Did it take you a long time to conceive? Please reassure me it could still happen...

[Nora11]

Hi everyone. So we are now on month 18 of trying, in all that time I have had 1 chemical which was 3 months ago... My 27 day cycles are like clockwork, I get positive opks on about cd13, my blood tests came back normal... But still no pregnancy. the more months that go by the more I feel hopeless about it ever happening. I'm so fed up of waiting while everyone else I know gets pregnant.

Our GP won't test my husband until the 2 year mark and we can't get referred to a fertility clinic until the 2 year mark either (after which I dread to think of the waiting list...) - so if we need any kind of intervention there's a long road ahead. Just hoping for some positive stories of conceiving naturally after a long time trying to restore some hope that it might happen soon...

5 years for our first, then another 10 years.
No GP intervention, in both cases had stopped trying and just accepted life was as it was.

Can you afford private sperm analysis? I would do it if possible, if there are issues you need to know ASAP. How old are you?

Prof Winston once said that the most effective form of "treatment" when trying unsuccessfully to conceive was to have sex EVERY DAY that you aren't on your period. Years ago some trial or other showed this had better results than medical intervention.

Didn't work for us!

Both DC took >18 months of trying. Both times I conceived in the week or two prior to the first appointment at fertility clinic, having been referred after 18 months TTC.

In retrospect it feels like it happened for us the moment we stopped "trying" - anecdotally others say it happened for them when on holiday and more relaxed- but I get that this might not be very helpful you where you are right now and I should probably go and have a biscuit or something.

Good luck. Is such a long and tricky road.

Thanks everyone. Forgot to mention I am 31, partner is 33. Have just had a chat with him and think we will try and book a private test for him and maybe an ultrasound for me too. We couldn't afford any other treatment privately but could stretch to the tests for a bit more info and /or peace of mind I think...

I've heard often the thing of it happening when you stop trying so hard... It's just so difficult 🙈 every month I tell myself I'm going to relax about it then get drawn into thinking about ovulation, then signs of AF arriving (or not). Anytime I do relax or focus more on something else, in the back of my head I'm still thinking "ooh I'm not focusing on TTC so maybe it will happen this month!" 🤦‍♀️

Interestingly the chemical happened just a few days after we moved house and also around the time I had my blood tests done... But sadly didn't pan out of course 😢

@Nora11
The relaxed approach unfortunately is true hitting myself saying that I'm ttc num 1 but have had 4 miscarriages and 1 cp in that time, first 3 time I fell pregnant in September so nearly a year each time last time I fell pregnant was Jan there so 4 months the last time. Still trying now from the last loss I'm also under the rmc and fertility clinic so hoping nxt one is a sticky one. But it's not unheard of couples taking up to two year to conceive.

You might think about a blood test to have your thyroid checked. Also your and your DH’s vitamin D levels.