TTC 35+ Thread 8

[M4v3r1ck]

New thread ladies! Hope this works! 😃

The NHS just cancelled my f*Clint appointment. I’m livid. Got TWO letters cancelling it through today, but I’d been in bed with a migraine and didn’t see them until just now.

I thought they’d tried to call me last week but wasn’t sure if it was them and when I rang back the number didn’t receive incoming calls.

My attempt at censored swearing went very wrong there lol. You get the drift.

@thislittlebird oh no what a let down! Did they reschedule or just straight up cancel?! Rude!

@henslovetoscratch I'm 7dpo too! Weirdly my app which is always cautioning me not to test to early said you can test from 7dpo today!? It's caught the POASitis ! Im waiting till friday how about you?

@misty84 re stress I just read this from a lady on one of the other boards which made me feel a bit better about my major stressy ways - hope it might help you feel a bit better
'My doctor told me early on that stress doesn't affect fertility unless it becomes distress. (He actually went on about the stresses of life in days long gone when we lived without houses amongst dangerous animals.) That advice really helped me not to stress about being stressed. And we all know the "relax and it'll happen" is ridiculous and untrue.'

@Yumcoffee they did not reschedule

I’m just livid tbh but also very, very tired and done. They’ve cost us so many months of waiting for nothing. I think I’m going to call PALS tomorrow and complain.

@thislittlebird It is the most frustrating thing ever when that happens. What reason did they give and have they rescheduled?

@Yumcoffee Thank you. I’m sure that stressing about being stressed only makes it worse! I’ll definitely try and think about it the way that doctor said now :)

@thislittlebird Just saw your comment saying they did not reschedule. I emailed PALS complaining and they sorted me out an appointment 3 weeks later. In fact the fastest they’ve ever got anything done is when I complained so it’s worth doing!!

The amount of time wasted waiting has actually been the worst part of this whole process for me.

@Misty84 did they cancel on you too? It’s good to hear your email worked. I might email PALS tonight. Like you, I’ve lost SO MUCH TIME waiting for them and I’m fed up of it. I’m going to take a leaf from you and email them later, so sick of all this.

6 months lost to them giving out the wrong results, now 3/4 months lost waiting for an appointment that isn’t even happening. Waiting for that appointment has been the cornerstone of the last few months for me.

@thislittlebird In October they booked me an appointment for January. One week before the appointment they rescheduled for March. So that was 3 months waiting extended to 5. I absolutely know what you mean about it being a cornerstone so it was a massive blow. When the March appointment finally arrived they gave me a junior doctor instead of the consultant I was supposed to be seeing, and he couldn’t answer many of my questions. That was the final straw for me and I emailed complaining. They immediately booked me in 3 weeks later with the consultant (who I spoke to today, finally, 6 months after the initial booking!!) x

Hey everyone!
@thislittlebird reading about your circumstances aren't giving me much hope about access to treatment! I'm trying to hang on to 'it will happen when it's supposed to' do you think like this too? It's so hard holding onto hope when it feels like time is against us!

Hearing that some of you might be testing this week is soo exciting! I thought I'd feel really jealous, but I want us all to be able to leave this group, strange huh? not many groups that you join because you don't actually want to be in it?!

@Yumcoffee awww fab! I think I will wait it out tbh and try do no testing as I just don't feel like it's going to happen this month, Already feel AF lurking as per usual!

Really sorry to hear you have another delay @thislittlebird. I really hope your complaint is heard and you get seen asap. Stay strong x

@Misty84 awful you also experienced such delays.
Covid has had such a huge impact on sooooo many aspects of our lives. I hope everyone gets seen soon and starts to see some success. Got to stay hopeful! Xxx

@thislittlebird @Misty84 I'm so sorry you've got delays to deal with on top of everything else. I can completely identify with using appointments as your cornerstone - we're in the middle of tests to enable a referral and being busy in that way has made this month much easier to deal with. I am focused on data collection at the moment and it will really help me to have dates to work towards. Thinking of you and hoping your complaints are handled swiftly.

