TTC 8 months :(

[singleflower]

AF due tomorrow and I'm pretty pooped and sad that its been so long. I've been symptom spotting and oh well got bloods done at GP ('equivocal' it seems). Going to turn 33.

Just sad. Not even sure why I'm writing this out. Or what I expect replies to be but hope is funny I guess...

I'm sure you know this but up to a year is normal. have you tried all lifestyle changes you can?

@Peonies12 I do of course... its not a rational sadness is it though. I've walked myself through the logical steps of what can be wrong, and what I can do all the way to IVF etc.

Yeah, I guess depends what you mean by all, but been eating healthy, taking vitamins (folic, b complex, iron, vit d) and am fairly active.

I guess also 8 month TTC makes it seem like if i don't conceive in the next 4 months then I'm in uncharted territory where my fertility is definitely not normal.

It might not be you OP- could your partner get a sperm analysis? This is an easy non- invasive thing to do and he could make some simple changes with supplements etc if his count is low

I understand how difficult it is, we've been TTC for 18 months now. I wish I could go back to when it had been 8 months and really push the GP/gynae for tests. Worst case scenario you have more information than you do right now, so I feel like there's nothing to lose. Hang in there xx

But it could be that nothing is wrong? I know loads of couple who've taken longer than a year. Including some who had unsuccessful IVF but then got pregnant naturally. So much is chance.
I guess also giving up alcohol, giving up or reducing caffeine, reducing stress? For both of you. I wouldn't see a year as some arbitrary cut off point, as I said, it could be nothing is wrong but it's just taking longer. it's taken us 7/8 months each time, with a MC in first pregnancy.

Get your partner checked we tried for two years and it was my DH sperm motility which he was able to correct with lifestyle changes and supplements pretty quickly .

@Newnamesameoldlurker Thats a good suggestion, I'm going to bring it up next week.

@MademoiselleFrenglish Oh good luck to you too! I'm going to push the GP next week and see if we can talk through steps/results etc. I know the NHS is so overwhelmed so its easy for them to overlook results as well.

@Peonies12 Yes you're right. I barely drink now since moving out of London lol and not loads of stress. definitely can reduce caffeine! MC must be really hard! Just TTC feels so lonely so I can't even imagine how rough a MC must be x

@LizzeyBenett Thanks for the rec! Will do! What were the lifestyle changes for your partner?

@singleflower Thank you. I know there's the online fertility test (Hertility I think it's called), it's a bit pricey but I believe it's faster than doing it all on the NHS. I think they send you a kit and you take your own blood via finger prick and send it back. A Youtuber called Katie Snooks did a video on it recently and she filmed the entire process. Just a thought in case you wanted to get a jump on things but waiting times are too long.

@singleflower he cut out caffeine he drank huge amounts and he cut out alcohol and took specific supplements we also removed plastics so eating drinking out of plastics .

Watch below for supplements this video really helped us