New year, new 'starting the journey' thread

[CloudSway]

I know there are a lot of threads about people starting out, but they were all started a while ago and everyone seems a lot further ahead these days.

So.... newbies unite?

DH and I have been ttc for 2yrs. Saw our gp who ordered blood tests and sperm tests. He gave us a boat load of info..... jokes, he was pants. Told me I was 'fine' and husband was 'not fine', only detail was that DH has 4mil out of a necessary 16mil sperm, mentioned ivf and referred us to a specialist. That's all the info we got. Today I had a transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound. It was not the most fun 20 mins of my life but it was fine, now I'm trying to play Sherlock and figure out what the random numbers the radiologist was shouting about my ovaries meant. How about you?

Because I'm early stages, I avoided forums/Google etc because I'm prone to anxiety and didn't want to panic unnecessarily. Therefore apologies but I'm still trying to figure out all the abbreviations and lingo! Also sorry, I'm naturally sarcastic and a bit sweary, but that doesn't mean I'm insensitive - it would be great to share stories and support each other here

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

Hi there,

I might be a bit further ahead of you but thought I’d reply! So I have a child previous relationship and have been trying on and off for a number of years! We have male dactor husband has no progressive sperm! I had an internal scan like you and have about 30 follicles so a lot more then the norm and was told I might have pcos had a day 21 scan and it suggested I ovulated so not sure I do anyway we are ICSI and starting in April! What did the doctor say about your scan?

Ps I am naturally sarcastic too 😊

[Kelly199]

Hi I have been ttc for a year. Had bloods at docs, hormone ratio over 3 and showed I haven't been ovulating. Sent for transvaginal scan and showed I have pcos with total of 38 follicles on ovaries. GP sent me for a referral to fertility specialist/gyn but up to 6 month wait so I have a private consultation on 1st then they will refer me back to nhs for treatment (whatever is needed), so still a waiting game trying to find out what lies ahead!

[Bump2be]

Hi! We're almost due to start ICSI - we have male factor issues but with enough sperm in the freezer for ICSI. My ovary scans and my AMH level seem to be about right for my age, from what I've been told so far, but waiting to hear more at the next appointment. Just wish we'd started all this when I was a bit younger as then I'd have more eggs available. I'm wondering if I have enough for more than one ICSI attempt if it doesn't work first time and if we went private for the second and subsequent attempts. It's negative of me to think that, I know, but just trying to manage my own expectations. I cry a lot at the moment. A lot. And I'm not even taking any meds yet!!!

[Kelly199]

Forgot to mention earlier..partner has also had sa test which came back fine.
@Bump2be I know it's hard, try to be positive. Best of luck to you and everyone else! X

[CloudSway]

Eurgh, the waiting game we have in store I think will be the hardest thing, it must be a weird mix of boredom and anxiety, everything is important but happens so slowly. Damn human fertility cycles. I heard possums have baby possoms 12 days after conception...

@finallytakingtheplungewithivf (hell of a username btw!) That sounds super confusing, like you say unsure of the pcos with those results... But bear in mind I know literally nothing, my method is wait for confirmation first before stressing about things, sounds like you can afford to be optimistic, how are you coping with it all?

No results from the scan yet, I have a gp aappointment in 2 weeks but to be honest he wasn't exactly useful last time so I'm going to take what he says with a pinch of salt until the specialist in a months time - I'm just realising how lucky we are to only wait a month, @kelly199 6 months is crazy! Def the right call to start of private. I know I'm a moron but I never knew about the postcode lottery until a few weeks ago, it's an absolute outrage!!

@bump2be it's okay to cry a lot, it's okay to do whatever you need to do, that's got to be healthier than bottling it all up. But you have enough to concentrate on without worrying about things like 'What if' I'd started earlier, you'll make yourself crazy if you keep thinking like that, I don't totally understand all your medical information but if they are moving forward and talking about attempts it has to be a positive thing, you are going in the right direction! Sorry you're going through all this shit though.

That last bit applies to everyone really x

[Mrsmch123]

Hey newbie checking in🙋🏻‍♀️We appear to have mfi. I have had 21 day bloods and transvaginal ultrasound all of which was fine. Awaiting hystoscopy. Oh has to take supplement for 3 months to see if it improves his count. Then it’s back to the assisted conception unit.

[CloudSway]

Okay well that's good news then, got to grab those positives where we can! Are you nhs or private? Just learnt a new acronym- mfi! 🤓 Im same based on results so far, what supplements is your oh taking? Im wondering if we can shorten the wait by getting ahead on supplements... somehow I feel like it won't be that easy! For one thing we're both working on losing weight as I feel sure that's the first thing they'll identify as a barrier. Anyone else been restricted by their bmi?

