First IUI this week at CRGH. Anyone else?

[laughinglemons]

I am 35, had a polyp removed this summer. TTC1 for 18 months.
Here goes... we are doing the first cycle without drugs. I know that chances of it working first time are pretty low but can't help being positive.
Anyone else about to do IUI?

Hi, I have managed to get one IUI done, without meds like you. Am 36 now, been having timing issues to get back for the next round! It was not dissimilar to a smear test. The consultant suggested that we do a couple of rounds then maybe go to medicated.
Good luck to you - everyone I've heard of getting a positive result seems to be on the first or last round, but I'm sure there's loads of others out there!

Hi Lemons, currently injecting myself (well DH is doing it for me)- and will have my first IuI next week. I'm not feeling positive tbh but after clomid and various other things, I have lost optimism! Are you nervous?

hi I hope you dont mind me asking but did you have to be below a certain BMI to get IUI? Are you NHS or private? Im currently TTC using donor sperm (im single) and im giving it 2 more months before my doctor will refer me for medication. I will then ditch the 'turkey baster' for IUI but I think my BMI may be still too high. I am taking xenical and have lost 1 1/2 stone already

Thinking- it depends entirely on the clinic. Private it may be a different story, but a good clinic will give you good advice regardless, a bad one will just take your money.
Have a look on fertility friends (the fertility clinic forum one, not the CM and temp tracker!) there should be some reviews on your local clinics.

joycep - I was nervous, but it really was not bad at all - the nurses were absolutely lovely. I had mild cramping for a couple of days after, but not too bad at all. Absolutely worth it if I can get a bfp! Prob gonna go for second round in about 3 weeks.

Slightly, thank you for sharing how it was and good luck. I think we are going to do 2 without medication, two with and then move on to ivf in the new year if am still not pregnant. Good luck

Thinking, it is private. Nothing has been mentioned about my BMI. I am 5"4" and weigh a bit under 10 stone.

Joycep, I am more curious than nervous. I think the insemination will be on Friday. tomorrow is a first scan. I think they are looking at the follicles.

Thanks babycrazed. Yes totally worth it if you can get a bfp! Good luck.

Lemons - we are doing it privately and I think will have a cut off of 3. Not sure why i''m on these drugs as I ovulate normally. Best of luck! My first scan is next week.

My bmi hasn't been mentiOned for this although my gynae pointed out I was a little heavy at 10stone and 5ft4 which I thought was a bit unnecessary to tell me!.

I had four rounds of IUI at CRGH - three natural and one with clomid. The last one worked. I didn't have ovulation problems but produced two eggs in the clomid cycle, one of which fertilised so maybe that was the extra edge I needed. I was advised by my consultant that 85% of IUI pregnancies, if it will happen, will happen within six rounds and it's not advisable to keep pursuing it after six. I think this is on the basis that IUI success rates are not that different from trying naturally.

I can't say I am that fond of CRGH although you'll find plenty of people on the fertility friends website who rave about them. I hated that overcrowded waiting room with its air of desperation. I made a complaint to the clinic manager about the rude way I was treated by the receptionists (the young chinese guy is very nice though). But on the clinical side, I found the consultants generally decent (even if they did sometimes not know anything about my treatment - it is a bit of a factory there - and I would have to explain my history practically every time I had a scan) and, of course, it did work in the end so it was worth the money.

All the best and I wish you a short stay there!

Joycep - best of luck to you too. The scan today showed I had a large follicle of 18mm. We are going back tomorrow when they will probably do the insemination. If the follicle hasn't got any bigger then they will give me an injection.

Ghis - I know what you mean about it being a factory but where isn't?
I just hope it works for me. After 3 natural failed
Cycles did you ask for drugs or did someone there suggest them? I get the feeling you do have to be quite proactive.

