Clearblue Fertility Monitor Support Group Buddies Vol 3!!

Chocciechip - so sorry gp not helpful... I have had some poor service (such as finding cancer cells in a growth in my bowel that the gastro locum forgot to pass on to the new consultant, so lost in system for months etc!) but I have learnt:
INTERNET is best friend - you CAN look up the NICE guidelines for infertility treatment and what your area (not your gp practice) does (yes there are limitations with fertility treatment - such as BMI, age, etc but they vary for each area) - so in our county we only get one cycle of IVF/ICSI after testing and clomid/IUI but we meet all the criteria for it, so ...

• can you find the relevant documents, print them out and go again to gp's and insist on referral to gynaecology/fertility unit for TESTING .. having had ALL the necessary baseline tests by gp ordered (mine forgot to do chlaymdia, so now waiting for apt for that!! I only found out by looking at this document).

And Choccie - even if do go private at some point, they will use ALL NHS tests if you get print outs of them, which is why it helps to have them even if not look at them.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the extra stats chocciechip you've well and truly put me of testing too early thats for sure LOL! I hope your ok lovey this TTC lark has really been taking its toll on you hasn't it hun.....my heart goes out to you mate. I hope that everything works out for you you really deserve it.

Boba LOL at you not speaking to your DH, me and my DH wern't speaking until about 30mins ago, but that was my fault so had to grovel (is that how you spell grovel? I don't ever think I've written it down before LOL)

So had a Super Dooper SHIT DAY today......firstly woke up late, got to work to a shitty email from boss, then find out I didn't get an interveiw for a job which on paper I am perfect for (not bigheaded, just the truth) THEN silly boss woman cow asks to see me to apologise for the shitty email and announce that she is up duff and didn't want to tell me infront of everyone else (fair do's I can see her point and in heinsight I suppose it was thoughtful) Congratulated her and asked relevant Qs, e.g. when are you due blah blah blah....left room, sat at desk, got up from desk, went to loo and sobbed my little heart out.

I never in a million years thought someone elses PG would affect me like that. I've felt really sad all day and I've been beating myself up for being such a selfish cowbag!!

Ah well, I'll get over it it was just a shock I think, plus no one would talk to me after that in case I was still upset which pissed me off even more cos I hate people pussyfooting around.

Anyhoo, sorry for rant, I know people have been through this in this thread before so thought I;d tell you guys.

WELCOME ljg72 apologies for the ranting but I hope you find this thread helpful hun.

Hi to anyone else I've not reffered to directly. hope your doing well.

Peace Out TTCers

xx

Hi ladies can I join please .

ljg72 TTC#3 cycle 2, CBFM cycle 1, age 38, UCL 28-29, CD15

Hi everyone,

Chocciechip, my heart sank reading your threads and I'm not surprised all this is taking its toll on you. However, you are clearly a strong (and, may I add, inspirational) lady but sound in need of a little TLC from your DH and some proper care and attention from your GP. Re your results, can you call your doctors with DH and put the phone on loud speaker, just so you have some moral support? Also, if the results are not as positive as you would like, can you afford to have some additional tests done privately and then take those along to your GP to send along to the clinic to make your case to see them stronger?

Boba - have fun making up with your DH!

Babyhoping - the cost of those tests sounds pretty reasonable. Will be interested to hear how that goes (and, of course, wish you the best of luck!).

Hi everyone,

This doctor was recommended to me by a friend. He is an infertility doctor and also he is very king and gets involved with the stories of the patients. I have only seen him twice but it is quite an improvement compared with the others I saw before... Just for you to have an idea, I will pay 200 for the exam I was mentioning before. Taking in to account all the things you can see at the same time, It seems cheaper than going private for exams such as sperm and blood analysis...

Chocciechip, I always have to poas for 10 days. Does your CBFM not ask for this many per cycle? It's just that his cycle I started poas on CD9 as normal but went straight from low to peak after just 4 sticks so guess it'll make me use all 10 again. I got my low after my high after my peaks today.

You DR's sound like a nightmare. I don't know why they wouldn't take you seriously given the NHS guidelines re: age. Is there really no other practice that you can try?

I do feel better. LOL at the not speaking .... make him suffer boba!

boba I know exactly what you mean - I have the same outrage and feelings you say (about clinics and dhs ).

My DH and I had a big heart to heart last night because I am breaking under the strain and he effectively just thinks about TTC when I tell him its time to SWI. When I listed for him everything I was doing, vits, temping, research, herbs, nutrition etc ... and listed all the intense medical things I've been subjected two during two MCs, then asked him to list what he was doing to help and what he'd gone through he had a bit of a problem with the list! I asked him if I could stop taking my vits because I was sick of taking them.... but of course he doesn't want that. I think the penny might have dropped. ... so I share your frustrations with DHs! I made it utterly clear last night that he needs to start carrying his weight properly or we'd have issues.

