TTC first baby thread 26

[Annny27]

Hello all, setting up a new thread for us old timers to keep up and stay sane on the ttc journey!

@Annny27 at least we have another year before the next Mother’s Day.. and we’ll all have reason to celebrate by then! 🤞🏻

@XjustagirlX I’m so sorry - that’s so much to go through in such a short space of time. Have you decided if you’ll try this/next month? Hopefully the progesterone and steroids get the nk cells under control and that’s the answer for you 🤞🏻

I had the start of my temp drop this morning and bfn at 12dpo, so looks like af will be here sat/sun as predicted. Think we’re skipping the next cycle for a couple of reasons - can’t quite decide if it’s a good or bad plan, but I guess we’ll see.

I will @Annny27

Only 3 days of use and it's a bit confusing. Hasn't predicted anything yet and temp on it is much lower than my bbt thermometer where the instructions suggest it should be quite a bit higher.

I also had some random pink ewcm yesterday on CD7 and got a really high opk reading so took an HPT and that showed as positive too so now I have to go to EPU but likelihood is chemical.

I wasn't going to say anything on here because I don't want to be insensitive. I know what you ladies have been going through and this stuff seems to pale in comparison.

The thread just seemed to heat up again after a slow patch and I wanted to let you all know you're in my thoughts and secular prayers if that makes sense.

It's all rather confusing. Can't find any evidence of low bbt/CBT and pregnancy so I am worried there's some ectopic material left over.

My gp said they can’t give me the prescription I need and I need to get a private prescription. I contacted the consultant and he said I need to explain that he is not a private clinic he is a self funded nhs clinic. Im hoping that the gp will now prescribe. Im waiting for a call back.

@CycloGoose oh wow!

I’ve not tried ovusense but I read into it a while ago and thought your temps with it would be lower because it’s skin temps, isn’t it? So that would be lower than bbt? Which could be why your readings seem off? Weird if the instructions say it should be higher though.

Did you have a normal af before this cycle? Got everything crossed for you that it is your bfp!

@XjustagirlX all the back and forth sounds frustrating - hope you get sorted ASAP.

@XjustagirlX sounds like a right d-bag.

@amy259 OvuSense is vaginal so that's why it should be higher. It's the Ava that's skin temps - too many devices 🤣

All I can think is progesterone low and MC/chemical already happened but lingering HCG.

AF been all over the place cycle before last was 23 days, last one was 26 days but I had spotting on 25 and 26. But 'normal' flow complete with clots etc on CD1 from lunchtime until end of CD2. Then spotting again CD3/4/5. If it was IB it was very heavy and unusual and low temps not good. It's going to be a long wait until Tuesday afternoon.
At least internal scan should help pick up if there's any cysts or endometriosis if no little sac present.

@CycloGoose ahh sorry! I thought it was the one you wear on your wrist.

Oh Tuesday is so far away, bless you. Was the bfp quiet strong?

Yeah that's the ava one @Amy259

I'm so sorry I don't want to be insensitive to everyone else. Tuesday is just so far away and I'm falling apart a bit. I know 7/8 months is nothing compared to all of you but I just didn't expect it to be like this at all. I just feel really lost.
It wasn't faint but it wasn't strong either.
I did CB digital this am and it's only 1-2 weeks so fairly low really.

@CycloGoose don’t apologise - everyone is on their own journey and I don’t think you’re being insensitive at all. I’m only entering cycle 9 (with one chemical back in August) and I feel like it’s been a lifetime. Your feelings shouldn’t be measured on a timeline!!

I’ve seen some women talk about having what seemed like a real period but actually they were pregnant, our bodies do weird things sometimes and don’t always follow the rules. Do you track with OPKs or have another way of knowing how many DPO you would be from your last ovulation?

@cyclogoose 8 months isnt nothing - I started feeling hopeless after 6 months if I am honest!

Yeah low temps and stuff does indicate low progesterone but you never know! They may not be able to see anything on the scan at this stage but they may take bloods and check whether the hcg doubles! Congratulations to you if this is it 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

If I have lost it, hoping I can get progesterone if there's a next time.

I track everything @Amy259 I'm an obsessive. OPKs would put me around 19dpo or 4weeks+6

My GP said I shouldn't call it a period but I was so convinced it was that I bought the blimmin OvuSense. It was not a normal period but it wasn't any lighter.

