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Vials for IUI

faithnhopefaithnhope Posts: 31
in Share Your Experience
I wanted to see how many vials do you typically need for an IUI? My doctor is telling us we can use one or two? Anyone have any experiences they can share. Will one vial be enough for a standard IUI?

Thank you!

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    tjmoorstjmoors Posts: 151
    Hello faithnhope,

    From what I have read, it is usually one vial per IUI - but some doctors like to do a back-to-back IUI, in which case you would use one vial and then another one on the following day. Hope this helps :)
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    faithnhopefaithnhope Posts: 31
    Thanks for your feedback. My doctor does one IUI only and not back to back. He gave us the option of using one vial or two and I wanted to get a feeling from others in my situation as to what they decided. I appreciate the info you have shared!
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    smaciegraciesmaciegracie Posts: 296
    My RE also did one IUI each cycle using one vial of sperm. I did 7 IUI's...a word of advice to you: Do not allow several IUI's with the same medication. I did 5 of mine with Clomid at different doses, 1 with Femara, and the 1 that worked was 1 round of Follistm Injections. I felt in my heart after about the 3rd or 4th round that pills were not going to work. I asked my RE for them at that point,but she didn't want to give them to me out of fear of me getting multiples (Octomom story was headline news at this time). After the sixth round I was really firm on my stance, I wanted the injectible medications. I told her that I was not doing anymore cycles with pills and no more cycles with one follicle. However, I'll be back at the RE's office. I lost my baby last Tuesday (2-2-10), I was right at the fourth month...a little boy. Anyway, just want you to be wise about your treatment...don't let them just do anything to you. It's your body, your time, and your money.
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    faithnhopefaithnhope Posts: 31
    Thank you for your nice reply. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I have too lost a baby and it is devastating. Especially after trying to hard to bring this baby into your life. Please have faith and know you won't feel like this forever. It just takes time to heal.

    I have done several IUIs with no medication with my husband but have not been successful. I hope to continue to go without any medication and use a donor if possible. Our doctor only does one IUI so we have the choice of using one vial at that time or two. I think we will start slowly with one. I have conceived naturally twice and we have one child and lost one pregnancy.

    I may want to try injectible medication after a few tries. Did you have any side effects? How many follicles did you make?

    Continue to stay in faith and hope!
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    smaciegraciesmaciegracie Posts: 296
    Follistim was the best! I had no side effects. With Clomid I had hot flashes and was very moody (like PMS symptoms). I produced 3 follies with Follistim, and only one follicle on Clomid and Femara. Injectibles aren't cheap, but that ma just be the thing to work for you. The best place to buy it from is IVP Care: Wal-Greens Specialty Pharmacy...believe me, I checked around.
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    faithnhopefaithnhope Posts: 31
    smaciegracie-

    Thanks for the info. If you don't mind me asking why did you use the medication? To increase your odds or because you needed the assistance? I am weighing my options. I ovulate like clockwork but am not sure if I want to add medication to something that seems to already work. I figured adding the donor sperm would be what I need to get pregnant but am considering all my options. Your feedback is really appreciated.
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    smaciegraciesmaciegracie Posts: 296
    I used the medication because I have PCOS and women with it usually don't produce quality eggs...the medication is supposed to help with that. I rarely have periods on my own...they would give me Provera to make me start a period in between my attempted cycles. Trying to IUI without meds just wasn't an option for me since I have problems with cycles and ovulation. I am 25 and single...just using the donor sperm to get pregnant since I don't have anybody.
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    faithnhopefaithnhope Posts: 31
    That makes total sense. Thanks for giving me additional info. I can imagine you are going through a difficult time. I have been in a similar place and it is challenging. I wish you only the best and am grateful you are so brave to share your story and help others.
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    smaciegraciesmaciegracie Posts: 296
    Oh, you're welcome! Chances are that I'll have better luck second time around...it seems to be pretty common that women lose 1st pregnancies.
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    suziwithaqsuziwithaq Posts: 21
    Hi I'm just beginning this process as well. My doctor is recommending two vials and back to back insemination for a total of 4 vials each cycle. I'll be 42 next month and this will give me the best chance (along with fertility meds) to achieve pregnancy. Good luck to everyone!
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    smaciegraciesmaciegracie Posts: 296
    Wow! That's a lot of sperm! I hope it works for you the 1st time.
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    MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    suziwithaq...You can use your own judgement, but that really is ALOT of sperm. There are millions of sperm in one vial and it only takes one sperm to conceive. We had asked our RE about doing back to back vials because we had read about so many women doing that on these boards and our RE told us that he would do it if we wanted to, but it was really a waste of money. He said if one vial wouldn't work, two wouldn't either. I'm sure everyone has their own opinion on this, but I just don't want to see you being taken advantage of money wise. :)

    Just so you know...I was 36 years old and gave birth to a beautiful little girl 5 1/2 months ago.

    Good luck!
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    suziwithaqsuziwithaq Posts: 21
    Ladies, I agree with you. It does sound like a lot of sperm. I really trust my clinic though. They are the most reputable low cost clinic in Atlanta and are focused on helping everyone who wants to conceive--in fact I believe they are a not for profit organization. I'm going to talk to her again about it when we get closer. I may think about 1 vial and back to back insemination for a total of two vials for my first try. I hope it works the first time!! MistyandCarla, congrats on your little girl! I am so hoping for a girl--but a boy would be lovely too :-)

    Suzi
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    MistyandCarlaMistyandCarla Posts: 720
    Thanks suzi...I hope you get a bfp on your very first try and get the little girl you're hoping for...but, trust me...once you're pregnant, you won't care what the gender is...you'll be thrilled to have either/or. : )

    Good luck and KUP!
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    suziwithaqsuziwithaq Posts: 21
    I wish I could start today!!! Unfortunately have to have a D&C next week to remove an endometrial polyp and then wait for 2 cycles to heal the uterus. Looking forward to early May!!
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    faithnhopefaithnhope Posts: 31
    Misty and Carla,

    Did you use fertility drugs or go natural? My doctor does only one IUI and said that doing IUI's back to back is a way for fertility doctors to make more money but there are no stats to show it increases your chances. It is all so confusing!
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    smaciegraciesmaciegracie Posts: 296
    Mine pretty much said the same thing.
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