Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the next chapter

[Tinkerbell098]

I have created a new thread as the previous one is about to fill up. I've tagged some of us here, but apologies if I have missed anyone.

The thread is for anyone who has started/ about to start fertility investigations or treatment. Come join us, we are a lovely bunch :)

@tillybabs
@thislittlebird
@kay00
@jeaniej
@PurpleUnicorn01
@paintfairy
@dogmam
@flutterby8
@Ughmaybenot
@dancingfairydreams
@beckycarlos
@jkjellyhead
@juno231
@decaffe
@bumble44
@BritinNZ
@tinkerbell098
@pinkginpls
@thedaydreambelievers
@everymumday
@wanderlust16
@lori23ttc
@Gracie2021
@Sofasogood1
@99pctpractice
@magnoliasinbloom

@Gracie2021 woo woo!! All fingers crossed this is the little one for you - that embryo looks beautiful 🤩 thanks also for the probiotic tip, will look into those ones.

@thislittlebird I understand the feeling. Even knowing the odds as we went into our first ivf cycle we still somehow thought that we would be the lucky ones who were one and done....and it honestly didn't occur to me when we first started that we wouldn't have a genetically viable blast after 3 cycles. All fingers crossed for your next transfer and I hope your tests come back normal so you can start ruling some potential issues off the list!🤞

Thanks @99pctpractice @beckyCarlos surprisingly chill so far but I imagine that will go once it's anywhere near a day I can test! Just had my last acupuncture app this morning and now taking a break til I see how things go 🤞

@Gracie2021 that's a nice blast! Congrats on being PUPO! hope your acupuncture appointment went well and you're feeling nice and relaxed X

Thanks a mil @Tinkerbell098 off work for the week chilling at home so no complaints at all. It all lined up very nicely.

How are you feeling @gracie2021? I remember (for the first week or so anyway lol) feeling like I'd got my life back, I saw friends, saw family, didnt feel like I had to avoid everyone in case they breathed on me 😅

Hi guys, so little update that might help anyone with Male factor issues.

My husband just had his appt with Dr Ramsay who is convinced his varicococele is causing his high DNA fragmentation as he said it’s really big.

Next steps are for him to get scanned to see where the blood is flowing to determine what treatment he needs, as well as some other tests to see if he has an infection. He said the procedure to sort the varicocele is about 6k.

We’ve gotta have a follow up appt in a few weeks after all of my husbands tests to decide next steps.

Dr Ramsay was pretty clear that results from the procedure aren’t usually seen until 6 months after, so he wanted me to get clarity on how long my IVF funding lasts, so we can optimize my husbands results.
He told us some horror stories that some peoples IVF funding gets cancelled if they have a miscarriage, but I don't think that's the case with ours. I called our clinic & they just said to get a letter from him and then it should be ok.

I'm a bit frustrated that we've had to get the private tests to confirm this and I'm not getting any younger 😖

But, he didn’t rule out conceiving naturally though, so that’s good 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Gracie2021 congrats on being PUPO 💛💛💛 I really hope it sticks Xx

@JeanieJ that's such brilliant news but so frustrating at the same time. They do all this testing on us and ignore the men completely. Sounds like ye're on the right track now and fingers crossed all stays well with your funding. Hope your OH is doing well too, every additional diagnosis kind of hits the heart a bit even when it means we know to treat them. Hope you're both doing ok. 🎉

Thanks @beckyCarlos @JeanieJ Feeling fine but tbh I'm afraid of catching Covid for the first while even if it sticks. We're probably overly conservative but going to try stick close to home as much as possible for the next few weeks.

@Gracie2021 we've got our follow up now, it's august 23rd. Countdown to that and then until the next, and final, NHS transfer. All feels very daunting tbh, to be likely moving to private soon. I've been worrying about it a lot. Lovely blast! Fingers crossed for that one x

@beckyCarlos yeah, it's very shit. I started crying in the car taking my husband to the station. I feel so lost, like I need to make changes or progress with my life instead of doing the same stuff on repeat. But I'm worried about private treatment draining away our savings, it's such an extra layer of stress we don't need. I might get the house valued, maybe that will make me feel more in control. Or look for a fully remote job, but they seem to be few and far between, ones where you are not expected in the office at all unless you want to/for training.

The other way of testing is an invasive biopsy so I plumped for this option! The stupid thing was I wasn't sure if my period would properly start, so I knew I had to catch what was there but it took ages to do, one droplet at a time

@99pctpractice Oh yeah, same here. You can't help but think it might be you, this might be it and you can move on with your life. It works for others, so why not us? And yer here we are!

