE. I discovered that my FSH is elevated = low ovarian reservie. In that conversion she told me that elevated estradiol levels lets them know that the FSH level is unreliable. She said this could mean that a patient would have low ovarian reserve, even with a normal FSH. Hope this info helps.

Give my best to your friend

[tracilynn]

my high estradiol levels on cd3 always meant cyst and I would get canceled or have to take BCP to get rid of the cyst but since your friend has already been on BCP for 2 months I'm not sure what she can do about the levels - seems like BCPs would bring the E2 down... that's tough. I hope they figure it out.

[DeannaRN]

My E2 is high in almost every cycle. I do have decreased ovarian reserve and they believe that is why I have high E2's. On my first IUI, my E2 was 92 on day 2 of my cycle. When they repeated it on day 3, it was 143. I couldn't believe it. I was getting ready to start my first injectible cycle and my RE cancelled the meds saying there was no point in doing them that cycle. I would likely not get more than one follicle. I was devestated since I was all ready to move forward. I was given the option of waiting for my OPK to be positive and I did a natural IUI. So that may be an option for her.

On my next cycle, my E2's were better but still a little elevated. My RE will go ahead with the injectibles if the E2 is borderline (70's). Mine was 71 on day 2. On that cycle I had 3-4 mature follicles but was using high doses of Gonal-F (300 IU). My last cycle day 2 was 67. They like to do my U/S and blood work on day 2 now and start my injectibles that day if things look good. I tend to ovulate early in the cycle (day 9 or 10) since my follicle has had a head start at growing. They tell me that when you have decreased ovarian reserve the folllicles start growing before you even get AF so by day 3 labs, the E2 levels are already high.

An E2 of 57 is not high. My RE wants them <60 so I would be thrilled with that number but I guess RE's are different in their thinking. Maybe she can try to start her injectibles on day 2. That seems to work for me and I get between 2-4 follicles which they say is perfect.

[kandygurl1971]

I had been told the same thing. Moderate FSH but elevated E2 levels on CD3 of 93. I read on the internet that a cyst could elevate that number which would explain it for me because I've had a huge cyst (larger than my uterus) since Sept of last year that has been aspirated but it still there. Not sure why I was never prescribed BCP for either of my 2 IVF cycles but I will be undergoing a lap with a possible myomectomy and removal of tube(s) next month.

Hannah so happy to see you progressing so nicely. How have you been feeling?

[hannah01]

thank you for your responses! it sounds like this is a somewhat common thing ... i am hoping that she'll just be able to start doing her injectibles on day 2 instead of day 3. this whole iui/ivf process is just one big game of timing isn't it? can be maddening.

kandygurl, i'm doing really well thank you! it's weird to look back a year ago and see where i was ... iui #3 i believe. i see on your signature you were going to have a lap... have you yet? you hear about a lot of girls getting pregnant after that.

thanks again for your responses! good luck to all you IUI girls.

[readyinKC]

Those of you worried about high E2 levels might find this very helpful...Supraphysiological estradiol levels do not affect oocyte and embryo quality in oocyte donation cycles -- Peña et al. 17 (1): 83 -- Human Reproduction

[culturevulture]

Hello Everyone,

I'm 37, had an ectopic pregnancy 10 years ago, and I'm just beginning to try to get pregnant now. I asked my doctor about my CD3 results, but she said she'd rather rely on ultrasound than the blood results, and things looked good on the screen. I would like to have more information than that. Can anyone read/interpret these results, or send me to a url that would help me understand these?

Estradiol 93
FSH 5.8
LH 5.9
Prolactin 5.6
TSH 1.86

Are these numbers good, or should I worry about my high E2 levels? (I was on birth control pills for 10 days before my period started due to functional ovarian cysts, and there was a dip 16 days prior to this test, E2 was 42)

Thank you.