# What to do next: IUI with Injectables or IVF



## Baby2867

Me: 30 Very Mild PCOS (regular periods & have ovulated on my own) no other symptoms besides cysts on ovaries. 
DH: 35 Sperm Source of the year
TTC: 1.5yrs

2 cycles on 50 Mg Clomid: BFN
1st IUI w/ 100mg Clomid: BFN (3 follicle: 20, 2 @ 17, 115 million Sperm post wash)
2nd IUI w/ 100mg Clomid: BFN (3 follicles: 20, 19, 18, 130 million Sperm post wash)
1st IUI w/ injectables: April 2012

I switched clinics, and am on birth control pills waiting to start my first IUI with injectables. I want to be hopeful that 3rd times the charm, but of course I am already trying to plan if it isn't. 

I found out that my new doctors is not considered a "center of excellence", by United Healthcare so my coverage is much less and have a new $2500 deductible that I was not prepared for. I am also waiting to find out from my insurance how much of my 20k lifetime allowance has been spent. If this cycle doesn't work, I will be forced to return to my previous clinic so will need to set up appointments etc to go back to them. 

I am torn between giving iui with injectables a second try, or to go straight to IVF. I guess I am just worried about trying IVF and it not working, than I will feel like I am at the end of the road. Trying to be positive, but each step I move forward (somewhere I never thought I would be) and fail, I am just devastated. 

This has been a long and draining road with a whole lot of tears. I just want to be pregnant and put this chapter behind me. Given that, I am leaning to try IVF because it would give me the best odds. I also don't want to spend all my insurance money on IUIs and end up not having coverage for IVF 

Any thoughts??
thanks!

Big XO


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## BuckeyeBaby

My story is similar to yours. I tried naturally for a couple years..nothing... Then I went to a regular OBGYN and he put me on 100 clomid for 6 months..nothing... Then went to a Reproductive specialist who put me on clomid for another 2/3 months...nothing.. Then clmoid with follistim...nothing... I did 1 IUI with clomid and follistim..nothing... Got pregnant naturally the following month on nothing and miscarried about 6 weeks... More follistim cycles..nothing... Then I moved to Arizona and found a great RE who specializes in unexplained infertility and miscarriages. Did 1 IUI..nothing... After that I just couldnt take it anymore and decided to move on to IVF.. We would have sooner if we didnt have to pay everything out of pocket. I did IVF with menopur, bravelle, follistim, lupron, intralipids and am currently 5 weeks pregnant now. So nervous about it but praying the baby/babies stay with me and I trust my RE... If you can do it, go for IVF. But make sure your RE is attentive and intelligent and takes time to understand your body. Demand every possible test you can get to assure youre taking the right protocol. I wish you a beautiful healthy pregnancy soon! As women, if we want to be mothers, we deserve that opportunity!


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## Baby2867

Wow that is amazing news and it gives me hope. Congratulations!! It just feels like i am in a nightmare I cant wake up from. I don't want to be impatient and know iui w injectibles has. worked for other people, but I don't know much more I can take. Somehow I always do end up pushing through. I just want it to be over. 

Did you do iui with all of your cycles with injectables?


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## Juliet11

Baby2867- I am in a similar situation.

Also, I think Buckeyebaby gave some great advice.


As for me, I have been TTC #1 for 18 months... I have some PCOS and some endometriosis...
last year I did several cycles with clomid and IUIs and later femara.... no luck.

Then did LAP in December and found out about old endometriosis that could be causing some issues with clearness in tubes.

Now I am in the 2ww for my first cycle using injectables (menopur) w/IUI. I had two follies at 19.5, then did trigger shot (to ovulate), IUI 2 days later on April 4th. Testing next week to see if it was successful.

I am fully covered right now for my infertility treatment. If I wasn't, we would probably go straight to IVF (not covered). 

We plan to do 3 rounds of injectables/IUI and if they don't work, then we will do IVF this Summer. 

I think if I were in your shoes I would do IVF as it has a pretty good success rate I hear. A friend did IVF last summer instead of doing IUIs and she had success. 

I know how draining and devastating it is... we both have been trying for the same amount of time. Every time I get my period it is like a punch to the stomach and I get down for a day... then I pick myself up again and get ready for the new cycle! 

Hope things work out for you soon!
:dust:


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## Baby2867

Juliet, thank you for telling me your story. Please try to stay calm during your 2ww and dont make youself too crazy.. I know how difficult it is. I would analyze every little symptom and would be convinced I was preg. I am hoping for the best news for you! Hopefully the LAP will help for you this month. Definitely keep me posted :)


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## BuckeyeBaby

Baby2867 said:


> Wow that is amazing news and it gives me hope. Congratulations!! It just feels like i am in a nightmare I cant wake up from. I don't want to be impatient and know iui w injectibles has. worked for other people, but I don't know much more I can take. Somehow I always do end up pushing through. I just want it to be over.
> 
> Did you do iui with all of your cycles with injectables?

I only did IUI twice and both were with injectibles. I respond extremely well to follistim, so good that they had asked me at my old clinic in Ohio to be an egg donor. For me, I felt IUIs were a waste of time because all they are doing is putting the sperm in your uterus and I was pretty sure after all the years of trying we were doing it was getting in there, fertilization just seemed to be the problem. They did ICSI with my IVF and I have 14 frozen embryos waiting for me if I decide to use them  That's the good thing about IVF because u can always do a frozen cycle if the fresh doesn't work and it costs less and your ovaries don't have to be over stimulated.


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## Baby2867

It's great knowing you have all those frozen embryos waiting for you :)

I think my doctor said that the success rate with IUI is lower for unexplained infertility. Sometimes it's hard to find real meaning in the "statistics"
because there are so many factors and randomness. When they told me my chances for iui/clomid were 10-15, I also didn't see the point. But again, it seems to have worked for some people, the lucky 10-15 out of 100.

My friend did IUI for male factor, wasn't on any medication so only had one follicle, and her husband had only 15 million sperm, and she got preg. One would think that if I had 3 mature follicles and over 100 million sperm I would have a greater chance. 

That is another reason why I am leaning towards IVF. If my numbers were so good for the IUI clomid cycles and it still didn't work, why would it every work? I guess there is no rhyme or reason sometimes. They also try to tell you that with the statistics you are pretty much brought back to the probability of a normal couple TTC, and normal people only have 20-25% chance. This never really made me feel better. 

I am trying to be positive about this cycle, but it's hard. I just don't know how to be. Positive, and tell myself this is it, its going to work this time to only be disappointed? Middle of the road? I guess it will be disappointing if it doesn't work now matter what so it's probably best to be positive and have hope. Just want to be prepared for the worst...


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## Juliet11

Stay positive!!! It IS hard, you are right, but staying positive is far better than the alternative. 
Keep in touch!


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## BuckeyeBaby

Yes please keep us posted on what you decide and the outcome. Trust me I completely understand how you feel, as I've struggled with infertility for 6 years. Stay positive! You WILL be a mama!


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