Would you be my Infertility/Clomid/Follicle tracking friend please?!

[scienceteachergeek]

Hi there ladies

I’m really looking for a ‘clomid friend’ or ‘infertility pal’!

I’m 30, DH is 38. I came off the pill July 2013 to regulate my cycles and ended 15yrs of antidepressants in March 2014 as I’d read that was the best plan if possible.

I’d been having regular 27/30day cycles since I came off the pill but after no positive tests, buying OPKs and the Clearblue Advanced Fertility Monitor, plus charting temps and monitoring my cervix and mucus it quickly became apparent that I wasn’t ovulating. After all the blood tests, sperm analysis, trans-vaginal scans and the HSG it showed that he was fine but I wasn’t ovulating, but there was not obvious reason why.

Fast forward to now, 2yrs since coming off the pill, I have been prescribed clomid and have taken my first 5 tablets. I’m day 12 today and have been having follicle tracking to check if the drugs have worked. My largest follicle was 16.4mm today and have to go back on Wednesday to check it again.

Do any of you know if that’s a good size? Or have any experiences of being further down the clomid path? Or are you in a similar position? I just feel like I’m going out of my mind and could really use a buddy!

Thanks for reading and hugs to you all. Interested in hearing from any of you xxx

Hi everyone

Sorry for going awol. Shitter of a week at work then have been at a wedding all weekend.

Science - Put the Rabbit down for 5 minutes so you can read through our posts and reply ;) he he. I'm so sorry to hear what happened with the pupil. That's terrible! I have so much admiration for people like you who work in these environments. Two members of my family are teachers in a similar environment and the physical abuse is awful. Is there any security or anyone you could shout for help to? Definitely mention it to someone higher up the food chain as they may be able to assist you/implement some measures whereby you're not alone etc (no idea what, seeing as this government's financially crippled every establishment to the point where things can't function safely). Are you feeling ok now? You must have been very shaken.

Vap - So sorry to hear about the BFNs and AF. I'll be in a similar situation in a few days. It sucks so much. Well done though - you correctly guessed one of the names (Oliver). Although Matthew may be a contender for our 2nd/3rd/4th boy. Without trying to sound like a massive slutbag, all the names I like for boys are the names of ex-boyfriends. There's genuinely no deep-rooted issue why I like these names, but I do worry it may look a bit weird! Especially as the name we've picked for a girl is the same name as my ex Ollie's sister....

I totally understand your frustration with your niece. How unbelievably painful for you. We have a similar thing with a close family member. I've mentioned it before, but she's managed to dump a boyfriend, gain a new one and get knocked up and have said baby in only a few months more than we have been trying. WTAF. That's pretty tough in itself, but she's so insensitive about making comments like "Well you two have been married for ages, why don't you have one?".

Awww bless your OH Vap. It's obvious the pressure is getting to him more than he lets on. Did he say whether chatting about it helped? Men do need an outlet too and they often won't speak to us for fear that it may upset us even more.

F*ck. I can't believe people do IVF after just 6 months! Ridiculous!

NLE - I can't wait to hear your name when you do get a BFP . Fingers crossed it's soon. Hope you're well apart from that .

Things are well with me. I had my first set of blood tests this week (progesterone, thyroid, chlamydia + rubella). I have no faith that they were actually done properly as the woman who took my bloods later said she wasn't a nurse, and she seemed really uncertain as to which tests she should do and which bottles the blood should be collected in. EEEEK. At least we're finally being tested though. I'm so scared in case there is something wrong which can't be fixed .

We've also just been at a wedding where DH got ridiculously drunk. He apparently ended up lashing out at a mate (not physically and not shouting or anything) when this mate started ribbing him saying "so why aren't there little Flatwhites?". I think it had all got too much for DH and we've had 2 years+ of people making little jokes or asking. To be honest I'm getting closer to saying something to some people, but then I don't want the added pressure of people knowing we're trying and watching for updates.