Evening ladies! 😃 As usual lots of catching up for me! 🤪 Had a mini wobble last night as saw a friend with a new baby, then heard of yet more pregnancy announcements! Onwards and upwards though! 👏🏻

Heyyyy to newbies! 😃😃😃

@thislittlebird @Misty84 @Kitekat81 I know I keep saying it, but I literally cannot send you enough love and virtual hugs with these set backs and delays! 😘😘😘

@Kitekat81 hey cycle buddy at CD12! I got a peak today on CB OPK, but I actually think I've messed up my CD1 as I had weird random light spotting but decided not to log that to start the new cycle! Who knows, but gonna get on it anyways! 😈 Also, delighted to report that fmu worked pretty good with the cheapie OPK test too - not peak (yet), but very high! So thanks to whoever recommended doing that with the cheapies too! 😘

@TTCat39 BBT temps looking good! 😃 Don't worry about the random odd drop - can happen due to various things! Main thing is that you are largely over that cover line! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 for you!

Re: the article I shared a couple of days ago, I know it's stuff that we've all mentioned before, but I was just so happy to see this being said and talked about in mainstream media! 😃 Also, the comments were so inspiring - lots of women saying about having their kids (even starting no1 like some of us) at 35/40+ yrs! 😍 It just seemed like such a good and positive step forward re: this whole process!

Sorry if I've missed any big posts/announcements! This thread moves so fast!

@TTCat39 I often have dips like this in my luteal phase and you have much more of a rise in the Lp than I ever get too!

@Henslovetoscratch my thermometer is so quiet that he can't even hear it over his side of the bed lol

@Yumcoffee made me lol at your app getting excited this month 😂

@thislittlebird you'll have to let us know if you get anywhere ringing them or complaining! I've got my doc appt on Friday to try and persuade her to do more tests or get me bumped up the 8 month wait list for a referal or both!

@Misty84 how was your consultation today? Did you get your updated AMH test result?

@thislittlebird argh so sorry to hear that. Cancelling the appointment with no explanation and no rescheduled date is just not on. I hope you get somewhere with your complaint!

@M4v3r1ck hi cycle buddy! Glad you are getting on with the opk cheapies. Not sure yet when I'm going to ovulate, it's usually day 13-16 for me, haven't had a positive opk yet. Sorry you had a wobble last night, unfortunately I think it is going to get harder for us all as the lockdown is lifted, it's been easy (or at least easier) to avoid seeing friends with babies but with life getting back to more like normal (which of course is very welcome!!) it is going to be harder to avoid. We just have to see these little babies as the future playmates for our little ones when they finally arrive 💕

Thank you @Henslovetoscratch @M4v3r1ck @TTCat39 🙏

@Kitekat81 Apparently they cancelled the AMH because it’s already been done in last 12 months (and yet they were the ones who suggested I got it redone- honestly it’s a real shit show!) What a waste of time taking that morning off work was!

Aside from that they didn’t tell me anything new...still a 6 month wait for the laparoscopy, still surprised my level is so low, still can’t predict how I’ll respond to treatment! So I just can’t do any more with the NHS.

Anyway I’ve had such confusing advice from all sides that just going to press ahead with IVF now, do a cycle and see how I respond!🤞£7k hopefully well spent 🥴

In other news, TWW starts tomorrow! Wouldn’t it be great if after all this it just happened naturally 😂

Anyone on Ubiquinol, what’s your daily dosage? It’s not the cheapest supplement eh? 🤯

@Misty84 wow that's awful! I'm so sorry they're letting you down like this! I take ubiquinol 400mg a day and the oh is on 200mg a day I'm Running low so just about to search for some more online as the ones I got last time won't arrive for a week

@Marvellouslymadmum still can’t believe it’s 8 months!

Thanks @Kitekat81, I hope so too! Let’s see what tomorrow brings

@Misty84 they cancelled it after suggesting it????? Weird. It’s funny because I’ve been reading ivf afc amh threads a bit today and it’s surprising how much some people’s amh and afc especially can vary. You’d think they’d want a clearer picture so would redo it. Did speaking to the consultant help?

