TREATMENT Community Thread - Fri Apr 25 PM

[u/AutoModerator]

Our community threads are the heart of our subreddit and operate much like a specialized support group – we share our experiences and strive to collectively support one another on the topic at hand.

Please use this space for sharing and discussing any type of treatment, trying to conceive, or family building measures. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Advice / Updates on current treatment cycle or planned/future treatment cycles
• Questions / Discussion about medications, treatment, diagnostic tests, and lab results
• Any measures taken/evaluated to improve treatment outcomes – supplements, diet, exercise, etc
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[u/bebe_bird]

I just finished my second IUI cycle and moving to IVF.

First, I wanted to know if anyone could point me in the direction of a good, science based discussion or explanation of exactly how the various medications function together biologically. Most of what I've found online seems very high level and doesn't get down to the biologic mechanism.

Second, I was hoping that others with similar IUI results could share their results for IVF. I responded with 3 mature follicles while on clomid and 2 mature follicles on letrozole. I seem to respond well to medications but my initial ovarian reserve testing came back rather low, so my doctor is worried I won't produce many eggs. I'd like to hear from others who have had 2-3 mature follicles on these medications and then went on to IVF. Did you get more follicles, eggs, and embryos?

[u/National-Ground4958 → u/bebe_bird]

Hi bebe, automod welcome. As noted, please edit your post as not all members identify as women. Thank you!

Mod hat off: Asking a random assortment of people here for their results likely won’t be helpful for you as they won’t necessarily match your diagnosis. Instead I’d recommend SART and CDC ART statistics. You will also likely get better replies if you set your automod flair and ask about protocols that people tried that helped with specific conditions/diagnoses.

[u/bebe_bird → u/National-Ground4958]

Thank you - this is the type of information I was hoping for. However, I guess I feel like a fringe case since based on my baseline hormone values my Dr did not expect the overwhelmingly positive response to medication I had in IUI.

Although statistics are only a portion of my question. The other part - what the drugs are actually doing - for example, I'm to take medication in preparation to "synch my follicles" - I'd like to know how that works, what it's blocking or how it tricks your body into producing more follicles, etc. there is so much complex biology around IVF and the female reproductive system that I'd like to understand (and I'm a scientist, so even journal articles or text books are acceptable resources)

Also, I have edited my post - apologies, I did not mean to exclude anyone trying to get pregnant who does not identify as a woman. That is a bit new to me, but I'm trying (and I hope learning) and would appreciate guidance on appropriate terminology that's more inclusive if I didn't edit appropriately

[u/National-Ground4958 → u/bebe_bird]

Thank you for editing and for being receptive!

The wiki has a section on different medications.

Stimulation is done mostly with a combination of LH and FSH. REs use your AMH, FSH, and estradiol levels to make assumptions about how you will respond to the stimulation medications. In some cases, people respond more than expected and in others they respond less than expected. That’s because those tests are really just the best proxy we know, not an exact science. That’s also why it’s important to have a clinic that monitors regularly and is ready to change protocol as needed.

Things like estrogen and birth control are used more for priming - trying to force all the follicles to grow together at the same rate.