Anyone starting IUI soon? Looking for some support

[findingmyfeet12]

I've been offered three rounds of stimulated IUI after ttc for 8 years.

We have undiagnosed infertility but I'm 36 and can feel the clock ticking.

I'm expecting af to arrive around the 1st of December and I'll start my injections for the first cycle soon after.

Is anyone else in a similar boat?

[closephine85]

Hi findingmyfeet, currently waiting for AF to arrive properly so that I can start round two of IUI. Think we will probably be on a similar timeline. We have been having IUI due to DHs low sperm count. We are having natural cycle IUI because apparently I am a high risk of over stimulating... happy to chat along the way if it helps you!? Would be nice to have a buddy :)

[findingmyfeet12]

Hi Closephine. I've never done this before so it will be good to have someone around.

I know that the stats for IUI aren't great and I'm afraid that dh and I are getting too excited for our first cycle.

I'm worried that I won't handle disappointment very well.

[closephine85]

I've found that whether I've got my hopes up one month or tried to convince myself it's definitely not happening, in the end the disappointment it always the same regardless. So I don't think a bit of optimism will do you any harm :) good luck!

My dh's count is quite low so unfortunately IUI is pretty unlikely to work for us, but we think it's worth giving it a couple more tries before heading down the ivf route.

[findingmyfeet12]

So we had our hospital appointment today to finalise our paperwork.

We were taught how to use the injection pens. Just waiting for af to show up now so we can get a date for starting the stimming

[closephine85]

Good luck! Has AF areived yet? I have my 12 day scan next Friday, expecting IUI to take place early the following week based on past cycles. Not holding out a lot of hope but will be interesting to see if DH has managed to improve his count from our last cycle (3 million)

[findingmyfeet12]

What's the 12 day scan? I was reading up on IUI with low sperm count. Dtd as often as possible for three days after the insemination has been shown to increase chances significantly. Fingers crossed for you.

Af arrived on Wednesday and the hospital called and told us to start the stimming meds on Saturday evening. We are booked in for bloods and ultrasound on the 10th.

[closephine85]

It's just a scan on day 12 of my cycle to see how my folicles are getting on and to get an idea of when the IUI might happen. We were rubbish after the last cycle. Didn't actually DTD once after IUI - the procedure put me off but now that I knowthe process I should be ok this month. My scan is on the 11th so we are on a similar timeline :)

What are your fertility issues if you don't mind me asking?

[findingmyfeet12]

We have unexplained infertility. Both of our tests have been fine. It was only when I hit 35 that I started to panic about not having children.

Now I'm spending my evenings browsing online for pushchairs and cribs - it can't be healthy

[Salimali15]

Hi all. I'm a few days ahead of you with our first go of IUI. I did the injections (gonal f and suprecur) and then triggered on Weds. I had 4 good sized follicles (and one slightly smaller) so I had to have a reduction yesterday. They inseminated at the same time. I'm pretty fragile after the reduction so the thought of DTD is not appealing at all!

I do the same Findingmyfeet. Am tempted to put blocks on certain websites so that I can't look at them!

[findingmyfeet12]

Hi Salimali. I didn't know about reductions. Is that to reduce the chance of multiples?

I guess you're in your tww now? Fingers crossed for you.

Is this your first cycle, if you don't mind me asking?

[Salimali15]

A reduction is done if the clinic feels the risk of multiples is too high. In the case of our clinic, they won't inseminate if there are more than 3 viably sized follicles. So we are in the dreaded 2WW now.

It's our first cycle. I'm feeling so guilty for having had to ask for so much time off work. If this one doesn't work, I'll have to wait until the Easter holidays to go again.

[findingmyfeet12]

We haven't been told anything about a possible reduction and I feel a bit stupid for not asking what the hospital's policy is (I didn't even know I needed to ask).

The waiting around is a nightmare with fertility treatment. I'm lucky that I'm able to have my three cycles without any breaks.

Have you been given an appointment for a blood test or do they expect you to take a pregnancy test at home?

[Salimali15]

They've given me a home test to do.

[findingmyfeet12]

When are you planning on testing, if you don't mind me asking?

[Salimali15]

They've said to do it on 20th, which is the day AF is due. It's going to be a long 2 weeks!

[findingmyfeet12]

It sounds like an agonising wait Salimali.

I'm going to be in my tww over Christmas. I'm having a quiet Christmas so I've decided to learn to crochet so I'll feel as though I'm doing something constructive with my time.

[closephine85]

Hi ladies, I should probably admit that I have a four year old DS already and that we are struggling with secondary infertility. Hope you don't mind me still sharing the IUI journey with you both? I always feel a bit rubbish moaning on here when there are others like yourselves struggling to have a first child. But I'm finding the IUI process quite hard so it's nice to have company.

I totally get the googling of cribs etc. I've already told my DH that if we manage to conceive without ivf then we are buying the most extravagant pram I can find :)

[findingmyfeet12]

Hi Closephine - the more the merrier. I guess everyone has their own fertility story and everyone's worries, concerns and trials are equally valid.

My dh has just administered my second puregon injection. It feels so real now. I'm having a positive day today.

Hope you're in good spirits.

[findingmyfeet12]

Do you have your eye on any pram in particular?

[Salimali15]

Definitely more the merrier. A good friend of mine had problems conceiving her 2nd - she's a great support to me. In many ways, I'm hoping that we strike it lucky and end up with multiples as it would save having to go through the same again in the future! Is that really greedy!?

[findingmyfeet12]

That's not greedy at all - I feel the same way. I would love multiples - it would feel like making up for lost time.

[closephine85]

Thank you both :) I won't try and pretend that what I'm going through is as hard as what you ladies are having to face but the monotony of the infertility journey is a tough thing to deal with.

Findingmyfeet no, I won't let myself look as I have a feeling we are going to be heading down the ivf route next year. So if I am lucky enough to fall pregnant again after that then I will be down the local charity shop probably! I should probably try and be more positive about the IUI though, it's just that my DHs count was so low last time it felt like we'd failed before we'd begun. Fingers crossed for a few more little swimmers this month!

Salimali nope not greedy at all. Makes total sense to not want to go through this again. Fingers crossed for a couple of sticky beans for you.

I read an amazing story recently about an American couple who were adopting. I think the story was that whoever they were adopting from had not been truthful for fear of the adoption not going ahead, so when they got to the hospital they discovered they were going to adopt triplets! The woman then found out she was pregnant (I think pretty much the same day) and it turned out to be twins! So they went from no babies to five babies!

[Salimali15]

Wow!! What a fantastic story! I love to hear happy things like that.

We've looked into adopting from China (DP is of Chinese parentage) but it's a really stringent process that we would fail on on a few grounds (not being married and the fact that I have been on anti-depressants for a few years).

[closephine85]

Have you heard the model Caprice's story? (I'm a sucker for these kind of stories... They give me hope!) she had a surrogate who was carrying her baby for her and she fell pregnant the following month, so she has two biological children a month apart!

Oh no that's a shame re adopting from China. Have they told you for certain that it wouldn't happen or have you not explored it that far? I briefly looked into adoption too, but it seemed like a lot of money and no guaranteed baby at the end of it, a bit like ivf!

[findingmyfeet12]

Wow, what an outcome!

My dh had a low count some years ago but it has improved of its own accord and the last two tests his count has been well within "normal" range. I think this might have contributed to our early infertility.