The hut of gl/doom: ttc against the odds

[PhoenixFromTheFlames]

This is a safe haven for those ttc with difficult, with ?sub-fertility or sub-fertility labels. Where like minded people offer encouragement at times and commiserations at others.
I've decided the theme is Cocktail style: Flanagans. With a pink neon sign: Cocktails and dreams. Blinkity blink.
Newbies are welcome. Come share your tales of woe

Hello, I'm back! Such an amazing holiday and I didn't think about babies once, in fact we wouldn't have been able to do that trip if we had little ones/I was pregnant so I really appreciated it just being me and DH.

pink love I'm so sorry to hear that wasn't your cycle. I'm glad your next cycle isn't too far down the line, and hope all that jury service nonsense doesn't get in the way too much.

Before I went away the clinic told me I wouldn't be seen til October, but it looks like they're now doing first appointments with nurses rather than doctors and we've got one mid next week!

Not sure what the nurse will do other than give me another US as the GP has already done our bloods and SA... anyone here seen by a gynaecologist nurse at their first appointment? Feels good to have the ball rolling anyway.

Hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying the summer.

Aww glad you had a good holiday bet it was nice not having to think bout babies too.

There are a lot of pregnant women about round my end but I'm just happy there all dying in the heat bet its double hot when your heavily pregnant haha to them (deep down wish it was me but for today haha to them)

We've booked a week away in the sun. Just a week at work to get through without world war three breaking out and we're good to go! It'll also kill the time before our next appointment so all good

We've a week away booked for the start of oct. Been waiting ages for AF to turn up so cert thing she'll arrive the day we go!

Another pregnancy announcement from close friends .

Feels like everyone is having babies except me. Feel like such a letdown to my DH.

Awww I've had that same feeling today flixy only all my pregnant people are now all starting to show I didn't mind them being pregnant when I couldn't tell

Just have to keep going but it all just seems like its never going to happen

slinks in with trepidation

So, if ever there was a thread I didn't really want to join, it was this one (no offence ladies, have had a read through, and you all sound amazing)

After swallowing the irony of spending the whole of my 20s actively avoiding pregnancy, only to find out in my 30s that such efforts were seemingly unnecessary, I finally went to the doctors this morning to get the ball rolling on referals to a fertility clinic after 2 years of pill free shagging resulting in nothing other than sore bits.

The doctor was lovely, very understanding, and while I was prepared for a fight, simply said "right this is what we'll do, and please come and chat if you feel down." Referal written, blood tests and semen analysis ordered.

I still can't quite beleive it though... could do with some virtual hand holding.

Hi chairoftheboard nice to see you (in the nicest possible way) holds hand

Things will be fine I'm sure we've all been there and hopefully you won't be here as long a some of us have

Hello chairoftheboard! It takes a while to sink in and I still haven't stopped hoping for a miracle before we start IVF. AF arrived this morning so it's a forlorn hope but never mind. Once we had a referral everything started moving quite quickly so fingers crossed it'll be the same for you.

Hi chair, consider your hand held. I got my referral in May-ish (could check by going back through this board, but eh), bloods and SA were done immediately and we're seeing the fertility clinic nurse tomorrow for, I'm assuming, more tests. Looking back things have moved pretty quickly though it hasn't always felt like it :)

flixy you mustn't EVER feel like a letdown to your DH, he married you for YOU, not for your childbearing abilities. Let's hope that holiday brings on the blood (what a horrible sentence) or, better still, blood comes first and eggs come during holiday.

Thankyou summer for the wise words, I know it's so true and my DH is so supportive it's all just in my head.

chair welcome to the hut, you'll be hard pushed to find a group of more supportive ladies. You sound like you have a very supportive doctor and are well on your way to getting help (if needs be).

Thank you for the welcome all of you, and the hand holding, good wishes and wise words.

I think you're right Devil it's not really sunk in yet that this is happening to us; sorry to hear AF arrived - it's so tough to handle.

We've both always talked about having children, how many we'd like, what we'd call them - hell we even bought our house because it was a good place to raise children we didn't yet have, but always knew we wanted. To not be able to do it is both unimaginable and sadly all too real.

