TTC for 10 months and the rest. Ten plussers welcome. Thread 2.

The waiting times were a bit of a shocker, Sammy. I can see what you mean about the private waiting times too. This morning, I told DP I would phone up for some advice and maybe we could be seen in January, so when they said they could see us next week I was a bit stunned! The prices are scary though. We're getting married in May, so that's a huge (and expensive!) Factor for us too.

In terms of what he's doing, he stopped having very hot baths two months ago, which is killing him a bit, bless. Plus he's on a concoction of every supplement I've read about during my extensive stalking. I swear he rattles when he walks, though I'm pretty sure I do too!

MPP - welcome, and thank you.

I still can't get over the waiting time in Wales. I know Lucie highly recommends her clinic, and I'm sure she'll be along soon to tell you about it.
We're paying privately (as you may know as you've been lurking), but in the UK and it is pricey, but TOTALLY worth it. Everything happens so much quicker.

Is your do trying anything to improve his count in the mean time? Xx

Grrrrrr, not, not my!

Hello all!

Very long time lurker here (not too much of a weirdo, I promise!)
Our story: we've been ttc for 17 cycles (ish) now, and this morning we were told by our GP that DP has a low sperm count (around 2 million per ml). We've been referred to fertility clinic but we're told the same wait as Sali (we are also in wales). We've arranged an appointment at CRGW next week to discuss our options, but we're thinking that going abroad might be our best option. All this has finally prompted me to actually try talking instead of just stalking!

Sammy, I'd just like to say I was following your progress, and I'm sorry it did my work out this time. Fingers crossed for the next go!

Trixie that's the same as me!
Always get cramps around 7-8 dpo for a couple of days and the nothing until a day or so before af arrives. I'll be mentioning it at next weeks appointment.

How annoying that they can't tell you your results on the phone! Xx

Forgot to say, my biopsy results are back (haven't been told what they are) have an appointment next Thursday with the Dr.

I'm not really sure what's causing the cramping but I do think it's around implantation time (maybe slightly earlier sometimes) I then don't have any cramping until a day or two before AF arrives.

Yes, Humira is one of the treatments I have come across Lucie. It is reassuring to hear that the ladies in your group have done well with pred and intralipids.

Glad the counselling was beneficial Sammy, I found my sessions really helpful.

Itsme I wouldn't worry about falling pregnant in a new job.
I'm the same Star, have been pretty fed up but I am just down the road from Kings here so really convenient for treatment and I have pretty flexible working hours so going to stick with it for now. I'll pm you now.

Sali - that makes sense, but is it costing you a fortune??

Trixie, we are neighbours! I live in Camberwell and yes I'm at king's. Went there for the first time yesterday - it's quite nice but I was just gawping at everyone in the waiting room wondering what their story is. Oops. Yes please pm me the details.

Not sure about going private - I don't think I'd want to have the surgery privately and so it wouldn't save me any time. That said, it would be good to know what this thing is. Christmas is coming up so it's a nice distracting month and then my scan is first week in Jan so I'll decide then. If I did get scanned privately, would the hospital be prepared to use the results or would they insist on doing their own scan too?
Trixie, what do you think is causing the cramping? Do you think it's around implantation? Are you otherwise unexplained apart from the NK cells?

Sammy, that sounds like a positive session. I flit between wanting the cold hard facts and selectively listening to the info I want to hear. Yesterday I was googling fibroids - now that was a mistake as the main message seemed to be: don't ignore them as they can grow so big you have to have a hysterectomy. Then my OH told me that had happened to his mum! I'm trying to ignore all this.

Itsme, I don't think a BFP in April would be an issue. In my work you need to have been there for 12 months before you're entitled to maternity benefits, so that's only really 3 or 4 months before a bfp. Well done, I absolutely agree you can't put your life on hold. I haven't followed my own advice - been wanting to leave for a while but can't bring myself to do it before getting pregnant. Perhaps that will change in another 6 months.

Star - I went private for most of the tests as a friend who is also in the process told me that she had had a real battle getting the tests through her GP.

I think having a much information as humanly possible really helps, my dad had cancer quite recently and the only way I could feel positive about his treatment was knowing all the ins and outs and % and everything so that I knew he was getting the best care.. A strange parallel but I feel exactly the same with the fertility journey!

A bit of a different one, I start a new job at a new company on 4th Jan (I couldn't put my life on hold anymore... waiting to become a mum!)

However, this has created a whole new set of feelings. If I do start my IVF by April, do you think that's too early to get pregnant in a new job? (Obviously if it works first time...)

Trixie - I get cramping for around 6-7 days before AF, what do you think is the cause of your cramping?

Thanks Lucie for the link, will check it out now.
Are you planning on transferring two if you get them?