As we had unexplained fertility issues and no obvious problems to address like low sperm count or ovulation problems, I think the thinking was to start as close to natural conception as possible and then progress to increasing levels of intervention. So my protocol was 3 natural IUI, 3 medicated IUI, then IVF. The other driver was that due to my age (37/38 at the time) it was thought better to try the non-IVF options first so that I would be younger and therefore have a better chance of success should it come to IVF (38 being better than 39 being better than 40). As I had virtually nothing to improve upon - triple stripe uterine lining every time, AMH of 41, mr g's sperm complimented every time etc (frustrating in its own way of course) - it was more of a try this and see what happens approach with me.

So we did it. follicle was 22mm and lining 9.something
Am not sure if it was right to do it today - as I only got my smilely face this morning. Guess will know in 2 weeks.

I really hope it works out for you Laughing. I remember you from other ttc threads. I'm still trying too and waiting to be referred for tests.

oh well done Laughing - it sounds liek great timing to me. Best of luck!! Out of interest was the procedure itself ok??

Thanks Golden. Where are you being referred to? I have also been to UCH for a consultation and am going to have treatment there. We were both really impressed. It just takes longer to get started. Since my GP wrote the referral letter I have had a hycosy, polyp removal and one round of iui at CRGH.

Joycep - the proceedure was fine. just like a smear test really. we didn't know if they were going to do the iui that day so that made me worry and fret a bit. i thought that the proceedure should be done the day after your LH surge (or the day after the injection) but my proceedure was done the day of the surge... it is crazy to think what was happening. DH was there. no pain, obviously its a bit uncomfortable but it was over in minutes and i had no cramping afterwards. post back on here next week and let me know how it went for you. one thing that they didn't tell us which would have been helpful is that it takes a couple of hours for the sperm to be prepared... so be prepared for a wait.

i am feeling very miserable. i dont believe i will ever have a baby. the chances of this working first time are so low...

laughing - if you had your surge yesterday then that means you either ovulate today (thurs) or tomorrow I presume. I know I ovulate 24 hours after surge. So the swimmers should be ready and waiting. They can survive for days especially in the solution they are put in so it sounds like it was good timing.
Yes I have been warned that DH has to go in 2hrs in advance. Thanks for letting me know how it went. Sounds like it is more comfortable than the hsg. I am really not looking forward to it but secretly pleased I don't have to think about SWI for the first time in 18months... That is going to be blissful

Sorry you are feeling miserable. I feel exactly the same and don't believe we will have a baby either. The longer time goes on, the more difficult it becomes to hope. I feel we are doing IuI as just a matter of course before ivf comes knocking. Obviously hoping our pessimism is proved entirely wrong and will work for both of us.

Joycep, thank you so much for telling me about how long the sperm can live for. That is a comfort. I have been surfing the net (sigh) it is now 2.21am. From reading various fertility discussions women are either worried the insemination has been performed too early or too late. So at least I am normal! Although I think my DH is beginning to think I am not normal....

I don't think men can understand. My DH does want a family but i dont think he has an ache for a child in the same way. It is sad what you said about not having to think about SWI thus month but so true! Although after the proceedure we were told to go home and have sex that night and the next day. We did this morning but not last night.

I also cant get me head around the idea that a few cycles of IUI will work. I keep thinking how sad I am going to be at Christmas when not only will I still not be pregnant but because of the holidays I am bound to miss a cycle...

How old are you? I am 35. DH is 48 this month.

Hi lemons - you have my disease, googling until the early hours! Its definitely better to think you had IuI too early rather than too late as I undrstand an egg can last as little as 6 hours. I guess we need to trust these places. Are you doing it privately? I worry that I am paying a fortune for something that can be so easily mistimed but I am in their hands, so no control!
My DH doesn't get the emotions either. He is desperate for kids though and I do worry that he will go off and find a woman who can have kids...it happened to my great aunt so slightly paranoid!

I can't bear the thought of yet another Christmas being not pregnant and the 2 years of trying looming upon me. Sometimes I can't believ this is happening to us as I hear of yet another friend who is pregnant.

I am 32 but I have been told my ovaries are old for my age so I have a real sense of panic about all this.

I have been talking to a colleague tonight who is pregnant with her first at 39 and she took 2years to conceive. She said she thought she would have to have ivf but it finally happened naturally. So it can happen!!

