High FSH levels and not producing enough eggs
18 Replies
Wantababy - November 26

Has anyone been told by your doctor that your FSH levels were too high and that you are basically not producing any eggs when ovulating?

 

friscomom - February 14

Yes, I was resently told this after 3 clomid cycles and 2 follistim cycles. I have a 4 yr old son and have not been able to have another child. I was diagnosed with endometriosis, had the surgery for that and since have been through injectible cycles. My RE told me on the last visit my FSH level was high and I had low ovarian reserve. However, this is based on very little information as they have only tested my FSH level 1 time and thus do not know what my normal levels are. Did your dr say give any more details on your high FSH and egg production?

 

lovemy3 - February 14

hi there. I have been ttc my fourth for over a year now and just had my fsh checked, but they did the blood work on cd6. Mine came back 7.7. I am turning 38. How how high is high according to your dr? I am hoping I have ovarian reserve left to have this final baby. What day were your blood tests done on?

 

chandellina - February 14

this post raises questions for me. Is it possible to ovulate without producing an egg? this confuses me. I seem to ovulate most months according to my temps and was monitored for three months whilst on clomid, when i definitely produced multiple, mature follicles. but in the past i have had a low progesterone reading where they said "ovulation of some sort has happened" whatever that means. My FSH recently was measured at 10.4. My dr said that was slightly high and ideally it should be below 10 or even better below 8. I am 37. About 8 months ago the reading was 8.6. I have had two miscarriages previously (last one nearly a year ago) and have been able to conceive since. If I detect a LH surge on an OPK and my temps rise, does that mean i'm producing an egg, or maybe not?? (or maybe just a "bad egg"??) anyone understand the possibilities better than me??!

 

lovemy3 - February 14

Good morning. I asked the very same question and was told 2 things. 1st being that just because we are detacting a surge on our OPKs it doesn't mean that the egg is getting out of the gate so to speak. It just means our bodies are calling to release it, but it may not be mature or might be "over mature" so to speak, or poor egg quality. I think that the higher FSH numbers indicate either low ovarian reserve or poorer egg quality and the lower egg quality aren't being fertilized. I'm really new at all this so don't quote me by any means. We have been ttc #4 for over a year and I'm thinking my time my just have run out. I will be 38 in May and when I cocncieved my others it was right away. Since I was approaching 36 my af has become lighter and I have noticed less cm as well. Change is definately on its way. My fsh was 7.7 but on cd6, so who really knows. My e2 was also elevated and that bis said to surpress falsly my fsh, so 7.7 may not be accurate at all. We are trying till august and then stopping. Thats the scoop here. Do you have any other kids or it this the first you are ttcing for?

 

chandellina - February 15

hi lovemy3, thanks for sharing your info. unfortunately i don't have any kids yet so it's feeling pretty urgent that we get this to happen. we'd really like more than one too! of course it may not happen at all but we will exhaust every possibility. i am the cliche of the woman who thought she still had time ... and then turned out she didn't. dh is five years younger than me and was very reluctant to start a family when i started pushing for it 3 years ago. we started trying the next year and my first pregnancy was when i was still 35, but then time flies when you're having miscarriages and finding out your eggs are in poor shape ... so here i am. the two pregnancies that failed happened very quickly - on first go and then on fourth cycle after the miscarriage so it has been very frustrating to try for so long. anyway, it doesn't sound to me that you should give up by any means to have a fourth. my sister in law is about to have her fifth and she is 39. my grandmother had six, the last at 41. yes the risks increase but there should still be some good eggs in the mix.

 

Ann1 - February 15

friscomom, unfortunately it doesn't matter if you have another fsh test and it says your fsh is lower. You go by your highest (unmedicated) reading. After going through ttc for over 2 years, I would suggest that anyone w/high fsh be very aggressive w/treatment. It really feels like a death sentence, because fsh can't ever improve. It is so unfair! My fsh is 12.9 and I am 37. We got lucky and got pg on a natural cycle (my first) just as we were about to do ivf. I would also talk to your RE about doing pgd w/ivf. Chandellina, your low progesterone probably isn't related to fsh. You may just need supplements after you ovulate to make sure your lining stays nice and thick. That could also be an issue w/your m/cs. Hi lovemy3--hope you are well. Good luck girls, and I really understand what you are going through.