Hi guys
FlatWhite, sorry your week at work was so crap. Thanks for the nice things you said about my job. I love it but do hate having to restrain pupils. I only do it if there's danger to another pupil or danger to themselves, some people will do it far more readily and I've been told off for not doing the same on occasions. If I can I'll avoid it at all costs! Even more so now, plus the paperwork is a total ballache!

Glad you've finally had some blood tests. Not sure if they've ever tested me for chlamydia and rubella but I guess they'll be sticking needles in me during the midwife appointment.

Sorry your husband got emotional at the weekend. I tend to forget ho tough it is on them. We only told a very select few people, he told his brothers (who then told their wives) and I just told my three closest friends. If I hadn't been completely off my tits at my 30th birthday party last year perhaps I wouldn't have told her either and I'd have kept the whole thing quiet.

Not used the rabbit at all. I had a bit of a naughty dream and woke up to some pains in the uterus so it put me off!

Read a thread yesterday that really upset me. Stupid mumsnet-they should have phrases by them before you click, something like, 'contains spoilers which might totally fuck you up during pregnancy'! It's upset me so much that I've booked in for one of those private early pregnancy scans just to check everything is going well. Nou is now the size of a sesame seed assuming the thing the woman was taking about hasn't happened to me

Hope you're all ok, who is next to test?

Also, as I was just thinking about my birthday party...none of you ever talk about your birthdays. Have any of you had one whilst we've been chatting? Mine's right by Christmas

Vap sorry to hear af has arrived - glad you are enjoying the prosecco though!
I think I ordered my thermometer with other things to get free delivery as well lol

I'm in Cornwall with family this weekend and forgot my thermometer :-( its driving me nuts not knowing what's happening.

On the cervix topic - I have a tilted one and I can never find it! When having scan to look for follicles they struggled and it blooming hurt! So I can't use that measurement unfortunately.

I'm due to test on Wed id AF doesn't get me first!

Had a dream last night I was pregnant - prob as I'm surrounded in Cornwall with bumps!

I'm sorry a few of you are having such shitty weeks, people are so insensitive. I don't blame your hubbie flat!

V quick message to say STEP AWAY FROM THE SCARY MUMSNET THREADS Science!!! The only thing they will make you do is feel more anxious, which is never good.

Temps have dropped this morning so AF is definitely on her way .

Hi all!

Nice to see you've all been updating on here! Good for your dp flat, it's about time these bloody nosey parkers got some kind of response. Who do these people think they are questioning people about this kind of thing?? It makes me so cross!

So I've managed to fall out with my mum. Brilliant! I've kept away for a while (if you remember from previous moans she constantly looks at my stomach to spdecide in her own mind if I'm pregnant and also constantly updates me on my baby niece). So I've just stayed away as I can't listen to it. She must have had a few drinks last night, we were out at a party and missed a call early afternoon and didn't notice as didn't have my phone on me, we left the party and walked to the train station where I noticed an FB message saying "are we getting the COLD shoulder"
What the fuck?? After missing one bloody phone call. If she didn't make me feel so sodding uncomfortable I'd go around more but she makes me feel like shit and I tend to come away from there in tears! I just need to stay away from her, she is doing nothing for my state of mind.

Yeah science stay away from mn and Google for that matter, what these people say won't change anything apart from your mental state (for the worse).

So this af that I thought I was having, I'm all very confused about this.

Tmi alert!

I use a mooncup so know exactly what's going on.
So, Friday morning brown spotting, Friday afternoon or evening (can't remember) red streak when I wiped. Sat brown spotting and a tiny bit of red. Sun nothing.
When I say spotting, there was so little of the stuff I didn't actually need to use anything. I did use my mooncup as it is non toxic and doesn't cause any problems using it even if af isn't about and didn't like the idea of a heavy af appearing when I wasn't prepared!
So, it appears it's all over but nothing much really happened. I've been reading about it online and they all say your 1st one should be heavier than normal af. Now I know mine are light and only last a day or 2 but one wipe can't be all it was. Unless the lack of ovulation means there wasn't much to come out? What do you reckon?
Oh, and after reading a lot they also say it is common to not ovulate the month after miscarriage but you should expect to after your 1st normal af. So in a way that has put my mind at rest a little but also worried me more now I don't know if this counts as af or not?
What do you think?
Thinking of testing again today (if I can hold onto my we for long enough) but know it is going to be a bfn. It's all so bloody confusing! What is going on??
I just want to be able to try again!