I’m going to re-start taking ubiquinol soon, but I was only on 200mg.

@M4v3r1ck sorry you had a wobble, I still very much have my head in the sand and am pretending these new and imminent babies don’t exist 🙃

@TTCat39 yeah, you just need that SOMETHING to anchor your hopes onto! It’s so hard to just be floating around aimlessly without any goals or hope of progress.

@Henslovetoscratch thanks!

@ShirleyValentineManc I think some of us have just had the worst experiences but I think not everyone has it so bad, I would just do whatever you can to push them when you get to that stage. I trusted them too much, should have been all over the GP like a bad rash from the word go.

@Misty84 oh for goodness sake, what a waste of your time and theirs 🙄

Have you looked at Access Fertility? They work with some clinics and offer reduced price packages if you sign up for 2 or 3 cycles. They also have refund packages where you get a partial refund if you aren't successful, but I don't think we would be eligible for those with our low AMH 😣 @thislittlebird have you looked at them? You might be eligible for one of the refund packages (obviously no one wants a refund, we just want our babies, but still it must take off some of the financial pressure)

I'm taking 400mg of ubiquinol, costing £42 a month at the moment 😣 No idea if it's making any difference.

Funnily enough @Kitekat81 I was on the infertility boards earlier because I posted about ivf for high AMH and someone responded recommending Access. I’m interested in reading more about their two cycle package because two cycles wouldn’t void our nhs allowance from what I understand but I need to confirm that. It also seems better than committing to three at one place? I need to do more research but I only realised they were a finance company tonight and saw them mentioned on Lister’s site last night.

I feel overwhelmed with the options really, there seem to be so many. Have they said you wouldn’t be eligible because AMH etc? I’m going to seriously consider one of the refund packages because my fear is the expense of it all clocking up and up. At least a refund package makes you feel a little less anxious about the financial loss each time.

@thislittlebird I thought I was worse off being in Scotland with hardly any options, but maybe I'm better off in that respect after all! It does mean I'm basically choosing between two clinics (Glasgow and Manchester) and that's it. I can imagine it must be really overwhelming when there are lots more choices. I haven't enquired yet with Access but I've heard on here a few people my age (39) with low AMH who said they were turned down for the refund package, but did get a discounted 2 cycle package.

@Marvellouslymadmum Let me know where you get your Ubiquinol from as I’m always looking for a better deal! The private doctor suggested 200mg like you’re taking, but for low egg reserve it’s higher so I’m taking 400mg like @Kitekat81 - can’t afford to take a higher dosage than that! 🤪

Kitekat yes I’ve emailed Access and waiting to hear back from them so I’ll let you know if we’re eligible! Would be good to take some financial pressure off as I’m likely to need more than 1 cycle. Obviously I would pay any amount to get a baby, but my fear is spending tens of thousands of pounds -all our savings including house deposit- and having no baby at the end of it. I don’t want that sort of awful pressure on us when IVF is already going to be such a stressful and emotional experience!

@thislittlebird The fertility nurse suggested I retest (this was after I was fuming at them for not telling me for months that I wasn’t eligible for funding), so I had the blood test done at the hospital and it was at that point that they void it. Useless 🙄
I also feel very overwhelmed by all the options and spend most of my free time reading about the different clinics and people’s experiences there!
I emailed my specific results to the Lister consultant who ran the webinar and he was more positive about my chances, (mainly as AFC is in the ok range) but who knows until we try, as some of those follicles will be empty 🙄

Ps. AND because follicle count can vary as @Kitekat81 has demonstrated!

Seems like it’s all a gamble and just pot luck who ends up being successful (hopefully all of us!!🤞)

So another letter just came...and they’ve moved my May appointment by ONE HOUR. 🤪

My god, I wish they’d just send one letter with ‘rescheduled appointment’ on it. I will withhold my complaint for now.