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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

One year+ TTC part 4

743 replies

lemons44 · 20/11/2022 10:45

Hi all
Onto thread 4! Hopefully this one is lucky for us 🍀 🤞🏼

Just a supportive thread for those of us who have been TTC for over a year. New faces are welcome. Feel free to vent, cry, laugh, ask silly questions, seek advice and talk about anything.

Tagging our BFP ladies who are rooting for us too.

@Tinkerbell098
@NatW2021
@Koalie
@Netflixnchilli
@JSS15
@BakinABaby
@KatieLooLa
@Indianna2006
@Carla2601
@BritInNZ
@FlyOnTheWall89

Feel free to tag anyone I have forgotten.

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Original poster
lemons44 · 11/12/2022 10:08

@Koalie I will ask my clinic. If not I believe we are still entitled to one NHS round if we have two private, so I'm thinking we may get the 2 cycle 50% refund package from Access Fertility.
Yes please I would love to see your list!!!! My plan today is sitting down with my diary/planner with Xmas films on and the fire going🎄 planning my life for the next few weeks including things like meals, vitamins etc. so would love to see any good tips you've found.

@SaraSS thank you ❤️ I never used to digital sticks but I think if your cheaply one was also dark then the digital one must have worked correctly. I'm keeping EVERYTHING crossed for you that this is your month🤞🏼 would be amazing to see some Xmas BFPs.

@summerchild92 fingers crossed for you with letrozole this month. I've heard some good things about it so hoping it works for you 🤞🏼

Hope everyone is having a nice Sunday x

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summerchild92 · 09/12/2022 10:12

@lemons44 i’m taking opks and haven’t yet had a peak :) I started on letrozole this cycle so will see how that works for us.

how are you doing?

SaraSS · 09/12/2022 09:04

@lemons44 hey thanks for the message. I've been watching the chat and so glad to see things are looking up for you! It's a long journey but you've had some great milestones now!
I'm doing ok. I'm ovulating around now(or the last few days). I used the digital ovulation sticks this cycle and got a smiley face on Wednesday, then a negative Thursday, so my peak must have happened.
I'm a little confused by the digital sticks as my first attempt was on Wednesday and got a smiley face, but I thought they had to "find your baseline" with the first one and it would be negative?! Anyway, the cheapy ovulation strip was also fairly strong too and they've since come back down..

We dtd Tuesday and Thursday this week so hopefully timed well! Possibly will try again tonight!
Fx for a Christmas BFP!

Koalie · 09/12/2022 07:57

@lemons44 yes definitely worth an ask. Because you’ve skipped some of the usual process by going private and you won’t need a HyCosy, the clinic might say you don’t need to go through the whole process because you’re already there under them now 🤷🏻‍♀️🤞🏼 & yes I’m doing quite a lot to prepare … hubby and I have taken it to the extreme though because we know we obvs both have parameters that need to be improved. I’ll write you a list if you like but it might be a bit long lol. Also, I had read somewhere to be careful about too much fish because it can have a lot of mercury in it. So many conflicting things online it’s such a minefield! 🤯 I’m going for lots of nuts and avocado to get my good fats in because I think that’s the reason fish is recommended ☺️ x

Original poster
lemons44 · 09/12/2022 07:33

@monsteramunch how are you feeling today?

@SaraSS @summerchild92 how are you both doing this cycle?

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Original poster
lemons44 · 09/12/2022 07:31

Thank you @FlyOnTheWall89 and @Carla2601 ❤️

@Koalie thank you ❤️ yes we are entitled to two rounds on the NHS. We still haven't even got our initial letter though and I have my day 21 bloods next week so we are waayyyy off being seen. That is so interesting to know the approach your clinic take! I will ask my clinic when we have our appointment next week. Eeeeee that is so exciting you will have all your meds arrive soon 😃 are you doing anything else to prepare? I was googling good IVF foods last night and I'm going to make an effort to start eating more fish/veg. I read that full fat dairy foods like cheese are also really good and I LOVE cheese so I am happy about that 🤣

I haven't watched that ICSI video but I saw one on insta yesterday that said they knock the tail off the sperm before injecting it, which really surprised me! I suppose the tail is mainly for swimming to the egg so it makes sense.

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FlyOnTheWall89 · 09/12/2022 06:47

@lemons44 so so happy for you! 2-4 rounds of ICSI should be plenty and hopefully not all needed surely! Must be a huge relief and weight off both your shoulders. You've been so so strong and so incredibly patient. X

Carla2601 · 08/12/2022 15:15

@lemons44 they didn’t tell us they just said we wouldn’t ever need another retrieval but our issue was a bit different as they went in saying they knew there was loads in there it was that it was being damaged on its way out (so many possible complications right?!). Eeeeeeek I’m so excited for you! I know everyone says it’s not exciting but I feel like you’ve waited for so long that whilst it’s daunting it just feels like it’s your time! 💪💪🤞🤞

Koalie · 08/12/2022 14:39

@lemons44 That's a bloody good amount of rounds! Hopefully it will only take 1 :) Very excited about your appointment on Tuesday! Will you be able to have the ICSI on the NHS? Because my clinic don't actually apply for funding before they start, as long as you qualify for it, they just claim the money back at the end so it's definitely worth asking.

In other news, my drugs are due to be delivered on the 15th!! The consent forms are coming through thick and fast now ... so much to sign and read/watch. I'm petrified about cocking something up and having to cancel and start again :(

@FlyOnTheWall89 I watched that tik tok! (and about 10,000 after it lol) it's bloody amazing. Might ask my embryologist if she will record ours.

x

Original poster
lemons44 · 08/12/2022 14:34

And thank you for your nice words @Carla2601 😊❤️

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Original poster
lemons44 · 08/12/2022 14:32

Thank you @monsteramunch ❤️

@Carla2601 is it similar amount to what they found for your OH? We have an appointment with a local clinic on Tuesday to discuss starting ICSI 😱😬 (not the awful clinic that messed us around .. a different one).

