What next????

[Emily100889]

Hi ladies,

Unfortunately the evil AF has shown today for cycle number 23 TTC!

Was extra hopeful this month as I had a HyCoSy which apparently makes you extra fertile for a month.

So, basically what now?

All my bloods are fine, I’m ovulating, tubes are clear, not polycystic. Husbands sperm is (I think) ok. Count was 164 million, however motility was 46% and morphology only 4% - don’t know if this is normal?

We defiantly bd when I’m ovulating as we just do it every day or every other.

Seeing our fertility doctor again next week but wondering if anyone is in a similar situation? Not sure what to expect as our next steps...

Thanks

[Boiing]

Hi, I was in that situation about 18 months ago. My nhs dr said ‘there are only 2 treatments for infertility, clomid and ivf, we might as well try clomid next.’ So I did 4 months on clomid even though there was no indication of an egg problem. To cut a long story short, clomid didn’t work but it did cause me to grow around 30 polyps which then required surgery. The whole thing was a waste of over a year. Am now doing private ivf and it turns out I have low egg reserve and not great eggs - but the eggs and womb may well have been fine before all the nhs investigations which wasted 2 yrs. So to sum up, don’t let them put you on clomid and if you can afford it get yourself to a private clinic for a second / third opinion and don’t spend too much time on investigations. And the clinic that did the sperm test should tell you if it was ok. Hope that makes sense x

[Emily100889]

Hi Boiing,

Thanks for your reply! Oh gosh, you poor thing!!

I read some totally awful things about going into Clomid when it isn’t required. Sometimes I feel the NHS yet to postpone IVF...

My family dr mentioned IUI, have you been offered this? To be honest I see it as quite pointless because I know we bd when I ovulate anyway so don’t see the benefits really!

So have you been trying for a while too? How are you coping? I’m very up and down! X

[JoJoSM2]

I can't see the point of iui. Your husband semen parameters are below average but they aren't infertile so helping the sperms through the cervix doesn't seem to make sense.

Your infertility could be to a number of other things that aren't even tested for in the UK so I'd be considering moving onto IVF.

[Boiing]

Sorry for slow reply. Yes been trying for 3+ years ☹️ On IUI, I know a few people it didn’t work for, and my doctor said it rarely works, so didn’t do it. I think IUI is useful if you have little cervical mucus / sperm with low motility, but if those aren’t major issues then not much point to it. How have I been coping - ha. It sucks doesn’t it. And just tried IVF for first time which cost £6k, hurt quite a bit and didn’t work. The worst bit was definitely the Dr pointing to the ultrasound screen to show me the (then alive) embryo... V tempted just to draw a line under it all and move to donor eggs or adoption - but v sad thinking about those choices. The bit I’m struggling with most is regret for not ttc a decade or more ago! I met my husband young, but he wanted to wait til our thirties for kids. Turns out that was a shit idea. So really struggling with bitterness as you can probably tell! Hey have you had your AMH tested? That tells you your ovarian reserve, helps give an idea if the problem could be the eggs (ie if it scores low, you need to hurry more than if scores high). The NHS don’t do it but it’s only £90ish private and has to be done before IVF anyway...

[Emily100889]

I was hoping you would reply boiing because I have been put on Clomid. However my doctor thinks that actually I’m not ovulating.
My progesterone day 21 was low (30) and he said it needs to be above 35 for the actual release of an egg. He thinks my LH is surging (giving positive opk) but not enough to release the egg from the follicle. My periods are very light so I guess this would make sense as it’s only my uterine lining I’m shedding.

I’m on 50mg for two months and then I have another appointment as I said my worries about Clomid - from your post!!! - and he said they will monitor it. Iv got lots of blood tests tracking my progesterone too.

Finger crossed. I hope this works. The doctor seemed very positive.

What are your next steps? It’s so so hard isn’t it - I’m very bitter and feel it’s very unfair! How are some so lucky and we have been dealt this card..
It’s hard to just keep trying because it consumes your life.

Hugs to you

[SchnitzelVonCrummsTum]

My progesterone was 32 at 7dpo Emily and I definitely released an egg because I got pregnant (miscarried at 7 weeks). Just to contextualise, I have also had successful pregnancies. I believe the NHS threshold for adequate progesterone is 30?

What units is your doctor using - nmol/L?