 

Blakey - February 18

Hi,
YOur FSH should be tested on day 2 or 3 before a cycle. They like to see your FSH below 10, but my RE said if it is slightly higher than 10, that is still within the range, and your outcome would be pretty good if you were doing a cycle of IVF, you would develop a lot of follicles. If your FSH was high, like a 14, the otcome in developing a lot of follicles in a cycle would be low, and they may have you sit a month out. It is important to remember that your FSH can change every month. It could be high one month, than low the next. So it is a good idea to get it checked, and routinely, the Dr.'s do this with udergoing tratments like IUI, and IVF. I am 40, and have always had a good FSH, around 7, sometimes lower, but most recently it was at 10.8, which my Dr. said was still ok. I proceeded with myIVF cycle and developed 11 follicles!
Good luck!

 

chandellina - February 19

does anyone know whether or not the FSH reading in a particular month reflects your chances of getting pregnant that month?

 

Ann1 - February 19

chandellina, three REs have told me that it makes no difference at all. Your fsh fluctuates every month, and a low reading one month doesn't mean a thing--you still go by your worst reading. The reason for that is because a high fsh is an indication that your ovarian supply is compromised. We are born with as many eggs as we will ever have, and all they just continuously decrease as we age (depressing, I know). Your reading of 10.4 is not that bad. However, the thing you have to worry about, since if fluctuates every month, is that it is your true reading. You can do what the drs call the Clomid Challenge Test--you get a fsh reading on cd3, take clomid, and then take another fsh reading on cd10. If your body is functioning correctly, it will keep your fsh reading steady/low. However, if your fsh is high, the CCT will "expose" a falsely-low reading. Hope this helps.

 

chandellina - February 20

thanks for the info Ann. i just wondered if maybe getting a low reading one month meant your chances would be better that month. since i read something about ivf places turning women away when their levels were too high on a particular month but then they could try again the next month.

 

Ann1 - February 20

I have heard of people getting turned down for ivf, but I have never heard of them being able to do a cycle later. I just kept asking that same question about if it would matter if it was good one month, because I was soooo hoping that it would matter. I got that 12.9 and was devastated. Every other month mine had been in the 5s. When I did the CCT, it went up to 15.9. I was so freaked out!!

 

lovemy3 - February 20

Ann, that was great though that when you did get your BFP it was on a natural cycle even with a FSH of 15.9. Even at that still a BFP, How encouraging is that. Very I think.

 

Ann1 - February 21

lovemy3, "my number" is actually the 12.9--you go by the unmedicated number. The 15.9 was after I took the Clomid, which drives up your fsh if it is not so great to start out with. But still, yes, I feel so incredibly lucky w/a 12.9!! I am headed to the hospital tomorrow at 6am for my c-section. I can't believe it is here.

 

Blakey - February 21

Chandellina,
I ws told by my RE that the FSH does change from month to month. I know if my FSh came back on dy 3, a 12, or 14, my RE would not recomend doing the cycle, because she would feel I wouldn't develop a lot of follicles that month due to that number. The "high number" represents your true reading. Some Dr.s will say wait a month, because they would hate to see thier pt.s go through so much, not to mention the high cost for the cycle, meds, and of course the daily injections . She would have me sit that month out. Chances of developing lots of follicles and a higher percentage rate for preg. is when your FSH is lower. But again, they can be wrong...some women have a high number and still get preg!!:) The RE's are just being careful, and will advise what they feel is the best move. Just for thought...Good luck!

 

Lisaren26 - February 25

Hi, I was told that I have a high FSH and I am 26. I think it was a 10.5. I started taking vitex right after I was told that my number was high and ended up getting pregnant within 2 months.

 

shakila - March 2

hi everybody. just joined. wonderful to learn so much from all of u. im ttc for a year. my doc said i have high fsh and will probably never get preggo. still trying. on ovulex. any idea what i can take to help lower fsh? thanks.

 

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