Please or to access all these features

Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

The mind numbing boredom of infertility

999 replies

icy121 · 14/09/2015 20:16

Two years. Month in, month out, and no change. I'm finding a huge part of this whole nightmare is trying to cope with the boredom. I bore myself incessantly googling variations of the same question, staying up late at night to the glow of an iPad, reading more and more obscure medical research abstracts. Asking my doctor friend if I can borrow her password so I can see whether the BMJ has any updates from last week. It's fucking monotonous. Nowhere else in my life have I had to strive so hard to get absolutely nowhere.

I don't talk to friends about it, they don't want to hear it and frankly I've cried too many times when it's come up for them to have any sympathy left. They're bored. So we just ignore and and plod on, except I'm not bloody plodding on. I'm wallowing side to side and achieving absolutely fuck all. And secretly dreading the fact they're all getting married and their babies will be on the horizon. I'm going to lose my friends.

I decided not to put my life on hold, got a new job in a small firm, booking holidays but it all feels very empty because what I'm really doing is waiting. And it's so fucking tedious.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
TammySwanson · 17/02/2016 22:08

Maybe you could ask to put gynae issues as the reason. It's sort of technically correct and if they are men then how likely are they to ask you more questions about it?

icy121 · 17/02/2016 22:22

Tammy - when I read your old GP's comment about curing endo my face fell. Old bastard cunt. Glad your current GP was better and more sympathetic. This sort of shit is so bad, it feels good to have someone somewhere feeling at least a little bit empathetic.

You're right of course. I've already started sowing seeds with endo/polycystic chat ('I get these huge cysts that need to be removed otherwise they could turn into cancer') so clearly gearing up to it. Phew. My GP is a woman who looked about 35% sincere when she explained that I'm entitled to shit on NHS for fertility treatment due to OH's kids. Maybe I'm being unfair. 45% sympathetic.

OP posts:
BipBippadotta · 17/02/2016 22:24

Icy my mate had her foot run over by a car the other week and it only broke one of her toes, and even then not enough for her to need crutches. You may have to have OH run over it several times if you want to be signed off for a while. Or break something a bit more awkward, like a rib. Alternative, why not book a holiday for after IVF? Somewhere cheap & sunny that you can enjoy if the news is good and where you'll at least be warm if the news is bad. Could turn out to be more fun than vehicular self harm.

We've just been baby bombed by DH's best mate - a confirmed
bachelor who has managed to get his first girlfriend in a decade knocked up by accident. She's 40. Just had their 12 week scan. Somehow this made us feel extra humiliated and hopeless as I did my first injection this evening.

Fractiousfractions · 17/02/2016 22:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BipBippadotta · 17/02/2016 23:07

The one good thing about having had a botched c section is that my abdomen is entirely numb with nerve damage from navel to bikini line. So it was kind of like I was injecting someone else's belly fat. Easy peasy. Now if only I could numb the rest of me...

PotatoesPastaAndBread · 18/02/2016 08:16

bip that is the WORST baby bomb I've heard. FFS. You say you've started injections - did you get a good explanation at the down reg scan and now have a clear idea what to do? For some reason Bob Marley popped into my head and I'm now humming "we're jabbin'..." unhelpful

meh is the transfer today? (Sorry I've slightly lost track of time). Best of luck.

icy I second the idea about general gynae issues (noone will want any gory details!) or perhaps fake a d&v bug for a few days that you don't want to spread round the office? My GP told me that don't sign ppl off for the first seven days, only after that (because you're legally entitled to seven calendar days sick self certified). So although I don't plan to go back until at least the week after next, she said I could only get a sick note if I phoned next Monday after having had my first week off, and then on,y for the upcoming week (not this wk). To be honest, I'm not sure I trust what anyone says about anything anymore, but that's what she said.