Does anyone here know about the vaginal PH testing? I'm having my regular irritation which I put down to mild thrush caused by hormones. I'm testing with the kit and it's coming back fairly normal, at 5.0, but the internet is telling me that does not indicate thrush. So now I'm confused and need to read more.

@JeanieJ glad your appointment went well, it's definitely worth looking into the issues before you go ahead with ivf!

I've also just booked a GP appointment for Aug 24 to ask for tests around this thrush issue and will ask for thrombophilia tests too.

Thanks @Gracie2021 @thislittlebird . I have mixed feelings because I'm so impatient, but I know it's the right thing to do.

Only thing I'm mildly annoyed at Dr Ramsay for saying is that no amount of diet & exercise will make an impact when the varicocele is the problem. I've been really battling with my husband to eat more fresh veg for months & now he has ammo! 😂
(He's super slim & is fit, but he eats so much sugar 🙄)

@thislittlebird I hear ya on feeling lost. I really feel like my career is taking a back seat & I've haven't got a baby to show for it. I'd like to make some changes to make my world feel less all consuming fertility. I think starting small is a good place, so it's not overwhelming.

I found this particular episode of BFN quite helpful open.spotify.com/episode/3YK02k8uki3Tw1up1m2n1R?si=w3tUbXhqQWeoaHCNVSEzJw

X

@JeanieJ I'm so disappointed in my career tbh, if I can call it that now, it's really just a job with little chance to progress at this point. I should have left two years ago but all this infertility crap has kept me here. On the plus side it's chilled and I have no pressure or stress like in old jobs.

That's annoying and i've heard people say he's said that before, when they want their DH to do more. On that topic, me and DH need to get back on all the (expensive) supplements again really, with a second cycle likely to be happening in the autumn.

On the topic of podcasts, I found this one fascinating, on the future of IVF, including at home scans😯:
open.spotify.com/episode/6PASrSC0D0ykf9iD4GRSvS?si=619ca1b4039e4c8d

@jeaniej progress! Yes! What a waiting time to see good reuslts though, and so frustrating you've had to do it all yourself, also lol at your husband and diet and the Drs 'advice' it might not help but it wont hurt will it. Constant battle with my partner to get him to eat better 🙄🤣

@thislittlebird anyrhing you can do to make yourself feel more incontrol! LOL I'm sorry to laugh but I can 100% see me doing the same thing. Was there a 'minumum sample size'?! About going private, apart from the cost, in my limited experience, everything happens really flipping quickly! The clinic have called me more in the last two weeks than the entire time I've been with them (it was always me calling them as an NHS patient), appointments I'd normally wait a month for were the following week, and we could do another round immediately. We weren't expecting it, and it was a bit overwhelming...I guess I'm saying go in having your own time frame in mind when you go into it all 😊

@gracie2021 totally understandable, back in March covid was being quite quiet here, it certainly is not now!

@beckyCarlos thanks 🙂.
Yeah it does suck about the waiting time though.

@Gracie2021 OH feels kinda shit about the diagnosis, but he's bottling it as usual 🙄

Dr Ramsay did say that ICSI is a good option for us with our current results and it might work, but that we could do much better, so that's why we need to pursue stuff with OH. He said that it also gives us a better chance of reducing our risk of miscarriage.
I guess that's what's making my OH feel so crap, as it attributes our loss to male factor instead of just one of those things that are unexplained 🤷🏻
xx

My drugs have arrived today! I have refrigerated items! I also have progesterone 'capsules' that come with an applicator :s sure...on the NHS you have to stick your fingers in, but privately I get an applicator 🙄 not sure if anyone has had ovaleap, but the pen is intimidating! I'm going to need a good hour or so reading the instructions!

@beckyCarlos yey for meds! I got mine last week too and some in the fridge. Haha an applicator? What a luxury! Are you pretty much ready to start now?

@JeanieJ that's massive progress, but really annoying about the wait, but if that's what's needed, it's a good step in the right direction.

@thislittlebird I hear you about career progression. I'm also stuck in this job with no progress. I have been offered better positions elsewhere, but have had to turn those down due to uncertainty with TTC/IVF. Feel like life has had to go on hold for a bit, but hope it's all worth it in the end.

No update from me, just waiting for CD1 and see if they can fit me in next cycle.

@beckyCarlos have to laugh at the applicator when private 😂😂🙈🙈 glad things are moving so quickly for you. It's all private here because we're the only country in Europe that has no funded fertility treatments so the benefit is things move quickly but the downside is 💰

@JeanieJ I was thinking it would be hard on him. All our troubles appear to be related to me and I struggle with that sometimes too. Glad ye have so many options though! Although the wait must be frustrating too.

