unexplained infertility

[brooklyn1]

Hi Ladies,
I'm hoping some of you can share your experiences with unexplained infertility, and what you've learned about the ttc process when you've got this ambiguous, frustrating diagnosis.
Here's my situation- I'm 38 (about to be 39 in october), and I came off bcp 12 months ago. The first few months off, we were very casual about ttc (I was actually nervous that I might get pregnant right away, yeah right), then we got more serious at the 4 month mark (I started temping, checking cm, using preseed, that kind of thing), and then at 7 months I went to a FS. DH's sperm checked out just fine, and as for me, everything seems ok, but there were a few questions marks- like my estradiol was high on cd2, and when they did the hsg, they couldn't get the dye up my right tube- but the doctor felt that the tube was probably open and that it was just that he couldn't put the dye at the opening of the tube because I have an inverted uterus (all that fun with hsg just for an ambiguous result!)...The estradiol was a concern, but then when they did the amh/mis test for ovarian reserve, they said that I was within the normal range, so seemingly no real problems there. So, I'm left wondering if my tube or my hormones are a problem, but I'm not sure. The doctors don't seem interested in doing much more testing...it right was on to clomid with iui. I responded well to clomid (5-6 mature follicles), but bfn for the first round.

So I'm on to round two of clomid, but I'm wondering if this is the right path for unexplained infertility, and also if there are other tests or potential problems that I really should explore.

Any thoughts, experiences, insights, or commiseration would be welcome!

 

[reallyready]

I'm in the unexplained club!

39 (40 in March)
All tests normal for both of us. Tubes clear, all levels normal, O each month.
TTC 15 cycles
3 rounds Clomid between 2 - 4 follicles present
Starting with an RE on Sept 27th, will come back to add any new info he shares.
Because I have very painful AF with bad PMS usually, I asked my OBGYN about doing a check for endo, but she dismissed it immediately. I'll be following up on that question with RE.
Thanks for making this thread, I hope we can learn a lot.

 

[glitterqueen]

Hi
i have been ttc for 10 months day 21 bloods fine waiting on day 1-3 results and going for lap and dye in oct my dioc said it can take up to a year but I am 41 in dec and haven''t got a year!!!
Does anyone have a definitive list of what results should be for day 21 day 3 bloods-like progesterone and FSH levels etc-even the docs disagree over what they should be!!
ANd who thought it would be this hard!not sure if that was rude or not

 

[subaru555]

Don't worry they can't find out what's wrong with me...well they could but they haven't been too bothered, they just sent us away to try for another year, and then they will fire us on clomid like everyone else they can't diagnose with a problem. Then onto IUI IVF etc

 

[brooklyn1]

Hi
i have been ttc for 10 months day 21 bloods fine waiting on day 1-3 results and going for lap and dye in oct my dioc said it can take up to a year but I am 41 in dec and haven''t got a year!!!
Does anyone have a definitive list of what results should be for day 21 day 3 bloods-like progesterone and FSH levels etc-even the docs disagree over what they should be!!
ANd who thought it would be this hard!not sure if that was rude or not

Glitterqueen, I found this website to be really helpful- it's the only one that actually gives numbers for what the results of these tests should be.

https://www.advancedfertility.com/amh-fertility-test.htm

 

[Tory123]

Hi
I am in the unexpalined club. I have had all test back ok and although DS sperm results a bit on the slow side still in the normal range. I have had clomid for 6 months and 3 trys of IUI. I have now been to see the consultant and we have been referred for IVF so just have to wait 18 weeks for it all to start. I asked the consultant about my unexplained fertility and he said we might find out if there is a problem what it is in IVF. It seems silly to me that almost the last procedure you may or may find out if there is a problem.

Tory x

 

[brooklyn1]

Tory, I agree, it is so silly that it takes until IVF to detect the problem. I guess they either don't have the ability to test it without going through the whole embryo transfer, or they think it's too expensive and we'll probably end up doing IVF anyway...grrr
Question for you- when you took clomid, did they do scans and monitoring? If so, did this reveal any issues at all with ovaries or eggs, or was your response to clomid good?
thanks.

