estrogn and follicle questions

[leilamom]

Sigh, I've been crying all day.  I feel so defeated.  We started injections 2 weeks ago.  Went today for the ultrasound (5th one) and no growth from Thursday (or the time before that and the time before that).  I was somewhat hopefully at the last visit, because my estrogen went up, so I thought I would see something on the ultrasound today. 

Questions:

Why are they not growing?  Did it take anyone a long time to get follicles to grow?  Like, over 2 weeks?

Is it possible for estrogen levels to rise and then fall and then go back up again? (went from 98, 102, 98, 147, to 89)  I have idea what is going on here?  I just know a lower estrogen level is bad.

Can follicles shrink?  (went from 10, 10.7, 10.3, to 10)

I am just getting really upset because we have spent all the money we have saved on meds and appointments to this point...we saved what they told us it would cost to do the treatment and now we are looking at days and days more.  When do you call it quits and decide that you aren't responding to the meds?

[InWaiting]

I don't know the answer to your questions, but I couldn't read your post without saying that I'm so, so sorry that you are going through this.  I hope that someone can chime in with some helpful info soon.

[rcr]

I don't know your answers either. But when they measure my follies, I have noticed that it is not exactly a science. they kinda push them around until they look round and big, but then if they move the wand a little more, they look bigger or smaller. So, maybe they are not getting smaller? Maybe they are just having a hard time measuring them? Just an idea.

Sorry you are going through this.

[renavoo]

Hi Leilamom, I am so sorry about what you're going through :o( I want to give you some hope though. I have a friend who is currently going through the IVF process. After taking the drugs, she went in to get a check on the follicles. They told her that she had only 1 really growing, another half way there and 5 small ones. She was also feeling defeated, as anyone would be when so much time, effort and pain goes into something that just doesn't seem to be working out. Well, she went in again a few days later and happily, 4 were close to ready. So they went to retrieve the eggs.

She wakes up from the procedure and was told that she didn't have 4 eggs...she had 8. Yes, they only saw 7 follicles and only 4 looked like they grew but she ended up with 8 viable eggs. Through ICSI, 6 were fertilized and she's waiting for the implantation (happening this Sunday, I believe). So keep your chin up. As great as our machines are, they don't catch everything. Don't lose hope and hopefully, soon, you'll be able to share a happy story with us too!!

[leilamom]

I have some good news to report.  I ended up growing follicles (they counted 3, but there might have been more show up) and my estrogen went way up too, which means they were real.  I think what happened is my cysts just grew and then shrank, and they weren't real follicles.  I had an IUI Wednesday, so I'm hoping that this will be the only time I have to go through this.  If we have to do it again, we know the dose of meds that I responded, so it gives us a better starting point.

[renavoo]

Yah, Leilamom! Good luck!

[kneticnrgy]

Good luck!