We will just need to then courier our sperm from Chelsea and Westminster to this clinic. C&W is just too far for us (and likely too expensive!).

I'm really hoping we can start after Xmas.

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Carla2601 · 08/12/2022 13:53

@lemons44 thats brilliant news!!!! 2-4 rounds is a lot! So happy for you. Did they say when you can get started?

monsteramunch · 08/12/2022 11:31

@lemons44

I'm so so pleased you're finally having some well deserved good news, I've been willing you on from the sidelines and bloody hell what a tough time you've had. Everything crossed for you Flowers

Original poster
lemons44 · 08/12/2022 11:26

I'm sorry @monsteramunch ☹️ the waiting every month is just so hard and it really does mess with your head. I used to imagine symptoms all the time too, which made me question my sanity! Just try and be kind to yourself, it's a bloody tough journey and you're not alone ❤️

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Original poster
lemons44 · 08/12/2022 11:14

Morning @Carla2601 @Koalie
The consultant has emailed us today and said we have enough sperm to do 2-4 rounds of ICSI 😃 she said the clinic will know more about the quality once each vial is thawed and they can see the specimen directly hence 2-4 rounds because if a thawed vial is not suitable they will have to thaw another.

The really good news is she confirmed our issue IS a blockage (at the top part of the testis) likely caused by an infection. It is all adding up now as DH had a hydrocele when we was about 18 and needed surgery to remove it. A hydrocele is a big build up of fluid in a sack in the testicle. Doctor google says that hydroceles can be caused by infections.. so it makes sense that he could have damage from an infection.

I still don't feel I can relax. I think it's been such an emotionally traumatic time that I'm still so scared that it is too good to be true and that someone will leap out at us and be like 'ONLY JOKING YOU DONT REALLY HAVE SPERM'. I think I just need to give it time to all sink in and then maybe I will relax more.

How are you all doing?

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monsteramunch · 08/12/2022 11:09

14DPO, AF due in two days and another negative. I'm really not in a good headspace. Struggling hugely. And panic attack setting in I think. I hate this.

Koalie · 08/12/2022 09:31

@FlyOnTheWall89 oh wow. Will have a look now! Xx

FlyOnTheWall89 · 08/12/2022 09:25

@Koalie there was an embryologist guest on the Big Fat Negative podcast and she has TIKTOK and there is a video of it on there - it's her most watched video x

Koalie · 08/12/2022 07:18

@lemons44 I find the whole sperm and egg thing fascinating! Lol. Like, with ICSI, how do they even pick the sperm up, let alone inject it into the egg 😵‍💫🤯 sorry to hear your OH is in so much pain and that you’re not getting the answers you want. Can you call them and discuss on the phone and just ask them to explain exactly what it is they’re doing next? I always have so many questions and the other day I could sense the consultant getting frustrated with me which isn’t fair really because we every right to understand exactly what’s happening. Even more so you guys after everything you’ve been through! X

Carla2601 · 07/12/2022 22:02

@lemons44 thats so frustrating - you need more information! Also should surely be able to tell you the quantity. Hopefully they’ll respond to your email tomorrow and at least explain what they’re doing so you have some clarity.

thinking of you

Original poster
lemons44 · 07/12/2022 19:13

It's ok I'm also still so confused ☹️ all we've been told is the consultant will tell us about sperm quantity and quality once the embryologist report comes back in a few weeks. My suspicion is that they are either doing a frag test on the sperm (I read online that takes two weeks) or they are investigating the biopsy cells to establish is there is any sort of testicular failure like sertoli-cell only syndrome.

I'm finding it all a bit frustrating and I'm emailing again tomorrow to ask why it needs to take so long.

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Carla2601 · 06/12/2022 20:35

@lemons44 sorry he’s still in so much pain, my OH only had the first half so wouldn’t have been as painful!

Sorry if I’m being daft but does that mean they’re going to try to fertilise the eggs first then use the embryos to judge quality? Does that mean you’ll have to have your collection soon too? So many questions!

Original poster
lemons44 · 06/12/2022 12:47

So confused. Apparently they are waiting for our Embryologist report in the new few weeks before we can hear about quantity and quality of sperm. I don't know if this is normal and can't find anything online

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Original poster
lemons44 · 06/12/2022 11:41

Thank you for your comment @FlyOnTheWall89 and sorry you had those blood results. I think what @Carla2601said just demonstrates how it's totally not your fault. Be kind to yourself, you've been through SO much and deserve to enjoy your pregnancy ❤️

@Koalie I totally get your worries. I still don't fully understand frag results if I'm honest, it blows my mind that the tiny sperm has DNA strands in it! That's good timing that he has a consultation with a urologist, hopefully that can provide some useful information for you both. Are there foods or supplements that can help?

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Original poster
lemons44 · 06/12/2022 11:32

Hi @Carla2601 thanks for checking in.

We are ok, still haven't had our debrief so still don't know the quantity and quality of what they found. Mr R's pa is chasing for us. I think I will finally relax after that.

I looked at our discharge notes a bit more thoroughly after the emotions subsided and DH did have both a TESA and a micro-tese on his right testicle (obviously the TESA failed although I won't know until our debrief if this was because of old scar tissue or because DH has a production issue!).

Anyway because he had a micro tese he is still in a LOT of pain and discomfort. I think it will be sore for a few days yet but he is on strong painkillers and enjoying some time off work 😊

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