Follicle Recruitment

Follicle recruitment is something I have decided I suck at. Suffice it to say that today's u/s didn't go that great. Only 3 follicles, one, of course, in the lead. Here is my latest email to my RE. Next u/s Monday afternoon. I likely will not hear back until Monday during my u/s. In the meantime, I am sick and not sleeping because of the stims. I raelly hate this process and just want to be pregnant already, darn it!

Dr. N - I was thinking on the way home from the u/s today that it really makes no difference what my FSH and E2 are because no matter what protocol I am on, I seem to produce about the same number of follicles. You know that if this cycle didn’t work, I was planning on joining the July IVF cycle. But, after the results of today’s u/s and looking at my past history (which I have summarized below), I am not sure that would be the best decision because the amount of stims doesn’t seem to make much difference. I seem to get about 3 – 5 follicles on my left to start and end with 1 or 2, my right has never been a contender and hasn’t even participated in the last 3 cycles. On the other hand, I seem to get pregnant every other cycle so if that trend continues, this cycle could work and I wouldn’t need to worry about moving to IVF. Do you have any thoughts as to why I seem to not recruit and grow that many follicles and is there anything that can be done about it? If this cycle doesn’t work, do you really think that IVF is the next best step based on my history? I just don’t see where I would make enough follicles to make it worthwhile, especially with my right ovary choosing not to play. Based on my FSH and E2 with the amount of stims I have taken, I feel like I should be producing more. Thoughts? Ideas? BTW, my prediction for Monday’s u/s is that I have one large dominate follicle, 1 smaller follicle, and the third will have disappeared entirely. Debbie

Debbie Cycle History Summary Chart**

** This was an excel spreadsheet, but I can't figure out how to align thing to a table here so I am just going to leave it even though it makes it harder to read, because I am tired and not in the mood to fiddle with it.

Cycle 1
Date: April 2004

Cycle Day
10
13
15
17
18

Right
8
12
17
19
10

Left
9, 7
13, 13, 9
18, 16, 7
18, 15, 9
23, 20

Lining
9.8
9.7
10.1
9.9

Protocol
Clomid, No Trigger

Procedure
IUI cd 17, IUI cd18

Result
Negative


Cycle 2
Date: June 2004

Cycle Day
9
13
15

Right
12
18
?

Left
10, 8
14, 12
?

Lining
5
9.6
?

Protocol
Clomid, with Trigger

Procedure
IUI cd 15

Result
Pregnant, M/C


Cycle 3
Date: September 2004

Cycle Day
9
11
13



Right
13, 11
15

Left
16, 10, 9
20, 14
23, 18

Lining
8.14
9.1
9.3

Protocol
2 amps Repronex/Pergonal, Viagra, with Trigger

Procedure
IUI cd 13

Result
Negative


Cycle 4
Date: December 2004

Cycle Day
9
11

Right


Left
24, 16, 13, 12, 10
27, 16

Lining
8.44
?

Protocol
L5

Procedure
IVF Cxl, Converted to IUI cd11

Result
Pregnant, Max

Cycle 5
Date: April 2006

Cycle Day
5
7
9

Right
?

Left
?
17, 13, 10
21, 10

Lining
?
9.6
10.2

Protocol
Natural, with Trigger

Procedure
IUI cd 12

Result
Negative


Cycle 6
Date: May 2006

Cycle Day
8
11
13

Right


Left
13. 8, 8

Lining
9.1

Protocol
2 amps Gonal F, 1 amp Repronex

Procedure
IUI cd ?

Result
TBD