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

Banana - I had no idea that your blood levels dictated if you were allowed IVF on the NHS! Outrageous!

Depending on what you need Vap0 I think it'd cost us £4,000 but that includes flights and the holiday abroad :) You're right about us needing a BFP. I think you and I are up first this month. I'm day 16. The ovary pain I had yesterday was too much to bare and had to take some hefty painkillers!

Fingers crossed for us all xxx

banana sorry to hear that! Yes they told us that if your amh levels are not in required levels they won't do ivf too! It's crap! We won't hear about that until we have our next appointment in January. Would you consider going abroad for treatment banana? We have had loads of tests! The Dr won't give us actual results of any tests other than him just telling us everything is fine all the time. He did however say the SA results were excellent and the more we can dtd the better. I told him about my lack of cm and he brushed it off saying it isn't a problem. It is really frustrating as he just won't tell us anything just keeps sending me away and telling us to keep trying! Argh!

science that is a lot less than UK, I wonder why we are so expensive here? I will certainly look into it if we are unsuccessful with nhs Ivf. Especially as it includes a holiday too . Best get saving. Are you back on your folic acid? Is it having the loose bowel side effects still?

Yup, Vap0, I've gone back on it and it's still causing the loose bowels. I'm a bit worried about starting the doctor's prescribed dosage, it's over 10times more than what's recommended for everyone else. I'm not sure I could cope with ten times the stools, or ten times looser stools! Oh I've really tickled myself typing that

Told my DH that you've been doing it twice a day....he feels your partner is making him look bad he's very impressed by his efforts but has told me that once a day is enough and that he's not 25 anymore!

We DTD yesterday, today and will have done it 4 times over this fertile window. He doesn't like the preseed though, says it doesn't feel as good. We shall see, 13ish days to go! Loving these school holidays :)

Vap It does vary across different health authorities, just one of those postcode lottery things! In any case, the minimum for NHS funding is to have been trying for 2 years, and with my bloods suggested v diminished reserve, 2 years makes a big difference in likelihood of any success. Potentially if we got to the stage of needing to seriously consider donor eggs, then yes def would consider going abroad. We’re not millionaires by any means, but we do both have good jobs, and have been doing our best to save for project Baby over the years, knowing that fertility treatment might be needed. Still bloody painful any which way though!

Fab that the SA was all super. Official guidance is every 2-3 days so wonder if Dr even considered that ‘as much as possible’ might be taken as twice daily! That’s gotta be some serious super swimmers

That’s appalling that the Dr won’t let you have your own test results! I certainly requested copies of mine from my GP, I would have thought it was NHS policy that everyone was entitled to access their records?

scienceteacher sorry you’ve been having such problems on the folic acid. I’m also on the prescription strength folic acid, because of my epilepsy meds. I’ve not had any side effects, am hoping you get on OK with it

TMI-r-us, but I found that using the applicators to get the pre-seed as close to where it needed to be as possible, helped in that regard…deeply unsexy, so made sure DH didn’t come anywhere near the bathroom!!

Hey ladies,

A lot going on in this thread in the last few days!

I am on holiday at the moment, 10dpo today. I tested yesterday prematurely but bfn. Don't hold too much expectations for bfp but of course my heart holds hope. Get DTD to all those in the fertile period!! And glad to see u over here Flat...

Haha, science I was surprised myself! banana i think there is nothing to lose dtd as often as possible as we have done it once per day, every other day, every third day and nothing is working so I'm thinking that we may as well give it a try. I also did press him on what he meant by as much as possible and asked about every other day or every day and he said yes just do it as much as you can, go for it!
scence I didn't realise you had these side effects on the normal tablets! Yikes! I seem to remember you say you bought an all in 1? Maybe try switching to a Folic acid only pill and see if that helps. Or, if not give your Dr a call, they may be able to suggest something.
Just tested for ovulation and nothing. Getting a bit bothered I'm not going to ovulate this month as I had a positive test the equivalent of 2 days ago last month. Been testing twice per day so we don't miss it.
banana how long have you been trying for? I thought nhs funding was after 1 year or trying or 6 months if you are over 35? We would have had treatment sooner if my body didn't keep changing its mind about what it wants to do.
Reference the SA records. I called the gp who hadn't received them and te hospital were really shirty with me when I asked for the gp to have a copy. I'm surprised we haven't been sent for a second lot just to be sure? Not worth getting myself worked up about though as they are so slow at doing anything and don't want to slow anything down by throwing another spanner in the works.
I've been toying with the idea of pre seed but haven't bothered as do is totally against the idea. You never know when we start the next cycle he may be open to more ideas?!
new leaf are you anywhere nice? Fingers crossed for your bfp not too long to wait how until you'll know! Although I know the waiting will feel like a life time.....

