HRT and FET questions...

ok, i just need to ask some questions about using HRT for an FET. bit of background - i have NO cycle whatsoever - if i'm not being forced to O with puregon - absolutely nothing happens - no visits from AF, nothing at all!

i didn't respond to clomid for ovulation induction. first two attempts at IUI i was down-regulated with synarel - and then didn't respond to puregon at all - both cycles were cancelled.

next three IUI's - and full stim IVF cycle - i did a "boost/antagonist" cycle - no down-reg first - straight into puregon, and we got a response - but i had to be on doses of 200IU to get anything more than a single dominant follicle - any less than 150IU i had no response - so my body is pretty darn stubborn!!

this week - i've had a BFN from my first IVF transfer. i got the call to confirm the details of BT today - and had a very frustrating call with the nurse - she basically said i had to down-reg with synarel, than use HRT - after telling her more than once that i don't respond to anything after synarel (my body really likes that menopausal state) she said to go back to FS and ask him what he wants to do next - i didn't get to book an appointment with him today - but my understanding is that he isn't local until the 10th of Jan - so i'm in a waiting pattern for a month already - and once i've seen him, i really want to get going straight away...

i live about 2 hours out of Melbourne, and attend a regional clinic (only about an hour from home) - the IVF clinic itself is only there one week every three months - so not very often. the nurse stated i could attend Melbourne clinic for FET, but "you have to realise the hospital is more expensive, you'll have additional travel expenses, and you may need to stay in Melbourne to make appointments on time - i would suggst you wait until late Feb when the clinic is local" - ok, i can see her point (kinda) - but sheesh - one attempt every 3 months??

and this is where my questions come in - and where i hope you might be able to help me!

- has anyone gone through down-reg for stim cycle and not responded to puregon, but been through down-reg for FET and responded to HRT?

- are there people who've not responded well to puregon (i got 3 decent follies on 200iu with no down reg) who have had a decent response to HRT to build a lining?

- are the chances of FET success when you've just forced your body to create an endometrial lining similar to the chances if you have actually o'd (i personally cannot for the life of me see how the hormones will be the same if you've just created a lining as they would if you have actually o'd - none of my memories of studying biochemistry seems to agree with that!).

- is it possible (and reasonable) to ask for ovulation induction for FET (similar to IUI) as opposed to experimenting? (plus if i o, there's always a chance we could catch the eggie... and increase our pregnancy chances) - i know it would carry added expense - so i'm asking this question as a theoretical one where money isn't an issue (don't we all wish that were the case :rolleyes: )

if you were in my situation, and knew that you couldn't do FET for 6 weeks after seeing the FS, would you contemplate asking to undergo an IUI cycle in between?


i don't want to only have four opportunities to fall pg during the year. i don't want to experiment with HRT for the first time going into the FET in Feb and lose one of those oportunities.... my FS happily acknowledges that i'm his "problem child" and that my body "scares" him cos it doesn't respond the way he expects it to - and i really don't want that to work against me in this!! i really want to go into my appointment with him armed with information and knowledge of other people's experiences. this will be the first appointment i'll go to without DH (he is working "away" now) - and i just want to go in knowing as much as i can know so that i can fight for what is goin to work best for us!

thanks in advance for any help you can give me

BG