TTC 12 months buddies please

[Whilstwewait]

Hi,

We have just hit the 12 month mark of TTC and looks like AF is on the way I am on another thread that's really supportive but I do find it disheartening when people get positives on the first couple of cycles of trying. So thought I'd start a thread for anyone around about the year mark. It'll be good to share things and get advice from people who are at a similar stage to me. Im 34 and my husbands 36. We are TTC number 1 x

@claireb707 is that from a smart watch/Ava type bracelet? I wouldn't have put your ovulation there looking at your temps, but about 5 days later so you could still be on false negatives and not due yet?

[quote PlanBea]@claireb707 is that from a smart watch/Ava type bracelet? I wouldn't have put your ovulation there looking at your temps, but about 5 days later so you could still be on false negatives and not due yet?[/quote]
It is an Ava. I got positive opks around there too I normally have a 28/29 day cycle and ovulate day 14/15. I got my pos opks on cd 14, 16 17 and 19 (not sure why I got 3 separate ones). Also got ewcm then too

This is oral temps

If ov was 5 days later I've got no chance as we didn't dtd

Smart thinking @PlanBea 😏 can I ask where you got yours from? I'm good with taking mine but maybe it'll help DH!

@notyetamumbuttrying it's hard isnt it as its a long journey. You want to relax and not put your life on hold but at same time be healthy. I can't remember the recommended alcohol for men per week when TTC so maybe check and stick to that then just extra on special occasions. I dont think it makes a huge difference to woman x

@Whilstwewait that's good to know re women. Thing is, Dh doesn't actually drink that much, so I guess he'll have to go tee total to see any impact. We don't have anything coming up between now and Xmas so at least it should be easier to do.
I want to get transferred to a clinic now cos it's not just his count that's low, it was motility and morphology too and I think he needs to hear it from a professional rather than me googling stuff to show him that it's bad. The dr he spoke to yesterday reassured him he could still conceive which I'm sure we can, but he needs to see how serious it is and how important lifestyle changes are and the only way he'll really take it seriously is by hearing it from the horses mouth. I've asked him to get another callback today as I want a different dr to be more realistic in interpreting the results. I feel we were a bit fobbed off yesterday and I don't want this dragging on and on. Sorry for the essay. Hope you're well today!

@Motherofkittens28 that's great! Fingers crossed. I had appt with nurse practitioner for more bloods and probably referral to gynae as a start. Hope you don't wait too long

Hey all, so i asked the GP how long the referral wait might be and he said they are pre screening them (I guess to see the most urgent first) and ig would be a couple of months if covid doesn't return in the winter. I dont know if I would be urgent or not as our tests so far are normal but I'm 38 and have a history of endometriosis so who knows! I'm 1dpo today and this is really the final sensible for us for a bit as if we were successful our baby would be 6 weeks old on our wedding day. Next month it would be 2 weeks and the month after 8.5months preggo so we would have to postpone the wedding.

Hey! How is everyone? I'm back from my holiday- it was lovely to get away for a few days! 😊 I'm now around 10DPO.

@Whilstwewait how are you? thank you very much! Yeah definitely good to have professional opinions.

@Annny27 it was lovely thank you! Definitely, did you book a night away this weekend in the end? If you did, I hope you have a lovely time!

@Motherofkittens28 it sounds like going on the waiting list and seeing what happens over the next few months seems like a good solution. You probably won't get seen to have treatment in the next couple of months but you'll be at the top of the list by the time it's good for you to be top of the list! And if something happens naturally in between, then you will have nearly 9 months of notice to reschedule a wedding!

@notyetamumbuttrying did another GP give him a call back? Perhaps arrange a private fertility consulation if the gp is being dismissive and the NHS wait times are going to be long. We paid £325. What i would say though is that they literally suggested IVF starting our next cycle no other options. I'm not saying to have IVF just thinking it may make it seem more serious for your OH hearing it from an expert. Although you don't want him feeling completely shit may help with the lifestyle changes. Are they doing a retest?

@Motherofkittens28 couple of months doesn't sound too bad at all. I think in my area it does move pretty quickly but that's if an issue is found. I'd just concentrate on your wedding whilst waiting

@Fran2020 so glad you had a nice time away. So lovely to have a break. I'm fine thanks i still have zero symptoms. Don't even feel pregnant

I got offered the job I had the interview for o the day i was ovulating and had cystitis. Cant believe it.x

@Fran2020 glad you had a good hol and you got away for a bit. I'm 11dpo but with our news yesterday, fully expecting to come on, on Monday.
@Whilstwewait yeah he did so we will be referred regardless of my bloods coming bk normal. Bloods are booked for thurs so should get the referral sent Friday if I badger them enough lol! The gp said if we don't hear from the clinic within 3 months of the SA being done first time round, then we can request another one which will be referred again. So I'm thinking if we're not seen by jan, we'll go private, but who knows.
OMG well done on the job offer! Do you think you'll take it?

Just wondering how long were people ttc before the GP will do a SA?

