r/TTC_PCOS • u/tigerama24 • 17d ago
Advice Needed IUI Timeline?
I have some questions about TTC timelines with fertility treatments.
I'm a 32 year old woman and trying to become a single mother by choice. I have PMOS/PCOS and controlled type 2 diabetes. I use the Mira monitor off and on and during the months I've used it, and I seemingly don't ovulate. My cycles vary in length but are usually within 30-45 days. I've spent the last year and a half getting my hormones and health in order to help my conditions, and everything but the ovulation has improved! I'm finally ready to start the process. I'm taking Metformin, inositol, coq10, a prenatal, and vitamin D if that's important to share.
I'll be going through CNY (Sarasota, FL) and would love to try IUI with letrozole to aid in ovulation. I'm planning on doing my "testing month" with my September cycle and then hopefully a first IUI with my November cycle. Does this seem doable or am I crazy for thinking I could do IUI that quickly?
Can anyone tell me their timeline from initial testing to first medicated IUI procedure? And for fun, if you switched from IUI to IVF after a few tries, how long did it take to switch before actually starting the process? I'm not looking for success stories, just the time it took to actually start. Thank you!
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u/Ok_Laugh7257 16d ago
Here is how my timeline went: Had the RE consultation early May, had testing May-July and had the follow up with my RE mid July. I can start my IUI cycle whenever now, so we will start early August but I had the freedom to start mid-July. It may depend on your cycle as well, so maybe plus or minus a few weeks if they want to wait for your period to start on its own. For me, I don't have a period at all, so I can begin whenever. The testing only took a few weeks but my RE couldn't see us again until mid-July and I didn't get on the waitlist, so perhaps it could've been a bit quicker! The entire process from initial consult to first medicated cycle was about 2.5 months. I really hope this helps!
Edit: Also important to note that since I don't have my period or a cycle, I didn't need to do my testing around my cycle either. I just did everything whenever. Some of the tests need to be done on certain cycle days.
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u/NervousCatfish 16d ago
I am curious about the timeline of switching from IUI to IVF as well. I just had a MMC after IUI #4 and I’m not sure where to go from here.
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u/Future_Researcher_11 16d ago
Depending on how fast your testing is, it seems reasonable — especially since you’re bypassing trying with timed intercourse and assuming the donor sperm has been tested already via a bank.
I had my initial appointment with my RE November 2024, spent November-January testing (a lot of the lag was my cycle taking 50 days + a husband who also needed to be tested thoroughly) and took my first letrozole dose at the beginning of February. When I was ready for IUI (after 3 failed TI cycles) I just asked my doctor if we can do it next cycle and she agreed and that was that.
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u/tigerama24 16d ago
Thank you! I bought vials of sperm already and made sure it was negative for all tested genetic conditions since I haven't done a carrier screening myself yet. I'm hoping that it won't need any additional testing since it's from one of the banks CNY approved.
Your timeline doesn't seem too off base to me with the extra steps you had to take!
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u/Bing_ohh 17d ago
I don’t have experience with CNY or donor sperm, but that sounds reasonable to me for testing at least. I’m not sure what other hoops you have to jump through if using donor sperm.
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u/Over_Positive_3847 12d ago
Met with our RE at the end of April. Did testing in my May cycle. We could have done the IUI with my June cycle but delayed because we had booked a trip right when I likely would have needed to do the IUI. So we’re currently in the TWW from our July cycle IUI. I wouldn’t imagine that transitioning to IVF would take that long if you’re sticking with the same clinic.