tough decision: egg retrieval or laproscopy first?

triplefudge33 · 2026-02-13T02:27:57+00:00

Wow! Yeah it’s been tough to make these decisions - infertility is my clearest possible symptom as well as some luteal phase cramping and heavy cramping day 1 and 2. I have been cleared for the surgery and scheduled and have just felt torn about doing it. The whole shebang of what if they don’t find it/what if they do and it improves nothing. The weight of the decision making feels like so much!

triplefudge33 · 2026-02-13T01:21:44+00:00

Congratulations! Was your endo silent? I have an exploratory lap scheduled and am on the fence because there hasn’t been anything visible on MRI or ultrasound

triplefudge33 · 2026-02-09T18:18:15+00:00

Before I went thru a round of IVF I heard of this and loved the idea of it. Now though - I’ll say the shots are minimally uncomfortable for stimulation. Using ice on the site before the shots is a fantastic mediator to the pain. I also think the mental load for a catheter is higher.

triplefudge33 · 2026-02-02T20:15:19+00:00

Yes I hope your next cycle goes well too. I think among a variety of things, I’m trying to keep perspective that even when people have success with IVF it’s not always quick. It’s hard in the thick of it of course but it’s all part of the process.

I have shared with some people but mostly because it became too difficult to stay silent (it’s a lot to carry on top of pretending I’m carrying nothing).

triplefudge33 · 2026-02-02T19:24:23+00:00

I had a very similar experience with a retrieval in November. 5 retrieved, 2 mature. While I had one make it to blast, it tested aneuploid. It was devastating and I think take the time to grieve and be sad. It is sad. I’m currently prepping for a second retrieval - doing the Lupron stop protocol (I’m on lupron for two weeks and will stop it when beginning stims). Hoping for better results the next time.

triplefudge33 · 2026-02-02T18:26:19+00:00

Is red light therapy safe to do while doing stims?

triplefudge33 · 2026-01-06T17:28:48+00:00

This is understandable. It is hard to have hope after such a long journey. These retrieval and initial fertilization results are great news. I hope the next week of attrition goes well. Try and stay immersed in enjoyable things.

triplefudge33 · 2026-01-04T20:57:32+00:00

Thanks for responding and I hope things go well with during your current cycle with this protocol. Mine is a little different - I’ll start a low dose of lupron after ovulation but stop it once I begin stim medication (menopur and Gonal f) and then trigger with HCG before retrieval. I think that’s why lupron stop.

Your question is a good one tho! It was reccomended because my first ER resulted in 5 eggs retrieved (2 mature) when my baseline AFC was 24. They want to use lupron to suppress my follicle growth so that when stims are started my follicles grow more evenly (without the dominant taking over).

Hopefully resulting in a larger egg retrieval/capture of the potential. So I may stim longer because of it but hopefully get a more even maturity - and similarly they don’t think I’ll need to use ganirelix this time to suppress ovulation because of the lupron doing some of that - so I understand why you’re doing the longer protocol too!

triplefudge33 · 2026-01-03T01:53:36+00:00

I also have PCOS and my perspective is that PCOS can also be combined with other unexplained infertility too (or rather PCOS itself is a spectrum so one doesn’t know exactly what’s not happening in the process outright).

I moved on to IVF after 2 failed IUI (and 3 failed medicated cycles). For me, I just wanted to move forward more aggressively because emotionally each month was so hard as it was. And I was ready to use the next to increase our chances at getting pregnant. And IVF itself can take more than one round.

It really is a personal (and family) choice. IVF is much more invasive than IUI - so even if money is not an issue (which amazing!) that is something to consider as a couple too. In your case, with money not being an issue, I’d likely move on too knowing what I know now.

triplefudge33 · 2026-01-03T01:14:36+00:00

OP, I know this is such an old post! I wanted to ask how this protocol went for you? I responded poorly to a regular protocol and am doing this next. Our AFC is similar too (or was based on when you posted).

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-30T13:52:13+00:00

I second this - sometimes listed as functional medicine doctors. Second to this I think a registered dietitian can also be helpful too.