[Mrsmch123]

He’s taking condensyl. £120 for four month supply🙈we are nhs. Was told that if his sperm count doesn’t go above 5 million then they will have to check to see if he is a carrier of cystic fribrosis🤷🏻‍♀️Have you been seen by the fertility team or is it your gp that has being doing the tests?i had my bmi checked the other day and we both had a carbon monoxide test. My bmi was just with in the accepted range🙈🙈

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

@cloudSway i think because we have mfi I’m not to worried about if I do or not and as you have to have two out of the 3main symptoms which I don’t I think I’m ok! I think I am just happy now we have decided to go ahead and we are good to go I was only apprehensive about objecting myself not s big fan of needles and doing it my self made me very anxious, but after our meeting with the nurse the other day she let me try with a needle (obviously no motivation) as she said most people build it up in their heads which makes it worse and to be honest she was right it wasn’t that bad she said it might feel slightly different with the medication!

Re supplements we are just taking pregncare his and hers as well as trying to eat healthy and not drink as much not that we do in the week but weekends we like a few so cutting that back!

[CloudSway]

@mrsmch123 Bloody hell, £140 for 4 months?! Makes you appreciate the nhs, imagine how much it would cost in USA! Glad you're on nhs, as far as I can tell my area doesn't offer anything, but the tests and scans so far have been nhs, requested by my doctor. Long may it continue... I expect when we get to the fertility team it might be a different matter. Carbon monoxide is a new one but congratulations on being skinny enough to be allowed to procreate 🤣 even if we don't get told I know losing weight will give us better odds, but DH sticks at it better when he decides to, instead of told to..

Finallytakingplunge, great attitude, must be good to crack on with it already! Well done on facing the needles, glad its not as terrifying as you thought!! I'm feeling like pregnacare for twenty quid is more up my road than condensyl until I hear any different lol - cheapskate I know, but no point doing it if they end up recommending something different. DH has a cousin pushing homeopathic remedies in his direction, but that makes me very nervous, I'd rather he wait until our appointment, or is that just me? 😬

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

@CloudSway thanks I am trying to keep positive I think it may change once we start and then I will probably be an anxious mess once we get to EC and then waiting and then transfer and waiting!
Also as I have so many follicles they are worried about OHSS so I’ll be worrying about that aswell!
In case you haven’t guessed I do like to worry but I also try and be positive that we have the opportunity to do this!
I agree I think as long as your doing what you can until you are told different that’s all we can do! At least that gives ya something to focus on and feel like we are at least doing the best we can!

My DH is the same been trying for months to make him eat better now all of a sudden it’s closer he on it!! Even though our first appointment was last Aug! Men hey lol!

[Mrsmch123]

Haha why thanks🤣Might make no difference to the numbers but at least we have tried. Yeh totally appreciate the nhs!My area does 3 rounds of ivf or icsi which is obviously really good. But shit for those who don’t get offered anything. To be accepted by the assisted conception unit we had to do the carbon monoxide test to prove we didn’t smoke. My gp only done the 21 day bloods and first sperm analysis the rest has been the acu at the local hospital.

[GreyC]

Hi everyone! We are just starting our way. Had tests done o/h all ok apart from slightly hit & miss sperm (gps term..) waiting for my results now. Have been trying for a while now so impatient to find out results

[Ells0204]

Can I jump on please! @GreyC sounds like we are at a similar position in our journey!

About to start my 14th cycle TTC #1 (AF due tomorrow and she’ll most certainly rear her ugly head). This cycle last year I caught but had an early loss at 5+4 and not a sniff of a pregnancy since. Saw GP back in December and had Day 21 bloods in January, results came back fine no action required. GP won’t do any more until OH has SA which is booked for 2 weeks time.
GP being a bit blasé about it all and seems confident that “because I’ve conceived before” I’ll be pregnant before I need referring! I’m not so confident...

Feeling so deflated by it all. My closest friends won’t talk to me about it anymore and both mine and OH’s mothers sort of brush it off and say “oh don’t worry it’ll happen soon!”

I know some people have been TTC way more than 14 months so my heart really goes out to you

[CloudSway]

Hi greyC, when do you get your results? I think we're all going to have to take up knitting or something to kill all this hanging about time lol

@mrsmch123 ahhh suddenly the carbon monoxide makes sense (sort of) what happens if your boiler has packed up and you don't realise you're getting carbon monoxide poisoning?! (Silly question, I'm guessing you'd have bigger problems if that were the case lol. ) Honestly, I'm shocked about the postcode thing. For us it isn't a big issue as my parents conveniently died last year and left me some inheritance, but truly shit for those who don't have anything.
Obviously I'm joking it off, but it's nice to think that if we ever do have a baby, it will almost be a gift from my lovely parents even though they are gone!

Ells, how long did it take you to conceive first time round? The fact that you can is a pretty good sign, have you had any traumas or illnesses since then that might affect you? I'm sorry you had to go through the loss, must have been horrible for you

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

Hi to @ells and @Greyc!!

