Beginning IUI with donor

[SingleTTC31]

Hi all,

I have just began the journey to become a single mum using donor sperm and IUI. I have my first consultation at the start of Feb.

Just wondering if anyone else is starting themselves or any advise on the process, any do or don't tips to try and nudge the odds in my favour.

I am 31, and as far as I am aware atm I have no fertility issues and regular af.

TIA

@LifeIsBusy did you fall pregnant on the first cycle?

@SingleTTC31I did with both pregnancies but its different for all. It really is just a hit or miss.

So got my AMH and ultrasound results back late yesterday afternoon. I had emailed about lunchtime as I hadn't had them back yet, I think they were sitting on them until nearer the appointment with the consultant. My AMH came back very high (71pmol/l) and above average antral follicle count (23). Of course I was straight on dr Google to see what could've going on 😂 obviously google goes to PCOS. But I have regular periods, I am not overweight and don't have any physical symptoms. Spoke with a friend who is a fertility nurse and she was very excited by my results, said it was unlikely to be PCOS and that the results mean the consultant will recommend IUI. I am waiting for ovulation just to double check that I do ovulate, if I do then will probably go un-medicated. With my results I doubt they would let me do medicated as I would have a very high chance of OHSS or multiples.

@TTCSOLO hope your counselling session goes well today. Have you ordered your sperm? There aren't a lot available on ESB atm, I am waiting to see what my clinic have in theirs before I actually look at ESB.

@LifeIsBusy that's great! Yeah I think a lot of it is just luck of the draw, but it is reassuring to hear about people who got pregnant first time.

@SingleTTC31This sounds like really promising results! I never actually asked my AMH levels after they were tested, not sure why! Hopefully it all goes smoothly.

You'll probably find that ESB has better stock than your local clinic. Our clinic had a small bank but we couldn't use any of it as it was suitable for ICSI only (this was a few years ago) as they only really get donations when couples come in for fertility treatment.

@LifeIsBusy yeah looks like they will have. The consultant is going to get the clinics sperm bank to get in touch with me though, always worth a look, and it seems like they are cheaper than ESB which could be good.

@singleTTC31 that sounds great about your results, do you know how long it will take if you're going to use European sperm Bank? I had the donor counselling session this evening, she was lovely, mainly just discussed the process as a whole, the possibility of donor siblings in other families, and choices about telling people about using a donor/explaining to a child etc. She mentioned it could take 6-8 weeks from ordering to it arriving in clinic? I've no idea if that's the normal length it takes, it seems like ages? I haven't ordered yet, but can start looking now and let the clinic know my choices. I don't think they'll order it until I've had my review which is booked for 13th March.
@LifeIsBusy congratulations on your pregnancy 🙂 it's lovely to hear success stories from IUI

@TTCSOLO the embryologist from my clinic said they are receiving most within about 10 days, but there has been some delays recently. My clinic will store it for free for the first year so she advised getting it ordered as soon as. ESB then contact the clinic for the consent and then ship.

My clinic have a backlog for consent appointments due to covid, so it will be at least 2-3 months before I have that. I am planning on ordering the sperm so that the order is in and waiting on the clinic, rather than the other way around. Regarding counselling my Dr was kind of just like, it's there if you want it and it's included but didn't make it seem like a necessity, and it's included in package after consents, but before then I have to pay for it.

Booked my HyCoSy in this morning, and first appointment to fit my cycle is on April, it seems so far away.

Seems like your clinic is running a bit faster than mine 😥 already feels like all I'm doing is waiting 🤣 So the appointment on 13th March is that the consent appointment for you then? Did you have your bloods and scan results back yet?

@SingleTTC31 It seems a long time away but in reality its really just round the corner.. it will fly in! (which is also worrying as im due in April.. AH!)

Good idea to have the sperm in place so you're not waiting for anything to proceed. At least you've not reached out to the NHS as the waiting lists were originally just over a year from initially inquiry and even then the counselling is mandatory there but its only one session (but this was all pre-covid so I can't imagine what the waiting list is like now).

@TTCSOLO Thank you! IUI does definitely work but its really is just a roll of the dice and hope for the best. Best thing you can do is relax and keep your mind off it as much as possible.

Hi @SingleTTX31 I'm also 31, and had 4 IUI attempts late last year using donor sperm (my partner is female).

I've got a normal AMG for age, good tubes etc and went through light medicated IUI cycles using Letrozole, gonal-F and ovitrelle.