As for GPs.... in December I actually threatened to sue the practice over something they did that made me wild. We're just outside Edinburgh - semi-rural - so have to travel to nearest town for GP and it is a very busy practice in a fairly deprived small town. We have a suspicion that most mothers our GPs see (we see two GPs because it is impossible to get an appointment at the practice) are probably in their 20s, not nearly-40s, so they aren't geared up for us. We keep them on their toes because we keep informed and I argue with advice I don't agree with. I have caught my GP out with old/flawed info before - and posted them evidence and received embarressed apologies. I genuinely believe I know more about health aspects around TTC than they do.

DH told our one GP he should take a pay-cut so there was more money to pay for another doctor because no one can get an appointment.... GP was livid at the suggestion . But despite all the fighting and stress - STRESS (honestly think fighting with the practice did me no good in either PG) - we get nowhere. It is literally a brick wall and after a year I've learned it'll get me no where so I need to make another plan. I would love to change practices but don't think we can. WISH I could go private with all my heart but we can't afford it.

I had both my MCs handled at Simpsons through the EPU and THANK GOD I found them (... no thanks to GP who didn't tell me about them). The care was so much better, so I don't know if maybe I can be seen as an outpatient at the hospital. It'll be a bit of a drive but if I get PG again I'm going to look into it. In the meanwhile though, DH and I BOTH went to see GP to demand he refer us to fertility clinic thinking he'd find it harder to say no if confronted by two people ... he has, but also said there was no guarentee they'd see us. Thing is, I have seen consultants at the ERI who seem good and I suspect work at the clinic when I had my MCs (one PG was actually classed a PUL so was pretty hectic), and neither of them suggested I should go to the clinic so again, I have my doubts about chances of support. But I'm trying.

Thing is boba its really grinding me down and I had a major melt-down in last couple of days with the strain.

that was a bit of a rant ...

boba I've been asking myself if I am better off knowing. In the past I always thought if I got bad test results then at least we know and can address them. But I I have since learned getting help is a bit of a myth and I don't believe/know/think I'll get support or help from the NHS, so may just end up torturing myself with the knowledge. I will have to go get them - DH wants to know - but I am beginning to crack under the pressure of trying to find help.

Here are some more stats for you storm - taken from a different thread. I don't know what the original source was. The FF study deals with averages so a bit different. The real wake-up is that only three quarters of women will get a +'ve at 14DPO. It REALLY is a waste of money to test early and just aggravates stress. With charting, they recommend 18 successive high temps after ovulation, so 18DPO - which is sort of in line with the stats below.

The percentages of those who get their BFPs on set dpo are as follows:
10dpo=35%
11dpo=51%
12dpo=62%
13dpo=68%
14dpo=74%
15dpo=80%
16dpo=88%
17dpo=92%
an d there are some who have not got their BFP until 21dpo

lychees does your monitor ask you to poas for four days after your peaks??? Mine's never done that. Today it asked me to poas one day after my peaks and that was very unusual.

boba I always get two peaks and then a high and then back to lows. The manual says it should give you two peaks as well, so I think normal. So frustrating not to know the detail of your DH's tests. Could you not ask the surgery to print them out and then go collect them? That's what we've done with my DH's results.

babyhoping I am and (but not at you) for your gp taking your age seriously. I am 39 and although I keep being told I've had MCs because of my age NO ONE is doing anything to help me. You're so lucky. We've pushed for appointment to fertility clinic but I'm not convinced we'll get it.

keziah Hope today went OK. I've had an HSG and the thought of them is worse than the actual event itself. Let us know how you get on. x

I've probably got test results for me sitting at the GP - FSH, E2 and LH tests - and I can't pluck up the courage to get the results. Feeling very fragile at the moment and unable to get any more bad news.

Todays updated stats:

Boba82 TTC#1 cycle 13, CBFM cycle 2, age 28, UCL 35, CD58
Pamsie ttc#1, cycle 13, CBFM cycle 3, age 32, UCL 28-32 CD52
vnewmummy TTC#2, CBFM cycle 4, age 41, UCL 26 -28days, CD36
Storm TTC#1, CBFM Cycle#1, age 27, UCL 28 CD 26
giraffemummy TTC#2; Cycle 7; CBFM 5; age 31; ucl 25-27; CD 26
Starlet22 TTC#1; cycle 10; CBFM cycle 4; age 33; ucl 25; CD23
Ses waiting to TTC#2 ,CBFM cycle 2, age 37, UCL 34, CD 23
Missyraines TTC1, Cycle 9, CBFM cycle 3, age 33, UCL 32, CD19
FlyingCat TTC#1, cycle 26, CBFM cycle 2, age 30, UCL ??, CD18
Lychees TTC #2, Cycle 9, CBFM cycle 5, Aged 36, UCL 30-35, CD15
chocciechip TTC#1, cycle 5, CBFM cycle 5, age 39, UCL29, CD15
BabyHoping TTC#1, CBFM cycle 4, age 32, ucl 31-38, CD 12
PinkCustard TTC#2 Cycle7 CBFM Cycle2 age 33 UCL 30-35 CD 6
Keziah TTC#1, cycle23, CBFM cycle 11, age 34, ucl 28-31, cd 6

Graduates:

Cupc4kes BFP 08/05/10
Angelgirl BFP 08/04/10
Salander

Morning All.

