# Another IUI with injectables or move onto IVF?



## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

Hi Ladies, I'm after your thoughts please.

As you all know, my recent attempt at IUI with trigger shot didn't work. So as the title suggests, I am trying to decide which route to go down next. I haven't spoken to my clinic yet, so don't know what they will suggest. Do you think it would be worth trying one more IUI with injectables or save the money I would have used on the IUI and use it towards a cycle of IVF? I am leaning towards IVF as at least I would know that the egg and sperm have actually met, but I am unsure as to whether I should give the stimulated IUI a go before moving on. Either way, I don't think that I will be able to go again till after xmas because of timings and clinic shut down.

Thanks
Lou-Ann x


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## morrigan (Dec 8, 2009)

From a purely economic point of view what's the price difference ?


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## lulumead (May 29, 2008)

Hi Lou-Ann,


It such a tricky decision. All I can say with hindsight is that I wished I had tried IUI's with injectibles before moving to IVF, as I ended up switching back to IUI and this is what worked (well for a bit!).  If you know that your tubes are clear and in theory everything is working as it should...I reckon IUI is worth a few more goes. My clinic suggested 4 medicated was giving it a good shot.  I feel like I wasted a whole year doing IVF's when maybe I didn't need to...although it proved that I can make embryos which was reassuring.


Another thing that I wish I knew at the time before I moved to IVF was that in the US they give IUI much more of a chance than the standard 3 attempts that we do here.


Good luck with your decision.


xx


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## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

Morrigan, the price difference is about 2 grand   

Lulu, it is a tricky decision isn't it. I think that there are at least a couple of you ladies that I can think of that have done ivf and then reverted back to iui and it has worked. It does make sense to try more iui's if everything is working and there are no known issues. Thank you for your thoughts   

Lou-Ann x


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## morrigan (Dec 8, 2009)

I know for me I felt I had to do at least a couple of medicated iui's before I moved to ivf so I knew I'd given it chance but I've got no idea why though !!!  I guess economically iui is easyier. Will your clinic convert to ivf if you over stimulated on injectables? I do think you have to believe it can work - but adding meds may be enough for you to believe ?

Good luck making descion xxxx


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## bingbong (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi Lou-Ann,

So sorry that you are having to decide what to do next   .  I think that Lulu is right and that giving IUI more chance might be worth it. You have only done unmedicated IUI and maybe a little help is all that you need, and the price difference is pretty massive!! Also trying a medicated IUI now will give you an idea of how your body responds and so might help with any future IVF cycle, but hopefully you won't need that!!!

  
bingbong x


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## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks Morrigan and Bingbong   , I think that if I skip the medicated iui, I will always wonder if it would have worked. I'm not sure if the clinic will convert to ivf or abandon if I over-respond to the injectables, will have to ask that one.

Lou-Ann x


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## greatgazza (May 27, 2010)

Hi Lou-ann

I think if i was your age i would consider giving IUI another go/more goes.  It's all so confusing as some people say that the success rate with IUI isn't so good so why not get out the big guns with IVF rather than putting yourself thru the mill with negative cycles which may not have had much chance but then you read about women on here who have done IVF but then had luck with IUI.  I think if age was on my side I would have given IUI a bit more of a chance just because it's so much less invasive, especially drugs wise etc and you can go back to back each month.  But... then i sway and think well hey, it's not much better than having one sh*g...so what are the chances....but then we do read of successes on here.

I never really got my head round medicated as i was producing follies and my lining was ok and i believe with medicated there is a risk of too many follies and they will only treat you with under a certain amount.  How have you responded on your previous cycles?  I'm not sure if medicated is the way forward unless you are not producing many follicles.  But i don't know much about this so will bow to greater experience and knowledge about the pros and cons of medicated or unmedicated.

GG x


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## caramac (Mar 21, 2010)

Hi Lou-Ann. You are the same age as me and I had planned to have six attempts at IUI (medicated) before switching to IVF because I figured that couples are advised to try for a year to conceive naturally, so six attempts at IUI was my equivalent of that "trying" period. The problem for me was that then I found out I had low AMH and I had to amend my plans...if my third IUI hadn't of been successful I was going to switch to IVF earlier than originally planned because I felt it would give me a better chance. However, if my AMH had been normal I would have continued with IUI for three more goes.