I had my counselling session today, and while it was good to talk about it I came away feel exhausted! She did have a couple of interesting points though, one of which was if the science stuff and facts make me feel better then there is nothing wrong with asking. So at my appointment next week I'm going to ask everything, the nurses are lovely but I've got to the point where their positive attitudes do nothing to help me as I just don't believe them anymore! Solid facts and stats are the way forward for me, at least that way my hopes won't be up quite so high. Xx

Sammy, the thing that has always bothered me (other than not getting pregnant despite all our test results coming back fine) is that since starting ttc most months I get cramping around 7-10 days before AF. After my first IVF it was very bad. After my FET (where I got an early positive hpt but blood test showec v v low hcg) cramping was mild.... I thought maybe I was just paying more attention to my body but how could I not notice bad cramping before. My GP and the clinic said its nothing to worry about and dismissed it and I thought maybe it was just my body getting ready for AF. I think lots of women probably get cramping before AF and its nothing to worry about but for me it made me think there could be an issue and turns out there is.
My GP was able to do all blood tests recommended by my clinic bar one and the NK cell one. I would definitely recommend getting it done if you can just in case.
I'm not sure what the level 1/2 tests are. I had three blood tests earlier in the year due to my Raynards - due to blood clotting. And three more for implantation issues.

Lucie, I agree re % off embryo's. Out of my 7 I guess 3-4 (max) would have been viable, I've just got to hope there's at least 1 left. Even with the immune treatment there are no guarantees I guess. It's just at the fertility show and on the thread on here they talk about other treatments but like you say, intralipids and pred should do it! Don't rule out having something to freeze btw.

Star, we are neighbours! I am in Forest Hill and work in Camberwell. Are you at Kings College Hospital? (don't feel you have to answer if you'd rather not) I have no knowledge of fibroids but if it is easily remedied and that is the reason for you then that is good! I think my clinic do one of scans for not too much, can pm you if you like.

Well you never know I guess Lucie, even if you got one extra is good to know you would be able to use it!

Oh really Trixie, that's good to know. What tests do they do as level one?

Star - that's great news that you have s possible reason. Any way you could pay privately for the consultation? Xx

Wow, the wait for various things is so different across the country. I'm in London (Southwark) and my gp was happy to start investigations at 8 months (I turned 35 at that point so maybe that's why) and referred at about 10 months. It's now 12 months and still a way off from a consultation. No idea about what the ivf wait list is.

Sali, how far did you go on the nhs before going private? Did you get all your investigations done?

I just got back from MY scan which was meant to be the last step before booking an appointment with the consultant. Unfortunately they found "something quite large" on or attached to my womb so have referred me for an advanced scan. That will happen early Jan so a Dr can decide whether it needs removing prior to treatment. The nurse thought it was a fibroid but I think she also saw another smaller fibroid.

Hmm. I guess this looks like a possible cause, which is what I wanted,but the wait is killing me. It looks like another 2 months before we even see a consultant and then who knows how long I'll have to wait for the surgery. The small fibroid came up on a scan I had 5 years ago and the nurse seemed a bit surprised they didn't remove it then. Now I'm mad at myself for not insisting on it earlier.

Anyone here got a similar issue?

Trixie - I do worry about immune issues, it niggles at the back of my mind that we're going to use all our envies and only find out afterwards that there is a problem. Why isn't it routine to test I wonder? Xx

I agree, it's a ridiculously long wait. It may well be that you end up being seen sooner though, there must be some cancellations. From phoning the hospital to having our initial NHS hospital tests was really quick then a two month wait for our consultation.

Sammy, great that your clinic are looking into implantation. Usually they don't do that until 3 failed transfers. Our clinic's advice was to try another FET but I just couldn't go ahead, in hindsight it was the right decision!

I am making slow progress with the book, I was never good with science! Apparently with IVF on average only 50% of embryo's are viable and when there are immune issues preventing implantation it is harder to resolve than with recurrent loss. I am slightly concerned that intralipids may not be enough but will see what our clinic and the hospital say. May also get some more blood tests done to rule out other immune issues. I think a lot of people who are unexplained have immune issues, it's just not routine to test for them yet.

That wait is long, but the amount of tries you get is fab! So Lucie if you ended up with 4 frosties after 2 fresh rounds (fx you won't need the frosties), you can have 4 frozen FETs? That's brilliant.

I'm in South East England and get 1 fresh and two frozen goes on the bus, but the wait from 2 years ttc to appointment has only been 3 months.
From 1 year trying I got all my tests within a year, but that was because everything was fine and they kept sending us away to try naturally. Xx

Sorry just read back your previous post.. Fingers crossed you test positive on the 20th and you start the last leg of your journey to parenthood!!

Well, the 12 months is understood as it can take a while to fall pregnant, even if nothing is wrong at all, but that referral time is just absurd!

When you do get going, and if it does come down to IVF, I've heard some areas in Wales are quite generous with three paid IVF rounds?