 

[T'elle]

im with u girls too!! all tests have come back 'normal' and hubs SA is 'normal' and IVF wales have said we have unexplained infertility but cant go any further to treatment due to my 'young age' and ttc im 21 and the age restriction is 23 according to their policies.

im 21 and my husband is 25 we have been ttc for 3 years since we m./c twins in 2006
its soooo annoying there isnt anything more we can do until 2 years which is a long way away when you are so desperate xxx

 

[Rach27]

I learned they would rather put you on drugs and work towards IVF than look for the cause of the problem (the wonders of moder medicine!)

I went thru 4 years of TTC with a diagnosis of Unexplained Infertility, including 3 x cycles with clomid, 3 x IUI, one failed IVF cycle until I practically self diagnosed myself with endometriosis and demanded a referral for a laparoscopy.

Turns out I was right. I had stage II endo with a tubal cyst.

7 months after the surgery I got pregnant naturally.

My advice would be to rule out endo before anything else. Most people don't know they have it and it can severely affect fertility.

Ahh! Feel better now for that!!

Good luck to all you ladies xxxx

 

[Rach27]

I'm in the unexplained club!

39 (40 in March)
All tests normal for both of us. Tubes clear, all levels normal, O each month.
TTC 15 cycles
3 rounds Clomid between 2 - 4 follicles present
Starting with an RE on Sept 27th, will come back to add any new info he shares.
Because I have very painful AF with bad PMS usually, I asked my OBGYN about doing a check for endo, but she dismissed it immediately. I'll be following up on that question with RE.
.

This is EXACTLY what I mean! I had clear tubes and textbook ovulation. You need to push for a referral to a specialist. Man this makes me angry reading this

 

[reallyready]

Hey Rach
Thanks for the extra push. I'm almost certain I have some level of it from talking with just a few other women who have had it and from the reading I've done. If I need a heating pad and 4 advil to get through the first afternoon of AF, there is something going on, right? Thing is they've been like this for as long as I can remember so I can't tell if it is just that I'm a whimp or if these are def. endo symptoms. Hey how many months pg are you now? Congratulations!
xxx

 

[Rach27]

Hey Rach
Thanks for the extra push. I'm almost certain I have some level of it from talking with just a few other women who have had it and from the reading I've done. If I need a heating pad and 4 advil to get through the first afternoon of AF, there is something going on, right? Thing is they've been like this for as long as I can remember so I can't tell if it is just that I'm a whimp or if these are def. endo symptoms. Hey how many months pg are you now? Congratulations!
xxx

I would say you have more than enough symptoms to suspect endo. I felt exactly the same as you...what if they open me up and there isn't anything??? But what if they don't and there IS? Even if it's not endo, there might be something else that's causing the pain. But the fact you have very painful periods AND infertiliity - well I would bet money on endo being a key culprit. Let me know how you get on? Where are you based?

I am three months pregnant

 

[reallyready]

Hey
We are based in New York. We have an appt with RE on Sept 27th and that question about endo is at the top of my list. Think it is worth seeing another OBGYN before him? Where are you based?

Three months pg is indeed!

 

[Rach27]

Hey
We are based in New York. We have an appt with RE on Sept 27th and that question about endo is at the top of my list. Think it is worth seeing another OBGYN before him? Where are you based?

Three months pg is indeed!

I am in New Zealand. LOL! They have just done a story on the news here about people from the US and 'medical tourism' in NZ - apparently the care is good here and a lot cheaper...Fancy a Pacific holiday??? Could be worth thinking about???

You'll have to forgive my ignorance but I'm not sure what an RE is? Is it some kind of repoductive specialist??

What I would recommend is either getting a referral from your GP to somewhere like:

https://nygyn.com/

https://www.endometriosistreatmentnewyork.com/

or, if they won't refer you, contact them directly yourself.

I'm not sure how your healthcare system is structured but here, the procedure was covered by my insurance. It would also have been possible to go through the public health system but it would have taken a bit longer.

