TTC - First time home insemination

[libbyidk]

First time posting so bare with me.

We are in a same sex relationship, and I just thought i'd share our story so far to see if anyone else is going through the same or has any advice/tips for myself and my partner.

We first went to a private clinic, and payed hundreds for scans, blood tests, screening etc, only to be told my partner couldn't donate her eggs (we were counting on this as it lowers the price by about 3-4000 pounds!), we were then told we should try IUI at the clinic which would cost us about 2-3000 pounds. We went home after this appointment and had a chat, we decided to try home insemination first, and if it doesn't work after 2 times, we will then go back to the clinic, but I wasn't finding them very helpful, and they were quite rude to us!

We searched online for sperm banks and came across cryos in denmark. We researched all the legal complications and know all about it, and decided as so many people do try this, we were going to as well. We ordered our anonymous washed donor sperm (MOT20) 2 vials (all we could afford.)

It arrived on tuesday (it lasts for 7 days in a nitro tank), and I started using the clear blue dual hormone predictor kit. I also use a fertility app and have been vaguely monitoring my cervical mucas. I tested negative from monday (the start of my fertility window) until yesterday (friday) i went straight from negative to peak on the clear blue monitor! I researched this to make sure it was right and I saw that a lot of people go straight from low to peak, especially if they missed their surge (which i may have done). The app also said I was due to have peak fertility friday and saturday, so i'm confident in the test and we decided to inseminate one vial on friday at 6pm (8 hours after my positive result) and we inseminated again on sunday at 6am. Just before I had the insemination, I was getting pretty bad cramps and I think ovulation may have started, although i'm not 100%. I got some cramp after inseminating too.

Frozen sperm lives in the body for 12-24 hours (apparantly) but some swimmers can last longer. So we inseminated at 6pm which will cover me (hopefully) until 6pm saturday, whilst also inseminating at 6am saturday which would cover me until 6am (hopefully) sunday. We sat and talked constantly about the timing but we just decided to go for it, as like everybody says, even if the timing is perfectly right and your CM is perfect, there is still only a 10-20% chance of conception.

I'm just praying my clearblue test was correct and my peak is friday and saturday like it shows. (My app also shows this like i said). I have a 29 day cycle and it's hardly EVER irregular, so I think we've done all what we should have.

Now we're onto our two week wait which i'm not looking forward to! Like I keep saying to myself, it is our first time trying and we could have done a number of things wrong. It is just trial and error from here on out! If anyone else wants to share their story about home insemination with frozen sperm, using clearblue monitors / success stories, i would really appreciate that!

Well first cycle done and dusted 3 insems, temp spiked slightly this morning so hope we got in there on time. Fingers crossed, now the waiting.....

Wondering if anyone is still about on this thread?
Cycle number 6 this month, frozen is coming tomorrow (2 vials) and I got a solid smiley this morning at 7am 😕 what times should we insem? I worried it's now too late. Any advice gratefully received!

Moo, what timings still be right for you will depend on when you normally ovulate in relation to the various signs you monitor. How long after a solid smiley do you usually ovulate?

Can't remember if I've posted on this thread before but I'm in a same sex relationship using a known donor. On to cycle 12 and not even a snifter of a bfp. Very depressing.

Naively thought it'd work first time!

Sorry to hear that, juney. Have you been along and spoken to your GP? They may well be able to offer some assistance since you've now been trying for some time.

Hi Persipan - we got referred to the hospital and had blood tests day 3 and 21 (still waiting for day 3 results) but all they could offer is a tube latency test which I've already had previously (I had 2 X diui before I met my wife)

They said they couldn't help any further so would have to pay for more IUI which we can ill afford.

Might be worth having a read of the local guidelines regarding fertility investigations and treatment, and pushing back a bit. If you weren't in a same sex relationship is that all they'd be offering?

Thanks Persipan. As far as I understand if a straight couple were struggling after trying for 2 years they'd be offered help :/ Where would I find the local guidelines, I've tried googling the area and IVF but not much comes up.

Can I please have a little insight .. myself and my wife are TTC using a sperm donor, this is out first month so we are very new st this. I’m currently 5DPO and I woke up this morning with a heavy feeling in my pelvis but I had a dream that I’d found out I was pregnant?! Is it the anxiety of trying or could it be something more? I’m doubting it is anything. Any help would be amazing!

Can I please have a little insight .. myself and my wife are TTC using a sperm donor, this is out first month so we are very new st this. I’m currently 5DPO and I woke up this morning with a heavy feeling in my pelvis but I had a dream that I’d found out I was pregnant?! Is it the anxiety of trying or could it be something more? I’m doubting it is anything. Any help would be amazing!

At 5dpo, implantation wouldn't yet have occurred, so there aren't any symptoms you could experience that will tell you anything one way or another, I'm afraid. Welcome to the two week wait! It's really hard not to symptom-spot, but really all you can do is wait. Good luck!

