TTC first baby 1 year + thread 2

[Mrs71]

@KatBeCool @FlapJackered @Broodyaf @bunhead34 @RosettaR @MotherOfShihTzus @starkid @Lina365

I thought I'd start a new thread as the other one is full. Sorry if I've missed anyone out.

@ValidUser - good luck with the next stage!

So I got a letter from the hospital, not with my recent actual test results, but just saying my blood test showed I was ovulating, and the HSG was normal and tubes 'patent' (presumably clear).
So am being referred to specialist still, and I'll start making a list of things they haven't looked at yet!

So far DH has had two samples tested now, and I've had an ultrasound, HSG, and 21 day blood test for:
. SHBG
. Testosterone level
. Free Androgen Index
. FSH level
. LH level
. Oestradiol level
. Serum free T4 level
. TSH level
. and more recently progesterone

So far with regards ti next things to look at, I've come up with:
. luteal phase 11 days - long enough?
. day 3 blood test (not had one)
. uterus lining thick enough? (my ultrasound was done during luteal phase so not sure if needs doing again earlier in cycle?)
. AMH
. Was it the TSH level which people were saying needed to be below 2.5 when ttc? As mine was 2.9 in Jan. Doc said was fine but may point out to specialist.

@starkid to answer some of your questions, lining is measured on days 2-4 to make sure it's thin and then again a day or two before ovulation to make sure it's at least 8mm. If you're going through any kind of treatment, it's done automatically, same for the day 3 blood test, they just test your oestrogen. If you're doing ivf, they'll test it again before ovulation to decide whether to go fresh or frozen.
11 day luteal phase is fine, you want it 10 and above. And again, if you're going through any treatment, they'll prescribe progesterone to extend it.
My GP and everything I read says TSH should be between 1 and 2. Hope this helps.

@KatBeCool - thank you for your reply! So possibly the only thing I have to bring up myself is the TSH level, then see what he suggests for any next steps! So confusing getting tests all saying ok, but still being on cycle 18.... blergh

@starkid about 18 cycles for me as well, everything normal, TSH is now normal too. The only thing I noticed, my AF used to super light since I got off bc and just last cycle and the current one it's more normal, still on the lighter side but within normal. I really wonder if something was wrong before.

@KatBeCool - yes hopefully for you it's a sign of a positive soon, that things seem to be slightly more normal now!

Hi ladies. Urgh AF got me too been proper down in the dumps for the last 3 days. I pick myself up but soon as af makes an appearance it's just awful and I just think will this ever happen !! Seems like AF got quite a few of us over the last few days.
I have an appointment with the GP tomorrow I'm going to push for my referral to the fertility clinic. I really hope he does as it seems like quite a long winded process. Did you go by yourself or take DH with you?
Also I've been doing re search going privately to a clinic too what are your views on ARGC?

@starkid are you going through nhs? I would prefer too but I'm so impatient.

@ValidUser good luck 🤞x

@starkid if you want to ask about 11 day luteal phase, be ready to argue. I asked the same question and was told the luteal phase is generally about 14 days so I was probably ovulating earlier than I thought. At the time I was only temping and he dismissed that as unreliable. He might have listened if I'd been doing opks. But as @KatBeCool says, 11 days is meant to be OK from what I read.

Af is coming for me, I am super emotional today. Somehow I have really got my hopes up for this cycle, not sure how given I have lost track of how many cycles I've been trying. I know I'm just setting myself up for disappointment. But this might be my last cycle trying before ivf (may not be able to try next cycle because of polyp removal). So I'm still hopeful a miracle will save me having to go through ivf. Feel absolutely desperate.

@Mrs71 - Yeah NHS - good luck for pushing for referral xx
@RosettaR - Yeah, I'll at least mention it, might as well.
Fingers crossed AF doesn't come for you too :( xx

I am really sorry to hear AF has come for so many of us, I’m on day 5 of spotting and cramping but still waiting for it, I wish it’d just come now as I know it is and I’m sick of spotting...I am thinking of going to a private clinic to get a prescription of Crinone 8%, I’ve been reading up on it, it’s a progesterone cream and in the patient info leaflet it says it’s used for luteul phase defect...so I want to try it...I asked for it at the NHS clinic but they wouldn’t prescribe it, said there is not enough evidence. I went to a private GP and they said the same...so now I’m going to have to go to a fertility clinic and pay a £200 consultation fee just to get a prescription...

I wish I was a doctor, I’d just write up a prescription myself....

Here’s the info leaflet:
www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.1283.pdf

I am going crazy. Af is due Friday. I've been really nauseous today, yesterday and at the weekend. I've had some stomach / digestion issues recently which I'm trying to get sorted. On a rational level I know it's just more of that. On some other level I am convinced it could be a sign of early pregnancy. Luckily I have no tests in the house and I'm determined not to buy one until Sunday. I hate how I always get my hopes up like this! Af will arrive on time on Friday like it always does.