@thislittlebird hate that you're caught in this limbo position with your job as I know it has to be making everything so much harder. Fecking infertility limbo. Glad you have your app though and hopefully be ready to go soon and double the chance with two embryos in September. Completely get the financial anxiety of starting to think about private. We've sunk an incredibly big amount of money into this already and it definitely adds so much unwarranted stress. A couple of bad financial hits the last couple weeks haven't helped to take pressure off for this FET working. Really hope all works out for you next month and you don't even have to go there! Are you looking for any protocol changes for the next time?

3dpt5dt today and tested, still blank as expected. Massively painful cramps yesterday evening but think it's just progesterone. All quiet and no symptoms so far today. Having a negative day where I'm expecting worst outcomes but one day at a time and letting myself feel whatever I'm feeling. Doing some pet sitting for family this week which is helping distract.

Yay for meds @Tinkerbell098. When do you find out if they can fit you in on the next round? Fingers crossed not long.

@Gracie2021 I intend to test daily on my next IVF cycle... waiting until 11dptdt was hellish, esp. As I'd started bleeding!

@Tinkerbell098 @beckyCarlos yey for meds! I am in on the Oct schedule, so need to call my clinic on my next CD1 (which will be in about 2 weeks) then nothing for 21 days so I can start Norethisterone to induce a bleed at the end of Sept... and then I will start my stims. Hopefully!

@Kay00 was just thinking of you the other day but didn't want to pop your name on asking in case you were having a social media/mumsnet break. So glad to hear from you and that you're on track for October. Yeah I'm def an early tester. The issue is I'm now tempted to teat in yhe PM too which would be a step too far into insanity!

@gracie2021 oooh what pet? Send pet pics 🤣

Ooh @kay00 I'll be just in front of you I think! Im due on next week!

@tillybabs yes, start provera ('posh' progesterone tablets) on day 16(?) Of next cycle to control a bleed at start of Sept! (I'm now refering to all new drugs as 'posh' drugs 🤣 speaking of which I've got some fyrmaderl (spelling) which comes PRE MADE, i dont even have to draw anything up, just take the cap off the needle and stick it in. What is this life, apart from fing expensive)

I have taken a bit of a step back, but I'm still checking in 😊

Hehe, I think I'm going to buy a load of frers and test daily. If its all negative then at least I won't be agonising over it, and if its positive then I might get to see a progression which would be amazing.

@Gracie2021 I should find out end of next week. So ready to start now!

Damn @beckyCarlos I can't believe they gave you an applicator!!! That's brilliant. I was looking but could not find one on Amazon or anywhere!!

Wow @JeanieJ that's a lot for you and your oh to process. Great that you hopefully now have a solution though!! Would the procedure be available on the nhs? I can understand you might want to get it privately anyway given nhs waiting times + the recovery time, but that is not cheap. Also super annoying that the doc didn't support you in cheerleading a healthy diet!!!

@thislittlebird it's so rubbish that you feel like you're stuck in limbo in your current job. Hopefully you will get to really milk their maternity benefits 🤞🤞🤞 and then you can leave and go find something you really want to do!

@Gracie2021 still too early to worry that it's white - the anxiety is so hard, glad you're finding lots of distractions to get you through it.

I'm playing the waiting game - once my next cycle appears i get to start the next round. Torn between holding out hope that I might be pregnant (highly unlikely, but we still hope, right!) and wishing that my period would come quickly so we can get started!!!! We're meant to be going to Oxford for the weekend with my oh's parents so if it arrives today then we're going to have some difficult explaining to do why I'm not going because I'll have to stay in London for morning blood tests...

@99pctpractice we always live in hope and tbh there are those people among us who get that wonderful surprise so wht harm in wishing! Hope it doesn't middle up your nice Oxford weekend timing wise. Do you think it's on the way?

Fingers crossed you hear soon @Tinkerbell098 always good when you can start planning!

Well it's just lovely to see you pop up anyway @Kay00 and dip in and out as suits you best.

Even though blanks again this morning at 4dp5dt, still feel better today than yesterday as I have some symptoms again. Cramping and really watery discharge (sorry for the TmI). Tbh I'll take anything other than feeling like nothings happening even though I know logically you can have no symptoms and a positive and every symptom under the sun and a negative. Extreme fatigue every evening but I had that before transfer so know it's definitely just the progesterone.