# To IUI or not to IUI....!



## Lyndsey1111 (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi all, well i can't believe our initial consultation at Care (Nottingham) finally came around, it felt like forever! We saw Dr Ragunath, she is lovely and happy to help with all the questions we threw at her!

When the Dr discussed treatment options with us she said, as we are funded, we are entitled to 3 gos at IUI and 1 go at IVF (plus any attempts using frosties if applicable) but then she said that due to my poor response to Clomiphene and my complete lack of ovulating (never had a natural cycle) she would be a little concern about undergoing IUI for us as she would have to use the drugs they use for IVF, which are much stronger than the clomiphene usually given, she said she is concerned about possibility of OHSS. So my question is has anyone had the same type of problem e.g. no ovulation, having to use stronger medication to stimulate for IUI etc...? The only reason im asking is that she said that if we decided to go straight onto the IVF stage of treatment, there would be no possibility of going back to IUI at a later stage, so i just feel that if we dont give it a go we will waste an opportunity that could produce a baby?

Thanks to all in advance.

Lyndsey


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## professor waffle (Apr 23, 2005)

Hmm I'm not sure why she is concerned about injectibles when your response has been poor on clomid. If you are started off on a low dose of injection & were monitored/scanned every couple of days for follicle growth she will be able to see how you are responding & adjust the dose accordingly- like she says the drugs are the same for IUI as IVF - so basically you are as likely to develop OHSS on either treatment surely?

I know quite a few people who don't respond to clomid, clomid stimulates in a different way than the inectibles & that is why there are more side effects on clomid usually. My friend didn't respond on clomid but had OI (ovulation induction) on injectibles & responded well enough to get pg. I do have a very biaised opinion of IUI because it worked for me but it you're being offered 3 goes & only one IVF you could treat the IUI as 'test cycles'  for IVF & you never know they could actually work!! It is common for IUI to use the same drugs as for IVF - there aren't many who use just clomid that I an aware of.

I'd be asking the Cons what they do differently on IVF to IUI that makes OHSS less likely (as that is what she seems to imply) as I really can't see any difference other than maybe they don't scan as often. Do you know how often they carry out IUI & what their success rates are as it seems a little odd to me.

x


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## Lyndsey1111 (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Prof Waffle!

Thanks for your reply. To be honest i thought it sounded a little daft too and i also thought, after doing my research on here etc, that it wasn't uncommon to stim with other drugs other than clomid for IUI, maybe its just unusual for that Cons 

I really want to give the IUI a fair try, like you said there are plenty of people who it has worked for, like you and your friend, even though the success rates are lower than IVF. The Cons did tell us that if we did decide to go ahead with all 3 cycles of IUI, the 3rd cycle is more likely to be successful than the first, she said that the drugs etc would have a cumulative effect!  

My DH really wants to go straight for IVF also, but i think we have compromised that we shall try IUI and see how it goes, i just feel we would be wasting our chances to skip this stage of treatment.

Thanks again for your help, its great to hear your success story.  

Lyndsey
XXX


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## ClaireyFairy (Jan 9, 2009)

Lyndsey,

Most people that I know who have had IUI have used the injections rather than just clomid. I definately think it is worth a go as it is free and obviously less stressful and less invasive than IVF. It's easy for your hubby to say he wants to go straight for IVF because he gets the nice job whereas your the one that will have to go through it all! 
Best of luck hun  
xxx


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## Lyndsey1111 (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi ClaireyFairy

Yeah thats my sentiments exactly, he feels hes had a rough deal today (due to the SA!) I keep telling him just think what i will be going through!!

I feel better knowing that the drug thing isnt really anything different, the way the Cons was going on it was like i was the first person to not have responded to Clomid!

My minds made up, i have to give IUI a go, otherwise i will regret it, i know what im like. My DH will be fine with it and obviously *when * it works he will know why i had to try....! 