vap it's awesome dedication to the ttc cause - love it! And obv doctor's orders

We haven't been trying a year, and I'm not quite 34. But my bloods suggest my fertility has fallen off a cliff in a pretty short space of time and at a young age. So the older I'm getting the less time is on my side. If my bloods were normal then there wouldn't be such cause for concern.

Pre Seed - we only used it cos I hardly had any CM. If it ain't broke...[Wink]

New leaf keeping fx for you! Hope you're having a fab holiday X x

How we all doing folks? CD 20 today, not had any cramps or implantation bleed this month :( Does everyone get that or can I still have hope for this month? Hope you're all ok...anyone have any news? xxx

Pah, Hiiiii ladieeeeesss...

Unfortunately AF came for me yesterday. While the in-laws were visiting. Mini-meltdown and cry in the bathroom for a few moments before "getting over it".

Although I had no + symptoms its still gutting to be another long cycle gone and another to follow. This cycle I am taking a break from Clomid (after 2 Clomid cycles) as I will probably be away from DH during fertile period so seems a waste.

Which means that NOVEMBER will be my next TTC month...

Oh well. Must keep positive. It will happen eventually!!!!

With no TTC pressure I plan to get a fitness kick going, enjoy some booze and eat what I want! Will be keeping on this thread anyway and hoping someone else has more luck than I have. We need a BFP on here from one of us Infertility/Clomid/Follicle tracking gals!!!!!!

science have you tried taking the Folic Acid at night before bed maybe when you brush your teeth (how I remember to take mine - next to toothbrush!) .. maybe you can sleep off any side effects? I hope you can ease yourself into taking it!!!

Hi NewLeaf..what a great idea, why the hell didn't I think of that?! Even if I wake up with the shits I can go back off to sleep thanks! Really sorry about AF

I was up until 4am this morning with what felt like someone tugging my reproductive organs! Very odd indeed! Never had any of these experiences before, I blame the clomid!

NewLeaf I love how you've said about a 'fitness kick' then said 'enjoy some booze and eat what I want'.....can you really do both?! I've been losing weight since January. Been at the gym and trying to be really good food wise. I joined Slimming World three weeks ago too. I'd love to eat what I want...I miss it!

Anyone else with news?

Haha that's is true it doesn't quite make sense, but I can be fitness orientated and eat more "bad pregnancy foods" like chicken liver and sushi and the odd glass of wine. I was trying to cut these things out and ease off the exercise!

Anyway I've had a glass of wine tonight and feel rather exhausted ha ha! Lightweight!

Well science tugging at the uterus sounds like a positive symptom!!! Fingers crossed for you!

Happy Friday ladies!

Hi All

newleaf sorry this month wasn't successful and such a shame you have to wait for November now

science any news from you! Where are you up to, liking the sounds of the tugging, how many dpo are you and when do you expect to see af?

News from me..... Didn't ovulate this month, boooo! I tested every day in the "fertile window" and twice in the 3 days leading up to predicted ovulation and 3 times on the day ovulation should have happened and nothing.
All that dtd for nothing! I was really hopeful this month too as I had an overwhelming amount of cm which is very abnormal for me! It's been like the Sahara desert here for years?

Gutted!

Although we have done some serious drinking this month with holidays and weddings etc and am starting to think that hasn't helped. However I have friends who have managed to get pregnant drinking at weekends. Argh!
AF due in 2 weeks on my holiday and that will mark cycle 24. That means 6 months until next appointment and 9 months until IVF (if we are lucky). No letter received yet for next appointment. Will chase them on Monday.

Good luck all! Hope to see a bfp on here soon.....

Hi everyone . Sorry for joining then going AWOL for a week...I hope you're all doing well.

ScienceTeacher - next for me is waiting. Then waiting some more. Then once we've finished waiting we will then be asked to wait for some more time. Throughout this whole time we have been instructed to "try"...which we hadn't really thought about doing before. Obviously when we've scheduled our annual leave over my fertile period, or we've DTD at 5:00am because we have to get to work or we've travelled 3+ hours after work to shag see each other (because I often work away during the week) we weren't actually TRYING. I've basically been told that they won't do anything else for me, or even see me, for another 6 months because the problem is clearly that I am STRESSED and this is what is preventing us from getting pregnant and that I need to RELAX or it won't happen...which naturally makes me feel MORE stressed and LESS relaxed .

