Long Term Fertility Issues and Options

[Pamela Lee]

I just recently got my test results back from the fertility clinic....not good...I have a low ovarian reserve:-

FSH: 10
AMH: 3.86 pmol/L

I am 36 and a half years old...the only option I have been given is IVF....time is running out. We have 6 weeks to make up our minds, that’s on the NHS. We want to book privately for a second opinion. I also would like a HSG dye test to check my tubes are clear and not blocked.

I am taking 200mg of co-q10, folic acid and vitamin D. I have been going to acupuncture for 2 months now every week.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom or heard of anything similar?

Pam x x

 

[Bambi42]

I just recently got my test results back from the fertility clinic....not good...I have a low ovarian reserve:-

FSH: 10
AMH: 3.86 pmol/L

I am 36 and a half years old...the only option I have been given is IVF....time is running out. We have 6 weeks to make up our minds, that’s on the NHS. We want to book privately for a second opinion. I also would like a HSG dye test to check my tubes are clear and not blocked.

I am taking 200mg of co-q10, folic acid and vitamin D. I have been going to acupuncture for 2 months now every week.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom or heard of anything similar?

Pam x x

Hi Pam,

I take 600mg of COQ10, folic acid, vitamin D and Vital DHEA (Zita West). I have a wine once in a blue moon and eat a ‘fertility’ diet. I wear a fertility bracelet and recently tried Pre-seed. I’ve tried everything and anything. One early miscarriage, one chemical pregnancy.

I had the HSG test (£450 privately) and you get the results there & then on the big screen. Mine was clear and it was like a smear test but longer, so don’t be scared by the googling online reviews, it’s ok and you get cramps after but they give you painkillers.

I’m 42 and about to head down the IVF route privately as we’re too old for help on NHS. We have unexplained infertility - my AMH is 13.3 which isn’t amazing but ‘good for my age.’ It’s frustrating that they can’t say ‘this is the reason’.

Every part of my being thinks we can achieve a pregnancy naturally and it’s taken us 6 months to agree to go down the IVF route . The reality is if I don’t try it’s going to be too late for us. ( I’ve wanted to be a mummy since I was a teenager ....it’s just that I never met my OH until I was 39)

If you need more time to think it all through (it’s not for everyone) be aware that if you go private you’ll possibly have to pay for all the bloods / sperm tests again and IVF is around £6k, the extra money worries and maxed out credit cards don’t help with stress, which doesn’t help with conceiving. But for me, I have to try everything, even though I’m still really not sure ...and pretty scared!

Sending you a big hug.
Xx

 

[Pamela Lee]

Hi Pam,

I take 600mg of COQ10, folic acid, vitamin D and Vital DHEA (Zita West). I have a wine once in a blue moon and eat a ‘fertility’ diet. I wear a fertility bracelet and recently tried Pre-seed. I’ve tried everything and anything. One early miscarriage, one chemical pregnancy.

I had the HSG test (£450 privately) and you get the results there & then on the big screen. Mine was clear and it was like a smear test but longer, so don’t be scared by the googling online reviews, it’s ok and you get cramps after but they give you painkillers.

I’m 42 and about to head down the IVF route privately as we’re too old for help on NHS. We have unexplained infertility - my AMH is 13.3 which isn’t amazing but ‘good for my age.’ It’s frustrating that they can’t say ‘this is the reason’.

Every part of my being thinks we can achieve a pregnancy naturally and it’s taken us 6 months to agree to go down the IVF route . The reality is if I don’t try it’s going to be too late for us. ( I’ve wanted to be a mummy since I was a teenager ....it’s just that I never met my OH until I was 39)

If you need more time to think it all through (it’s not for everyone) be aware that if you go private you’ll possibly have to pay for all the bloods / sperm tests again and IVF is around £6k, the extra money worries and maxed out credit cards don’t help with stress, which doesn’t help with conceiving. But for me, I have to try everything, even though I’m still really not sure ...and pretty scared!

Sending you a big hug.
Xx

Thank you so much for replying to me. You are very kind. It’s a tough journey and I am sending you lots of love and prayers your way too.

Your AMH is so much better than mine. Mine is very low and that’s where my problem lays. It’s so frustrating that you can’t get pregnant. What is your FSH level?

I am going to book in for a HSG check, just for my own peice of mind. It’s a small price to pay compared to the IVF treatment. Yes, I wear the Ava bracelet too and have the pre-seed too....it’s not glamourous is it?

I am trying to keep my sense of humour up...but it’s difficult....

Yes, even though me and my husband aren’t poor....we aren’t rich either, it all boils down to money.

I looked into IVF in Poland...£2k or a little over.....which is far better than the UK.

Take care and all the best with your journey.

Pam x x x

 

[Bambi42]

I think it helps knowing you’re not the only one going through this.

The only thing with going abroad is having to get on and off a flight. I don’t think the cabin pressure can be good for your body but I might be wrong.

I can’t remember what my FSH is ... will need to dig out the paperwork and check. It feels like a long time since I had those tests done.

People with low AMH scores still do get pregnant - you’ve got to have Hope with a capital H.

Keep me posted and good luck xx

 

[Pamela Lee]

I think it helps knowing you’re not the only one going through this.

The only thing with going abroad is having to get on and off a flight. I don’t think the cabin pressure can be good for your body but I might be wrong.

I can’t remember what my FSH is ... will need to dig out the paperwork and check. It feels like a long time since I had those tests done.

People with low AMH scores still do get pregnant - you’ve got to have Hope with a capital H.

Keep me posted and good luck xx

Thank you so much - I will keep you posted..........all the best for you.

