The Good, The Bad and The Yams!

Sooo... currently in Hong Kong unexpectedly as my grandfather is critically ill, which involved lots of phone calls to work to cancel my clinic next week, mad packing and forgetting a few things, and leaving for the airport 3.5 hours after getting the call. He’s stably unstable right now but I’m not at the hospital as he’s furious with me for a) not letting him throw out the chest PT after 30 seconds b) stopping him from pulling out his IV drip and c) stopping him from climbing out of bed. (I’m not being gratuitously cruel, he’s delirious from sepsis + heart failure + kidney failure.)

Enough about that. Last Thursday at the fertility specialist’s we found out it’s definitely not hubby’s issue as his swimmers are of excellent quality , we’ll be doing ovulation induction with letrozole first up. Specialist says he usually allows for 4 cycles before moving onto something more, and that he usually monitors hormone levels for 21 days before deciding it hasn’t triggered ovulation. Not sure when we’re starting, soon hopefully but it’s nice to have a plan!

@hopeislost gah how annoying- about FP and the appointment. I'm sorry.

I asked my GP about getting the hycosy or similar as the private specialist doesn't seem keen to do one. She said she'll refer us to infertility and they may do one. However I'm tempted to get one privately. I hate the lack of diagnosis... sperm is ok count but low morphology and I've got low ovarian reserve but still ov each month. Apparently that shouldn't stop us conceiving naturally according to private dr. So then what the hell is the problem 🤔 Sometimes I crazily wonder if we've missed a memo about how your meant to have baby making sex. Like 'oh you have to do it with your arms in the air to get pregnant, ok now I understand' 😂

Same here @Hopeislost! We were supposed to have our referral appointment end of July but due to 'unforeseen circumstances' (read - 'off on holidays, kthnxbye!) we now have to wait til end of August.

I know it's only a month longer, but when you're ttc, it feels like a lifetime

@Pinkemi Like others have said you need a hycosy or HSG to check tubes.

FP got me eventually after a 41 day cycle. And I just got less than a week's notice that my fertility clinic appointment has been cancelled as the consultant is 'on annual leave'. So another two months to wait for another appointment

Ahhhhh cd24 and I can feel fp coming. I have little cramps but I'm away on a school trip! Nightmare!

I dunno! I guess im clutching at straws and thinking i should just get every test done possible. NHS wont do anything further with me until i get my BMI to below 30. (Sigh)

@pink isn’t that what they check with an HSG? That’s the one with the dye and they take pictures/x-wrays to check there’s no blockages etc. I had that with the NHS not an HycoSy.

@Pinkemi I think they can only see if tubes are blocked or not if they pass fluid through the tubes at the same time like with a hycosy or similar.

When I had my normal pelvic and transvaginal ultrasounds she commented on my uterus and ovaries but said nothing about my tubes.

So i was having a think this morning.. (Dunno why.. I'm beginning to obsess again) but if you have an ultrasound test.. can they see if your tubes are blocked on that test?

I've had the fertility check ups at a private clinic but I don't remember them saying anything about a possible blockage. Trying to work out if I should get myself booked in I guess.

Also trying to work out if i should bother with any more OPKS.. or if i should just go back to having sex every other day (or as much as possible). Technically I know the signs now..

Meh i dunno! Feeling just fed up I guess. Need to remember to think positively!

Thank you @booksandbath1, I'm definitely enjoying the sunshine when I can.

I am really enjoying the yoga at the moment, it's given me a kick to start exercising more, so I'm walking and running during the week as well now.

Still down about the whole 'no baby' thing, especially now we've stopped using the apps and charts, I thought we might get lucky. Weirdly, my period finished on Monday but today I've had a pink swipe. Not had this before so probably just another new way for my body to screw with me :D

@orcinusorca @owlpatrol @Fairyann I hope you ladies are doing well and getting to enjoy some sunshine. Sending you and others good vibes and hope the yoga is going well for those giving it a go.x x

Good to hear @limp God this heat in non air conditioning is tough. It’s just so airless as there’s no breeze!

@pink I’m going to go with a vague ‘gynaecologist’ issue as I’ve just started a new job and although I think my manager would be understanding I’m still on probation and unproven in my role. Although it might be a few months more before the ivf appointment anyway as when I called I got put on a waiting list.

Hey Lexie. Doing pretty good although struggling with the heat a bit. We have no air con in a packed office and it's torture at the mo. For everyone of course but I'm suffering more than most. Still lurking away

Ah Books I'm sure they moan about me too, but we have a really low staff turnover for what we do which saves me oodles of time recruiting and training. Also I spend more time with these people than my family, how can you not care?

