One year+ TTC part 3

[BritInNZ]

Hey ladies - new thread here we come! Changed it from 9 months+ seeing as we're pretty much all over a year of TTC now (boo!)

Feel free to add anyone else I may have forgotten 😊

@Carla2601
@lemons44
@LucyAnne34
@NatW2021
@Indianna2006
@KatieLooLa
@Hoping43
@Flyonthewall89

Newbies welcome too! Just a bunch of lovely ladies going through a tough time TTC and having a good old time venting and supporting one another 😊

@BritInNZ @FlyOnTheWall89 the cost is extortionate! We got some help from in laws but also paid for some ourselves and even the bit we paid for was so much and it does seem really unfair. The one thing I would say is when it works you just forget.

completely agree re trying to get to the bottom of the problem first wherever you can (not always possible I know). I firmly believe ours went so well because we knew exactly what we were addressing (and to be honest I now think IUI would probably have been enough but I try not to think about that haha). @BritInNZ do you have a follow up about your mid cycle spotting? So hoping they can just get you an answer.

Hi everyone, just echoing what you girls have already said. I also first joined this thread back in Oct/Nov so I have really lost count as to what month we are on. I think about 16-18 now and it's so disheartening. My BBT has done a nose dive today, so just awaiting AF any minute now. We are also already thinking of how to finance the second round of IVF. We have been told as I am unexplained, the first round is going to be bog-standard protocol as they don't know what's wrong, so it's going to be a bit of a trial run. So already not having too much hope on the first round. The waiting game is just endless I feel. Let's get through this together X

@BritInNZ - sorry to hear about your PMS symptoms - i would tell you to keep positive but i know what it's like when you know your body and usual symptoms its then the dreaded wait for AF which feels like forever, its the worst bit. I have really enjoyed the last week as i actually felt normal/happy but its ovulation day today so i know ill be on a downward slope with my mood! I normally ovulate day 12 but was cd10 yday and normally do an opk - thought it would be faint and it was peak so it was good job i checked - now im worrying cd11 is too early to ovulate!

Least you have a lovely holiday to look forward too! I am also going to Crete in 4 1/2 weeks can't wait.

@Tinkerbell098 - BBT can be the worst i am just going to confirm ovulation this cycle then stop as i find it rather depressing.

I hear everyone on IVF funding - my mum asked me the other day if i would just go for it but i just don't feel ready as i still haven't been through all the tests yet, i think I'm going to get all what i can done then decide as i don't want to. Waste vital fertile years hanging round as I'm 34 1/2 now, i too don't want to spend all my savings but god knows how long NHS will take and if ill ever lose the weight required as its so hard!

@NatW2021 im 35 so I hear you and NHS does seem quite quick atm in lots of areas so hopefully won’t be too long but 100% agree on the getting as close to a diagnosis as possible to help.

@Tinkerbell098 they’d done almost no tests on me so said the exact same because weirdly of course whilst we knew about my OH we didn’t know if i was fine or no (just the day 3 and 21 tests) but it worked great so don’t lose heart on that 🤞🤞🤞

@Carla2601 thanks for the positivity yet again :) what day is your scan this week? would it be the end of the horrible pessaries after this week?

@NatW2021 I know, I told myself I won't track BBT again after last cycle, but here I am! It also puts me out of my misery in a way, rather than keeping hope for the rest of the day. Now, it's more like I know it's coming, so get here already! I don't really get any pre AF symptoms, so no way of knowing otherwise. Like Carla said, I've heard that NHS has cleared a lot of the backlog and have mostly caught up now, so wait times should be considerably less compared to last year. Good luck with the rest of the tests. Have they already ordered these? Sorry you may have mentioned, but my memory is awful.