Anyway, in slightly better news (although I'm gutted it may come to this), where I live now offer up to 2 IVF rounds on the NHS. Previously they offered none. I know that doesn't mean I WILL be allowed it, but for now I'm taking every bit of positive news I can .

Anyway, rant over...bless your husband! That made me chuckle! I'm sorry about the loose stools. Have things got any better? Are you just taking folic acid or one of the baby conception type tablets?

Vap - I'm sorry to hear about the lack of ovulation. I had that last month. ZERO ovulation. Could you still ovulate later this month? I often ovulate late (like CD21 or CD22 of a 28 day cycle) another thing which is being totally ignored by the doctors. Perhaps you'll just ovulate late? That's so frustrating after all the DTDing.

Banana - Sorry to hear about all the problems with the bloods. Is there anything you can do or take?

NewLeaf - Hi . How was your holiday? I'm so sorry AF came. It's always such a let down and it's so heartbreaking when you've actually got your hopes up about a cycle. Is there no way of DTD then in the next 2 cycles? If DH is away are you able to go visit him?

I hope you all have fun weekends planned x

Flat I'm sorry u have to wait! The waiting is excruciating at times! I have looong cycles so skipping one cycle is disheartening at times.

As for the doctors telling you to try or to relax. . . There's nothing that pisses me off more than being told to relax and it'll happen. No it bloody won't, and if it does it'll be fluke not because I suddenly relaxed. What a load of nonsense.

All I can think is that they have couples coming in after trying for two months or so and wanting treatment or investigation so this is their way of weeding out the couples who don't actually need intervention.

Like all fertility treatments it's just a process and we will all get to the end goal eventually!!!

I have been having meltdowns over the thought of IVF. I spent some time researching it and now I feel more relaxed about the idea should it come to that. Although we have had only two clomid cycles so I don't even know what's next if clomid doesn't work. We will see. Just getting my head around the prospect has made me feel a bit better.

Anyway, sorry for long post. Hope u all have a great weekend and fingers crossed for a bfp for one of us in the next month!

Xxx

NewLeaf - I completely agree. I can understand why they're reluctant to see someone who has been trying for 3 months, but when you've got someone who has been trying for a nearly a year, who has been tracking things and can show that for half the cycles ovulation comes right at the very end of the cycle when it's too late to actually 'catch', it's incredibly frustrating to be told to go away and keep trying.

Oh bless you. Why have you been having meltdowns? What is it about IVF that you're particularly worried about (not that it's going to be fun, obviously!). Maybe the worry of it all will be worse than actually doing it?x

Flat sorry to hear about your dr's saying wait! I'm in the same boat. And all the travelling to dtd! Argh! Sounds like you have the same amount of time to wait as Us. Did they say what the next step will be?
I've been trying to stay positive about it all but this lack of ovulation this month makes it so difficult! I know this is quite common for people to not ovulate once in a while but this is month 23 which is making it tough. I have ovulated 5 times out of 23 and 5 of those are in the last 6 months so hopefully I should next month.
It's mad you know, all these plans I had of all the weddings we would be going to this year and all of the not drinking. We had the last out of 6 weddings last weekend and still not pregnant . If I had known it was all going to be so difficult and take so long I think we would have not bothered with all the dr's started the adoption process a couple of years ago instead. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I understand if you want to adopt you have to be a year out of the assisted fertility process which means if it does all just continually fail and IVF fails then we may be seen as too old to adopt as after all of this time lapses we will be nearing 37.
I doubt I'll ovulate late and have stopped testing now as I've run out of opk's but if I did ovulate late it won't have enough time to attach I think and so would probably end in af anyway. In fact, thanks for the reminder, I'll order some more now.
On a positive note we are off to a friends bbq tonight and looking forward to it. Would prefer it if I couldn't drink...

50 opk's bought

P.S. I'm also sorry you have long cycles. I know how stressed I feel when we don't have a great cycle with TTC at the right times (which looks like it'll be the case for both Aug and Sept. Urghhh), so I can't imagine how stressful it must be when your cycles are long and you already have more 'waiting time'.