I know we're not down and out yet, so will think positive thoughts, keep tkaing my temperature like a wierdo, and molesting DH... Hopefully the hospital will move swiftly and that ther epidemic of fertility and amongst friends and family at the moment somehow rubs off on me (metaphorically, not literally ewww)

The thought of fertility literally rubbing off on someone just gave me a very good laugh!

Off to the fertility clinic today, really hoping we get some answers!

Good luck summer hope you get some answers!

I just remembered last night that I have private healthcare-not sure if I can get any sort of help or private consultation for my wonky hormones through them, I'm not really sure how it works .

Thanks flixy. It was a good appointment, I had the internal U/S again which showed my very cystic ovaries! The nurse was brilliant and it looks like all my contact will be with her rather than with a doctor until we need to go to IUI etc. I had another round of blood tests and a chlamydia swab and once those are all back I have to go back for another appointment and then I should get my grubby little mitts on clomid. Phew.

I used to have private healthcare and the way it worked for me was that you had to get a referral from your GP to a private clinic. You could ask your GP if they'll refer you to a private endocrinologist, though do check that fertility is covered under your policy because it isn't always. I found my (NHS) GP was very helpful with private referrals - I guess it gets you off their books somewhat?!

That all sounds really positive summer it always makes you feel that little bit better when you know the wheels are in motion!

I do have a lovely and sympathetic doctor ( who happens to be a friend of my brother! ) so will talk it over with DH and see if we want to go the route of a private doc.

Now were looking a bit more lively aren't we good to see people back and the newbies.

Started my second cycle today not to bad cutting out all tea yes ALL

I know mental but I don't want caffeine to be the reason it fails I don't drink coffee and chocolates got just a bit in if this one fails then I'll cut the chocolate got to stick to something to keep my sanity

Didn't think your next cycle would start so soon pink that's fantastic, sending you lots of positive vibes! I could cut out tea and maybe coffee at a push but deffo not choccie!! Lol it's the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes! Haha.

Yes best of luck for this cycle pink, I'm glad they got it going so quickly.

I'm like flixy - could give up tea and coffee no probs but chocolate is another matter entirely! There's barely any caffeine in chocolate anyway no? I wouldn't have thought you'd need to worry about it, I've never heard of it as one of those things to give up in pregnancy. Anyway! Positive vibes coming over the internet.

I took the day off and had a bit of 'me' time today - got my eyelashes and eyebrows tinted and my eyebrows threaded, got my hair cut, a wee bit of shopping/browsing, coffee and scone whilst people watching, then pottered about the garden.

All the things women with screaming kids in tow couldn't do (peacefully anyway!)

Sounds like a lovey day flixy and your definitely right people with kids couldn't do it so enjoy it

I don't think it is one of those things to give up summer but I thought it was worth a try I only drink a couple of cups a day anyway but with a miscarriage and failed ivf behind me I'll give anything a go.

TEA UPDATe - very proud no tea yesterday just a cup of hot vimto then today I had 1/4 of a cup of decaf tea but then got busy do left it :-) I bought decaf bags for those down days and thought it was worth a go so fingers crossed, I'll be having 4 less tea spoons of sugar a day anyway (2 per cup)

I was surprise how quick it was to maybe that's cuz I'm paying for it I don't know but I'm glad it's quick all the same... It does mean I'm sniffing for a month but hopefully it'll be worth it

Ah well done pink. Are you a fan of herbal teas at all? I love them but I know a lot of people think they just taste like hot water.

Flixy that does sound like a lovely day - isn't it one of the best feelings in the world treating yourself to a coffee and cake (or scone) and people watching with nowhere to be and nobody to have to meet. Or maybe I am just massively antisocial :)

Oooh, good luck pink! I'm addicted to herbal tea but don't like the fruity ones. Peppermint, ginger and anything from the Pukka range taste good.

I'm on leave for a couple of weeks and off for some proper sunshine next week. Hallelujah!

No I'd love to be a herbal tea lady but I'm not sadly might give them a bash if I get a craving

Have you tried redbush/rooibos tea? It's a bit more like normal tea I think.