The NHS have been really quick and tbh @NatW2021 I'd get going with the whole process because once you have your funding in place, you can then choose to push it for a while. You just have to use the funding within a year. There are various things that need doing just because it's protocol and these can be a few weeks apart at a time. It all happened to fast for me and when I was given my long protocol at the beginning of March, we were not ready to give up, so we just said so. They said when we are ready, we should just call and make an Nurse Consultation app. Hope that helps!

@Carla2601 @FlyOnTheWall89 @Tinkerbell098 - Thanks ladies, reassuring to hear it moves quickly through the NHS - the only sticking point is my weight i need to lose 3 stone and as someone who struggles it feels like a huge mountain to climb hence thinking of going private but i at least need to try to lose it first and try to avoid the easier option of going private as some have less restrictions and are not as restrictive as NHS.

@Tinkerbell098 - i have just had blood tests through GP and then some initial tests at fertility clinic - AMH/ultra sound but i am still waiting for follow up appointment to find out what the results are, the sonographer mentioned something about adanomyosis which i googled and scared myself to death but i just have wait to find out what the consultant has to say - its been 6 weeks now and no follow up yet. Also havent had a hycosy done yet x

Hi all
Just thought I’d let you know that I had my private consultation and scan and I’m pleased to report I don’t have Asherman’s Syndrome! I’m cycle day 9 and my lining is 6.6 so all good there! I have one big follicle on one ovary but a ‘polycystic pattern’ on the other. He didn’t seem too concerned about it because my periods tend to be fairly regular and my bloods all came back normal (attaching my day 3s for those who were interested for comparison.)
My husband also went to the GP today and they’re happy to do his SA so he’s looking forward to that 🤥
So … I guess we just keep going 🤷🏻‍♀️
Anyone else have a ‘polycystic pattern’ on either of their ovaries? Thinking of getting the Ovucore so that I can track my cycles more closely (tracking BBT messes too much with my sleep.)
Hope everyone’s had a happy Monday ! 🥰

@FlyOnTheWall89 I have no idea, I don't know too much about IVF. I guess after these 6 months are up my fertility doctor will talk me through it all and the various costs etc. Oh I HATE the unexplained diagnosis. I wish I knew what was wrong. I don't think there's much more they can investigate unless I have a laparoscopy, so I'm kind of at a dead end. Ever since I was diagnosed with it, I see so many people also have the same diagnosis and it doesn't end well - seems like everyone ends up down the IVF route which is really disheartening.

@Hoping43 sorry to hear you're in the same boat. Yes I don't think OI is recommended in the UK if you ovulate. Not sure why it's so different here!

@Carla2601 I followed up with the clinic yesterday as I have literally heard NOTHING from my doctor. I was like do I at least get a debrief on how things went and our plan moving forward?! I guess that would be the opportunity to ask about spotting, but nobody seems interested in the slightest?!

@NatW2021 I find the last week before AF the worst, it really sucks. Sorry to hear about BBT too, that's disappointing. Hope you're okay. I gave up BBT after 3 months - I pinpointed ovulation and that was it. I think that's better than obsessing over it throughout your cycle, but that's just me.

@BritInNZ I’m really interested to see if it works for you. I know of someone else recently who got pregnant after taking letrozole and she ovulates naturally. I’m debating whether to go private and try it but I don’t know. I don’t think the evidence for it is overwhelming brilliant if you already ovulate. But do I ovulate? I’ve had one day 21 test that showed I do but it obviously doesn’t mean I do everything month. It’s just all so unknown and confusing x

@Hoping43 yes to be honest I haven't read much about great success with letrozole when you ovulate already. But obviously hearing about your friend is a bit of a pick me up! If you have other options available I'd say it's best to progress with those. If we had $20k sat there ready to go I'd probably not do this and just got straight to IVF. It's more of a filler and last resort - obviously would be great if it works but I have zero expectations that it will.