GP was lovely. If the surgery wasn't so fucking busy all the time I'd try to always see her. I had seen her when I just got pregnant (went in about monitoring thyroid) and she actually remembered and was suitably sympathetic without saying anything trite or tactless, and sorted me out with an EPU app this morning. I had actually booked A/L today to go and see friends (friends on mat leave with new babies obvs) so I am going to see if I can do the app quickly and still make that visit because yesterday I was seriously bored. Yes I can confirm that miscarriage is as boring as infertility. The thing is nothing is happening yet. Since I stopped taking the progesterone supplements by boobs are back to normal and my bloating has gone. I have no pregnancy symptoms, don't feel pregnant, feel totally normal, no bleeding, nothing, it's just there's eight weeks' of baby support system inside me waiting to bleed out. TBH I want it out asap so I'm going medical or surgical.

900+ messages ladies! We're going to need a new thread soon if we're going to keep on swearing and staving off infertility boredom!

BipBippadotta · 18/02/2016 10:10

Potatoes your GP sounds absolutely lovely. So glad she was helpful.

My appt at the clinic yesterday was pretty brisk & perfunctory but they did give me a little print-out saying how much of what to take when, and the rest I worked out from YouTube tutorials when I got home.

I have the most excruciating headache of my life this morning, it's like someone is using a dentist's drill on my eye sockets. Apparently this is a standard Gonal-F side effect, and I'm on near the maximum dose. I'm in for a fun 12 days.

Meh best of luck for ET today!

kiwiblue · 18/02/2016 10:21

Meh best of luck!!

icy definitely use the ovarian cysts or whatever excuse- they won't need any more details than that!

potatoes I'm glad your GP is good, that really helps.

bip sorry you aren't feeling well and about the baby bomb. The first time DH ever admitted to me he got upset was when his best friend emailed to say he accidentally knocked up his GF. It's lucky I didn't get that email!

fractious good idea about the holiday!! Hope you enjoy.

PotatoesPastaAndBread · 18/02/2016 11:29

Oh bip it doesn't get any better does it? Out of interest what is the max dose? I took 275 a day. Tell me to f off if that's too nosy.

Well an Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit is a fun place. A waiting room full of women losing their babies. The staff were lovely, don't know how they keep a smile going with that trail of misery passing through! TBH it was very well set up given some of the horror stories I've heard. Located in gynae dept, nowhere near where they do ante natal scans. Peaceful, clean and efficient. I didn't make my visit to my friends though, took a bit too long for that.

I'm booked for an ERPC on Tuesday unless I bleed out naturally before then. Would have done it sooner but they're busy. I have light cramps and wonder if it might happen sooner, but either way I'll be done and back to work on the 29th.

Have basically moved into Itsu and living on noodles and dumplings this week. Yum.

Pebbles086 · 18/02/2016 11:46

Just read about the fucking baby bomb bip! Do they ever stop?! It's always when you least expect it and from the most unexpecting people. Fuck them anyway, you've got stabbing yourself in the stomach to think about! Glad your dosages are correct, is the side affect a good indication it's working?
potatoes Halluh for a good GP, that was exactly what you needed. How awful that we get so pleasantly surprised when a GP can actually do their job! Really sorry your now having to wait for the process to start. I hope it's over as soon as possible and the time off work helps. Totally feel you on the boredom part. My naps after loose woman are now boring me, although I am enjoying my late night googling sessions.
icy please don't damage any limbs. How is your cycle going? Hope your finding the injections etc ok. I am I right that you have started??
kiwi, fractious hi, hope all is well with you two. Think our thread needs some baby dust and glitter, I am sending it to all of you wrapped in dog shite! Grin
P.s please don't abandon me when the thread is full! We will have to start a new one.

loopylou1984 · 18/02/2016 11:57

Agreed pebbles! A new one has to start, I need this thread. Some days it's the only thing that keeps me sane! Xx

icy121 · 18/02/2016 14:07

Pebbles nope, starting next cycle. Droid is currently set to flow (well, dribble, I have oligomenorrhea "lucky you" said first Gp when I went in with concerns. I will never not hate her) but we're going on holiday on Sunday for a fortnight so delaying til after March droid. Randomly had a meeting with some bloke today who turns out is due his IVF baby in May. Took them 3 years. There is hope! So spent most the meeting talking about IVF.