The difficulty with diagnosis is that endo can ONLY be confirmed with a laparoscopy. Better than laparotomy though, I suppose. The specialist should 'score' you, based on your symptoms but I had exactly the same as you: clear tubes, regular ovulation, no male factor, painful periods....

Good luck and let me know if you need any more info.

Ps. Here's 'Fuzzie'. He wishes you all the best too!

 

[brooklyn1]

Wow, Rach, thanks for bringing this up. Can either of you give me a sense of what (other than painful periods) might indicate endo? I'm wondering if there's a reason for me to get checked out for this as well.

 

[Rach27]

Wow, Rach, thanks for bringing this up. Can either of you give me a sense of what (other than painful periods) might indicate endo? I'm wondering if there's a reason for me to get checked out for this as well.

Hi,

Of course everyone is different but my main signs were unexplained infertililty, painful periods and pelvic pain. In the list below I have put a yes to the other symptoms I suffered.

Pelvic pain is the most common symptom. The pain often correlates to the menstrual cycle, however a woman with endometriosis may also experience pain at other times during her monthly cycle.

For many women, but not everyone, the pain of endometriosis can unfortunately be so severe and debilitating that it impacts on her life significant ways.

Pain may be felt:

before/during/after menstruation (yes)
during ovulation (yes)
in the bowel during menstruation (yes)
when passing urine
during or after sexual intercourse (yes)
in the lower back region (yes)

Other symptoms may include:

diarrhoea or constipation (in particular in connection with menstruation) (yes)
abdominal bloating (again, in connection with menstruation) (yes)
heavy or irregular bleeding (yes)
fatigue (yes)

The other well known symptom associated with endometriosis is infertility. It is estimated that 30-40% of women with endometriosis are subfertile.

Info taken from Endo Assoc.

 

[lioness168]

I fall into the Unexplained category as well. I fell pregnanct 4 years ago with no problem wich ended in m/c and now I cannot seem to fall at all. Earlier this year had bloods and SA done, then refered to a specialist who ordered a HSG. All this came back fine, so he suggested a laparoscopy as he said about 70% of women who fall into the unexplained category have endo even if they do not know they have it or have any symptoms. I had the lap done and he found a significant amount of endo which he cut out. I didn't really have any symptoms...sometimes lower abdo pain during AF but not always, and sometimes lower back pain. I still get lower back pain now....but I think I have a niggly back anyway from a previous job I use to do. So anyway, he then put me on Clomid for 3 cycles with the last one using a trigger shot...and today I found out it hasn't worked...so now I will be doing IVF. I am pretty devistated as the pain and heartbreak of every unsuccessful cycle just kills me that bit more. What can you do but take each day as it comes. Best of luck on your ttc journeys...I hope we all get off this merry-go-round soon!

 

[Rach27]

I'm sorry to hear of your struggle and I hope you get there soon.

Your surgery was only 4 months ago so give it time as your body needs to heal after the op. In truth, I went through a failed IVF cycle just 2 months before I got my BFP...my body just wasn't ready.

Do you have problems with ovulation and is that the reason you're on clomid??

 

[lioness168]

Thank you for the support Rach27! For me, even though I was ovulating on my own, the specialist put me Clomid as he said one of my levels was low and was struggling a bit. So he put me on 50mg and I responded well to that dose. Last cycle he did a scan prior to a trigger shot on CD11 and there was one large follicle and two others about 3/4 the size of the larger one.

How did you find going through IVF? Did it take you awhile to get your head around it? Did you have a lap prior to IVF? How long for your body to heal? Any advice on what to expect or anything other info that may assist me?! As you can see, I am still learning and trying to understanding all this. Wishing you all the best and hope you have a happy and healthy 9 months xo

 

[jacky24]

I am also UNEXPLAINED so to speak....

I got a surprise BFP in 2006 and after birth of my ANGEL nothing has worked.
No natural AF, No estrogen, No progesterone, No Ovulation.... I had all my tests done and the only problem they could find was my weight

So trying to get my weight down and see when i am at my normal range of weight what happens.... I have now in 4 months lost 39.6 pounds and 33 more to go......

Good luck ladies