@BritInNZ well we are in a similar position in that we have to pay. So we’ve been told at least £5k per round of IVF and a 30% chance of success. They said it often takes 3 rounds. And I feel guilty for spending the money when we could be spending it on the children we have already. Everything is so hard no matter your situation isn’t it. How old are you? X

@Hoping43 hmmm yes, I guess it depends how old you are and how much time you have to play with? If you're a bit older and don't want to waste time, maybe letrozole wouldn't be worth it. I'm 29, turning 30 soon, so I guess we have a bit more wiggle room with time. Although it's kind of frustrating when people say 'you're still young' because it doesn't feel that way when you want more than one child and the first is taking this long!

@BritInNZ I'm with you on the age thing. 33 over here 😢.

@Hoping43 you could temp for a few months? I found it very obviously showed a pattern so I definitely ovulate even though I get no pain or feeling anymore which I used to a few years ago. (But I do EWCM).

@Koalie glad your worries have been eased. Let's see what the SA returns, but if you got pregnant immediately, it is surely likely to be fine and could just take a bit longer

@FlyOnTheWall89 on the wall thanks. It’s hard to know isn’t it. Sometimes I think it’s better just to give up all the OPKs etc and forget about it and other times I think about doing more.

im 35 but they’ve told me fertility doesn’t just drop off a cliff and my AMH will be stable for around a year

@Koalie good to hear that you don’t have ashermans syndrome. Bet that was a weight off your mind. Just keep at it I guess. 🤞🏼

@Tinkerbell098 sorry about the BBT drop 😞 I hate that. I almost think it’s good to know as you obsess less and expectation are different. But there is a level of not knowing which is nice. But equally depends what type of personality you are. I’m more of have to know as like to be sure person?

cos nothing sucks more than thinking oh shit we missed the window when only get that one chance a month!

@BritInNZ I’ve always thought taking stuff like letrozole sometimes can make pregnancy more likely even if you ovulate just because of like a boost. Like your hormones maybe surge more. Like after miscarriage or pregnancy. Or coming off the pill your hormones surge a bit more than usual as like to kick start it as they haven’t been doing it. So then I think that’s sometimes what that little fertile boost is?!

i certainly know this mc cycle my opks surged for 3/4 days. Usually it’s up and gone in a day. An therefore is that that boost. Who knows. But the cycle I got pregnant on 5 years ago first time I had a 3 day surge. Coincidence or not 🤷🏻‍♀️

I am now officially in 2ww again I think. We go on holiday next week though. So will pack some tests and just see if AF arrives. Which I expect it to. bang in middle of holiday ffs 😂🤦🏻‍♀️

Quick post scan update….all looking good. They gave me a really low risk of any chromosomal abnormalities (1 in 6600) so I couldn’t have asked for better.

hope everyone’s having good weeks so far x

@Carla2601 wow so exciting - yay yay ! You must be so happy and excited. X

@Carla2601 ps does this mean the pessaries stop?!? Are you feeling okay? X

@FlyOnTheWall89 i really am (didn’t want to write too much as very much not the purpose of this thread I know that). Haha I stopped last night actually because I was in too much pain and I figured half a day couldn’t hurt, I’m glad I did because they had me at 12 + 4 so I’ve jumped ahead a few days ❤️❤️❤️

@Carla2601 amazing news! Don’t be afraid to shout from the rooftops here .. so pleased for you! X

@Carla2601 - amazing news, so pleased everything us going well. Have you told family and friends yet? X

@Indianna2006 not sure it works that way but would be amazing if it did 😂 AF due this weekend and I'm definitely not hopeful. I've actually had extra PMS symptoms this month - soooo thirsty ALL the time and sweats too (even though we're in the depths of winter here). So I actually hope AF hurries up so I can stop drowning myself with water haha.

@Carla2601 great news! So pleased for you. As @NatW2021 said, does this mean you're telling family now?!

@Koalie that’s lovely thank you!

@NatW2021 @BritInNZ Yep we’ve told most people now I think - just work to go 😬😬😬

sorry about your symptoms that sounds horrid!! Hope they pass soon!