What else can I do?

Hi, dont know if it will help but I read a few posts from a natural fertilit expert on another site about supplements you can take, it may be worth emailing her with any questions, she mentions zinc levels in one of her posts? The link is forum.prideangel.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=532 let us know how you get on, good luck xxxx

Oh and I gave up alcohol and caffeine entirely. I also stopped eating/drinking anything with aspartame in it as that has been linked to mc. I ate lots of Brazil nuts too, think they have selenium in them, which is good for some reason...

Oh winkle I sympathise! It took about 18 months to conceive this time (DC2), with 2 mcs along the way, so I started a few threads like this myself. Here are the things I tried (not sure which, if any, worked, but it is nice to feel you are trying something different):

Omega 3 fish oils and co-enzyme Q10 - both perhaps improve egg quality
Vitamin D - yes, there is research that supplementation can help in infertility and to prevent miscarriage
Cinnamon in diet to improve blood flow to the sex organs
Conceive Plus and lying on front after sex (I am tilted just like Far)
Early shagging for us too - I have a short cycle and ov'd day 9 or 10 most months, so start straight after AF and keep going as much as possible

Best of luck to you - long-term TTC is really draining.

My top tips are - go for the early shags, my opks were picking up surges when I had already ovulated (I had a monitored cycle so could pinpoint ovulation exactly that cycle) I was still getting positives 1/2 days after ovulation so that ship would have sailed.

Do you by any chance havea retroverted uterus? Its not a big deal and one third of women do, I read that DTD from behind and then lying on your tummy is best for women with a uterus that tilts backwards. Worked for us!
Good luck, I know how bliming frustrating it is.

i second that winkle - might be good to join one of the long term ttc threads as the monthly ones can be a bit soul destroying as everyone picks up their BFPs.

princess good luck as well!

Winkle sorry to hear you're having a tough time. We're into our 24th cycle of TTC. I've had 2 MCs along the way. I'm on a lovely board of ladies who have been trying for more than 10+ months (many of us have been trying for 2 years or more) if you feel like you need a bit more support - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1566249-TTC-for-10-months-part-10 .

I have tried a lot of the above and more to try and have a baby. Most of my friends have babies / bumps and some are having their second in the time that we've been trying. Frustrating doesn't even come close!! So I understand where you are coming from.

I went to have a second meeting with my consultant this week and he concluded that everything appears to be normal with both of us and although it's frustrating sometimes, these things just take a long time to happen, even if you are perfectly healthy. I am having final tests to check two last things: a blood test to see if our genetic code is ok (DH is having a blood test too) and an HSG to check my tubes are not blocked. After that we'll be making our fertility treatment plan and possibly having IVF this time next year. I'm only 30 and the first MC was 3 years ago, so I feel like I've been in this boat for an age now.

However, I think learning that you can't control when you get pregnant and just trying to be as healthy and happy as you can (because it's bloody stressful) will help ease the journey.I have a nutritionist who specialises in nutrition and a life coach to help deal with the emotional side of things. And apart from that we've now thrown away the OPKs, the thermometres and are just trying to have lots of sex and a nice life whilst we wait for our baby to turn up.

I wish you lots of luck. xxxx

Btw cheapest place to get soy isoflavones from is tescos also they are often on 3 for 2 but hopefully you will only need one bottle

pip hopefully now they've unblocked one of your tubes that will sort it for you! they say you're more fertile for three months after an HSG - i had mine in july though and still nothing.

winkle you need to get your DH another sample, as just one sample is not enough to go on. Also as faith said, an HSG. With regards to hot baths etc - it can't hurt, but from what i've read (a fair bit, unfortunately) most of the things are for sperm count, and motility, rather than morphology. i wrote on the other thread what we're taking - it's primarily anti-oxidants (like the pine bark, same thing) and things to increase blood flow to the area. the evidence is patchy at best though.

We've had all the tests described here and been told that we have unexplained with possible mild male factor (that's with morphology of 3% and 4% in different samples). So we're now being left alone until IVF at the three year mark, but i think i'll have lost the plot by then...

pip is right, it's not that you're doing something wrong - think of everyone who gets knocked up while drunk, on just the once etc etc. It's the lack of control which is so annoying.

We'll all get there.

thumbwitch thank you for all that info, I think private testing may be the way to go,for at least Vit D and APA,I'll certainly look into it.
My best friend moved to Australia and has had her three children there, from what she says the health service is very good,beats the NHS!
Congratulations on your pregnancy , it's really encouraging to hear you're 45 and 36 weeks pregnant, I hope all goes well for you. x

Another one here who soy isoflavones worked for first go after months of trying. Also darkest opks ever. I am convinced they are why I am pregnant. Google soy isoflavones ttc

Well, Winkle I had a dodgy smear result about a year ago and had a scan done to check that out, it was all clear BTW, so this meant that I was slightly ahead of the game. It showed that I had a small fibroid, and no sign of PCOS however, there was a worrying moment when she said "do you have both ovaries?"
After talking to the GP I had day 21 and day 3 bloods done and DH had an SA.
Then referred to fertility clinic, DH had another SA done, went back for the results of that and I was sent to get my tubes checked.
I had that done last cycle, and it showed that one tube was blocked, but the act of checking unblocked it. The other one was either blocked or was spasming or is completely blocked. I need to go back in October to find out.

It's definitely something they should be checking with routine investigations - are you under gynae or fertility specialists?

I'm on cycle 14 without even a sniff of a BFP here.
I feel your pain. I think the frustration is that with anything else in life if you do all that is required correctly you should achieve the result. With ttcing it's just not the case.

Have you been to the doctors etc?

winkle I feel your pain - we're ttc #2 for 9 months now. Our DS also took a while (pg first month trying which ended in mmc at 11wks and then took a further 7 months to get pg again).

When we were ttc #1 DH's SA also showed poor morph (though count and volume were okay). Sadly I think that's probably what's keeping you from conceiving. You might want to look into pycnogenol or pine bark extract. It's a super antioxidant and is meant to be good for male fertility. I ordered some for DH and he did start taking it but I don't think it would've had time to be helpful as I did get pg that month. There's a good website called fertilityzone.co.uk which has a really good Male Factor section with great advice about optimizing sperm counts and quality. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Hi winkle. Sorry it's been so tough for you. As a long term TTCer, I do understand.

Have they given you a HSG to check your tubes are ok?

I feel your pain winkle2 it's been ten months of ttc for me and am running out of things to try! I have PCOS though so am doing a PCOS diet and exercise as that's meant to help you ovulate if you aren't.

Quick question on soy isoflavones - I've been avoiding soy as I heard it decreased fertility and then googled after seeing this and saw a site which said some think it helps you ovulate (natural clomid) but there is other evidence soy decreases fertility - confusing! Maybe I should give it a try though?