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

@hopefulitsmyyear it's so tough as it's impossible not to get your hopes up isn't it? Would you consider IUI again? There's more chance of success with repeated cycles as far as I'm aware? Doesn't help with the disappointment today I know 🙁

@TTCSOLO it's definitely hard. I think I knew it would be a bfn even though I desperately hoped it wouldn't be.

I would definitely consider iui again, I found the whole process so easy. Money wise though, I'm wondering if it may be sensible to go for ivf next. I could afford another couple of iui's but then I'd need to buy more donor sperm before trying ivf & it just gets ridiculously expensive.

@hopefulitsmyyear that's kind of my approach, if this cycle isn't successful , I'll try one more, then move to IVF as I'd be in the same boat, needing to buy more donor sperm. I hope you're feeling ok this evening? 💐

@hopefulitsmyyear Sorry to hear about your BFN today. Is that you 14 DPO already? Are you thinking about taking your next cycle off?

@TTCSOLO how many DPO are you? Did you decide to just wait for the Beta test?

I was supposed to have bloods today, but after the low levels of Estrogen on Monday they moved them to Friday. I'm glad tbh as my wrist has bruised terribly after getting the bloods on Monday. Not sure where they will get a vein on Friday, maybe we will have to look at my feet 🤣🤣

@SingleTTC31 in 13 dpo today, Hcg blood test tomorrow morning and I'm just going to wait for that now rather than POAS. It just seems a bit easier at this stage. Sorry to hear about your poor wrist! 😢 do you usually struggle with blood tests? At least you've gotten a tiny break until tomorrow. Are you doing ok otherwise?

@TTCSOLO I've always been a bit of a nightmare to get blood out of but don't usually bruise very much. That is some good will power you have. I'm not sure I will have that tbh. I will probably end up testing about 12DPO

@SingleTTC31 to be honest in my head, it feels like them telling me it's not been successful would be easier to bear than seeing a BFN on a test, not sure if that makes much sense, but I'm so close to the blood test now I might as well wait! Do you have any provisional date for your IUI yet? 🤞

@TTCSOLO no hard date yet, but I should ovulate on 2nd so next Wednesday. Not sure if they will do it that date. I was fairly confident they would but because they do bloods every second day normally, I will have bloods on Friday then probably Monday. The next bloods would be the Wednesday but that is the day I expect to Ovulate so would need to be that day otherwise miss it. Starting to think they might tell me on Monday to come back on Tuesday. But who knows! I will ask tomorrow when I go in for my bloods.
Did your clinic say how long for the results?

@SingleTTC31 ah I see, you're being closely monitored, that's good! At least Wednesday isn't too far away either. The results should be back tomorrow but not sure how long they'll actually take, hopefully it'll be quick!

@TTCSOLO I'm doing ok thank you. I need to call my clinic so will discuss with them. How are you finding the progesterone pessaries? I hated them!
Good luck for tomorrow. I'll be rooting for you

@SingleTTC31 Thank you. I'm not sure if I'll need to wait for a cycle first or go with this one. It'll be clearer when I've spoken to them I think.
Ah, sorry to hear about your wrist! Make sure you drink plenty of water before, veins hide if you're not hydrated enough. I actually think medicated & scans every other day sounds easier than your blood tests. Good luck & keep us in the loop

@hopefulitsmyyear hope your clinic are helpful in deciding your next steps
@SingleTTC31 hope your blood test went better today than Monday!
I had my bloods done today, the IUI wasn't successful. 🙁 So my next cycle is due to start Tuesday so I'll start the process again then. No changes, it'll still be medicated. I was disappointed but at least it's not long at all to wait to try again. Will just keep crossing fingers! 🤞

@TTCSOLO So sorry to hear your IUI was unsuccessful. That's good that you are going again so quickly. Are they keeping the medications the same as last time?

@hopefulitsmyyear how did you get on with your meeting?

My bloods were out my arm this time. I am back again on Monday for more of them. I have been trying really hard not to get excited about the process as the odds are it won't be successful. I was re-reading my paperwork yesterday and it says that the HCG shot is about a week after the IUI, so it's about 17 days post IUI that they do the bloods. I'm hoping they say to do the shot earlier because it seems like such a long wait!

