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devastated - AMH levels, can anyone help?

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  • Hi all,

    I know this is an old thread but I'm in the same boat.I just had my AMH results explained to me 2 days ago. I was 1.3 the consultant never gave me the results or explained them when I did the first test in September 2015 but I got hold of the letter via my doc and googled them myself. 1.3 on many sites comes in at normal/low under 35 on many sites. However, the doctor at the clinic told me I was actually very low for my age and my success rate of IVF or naturally was, at best, 5%. I've been trying for nearly 4 years and started getting myself looked into 3 years ago via the NHS. Very time then said my tests were 'fine' and nothing to worry about so I wasn't rushed along to specialist fertility treatment despite persisting. I couldn't afford to go private. I'm 38 now and will be 39 in late July. Honestly, when I was told I felt like I'd been told someone I loved died. I went back into work but could barely function. This week as been the hardest week. I feel obsessed with finding hope yet hopeless. I had a work event that night and took advantage of the free booze just to get through it.

    Now I'm calming down I've doubts on how significant the AMH test is. The more reading I do, the more I think it's flawed. In the end they want as many eggs out of you to make it successful so it's only assuming the quality of the eggs at your age over the reality. Ok, I might be hoping too much but right now I have to. 

  • I know this is an old thread but wanted to check in. Hopefully some babies came about? 

    I have a success story and would love to share it in hopes someone else could achieve their miracle like me. 

  • I have also been ttc for over 4 years and 38 this December. I had to wait 3 years as had a pregnancy ( odd lengthy period - which I wish I had never gone to the doctors about) 3 years ago and had been fighting the system ever since - second opinions, changing doctors Etc. My blood results were all good 2 years ago when I was sent on first consultation  ( doc sent a referral - not knowing the 3 yr wait) and was told that all my results were all ok and it was unexplained infertility.

    After counting down to our 3 year consultation at Peterborough hospital and having more blood tests done (jan 16)  I have now found out that my FSH is too high and my AMH is too low. Arrrggghh!  Was hoping to send IVF notes off next month! No one advised me on checking my levels whilst on my 3 year wait and boy do I regret not freezing my eggs in my early 30's. Feel so annoyed as I couldn't afford to go private and didn't want to risk it not working and then having to wait again. Didnt  think nhs would of helped if I had had treatment privately. Such a long road of trying to do the right thing and now I'm back to square one. I've Been looking into supplements, Chinese medicine and mild IVF ( cheaper and for older mums) Fingers crossed something good will come out of this nightmare. 

    Good luck everyone - keep smiling 

  • For people with what seems like an exceptionally low AMH, you need to check whether it was measured in ng/ml or pmol/l. 

    An AMH level of 5 could be amazing (if it's ng/ml) or very low (if it's pmol/l). 

    And quality matters as much, if not more, than quantity anyway.

  • I just got my AMH results and were 10.5pmol/l. Can anybody help me how bad they are?? I know its low but don't know yet how low they are. I guess ivf is now my only option since I'm 34 and I don't want to wait any longer. Thank you!!

  • I am also 34 and just found out mine is 10.7. I was super happy because they'd done it a few months earlier and it was 4.7. 

    The low fertility category covers anything from about 3 up to 21, so 10 is somewhere in the middle of the low category. 

    At 4.7, the consultant was quite worried and said we had no time to waste. At 10.7 we've been told our chances arent bad. But then the fact that the tests can be so inaccurate that you can have a difference of 230% between two measurements taken a couple of months apart makes me wonder how much it matters anyway. 

    34 isn't that old for ivf regardless so I'm hoping  that works in our favour -quality over quantity

  • Thank you jojo for your reply!!! Haven't seen a doctor yet so I only Google for low amh levels and I've been crying for about two days now...I will see my gyno next week but until then I'm super stressed. So have you started ivf?? We've trying for around 8 months now for baby #1 but I think the doctor will suggest ivf.

  • It's definitely not that bad navi so don't be stressed! At my clinic they've had lots of success with people who have an amh of less than 1pmol, yours is ten times that. 

    I am currently on my first cycle and will start my injections next week. While 8 months isn't that long, it makes sense to try ivf now while your chances are higher. We've been trying for #1 for 10 years now and I'm so annoyed with myself for not trying ivf sooner

  • Jojo ten years! Can't even imagine how frustrating this must be...your only issue is low amh levels??? Because apart from my low amh levels my partner also has very low morphology. Don't know if its important I guess it is otherwise they wouldn't measure it! I'm pretty convinced that they suggest ivf which I haven't imgined when i begun this journey but you are right. My chances now are better so I'll push for it. 

  • everything else is perfect apparently, and ten years ago my amh wouldn't have even been low (well it would have been low for my age, but not low in general). I think that's why no one worried too much before. 

    Amh is really the only indicator they have at all of egg reserve so it's helpful, but they didn't even used to measure it at all a few years ago. For me, finding out it was low was really good to get me to focus on things and actually do something. But while it shows egg reserve it doesn't show how good those eggs are. And someone who is 34 with an amh of 10 stands a better chance than someone who is 44 with an amh of  10.

  • Jojo if you don't mind me asking did you have any losses all these years??

  • I don't mind at all. But no. 10 years and not even a single positive test. 

  • Never had a positive test. Not even a thin faint second line. When is your ivf scheduled?? Do you take any supplements to improve egg quality, if that's even possible?? I'm thinking to start some vitamins like now to win some time..I've come to embrace the ivf road the last days. I learnt my AMH results just on Monday and ivf was not in my original plans....now after crying and crying I think it will be ok!! More chances for twins!!! The only thing that worries me now is the waiting list.

