How the fuck am I STILL not pregnant????

[Goinginsane000]

Sorry, I appreciate that this isn’t an AIBU but I am at breaking point and hoping there’s more traffic here.

I have been TTC for 3 years. I was referred for NHS fertility treatment 2 years ago. Tests showed I have PCOS, as suspected. Put on Clomid, had a chemical preg after 3 months. Ovulated probably 10 times out of 12 cycles if I remember correctly. No further BFP for another year. 13 months ago I had a laparoscopy with ovarian drilling. Worked wonders, had a natural period for the first time ever (without needing drugs to bring one on). Continued on Clomid and ovulated every single month without fail. Got pg 6 months later but miscarried at 7 weeks. Was then put on Letrozole. I have ovulated on every one of the 6 cycles I’ve been on this but no fucking BFP. Due to the miscarriage, I had to wait another year for my IVF referral because you need to have not had a pregnancy in the past 12 months.

There must be something else at play, surely???? How can this be happening? Does anyone have any insight or personal experience of a similar history??

For what it’s worth, I am 30. Size 10, have eaten a mainly carb and sugar free diet for 3 years. I don’t smoke or drink much (because I am constantly “possibly pregnant”). I exercise regularly and can run 6 miles in just under 40 mins with zero effort. I take very good care of myself.

Seriously, WTAF!

Oh god, that just relax or go on holiday crap.
Let me tell you what worked for me. IVF.
Couldn't get it on the NHS, paid privately. I found the process very stressful, but conceived. (in spite of the stress!) Good luck!

I agree with having sex at other times I conceived on D5 and D7 of a 24 day cycle (so I ovulate on day 10??) . Try starting as soon as possible after D1. ?

Read this book and do what it says..

Tells you what to look for, specific to you, not the rule of thumb. It worked twice for me, and for my SIL who was at the stage you are at virtually straight away.

www.amazon.co.uk/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Revised/dp/0060937645?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I'm sorry, it is so frustrating when you're doing everything right and it just isn't happening. I had clomid and ovarian drilling too but it wasn't effective for me in bringing on ovulation. I think it's almost worse when you know you are ovulating but having no success, at least I knew what the problem was for me! Still had people telling me it was because I wasn't relaxing or having enough sex though

DS from second IVF attempt is now 2 weeks old though, so we got there eventually. Keeping everything crossed for you that it won't be too long for you too xx

Sorry @PurpleDaisies but you're wrong - distraction works by letting you relax your constant baby making stress- lots of people ttc but as soon as something takes over e.g their doctor refers to clinics or ivf etc there are success stories because your body biochemistry changes due to relaxing / distraction from the constant worry and stress

Absolute fucking bullshit

My very experienced IVF consultant says stress doesn't cause infertility, but infertility causes stress

Stress CAN interfere with ovulation temporarily - but in an ovulating woman, stress has zero effect on implantation

Fecundity rates are the same in war zones as non

If stress prevented pregnancy then IVF would never work because it's one of the most stressful things you can go through

Can you please point to any evidence for these claims? Or explain how stress could affect the physiological process of implantation?

My sister wasn't getting pregnant (for a year - no fertility issues) because she was going straight to loo after sex.

Also crap

I asked my fertility consultant about the legs up the wall etc after sex

He said the strongest sperm get through the cervix within seconds of ejaculation

They don't fall out of the womb once they're through the neck of the cervix

Any back flow is just seminal fluid

Weeing after sex can help reduce the likelihood of a UTI but will have zero effect on reducing pregnancy

I've read people having good results taking aspirin, I'm not sure of the reason why exactly but is it worth looking at?

Aspirin can interfere with implantation, it is only sometimes recommended for miscarriage if there is evidence of thrombophilia like APS

Sorry to read your post, OP.
A friend of mine took Metformin for PCOS, and needed to stay on it for the first trimester of pregnancy to reduce the risk of mc. Is it worth discussing with your Dr?
Have you had your thyroid tested?
Hope you get lots of advice and hope for success for you.

I went through really high stress pregnancies after unexplained stillbirth and a late miscarriage. I also had several early miscarriages.

I was a basket case. But I am certain stress didn't play a role in the outcomes because my pregnancies which led to live births were probably the worst for stress.

OP I'd recommend the Coventry clinic for investigation of failed implantation and miscarriage, to test for elevated nk cells

(I've had a lot of IVF, have PCOS and have both sympathy and empathy. And have steam coming out of my ears at those who are suggesting relaxing or an expensive foot rub will magically solve implantation failure)

I'm sorry it's been so tough. Going back to what someone said about quantity of sex, this seemed to make a difference to us conceiving.

Took almost two years to get pregnant with first DC, hampered by my very irregular cycle and struggling to know when ovulating, all tests showed everything normal though. We did it every other day during the fertile period (and of course other times just for fun ) as that was the current thinking to get best results.

Two years on from having DC1, decided to try for DC2, expecting it could take some time and I read somewhere that having sex every day was actually more effective. My DH seemed keen on this approach (!) so we DTD every day from after the last day of my period to the end of the expected fertile period and became pregnant in two months. This is of course entirely unscientific, and could be coincidence, but worth a shot perhaps. Wishing you luck.