Thanks again

Lyndsey


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## littleblackdress (Dec 31, 2007)

Hi lyndsey 

i'm pleased you have decided to give iui a go, the whole tx process is such a learning curve for both you and dh that as pw says even if they are used as a "test" go it gets you used to injections and the ups and downs of it all.  Our first go we were so nervous and stressed but the second was much easier and we were much more relaxed which i am sure helped us no end.  

wishing you lots of luck      Keep us updated 

Emma x


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## Lynschez (Oct 24, 2008)

Hi Lyndsey

Just wanted to pop on and say I'm exactly the same as you, don't ovulate very often, tried 6 months of clomid and only responded on one of those months.

I'm currently on my 2nd 2ww following IUI with injectables.  My consultant sold it to me, rather than the other way around to be honest.  Explained it as a 'stepping stone' to IVF if necessary and a good way to see how I respond to additional stimulation, which would mean that they were much more informed should IVF become necessary.  

I agree with Emma too, it's a good way to get used to the injections and how your body reacts to them.

Wishing you lots of luck for your tx - come and join us ladies on the TTC thread  

Lyns x


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## littleblackdress (Dec 31, 2007)

Lyns - good luck hun for OTD


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## tobeornottobe? (Mar 26, 2009)

Hi Lyndsey1111,

I read your post and was suprised about what your cons said, as I have never naturally ovulated and I'm currently on my first IUI, I see it as a way of kick-starting my system and I am responding to the injections only a little bit slower than average but it looks like we're getting there. After each scan of your follies they are able to adjust your doseage depending on how your follies respond I also think that with each IUI your chances of conceiving get higher so I'm glad your gonna giver it a go hon.
Just wanted to send you a bucket full of luck for your treatment and keep us posted on how things go on the ttc thread there are lots of us on there at the moment so its a great support network.


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## Lyndsey1111 (Mar 24, 2009)

Thank you so much for this tobeornottobe, your situation sounds so similar to mine, did you have any response to clomid? After the Cons had done telling us that she wasnt sure about IUI for us, she did say that if we decided to go ahead with it, the 3rd go has a better chance of working than the 1st for some reason.

If my mind wasnt completely made up then it is now, we def need to give it a go. Like you say they monitor you so closely when you are using the stims the risk of OHSS etc are unlikely arent they?

Thanks to all who have replied to me on this subject, i have learnt so much already! I will try and keep up with you all on the ttc thread.

Lyndsey  
XXXXXX


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## tobeornottobe? (Mar 26, 2009)

Hi Lyndsey1111,

They tried me with clomid for 5 days, I have hormone problems they thought the clomid wouldn't work anyway which it didn't so they referred me to the fertility clinic where I had more investigations into my pituitary gland and as it turns out it has stopped working so I have no hormones fsh, lh, thyroxine, cortisol so I now have to take full hormone replacement for life. After this was all sorted out with tablets i was able to start fertility treatment, my body has never functioned normally so am realistic that iui may not work, but like you I want to give everything a chance and our best shot and my cons was very positive about us having this treatment. I think with you being monitored every third day via the scans and monitoring how you feel in yourself you will know if you have OHSS make sure you drink plenty of fluids that helps prevent OHSS i think.
Good luck with it all I wish you lorra lorra luck  , do you know why you don't ovulate? Have you had your hormone levels checked? x


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## Lyndsey1111 (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Tobe, omg your history, sounds like you have been through it??   
I had pcos diagnosed when i was 16. Went on Clomid for 3 cycles, had ovarian drilling but this failed to have any effect, now here we are. Im so glad i joined this site tbh, because if i hadnt i would have just taken what the Cons said to us and probably not bothered even giving IUI a try, now im feeling really positive about it, which i think is really important-to think positive, if you go in with the attitude this isnt going to work then maybe that has an effect.

I will be following your journey, best of luck with your treatment and lots of    

Thanks again.

Lyndsey


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