Haha Vap, I have just ten minutes ago counted out my OPKs and ICs and will order more too, another 90 nearly finished!!

I think the scary thing about IVF is that I just "didn't want it" , mentally I didn't want to have to go down that road and it seemed like a huge deal. Upon investigation it's just another TTC/fertility treatment and not as big or scary as I made it out to be. If that's what it comes to them that's what it will be.

I totally understand Flat/Vap about travelling to DTD, We live half and half in England and in Europe because of my husbands job so I flutter between doctors, homes and husband to DTD!! Next month I'll be in England all month for my work and just not sure if we will be able to link up at the critical time, hence the cancelled clomid month just so as to not waste the opportunity.

The anovulatory cycle is a right pain. I think I ovulated ONCE on my own on our second cycle post pill back in January 2014... And then twice the past two cycles with clomid so it just seems ridiculous if you think about it. I'm curious whether I will OV this month following two clomid cycles if maybe my system has woken up or learnt what it should bloody be doing!?!

Oh guys.....please can some of us have some good news...please?!! We've all got such poo luck.

I don't want IVF either. My Mum had it 19yrs ago to create my brother, I had to inject her stomach every single day. I hope it's less hassle these days.

I had no idea that 'pulling' was a good sign...I googled it after Newleaf said it was. I've had no implantation bleed though, but I've read it doesn't happen to everyone. I'm CD22, one week since ovulation and AF due 22nd. Bloody nipples won't go soft either...they were sore last month but not constantly erect. Pulling/tugging has stopped though thankfully.

All my MIL's blood results look like her cancer has returned. She's been looking into the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to kill herself and has made me very sad. I'd love to give her some good news. Off to the clinic with her next Thursday

Sorry you didn't ovulate Vap0. That just sucks. Really sorry for you

Flat I'm sorry you're having to wait. I had it when they mention STRESS...makes me stress!!!! Nice to see you back though.

Newleaf I had no idea you had such distances to travel for sex! At least my source of sex sleeps next to me every night! Even if he does need some persuading sometimes.

Who is next for AF/BFP.....I've lost track of who is in the 2ww other than me and Vap0.

Someone please make my month with a BFP!!!

ScienceTeacher - OMG that is AWFUL. I am so sorry you, your MIL and family are having to go through that. Is she serious about going to Dignitas? Is there nothing more they can do for her? Do you mean she's going on Thursday to talk about her options. I am so sorry - what a truly horrific situation.

So how have you found Clomid? How long will you be taking it? Have they told you what the next step is afterwards?

I'm CD9 so am probably the last one to test. I'd LOVE for someone on this thread to get a BFP! We definitely need a morale boost!

Vap - I reckon I'll be going back to the Drs around the same time as you. Didn't they say, in July, to keep trying for 6 months then you can be put on the IVF waiting list? I reckon I'll go back early 2016 and they'll then tell me to wait some more time then possibly get but on the IVF waiting list. We're actually moving to a new area in a few months so I'm wondering whether to register with a new DR at the end of this year and see if I can start the process sooner (there are quite a few things they've not tested yet so they definitely wouldn't let me go straight on the IVF list e.g. they've STILL not tested my bloods). I'm so scared that by changing area I'll lose my place in the queue .

Ovulating 5 times out of 23 must be incredibly stressful. I can't believe they're not taking you more seriously! Can you change GPs? Personally I think that with 2 years of trying they should be doing more. It all seems to be such a lottery though.

I completely understand what you're saying about putting life on hold and assuming you would have been pregnant now. I have a few events over the next 5 months (weddings, christenings etc) where I had always assumed I'd have given birth or at least been heavily pregnant. I never expected to get pregnant first go, but I did assume it would happen within the first 6 months .

Is that true about adoption? That you have to be out of the assisted fertility programme for at least a year? Wow! I didn't know that . Would you consider going down that route instead of IVF? Or do you think you'd go for IVF seeing as you've come this far. I tried talking to DH a few weeks ago about adoption and was totally shut down (as increasingly seems to be the case...urghhh).

Aww bless you NewLeaf - I know what you mean but, like you said, it's just the next thing in the TTC/fertility process. I can't imagine it will be pleasant, but I don't think it will be as bad as people assume it will be. Personally I feel like the physical side of IVF can't be as bad as having month after month of disappointment...but I'm also TERRIFIED that we'll do IVF and it will be unsuccessful and my heart will just be broken.

