How much worse than IUI is IVF?

[Anonymous]

I'm almost 40 and am struggling with secondary infertility (decreased ovarian reserve). I have done 3 medicated (Follistim) IUIs that have failed. I produced 2 eggs with each IUI.

I am hesitant to move to IVF and am not sure I want to do so.

I found the medicated IUIs to be pretty stressful, both the injections and all the monitoring appointments, and also very difficult logistically to deal with in terms of childcare (I have a 2 year old).

How much worse is IVF? For me, the scariest thing is the egg retrieval. I'm not sure I can handle it, quite honestly. Surgery terrifies me.

What would you do in this situation?

[Anonymous]

The only difference between the cycles for me was egg retrieval and the progesterone shots. Retrieval is a breeze. It's just a very brief 15 minute nap, and no pain at all. Heck, I find transfer more stressful since I'm awake and I know it could be slightly uncomfortable, though I was lucky each time and didn't have any pain.

[Anonymous]

I was also scared of the retrieval. Like PP said, it was a breeze. I had worked myself up into a frenzy and was a ball of nerves going into it...all for nothing. I was sedated for maybe 20-25 minutes total, and when I woke up, it felt like waking up from a nap. I wasn't even groggy that evening. DH and I stopped for dinner on the way home. I had some minor crampy feelings afterwards, but nothing that two Tylenol couldn't handle. FWIW, I had 22 eggs retrieved.
I did have some bloating for several days afterwards, but I'd had a high E2 number, so we started taking precautions for avoiding OHSS early, and I never developed it.

[Anonymous]

I couldn't walk for 3 days after retrieval!
I honestly thought IVF was 100x worse than IUI. More injections, higher hormones and way more expensive.

[Anonymous]

For me, ivf was somewhat worse but only for a few days. The lead up to the retrieval with the 3 shots a day (Lupron, gonal f and Menopur) and constant monitoring visits was annoying and time consuming but not a huge deal for me physically or emotionally. Close to retrieval, I was very uncomfortable and very bloated (25 eggs retrieved) and then post retrieval, I was very uncomfortable for a day or two. The transfer was not a big deal at all. The tww is emotional torture but you have that no matter what. In the whole cycle, I missed 4 days of work.

All this to say, ivf was somewhat worse for me physically than iui but mentally worth it because chances for success so much higher. I would say go for it if you can afford it. You can always stop if it becomes too much.

[Anonymous]

I also have a two year old and childcare issues are annoying, but luckily I was able to figure it out. My husband's job is flexible, mine less so, but we have daycare and family nearby (although they were unaware of IVF happening). I didn't find Ivf that hard, but I also didn't think IUI was bad, either, as far as what you actually have to do and the physical side effects.

For me, the excruciating part of fertility treatments is the emotional roller coaster in entails. For me, it's:

85% emotional weight
10% financial weight
5% physical weight

[Anonymous]

Retrieval is not a big deal, as others said. It's a really short procedure, you're knocked out, and for most, no side effects. Going to the dentist is more stressful in terms of the physical side.

As for IVF vs IUI -- I think whether or not you are successful will color what you make of the procedure. It is really inconvenient for a few weeks but that is finite. Logistics are annoying, but let's say you had to do this for your 2 yo's health. You would figure it out.

More hard I think is the emotional uncertainty. It all depends on how much you want to try it.

[Anonymous]

IMO, it's basically the same process + egg retrieval + more money for drugs. I didn't find the egg retrieval to be a big deal. My ovaries literally felt heavy from stimulation. Other than that - NBD to me.

[Anonymous]

IMO, it's basically the same process + egg retrieval + more money for drugs. I didn't find the egg retrieval to be a big deal. My ovaries literally felt heavy from stimulation. Other than that - NBD to me.

[Anonymous]

New poster here - I'm also torn about IVF because I'm terrified of the anesthesia like OP. Anyone have this big fear ahead of time and get through it? I know lots of people said it was NBD and I'd love to hear some stories of people saying its NBD who were scared beforehand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New poster here - I'm also torn about IVF because I'm terrified of the anesthesia like OP. Anyone have this big fear ahead of time and get through it? I know lots of people said it was NBD and I'd love to hear some stories of people saying its NBD who were scared beforehand.

That part was no big deal. They give you an iv and the next thing you know you're back in the room.

[Anonymous]

Depends. Iui were easy for me ivf, was awful, ovaries huge, and uncomfortable, blew up like a tick from the meds, and after the retrieval of 25+ eggs, abdomin was so distended. The. Of course there was the finial aspect of it. So yes, harder. Plus side, we gave our DD. Best of luck OP, it's a very hard road and I hope everything works out well for you.

[Anonymous]

^financial, not finial. PS the retrieval itself was easy, you're asleep ?

[Anonymous]

I would choose Ivf because the stats are so much better. Just suck it up for a month and you'll end up with a bunch of embryos hopefully. I found the few days before the retrieval were the worst but I just felt swollen.

[Anonymous]

I did both and wish I had moved onto IVF faster. The shots and things were basically the same, the retrieval only took a half day to recover, and the transfer was super simple, even the pain of IVF was less than IUI. And the odds were much better. Currently 20 weeks.