Pam x x x x

 

[Jezby]

Hey Pam,

Your results are almost identical to mine. I was 36 when I had them done ..
FSH 9
AMH 2.3 p/mol
HSG dye test all clear.
No male factor

No NHS help for us, I underwent my first IVF Nov 2018 age 37. I was fully prepared for a cancelled cycle as my AMH so low for my age. I got 10 eggs, 7 fertilised. Sadly they weren’t good quality at all and I had 2 transferred day 5 but didn’t stick

AMH isn’t the be all and end all and your FSH is ok too so don’t lose heart ..

I took co enzyme 10 , folic acid, vit D & zinc. I’m halfway through cycle 2 now....

Stay strong xx

 

[Pamela Lee]

Hey Pam,

Your results are almost identical to mine. I was 36 when I had them done ..
FSH 9
AMH 2.3 p/mol
HSG dye test all clear.
No male factor

No NHS help for us, I underwent my first IVF Nov 2018 age 37. I was fully prepared for a cancelled cycle as my AMH so low for my age. I got 10 eggs, 7 fertilised. Sadly they weren’t good quality at all and I had 2 transferred day 5 but didn’t stick

AMH isn’t the be all and end all and your FSH is ok too so don’t lose heart ..

I took co enzyme 10 , folic acid, vit D & zinc. I’m halfway through cycle 2 now....

Stay strong xx

Hello,

Yes, we are the same. Good luck with your journey. I will get a HSG test and try clomid before trying IVF I think - my acupuncturist says I've got another 6 months before thinking of IVF. I turn 37 in June. The NHS is good, but so slow, I am in 2 minds whether to wait for NHS or get HSG test privately - just to speed time up. I can have IVF through the NHS, but I will have to pay for it. I am hoping to conceive naturally, but it's been 16 months so far.

Good luck with all you are going through.

Take care

Pam ;o)

 

[soffphie]

Hello,

Yes, we are the same. Good luck with your journey. I will get a HSG test and try clomid before trying IVF I think - my acupuncturist says I've got another 6 months before thinking of IVF. I turn 37 in June. The NHS is good, but so slow, I am in 2 minds whether to wait for NHS or get HSG test privately - just to speed time up. I can have IVF through the NHS, but I will have to pay for it. I am hoping to conceive naturally, but it's been 16 months so far.

Good luck with all you are going through.

Take care

Pam ;o)

I dont have experience in IVF but am undergoing initial fertility testing...
I too have started taking COQ10 (500mg), Vitamin E, D + Folic, C+Zinc oh and Myo-iniositol... haha. i started them january after another fail to conceive naturally.

Earlier you said that you had 6 weeks to decide? who gave you that deadline? if NHS maybe they will get your HSG done quickly? If you can afford it go private, we are saving for Private so if we need to , we can get it done quickly.. going private i think is so dependant on your circumstances.

Without sounding rude, how can your Acupuncturist know youve got 6 months left to decide?

 

[Pamela Lee]

I dont have experience in IVF but am undergoing initial fertility testing...
I too have started taking COQ10 (500mg), Vitamin E, D + Folic, C+Zinc oh and Myo-iniositol... haha. i started them january after another fail to conceive naturally.

Earlier you said that you had 6 weeks to decide? who gave you that deadline? if NHS maybe they will get your HSG done quickly? If you can afford it go private, we are saving for Private so if we need to , we can get it done quickly.. going private i think is so dependant on your circumstances.

Without sounding rude, how can your Acupuncturist know youve got 6 months left to decide?

Hello,

Yes, I have just started taking a double dose of CO-Q10 starting yesterday - I was taking 200mg, now I have started to take 2 tablets - so 400mg - I saw on the forum that people were taking a higher dose.

I have to make a decision by our next NHS appointment which is on 15th March what we want to do. The doctor said not to bother with clomid and go straight for IVF. I think I am going to push for clomid and a HSG test first, before IVF - we are saving money furiously too.

My acupuncturist said from her experience of her own clients that have become pregnant naturally with acupuncture and have a AMH of 1.7 pmol/L.............so it's not a science or anything like that.............it's just from her experience..........x x x x x x x x

 

[Pamela Lee]

Hello,

Yes, I have just started taking a double dose of CO-Q10 starting yesterday - I was taking 200mg, now I have started to take 2 tablets - so 400mg - I saw on the forum that people were taking a higher dose.

I have to make a decision by our next NHS appointment which is on 15th March what we want to do. The doctor said not to bother with clomid and go straight for IVF. I think I am going to push for clomid and a HSG test first, before IVF - we are saving money furiously too.

My acupuncturist said from her experience of her own clients that have become pregnant naturally with acupuncture and have a AMH of 1.7 pmol/L.............so it's not a science or anything like that.............it's just from her experience..........x x x x x x x x

I have an AMH of 3.86pmol/L - so that's why she suggested I have another 6 months...... x x

 

[miamia]

Pamela Lee - good luck with your journey. I used IVF clinic in Poland, and have been happy with them. Have you considered having mesotherapy treatment to ovaries to improve your eggs quality? From what I have read IVF clinics in Poland and Cyprus offer the procedure.

 

[Bambi42]

I have an AMH of 3.86pmol/L - so that's why she suggested I have another 6 months...... x x

Hi Pam,

I’ve just ordered this book to help me & my OH get through the next couple of months - I’m hoping he’ll read it, he likes researching stuff . Anyway thought I’d share in case it’s of interest.

Get A Life: His & Hers Survival Guide To IVF: The New IVF Book Out NOW!

And I looked up my results and my FSH score is 7 which was ‘normal’. The ‘unexplained fertility’ thing drives me nuts.

We sign the paperwork on Saturday & hopefully start in a few weeks.

Keep in touch and good luck x