Hoping Tuesday gives me some answers but I'll be gutted if it could have been saved and wasn't because I had to wait so long for an appointment.

@Annny27 thank you lovely. I'm rooting for you too ☺️😘 I will be staring this cycle. So if AF does her usual I will be starting stims some point next week.

@Lozzlepop hope the training is going well.

I will say the IVF process (and I haven't even started drugs yet). Is quite overwhelming and time consuming. It has sometimes felt like a part time job and I'm sure it will continue to do so. My advice would be to research so you have an idea of what is coming. Make time for it, and look after and put yourself first.
Even in the lead up I have felt quite up and down emotional, sometimes tearful. I have swung between hopeful and fearful, excitement and dread. I will definitely be using the counselling session that is included at some point too.

Hello everyone

I've had a pretty horrific 2 weeks which is why I've been quiet recently topped off by the latest TTC news.

I've just found out that a blood test I had taken back in September 2020 show I have elevated FSH of 13.9 and normal range is 4-8 and they won't don't IVF, even privately, with levels above 10. This basically means I have diminished ovarian reserve aka, early menopause! I am so, so angry and devastated as I was reassured by GP & fertility consultants my levels were normal!!! And I told them about my family history of early menopause!

And to add insult yo injury I've also discovered my progesterone levels have been less than 30 several times and I was actually advised NOT to take Clomid as my levels were all normal and reassuring!!! I real can not understand why this hasn't been picked up sooner and why I have been so misinformed through this entire process!

@MIW01 I'm so sorry to hear this, it's absolutely shitty that we have to go through this nonsense! I was thinking how about paying for a private AFC as it's much more accurate than AMH and FSH as they can see just how many follicles you have- all of which can become potential egg holders with IVF?
More should be done within the NHS for speedier and more accurate testing and sharing of these results too.

@orangeloo good luck with the IVF, I'm assuming you're on the long protocol? You're right it's emotionally overwhelming, especially when you get your meds and Sharps box! I even did all the myths around egg collection and transfer of pop juice, hot water bottles walnuts etc 🤦🏼‍♀️

@CycloGoose sorry to hear about your loss, even when it's that early on it still stings and hurts. Hope you're doing ok.

@XjustagirlX did you mange to get your prescription in the end?

@Lozzlepop when have you postponed the wedding till?

All good my end, didn't want to post any scan photos up as I remember only too well the mixed emotions I had towards pregnant women and wouldn't want to trigger any of you lovely ladies. Still on cyclogest twice daily and going to wean myself off it rather than just stop. Hormones daily for the last 3 months has definitely bumped me up a dress size and can only wear leggings and dresses now but 11+4 and have my 12 week scan next week so elated to have reached this point as have never gotten this far before.

Thank you @Kiza I have everything crossed for you for next week. It's a really big milestone XXX

@MIW01 this sounds like horrendous treatment and can't even really be considered care! God it's awful that they've led you down the garden path with misinformation. Utter insert your preferred expletive

I went for scan and empty womb as anticipated. SIL had her third baby the same day so got to buy a congratulations card on the way to the hospital which was an extra layer of fun. HCG had already dropped to 23 by the appointment and 7.4 48hrs later.
My BBT and OvuSense seem to suggest I might have ovulated again in that time so all a bit odd. Though only had a very brief temperature rise. I also had bilateral cysts which seem to suggest it may have been ovulation time as well. I was pretty surprised that there was a 5cm haemorrhaging cyst on my ovary and that's just normal.

Easter holidays now and back to the drawing board. Knowing my luck, I won't be fertile whilst we're at home 🤦🏼‍♀️

Good luck to everyone xxx

Really pleased things are ticking along for you @Kiza out of interest did you have your levels tested? I remember you saying you only had 1 egg for IVF but as you say it only takes 1!

Sorry to hear of your loss @CycloGoose and the 'to add insult to injury element' I have to admite everytime there 'new baby news' amongst our friends I can't even bring myself to say congratulations to anyone anymore!

What I'm most angry about is I've raised concerns about early me opause being a factor on both sides of my family since I was 23! And had on and off investigations since then.