How long have you been trying @GreyC? If you don’t mind me asking? What does the go mean by hit and miss? I think sometimes these people don’t realise this is our lives and saying something like that is not helpfull! If you want to share you DH results I can try and help based on what ours reveled?

@ells0204 sorry for your loss!! It’s is a lovely way to think of it though and you would be able to look at your baby and see your parents!!!

Hope everyone else has had a nice weekend it has been lovely here in the midlands!!

Xx

[GreyC]

Hi everyone. I’m hopefully get the first lot back tomorrow and the day 21 blood test I’m having on Thursday morning.

Just over a year we have been trying without any sign of a positive test. My O/H is on SSRIs which apparently can have an effect but he seems ok. He’s had three SA done; 1st time just slightly below on morphology but everything else fantastic; 2nd slightly less amount but above the cut off for there to be a low count and third time everything was fine. So yeah ‘hit and miss’ and he said sometimes it’s a helping hand of having the good stuff taken out and used as even the poor shaped ones are good swimmers apparently.

I’m not sure what to think about mine; i use the strips and always get a positive the same time. Always have regular periods; etc etc but who knows hey!! I’ll trying to not fixated on anything untill we know for sure

Hello to everyone! And let’s hope we all have a relatively easy ride.

I’m also in the midlands ! Weathers been great. @finallytakingtheplunge

[Ells0204]

@CloudSway

Caught in March last year so our 3rd cycle TTC. I didn’t mention we had actually had a chemical before that but it was all over so quickly I think mentally I didn’t really have time to register it. But the 5+4 loss was very different, physically very difficult as well as emotionally. I cannot imagine the suffering of people who lose later on than that. Ended up with what I can only guess were contractions (or at least contraction-like pain, I was doubled over never been in that much pain!) on the toilet at home, and passed everything naturally. It is something I’ll never forget and the thought has crossed my mind that maybe I’m so mentally scarred by it, in some way or another it’s affected my ability to conceive again...psychological or not!

AF just turned up for me today so on to cycle 14 and this marks 1 year since my last pregnancy

[Ells0204]

Or actually, I think it’s cycle 15?! Even I’m beginning to lose count now...that’s not a good sign!

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

Hello!

How is everyone?

I am loving the weather it really has been beautiful so me and the dog are enjoying our walks in the fields at the moment!

So I’m kind of just waiting to hear from the delivery company to see when I can get all the medication! I feel a sense of calm at the moment think this is the least stressed I’ve been about taking the next step! I am sure it will be short lived but am enjoying it will it lasts!

@GreyC did you get your results back? Hope all is well?

[squirrelnutkins1]

Can I jump on too please!

I won't bore you with all my past, I've posted on here quite a few times.

Where we're at now...

Had post laparoscopy appointment today and I've been prescribed some tablets to help me ovulate. If no joy after 3 months then we'll move onto IUI.
In my area you get 3 cycles of IUI and just one of IVF.
If you opt for IVF first you can't then have IUI.

We've been ttc for 18 months. Never had even a sniff of a BFP.

Sorry there are so many of us in this situation 💐

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

Welcome @squirrel!

So I’ve just arranged relieved for all the medication!! It’s starting to feel a bit more real!! It’s come Friday
We are not starting till April but I think it being there in the fridge will keep me motivated on the healthy eating and exercise!

[squirrelnutkins1]

I'm trying to eat healthy too, I think if I feel better about myself I'll feel more positive about everything.... hopefully!!!

[CloudSway]

Hi squirrel, welcome to the slightly crappy (but very supportive!) club 😆
Wow, that's crazy about what you can and can't have and in what order... Is there a reason? I'm guessing IUI is cheaper? Fingers crossed for some positive results for you from taking the medications 🙂

Hope you are still feeling relaxed finallytakingtheplungewithivf, sounds like you are all over it! 👍 good luck with the healthy eating too!

Lovely weather here in Essex too, glad we're all seeing some sunshine.lifts the spirits, esp as I'm having problems getting a gp appointment to actually get my ultrasound results. Very frustrating, looks like I'll have my fertility appointment at the hospital before I can get my test results - do you think it matters or will they be able to access my results from the hospital? Can I ask my gp surgery just to print out the results and then take them with me do you reckon?

I'm feeling a bit half hearted right now. I'm one of those people that just avoids anything scary (to the point where I avoid opening bills... drives DH crackers lol), and I've got this overwhelming feeling of 'What's the point?' And 'Is it even worth it?'. I've always always wanted kids so not sure where this is coming from, but the prospect of so much time to wait just makes me feel tired and fed up. Think I just need to eat a tub of Ben and jerrys, that will help right?! 😏

[FinallytakingtheplungewithIVF]

@CloudSway they should be able to print you a copy off! As we are private I had my bloods done at the GP have to save where we can! I just asked at reception and theyprinted them for me! Same for DH!

Which part scares you the most? Maybe it will help to tell us on here?
Ben and Jerry’s always makes things better