P.s. Good luck birch everything crossed for you for Wednesday!

Hi ladies,

reading your post flat about your husband lashing out made me feel all emotional. My husband is away with friends surfing and one of them has an 8 month old, and they fell pregnant way back when last year whilst we were trying too....

Thinking of he people with young babies growing up that weren't even conceived all the while we have been trying makes me sad/angry/irrationally jealous...

Anyway....!

vap I sometimes have super light periods, only whilst on clomid do I have "light" periods. Without clomid I don't need anything either it's literally 3 days of spotting
I would take it as u might not have ovulated/low estrogen and start it as a new month... A brief reset !

Vap - I agree with NL about the light period. TBH my periods over the past 2 years have lasted around a day and a half...sometimes maybe 2.5...and are so light I wouldn't need to change a pad (although obviously do, because I'm not a totally disgusting individual, ha ha!). I reckon, as infuriating as it is, this is just "one of those things" and things will settle in the next cycle or two.

NewLeaf - I know . It's so frustrating. People are so oblivious to how lucky they are as well. It's all just so unfair. One of my friends (who I think has guessed we're having problems TTC) was telling me about how upset her friend was because she'd been trying for a while and was getting frustrated. I was wondering whether to say something to this girl, as I meet her quite regularly through mutual friends, but decided against it as it's so personal and it's very annoying when people try to point out the positives when you're getting upset! Anyway, turns out she's up the duff and when I commented to my friend that I was pleased as she'd been trying for so long, my friend's response was "I know. They tried for 4 months before she fell pregnant." FUCK OFF.

Haha, four months, fuck off! I like the response as its so immediate and true!

My periods are usually so light that a panty liner is even OTT but there just in case and also changed for freshness not coz necessary. It's pathetic. So when I do get a proper AF I feel all womanly and almost happy as if yay my body is working, yippeeee! While most women would I Guess be pleased with light periods!!!

flat your friends friend pisses me off! 4 sodding months? Try timesing that by 6!
So, after a day of hellish cramping af has properly arrived now. So pleased! I was getting really worried it was going to be another month before things were back to normal.
Thanks for all your responses, I feel like less of a weirdo with my normally 1-1.5 day af's.
newleaf I'm totally there with your "yay my body is working", don't know if I've ever been happier about af!
birch gutted you forgot your thermometer! I'm looking forward to mine arriving now!
science I love that you have an Xmas birthday! I'm in April ??

I'm in November!

Last year in April when booking my birthday holiday I was sooooo convinced and said something along the lines of ooh nooo!! I won't be able to drink when we are in Thailand! DH: why? me: because I'll definitely be pregnant by my birthday!!!!!

Pfffft......

6 weeks til the next birthday then!!!! Perhaps I'll be pregnant by then!!

Fingers crossed Newleaf. Thailand...wow! Have a great time

FOUR MONTHS???....wankers!

My periods have always been really heavy for the first 3 days then lighten up for a further 2-3. Clomid did make the last one 6 weeks ago very light though.

Currently sitting here dying my hair back to it's original brown after having blonde highlights for nearly three years. I hope it'll be ok, did a bit of research before buying it. I figured putting brown on it once would be better for me than the peroxide every 6-8 weeks.

In other news I think I have a urine infection. Doctors have been great and sent me wee off to the lab to check. The nurse was freaking out over a temp of 37.3!!! I'm sure I've had hotter shits than that!!!

Hi everyone

Yes - four months. Utter arseholes.

February birthday here! Possibly the most miserable month of the year...actually, maybe that's November (sorry NewLeaf).

Science - Hope you haven't had any more scares with pupils? Sorry to hear about the infection. Hopefully it clears up soon! You'll have to step away from the hair dye now you're up-duffed .