@kerrym87 once you hit a year they should do one. However they have no way of knowing when a man started TTC so technically they could just ask for one and say its been a year

@notyetamumbuttrying yes see what happens between now and Jan and then decide. Every area is completely different isn't it. Yes I'm going to take it. Will save £300 a month on petrol and think it'll give me more flexibility when baby arrives x

@kerrym87

Just wondering how long were people ttc before the GP will do a SA?

We were told to book one if we'd been trying for 6 months but we're both over 40. Sadly covid stopped this and partner has only just had his (in last month). We've been trying 13 months now.

Sorry haven't been on here recently but I see congrats are in order for @PlanBea as well 🙂

@notyetamumbuttrying sorry about your results. We had very low count, motility and morphology on our 1st SA as well. My husband also didn't really think it was that bad until the consultant said he needed to make lifestyle changes. He used to drink heavy when he was younger but not that much now (like every other weekend might have a couple of pints), didn't smoke. He is a bit overweight but had already lost nearly 4 stone for our wedding last year. In February he cut out caffeine completely and alcohol completely, we started eating more fruit and veg (trying to anyway!), started taking wellman conception, maca root capsules and omega 3. Also he started working from home due to covid which meant he wasn't commuting 2hours to London, started wearing shorts more and was less stressed. On our 2nd SA in July his count had doubled and motility now 45% so above normal range. Morphology dropped to 1% though which I still don't get.
Anyway our consultant has still said we need IVF, just waiting on some genetic testing to come back and will be referred for IVF in November.
It probably depends how low your numbers are really? But there are definitely ways you can improve them.

@kerrym87 the guidance is 12 months or 6 months if over 35 but we just lied and said we had been trying 12 when it had only been 9 months. Might depend how lenient your GP is. Just remember to keep your lie up as I was asked several times at different appointments how long we had been trying 😂

@Whilstwewait congratulations! You had the most productive day ever that day 😂 just to let you know if the job is with a new employer, you'll only be entitled to maternity allowance and not SMP, as I'm guessing they won't give you contractual maternity so quickly. It's 39 weeks at SMP base rate so works out at £5.8k across the year. I've only been with my current employer since March so I'm not entitled to contractual, I'll be on SMP so get 6 of those weeks at 90% pay. I think you could do shared parental leave and DH get contractual pay if £ is an issue. To us its still worked out ok because of the payrise I got from my last job but just so you aren't suprised. The added flexibility/reduced commute will also help balance it out! Also, jealous at the no symptoms. I feel super rough 😭

@Narwhal88 thank you! Hoping a third but of good news is going to come along to the group soon, these things usually come in threes!

@Whilstwewait that's good then. Bet you can't wait to hand your notice in!
@Narwhal88 thank you, the thing that's worrying me is he had been taking wellman for about 9+ months already, albeit not regularly, so I hope taking it regularly will make the difference. He doesn't drink caffeine, so it must be the few fags a day and Saturday sessions at the pub that's done it! Plus wfh in lockdown has meant he barely moves all day as he does such long hours. At least when he went to the office he was up and down stairs all day and commuting. We're gonna up our fruit and veg and cut down on alcohol and hope we see a difference. I think exercise is a big factor too so I'll be making sure he at least goes for walks everyday. I'm gonna join a gym as I've gained stone and a half since our wedding a year ago. I'm glad your Dh's improved, that's great! My Dh's motility was like 14% I think and morphology was 2.3 so both below average. Count was 25m and 5m per ml so way below average 😳
Good luck with the tests and referral!

@planbea thanks its with the same employer just a different department so no impact on my maternity pay thankfully. Aw sorry you're feeling rough. I'm hellish spotty and was off my food last week. Think it was maybe nerves though. My boobs have started to hurt sightly but only with no bra on if i move at night. Apart from that I wouldn't even know I was pregnant if not for the test. Still time for symptoms to hit though x

hey ladies! Looks like I am moving onto month 10 after miscarriage and month 16 overall!!! Spotting has started so period is on its way :(

Gutted!!! @notyetamumbuttrying what about you lovely? And @Fran2020

@Whilstwewait I was just off my food, tired and a with bigger boobs untill 5 weeks and then i became a bit nauseous

Sorry to hear @Annny27 I'm on cycle 14 or 15 now but month 12 as my cycles are short. I fully expect to keep coming on until my Dh's sperm is up to par. I keep feeling like we have such a small chance with natural conception but we'll see. We'll get another SA done late November to see if there's been an improvement.

No idea what's going on with me now - still on cycle 13, cd37, 19dpo but no period and bfn 😢

Fairly sure I did ovulate as i had 3 pos opks and my temps did rise. They are still elevated as well

@Annny27 @notyetamumbuttrying aw sorry to hear you think AF is on the way. Got everything crossed for some good news for you both soon.

@claireb707 how annoying for you being in limbo. I remember you posting your chart and thinking you may have ovulated later so still in with a chance x

Won't be in much luck as we only dtd around my suspected ovulation. If it was later we aren't in with a chance

Hi ladies, AF arrived for me so we go again I've lost count of what cycle I'm on now....getting me down now xx