Good luck for your HSG today, Keziah.

Babyhoping, your DR sounds great. It definitely makes me wonder whether we should try to find the money to go private. How did you decide on that clinic/DR?

Boba sorry about DH's SA. Hope your appointment comes through soon.

babyhoping - wow never heard of such tests!! Sounds amazing.

Boba - no consolation I know but my dh has problems with morphology (sperm swimming/moving) also ... but the dr said as men get a fresh supply of sperm every 3 months worth getting another set of tests (have 3 now!!) and all different. I do wonder if the heat made this set much worse than the others. Was it both sets of SA that were like this?? If not, is it worth asking for another test 3months from the 2nd set? Dr also tested hormone profile of dh - blood test.

Boba - why not go with dh to see gp about his test results? Have you been referred to fertility clinic at hospital now?

Starlet - thank you ... am nervous they find more wrong, but good tip about increased fertility!! Thanks

Hi Everyone

Hope your all doing ok!

Babyhoping nice to hear from you. Since Chocciechip very kindly dragged me back down to earth with those great stats, I have had no urge to test and I feel much happier about the whole situation. I'm just going to wait and let nature take its course. If AF hasn't arrived by Sunday then I'll consider testing depending on how I feel. Tummy is still aching, it was moving from one side to the other, now the ache is straight across the front of my tummy and sometimes I feel it in my back by I'm sure its AF pains...hey ho. I have been rather dizzy and hot today though, had a couple of dizzy spells come to think of it hmmm..... LOL!

Boba sorry about DH's SA - fingers crossed for an easy resolution hun.

Babyhoping I know it depends in where you are in the UK but how much, if you don't mind me asking, are you forking out for these acupuncture sessions. I've always wanted to try it and if this month isn't my month then I have an excuse?

Chocciechip I might nick your stats and use them on some other MNers I know that are struggling on the 2WW. Hope you don't mind

x

Good luck, "Babyhoping*, the tests sound very impressive (am tempted to investigate costs for private tests on reading that thread!).

Hi boba, no you are not being too nosy! Yes it is a private doctor, with all this problems I gave up the other one and I have a very good health insurance which covers a part of all this appointments and tests. This one is already an infertility doctor and requires some investment but I want so much to have a family... DH was very supportive he also thinks we should invest on this project although he got a bit shocked with the price of the appointment ;)

Storm how are you feeling? I think it is a great idea to only test when AF is due... From my experience testing too early only adds more stress. I know its hard but try to keep your mind busy.

Boba sorry to hear about DH but its true there are several stuff you can do to improve sperm, including very easy things like trying vitamins. My DH is taking some. About the bleeding, do you think AF is coming? I heard about some bleeding around ovulation is possible (the egg ruptures the ovary when it leaves)but I think its quite uncommon. There can also be some bleeding after implantation (I had it on my first pregnancy 6 days before AF was due)

Hi everyone,

I went to the doctor today... I told them we have been trying, really trying since january and nothing... He told us that as I have irregular cycles and DH had an abnormal sperm test, he will do some extra exams. He did not think it was early to go... and also (I know this is a bit scary) but with my age doctors do not want to wait too much.

So I will go back to the doctor in a few days to see if the egg has grown (I´m in the beggining of the cycle, doctors says I have a few more days to ovulate) and we have to BD in the previous days cause the doctor says he can see if the sperm is able to reach the falopian tubes, amount that reaches and if it still moving!!! I was amazed by this info, I did not know they could see it... We will see what happens, and if there is reason for concern... Really, it was enough already to have problems with miscarriages i did not want to have problems in getting pregnant also... sniff

The other update is that I went for the second time to my acunpunture session and I´m loving it! It really helps me relax!

Afternoon ladies, hope everyone is well.

Keziah just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow - I hear that fertility can be increased after having an HSG so fingers crossed for you!

Lychees/Boba my CBFM also went from a low straight to a peak this month. How strange.

Boba, sorry to hear about DH's SA - although positive that GP said fertility clinic can help i.e. not a lost cause.

I should get the results from my second set of bloods this week. Asked the nurse re the first set and she said they just came back "normal" so am planning to quiz GP when the second set comes back.

It has done that for me several times Essence because it tends to ask me to poas from CD9 and then I don't get my first peak until CD18. From what I remember, I have only ever had to use twenty sticks in my first cycle of using it.

Waves to everybody. How are you all doing today?

I got my high after my peaks today so guess I'll be back to lows tomorrow [but still poas for four more days] and the dreaded 2ww.

If I don't get my BFP by the 20 something of August, it's back to the DRs for me.