TTC Journey - Advice Wanted

[RoddyRoo]

Hello lovelies,
I’m a long time reader first time poster, but today I feel like I’ve flipped a switch and I felt like writing incase anyone could help me or offer any advice.

We have been trying to conceive for over two years (nearly as long as we’ve been trying to actually get married, blooming pandemic). I tried Accupuncture and clear blue ovulation tests, I was then referred to hospital for a scan (normal - slightly abnormally places uterus but nothing exciting), bloods - normal (although when I checked the ranges the day 21 progesterone was on the low side), and recently a HSG (radiographer told me it was normal at the scan but I have a two month wait until I’m back to the consultant).

This month I’ve tried Mira (alongside clear blue and very cheapy ovulation tests from Amazon - I know, it does seem like stick/wee overkill) and my LH surge was 26 which is lower than their stipulated normal range.

I’m not here for medical advice, I’m just completely fed up. I haven’t fallen pregnant once in over two years. I want to be proactive - is there anything I can do to move things along and be more of an advocate for myself rather than just attending appointments and hoping for the best? I want to take some action.

Any advice gratefully received, and if you have been through this and know what happens next that would also be very very helpful.

I hope you’re all well. Much love x

Hi @RoddyRoo 🥰 we've also been trying over two years (on and off). It's so disheartening isn't it. Just got my bloods done as well and they came back normal too - I'm not convinced though! Hopefully this will become a lucky thread ✨🥰

Fingers crossed @xoJellyBean sorry to hear you’re struggling a bit as well, it’s good that you’re in the system with your bloods though. I really do hope you get some wonderful news soon.

Also, I’m quite relieved to hear of someone else who hasn’t been pregnant at all after two years. Why are you unconvinced with your bloods?

@RoddyRoo have you by any chance read the book "it starts with the egg"? I can highly recommend it.

@Bundaberg84 I haven’t but I am off to Cornwall for a week so I will download it, thank you for your recommendation I’ll let you know how it goes

Hiya, I get the fed up feeling!! Sounds like you have been pretty proactive too on your side. Maybe worth getting your partners sperm checked too, the gp should be able to refer your partner for a test at this stage and may also be worth considering getting a sperm dna test done, which will need done privately. Things need to be right with both of you to make it happen. Best of luck with it all 🍀

@RoddyRoo I'm just convinced there is something that's stopping me getting pregnant. We are dtd at all the right times but still nothing, after all this time!

Hi @RoddyRoo, I feel like I could have written your post! I’ve been trying 1.5 years and not a hint of a line. Tried everything, even acupuncture etc. Totally get your frustration.
I ended up doing a fertility MOT privately end of last year for me & DH, as the NHS wait time was so long and I’m incredibly inpatient 😬 All came back better than fine and still nothing has happened. I made the GP do my Day 21 bloods recently, I really had to push for that.
I got a fertility referral on the NHS and had an initial consultation and got the feeling as I’m “undiagnosed infertility” they’ll do everything possible before offering me IVF.
So we made the decision to explore private again a few weeks ago. Not sure if you’ve heard of the ABC clinics? They do “affordable” IVF if you meet a certain criteria, I’m going for a baseline scan tomorrow morning. I’m not 100% sure we’ll proceed with it but will at least do the scan and have a chat with the specialist and see what my IVF chance would be. And if nothing else at least I feel like I’m taking charge.
But yeah I totally feel your pain! It’s so so frustrating and hopeless sometimes. I was hopeful 2021 would be our year and now I feel that hope is slipping away. It’s an insanely shitty journey!

Hey @Clapham4 sorry to jump in lol but how did you get on with your day 21 bloods? Mine came back ok but haven't been offered anything else since... no referral or even a test for dh!

I actually only went for them on Monday this week so no results yet. I am worried that I miscalculated too, as I ovulated early this month and that threw me off 🙈 Did you go on the exact right day?
For my referral I just exaggerated and said we’d be TTC 2 years and I need a referral. And when I got it the clinic asked about what blood tests I had done and I explained my GP didn’t do any so I had to go back and demand the 21 bloods, the GP told me the clinic should organise 🙄 but got there in the end.
It’s so hard having to fight so much for things isn’t it!
Maybe just say to your GP you need a gynaecologist referral? Xx

Sorry @xoJellyBean forgot to tag you x

@xoJellyBean I was referred to the consultant at the hospital who did my day 21 bloods, you might need to be a bit pushy as there are a tonne of other tests with waiting lists before any treatment so it seems.

@Clapham4 I feel exactly the same! I did a fertility MOT whilst waiting for my NHS referal and it was really reassuring - they also had more time to talk about the results. If you have private treatment here for ivf you can’t have a funded ivf cycle, I’m keen to try the funded options and then go private after that if required. I much prefer having more control though.