@RosettaR - Ahhh symptoms are so annoying aren't they! Teasing you like this! Hopefully it's all pointing towards something good, would love for someone to have a positive from this thread soon 😍 xx

@starkid got my referral I'm so happy but also feel nervous at the same time. I also know it may take a while in the mean time I hope I get my BFP through natural conception. How long did it take you to get your initial appointment?

@RosettaR I so hope you get your BFP! We need one on this thread. Good luck 🤞🤞xx

@Mrs71 - So one it had been a year of TTC and my doc had organised a 21 day blood test and ultrasound, I then was referred and had a 3 month wait for an appointment at my local hospital's gynaecology department with a consultant there. That is when I was referred for the more recent blood test/HSG/sperm analysis in September/October. Now they've said all these most recent test results are fine, am waiting for a letter to be referred to an actual fertility clinic, & not sure how long in advance the appointment is going to be this time! Slowly slowly getting somewhere, I guess...

Glad you are getting referred, and fingers crossed for a shorter wait time! Are you getting referred straight to fertility clinic then?

@starkid no sorry I meant all the tests first so will be going to gynaecologist first at local hospital I haven't and any scans done yet. I've had a lot of blood tests though. I'm glad it's done because it looks like a long process.

@starkid I've had day 3/21 blood tests done DH also already had sperm analysis. Just no ultra sounds etc and the dreaded blood hsg! 😭😭 I don't even know why I have such bad anxiety over this stupid test.

@Mrs71 - ah ok yeah then you'll be going to what I went to most recently then sorting those few scans/tests :) weirdly I've never had day 3 bloods done. Fingers crossed is sooner than 3 months!

@starkid oh have you not? I can't even remember what they checked in those day 3 ones. It was back in April May time I had those done.

@Mrs71 that is so great you got your referral!! It was about a 6 week wait I think for our first appointment.
My sister went with ARGC and rates them really highly, she got her bfp after 2 failed rounds with NHS. They specialise in endometriosis, immune issues and unexplained infertility. Just be aware that while they are one of the best the costs do add up, my sister ended up paying +£10k for a FET.

@RosettaR I have everything crossed for you! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 We are all guilty of the hope zone, we have to hope though or we would all have given up ages ago.

@starkid it sounds like you have had all the important tests done! What is next? When do you see the specialist?
I managed to speak to a top endocrinologist at the fertility show and apparently TSH should be below 2.5 for ttc but ideally between 0-2. I was worried mine had dropped too low at 0.3 but he reassured me that was ideal if my t3 and t4 were good.

@KatBeCool sorry to hear AF got you. Fingers crossed for this cycle.

@SeahorseWilderness why do you think you need crinone? If you're going to a private specialist, at least test your progesterone on day 21. You might not even need it.

Thanks for the reply @KatBeCool
My progesterone level was 20.1nmol/L on day 23 last month, so pretty low...Ive done a repeat test so we will see but I went to a private clinic about 9 months ago and the doctor said he thinks my spotting is caused by the corpus luteum not producing enough progesterone, he said we could try to fix it with a HCG trigger shot before ovulation followed by another HCG shot after to maintain progesterone. He said a low effort option would be a progesterone supplement...at the time we weren’t ready for shots as it was only 9 months in but now after 18 months I’m ready for help....Crinone would be the least effort though as an initial option, I’m thinking Crinone then Crinone with Clomid, then HCG, then IVF...I’m preparing myself for a long journey now, at least knowing there is a plan has helped me feel I’m control somewhat...and I got some positive news tonight, I emailed the private fertility clinic I saw 9 months ago and they are willing to give me a prescription for the progesterone supplement...Its part 1 of my plan, so let’s see how it goes

@FlapJackered - waiting for a letter with appointment to see specialist, so who knows when that'll be.
Yeah I will definitely bring up the TSH with the specialist, maybe they'll want to retest it as was done back in January.

@FlapJackered I have looked into ARGC I know it is really hardcore but they get amazing results. I'd rather go with the nhs first see how I get on. I'm excited to finally get my referral but gods knows how long the next stage will be.

@RosettaR I think my luteal phase is around 12 days. I usually get at least 5 days of spotting of some kind. But it can be 7 days. In my last cycle, I couldn't track my ovulation despite trying very hard. And that cycle I had 7 or 8 days of spotting. I've had this problem for years. Sometimes I even had spotting mid-cycle when I was on the pill years ago!
I haven't had my day 21 progesterone taken yet. I think that'll happen in this cycle, though. We're supposed to have IUI done in the next couple of days - fingers crossed my ovulation isn't delayed...