KBrain3377
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HI Ttcbaby - your situation is actually very similar to mine. I also had a problem with developing a lead follicle. Essentially, when one follicle starts growing much faster then the rest, it will stunt the growth of other follicles who may be trying to catch up, since the lead follicle signals your body "hey we got one, we don't need any more for now". This is because your body naturally only aims for one follicle per month. When I did my two IUIs with Femara and injectibles it was because I had just come to my RE having done six month of Chlomid with no bfp, and he didn't think that Femara alone would give me enough "umph" and wanted to break out the big guns. First month I had 3 follicles that were mature, so that was a success (but bfn) but then the second month I only had one... he called this a wasted month since you get one follicle "for free from mother nature", so no use spending $500 of meds on it. Third month same thing, another wasted month with only one follicle, so we cancelled the IUI (and that was on ALL injectibles). To be honest, I think that injectibles did nothing for helping my lead follicle problem, and increasing the dosage as we did in the third month did not get us any better result. What got me my bfp was estrogen priming before Femara, something that my RE did not think was worth doing so I ended up freelancing it
, while he was pushing me into IVF in a hurry. I took estrodial from day 21 the previous cycle (2 mg twice a day) to day 3 of the new cycle; then Femara day 3 to day 8. As much as he did not think this was gonna work, I'm pregnant now, and I also did extensive research on EP (estrogen priming); its used very successfully for IVF especially in patients with diminished ovarian reserve. Basically, it starts to hold back your follicles from developing a lead in the luteal phase of the previous cycle and at the very beginning of the current cycle, to allow you to grow multiple follicles that are close in size and therefore would not stunt each other's growth. Does that make sense? My ovulation that month was later than normal (which is also good as it makes for mature eggs) on CD 19 and also it was the STRONGEST I have ever seen it on an opk - it came up wayyyy before the control like and was almost black. We bded naturally, no IUI, since we did not have any male factor to begin with. Sorry for the long post, let me know if you have any questions. Also, my RE called me yesterday and admitted that he will try this protocol with another two of his IUI patients since it worked for me. I joked that he should name it after me. 
(But really..... he should).
I had my blood test done yesterday to see if I was pregnant I told you guys I would let you know what the test came back as..Ofcourse it was a BFN!!! I can't even explain how hurtful it was to me I found out at work and I had to leave early I could not be there..I could not control my crying...but on a brighter note my DH made me feel so much better and not everyone gets pregnant on there first try!! but never give up..My nurse asked me did I Want to take a month off? but ofcourse I said no way!because I feel like that month you take off is that month you could have gotten pregnant 
Big hugs to you!! 
. Hang in there! My first IUI didn't work either- from what I've heard it's rare to get it the first time around. Hang in there!
) I left the office crying my eyes out and it was one of the worst days I have had in a long time. Later I was able to talk him down from IVF to IUIs, 2 of those did not work and one was cancelled, and then I got pregnant on my own (w/Femara but no monitoring). Take that, Doc! 
