1st IUI Expected February

[Anonymous]

Just came across this website and so happy I did. I am on other boards (i.e., mycycle.com/fertility friend), but I am so happy to have found a forum that is so close to home. I a 35 and been TTC for 15 months. Have gone through the testing, etc and looks like I am some what normal. Estrogen level is a tad high but nothing to be alarmed about. DH's SA numbers are ok. He is 35 as well. All was good except his morphology was 9%. We sought out help at SG in Annandale and are currently seeing Dr. Greenhouse. He wants us to try IUI first since we are relatively healthy. He has me set up to start Clomid, then move on to FSH injectables, then the trigger, IUI and then Prometrium if we get that BFP. I was suppose to start IUI this cycle but I didn't know that I had to take an injectables class prior to starting the process. The next class is January 12th, so I have to wait.

I went for Day3 U/S last cycle and I had 10 follicles. Not sure how many were good. I am not very hopeful that we'll be successful with the first IUI. Can anyone explain how the actual IUI procedure feels?

Also curious on how much you spent on all your IUI's? If that's too personal, I apologize, and please don't hesitate to ignore the question.

[Anonymous]

IUIs are a walk in the park compared to IVF. They will monitor your follicle growth then will probably give you an injection to trigger ovulation. 36 hours later, your husband will go in an hour before you, give his sample, then you go in, they inseminate you, and you lie there for like 20 mins, and go home. its virtually painless, same as getting a pap smear. IUIs rarely work on the first attempt so don't be discouraged. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply. I wasn't holding out much hope for our first IUI. We'll have to wait to do a second one to come up with the money. We barely have the money for this one coming up.

[Anonymous]

you should hold out hope! we got pregnant w/ our first iui. but then we miscarried, but still - it was our fist IUI.

iui's are super easy! and the pp's description is right on. with my first one, i had lots of cramping for some reason and left work early. but it wasn't anything that i was worried about (i.e. no bleeding, i didn't even call the doctor).

it's much less costly (and time consuming) than IVF. we ended up going to IVF though...

good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Yes, IUI's are pretty easy. If you are at SG, then they've sent you for an HSG already, and I thought that was MUCH worse than the IUI. IUI is about the same level of discomfort as a Pap smear and it only takes a few minutes. Also, my understanding is that all the protocols at SG will have you start Prometrium immediately following the IUI, not waiting until after you get a BFP. (You might want to factor that in if your insurance doesn't cover meds, b/c Prometrium is expensive and you'll be on it for 14 days from IUI until your beta, and then continuing if you are pregnant.)

IUI doesn't have good success rates compared with IVF. A lot of people say that while IUIs are easier/cheaper, in hindsight they would have been better off doing IVF instead of going through 4-6 IUIs that weren't successful - that's a lot of months of stress and medications and disappointment, and you can spend a lot of money on IUIs if you have to do it 6 times.

It depends on what your issues are. If you have male factor, IUI can help a lot. I don't think you have male factor, though. A 9% morphology at SG is actually quite good. They use Kruger/strict morphology and while the "normal" value is 14% or higher, the reality is that most men do not get a 14%. So I would not be concerned about your husband's results - they sound fine. If you have an ovulatory issue and you need clomid or injects to ovulate, again, IUI can help a lot. If you have egg quality issues, IUI won't help much. Your AFC is ok but not great, as I think 10 is the minimum they like to see. But it sounds like your FSH is normal, so that's good.

I am doing IUI at SG (but probably switching to IVF), so you already know how much mine cost.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your replies.

Both DH and I seem to be ok, so I guess it's just "unexplained infertility". I hate those two words. I'm trying to stay positive because we only have the money ($1600 + meds) to do one IUI. I wish they had a money back gurantee on that too. At least something.

Found out that insurance covers the Pometrium.

Did you all have to do the injectables class? I am a wimp when it comes to needles.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure that you have to do the injectables class? I never did - both for my IUIs and IVF. I just watched the videos.

[Anonymous]

11:11 here.

Yes, SG made me take the injection class. I had to do an FSH injection and the trigger shot - sounds like you are on the same protocol since you said the 1st cycle is $1600. I found the class helpful. I watched one of the videos the day I had to do the injection, as a refresher, but to me the class was worthwhile, as they went over the protocol and each of the meds, showed me how to mix the Gonal-F (my dose was 150iu, so that's 2 vials that have to be mixed in one syringe), etc.

Honestly, the only difficult part about giving myself the injection was that the first time I did it, my hands were shaking so much because I was so nervous! But once I did it, it was no big deal. The needle is really tiny. I didn't think it was painful, and it's very quick. You'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

We never did the injection class for IUIs or IVFs. The videos on the Village Fertility Pharmacy (which I think you can find through SG's website) are really good. My husband did all of my injections and fortunately the ones for IUIs aren't that bad. The first one is by far the worst and then it gets a little easier after that (and I am a huge wimp about needles - well, I used to be). If you're really nervous, try icing the area for 10 minutes before and you won't feel a thing. Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Oh that is a really good idea. I never thought about trying to numb the area. A coworker of mine was telling me that I need to watch out not to hit a vein. I was like, "thanks for making it worse now."

SG is making me watch the videos and do the class. It actually works out better for us having to wait. I can prepare myself if I have time to process it all.

Thanks for all your replies. It helps.