Birchy - Sorry to hear about the painful cervix escapades. Doesn't sound fun! Tbh I'm not sure I definitely know where my cervix is. I never thought I'd need to know . Sorry about the dream. I've had that before and it's AWFUL waking up. Any sign of AF?

NewLeaf - Have you adjusted to the cold yet? . I know what you mean about 'proper' periods. I get them maybe once every 5/6 months. WOW - THAILAND! I am so jealous. That will be amazing! Enjoy every moment. Are you travelling around or just parking yourself on a beach?

Vap - That's unbelievable about your mum. Was she joking? Or was she genuinely making a snide comment on Facebook? I assume the comment was public? WTAF. I can completely understand why you want to avoid her. That's grim. Would she understand if you sat her down and explained it to her? I am sorry you don't have support in that area.

Have a good night everyone. Four days until the weekend...

flat and science sorry for the misunderstanding, what I meant was LAST APRIL when planning my birthday LAST NOVEMBER I was thinking I would definitely be preggers while in Thailand... I went last year...

Just shows how wrong I was. I was totally like aaaahh but I'll definitely be pregnant in November and won't be able to party for my 30th (last year)...

Hahaha, I am staying with work colleagues in a serviced apartment in London, it's Super posh so I haven't adjusted to the cold as I run the heater in my room 24/7 but it's officially a week that DH and I have been apart and maybe 1 more week to go... Arrrrrgh!!!

newleaf heat on already? It's still warm. You'll be FREEEEEZZZZZZING when gets into single figures. We haven't needed ours on yet. But I do absolutely love blankets and have 4 around the place if it's a bit nippy.
Has anyone been watching that bbc peogramme? Think it's called the creation of you. All about what happens in the womb. It's a 3 parter. We watched part 1 and 2 last night. It's interesting, if you're like me and can't get enough Information about what we will all be in for when we are eventually lucky!
newleaf I'm exactly the same as you, we have had so many occasions where I was certain I'd be pregnant. All of them seem to have been and gone now. Although I'm still really hoping I have that bfp in time for Xmas, firstly so there are no questions and secondly so we can go to church on Christmas Eve at midnight (it's the only way I'll ever get there if I actually can't drink)

flat. Luckily my mum sent me a pm rather than it being public. She has a few drinks and her filter switches off. She messaged me again last night as though she hadn't said it. I'm just waiting for her to ask me why they dont see me anymore. I'm missing my dad like crazy. We have always been super close and now I'm avoiding them. Argh! She has always been shit at anything like this. I remember when I was young, I went to an all girls school and so didnt really know what boys were. I had a friend who was a boy at swimming club and I was tormented for weeks about him being my boyfriend. Ridiculous as it sounds I've been scarred for life and have never been able to discuss relationships or anything with my mum. Oh and once when I was about 14 she decided I was a lesbian. And another time when I was about 15 she came out with this ridiculous story about a dream she had where she was walking past a gypsy with me and the gypsy pointed to my tummy and said "there's a baby in there", she was convinced it was true. Total weird shit! No wonder I can't go to her. Ha, reading all that back just makes me laugh and I know it's madness that all of that has affected me but all 3 things were emotionally terrifying for a youngster who didn't know anything about boys. Life lessons learnt for future - 1. Never send your child to an all girls/boys school 2. If you must think this weird shit don't bloody repeat it.

science boo to the urine infection! By the sounds of it people are more susceptible to illness when they are pregnant. Dont forget to get your flu jab booked! Hair dye.... Another thing I'm putting on hold "just in case". Ha! Is this the last time you'll be doing it for a while then? Hence the going dark?
newleaf I like your 6 week timescale to be pregnant! I'll join you on that one! Let's all get that bfp before newleaf's birthday! After all we all bloody well deserve it!! annoyed by the 4 month girl again

I think we can safely agree that the 4 month girl can fuck off.

Vap - obviously I don't want to slag off your mum, but that sounds difficult. I think I'd be a total head case if my mum was like that! Are you able to meet up with your dad privately or would that open a whole can of worms? It doesn't sound like an easy situation at all.

