Monday, April 19, 2010

DHEA - for the FAIL.

Oh ladies I'm so sad ddown.gif

Latest FSH results - 14.3 (menopausal)
latest AMH results - 1.9 (menopausal)

I don't want to believe those results ... I want them to be someone else's, some 50 year old lady's - not mine cry1.gif

I'm not sure what we will do now - not sure if it's worth going forward, with a CD3 FSH of 14.3 I'm not even sure that the doc will even do a cycle with me sad.gif I have to make another appointment but from the looks of it, I'm a DHEA failure.

Thank you so much for all your supportive, horrified comments. I am drowning here and it's a comfort to know that you're out there thinking kindly of me.

A couple of friends who have struggled with infertility have both told me to ignore the blood test results and to keep trying and trying, not to give up.  But oh I'm not sure if that's the right thing to do, it's so much money to try and try again!  I'm not even 38 yet and this is all so incredibly unfair. What would you do? What will I do? What will the doctor say now?

16 comments:

  1. I'm sorry the results weren't what you were hoping for, Pundelina.

    Again, I wouldn't throw in the towel on the DHEA and claim yourself a failure just yet - 3.5 months is not enough time to tell if it's had a good effect, according to the research. I know it's hard to be patient but I would wait until at least the 6-month mark. Again, I implore you to check out Grizzly Eggs' blog as she was on it for many months before doing IVF and conceiving(she's in my pregnant blogroll).

    If it's any consolation, I am cycling and going for IVF with a super high FSH compared to yours - in fact, we're not even bothering to check it most of the time because all we're doing is checking to see how I respond to the injectibles. I wish we lived closer so I could send you to Dr. Lovely. When do you see your doctor? I hope they can help you interpret these numbers and figure out a plan - do you have an acupuncturist you can look at them with? I find that helpful, too.

    Here are some sites I like to look at when I'm having a bad day:

    http://singledigitpercent.blogspot.com/2009/05/over-40-high-fsh-success-stories.html

    http://www.fertilethoughts.com/forums/high-fsh-premature-ovarian-failure/389963-post-your-high-fsh-premature-ovarian-failure-success-story-here.html

    It's interesting to look at these lists and see that IUI and timed intercourse have been successful just as much if not more than IVF...so it goes to show that if you're still ovulating there is always a chance and if you decide you're not willing to gamble with IVF, I wouldn't give up trying naturally. I'm not giving up on you yet...((hugs)).

    Love,
    Maddy

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  2. I have a lot of skepticism about the FSH and AMH numbers. I'm not completely in denial - I know they provide a general picture. I also realize that part of this is defensive, given my own AMH. But there are too many women who conceive with much higher numbers than you (Julia Indichova's book is all about this). And there are many women who see those numbers fluctuate (I know, I know...you're only as good as your highest FSH...yadda yadda). And I know that I occasionally grasp at straws. But I really think those numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt. And, anyway, I don't know of any RE who ONLY looks at those numbers, without considering things like antral follicle count, etc.. All by way of saying that I do not think you should give up and that there are women with much wackier numbers than those who conceive. But I do wish it could be easier. And I do wish the ideal way forward would just present itself. For all of us:(

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  3. Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this, Pundelina. I'm thinking of you, abiding this complex mess with you, and hoping for some clarity and answers for you. It's so unfair. :(

    XXX

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  4. I'm so very sorry. I'm hoping these more knowledgeable women are right about this not quite being the death sentence it seems to be. All I know is I'd be hiding in a dark hole and weeping in your situation. I wish this sort of thing never had to happen to anyone, and if it had to happen to someone, I wish it didn't have to be you.

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  5. I echo Bunny in knowing nothing about all this, but I do recall you saying that your FSH was ~7 just a short time ago... so that seems hopeful! Why not just quit the DHEA? Seems like it's having the opposite effect on you, and potentially CAUSING these menopause-like symptoms. Dr.'s don't really know what much about how effects of DHEA vary among individuals, and as far as I know, there aren't even any clear results on its benefits!

    I like your use of 'the scream' here... The thought of not reproducing is totally, totally, ever-presently horrifying!!!

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  6. I'm so very sorry Pundelina. I think the ladies above have given you some good advice. If it were me I'd be devastated but waiting to see what the doc says before making any major decisions. I agree that the DHEA may have made your numbers worse...I'd definitely be asking about that.

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  7. I'm sorry Pundy, I hope you find the right path for you to take now, be that proceed or not.... no words, just hugs for you xox

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  8. Yeah it's definitely possible the DHEA isn't your thing. (It wasn't mine.) But then again, sometimes it does take longer. Still, I think I'd bail on it for awhile then see what happens to those numbers. Wish I had better assvice.

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  9. oh my goodness, i'm so sorry, that's definitely not news you want to hear when you are ttc. i wish i had some good advice for you but i really don't, i have no idea what i would do given your situation. good luck to you and thanks for the comment on my blog :)

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  10. God, I hope that this isn't just a flook (how the hell do you spell that word?!) and the results will be better with another test. Those results just don't seem fair. At all.

    Sending lots of love your way. ♥♥♥♥♥♥

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  11. I am so sorry for these devastating results. Please don't give up hope yet, though. Maybe the DHEA caused things to get a bit out of whack? Doesn't seem to make sense that your FSH would increase so dramatically.
    Sending lots of hugs and thoughts your way.

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  12. I am really horrified and so sorry. I agree with Adele here that there is still hope as long as you are ovulating. Seriously awful news. i really do hope that your talk with the doctor is optimistic. My thoughts are with you.

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  13. Dropping by from LFCA to say that I was prescribed DHEA by CHR, the clinic that discovered (and are still studying) its benefits to fertility. The REs there explicitly tell you that it will not lower your FSH number, but will nonetheless improve the quality and quantity of embryos you produce. See the info here: http://www.centerforhumanreprod.com/dhea.html
    So, don't just go by that number. You are not a DHEA failure!
    (Also, I haven't read back far enough to figure out how love you've been on it, but according to CHR, it takes 3-4 months show an effect.)

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  14. Hi Pundelina, here via LFCA and EB and have been lurking for awhile.

    I just wanted to say I'm sorry to hear this. I'm thinking of you.

    Kim

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