The injections and procedure were absolutely fine, even with my tendancy to pass out (I'm super sensitive down there, so every time the cather went in, my blood pressure drops massively) by the 3rd and 4th attempt though I'd even got that under control enough though not to pass out on them!

Unfortunatly, we didn't get anywhere with the IUIs, so we've moved on to IVF now.

Best of luck with the IUI, really hope it works for you

@LifeIsBusy I'm not eligible for NHS fertility treatments as a single female. But I think the wait time would be a killer. It may be different in some trusts, but I don't think any non-essential fertility appointments are currently happening due to covid-19. It has meant am increase in appointments at my clinic, I don't think for treatments necessarily but for scans and tests.

I'm sure it will fly but with being on furlough just now it feels like a long wait. Can't wait until next month when I am back at work for a few days to cover annual leave.

I hope everything goes well for you come April with the birth. Do you know if it is a boy or girl?

@SingleTTC31 I've just had the SIS and bloods done today! It was not too bad at all thankfully. My review appointment is by phone on March 13th, so I think that's really to discuss the results and finalise whether the cycle is medicated or not. Then order the sperm, but like you, my plan is to have my choices made and sent to the clinic so it can be ordered then. I think it could be 6-8 weeks from ordering though for delivery? Which seems ridiculously long?
I had some blood tests done last week, my prolactin is a little bit raised, but I'm unsure exactly what affect that will have on the process? I feel like it's just a waiting game now until 13th.
April will fly around though for your HyCoSy, and at least you'll be ready to start then as soon as, after that
@LifeIsBusy April will definitely fly around for you! You're right about relaxing and keeping your mind off it though, not sure how easy it'll be but that's the plan. Are you all set for your new arrival?

@TTCSOLO did they do full bloods? I only had AMH checked. What was the SIS?

Did you say you were ordering through ESB too? I think I have to place the order with ESB then they contact my clinic, and it is down that way. I cannot start treatment until the sperm is onsite. So if it's not there by cd1 of a medicated cycle it won't go ahead. I am hoping after the HyCoSy the consent appointment is really quick and not a case of adding me to the wait list after I have that done, otherwise it could be three months waiting from April to get started.

Maybe they are saying 6-8 weeks to include consents and payment? Have you already done the consents?
I have narrowed down my choices of donor, but I changed criteria half way through so might go through them again. I think I was hoping that by only looking at things like the medical history it would be simpler, but realised I ruled people out for some things and then ruled others in for the same thing if that makes sense 🤣

@ttcsolo I think it took something around 2-3 weeks when we placed our order(pre-covid). It gets specially shipped from the EU and I imagine there is a bit of a delay due to covid given how infrequent post appears to be getting delivered.

Definitely not ready at all, we keep saying that we will need to pull our socks up but I think we are still living in denial.

@SingleTTC31 I remember it being a touch choice which donor we used and in the end with our first he is an NHS baby and we didn't get the choice which in a lot of respects is fantastic.

Its a shame you dont qualify through your trust, I assume you're in England? The scottish trusts take both single parents and same sex couples in for fertility treatments.

@LifeIsBusy I am in Scotland. Everything I read online, for all the trusts don't mention single females at all. Oh well, will be continuing privately. From what I have heard the NHS has a backlog and also not carrying out treatments at the moment due to covid.

@LifeIsBusy you've a few weeks yet... it'll all come together for you! Maybe it is Covid causing some delays to delivery too, that's why I want to have a much organised before the review appointment so as not to have any more hold ups after that!
@SingleTTC31 the SIS is saline infused sonography, so basically a clearer look at the uterus via ultrasound. But they also actually inserted dye as well so looked at the tubes and ovaries, not sure if it was a HyCoSy or something similar? I think that should be all the scans that I need done though. I've had full bloods done, AMH and ROTEM at the clinic and all the rest through my GP. So I'm hoping that everything is done now and on my review on March 13th it'll be on to consent then and order the sperm. My clinic uses cryos clinic (I thought it was ESB) they've got a good selection on their site though which is good. Though the more I look at them, the more I'm counting in, which isn't helping! I need to start narrowing down.

I hope things move quickly for you once you've had your HyCoSy done, have you a date booked for April?

