Dr recommended menopur/gonal IUI- when do you just switch to IVF?

ThinkTink

Hi Ladies! I could really use some advice.

So in the middle of my IUI cycle (CD10-today), I was told that my dominant follicle shrank from 17MM (Monday) to 15MM. A blood test confirmed that my estrogen also dropped, so my doctor cancelled this cycle. The sperm arrives tomorrow (because they were preparing for Friday insemination), so all of you can just imagine my frustration. I asked them if I had ovulated early and they said no, it was just an egg that died. So, I keep telling myself that better to have this situation than agonizing over a miscarriage or bad pregnancy.

My question, however, comes from what the doctor is currently recommending. On this cycle, I was using clomid and gonal F. Now, she is recommending that I stay with injections (that they're needed) and to use gonal F and menopur. Has anyone used menopur? Did it work?

My other question, though- if I'm doing all these injections that cost more anyways with an IUI- is it better just to save up and commit to IVF instead? It almost seems half-assed to me if I'm already half way there to IVF anyways?

I really appreciate any thoughts or advice. I really don't know what next steps I should take.

merilung

If I could do it over, I would skip my injectable IUI cycles and move straight to IVF. I was using Bravelle and they cost about $2000 each. I had infertility insurance by the time I did IVF, but even if I hadn't the whole shebang would have been under $10k, and I already blew $4k on injectable IUI's!

I used follistim and menopur on my IVF cycle and it worked great! I had a similar problem to on my IUI cycles - my follicles would grow just fine, but then would stall out and die before complete maturity. This did NOT happen on my IVF cycle.

ThinkTink

Thank you both so much for your replies! The fertility clinic gave me this program (compassionate care) to sign up for- supposedly it helps with reducing the cost of fertility meds. I'm going to give that a try! But now I'm definitely considering IVF. After a couple of failed IUI's I think I'm ready for the next step. I'm afraid I'd blow up using the same meds with IUI (and then get cancelled). And thanks merilung- it made me feel so much better to know another person who had the same reaction and what to do!

Wannabeasinglemama

I did 6 IUIs with Clomid only. Now I'm onto IVF.

XA

Hi,

IVF for me too. I had 7 tries before we decided IVF would be easier on our hearts, and probably pockets. We had one cycle of IVF, unsuccessful, and tried a second time abroad, in Greece. Since I'm from the UK, and no longer eligible for more cycles of IVF on the NHS, we figured it'd be cheaper, and just as safe at the clinic in Athens. We turned it into a holiday, with 2 days out there before the treatment (and a week after, filled with eating pineapple and sitting around!)

2 weeks later, I got my first BFP She was born 6 months ago, absolutely perfect. Now we're looking at #2, and definitely going for IVF again at Embio Medical Center. We can't get the same donor as before, unfortunately, so we're looking for someone similar to him!

Good luck with Compassionate Care all the best,

Xenia