  • Egg collection on the 16th of this month, though obviously that can change depending how I respond to the drugs. Where are you? There was no waiting list as all for me but you have to have been trying for 18 months before they will fund you.

    I was told to take coenzyme q10, omega 3,6,9 and proxeed so maybe get some of those. Also if you can get your go to do a full blood count and check your vitamin levels cos some of mine were drastically low so I'm also on supplement for those. You never know, all that might make the difference and you wont need treatment!

  • Well I hope for no treatment but don't think so!!

    I know I have extremely low iron levels. I've been anemic as long as I remember myself. Some times the levels were so low that the doctor was actually asking me if I can even get out of bed...last time I checked were again low but not devastating and I was prescribed again iron tablets which i can get only for a wee while cos they make me soooo bloated!!

    I'm located in Scotland and I've read that the waiting list is up to a year.

    They also say that you need a full year before receiving treatment so I think we comply. 

    We will see!!!

  • Hi All,

    I posted on here several months ago about how I had success conceiving with high FSH and almost non-existent AMH but I didn't give details about what had helped me to achieve my miracle. 

    I want to pass along what I believe helped me reach my goal of having a healthy baby girl this past September 2015. :-)

    My FSH ranged from 20-50s (I'm in the US) and I was told chances of conceiving were low and if I did conceive, miscarriage would most likely occur. May 2014 I did get pregnant and unfortunately lost that daughter to trisomy 16 at 8 weeks. Of course you can imagine my horror that maybe what I have been told was right, that I won't be able to have another baby (I have a 13 year old daughter also and at the time I got pregnant with her, my FSH was 9).

    I have been charting my cycles for about 12 years so I know I was ovulating every month and had regular periods. I clung to the hope that I knew I ovulated regularly so that wasn't an issue. I also knew that if I wanted to make this happen, I needed to address my lifestyle. Here is what I did from the time I miscarried in June 2014 until I got pregnant again in December 2014:

    ~ Prayed. A lot! Prayed to God to let it be his will. Prayed to Mary and thanked her for her son. Said Hail Marys. Prayed to St. Gerard the saint of motherhood and prayed to St. Anne, the saint of fertility/infertility and she was also the mother of Virgin Mary. I needed to cling to hope so I turned to God and I truly believe he led me on the path that I needed to take to make this happen. In turn, it is my duty to pass my knowledge onto you ladies and ask for His assistance and guidance. :-)

    ~ Stopped drinking alcohol since it messes with your PH and sugar levels.

    ~ Eliminated wheat/gluten.

    ~ Minimal dairy except greek yogurt because of the high protein.

    ~ Increased protein.

    ~ No to minimal consumption of candy and junk food.

    ~ No coffee (I drink decaffeinated anyway) but any coffee is acidic and you want your body and fertile environment to have a balanced PH.

    ~ Drank decaffeinated black teas instead! You can find different combinations.  

    ~ Did a fertility cleanse (bought a kit that contained supplements and teas)

    ~ Acupuncture 

    ~ Moderate exercise

    ~ Ate fruits, veggies, salads, meats, balanced meals.

    ~ Ate pineapple before and during ovulation.

    ~ Tried cod liver oil packs on belly a few times.

    ~ Lots of water (rarely drank soda or juice)

    ~ Supplements

              CoQ10, prenatal vitamin, prenatal DHA, additional Vit D (mine is on the lower side), Evening Primrose Oil (only first half of cycle before ovulation!!! Really helps with mucus), and the last supplement that I incorporated into my regiment was.......

    Paba!!! I believe this supplement really helped to make the final difference. I wasn't even on it more than a month and I got pregnant! If you can only take one supplement aside from your prenatal multivitamin, take Paba. 

    There is only one study ever done on it for the use of fertility but 12 (75%) of the 16 women who were not conceiving got pregnant after beginning this supplement. Do some research on Paba. 

    I ended up getting pregnant again in December 2014 and my doctors were in disbelief. It was a relief and a jab to them when all of my testing on baby came back OK and I now have a beautiful healthy almost 10 month old girl....born on her due date!

    Please ladies, do NOT give up hope. Believe, believe, believe. And change your lifestyle if need be. One of my old doctors and literature said based on my FSH, I had a 1% chance of a live birth. I'm here to tell you, you are not a statistic. Do NOT let doctors talk down to you, discourage you or try to get you to not try to have the family you want. Get your eggs healthy. It doesn't matter if you have many of them if they aren't good quality. It's the quality that matters.

    I would be happy to answer questions. 

    Let me know if you have success with any of m suggestions.....especially if you use Paba!!

    Good luck and God Bless! I will say a prayer for all of you who posted. :-)

              

  • PS- forgot to mention, I was 38 when I got pregnant December 2014 and had the baby at age 39 last year.

  • Babies12  thank you very much for the info and all the advice!!! Congratulations on your daughter!! I'm in the preparation of major lifestyle changes and I will ask your opinion about some supplements. I'm currently on holidays so I have put everything on hold for now. 

    Jojo I'm thinking of you. I hope you are doing ok. It must be close to your egg collection day! How was the response to the drugs?? 

  • Thanks Navi. Yes collection is tomorrow. At my scan yesterday I had 6 follicles that seemed large enough, and maybe another 2 that would be good enough by tomorrow. I was hoping for more than that but I’m mainly just nervous about the quality. After the first 2 days I was put on the highest stim dose possible so if that wasn’t enough I don’t know what they’ll try.

  • Well good luck for tomorrow!! In total 8 follicles is a good number as we only need one!! There is no reason to worry about quality. You are young and it should be ok. Keep me posted please. Sending you positive vibes!!!!

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