@MIW01 yeah my FSH was 8.8 and AMH was 5.9 and I'm 40 so they didn't appear that bad, just borderline. However once I started IVF and they scanned me there was only 6 follicles- so much lower than expected with the above results. Of those 6 follicles only 2 responded to the ivf meds and yeah only 1 egg was found on the day of collection and was fertilised with icsi.
We are still in shock that it worked as that first scan showing only 6 follicles and only 2 of them stimulated we had just accepted it wasn't going to work and we'd have to go down the egg donor route. But as they say miracles do sometimes happen 💗
The way you've been tested is shocking and you're not the only one, our journey has been crap and I had to push and fight so hard to start the IVf when we did otherwise it could've been another 6 months. I wrote a letter of complaint via PALS as it's disgusting.

Thanks @Kiza - I've basically been told now that if it doesn't happen naturally then we will need an egg donor. I am jist mortified and grieving so badly atm fearing the worst . . . That's interesting that your results were borderline and then when they looked things weren't as the results suggest. I guess that just shows how everyone is different! That's another reason I'm really cross cause my sister had an FSH level of 14.7 at age 31, told she was in perimenopause and it would be unlikely she'd ever conceive another child naturally, and then she fell accidentally pregnant with my now 7 month old niece! So maybe FSH level is just high in our family?! Though we do have the early menopause history. I'm going to be complaining to everyone under the sun I can think of about this fiasco. I am so disgusted at how we've been ignored and misinformed from even before our TTC journey.

@MIW01 for sure go down the PALS route or even your local MP. We are fobbed off so much and it's not right that we have to scream and shout to be heard, and even then still may not get the treatment we are entitled to.
I can only suggest an AFC scan as that gives a much clearer picture of exactly how many follicles you have left, although I don't know how much they cost privately? Egg donor route is such a hard thing to get your head around and for a week after our first scan that was where I truly thought we were going to be, like you I grieved and was angry. Take some time to consider some counselling as an outlet for all your emotions as I know there are some smaller local charities that offer free or means tested therapy for TTC.

@CycloGoose & @Kiza I will be complaining to each region separately about these cock ups!

@Kiza I asked my GP for counselling and got fobbed off again . . . All they can offer is talking therapy. I've completed 3 rounds of CBT, I don't find it at all helpful and last time I refused it I got discharged back to the GP!

@MIW01 if you google fertility counselling then some local charities may come up (most GP's are clueless about them and have no idea they even exist). The smaller charities often offer free sessions and it's more person centred approach to allow you time to offload and process rather then the CBT approach (which is mainly all the MHS offer and many people don't connect with it or it isn't suitable for what you're going through ).

Thanks @Kiza. I just found out my FSH in June 2019 was 9.2! & I was told my results were normal! I am absolutely horrified by their incompetence. The main concern I had going into that appointment was early menopause!

@MIW01 I'm so sorry to hear your news. I hope some heads roll with your complaint and you get some counselling support. 

@Kiza I have started stims and am on short protocol which I am glad about. Yes I will definitely be doing some of the myth type stuff haha. I will feel like what if if I don't lol. So exciting to reach that milestone. Hope scan goes well 😊

Hi all,

Sorry i have been quiet recently and missed loads! How are we all?

@orangeloo the training is going well, a LOT of info though so I am looking forward to the long weekend 🙂thanks for the tips we have our first appointment on Monday along with a blood test fro my AMH levels 😬

@CycloGoose so sorry to read your news, can't imagine how hard it must have been to go see your SIL- I have had 2 pregnancy announcements this week and its can be so draining 😔remember to be kind to yourself in this time.

@MIW01 I'm so so sorry to hear this, I can't even imagine how you must be feeling. Have you considered asking for them to repeat the test? How can they just come back with these results and do a full 360 on things 6 months down the line?

@Kiza so glad to hear you are doing well, will be such a relief that your 12 week scan is coming up! wedding was postponed until June so its 9 weeks on Saturday- which makes me feel a little bit ill lol!

@Annny27 @XjustagirlX hows things with you?

@Lozzlepop glad work is going well. Good luck for Monday. I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry about AMH too much. It is mainly for them to know what dose of medication to give you because even people with very low value can still go on to have healthy babies. X