# Looking for advice about taking a break from treatment



## Joannahonor (May 25, 2015)

Hi! I've been looking at this site for a long time but have only just plucked up the courage to post! We started natural IUIs in April. We've had 2 so far, both resulting in bfns sadly.

I would really appreciate some advice or just to connect with anyone with similar experiences. Last cycle I was using OPKs and had an LH surge the morning my first scan was due (day 11). The hospital cancelled the scan and booked me for treatment the following day. So we turned up for treatment and the nurse sat us down to ask if we really wanted to go ahead with it. I usually have 30-34 days cycle (occasionally 28 day) so day 12 'O' is unusual. And the nurse seemed uncomfortable with the fact that I hadn't had a scan that cycle. By this point they'd already thawed our donor sperm so we felt we had no alternative but to go ahead. Apparently refreezing compromises the quality a bit?

An additional bit of info about that cycle is that I had my first acupuncture appointment the night before that premature LH surge - coincidence maybe, but it might be an explanation.

Anyway, it didn't work and we were a bit disappointed that the hospital hadn't talked to us before thawing the sample. On the other hand perhaps it was our fault for being ignorant. 

Now my wife and I are are trying to decide whether to take a month off to let my cycles settle - don't want a premature surge again. It's so hard to make that decision! I'm very impatient and being a bit silly possibly  

Any thoughts would be so appreciated! Thank you


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## poppy05 (Apr 10, 2006)

Hi joannahonor


Welcome
I'm sorry to read your last attempt failed, I don't think you were being ignorant at all, and I agree with you that your clinic should of spoken to you prior to defrosting the sperm. I don't have any personal experience of IUI however I'm sure some of the other girls here will be able to advise you. Perhaps you could track your cycle this month just to see if you get an early surge again? it might be less stressful for you to take this month as a break, to see how your cycle goes, then plan to try again on the next one? 
Wishing you the very best of luck
poppy xx


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## Joannahonor (May 25, 2015)

Hi Poppy,
Thanks so much for your reply. I think you're right, a month off to track my cycle and really see what's going on is the only sensible thing to do I reckon. I wish I'd started taking my temps sooner!
Thanks again!


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## poppy05 (Apr 10, 2006)

Here is the link to the IUI board, I'm not sure if you have seen it so thought I'd show you the way, it may be helpful to you hun 

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=7.0


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## Kayles-Joey (Jun 2, 2016)

Hi

First of all sorry to hear about your two failed IUI's. I understand how disappointing it is after all the time and money spent. 
I also had two failed IUI's but these where done with fertility drugs, not because I had any problems but because the clinic had reccommened it as they control when you ovulate. Now this may not be true so feel free to correct me but when we went for our follow up appointment with the doctor after the second failed he told us that IUI and frozen sperm where not really very good as it doesn't swim well. Would have been nice to be told this from the beginning!! We then opted for IVF where they don't even let frozen sperm swim to the egg
It has to be micro injected, again this because it doesn't swim well. 
i think that a natural cycle is best as it took 9 months for my cycles to go back to normal - not good when you trying to get pregnant. 
Like I say that info could be wrong but that's 100% what our doctor told us and I think if it is the case then people should be aware that frozen sperm and IUI has an even lower success rate than we may think. 
It took us two years but in the end opted for home insemination with a known donor we found online and got our bfp on the third attempt.


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