Saw the GP today...

[Got2besoon]

Well after 16 months of ttc number 2 and one mmc at the start, I finally bit the bullet and saw the GP this morning.

She was lovely and she's going to order some bloods and a sperm analysis for DH. She also took a swab today (for Chlamydia I think).

I'm sad that I'm at this point and a little angry too. I thought my DS would have a sibling by now and I just want this fertility journey to be over. Definitely grateful to have DS but fearful no more will come.

Is anyone else at a similar stage in their fertility journey?

@Got2besoon I hope two days before is good too as -3, -2 and O day is what I managed this cycle 😂

@TheBirdintheCave Sounds good!

As this was our 1st Clomid cycle I forced 'poor' DH to DTD lots .
We managed O-4, O-2, O-1 and O. After that he shut up shop!

The funny thing is, you see SO many thread of ladies who DTD once at any old day, and they fall pregnant so who knows...

I literally just saw a thread of a woman who DTD a day or two after ovulation (she wasn't sure when she ovulated) and was asking if she could fall pregnant. She then updated to say she was pregnant. She wasn't even trying! Aaaah!

@Got2besoon Augh threads like that are so irritating 😂 Like HOW?? Give me some of your fertile magic.

I really hope the Clomid works for you :D Sounds like you're well covered for this cycle!

@Got2besoon the appointment went well thank you. I got my clomid prescription and he took a blood test to check my amh levels to make sure that the previous test was right. He said he was surprised they were so low because my ovaries look the right size on the scan he did - which I didn't realise was a thing. But he went through each ovary, showed me which one I ovulated from etc which was all really interesting and make me feel better about everything because he said there was no sign of any issue.

I have to take clomid day 2-5 and then go back for follicle scanning on day 11 to see how close to ovulation I am. He told me to stop wasting money on supplements/vitamins and to take opks and temping with a pinch of salt because its not accurate for everyone.

In terms of temping I could never do it reliably until I got the ovucore sensor. You wear it internally overnight and download the data in the morning so even after disrupted sleep it works.

8dpo today and in my infinite wisdom I decided to test despite promising myself I wouldn't test early this month. BFN!

Interesting to hear that some of you have been prescribed Clomid despite ovulating. Can I ask why? I've got no experience of it so I thought it was only given for conditions that cause limited/no ovulation. Curious to see whether it might be an option my IVF clinic could suggest at our appointment next week.

The consultant I saw said he uses it as a first step before any other fertility intervention regardless of whether the woman is ovulating and that it just super charges ovulation, giving a better chance of conception. I need to do a bit of research but according to him there are little or no side effects and it has been around a long time so he always starts there. I'm not sure how long he would want someone to be trying but I've been trying 6/7 months and he deemed that enough to start a fertility plan which begins with clomid.

@TheBirdintheCave if they don't suggest it it's definitely worth mentioning. I've heard of people who have taken it as prep for IVF then got pregnant naturally. I guess it varies by person and may not work for everyone but could be worth a go given it's just a few tablets

@Jigglemonster Ok great to know, thanks for the info! We're on cycle 13 TTC number 2 but with two missed miscarriages last year so maybe it might be an option before going to IVF :)

@TheBirdintheCave My consultant said Clomid is worth trying as it gives the sperm more "targets" to hit.

It's cheap and minimal side effects so I'm all for it! I think it can thin the endometrial lining which is why they recommend no more than 6 months in a row.

@Jigglemonster It's great all looked well. I found it interesting when my consultant asked for my AMH level and then said "Yes, that's around what I'd expect from seeing your ovaries". My level is average for a 36/37 year old (I'm almost 33).

I'm sorry about the BFN but you're definitely still in! My BFP with DS1 was a proper squinter on a FRER at 10dpo xx

Hello- how are you all? I’ve got so much to catch up on.