NewLeaf - sorry for the confusion and sorry you're not going to Thailand. Clearly you now need to book a holiday to make us all jealous! We're thinking of going away in Jan/Feb somewhere hot, just to give us something to be positive about (which is a total brat thing to say, because we have a lot to be positive about).

I can't believe you have the heating on! We have ours on for half an hour first thing, only because we have to get up at 5:45am and the place we live in is freezing!

I have the pre-AF ache and feel so light headed. I hate this stage. I just want to start the next cycle but feel so down about the whole thing. I'm starting to think this really may never happen for us .

May I join in. Have been lurking and reading this thread for a while. My basic stats are

TTC #1 - years! Been married for 4 years so it's as many as that. Had a nightmare with NHS was given basic blood tests and then told to go away and loose weight but they wouldn't do anything anyway as my husband has a child from a previous relationship

Had given up. Had a bad back earlier this year around June and was given a MRI scan. When given the results by my back specialist he mentioned I had a fibroid which could also be causing back issues and possibly affecting fertility.

Referred to a gynaecologist (who also specialises in fertility) and luckily for me my private health care at work agreed to pay for treatment as it was my back that was painful and they then found endometriosis and adeomis (spellings??) my consultant performed a laparoscopy and removed The fibroid (size of an orange) and the endo plus snuck in a dye of my tubes. So all clear and away we could go except I then got stuck bleeding for weeks followed by a cyst bursting. This brings me to last month and my first chance to try and this was my first month on clomid. But a scan on the day 14 showed I hadn't ovulated but would be about to but that was the weekend and I had plans with friends to go away for the weekend without hubby! Then today AF arrives so onto cycle 2 of clomid.

I hate clomid it made me an emotional wreck. I am dreading next couple of weeks!

Anyway would love a bit of support on here and join the journey with you all.

Massive congrats to Science by the way.

I have just had to go through my brother and his GF having their second baby. I am so happy for them and my bro's GF is really supportive but argh.

My hubbies brothers wife is also an earth mother with 6 children! And seems to just pop them out every year or so!

I just want one!!!!

Sorry my day 21 bloods last week showed I had ovulated as they were a level of 50 and they need to be above 30.

So I now need to find the best way to find my ovulation date as it seems I now have short cycle and late ovulation?!?!

4 month girl.., haha, I love the mutual despise of someone we don't know!

Yes I am a warm blooded one.... Or a reptile that can't regulate I'm not too sure hahaha!

badleg welcome to the club. Fwiw my first month of clomid I was an emotional nutcase while taking it, second month was fine. As its been suggested try taking it before bed?

Hi Badleg, welcome. I thoroughly recommend the Clearblue Advanced Fertility Monitor.

That's a very high progesterone level...not wishing to boost your hopes this month but mine was that day 21 when I found out I was pregnant!

Sorry for only quick reply, 3rd wedding anniversary today xxx

Happy anniversary Science. Enjoy

Thanks NewLeaf - before bed sounds like a plan! I would do anything but have to go through the rollercoaster of last month!

Hello badleg welcome!

So sounds like we are at similar stages of cycles (I'm cd2). Do you use opk's or temp? My thermometer arrived today which I'm really chuffed about, had a go and know that it will drive dp nuts with the loud beeping so watch this space for a fall out! Ha! I hope your clomid doesn't affect you so much this month and as newleaf says bed time seems to be the best time! Wish I could have some clomid this month...
How old is your new niece/nephew? I have a new one too 4 months I think, although as you may have read have been through a bit a breakdown when it comes to my family so not seen them in ages.

Woo science happy anniversary! I'll bet you had already planned being pregnant on this occasion but I bet it's just making it all so much better! So excited for you still! Any new symptoms?

flat relations are tough, I'll try to be the bigger person and swallow my pride again and try to make the most of things. It would be all so much easier if I could get that elusive bfp! In fact I think I'd settle for a positive opk this month! Can't do anything without one of those!

newleaf it was 18 degrees here today! Surely must have been warmer in London. No heat today surely? Haha!

