TTC for those taking longer than average ✨

[YaWeeFurryBastard]

I just wanted to start a thread for those who’ve been trying for a little while (or a long while) and it doesn’t seem to be happening. It’s great seeing all the positives on the TTC threads but I’m starting to find it a little disheartening as it seems to be happening quickly for almost everyone but me! Statistics seem to vary but suggest between 60-70% of couples get pregnant within three months. We’ll be heading into cycle 5 shortly TTC our first, both in our early 30s.

Is anyone else in a similar situation?

@YaWeeFurryBastard thank you! Will definitely look at those for my next cycle. Yes exactly want to make sure I've tried everything before I head to the GP about it all .. fingers crossed

@VolvoFan so sorry to hear that but I feel you on the hurt of all the pregnancy announcement others have made. A few months ago my younger sister announced her pregnancy (me knowing I started trying long before her as it only took her two months) and it was like a punch in the stomach for sure and of course AF had showed up earlier that day for me too. I am of course very happy for her too and over it now but it's hard when you first find out. I hope you have some luck soon and manage to concieve. I have my finger scrossed for you. For us all.

@VolvoFan I'm so sorry to hear that, it's just awful.

@YaWeeFurryBastard in terms of supplements I'm currently taking Pregnacare (though thinking of switching back to seven seas - the pills are smaller)

I've added over time:

• CoQ10 600mg for egg quality
• omega 3/ DHA (can't remember dose) because it's meant to help balance hormones/ help implantation and I don't eat any food that contains it. Studies have shown it increases likelyhood of pregnancy for some reason.
• Magnesium as it's meant to help relax fallopian tubes - I have one tube and one much better ovary and they're on opposite sides, so hoping it'll help the tube move over. I'm using a spray with lavender in it before bed so also relaxing.
• vitamin C in the hopes of extending luteal phase- it hasn't made a difference but it has stopped me getting bad colds so I'm still sticking with it.
• the last few days I've also added vitamin D. The two times I've fallen pregnant have been during heatwaves - might be coincidence, might be because I wasn't wearing much in sunny weather and absorbing all the vitamin D.

@Confusedddddddd can I ask which brand of Coq10 you are on ? We were using ubiquinol since November 23 but stopped this month when the last pack ran out.

Another BFN this morning at what Premom says is 12dpo but I think I'm actually 10dpo. I feel incredibly hollow and sad , I used a boots early detection and can't help but think they can't be wrong.

Hi ladies, please can I join?

TTC #2 for about 9 or 10 cycles now (I’ve lost count and my cycles are longer than average so feels like a bloody long time).

I’d read the thread and wasn’t going to join in the hope that I’ll get a BFP this month, but I don’t know who I’m trying to kid 😂. Currently 2dpo, so the countdown to an inevitable BFN is on.

So sorry to read about all the losses and struggles to conceive. Nice to have this thread as the TTC journey can be a very lonely place at times.

Hoping you all get your BFP’s xxx

@Marie1990x welcome to the club nobody wants to be in 💐.

My period is due today and I had a moment this morning when I woke up and it hadn’t arrived and I thought “this is it!! How embarrassing I’m going to have to leave my own thread”. Needless to say another BFN, the whitest of start white tests 😂. ARGHHHHHH.

Thanks everyone that recommended the vitamins, definitely going to look at magnesium and omega 3 as I’m convinced there’s a problem with my fallopian tubes, I’m thinking of paying for a hycosy if anyone’s had one? They’re pretty pricey though!! I’m having some private bloods done on Friday, the usual day 3 hormone tests assuming my period comes today/tomorrow.

For those asking about vitamins, I'm about to start IVF and have been told to take:

• 200mg CoQ10 three times a day (or 300mg twice a day)
• 2000 units of Vitamin D (I take Boots high strength twice a day)
• Folic acid

Obviously there might be other things that would help with different issues, but I remember ending up down lots of rabbit holes about what vitamins to take, so hopefully the above might be useful x

I'm taking the below suppliments:

1. COQ10 - 200mg per day. I'm sensitive to some suppliments so worried about taking higher doses. Going to increase to 300mg next cycle.
2. Folic acid
3. Vitamin D

I'm also thinking of adding in Omega 3. Can someone advise how much we should be taking?

Not sure about Omega 3 supplements @Catillac but another recommendation I've had from my consultant is to focus on high protein low carb, so lots of fish, lean meat etc. I'm having a lot of salmon, tuna nuts etc which are high in Omega 3.

@Birdisland Thank you, sadly I would find that very difficult as I hate all fish and meat except chicken. Not vegetarian or anything, I just dislike most meats and fish. I do like nuts and eat eggs regularly though. Not sure waht else I can eat to boost protein intake. I also love my pasta and rice too much. I do have the wholegrain, brown versions of those though.

@Favofit I'm taking one of each of these. I accidentally bought ubiquinone to start with, and then bought ubiquinol. It's expensive and don't want to waste it so just doing half and half.
There's studies that say ubiquinol is better for old men, but then I've also read that a lot of ubiquinol has already oxidised into ubiquinone by the time you buy it and that your body is good at converting between the two.