@Bluebells1983 sorry I got to self absorbed! Partner had sperm analysis almost straight await, all good

No advice, just wanted to say I'm feeling the same too! Never once been pregnant in 1.5 years, all tested and apparently fine. Tried every trick in the book and fed up of the few people that know saying 'it'll happen when it happens'. I did actually get a faint positive last month and then got my period the next day so no idea what happened there but it felt very cruel.

@Clapham4 I was testing with OPKs to make sure I booked my bloods 7 days after ov but I never got my peak! So guessed and went for day 27... GP said all was normal 🙄 so I don't know whah to do now! I'll maybe give her a ring after this cycle and see what she says x

I’m really sorry @rathernotshare that must have been really awful, a loss is a loss x

That’s so hard @rathernotshare Hope you’re okay after it.

@RoddyRoo I know I feel the same about funded, I think once I get back my 21 bloods results and speak to the NHS consultant again in a few weeks I’ll see whether to stick with them or go to the ABC clinic. I really thought digging my head in the sand for a while would solve my problems 🙈

@xoJellyBean definitely push for the referral, I just burst out crying and they moved swiftly then😂 I would do the SA too x

@Clapham4 sounds a plan. I have another appointment in July at which point I think I’ve had every test so should be offered some treatment. I’d also like to talk to my consultant about my concerns about relatively low (but within normal range) progesterone on day 21 and LH surge but I’m not sure he will have any time to listen - last time was rushed and unfriendly.
Although, when I had the fertility mot they were really kind and spend ages explaining everything so if it gets really bad I know I can go back and pay for some advice.

I just wanted to share the story of one of my best friends quickly, she just announced her pregnancy. She tried for 2 years, never once a sign of pregnancy, she was already at a fertility clinic, everything was fine. And then, just like that, she got pregnant. She's 17 weeks now.

@Bundaberg84 lovely! That’s what we need! Thank you xx

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!
I had my scan at the private clinic on Thursday and my follicle count was 12 when it was 19 last Oct. So that’s slightly worrying, although it varies month to month so I’m hoping overall I’ve a good ovarian reserve and this month was just a blip😬 I ended up having to do more bloods on Friday for my AMH levels, thyroid & rubella antibodies which should tell more, and are needed before any treatment. So for anyone who’s not done these tests I would ask your GP to organise as they seem to be needed for either NHS treatment or private treatment. My GP said they don’t normally do AMH but I said I just need the results and will pass on to a specialist for interpretation. It’s such an uphill struggle trying to push things!!
So if anyone is looking to speed things along, I would organise those bloods while waiting on referrals or appointments as that’s where the consultants seem to start and you can hit the ground running xx

I'm fed up as well! Ttc for a bit over than a year now and nothing yet.

My DH suggested we start looking for fertility clinics but we'll see how this goes.

@Clapham4 glad you got all of your tests done, I did a private appointment whilst waiting for an NHS appointment, it’s likely different in your area but the NHS consultant refused to look at any of the tests done privately and insisted on doing the whole lot again, I was gutted.
It was still worth doing though because I had peace of mind and a really informative chat with the private doctor.

@dutchessmom hey, I don’t know where you are but I’m really glad I started looking early - everything takes a while

Hey. Depending on your age and your financial status I'd seriously consider going straight to a private clinic. We are incredibly fortunate that on the whole the NHS can provide help for infertility. However it's so much slower, has restricted protocol and the toll it takes to go through the NHS hoops isn't often worth it.
If you fit this criteria try ABC IVF based in London. Low cost IVF for three straightforward criteria. Look them up. Best of luck it's the worst.

Thank you @1940s I have another appointment with the consultant next month - all tests have now been done so I’m hoping this appointment will yield some results.
I’d like to try the nhs route and then self fund after that in the event it doesn’t work, as I’m nearly there I’ll keep going. Thanks for the recommendation for abc though - I’ve looked them up and requested a brochure. Did you use abc?

@RoddyRoo

Thank you *@1940s* I have another appointment with the consultant next month - all tests have now been done so I’m hoping this appointment will yield some results. I’d like to try the nhs route and then self fund after that in the event it doesn’t work, as I’m nearly there I’ll keep going. Thanks for the recommendation for abc though - I’ve looked them up and requested a brochure. Did you use abc?

Truthfully I didn't as I'd already committed to another clinic and felt so torn as I built a relationship with my clinic. If I could turn back the clock I'd go straight to ABC

ABC are who I’m currently trying to go with, have a call on Thursday with the consultant to find out after my scan last week. I’m on another thread for just ABC IVF and lots of good reviews. I heard of them from a friend who is also doing IVF with them at the moment.

@RoddyRoo thats such a pain your NHS consultant is making you redo all the private test. But as you said they’re not wasted as you’ve had the reassurance

Has anyone told family / friends of their struggles? I have and it’s honestly helped, I was amazed at how common this is!