We are hoping to get some (government funded) solar panels on the house, have an appointment in a few weeks. Hope we can get them, will be great having some free electric in the day!

badleg you must have been able to lose the weight to be on clomid now so well done! Im still 4lbs on a good day too heavy for my dr's. Not that I can see them again until January. Bad timing to have that after the bloody holidays! What bmi do they want you to be? They told me the bmi number they wanted me to be (30) but then decided I needed to be another 6lbs lighter than that! Argh! I've done well and lost about a stone and half in January and more importantly managed to keep it off but these final few lbs seem to be so hard!

birch where have you gone? Was af due? Have you tested? Hope you're ok.

I bought pee sticks then a fertility monitor (old version) then lost plot had enough and stopped all peeing on sticks. Bought a thermometer then kept forgetting to take temp before I got up. Do you take temp if you pee at 5am or when you get up to go to work?

My BMI is high. If you go private they don't seem to worry as much! I paid for clomid private prescription and for 6 months of 100mg a day it was cheaper than a normal prescription! They said at the NHS hospital that you needed to be 30 or under. I know I have to def loose some for IVF if we get to that so currently on SW.

Vap - you have done so well on weight loss!

Isn't it crazy how things differ from place to place NHS to private.

When I called to get a scan on day 14 the consultants secretary was really unhelpful until I told her I was private patient and then funnily enough she found me an appointment!

My private insurance won't pay any more now and my consultant has told me to crack on so I feel a bit scared as been having regular scans and checks until now. I don't see him now until February next year if nothing has happened and then we will be going ivf route and paying for it.

badleg do you know how much all of your appointments and prescriptions etc will have come to so far? I do have 2 private medical policies (weirdly) but 1 is though work so can't really ask whether this is covered and doubt it is and the other is through my parents business and again don't want to ask the question and again am pretty sure it wouldn't be covered. My dr says IVF is the next step in Jan (well appointment in Jan but then there is at least a 3 month waiting list). The weight thing is such an arse! How many fatties have you seen with new born babies? That's all I bloody see these days! People who are 5 stone plus heavier than me with new born babies and I'm like wtf, how can weight be the reason? I'm getting so desperate that now I'd be happy to go private to get some clomid so at least I could know I'm going to ovulate and when!
Also do you know how much IVF privately is? From what I understand all in its about £7,000 for the 1st session including all drugs, checkups, consultations etc.
I understand it is about half the price if you go abroad and at least as good an experience. Would you consider doing that?
I've never temped before but will try to remember tomorrow, from what I understand you need to do it after sleeping and not moving for at least 4 hours so that will be a challenge in itself! I'm such a bad sleeper! But let's see!
P.s. My weight loss was purely from stopping drinking beer and stopping drinking every night. Now try to only drink on weekends she says after drinking a bottle of prosecco on a Tuesday night and stopped drinking beer and only drink prosecco as its so much less fattening!

I have thermometer but just realised its only to 1 decimal place and I don't think that's good enough? So my temp right now is 36.6

Each time I went for a scan and appointment it was £250 each time I think and my consultant put them all down as follow ups for my op. I have had around 4 scans so far. I can check the paper work tomorrow.

The clomid he gave me a prescription for and I think I paid around the £8 mark for 6 months.

The lap was part of the endo and fibroid treatment again I can check but it was a couple of grand I think with an overnight stay.

Have you had any trouble with your periods in that could you go down the route of getting endo investigated using your private health care due to it having an impact on your day to day life and hopefully find a nice consultant like I did???

I have looked at my local BMI hospital where I am being treated and looked at the cost of IVF and it looks so cheap I don't know if it's correct. Or if there are hidden costs! It looks to be £3275.

Your right though a few of my overweight friends have babies. I see people far bigger than me have kids. But if loosing the weight increases my chances if I go down IVF route then that's what I shall have to do. And stop eating ice cream. Having just had half a tub of Ben and Jerrys because I have nasty period pains!!!