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

Hey guys,
So everything has been done including paying for everything but the genetics results are still not here and now AF has arrived a week early for the first time ever! I couldn't actually believe it. So that's me out for May😒 Perhaps it's stress but I'm taking Chinese herbs atm and my herbalist thinks that the change in herbs could be why. Anyway hopefully everything will be set for June🤞 Also had a weird week because a friend spoke to me about co-parenting with him and it completely threw me. It was very odd suddenly considering doing this with someone else but I've decided to stick to my original plan. I've I've clomid from day 2 - 6 and then cyclogest for two weeks which I'm not looking forward to - my sister said they're a bit gross. Anyway, all is looking good for you guys. I'm feeling very positive for us all!

Officially, your employer can not pay you for all medical appointments, its up to their descretion. So fertility would come under that. But some employers have a Fertility policy and my employer, Southwark, apparently only refers to IVF which is not what im doing first. But no there is no legal right to be paid for the time off.
I will be contacting my union and requesting to see the actual policy but I sense it's a battle I adjust haven't got the energy for now.

@jh01 can I ask, how come you are getting genetic tests? It's not something my clinic has mentioned. I know that some donors have been tested for certain genetic diseases and you can check if you are a carrier and so would avoid that donor, but surely the risk is no different if you were using your partner's sperm?
Is it something your clinic have insisted upon, or the donor agency? Or just your choice?

Hey @Zibidee, the bank I am using test the sperm for 285 recessive genes and many of the donors have at least one of these. If I shared any of those genes with my chosen donor then child would have a 1/4 chance of being affected by that condition. The clinic therefore recommended that I have a genetic screening test to check that I am genetically compatible with my chosen donor. It's not compulsory but I felt like it was worth it after having a genetic consultation. There is no greater risk than if you were having a child with a partner and I know that many people choose not to have them. Also, some of the sperm banks test for less recessive genes so they obviously do not see it as a great risk. At the moment I'm annoyed as it cost £800 and the results have not arrived within the time frame they initially said they would. So, maybe it wasn't even worth it anyway!

Also @Zibidee I'm a teacher in London too and I would absolutely expect to be given time off for any procedures I have. If they refused to pay me for time off for IUI as opposed to IVF I would be contacting my union as you cannot differentiate between these two procedures. It's absolutely ridiculous. As it stands my school have said they're happy for me to take whatever time I need off. The same should apply to you. None of us need any extra stress right now because it's counter productive and would probably lead to us having more time off for further procedures anyway.

@JH01 I can see the logic for the genetic test, that's very annoying that they haven't managed to get your the results in time for treatment. I might be a carrier for Parkinson's as my dad has it but I'm going with the theory that I wouldn't know what genes my wife is carrying so leaving it to the luck of the gods! (Not regligious, but you know what I mean!).

I agree the work pay situation is unfair, the headteacher said the same, and I have contacted my union to see if it breaches any discrimination laws but there is no legal position for employers to pay for any medical time off so the fact that the head has so far used her discretion to pay me for appointments to date I see as a positive. I guess It depends how long this goes on for. She said as long as I kept her up to date with as much info as possible and with as much notice as possible she would do her best to keep it paid but that's a very open-ended ambiguous promise!

Hi all, so AF has arrived on time! I start my medication in the morning and am up for my 1st scan next Thursday, so fingers crossed it all goes well.

@JH01 it's rubbish that AF arrived early for you, but at least it's taken the pressure off the genetic results, so you'll have those well ahead of your next cycle.

I'm so excited for you @TTCSOLO! I'm feeling very positive for us all. My genetics results finally arrived yesterday so they wouldn't have been in time for me to start this cycle even if AF was on time. Everything is now in place for my next cycle starting at the end of May. The sperm is being shipped tomorrow and that was the last thing on my to do list. Best of luck with everything and keep us updated😊

@TTCSOLO that's brilliant! Hopefully you get on well with the medications. So the scan next Thursday, is that going to be like a baseline for you or to check how the follicles are developing?

@JH01 that's great the results are finally through, and your sperm is suitable and shipped. You won't be too far behind me, my cycle should start 14th.

I got the message this afternoon that my sperm has arrived at the clinic! Both excited and a bit scared now.

@JH01 thanks! That's great news about your results arriving, you're all set now for end of the month!
@SingleTTC31 the scan is to check on follicle development. Great news that your sperm has arrived too. I can't believe that it's actually starting to happen now. As you say equally exciting and terrifying 🙂 fingers crossed for lots of successes for us all

@TTCSOLO cool, hopefully your scan shows good follicle development. How are you feeling on the medication?