I can't believe how much you have to travel! What a complicated lifestyle . You make my situation look easy! So are you in the UK one month then Europe the next? Or is it half a year in one and half a year in the other? Do you have houses in both or do you have to stay in hotels and stuff? I see why you don't want to take Clomid when it's going to be such a challenge to TTC !

Hi all

FlatWhite it's only me that knows about the MIL. She won't even let me tell her son (my DH). There's loads that can be done for her but she says she'll refuse treatment then go to Dignitas. I got annoyed with her for upsetting me so much when I kept asking her to stop talking about it. But hey, that's all another story!

Clomid has treated me quite well I think. I get an awful lot of pain during ovulation an that's it. Wasn't even dry up there this month! I don't get any of the symptoms. I feel very lucky. I remember reading up on it before being prescribed it thinking...bloody hell if you get all these side effects you wouldn't even want to have sex! I've got one month left of the 50mg and then they said they'd up me to 100mg for the next 3 months. They said the next step would be IVF although I have heard of people having clomid for more than 6 months so I'd be asking for more.

I get one free IVF where I live but if you somehow get pregnant and miscarry you go to the bottom of the list again! For me to go down the adoption route you need to have been signed off from your gynaecologist for 6months before you can apply....another bullsh*t example of the postcode lottery!

ScienceTeacher - that's awful. You shouldn't have the burden of knowing her plans when she won't tell your DH. How does she expect you to keep something like that from him?! I can completely understand people refusing treatment, especially if they've been through it before and it was horrific and they don't believe it will work, but I really hope she changes her mind and tries the treatment again. You shouldn't have to go through this alone though, so if there aren't many people you can talk to in RL then you can chat to us .

That's great about the Clomid. I REALLY hope this is your cycle. If not, I hope they let you continue with Clomid for a while. Are there any risks associated with being on it a long time?

6 months is better than a year, but 6 months before you can even START the process is hell. I know we're both youngish (both 30) and so we're lucky that we've sort of got time on our side, but I had always wanted a large family (by large I mean 3 kids). I just keep thinking that if it takes years of trying each time, then there's a high chance I won't be able to have the family I want. That said, right now I'm just worried I won't ever get pregnant full stop .

In other news I have had a week of ahem 'loose stools'. I came of Sevean Seas 'Trying for a Baby' tablets in favour of just folic acid. I wonder if that's causing this .

Hi

WARNING - MUMSNET HAS BEEN HACKED AND SOME PASSWORDS CAN BE SEEN ON TWITTER. Change your password ASAP just in case.

science have you done a test yet? It's normally about now Id start testing each morning, if I'm right thinking af is due on 22nd?

flat you've just reminded me I haven't received a letter for another appointment yet. Will chase that today. You suggested changing gp but I'm not meeting with my gp at all they can't help I go to the fertility clinic at the hospital. I suppose I could look at changing hospital but worry that if I do I'm bothered I'll go straight to the bottom of the list again. I wish my GP did do this kind of appointment, it would be so much easier!
Good luck if you do change dr's it's a chance which may well be worth taking. Have they done a SA yet? I've had bloods but never at the right time. They don't seem to fussed about my blood and are taking my opk's as gospel about ovulation which I suppose is some kind of cost cutting exercise.
Yep you're right on timescales from my last appointment. Expecting next appointment in Jan and then to be put immediately on IVF list which is apparently 3 months long so should hopefully start treatment in April. Fingers crossed!

So many babies have been born on FB in the last 2 weeks, I think 6 at last count and one more ready to drop. I'm so pleased they have all been born as the constant ranting about meeting pip or bean was driving me nuts and they have all gone much quieter now. Mum not trying to avoid all these new mums like the plague. It will destroy me if I have to spend any time around them. I know that makes me a bad person but better to stay away than to go and get upset. My brother offered for me to hold my 4ish month old niece the other day and I just walked away. Better to get out of the situation it think even though j will certainly be coming across as a heartless cow! Argh!

Any positive news people?

We need a BFP!

flat have the loose stools improved or stayed the same when switching from your all in 1 to just folic acid?

Crazy about the hack! What strange kicks some ppl obviously get out of doing this sort of stuff...

Anyway no news from me, Cd 7 here so another 30 days or so to go til next clomid cycle... I'm intrigued to see whether or not I'll OV this cycle. Are u going to test this month Vap?

Anyone testing soon? How about after those hopefully implantation cramps? For those struggling with the folic acid, has taking them at night helped at all?