@TTCSOLO I think they need the dye in order to visualize the tubes as they can't be seen on am ultrasound without it. I assume it works like a contrast. I need to get results from bloods from GP, so will give them a call next week. If the results for TSH are low enough I won't need them redone, but if they are 'normal' but higher than they like, I may need to go on thyroxin, as I have a family history of it. Smear is up to date so at least I don't have to try and get that during covid and proof of MMR they haven't asked for anything else, or any other bloods.

I have it booked for 7th April. Clinic only does the procedure on Wednesdays and it has to be done between cd3 and 10. Not a big window. I think the single day for it is to do with covid and staffing restrictions.

My clinic also works with Cryos. I liked their website, but decided to start with ESB as they replied to my chat message about shipping costs. Think I might look at Cryos again though. ESB seem to have a lot out of stock atm, but they refresh every 3 months or so. I think after medical I'm going to have to pick other criteria to narrow it down through.

The time until 13th will fly in and hopefully you won't have long to wait for the consent appointment

How are things going for everyone @TTCSOLO @dwyc I'm still waiting for my GP to send me through results and still waiting on a date for my consents appointment, I'm hoping I get the date through before the HyCoSy in April...

@SingleTTC31 I'm just waiting for my review phone call, with the dr, it's to discuss the results of bloods and the SIS and finalise a treatment plan. Its booked for this Saturday though, but it feels like it's forever coming around. Things move slower than I expected! Or maybe I'm just impatient? How's everyone keeping?

@TTCSOLO yeah it is moving slower than I expected too. I suppose it is in part to do with covid. I'm very impatient too. I'm mostly bored as I am on flexible furlough, so in Feb I only worked 3 days 🙄 this month is busier work wise which is good, hopefully help this month go quicker. I hope this week goes quickly for you!

@TTCSOLO how are things going? Did you get your review on Saturday? I have been back at work this week which has kept me busy. I've got bloods with practice nurse for my TSH next week, something to fill the time in the lead up to my next clinic appointment

@SingleTTC31 how are you? Glad to hear you've got another appointment coming up, I kind of feel that every appointment is another step in the right direction so it's all positive!
Saturday went well, all results are good, so I'm all set to go for a medicated cycle. I've placed the order for my donor sperm so it's back to waiting again... I've got to have my Prolactin level checked again, so that blood test is booked for next Thurs. I had a call from the clinic today then to get a scheduling appointment booked. So that's booked for 30th March. I wasn't expecting it to be so soon which is a nice surprise. Your HyCoSy appointment is coming around quick too? I'm back working more now the last 4 weeks or so and it's so much better, it's a great distraction 🙂

@TTCSOLO I am good. That's great that Saturday went well and they are going to go for a medicated cycle. Did you say there was a long wait with your sperm? My HyCoSy is 7th April so still three weeks to go. I still haven't chosen my donor yet. Most of them are out of stock, but think I will try and narrow down the options again on Saturday. Unfortunately I won't get any time tomorrow as I have to finish up all my work before a/l and furlough restarts for me 🙄 So your scheduling appointment is where you would sign consents and book iui/ collect prescription? It is exciting! Also weird how it all goes so slowly one minute then speeds the next

@SingleTTC31 the dr said 6-8 weeks for the sperm, that's from cryos. That's kind of why I was surprised at the scheduling appointment being booked so soon? Yep, that's what she mentioned on the phone, book appointments and sort the prescription out.

Is frustrating that the donors are out of stock, is that on ESB? did you say your clinic also has a sperm bank? In the end I just narrowed down and then stuck with 5, it's too easy to start getting sucked into looking at every little detail. Sorry to hear your back to furlough, and A/L now is probably a bit rubbish as you can't really do anything 🙄😕

@TTCSOLO I have narrowed down donors to about 6. All based on family medical history. Will go through them again and probably order them in preference (weed out any more) and speak to ESB. Donors come back in stock often but then are out again fairly quickly by the looks of things. I find though everytime I look I decide something is no longer acceptable and some things are, depending on my mood I think 🤔 I don't know when I will be back at work, so haven't told them about the appointment yet in April, will obvs tell them I have Drs if I am working, it's an afternoon appointment so they won't really care tbh, they are pretty cool like that.

@SingleTTC31 that's not so bad, do you send in 5 donor options too? At least you're close to that already. I haven't said anything in work either, but it's a bit complicated as my boss is also a good friend, so would tell her very early in the process I think (all going well) but at the moment I have enough flexibility to just work appointments around work.

Do you have a timeline for delivery from ESB?