You are right about too early being better than too late. I just wish there was a bit more communication along the lines of, "judging by your follicle size / growth since yesterday and the smilely face there is a high chance you will ovulate tomorrow. Sperm live at least 24 hours hence we are doing the proceedure today..." Instead you have to guess. Seeing as I was told to come back for a blood test to check whether I'd ovulated 8 days later (and having looked this up on the internet), I was able to work out that the clinc must have thought I would ovulate the day after the insemination which would be 24 - 36 hours after the LH surge...so probably about right. As you say, they are taking our money and we have to trust them.

I am sorry to hear that you have ovaries that are older than you - what test gives this information? I haven't had this.. yet. If it is any comfort I am 36 in January... so me and my ovaries are old. If I don't get pregnant by April I will be 37 before I have a baby. That isn't young. DH claims he wants 2 children.

Have you discussed your fears with your DH? I think it is more likely a woman would leave a man if he couldn't have or didn't want children than the other way round.

Like you say - it can happen. Lets hope it happens for us before sodding Christmas.

Where are you on your cycle? I am expecting my period on Sunday 9th October and like you by December we will have been trying for 2 years and really trying 10 months.

That is so bad not to tell you. I am afraid I am quite sceptical about these places. ItS just a goldmine for them with just a continuous conveyor belt of desperate women. I guess if it works we won't care but in the meantime we are left wondering and guessing as to what is going on.

I am cd9 and my scan is cd12. I am going to see if I can change my scan to tomorrow as I have been showing signs of ovulation already which is super early for me. But I don't want to miss it after spending a fortune on these drugs. Anyway our 2year mark would be may 2012.

Haven't spoken to DH . I need to actually as I hope it is just an irrational fear but i guess it does happen.

I had an AMH test done for ovarian reserve. I wish I hadn't . I rather would not have known what was going on as it has just scared me. I know plenty of people who have had families in their late 30s and early 40s. I know when you can't get pregnant, age is all you think about but Your ovaries may not necessarily be old. I am sure it's one of those things where our bodies just need to learn to be pregnant and 2nd time around it will come more easily!

My of only 2 of my friends who know I am doing IUI said the same thing about your body learning to be pregnant. She didn't get pregnant with her first until she was 36 (after ttc for a year) and then the second happened v quickly. She will be 41 this year and hasn't given up on a third!

You are definitely right to go in earlier than day 12. I had my first scan for the IUI cycle on day 9 and because of (I guess) the size of the follicle the insemination was scheduled for the next day.
I usually get a smiley face on day 10 and had I not said that when I called to book the scan, I wouldn't have been seen until day 10.
The only info I was given was about the follicle size and the lining.

Thank you for telling me about your ovarian reserve. I am due to have a scan for this next cycle (assuming am not pregnant). This scan has been recommended by the nhs - I think they count the follicles in the first 1-5 days of the cycle. Stupidly I hadn't realised this was about eggs. I thought this was about follicles. We are currently waiting for treatment on the nhs. But it takes so long - so although I share your concerns at least I have had the polyp diagnosed, removed and one IUI..

I keep reading the stats for CRGH on the HEFA website and am on the look out for any implantation twinges. I am going to be v v upset when I get my period next month.

Hi Laughing - I went in for scan yesterday and the one follicle was just ripe and I had a triple lining. I am only on cd11 today but have to inject ovitrelle tomorrow which will release the egg within 48 hrs and then I have IuI on thursday morning. Been panicking today that they are doing IuI too late but I got to try and keep a lid on this. The trouble is I have read far too much up on everything and I keep thinking I know more than the doctors and that they arent doing things properly. Very bad habit! I must say I have lost hope before it has started.
How long are your cycles?
I am being put on cyclogest after IuI as I have a short LP. Oh how I wish it was just straightforward.
I hope you're ok.

Hi there Joycep, I was wondering how it went. Tiring isn't?
Pls tell me how large your ripe follicle was - or what was it that told them it was ripe? Also I don't know if I had triple lining. Do you know the measurements?

My cycles are 27 days. I get my smilely face on day 10 giving me a lutel phase of about 16 days.