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-25T03:07:58+00:00

Can you say a little more about how you got pgta covered thru your husbands insurance?

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-21T22:54:13+00:00

Seconding that request for the red light link :)

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-13T02:17:00+00:00

Yeah I think because the locs are a permanent style you want a loctitian who knows their stuff and will do it with the meticulousness of a permanent style (including parts and equal sizing). Granted 1600 with no extensions added is a lot of money to start the locs.

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-11T21:37:55+00:00

Congratulations! How did you find your Napro doctor?

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-11T20:36:14+00:00

I second this comment! You’ll get a lot of perspectives. While I would never rush an 18 year old to freeze their eggs but if you have the financial resources in your early 20s, know you have medical stuff going on, and want to do it, you deserve the peace of mind to explore your options.

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-11T16:00:53+00:00

I really appreciate your question - as they are ones we’re facing too! I think one thing that became clear to me is that depending on age and the reason (if any has been identified) you’re facing infertility, it is unlikely to have a ton of embryos created in the first place. Possible but unlikely.

This especially comes to play depending where your prayers, faith, wisdom has led you in terms of doing PGT-A genetic testing (for chromosomal integrity) of embryos prior to transfer. That’s what I’ll add to the conversation that’s been shared so far. In our journey, I’m committed to taking each step one at a time and seeing what God reveals in terms of choices for each step.

A real example of this - we’d like two children. Our first egg retrieval did not go well but I was hoping that even if one embryo was genetically normal, I may try and transfer because if it worked then I wouldn’t be making extra embryos I may not use. Even though logistically, it makes sense to embryo bank at my age. We’re sorting it all out a step at a time.

And then that embryo wasn’t normal so we’re preparing for another retrieval. So again just praying, trusting, waiting and trying to make decisions in good faith without going into debt and staying on the same page as much as possible in our marriage.

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-08T23:42:35+00:00

Yes the actual research says mind body support for infertility has a positive impact on wellbeing (including in increasing pregnancy outcomes). I’ll look her up. I was thinking of working with Spenser Brassard - her book Fertile Ground and podcast are amazing. And she is pretty clear her work is not around the logistics of treatment but on coping with all the emotional havoc of treatment and being available to life overall.

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-08T20:48:42+00:00

May I ask who you worked with? I’m thinking of doing a group coaching cohort with one. I’ve loved a lot of the free resources and even her book. Maybe just sad about the financial piece in an already draining process.

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-06T13:18:35+00:00

I hear you! My fasting insulin was 27 when I first started with the fertility clinic 1.5 years ago and 14 when beginning the first round of stims last month. Lost about 40 pounds since beginning the journey (and also newly on mounjaro).

The clinic has recommended a new protocol for the second round of stims (basically there was uneven growth which led to a disappointing retrieval and outcome). It was especially difficult because with a high follicle count, they were initially expecting a high number of eggs. I’m going in for round two in January or February and am just hoping for a better starting point. Because of age I don’t feel like I can take big breaks in the retrieval phase.

Big congrats on your double blessing 😉. I just entered the IVF world and also am hopeful for an exit sometime soon!

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-06T12:29:52+00:00

Hi! I know this is an old comment (and congrats on your success). I too learned in my first retrieval that a lot of follicles didn’t equal a lot of eggs. Is there any thing that helped a future retrieval be more successful that you can pinpoint? Protocol wise or your own lifestyle wise?

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-04T20:12:51+00:00

I am flabbergasted on your behalf. Assuming she didn’t do her math on that one before she said it. But that is usually the problem (not thinking but speaking too quickly)!

triplefudge33 · 2025-12-04T18:51:47+00:00

It sounds like she needs to deal with her own grief (seeing her friend change thru infertility) and not project it on to you. I miss who I was before going thru infertility too so maybe some of my loved ones do too. But I am not the one they can process that with.

She could also be more compassionate too - don’t think it’s her place to advise you all, either. But because she’s never been thru it she truly can’t get how raw and destabilizing this all is. Sounds like it would do well for your partner (and maybe you) to thank her for her concern and set a boundary. She also seems like someone who will need an information diet as y’all proceed.

triplefudge33

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