IUI Questions

Hi Ladies,
I am a regular poster, but I wanted to ask some questions without giving away my ID. Anyway, I have been trying to conceive for 15/16 months. I just had an IUI that did not work. It was unmedicated, except for a HCG shot. I always produce a follicle on my own, so I was sure it would work. Sadly, it didn't. Anyway, I am wondering a few things. First, I received my IUI 24 hours after my shot. I am a little concerned about this. I go to a very reputable place, so I don't understand why it wasn't 36 hours. Also, at what point should I start taking meds? I am so frustrated after so many months that I want to go straight to injectibles to get a few eggs. What is the typical protocol?

Re: IUI Questions

In my experience, the Hcg trigger was always at night and IUI was not the following day but the day after (36 hours) but they always told me to have sex the night of my trigger. Several attempts it never worked for me so then we did B2B IUI the day after and following which were all medicated (50-100mg of clomid) monitored of course. They didnt work either...

Fast forward---9 IUI and 2 IVFs later we did a SA on my husband (even though his SA came back NORMAL and we were unexplained). SCSA.com is a DNA Fragmentation test which showed us that although my husbands count, motility and morphology was fine ---30.9% of his DNA was fragmented and IUI would have never worked for us anyway...results told us to go straight to IVF/ICSI. (which we already did for IVF #1 (resulted in my DS), #2 and again for #3...

You have been trying for quite sometime. I would certainly do the SCSA Test just for piece of mind ($400) it can save you months of trying, heartache and wasting insurance money. In addition, I would ask to go on clomid which is less invasive then injectables and you make less follies...

I wish you the best of luck and hope that in the months coming we will be seeing your BFP Post!

IUI Questions

I did back to back IUIs so I can't say for sure which day would have been chosen if I could only do one. I want to say the next day was more important but I can't remember exactly what they said.

As far as going forward - I waited the minimum amount of time that was acceptable before moving on. I started IUIs after 1 year of trying and IVF when that failed three times. I pushed myself a little but in retrospect I am not sorry. This is hard and watching everyone else around me with their children makes it worse. I had no interest in standing still in the process. But of course that is just me, and I had my doctor's support for everything. Do what is right and safe for you. Good luck!

Message edited 6/25/2012 9:50:58 PM.

Re: IUI Questions

Julie- thank you. Unfortunately, my issue is mfi.
Star- I feel like I can't stand still either! I am 33 and it seems like all my friends who wanted kids, got them. Yet, most of my really good friends actually aren't even trying. I personally feel like my life is empty. I have very little career satisfaction at this time. My DH and I just wander around on the weekends with no direction. Frankly, I have felt this way for a year. My DH and I are ready for our lives to be about babies, but it's not happening. I drown my sorrow in watching Bravo Housewife shows to forget my problems.

Re: IUI Questions

With our IUI's we did back to back. We always did injectibles because I did not produce eggs.

The only thing with injectibles is my doctor will not do IUI if I have more than 3 eggs because of the risk of multiples. I don't know what every doctors limitations are and each person's situation is different.

Re: IUI Questions

First of all, I'm sorry you're upset and having to go through this. But please realize that an IUI still only gives you a 5-20% chance of conceiving in a given month. So don't give up after only 1 chance!

Have you been tested to make sure your hormone levels are correct? Did your husband have an SA?

Most IUIs are done at 36 hours when that is the only chance. If you had it done at 24 hours, you were probably expected to BD the next day. As long as the sperm wasn't frozen, it should have lived at least 24 hours after the IUI anyway, meaning that timing was still good. If you're concerned. Ask for it at 36 hours next month.

There's also a chance that you may just need more "targets." I had 2 IUIs with 1 follie and the first month I had 3 follies, I got a BFP with a singleton. I just needed more eggs.

Good luck!

ETA: I see you're dealing with MFI. What were the counts for your first IUI? Also, given the MFI, BDing the next day may not work, so you may want to consider asking for the IUI at 36 hours, which is ideal.

Message edited 6/26/2012 10:26:37 AM.

Re: IUI Questions

Posted by TimingIsEverything

Julie- thank you. Unfortunately, my issue is mfi.
Star- I feel like I can't stand still either! I am 33 and it seems like all my friends who wanted kids, got them. Yet, most of my really good friends actually aren't even trying. I personally feel like my life is empty. I have very little career satisfaction at this time. My DH and I just wander around on the weekends with no direction. Frankly, I have felt this way for a year. My DH and I are ready for our lives to be about babies, but it's not happening. I drown my sorrow in watching Bravo Housewife shows to forget my problems.

IUI Questions

when I went in for my IUI, i went in for monitoring on Friday and my follies weren't ready. I went back on Monday and they were and I was told to trigger. I couldn't trigger until i go thome that night, around 7pm and I went in the next day for the IUI. I did not have b2b IUI's either. After the IUI on Tuesday, I was told to have sex that night and the next night as well, for good measure. Sperm can live for up to 36 hours after, as long as its not frozen. After the IUI, I found out it was optimal to have the IUI done at 36 hours post trigger and i felt deflated thinking we missed our shot this month, but it worked for us! I would def have the defragmentation test done to make sure

Re: IUI Questions

Was this your first IUI? When I did IUI's, even at the run of the mill clinic, they always did them B2B. I would suggest a medicated cycle with Femara, at least so you can produce more follies and increase your chances, even if by a little. Do you have any other issues? Normal cycles, etc? I don't have experience with MFI but I'd still suggest doing a couple more cycles of IUI before IVF. Maybe start the consultation process?

Re: IUI Questions

Do you go to RS of NY? If so I know when I went there, they only do their IUI's 24 hours after trigger for some reason.

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if you have no issue producing follicles i would suggest asking the doctor to do back to back IUIs (2 days in a row) DH always has a higher count on the second day for ours for some reason. for you. hang in there.

Message edited 6/26/2012 12:25:37 PM.

IUI Questions

This is our 3rd iui and we only did one 24 hours after trigger cause it fell on a weekend.

Re: IUI Questions

You really only need 1 well-timed IUI at 36 hours. I'd request that to be your timing, as long as your husband's counts were good enough for an IUI.

Re: IUI Questions

Thanks so much for the replies. The IUI was done on a Saturday. Maybe, that is why it was done at 24 hours. I had it done at Cornell. It was kind of weird because I was the only person there at around 12:30. The halls were all empty. I have to switch to Columbia now because my insurance is changing. I will talk about all of these issues. They say IUI's typically take many cycles, I wonder if it is because doctors do not start off very aggressively.