3 years TTC

[Loz365]

In January we'll have been TTC our first for 3 years - anyone else been in the same boat and can share stories?

Sorry in advance about the length but to give the back story, I came off the pill in January 2021. My periods were super irregular and I was diagnosed with PCOS (ultrasound and irregular periods, bloods were normal) in October 2021 and referred to the fertility clinic.

First appointment with the fertility clinic was in Feb 2022 and I went on to have hycosy which found 1 patent tube and the other was 'inconclusive'. I then was given letrozole and had several cycles, eventually got a BFP in July 2022 but it sadly ended in MC at 6 weeks.

I went back on letrozole the next cycle but the MC really messed up my mental health and we had our wedding planned for September 2023 so in November 2022 decided to stop tracking/medication etc and just see what happened and give ourselves a break.

Obviously nothing happened but it was nice to focus on wedding planning instead of cycle tracking. In august this year we decided to start tracking again and we've still had no luck.

My cycles are more regular, but short 23-25 days and my LP is 8/9 days at best, some cycles it's only 7 days so clearly there's an issue there.

Ive tried every supplement under the sun, then stopped them all, SMEP, stopped drinking for nearly a year, my BMI is 19 and my bloods have always been fine.

I've tried contacting the fertility clinic again to find out if I can come back to them after a 12 month break or if I need to be referred by my GP again but every time I ring they have a message saying there is no one to take my call and to call back 😞😞
I actually have some letrozole left and I'm contemplating just taking it next cycle even if I can't contact anyone in the clinic. Is this unwise??

Throughout all this I've had lots of friends get pregnant. One got pregnant the first month after having her coil removed and her baby is now 1. My brother and his girlfriend have had 2 accidental pregnancies, they chose to terminate the 1st but continued with the 2nd and their baby is 1 in January. And today another friend, who has had no interest in having children, has announced she's accidentally pregnant having used natural cycles as contraception.

I guess I'm just having a real down day today and although I'm surrounded by friends and family I feel very alone.
All the tracking, planned sex and hospital appointments are just... meh.... but I want children so I know I just have to get on with it.

If you've made it this far, thank you 🥰 no idea what I'm expecting really but I just needed to reach out to others who might be in the same boat x

I've been there done that and honestly your stressing yourself out so much with the planned/timed sex etc. I get yourself bsck to your GP xx

It's shit. Sorry its taking you so long. I'd suggest going back to your doctor as well and perhaps getting a new referral.

DS took us three years. I had two ectopics before I got the appointment at the fertility clinic. We conceived him a month after my investigative laparoscopy when they cleared out my tubes.

He's nearly 7 now and we've been trying for a sibling since he was 1.5. We moved countries, so my medical records didn't get transferred and I think my gynaecologist initially thought I was just being impatient and dramatic.
We kept trying. I had two more ectopic pregnancies and had my left tube removed with the last one. (I'd had a HyCoSy between those two and there were no issues, apparently.)
We were eventually referred for IVF. It works differently here and we got an appointment quite quickly. We tried three rounds with own eggs and own sperm, which our insurance paid for until I turned 40. After that, we turned to a clinic in Prague and have had two rounds with donor eggs so far. Both have been unsuccessful.
At the moment, I'm in the TWW to see whether our third transfer in Prague has been successful.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I feel ya , we are on 5.5 years of ttc , 3 x MC and no explanation. Which I know I should be happy that there is nothing ‘wrong ‘ but also means there is no answers 🥴.
So we are now onto IVF which was something I never really wanted to do but if feels like our only hope atm . I have just started STIMS a feeling weird/sad/excited/anxious about the whole situation.
Friends around me popping babies out like Pringles at a party .

Thank you for your replies. I hadn't thought about going back to the GP but will definitely contact them.

And thank you for sharing your stories. I wouldn't wish fertility issues on anyone but it's a comfort to know you're not on your own.

@Busyhedgehog That sounds like an incredibly tough journey, keeping everything crossed for you that this round is the one 🤞🤞

@Maybelliney I regular switch between being 'pleased' that I have PCOS and therefore an explanation and then annoyed that I have it and it's causing all this stress and heartache.
I'm trying to remain hopeful that we'll be allowed a few more rounds of letrozole and one of them will be successful but also preparing myself for IVF. Not really sure how I feel about that right now.
I hope it all goes well for you ☺️ x

You will most likely need to fix the short LP as that’s not enough time for implantation to happen. I’m 17 months into ttc and my cycles are completely normal.

Hi @Loz365 it took me 4 years to fall pregnant so I feel your pain! It’s an awful feeling and very isolating. We had 2 failed rounds of ivf. It happened naturally in the end. I kept tracking ovulation and ensured we dtd during the fertile window every month. We also worked on my husband’s sperm as it wasn’t just me that was the issue.
Wishing you all the best 🙏

Thanks for all the replies, a little update for anyone that stumbles across this in future as I know it can be helpful! I finally managed to speak to the infertility clinic and they are happy for me to try letrozole again next cycle with the usual scans etc to monitor.
Feeling much more positive now we're finally getting somewhere and not having to start at the beginning again!

thanks for the update@Loz365 . How are you getting on now?

@carsty thanks for asking! I'm currently 5DPO on my 2nd cycle of letrozole.
Started with 7.5mg and I have 5 follicles so we had to abandon that (!!) I've now reduced to 5mg, 1st round I responded but didn't get pregnant. Crossing everything that this month might be the one!