First follicle check yesterday

I had my first follicle check yesterday (day 6 of stims), and I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed.  I only had five decent sized follicles, which my RE told me was "not surprising based on my AMH level". I did have two others that were really small (<10). She said the minimum she wants to see before putting someone through the retrieval is usually 6 decent sized (>18) follicles. I know I still have some more time for maybe a couple more to appear, but this was not the news I wanted to hear. I am already on one of the more aggressive protocols, and to have such an underwhelming response had me feeling pretty sorry for myself.



I did have a heart-to-heart with the IVF nurse when she called me with my estrogen result yesterday afternoon (which was fine, BTW), after I had some time to digest what Dr. S had told me that morning.  I asked her point blank if she thought Dr. S was likely to cancel my cycle for having too few follicles, and she said she didn't think so.  Based on my numbers, I should have at least 6 and maybe even 7 by the time I go to egg retrieval.  And she said they see people all the time who have fewer follicles to start out with, and many of those people get pregnant in spite of the numbers.  I also asked her what is left for me if this cycle doesn't work.  She reassured me that I still have room to go up with the stimulation medications, and also there are some different, more aggressive protocols that I could try. 


It does make me feel a whole lot better to hear that, although of course I really, really want this cycle to work and not go through all of this again.  I have to think positive thoughts.  It's going to work.....I'm going to have a little baby at the end of all of this, I just know it!