@Got2besoon I really hope that you get a good result with the clomifene this month. Interesting to hear about others being given clomifene even if ovulating. Good luck @Jigglemonster with yours

I did my exam yesterday- didn’t go very well and I won’t get the results for a while yet but nothing I can do now. We didn’t really try this cycle and I’ve had some spotting yesterday and today which is very early for me as I’m only CD21 today but not unheard of. We are going to start contacting a clinic next week and get back to TTC. I’m hopeful they will offer me some clomifene from what you’ve all said.

@Keeptrying32 Oh, I'm sorry you weren't happy with how the exam went 😞 Remember, if you found it difficult, it's likely everyone else did too!

I've had a few random cycles where I've spotted early but not recently. I haven't changed anything so I've no idea why that is.

I have a little theory that my left ovary is a bit of a dud as it never gives me ovulation pains and I know my DS and miscarriage were from my right ovary (confirmed on ultrasound). I also know my follicles are on my right this time.

The months it is my left ovary ovulating are often the months I have a short luteal phase and spotting.

@Got2besoon that is an intriguing theory! I hope this is your month. Go, right ovary! Do your thing

@Keeptrying32 sorry to hear about the exam, but you never really can tell how they have gone. Hoping it's a positive result for you.

I am keen to try clomid now! I waited on my blood tests because of the blimmin shingles. I haven't heard from the hospital about when my ultrasound is planned for, do you think I should try and follow up? It's been just under two weeks since the gp referred me.

Actually just over two weeks since referral!

@Keeptrying32 Pahaha, I'm having mental images of tiny cheerleaders excitedly cheering our ovaries on.

"Release that egg. Give me a surprise.

Fertilise, Fertilise, Fert-il-ise" !

I had about a 2 month wait between my GP appointment and getting my scan appointment.
I would usually have rang about it after a few weeks of waiting, but because I'd already had my private scan, I wasn't too pushed.
I had half forgotten about it when the letter came in the door.

Ugh, sorry, wrong tag below. That message was aimed at @oliveroses. Xxx

@Got2besoon okay, thank you! I will calm down and wait then - or, more likely, see the private specialist first

Well, no idea if I've even ovulated at all now. Big temp drop today when I should be 3dpo according to previous temps. How irritating x__x

@TheBirdintheCave This is why I don't get on with temping! I'd get temperatures that wouldn't make much sense and then worry about them.

If you want to make sure you've ovulated, I think you can buy pee strips online called Proov to check for this. You use them 7-10 days after suspected ovulation.

Or you could do a 21 day Progesterone test. I did a few via Superdrug, but results were always equivocal (just below the threshold) which was frustrating to say the least.

@Got2besoon Fortunately I've got a scan at the IVF clinic on Monday so I can ask them if I've ovulated but good to know there are other options going forward as well :)

@TheBirdintheCave Oh perfect! Let us know!

@TheBirdintheCave that's good you have an appointment on Monday, you'll get a better idea.

@Got2besoon I did the superdrug ones too, the finger pin prick one? My consultant said they were less reliable than the venous ones and that's why he redid my amh test. Though the results came back yesterday and unfortunately were just as bad as the home test - 2.36 which is really low - basically normal for someone on the brink of menopause. Trying to stop googling it though. I think ttc with all the information we have now is particularly bad for certain personality types - obsessive ones like mine.

I'm continuing to test and have had a few vague lines/shadows on the cheapie one step ones but pretty sure they're indents. Waiting for my amazon delivery of a few frers. No matter how much I plan to not test early I get my hopes up every month

@Jigglemonster That's interesting about skin prick being less reliable. I'll keep that in mind.

My friend just lent me her It Starts With The Egg book (by Rebecca Fett) and it talks about improving egg quality and egg reserve. Mainly things like supplements, healthy eating, avoiding plastics and toxins... It's a lot to take in and I'm unconvinced as to the effect lifestyle changes would make but, who knows!

I've been an obsessive tester for most of my TTC journey, so I totally get it. It's like a compulsory. I really hope those lines are the start of something amazing for you 🙏

*a compulsion

@Jigglemonster Ooh let us know how you get on with the FRER! :D