Feeling apprehensive about IUI

[Anonymous]

Hello - we've been TTC for over a year, i've been off the pill for over 3 years... i'm 31, have had all blood tests, day 3 u/s, HSG, etc. all were negative. Husband's tests were also negative. We went to Shady Grove in Sept and they discussed superovulation w/IUI as the first line treatment. My husband and I are a little apprehensive about it, mostly from the horror stories I've heard about Clomid and/or injectibles (i've struggled with adult acne for years). Its so hard to jump on the IUI/IVF train, b/c I feel like once you do its really hard to get off! I know I have time on my side since I am 31, but every year that goes by makes it seem harder and harder. Anyone in their early 30s have any similar experiences? or tried IUI w/success with unexplained infertility? any advice is appreciated

[Anonymous]

Hello

I am 29 y. old and TTC for 3.5 years. We just moved on to an RE and I just had my first IUI done, and to tell the truth I only regret I didn't go sooner (didn't work this time around though).

I don't know about IVF, but the injections I had to take for my IUI I barely felt (hubby applied)...it felt like an ant bite


Good luck

[Anonymous]

I did not do IUI, but I have been taking Clomid for 4 cycles now and I did not feel it at all. I have had NO side effects, no acne, nothing, so I really would not worry about taking Clomid. As far as I know, IUI is the recommended course of treatment for unexplained fertility. I would go ahead and do it if I were you b/c time runs and before you know it, you will be 35 and then it will be even harder to get pregnant. Best of Luck to you.

[Anonymous]

I'm older than you, but was also apprehensive about the infertility drugs - I'm doing my second IUI now and it really isn't that bad. The first time, I did get headaches, some insomnia and irritability during the last 2 days of the 5 days that I was on Clomid, but it all went away the day after I stopped taking it. This time, I had some mild hot flashes and insomnia the last 2 nights, but now that's over. My other reaction was to the progesterone that SG makes you take during the 2ww - by the second week, I was feeling really tired, cranky, and had sore breasts. All signs of pregnancy (which I wasn't), which sucked because it was mentally challenging to not get too hopeful.

I didn't feel any reactions to the injectables.

[Anonymous]

I am in a very similar situation (32 years old, unexplained infertility, TTC 1.5 yrs). My husband and I kinda dragged our feet on getting started over the past 6 months but we just signed up to start IUI with Clomid during my next cycle. We had been thinking about going straight to IVF, but our RE suggested giving the IUI a try first. I feel very similarly to you and DH and I did wait for an extra few months because it did seem like once we started fertility treatments it would be very hard to stop. But now I feel some relief that all the waiting and anticipation of treatments is over and we are finally going to do something about our infertility. Plus part of me feels that the clomid/IUI will be like training wheels for the IVF (give me and my RE a sense of how my body reacts to hormones, how it feels to be monitored all the time) if we eventually have to do that. I also highly, highly recommend the book "Waiting for Daisy" by Peggy Orenstein - which documents her struggles to get pregnant. I think that book has helped me understand what awaits me and it also helped my husband better understand the toll that fertility treatments can take. Good luck to you, OP!!!!

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you for the comments...I think we are going to go ahead with our initial plan and start the clomid/IUI in January. We are trying to remain optimistic, but I know there are a lot of people out there that are young w/no problems that try this and still get no results, and I guess that is what I fear most! I am really not sure if IVF will ever be an option for us. regardless of the cost, I just think it all seems a little forceful on your body, when maybe your body just can't handle getting pregnant? Plus the future/unknown consequences of months/years of fertility drugs scares the crap out of me and my husband...
Thanks again for listening and the advice!

[Anonymous]

To OP- regarding your last post- there are also lots and lots of people out there who had unexplained infertility and DID get pregnant with Clomid. I know a few of those people. I actually know 2 women who had unexplained infertility and who got pregnant on their first cycle of Clomid. So stay optimistic!! It might happen much sooner than you think! I think a positive attitude is key. Also, I don't think there is such a thing as a body that can't handle pregnancy: with the proper medication (if medication is needed), the body definitely can handle pregnancy, especially at your age. I think the side effects of fertility drugs are completely worth it if they allow you to have a child!

[Anonymous]

I felt like you before starting after 1 year trying, I did not like the idea of bombarding my body with hormones and drugs but I was running out of time (I was 40 at the time). I started with IUI with injectibles (very skeptic and pesimistic) and guess what? Got pregnant at the first try !! No side effects from Clomid, did not feel the injections (only 2), the supositories were not a big deal, nothing ! Now I'm 18 weeks pregnant and I just found out it's a girl !! I only regret I did not do it sooner. So don't worry and just do it !!!! Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again, this is all really so helpful and is easing my (and my husband's!) concerns...

[Anonymous]

I was in a similar position - 33 y.o., TTC for one year, irregular ovulation, no identifiable cause. We got pregnant on our second cycle of clomid. Side effects were minimal. You may feel like you have lots of time, but if what you are doing isn't working after more than a year, you probably need to try something else, imho.

GOOD LUCK!