Hi OP - I have PCOS. No BFP on clomid but then new endocrinologist tried me on metformin. Pregnant in a month, same with second time too. In between I fell pregnant twice and miscarried both times. Apologies if you've tried metformin already but thought I'd mention

Read this book and do what it says..

Tells you what to look for, specific to you, not the rule of thumb. It worked twice for me, and for my SIL who was at the stage you are at virtually straight away.

TCOYF helps you identify ovulation timing and track your cervical fluid

If OP is doing ovulation induction and monitored cycles then charting with BBT has little to no use

What is it going to tell her that a monitored cycle isn't?

Sorry. just so impressed at 6 miles 40 minutes with no effort!!! Blimey. In awe (misses point completely)

Sorry, I also meant to make clear I realise you are up against PCOS, so I know my situation isn't comparable but I was just thinking along the lines of anything else's that might help.

Tomis alert but position and how long you wait to wipe afterwards could be a partial factor.

Obviously don't leave it for a long time - 1 or 2 minutes and in a position it's less likely to leak out. Sorry if that's a bit graphic but it may work.

I hope you get your BFP soon. :)

Unexplained infertility has been on the rise for decades. (I personally believe it is an unknown phenomenon of nature due to over-population.)

u wot m8

Sorry realised that was already mentioned by @Crabbitstick but much more delicately than me. :)

Tomis alert but position and how long you wait to wipe afterwards could be a partial factor.

Obviously don't leave it for a long time - 1 or 2 minutes and in a position it's less likely to leak out. Sorry if that's a bit graphic but it may work.

Wrong wrong wrong

Unless you know more than consultant fertility gynaecologists that I have asked

I asked my fertility consultant specifically about the legs up the wall etc after sex

He said the strongest sperm get through the cervix within seconds of ejaculation

They don't fall out of the womb once they're through the neck of the cervix

Any back flow is just seminal fluid.

Why do people who evidently know fuck all about infertility post stuff that's medically totally inaccurate?

OP you'd be best on the infertility boards, where people have a clue

Presume you don't take any medications but just in case worth mentioning that drugs like diclofenac cause temporary infertility and it is not mentioned on the side effects in the packs only online and doctors prescribe them knowing you may be trying to conceive. Amazingly some private IVF clinics do not even check if this is the cause of infertility!

Have any of your doctors suggested metformin? It is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. If has a wonderful side effect of helping women with pcos to conceive. It has helped both my sister in law and my cousin to have children after years of being unable to conceive. Neither of who were diabetic just had pcos It may be worth a try! Good luck

Actual stuff worth checking

Uterine nk cells at the Coventry clinic
Level 1 immunes - FBC, blood glucose, LFT’s, U&E’s, thyroid function – TSH, FT4, thrombophilia screen – anticardiolipin antibodies (IgG and IgM), antithrombin 111, factor V Leiden, factor II prothrombin gene, PAIP polymorphism, activated protein C resistance, Protein C/Protein S, lupus anticoagulant, MTHFR, autoimmune antibodies ( inc. anti-nuclear antibodies, thyroid peroxidase and anti-mitochondrial antibodies).

Parental karotyping for you and your partner

DNA fragmentation and ROS for your partner's sperm

Lap and hysto if you've not already had one (sorry can't recall your op and am on the app so can't check)

I definitely agree with getting further tests done privately if at all possible. We had several miscarriages, numerous rounds of IUI, then IVF, then donor egg IVF. Finally we saw a consultant in London who did ALL the blood tests (so much blood - very nearly an armful! ). We discovered that I had autoimmune issues and blood clotting problems, which we suspect had caused all the miscarriages.

We had one donor egg embryo left, so threw everything at making it work - aspirin, Clexane, intralipid infusions, thyroid medication, steroids. And.....it didn’t work. BUT it does work for some people.

I may also have a vitamin B12 deficiency (trying to get it confirmed now - I have developed so many symptoms) which is linked to fertility issues.

Good luck!

Metformin can help with PCOS in terms of restoring ovulation - if you're doing ovulation induction it's less important

That said it won't hurt - I'm lean PCOS and my consultant put me on it when I got pregnant, due to the potential impact of elevated LH on miscarriage risk

(I miscarried anyway but due to other issues)

Won't hurt to take metformin and inositol if you're not already, but unlikely to be a magic bullet if you're having ovulation induction, and already eating low GL

So much bollocks on this thread. I've had random, no stress sex for the past 4-5years with DH and it hasn't resulted in a pregnancy. Even though I had two brief pregnancies when we first started trying, 10 years ago, I've not had a naturally conceived pregnancy since. (Thank god for ICSI.)

OP, unfortunately there comes a point when you run out of things to try and you just have to hope that IVF/ICSI is the solution. I've tried all sort of random things, including cough syrup, grapefruit juice, various vitamins, special powders for PCOS suffers, and reflexology. No pregnancy and no reason for our inability to conceive.

It's a shit situation to find yourself in.