@SingleTTC31 all ok so far, I don't know was I getting some hot flushes sat and yesterday....or it was just the weather! Ive just got today and tomorrow to take the letrrozole, then start the first injection tomorrow evening 🤞
How is everyone doing?

Hey all. I had my iui first thing this morning. I found the injections pretty painless. It was really easy once I'd done my first one. Now for the 2ww
Good luck to you all with your journeys

@hopefulitsmyyear good luck, fingers crossed for success for you 🙂
I've just done my 1st injection this evening, it was actually grand. Thank goodness

@TTCSOLO Thank you! It was a tiring week or so but I'm all done now. Just to pray for a positive!
Ah, I was actually quite excited for the injection (as odd as that sounds)
It was a bit of a tie doing them the same time each evening & am glad that's finished.
Good luck

@hopefulitsmyyear Good luck for the TWW. Fingers crossed you get a BFP

@TTCSOLO hope things are progressing well. Is it tomorrow you have your scan?

@SingleTTC31 yes tomorrow morning, so hopefully I'll have a clearer idea then of when I'm next up and possible procedure day too! I'm thinking it would be next Thursday or possibly before it? 🤞
How are you doing at the minute?

@ttcsolo I've been off work today and went home early yesterday. Wasn't feeling great, think I got a slight bug, probably with everyone being back in the office. I'm just waiting on AF coming, app says Friday but think it may come tomorrow. If it comes on time my first lot of bloods will be on 24/25th to check LH levels.
Hopefully it is next Thursday 🤞

@SingleTTC31 hope you're feeling better now? I had my scan yesterday, Everything went well..... so well in fact that I was sent home to take my trigger shot and I'm back in at 2pm today to have the IUI at 2.30pm!!
There was 1 clear lead follicle and 2 coming up behind it but ok size wise at the moment. So to say I'm still in shock is an understatement. I had myself set up to be back up 2 or 3 more times

@TTCSOLO yeah feeling better now, thanks. OMG that's amazing! Have you to take a second trigger after the IUI or any other meds or would that be you done? My AF came today so just waiting on the clinic calling me back with dates for first bloods ☺️ when it hadn't came during the night I was worried it wouldn't come before the afternoon and potentially knock everything back. Which would be a pain as I have a course on the week I should ovulate. Organizing this and working is getting stressful lol.

@SingleTTC31 oh I feel your pain, I had to reorganise today completely! I've got progesterone pessaries (yippee) to use morning and night for the 1st 12 weeks I think. All going well of course!
Delighted to hear that you're on track now and just waiting for your appointment 🙂
Isn't it nuts how exciting it is for AF to arrive 😄 hope you're not under too much pressure with organising things now

Hey guys, nothing new to report with me. My doctor has said that she thinks my AF was early this month because of my covid vaccination so hopefully it will regulate this month. I'm still just waiting for sperm to arrive and to see if everything will be done in time for this month but I just wanted to wish you both the best of luck with everything. Can't believe today is the day @TTCSOLO. I'll keep everything crossed for you. And I agree that I've never wanted AF to be on time more than I have done the last couple of months🤣

Thanks @SingleTTC31. I really hope so. Less stress than trying to work around another load of scans etc 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Wow!! @TTCSOLO that's amazing & so quick. Hope the iui goes well - it was pretty painless for me, just a little uncomfortable. Theatre staff were absolutely amazing though & we chatted non stop.

I'm doing the progesterone pessaries too & am getting on fine with them so far.

@TTCSOLO how are you feeling tonight?

@JH01 fingers crossed AF comes on time and after the sperm arrives 🤞

@hopefulitsmyyear I know what you mean trying to work around appointments. My clinic want to do bloods every 2 days from CD11, I don't normally ovulate until CD20 so looks like it could be 5 different blood draws 🙄

@SingleTTC31 I'm feeling good, a little bit crampy but absolutely nothing too major at all. I didn't realise you'd be having so many blood draws? You'll be like a pin cushion, you poor thing! But all worth it

As @hopefulitsmyyear has said the procedure itself was uncomfortable just due to placing the speculum but over in no time! And both nurses who I saw yesterday were just so lovely. How are you feeling now?

@JH01 Hope AF arrives on time for you now, will keep everything crossed, and that sperm is there waiting in clinic.