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Conception

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My IUI cycles might have taken the want for children out of me

309 replies

Cactizone · 05/05/2022 22:17

Is this ridiculous? Am I being weak? Have I just spent thousands of pounds to learn that I don't want this? Or is it just that it's stressful, degrading (I find it this way personally, I hope not everyone does) and leads to obsessive compulsive, and frankly angry fretting / planning about the next cycle.
I've only done 2 and I despise the procedure itself (and dealing with all the endless calls to the perfectly nice clinic staff) so much that It's almost enough to make me throw in the towel.

Maybe because I'm stuck in the gritty reality of percentages and ratios of conceiving and so far removed from anything natural or spontaneous but it's changed my perspective. It seems pretty hopeless. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't want to keep bleeding (ha) money into this, its so expensive, but I don't want to stop either, the idea of giving up brings out a special kind of sadness and anxiety.

Maybe I'm the problem underneath it all, and have areas of mental health to work on undoubtably, but compared to the giddy excitement and trepidation and 'bring it on' vibes of starting, looking at going through the procedure of round 3 feels like signing myself up to pay a grand for people to make me feel pain for no reward.

Sorry for the bleak vibes, just needed to wring out my mind sponge.😐

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Totorotoes · 06/05/2022 21:06

Hi @Cactizone , I am also planning on having IUI in the next month or so, and I know I am going to find it so difficult and invasive. I was planning on IUI because it seemed less invasive than IVF but your post has made me think again!
I think this is so tough to do alone. I am sure a lot of people feel like you are feeling, it is a lonely journey. Take time out if you need to, there is no right or wrong answer. The fb group 'solo mothers by choice' is good, there are lots of posts from people having wobbles- even during pregnancy. Give me a few months and I'll almost certainly be where you are now!!
Good luck with your next step, whatever you chose- and I would love to hear how you are getting on!

Cactizone · 06/05/2022 21:05

@magnoliasinbloom
That's so interesting about IUI Vs IVF! Thank you for the sympathy, I think time in between is probably the right shout, it's just hard when you feel time is ticking isn't it 😅

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RMS0209 · 06/05/2022 15:47

@Cactizone

I feel you with the never wanting to mingle.
yeah I am in the UK too!
I know somebody doing home insemination, I take my hat off to her.
I'm happy to hear tests came up all ok.
Do you have a cycle coming up again soon? X

magnoliasinbloom · 06/05/2022 14:34

Hi! I have done IUI too (I have PCOS and was doing ovulation induction; my clinic advised IUI too for best possible chances of success). and I just wanted to say that I totally sympathise, it is a hugely physically and emotionally draining process, I think especially because you have to go in for so many scans pre-IUI as well. I had a session of fertility counselling (included as part my of treatment cycle) and the therapist actually said she has far more IUI patients than IVF due to the demanding nature of it and she recommends that patients take time between treatment cycles as a result. xx

Cactizone · 06/05/2022 13:12

So hard!

Im a single and never-wanting-to-mingle person so for me it was the best option. I’d prefer home insemination but that seems so complicated to do in the UK if you don’t have someone you want to use for donor sperm in place already, and has a lower chance I think of working.
The clinic I wanted to start me on IUI as there was no reason to suspect fertility issues and nothing had come up on the tests.

Yikes I don’t envy you having to wait for a referral, fingers crossed that works out!

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RMS0209 · 06/05/2022 08:41

@Cactizone
It's hard isn't it! I honeslty never realised how hard it is to conceive until I started trying to conceive.

Can I ask maybe it's to personal so you don't have to ask... have you went for IUI for medical reasons or just trying something else?
I agree it's nice and peaceful being on your own but then I see all my friends with little ones and I think gosh I want that, that's what gets me through each month.

Thank you for the good luck, it's getting luck to get the doctor to refer me to go for it that's the big issue ha ha. X

Cactizone · 06/05/2022 06:28

@RMS0209 Thank you that's kind of you, I still have a lot of mixed emotions. Half of me is just 'keep going for it, you can handle the pain!' and the other half is 'but its so peaceful being on my own, and nice to have my money for me'
I guess I'll see which way it swings for now and try to give myself a bit of time to think about it.
I hope if you go down the IUI route you have a better time of it X

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RMS0209 · 06/05/2022 00:03

The TTC process I mean, I have not went down the IUI route (yet) although I have been looking into it. X

RMS0209 · 06/05/2022 00:02

Hi @Cactizone, I didn't want to read and not reply.
How are you feeling about it all today? It all really is over whelming isn't it x

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