Potatoes all the infertility feelings are the worst and I can only imagine that they're magnified a thousand times after a loss. I'm sorry, it's just not fair. I love itsu - treat yourself.

Bip hmm a rib eh... Fuck me re your bastard baby bomb. That's a kick in the cunt. unexpected, unwanted, probably undeserved. Just a real pisser.

At least it's nearly Friday [scatters dig turds around the place]

OP posts:
BipBippadotta · 18/02/2016 16:52

DH's best mate is still not quite the worst baby bomb we've had. The worst was my dad, age 70, announcing that he & his latest wife (my age) were expecting twins. My-half brothers are 5 now.

Icy so nearly holiday time for you. Hope you have a brilliant time & can put some of the shitness aside for a bit. Ugh, so awful to be hostage to a shitty GP.

Potatoes I'm glad your EPU visit was peaceful and calm and not full of beaming pregnant ladies rubbing their bumps. Good luck with the ERPC Tuesday, and hope you're feeling OK until then. Re: dosage - I'm on 300 of Gonal-f - clinic said the highest dose was 450. Had I not been doing PGS they said they would have started me on 150. It's clearly doing something, though. Headache is unbearable, and I am leaking colostrum from my nipples. Confused

PotatoesPastaAndBread · 18/02/2016 16:58

leaking colostrum !!!!!

Maybe I didn't take 275. Maybe it was 175. Have forgotten everything (or didn't really pay attention!)

PotatoesPastaAndBread · 18/02/2016 17:00

Oh and omg and father/twin baby bomb!!! Christ.

BipBippadotta · 18/02/2016 17:07

Potatoes I hate to say it but I've had a bit of colostrum leakage after each of my miscarriages. Sad Don't think it's terribly common though.

Top nip tip: colostrum must be cleaned off regularly with warm cloth or it forms a painful crust. Sad

Top nip titbit: Did you know that some antidepressants can cause men to lactate?

MehMehM3h · 18/02/2016 17:12

Hi all, thank you for the good wishes! I now have an embryo in me, it's so strange to say that! Mr Meh and I went and had a nice lunch after we got back.
This cold is getting worse which is annoying, been shattered all afternoon. Test date is 3rd March. Great timing as we go on holiday a week after that!

icy enjoy your holiday too!

bip that baby bomb sucks, sorry about that. Glad the jabbing is going well (apart from the headaches!).

potatoes glad the EPU went well and was calming.

Hooe you're well kiwi and pebbles

loopylou1984 · 18/02/2016 17:15

Oh my god! Bip, that's one hell of a baby bomb. Wow.

I was on 150 - no leaky nipples here. Good job too as I had no idea that could be a side effect and so I would have been pretty freaked out!

kiwiblue · 18/02/2016 17:22

bip you win hands down with Dad twin baby bomb. Shock

Meh well done, hope Mr Meh is feeling happier. Sorry to hear you're under the weather, hope you feel a bit better soon. Definitely well done planning a holiday.

icy great news about the holiday and treatment after it and cool you meet someone who was successful!

Got period this afternoon. It was a few days late but I wasn't hoping, I know better than that now. I haven't drunk for weeks but I think I might go home and have a G&T, what do you guys reckon? My mind actually boggles as to how people get pregnant so easily. Am really over people telling me to stay positive and have hope, as if they would after 2.5+ years. Sorry for rant!

Hope you all have a good evening- lobbing glittery dog turds too!!