Thank you for your advice, I guessed as much that I wouldn't be having any symptoms but I just needed to speak to someone about this. I am very in tune with my own body anyway because I've suffered terribly with AF over the years so I've become very aware of what's happening, I just had to ask someone because my circumstances aren't getting shouted around my friends and family because I don't want every single person knowing

I hate the 2ww; it's SO HARD. You just become hyper-aware of every single thing happening in your body. Generally the best thing, I find, is to distract yourself as much as possible, be kind to yourself, and hopefully the time will pass quickly. I'll keep everything crossed for you!

I know! I didn't think two weeks would bother me so much but they really are the longest two weeks ever and I'm only 5 days in.. but I've got work to keep me busy luckily!

Hi all
Been away from the group for a while back in the tww 😴 anyone else with me? We are second cycle with fresh donor starting temping again but now I'm completely thrown off my ovulation day, arghhh why is it so hard

My day 3 blood test came back with a FSH level of 14 so an AMH test has been ordered.

Feel like I've been wasting my time with all these home inseminations :(

Fertility clinic still won't offer any help.

Today I'm 13dpo and feeling crampy so know I'm likely out again. I've lost count of how many cycles I've done now :/

Hi, first time writhing something. At the moment I'm not trying to concieve, I need to save up enough money as I will be going through Cryos for frozen sperm. For the people that have used this method, say I order 4 vials and I want to use 2 then another 2 a day later, do they give you more than one syringe? I was thinking that from what I've read the lifespan of previously frozen sperm is alot shorter so it would increase my chance to do it a couple of times , instead of just once? Wasn't sure if you could use the same syringe? Thanks

Yes, they usually send you two syringes if you order more than two straws. Investigate the current state of play with Cryos, though, because although they say they're still operating out of the EU, I have heard that they're actually intending to ship from the US (now they can't ship from Denmark anymore), and this could cause customs issues. (Also, goodness knows what will happen after Brexit even if they are still shipping from an EU base).

Ah okay, thank you. Yes I was wondering about Brexit. I might need to save more and try and get to a clinic

In all honesty, IUI through a clinic is not that much more expensive than using Cryos for home insemination, and avoids a lot of potential pitfalls (like fluffing the timing and thereby wasting your money that cycle), so if it's an option for you then it's one worth looking into.

Hi girls, my partner and I have just tried our first cycle this month with a known donor, he was only able to donate once for us. TWW is over with the arrival of AF.

About us, partner is carrying, she is 32, has had x3 pregnancies with past ex boyfriends but miscarried all three. Cycle and ovulation is very regular.

For the past 6 months we have been considering using Cryos, we even got as far as the checkout before my partner panicked and aborted the whole thing.

@Persipan have you used Cryos recently? How are you doing so far on your TTC journey.

Would you girls be interested in keeping this thread active? I am other TTC threads but I am the only same sex one there and it's not the same as most of those women have such easy access to semen!

Hi there, I’m a lurker who’s finally decided to join in!

Long story short, I’ve been thinking about all this for an age.. and decided to just get on and do it..

Am 40, and am sat here waiting for my Cryos delivery, by some miracle I got a solid smiley on the cbot this morning (by the time I got brave enough to press checkout on Cryos I thought it was going to be too late and I’d wasted a lump of my savings)

I’ve charted, inspected mucus, had a fertility mot at a clinic, and all looks ok for my age, so I thought, why not give it a try at home first?

For those thinking about using Cryos, I’ve had no dramas, comes from US now and tracked it through Europe, you just pay 19% vat so build that in to your costs :/ .

I’ve googled every timing method/frequency but any other tips welcome, I’ve been on ttc folic acid for 2 months.

If anyone would like to join me on what is one of the most bonkers things I have ever attempted then hi!

Hi guys , glad to see this thread is still going . We are at the very beginning of our ttc journey and are considering cryos for home insem.

So far it's been a struggle with the gp having no clue, taking day 3 bloods on ovulation day , referring us to the wrong clinic and misinformation at every corner. Feels frustrating not to be able to get support .
I thought since the law change last year sperm banks weren't allowed to send to home addresses anymore ? Are cryos doing it anyway ?
Where are you guys at in your journey ?

@Freezerbump how did it go ? Fingers crossed for you !

@2mumsquad hi there, Cryos are still doing home deliveries, comes via us but that doesn't seem to cause much delay.

I've had no issues, fellow poster has just had bfp naturally( yay) so glad to have a fellow Cryos human!

First one meg, ready for next cycle :)

@2mumsquad so if you're just starting, I went to gp, who said, and I quote.. "the world may have gone so mad as to let gay couples have fertility treatment but thankfully not for single women"

Which was a bit of a shock! Anyway, after that had 3 years ttc with male partner who was infertile, won't bore you with details but we are no longer together.

So this year, decided to go for it, had fertility mot at a private clinic, cost £200 for bloods and ultrasound with foof check, all good. Is suggest getting that done before you go down a Cryos route, make sure the mechanics are in good order :)

Then off you go, I'm in for 3 home ins. Before I decide if that's me done or I choose more intrusive methods.. what's you're plan?