# any positive stories with highish FSH?



## clare2 (Aug 1, 2006)

Hi ladies

I'm about to start treatment at ARGC and my FSH has gone from 8 to 12 within the last year. I'll be 40 in July.

Has anyone got a BFP or had a baby with highish FSH levels? I'm very worried that they'll affect my chances - and also I don't understand why it's gone up so quickly from 8 to 12 - is that normal?

Is there anything I can do to bring it down?

any advice really appreciated

Exx


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## Gizzle (Jan 13, 2007)

Hi Elena
I'm no expert - and actually I'm really new to all of this - but I think it's normal to have fluctuating FSH levels at our age.  Mine actually went down from about 12.8 to 8.8 in a 2 month span, but might well have risen again.  My consultant at the Lister said that it even at the higher level, it was still within acceptable levels.
However, I don't think there's really very much you can do to bring it down.
Best of luck to you, 
Gizzle x


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## chucky egg 4 (Oct 20, 2006)

I had treatment at ARGC my FSH was persistently high I did not respond well to drugs only 4 eggs collected but all fertilized and 1 resulted in the baby I have today.  I hope this helps and has made you feel more positive.  I was 39 when I had the treatment.

Best of luck

CHUCKY EGGXXX


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## Ms Minerva (Mar 7, 2005)

At its highest my FSH was 12.4! I used acupuncture, Chinese herbs and wheagrass juice for 2-3 months and got it down to 8.2, conceived my DD on that cycle at the ARGC.

Good luck!

Jules


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## ElsBelle (Feb 8, 2007)

Hey Elena (same name as me!!  ) 

I'm 41 and in November my FSH level was 14, it came down to 12 in December and was down to 8.8 in January, when I started and completed my first IUI. I am having regular Shiatsu sessions which I think really worked as they promoted blodflow to the "important" areas. Unfortunately, that cycle ended with  arriving   but I will certainly continue iwth Shiatasu to try and keep my FSH levels down.


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## clare2 (Aug 1, 2006)

Thanks a lot ladies, I really appreciate your replies. 

I was having acupuncture last year during my first IVF cycle so maybe I'll go back to that - the cost, along with everything else, and the time have put me off but maybe it will make a difference to my FSH. 

So heartening to hear older women having babies - I won't give up just yet!

Exx


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## Meia (Jan 8, 2007)

Hi ladies

Do hope you do not mind me butting in to this thread.

Just thought the following story may give you some encouragement regarding the whole fsh thing. So much (too much in my opinion) emphasis seems to be put on the fsh result. As you know they fluctuate enormously but pregnancy is achievable even with a very high level. When you think you can be rejected for ivf treatment with a level over about 12, this makes this story almost incredulous but its true - worth reading, "Inconceivable" by Julia Indichova and "The Infertility Cure" by Randine Lewis - both talk a lot about fsh levels and how they can be reduced by natural methods.

Julia Indichova, in her forties was told she wouldnt conceive naturally (or even with the help of ivf treatment) as her fsh levels were soaring - I think at the start of the book they were over 40 or something. Anyway, to cut a long story short, she adopted a new healthy lifestyle, including acupunture, herbal remedies, positive thinking and so on and gradually her fsh levels reduced over time. She did manage to conceive naturally and on that particular cycle, her fsh level was 21!!! To think she would have be declined ivf treatment at that level.

Take heart from this and try not to over analyze the significance of fsh levels on their own!!

Good luck - by the way I had an fsh level of 19 a few months ago. I have been having weekly acupunture, drinking wheatgrass juice and herbals etc and on my last test (last month) it was down to 14. I believe I can get it down to 10 or below in the next few months. Whether I continue to try natural conception or opt for egg donation treatment (am sure will be the latter), either way, I am trying to maintain my body at its optimum health and maximise my chances. 

All the best
Meia x


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## Danni (Aug 25, 2004)

hi
Dont be disheartened. too much emphasis is put on fsh-many people have loww fsh and end up being poor responders and visa versa. I had high fsh -it was 10 at the age of 34-im now 40. i had many cycles of ivf and conceivedf my dd on my 7th ivf with 2 chemicals in between. then I fell pregnant naturally after dd was born,so I have another dd who is almost 8months. i wont check my fsh again-we are ttc again but im not very hopeful but feel grateful for my 2 girls-if it happens it happens,my periods are regular and I ovulate a decent amount of time but im 40, never say never...
good luck


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## drownedgirl (Nov 12, 2006)

My FSH is about 11. I don't have any problem getting pregnant. However, I think many of my eggs are not good chromosomally.. howver, that is not measured by FSH.

My take on FSH and IVF is this: high FSH may  mean you don't respond well to the drugs, and don't produce many eggs. On the other hand, you only need one good egg!