My period us due on 9 oct - I guess you won't know when yours is due if you are taking cyclogest.

I was worried that they did it too early and you are worried that it will be too late, so we are just as bad as each other. But definitely normal! It isn't east putting your faith in anything or anyone.

I am thinking as far as Christmas - statistically I have worked out we'd be unlucky not to be pregnant.

Please let me know how it goes on Thursday. I wish you all the very best. Look after yourself - nice DVD and easy dinner

Hi Lemons - she didn't say how large it was. Doesn't have to be over 18mm? She just pointed to the triple lining on the scan but didnt really say anything about it.
Well I have had the procedure today. It was ok just undignified. 160m sperm were put up there. Now singers crossed! It takes 4 mins for the fast swimmers to get up to the top of the fallopian tube. I still feel like it was done too late. I did see the stats of where I went and the success rates are low- about 20%. Out of interest did you bleed after the procedure? I seem to be.
I agree, we would have to be statistically very unlucky for nothing to happen by Xmas. I am going to be gutted in 2 weeks so I think I am going to just prepare myself for the worst. How are you doing??

Hi Joycep.
Well done for IUI no. 1. Undignified and if you allow yourself to hope - mindblowing... 160m FANTASTIC. I didn't like to tell me DH while he was looking so pleased with himself that 14m aren't actually that many!
I didn't have any bleeding. Call and check this is normal. I think they said I might.
20% is about right. in fact for IUI that is probably on the high side. here is how i see it. Over 4 cycles that works out to 60%. I am not a statistician but imagine 100 women select a ping pong out of a lucky dip basket, each ping pong ball has a number 1 - 100. 20 of those numbers (random selection) get a baby. next month a futher 20 women join the original 80. exactly the same thing happens. and this is repeated a further 2 times. most of the original 80 will have got a baby. of course in my scenario all the women have an equal chance, of course this isn't in the case BUT you are young, your DH has huge numbers of sperm and we are now 1 cycle in...
you are about the only person i know who will know how i will feel. do you know when your period is due? i think mine is due sunday 9th october.

are you going back next week for a blood test? i had mine a week after the insemination. it is to check progesterone levels which show, depending on the reading, whether or not you've ovulated. i heard from the clinic today that i had. the reading was 27.9. the nurse who called knew nothing about the numbers. i have requested a copy of my result. from my web surfing i don't think these numbers are very high but it is confusing. i am hoping when i get the results there will be a range. i was cross and sad that the clinic gets someone to call who knows nothing about what they are telling you. the thing is that the test is called a 21 day test because this is, in a textbook 28 cycle 7 days after your ovulation and 7 days before your period but in my case it was taken 12 days before my period. they are trying to read your peak ovulation. the best time is 7 days before your period. hope this info can help you. i will be clued up for the next cycle... good luck.

lemons - I beg to differ, it sounds like you are a statician to me! I love your thinking , it's how I think and gives even more thought of being hopeful. I often think about the number of births at St Marys Paddington as this is where I would give birth. They deal with 9000 births a year. Since trying there have been 15000 births there And I can't comprehend how we can't be ones of the next 9000. It seems such a high number for one area. Anyway crazy thoughts.

5mill is the least they recommend for IuI so your DH is well above that. I worked out last night that out of those they put in me, 9 mil are normally formed.

Also I am not getting a blood test, it hasn't been suggested to me. I will assume I have. I start taking cyclogest today. I know when I had my day 21 test that my results were 30. And this indicated normal on the nhs guidelines. When i had my nhs bloods done, i decided to go private and My gynae said however she liked to see Progesterone results above 40. Hence why she gives me cyclogest and may explain my short luteal phase. 27.9 does suggest you ovulated but it sounds like your bloods were done too early and probably didn't catch the peak. Isn't it extraordinary how people who know nothing about results can ring you up. It just makes the process harder than it is already.

So I have to do pregnancy test 2 weeks today. If negative i come off progesterone. I am giving myself 3 cycles....maybe 4 and if that doesn't work, I guess save for ivf. Good luck to you too. I feel that for both our emotional well being we need to get pregnant very soon!!