TammySwanson · 18/02/2016 17:53

Potatoes> Glad you have an ERPC booked. I had similar cramps before mine and was bleeding too so was terrified I would miscarry before it but thankfully didn't. My advice is to take some wet wipes with you (along with the STs they've probably already advised you to take). Also take some music, etc with you so you can drown out any extraneous noise whilst waiting for you op. The worst and yet also funniest bit of the wait for the op was when I was lying there, on the bed in the waiting room where they had music playing, and the song Baby Love by the Supremes started playing. Fortunately I have a dark sense of humour.

karlafox · 18/02/2016 18:08

Hey all
Seems like there's been lots of activity on here over the past week.
Thinking of you all dealing with your separate shitty luck.
Just makes me think about how rude infertility is, it just wonders in and messes everything up. My life would be amazing without it!
Had to share something with you all, you may remember me saying a month or so ago I was going to try the DHEA suppliaments- well I am on week 4 of 50mg daily and for the first time in absolute yonks I have manage to not ovulate until day 13 which isn't the norm for me ( FC told me its its quite uncommon to have a 28 day cycle and ovulate on day 9 which obv's makes me a freak) so unless they are just cocking up my whole cycle, or it's a coincidence- maybe they do help.
Would like to up the dose but I don't want to wake up as bold as britney! Any suggestions on max dose from anyone who had tried them?

PotatoesPastaAndBread · 18/02/2016 18:35

Fab news meh. Hope the wait goes quickly.

Thanks for the wet wipe tip Tammy. I had a polyp out at the same unit 18 months ago and when I came round there was iodine everywhere but I thought it was blood, cue panic attack! Wet wipes might also help with the possible colostrum nipple leakage Shock

bip your endless facts never cease to amaze me. Could you do me a calendar for next year, one a day? Wink Hope the headaches are getting better. Are you allowed painkillers?

kiwi I have a g&t craving now! I guess I can drink now, might save it for the weekend. Hmmmmmm.

icy121 · 18/02/2016 18:57

Bip CHRIST ALIVE!! Do you get on with your half brothers? They're surely more like nephews?! Jeeeesus, I thought I was bad (trying to) inflict a baby sibling on an 11 and 9 yo.

kiwi sorry the droid got you - get on the gin, girl. Fuck it. I had half a bottle of red last night (and popcorn for dinner. Did a black poo today).

karla nothing to add on the DHEA or baldness but your comment made me think of that Britney meme

The mind numbing boredom of infertility
OP posts:
Lauraqc · 18/02/2016 22:57

So sorry to hear your news Potatoes this world is shit.

Sorry I've been AWOL but I've been a bit manic this week - my mum ended up in A&E with what they thought was a minor stroke on Tuesday and I've been lurching from one catastrophe to another ever since. Apparently it's brought on by stress. I know how she feels - I just haven't blacked out yet.

Got my prescription from Reprofit - tried to get quote from pharmacy but no fucking idea what any of it means. It's Gonal F 112 something per day? Plus Orgalutran to help the injections maybe? And then Derepeptyl or something as my trigger shot. No amounts anywhere, all the gear no idea springs to mind!

many of us seem to be very active with our treatment at the moment; I repeat yet again how much I appreciate all you glittery dog shit covered ladies.

BipBippadotta · 19/02/2016 09:58

Laura, I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. Can't imagine the emotional turmoil you must be going through at the moment. Clinic's vague prescription can't be helping things. Hope you get a bit more clarity on it soon & Thanksto you & your family.

Icy I haven't seen my half-bros in a couple of years. They're lovely kids, but troubled - my dad & his wife are insane & we don't speak anymore. I have fantasies of rescuing my little bros and showing them life doesn't need to be so weird & frightening. Sad

Karla I was on 50mg. Hair loss became noticeable after about 8 weeks. Never did anything for my ovulation tho. I'm the opposite to you, late ovulation & short luteal phase, so maybe it's just what you need & not what I needed. Glad it seems to be working!

Kiwi did you have that g&t? Totally get what you mean about not being able to believe that human reproduction works like they say it does. Sex & babies have no causal connection for me anymore. It's like those heady days before ttc, but without any of the youthful exuberance & joie de vivre.

Potatoes great idea re: calendar! How you feeling today?