Advice for friend - high FSH and low AMH

[Now we're 3]

Hi

I am looking for some advice for one of my beautiful girlfriends. She has received some news today which has really upset her and wonders if it means she won't be able to have another baby.

Will try to keep a long story short. She is 35 (36 in August). She has a DD who is 16 months old who was conceived naturally though they were just about to commence IVF when she fell pregnant. This pregnancy took approx 2.5 years to happen and she fell pregnant fairly shortly after a lapo which removed quite a bit of endo. There are no issues on her DHs side. There is a history of fertility problems on her side of the family with her sister having had her first children (twins) by IVF though I think her 3rd child was natural and I also think her brothers child may also be IVF (though this of course would be his wife's issue).

Her periods re-commenced one month after she gave birth although she was exclusively breast feeding. She continued breastfeeding until her daughter was 14 months old. They have been trying for #2 for approx 8 months. (though probably not as often as she would like each month).

She went to see her FS (guy who did the lapo) in March and after discussing breastfeeing when trying to concieve he basically said keep trying naturally for 9 months and then come back and discuss IVF.

She has recently had a number of blood tests. One to measure FSH and the second to measure AMH. Her FS only had one of the results (can't remember which ) when he gave the try naturally for 9 months advice.

FSH results came back high 13.7 and AMH came back low 4.3 (should be 10 was advice he gave).

She is now freaking out what these results will mean and if it means that IVF isn't an option for them. Apparently a number of clinics won't take you if you're FSH numbers are over 11! She is also freaking out that with reduced supply that if IVF is an option it is one they have to take today. Her DH is probably more inclinded to try naturally first and then move if needs be to IVF on the basis that they fell pregnant naturally.

My DS was born after 5 rounds of IVF but we fell into the unexplained category. We went to IVF becuase of my age and issues like these were never raised with me so i've no advice to give her.

Does anyone here have any advice they could give? She is due to see her FS in early August he's away until then so she is looking for any input she can get before that visit.

Sorry if this isn't the correct place to post. Feel free to move mods

Thanks

[Baby Dreamtime]

Hi NW3 sorry no one has replied before. I won't be the best of help except to suggest they investigate more with their FS. And even with what looks like test results which mean low ovarian reserve, I'm my experience you will never know how a body will respond to stims unless you try. My own FSH level was 12, however i responded well to stims so higher numbers are not the end of the world nor absolute. If your friends FS makes the urgent recommendation to do ivf they would need to seriously consider but hard decision to make under pressure. Good luck to your friend xx

[Now we're 3]

Thanks BD. Was surprised that I hadn't had any responses and normally there are a few people on here who've been there before.

Her FS has said that he will discuss doing IVF with her and that her results so far won't stop him but she is stressing becuase a lot of the clinics won't even consider it once you've had that sort of result. She's kinda thinking why are they all saying no and is he saying yes! I've said the clinic is only as good as how experienced the FS and the embroyologists that are attached to it are - many won't have the experience / expertese so will say no from the start. Others have so they can say yes. He said that her results would guide him as to what stimulation treatment he would give her. She is seeing him on 4th August and has also started acupunture in the hope that it will reduce down her FSH levels so it can reduce down the risk of over stimulation. Fingers crossed its a good conversation.

Its so hard isn't it? All you want to hear when you speak to the clinics and the docs is I can get you pregnant (if that doesn't sound too wierd lol). But of course they can't - no one can say those magic words. They can tell you what they can do what the chances are and then its up to fate. I'm so hoping she gets good news. She's such a fab Mummy and so wants bub #2.

Thanks for responding and congrats on making it to year 1 - yeah you'll have you hands full with 2 at that age! Xx

[nothing2lose]

Now We're 3, if it's any consolation to your friend, on paper my FSH and AMH are excellent (2.5 and 17.4 respectively) but when it comes to responding to the stim drugs, it means nothing. The most eggs I have ever produced in a cycle is three (on 450 of gonal f)

Really, I think it all comes down to how your body responds....Which, almost seems to be down to luck!!

I hope your friend is successful!

PS i have just turned 40

[Gecko]

Hi We're 3, sorry i did not see your thread before.

I also nearly died when my FS back in Jan 10 told me that i have a low AMH - and told me i should not be TTC naturally for more than 6 month... cut a long story short - i fell naturally with Twins in Feb 10 ...but sadly lost them ... then changed FS and he put me on Chlomid for 3 cycles as my AF was very short after my M/C but it did not work and he did another AMH and FSH BT and my results came back really bad - mind you i am "only 33" my highest FSH has been 21 ! and my AMH is now BELOW 1 !

its true that some clinic turn you away with levels like mine/ your friends but my FS for example never mentioned anything like that - he keeps assuring me that the jury is still out on those test and the levels and what it all means- yes they are indications that your eggs are diminishing ... its actually pretty harsh to be told that you are pre - Menopause when you are only 33 ..did not go down so well ... but like as N2L has mentioned hers are excellent on paper and still...i am in the middle of IVF now just started my FSH injections which feels strange knowing i have too much in my system already - but my Dr told me we wont know how i respond till we try ... so here is hoping...

The only advise i can give you/your friend...is not to waste time and give IVF a shot ...only because my AMH has dropped significantly within only a year... so time is not on our side...

Hope all works out for your friend

[Now we're 3]

Thanks girls for your replies. Will keep you updated on what her FS says when she sees him if you are interested. Will gently mention pushing her DH to do IVF sooner rather than later especially with results you got Gecko with your AMH dropping so significantly.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you that your cycle works Gecko. Which clinic and FS are you going through. Her FS is Mark Livingston but she has an appointment with a Gavin Sacks next week just to talk to someone else to get I guess a 2nd opinion. From what I've heard about him he is a straight shooter but won't leave a stone unturned to try to make the process work.

N2L hope the break works for you hun. I took a year out from my cycle 4 to cycle 5. And then it worked despite my little eggies being a year older . So it all being down to one good egg is so true so don't focus soo much on the number of eggs you get. (Sorry hope you don't mind me saying that I know some people don' t like being told sucess stories - for me I know they gave me hope - so hope they work that way for you too).

Thanks again for your support for my friend. Xx