My reasoning was a combination of cost and wanting to avoid the stress/medications involved in IVF if at all possible. If I'd done six IUI attempts I would have felt that I'd given it my best shot before switching.

Good luck with whatever decision you reach!


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## kizzi79 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hi Lou Ann - so so sorry your still having to make these difficult decisions (why can't it just work first time for us all   ). My clinic advised me that the use of injectables approx doubles the chances of iui working (as you are likely to have 2-3 follies) - the figures they quted were approx 10% natural and approx 21% with injectables. Therefore I feel as egg share is not an option to reduce costs (  ) it may well be worth giving it at least one try. 

This is such a difficult and personal decision to make (I know I struggled even after 4 failed natural and 4 failed stimulated cycles to give up and move on   ). Take care and if you want to chat please do pm me   .

Love Krissi  xx


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Lou Ann - the eternal question! If only we could 'see' the answer to this one....

I had 2 unmedicated and 1 medicated IUI and then moved to IVF but I was 38 so my chances of IUI working were arguably lower. And it turns out my chances full stop were low and had I known then what I know now, I'd have gone straight to DE IVF abroad and not wasted 2 yrs, thousands of ££s and huge amounts of emotional energy on IVF with my own eggs. But then hindsight is a wonderful thing in the world of fertility!

I would say at your young age, giving IUI another 1-2 attempts is probably quite a wise idea. If you have in total 6 IUI attempts to no avail, then it may be time to think about IVF. But it's just so so hard to say and I think end of the day you just have to go with your gut feel on this one

Best of luck with the decision
Suitcase
x


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## Jenny74 (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi Lou Ann

It is a very difficult decision to make but having had both I would recommend more IUI before moving onto IVF, it is a lot less invasive on your mind and body even if you did a medicated cycle (that's all I did).  I was successful on my second go with twins.
If you look like you are over stimulating they will lower your dose first and then cancel if necessary as the risk of multible births is higher, as there is less control but the embryo is fertlised in a much more natural environment with IUI.
I only went onto IVF because it turns out I have an incompetant cerfix and can't cope with twins as I lost them at 17 weeks, so decided on IVF so I could have just one put back in, and have just had success on my second go again.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
Jen


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## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

GG, Caramac, Krissi, Suity and Jenny, thank you all for your thoughts   . 

It seems that you, and those that have posted previously, are all in favour of trying more iui's   . I produced 3 follies on the medicated iui I started, but it was cancelled due to the clomid affecting my lining, so I haven't actually done a medicated cycle as such. So having read your responses and thought about them, I think that I really should give the medicated iui a chance before moving onto IVF. Thank you so much for helping me to sort this out in my head   .

Jenny, sorry to hear you lost your twins   , I hope that your scan goes well in a couple of weeks   

Love and    to all
Lou-Ann x


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## greatgazza (May 27, 2010)

Hi Lou-ann

To be honest i thought medicated was with clomid.  What is the injectables protocol?  Obviously if clomid affected your lining you wouldn't want to have that would you?  I read someone else had femara (sp?) instead of clomid as they had lining issues.

GG x


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## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

Hi GG, my clinic have already said that they won't prescribe clomid again because of it affecting my lining. I think that the injectables are menopur, not sure on what days it would be taken though. 

Lou-Ann x


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Yes, I had puregon (low dose every other day) for my medicated IUI but menopur is also used I think...


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## ambergem (Feb 14, 2010)

Hi Lou-Ann

I had low dose Gonal-F for my second medicated IUI (I had Clomid for the first). I did produce 6 follicles but my clinic aspirated 4 of them just leaving the 2 best. So if you're worried about over- responding to the drugs you could ask if that would be an option. I moved onto IVF because I thought it would give me a better chance given my poor lining. I would have definitely tried more IUI's had that not been the case.

Good luck with your tx- whatever you decide  

Linz x


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## Lou-Ann (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks Linz, I think that my clinic would abandon if I over responded, but hopefully I won't. Good luck with your 2ww   

Lou-Ann x


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