@TTCSOLO So sorry to hear of your bfn. It's heartbreaking isn't it having been through so much. Happy to hear you're going straight for another round. Good luck with that.

@SingleTTC31 Really hope it goes well for you. I'm having a meeting next Wednesday with my clinic to discuss how best to go for my next round so I'll update you then

@SingleTTC31 glad to hear getting bloods was easier on Friday, I know you can't help but be excited for it, and surely its helpful to be thinking positively! I thought the TWW was going to feel like 2 months, but it did actually fly by and the only time I was tempted to POAS I knew it was to early to test, so was easier just to wait for the HCG test then! They're keeping the exact same protocol, so I'm just really hoping now that AF arrives on time. I'm going to try acupuncture as well this time.
@hopefulitsmyyear it was disappointing alright, but I did find that not having to wait ages to try again was a big comfort. Good luck for your meeting on Wednesday 🤞 If they recommended it, would you go for IUI again?

@hopefulitsmyyear Hope things go well on Wednesday for you.

@TTCSOLO have you got long before you expect AF to arrive? Is it likely to be delayed? I have heard good things about acupuncture. If this round isn't successful for me I might look at it as well. Although with all the trace elements/vitamins I have been incorporating into my diet along with CoQ10 folic acid and extra vit D I'm feeling like a bird crossed with a pill bottle 😂

I am all for positive thinking, but think there is a difference between being positive and being overly excited. I have been doing a lot of meditation at night to be calm and positive. I have been doing OPK again this month and they are starting to look like peak will maybe be a day early.

@SingleTTC31 AF was due tomorrow and I was honestly expecting it to be late, but it arrived last night, so I'm on day 1 again! At least it wasn't a long wait. When are you thinking your IUI might happen then?

@TTCSOLO that's good that you get started basically straight away since AF has showed up. I've always had Wednesday in my head for it, and think it probably will be then. I did think that I might get peak today and IUI would be Tuesday, but OPK was looking faint this morning. Got bloods again today so will find out this afternoon.

@SingleTTC31 oh brilliant! Fingers crossed for Wednesday then! 🤞 I've to start my femara medication again tomorrow evening, start injecting menopur on Saturday and 1st scan is scheduled for next Monday. I've just bought some CoQ10 supplements to try as well! Feel like I'm throwing everything possible at this cycle!

@TTCSOLO I have been taking CoQ10 for a couple of months now. If nothing else I feel that I have a bit more energy. I read they can take 3onths to make a noticeable difference to egg quality, but hopefully should make a little difference for you this month and it will be enough. Fingers crossed.

I got the blood results back this afternoon and the IUI is going ahead tomorrow at 13:45. Just taken my trigger shot. Was a bit of a rush to get back from work to take it 😂

@TTCSOLO Glad af has arrived & you're straight into your next round. Really hope you get a BFP with this one!
I'm not sure if to go straight for IVF. I feel my age is against me & im sure they'll recommend that rather than IUI but I'll see how Wednesday goes.

@SingleTTC31 Wow! How exciting for you. Hope it goes well. I felt a bit odd doing the trigger shot - like, omg! It's just got a bit real! Here's praying for a BFP for you!

@SingleTTC31 that's great, best of luck for today! Fingers crossed for a BFP

@hopefulitsmyyear at least after tomorrow you'll have a clear plan in place for your next steps, so that will be better too. 🤞

@hopefulitsmyyear It was easier to do than I thought it would be. Feeling nauseous this morning though, think it is the Hcg causing it 😒 Hope you get a good plan in place tomorrow. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?

It feels like a long wait to this afternoon now.

@SingleTTC31 hope all went well this afternoon, and fingers crossed for a BFP 🤞
@hopefulitsmyyear good luck for tomorrow

@SingleTTC31 Really hope this afternoon went well & you're resting up this evening I don't mind at all, I'm nearly 39.

@TTCSOLO Thank you