@Catillac this is the omega 3 I'm taking. I've had nasty reactions to eating fish in childhood and some of my family members are allergic. I don't think I am but I'm generally grossed out by fish, so taking algae oil instead.

@YaWeeFurryBastard I had a Hycosy last week. It was a package with amh, sperm test, scan and consultant. It was worth it to stop worrying my remaining tube is blocked, though I was hoping for a reason we're not getting pregnant. Tube is open, I have small cysts that I already knew about, a heart shaped uterus (that I didn't know), slightly thicker lining than they expect but not an issue , sperm normal, amh and afc normal for my age (ie low for someone in their 20's, but normal for a 38yo). Consultant didn't really give any advice other than keep trying naturally, and in 6-8 months review and decide if we want to do IVF.

The Hycosy itself wasn't anymore painful for me than a normal internal scan.

Thanks that’s really helpful, do you mind sharing where you had this? Was it really expensive?

Thanks To everyone for all of this amazing information.
Thanks @YaWeeFurryBastard for making this thread. It’s great to have a place for us! I never fit in on the usual threads here but also don’t fit in infertility boards.
Why is the CoQ10 useful? I’ve heard it mentioned a lot.
@Confusedddddddd thanks for the info about your investigations. I think that would be useful as I find is stressful not knowing what’s going on in my body.
After my miscarriage my GP did a load of bloods for me. FBC, iron studies, folate, CRP, LFTs,U&Es, thyroid and glucose and every single one was perfect 😮 Getting normal results is great but doesn’t give you answers.

@Shortcake06 no problem at all! I’m finding it so helpful to have a space to discuss/vent without it being interspersed by “first time trying 9DPO is this positive?!” posts. No hate to those posters and great for them it’s worked so quickly, but it’s bloody hard when you’re not one of the lucky ones that gets pregnant at the drop of a hat.

Second this 🙌🏼

Hello 👋🏻

I’m on cycle 23. I’ve had quite a few chemicals but nothing past about 4.5 weeks. Due to BMI I’m not eligible for any testing on NHS so I’ve had Hertility tests done which were all in the normal range. Husband had sperm analysis done on NHS, first test came back with low motility and morphology, a repeat test 3 months later all came back normal. However I’ve still banned him from his beloved daily bath and got him to start taking Proceed supplements.

I’ve been taking ubiqinol, omega 3 and Proceive max for the last year and macca root for the last 3 months. I also had a private fertility scan but didn’t find anything other than an external fibroid which the doctor wasn’t concerned about. However I do have a thick lining which the doctor gave me a referral to get checked out on the NHS (still waiting for an appointment) as my periods are only a 2/3 days long.

I do ovulate each month confirmed by POAS and BBT and we DTD every 2nd day during the fertile window.

I turned 40 last month and it really does feel like it’s not going to happen for us. With the low success rates of IVF at my age I don’t think it’s avenue we will go down. TTC is so lonely and all consuming, everything else in life just seems to be on hold and I feel like I’m just coasting at work.

Sorry didn’t mean for this to be so long. I guess always wanting and assuming I’d be a mother I just never expected to be in this position.

Hi @Lifegivesyoulimes and sorry you’re in this shitty club. I think it must be even more frustrating when all the tests are “normal”, all ours are normal so far and I have a suspicion this is going to be the case for us too.

I totally get the life on hold/coasting at work thing too, it’s exactly the same for me 💐

@Lifegivesyoulimes We’ll it looks like everything is just fine but there’s obviously something missing if you can’t get past 4.5 weeks. I’m no expert so I have no idea what causes repeated chemicals. It may be your age that’s causing it, maybe your body knows it can grow a full term baby. Still there’s lots and lots of women pregnant at your age, my mum’s friend got accidentally pregnant at 42.

@Lifegivesyoulimes apologies if you’ve already done this but can you check your local area guidance on fertility investigations? I think IVF is usually ruled out due to BMI but most trusts will still do investigations. If your GP has told you this sometimes they get confused or just plain don’t have a clue.

I am also overweight (BMI 31) and desperately trying to lose it but also not crash diet and hamper our chances. It’s bloody hard!!

@Lifegivesyoulimes out of interest have you had your progesterone tested?
I've also got a thick uterine lining (only slightly thicker) but I've read that it can be caused by too much estrogen and not enough progesterone.

I'm planning on properly testing progesterone this month with a 'send off to a lab' kit. When I asked my fertility consultant they weren't concerned by the thick lining, and when I asked about testing hormones they just said "if your periods are regular, your hormones are fine".

I haven't been trying for as long as you but I suspect I have an issue with implantation. This time around I haven't had a proper positive hcg test, but I've had 4 times in 11 cycles tests that have turned positive after the 10 mins one after the other and subsequent ones have gotten darker then lighter and I'm wondering if they are actually v v v v v early chemicals.

@YaWeeFurryBastard & @Lifegivesyoulimes same here. Trying to loose the extra weight the right way this time rather than crash dieting. It's a slow process i guess. I worry sometimes that its one of the reasons things aren't happening how they should 😔