I second Sooz, the yammers are over due a good few bfps now, everything crossed for a better month for all 🤞🏻

Sorry to hear about fp arriving, Pink and Books. I know how utterly destroying it can be after so long trying.

Thank god for the Yammers - they got me through many a hard time in the last year. Really hoping good news and happier times are on their way to you all x

Hahaha! @books I know what you mean- I can tell now anyway without the bloody opks. Not sure I could ever forget and just have sex for fun!

@limp ah you sound like an awesome manager - I wish we all had someone so caring. I agree that the 'gynae tests' is a good thing to say.
@pink sorry that FP arrived for you too hun. I have kept it together all day, just got home and had a cry.

Thank you ladies for your support. I think I might go back to no opks for a bit to help chill myself out. Though I've done this ttc lark long enough now that I can tell the right time anyway. Feckin cervical mucas, I wish it would sod back off up my vj sometimes.

Meant to tag you in bold Limp xx

Hi Limplettice (love the user name!)

Thankyou for the hi and ressurance.

I have long given up poas, just wait for FP to turn up each month. After over 2 and a half years ttc ( resuned after break due to Fp ,have endo) I had to give that up to protect my sanity along with opks and timing. It was a relief when i was refferd for ivf as felt i could just focus on getting towards the treatment, it took the pressure off.

Now back ttc naturally opks arrived yesterday hopefuly the ttc crazyness dosent set back in again i will be prepared to get a telling off if i do slip xxxx

Nice to hear from you @limp How are you getting on?

Books i thought i posted a reply to you just seen it seems to have got lost? My phone had been freezing up.

Ah im sorry FP arrived

I remember that feeling when you think you have timed it all right that month and given it your best shot, then still FP turns up. It adds to the crushing dissapointment.

I also get the sickness the first couple of days amongst many other lovely symptoms. As you say its probably also the dread of another month of all this.

You have my sympathys xxxc

Ah. Well, Pink, if she gossips I wouldn't bother. Tell her you have a gynae issue maybe but just some tests, nothing conclusive. Might shut her up. I never understand how people like that end up in management - I have done it for years and years and end up being like their mum half the time - I find people perform at a better level when they feel supported personally as well as in the role but there you go.

@limpLettice its difficult.. we have never really had a very good relationship.. and only now do i feel like things are sorta working (will see how she is with me tomorrow at work.)

Problem is i know shes a terrible gossip.. another girl was off recently and i was like "is she okay?" and i was basically told pretty much everything that was going on. :-/ did not fill me with confidence i can assure you!!

I'm shrieking :) of all the threads...

Sounds difficult Pink are you sure she might not be supportive? A lot of women I know have had issues but never talked about them.

I have been off here for ages but am sorry for all the FPs everywhere. Herewego sorry you find yourself here but this thread has been totally a godsend as Books and Lexie say. No judgement, no bastard bfp pix from new posters who have been ttc for 7 minutes, and plenty of understanding. Except if you pee on a blue dye at 10pm 7 days before FP. Then there is judging. Coz we have all done it

Oh no Unicorn! Six months of trying, it must seem like a lifetime. I can definitely imagine your frustration. Personally in my 20+ months of trying, I have not seen that much-awaited second line so I can’t really relate to what you’re going through, honestly. However in my almost-2-years of trying (and failing) and mooching around this forum like a sad clown, I have come to find it is extremely common knowledge that digital tests are not as sensitive as FRER’s. I have also learnt in my time as a conception veteran that testing so far ahead of your expected period date is just a no-go. But despite my wailing in despair at people on here, nobody listens to me. Maybe infertile people make no sound, like if a tree falls in the forest but nobody is around to hear it.

Anyway, if you got a line on a FRER then you’re pregnant. Take another if your womb seems to be taking a vaycay come Sunday when it’s supposed to be doing a spring clean of all that useless non-preggo lining but I’m sure there will be another line there for you. Just don’t use a blue dye (I know, I know, I’m being super boring with my ttc knowledge, I just can’t help myself). Blue dyes are the work of the devil himself. Mind you, I’ve never even got a pretend line on one of them, bummer for me really.

But I digress, congrats-a-mondo and enjoy the next 9 months (apart from the nausea and swollen ankles and pissing yourself by accident and then pushing out what is effectively a rubber bowling ball out of your vajayjay like a scene from Alien). Good luck :)

Thanks @herewegoagain18. How did you sort out all the appointments without letting work know? Ive been googling this today actually.. incase we decide on this route.