Whether or not a particular egg will be normal genetically isn't known, based on FSH.

Good luck!

xxx


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## wondertwo (Jul 13, 2005)

Hi Eleana
I just read your post and had to reply. I posted yesterday with some news that might give you hope. I too had had high FSH in the past. Highest being 15.3. If you click on this link you can read my full post. I hope helps.

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85390.0


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## jags (Feb 15, 2006)

Hi,

Mine went from 7 to 13 over about a year. (Last measured about 1 year ago).

I'm now 20 weeks pregnant (conceived naturally on holiday - was a bit surprised to say the least). I'm 44.

I dont know what my FSH levels were when I conceived naturally, but my IVF attempts sucessively got worse - from 10 eggs 1st attempt down to 2 eggs. After the IVF drugs stopped working well, I tried simple, cheap old clomid for a few attempts (to do IUI) and ended up producing more eggs that way (between 3 and 6 eggs!).

Hope that gives you some hope

Jags


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## Dunnie (Mar 26, 2007)

I have a copy of "Inconceivable" by Julia Indichova - if anyone would like it, please email/IM me and I'll pop it in the post to you.

It's a good read and really encouraging however, I did try eating healthily, accupuncture etc and although my FSH level dropped to it's lowest I still had an abandoned cycle as I didn't respond to the drugs.  Another lady I met through accupuncture with High FSH did get pregnant and had a baby boy in October.

Sending everyone with High FSH positive vibes as it is possible to get pregnant with high levels.

Currently on 2ww after DET -   

xx


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## tinsy (Oct 18, 2006)

Hi,

have just been reading all your posts about high fsh and it has given me a little hope. We went to barts 2 weeks ago only to be told that at age 44 and fsh of 16.9 extremely unlikely i will conceive, with or without fertility treatment and told only option was donor eggs. I wasnt told fsh could fluctuate and have spent last two weeks in tears absolutely devastated. I have to be realistic but reading your posts has given me that bit of hope i need right now. Can anyone tell me about usefullness of accupuncture. 
thanks lisa


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## Milly40 (May 8, 2007)

Hi girls ,
                    Just been reading the posts on high FSH's ,mine was 29.7 at the age of 40 and then on re-check it was 13 so major differance   
But I will never give up hope,I still went ahead with IVF at the time and had two eggs where one fertilised and then had a weak positive but started bleeding two weeks later.I am trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle and looking into DE abroad as well.But I think keeping positive      
is all we can do.good luck to all you ladies.never give up hope.
              
              Love and hugs KATIE 40


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## dcon_blue (Apr 25, 2007)

Hi Katie

Can I ask if your FSH level was 29.7 or 13 when you had your IVF?  As you can see I too have been up there with you and, although I'm feeling totally miserable, I'm clinging onto anything that will give me some hope 

Thanks

dcon_blue
x


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## Milly40 (May 8, 2007)

Dear dcon_blue,
                              Im not sure what my FSH level was during IVF as they didn't check it again, the levels fluctuate monthly anyway in most women. I asked if they could do the IVF when the FSH was lower to increase chances of success but they said this doesnt make any difference and that its the quality of the egg that count. I found zita west's book guide to getting pregnant very useful and there is a section on FSH on page 251.good luck with your journey.        

                    Katie40 xx


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

Hi all,

Just wanted to say that from what I understand, the reason for doing an ivf with a lower FSH (especially when older) is that you are more likely to have a better response to stimms on a lower FSH cycle. I do agree with Katie though in that it doesn't make any difference with ref. to egg quality. I keep banging on about E2 because no one seems to take this into account - E2 must be within normal range and measured with FSH, otherwise a high E2 can mean a falsely low FSH reading which can be misleading.

An example is a woman on another board who started trying ttc using injectibles plus trigger plus sex with DH. She started age 44 and tried almost every month for 18 months before staying pg and giving birth at 46. Her FSH ranged from 5 to 23 (E2 was in normal range which is very important). She only did injectibles on cycles where her FSH was lower as she knew that her response to the stims. would be better. She had several pregnancies which ended in chemicals before her baby was conceived on a cycle with an FSH of 9. She also went by antral follicle count which is another very important indicator of potential. Here is a link to her website which I would recommend if you are trying to conceive over 40 - lots of useful information even if you are doing ivf and not trying 'naturally':-

http://www.fertilityover40.com/Home1/HOME/MyStory/tabid/102/Default.aspx

Just illustrates that egg quality is an important factor. You can have a woman of 25 with higher FSH than a 40 year old. However, the 25 year old will still have the better chance because of the age of her eggs.

Of course this is very, very generalised and we are all individuals, but it illustrates a greater point.

Daisy
x


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