Any success stories and ideas for secondary infertility?

[Annabellaboo]

Hello ladies.
I am hoping to get some ideas and support on here.
I am 35 years old, very healthy with a 3 year DS. We have been trying to conceive our second child for 2 years now. I became pregnant very easily with my first and had an easy pregnancy.
This time nothing.
I have had all the tests the nhs provides. Progesterone normal, I ovulate, DH sperm count is normal, no blockages etc etc. I have tried charting, ov sticks, changed my already pretty healthy diet (cut out refined sugars and have lots more greens etc, and alkalised my body). I take advised supplements and have even tried acupuncture.
I do however have short cycles, sometimes as short as 21 days but averaging 24. This is a little shorter than I had before my DS.
We cannot afford IVF and I am not sure I can face that anyway.
My consultant last month has prescribed me a half dose (25mg) of clomid, which a scan showed on the first round it definitely boosted things even more with a good few mature follicles. I already ovulate but she thought as my cycles are quite short and a little irregular it may give me a boost.
I have been convinced several times I was pregnant (oh how cruel our bodies and brains can be!) but AF always turns up.
I guess what I am asking is does anyone have any other suggestions of things I could try or why I can't conceive time. I am open to theories and alternative methods.
Any experience in this subject and success stories please share.
I try not to stress about it all, but some months it just really gets you down as there is no real 'reason'. The hard thing is watching other mums around get pregnant multiple times so easily.
Thank you for listening!
Anna

Glad to hear things are progressing, bloop- can't say i know much about mons pubis and pregnancy but sounds like your body is doing things which can only be positive!
My closest friend is having her elective c section for her third today, bittersweet feelings really. This weekend my AF is due- it goes without saying I've got my hopes up and for the first time I think DH is quite hopeful too and no doubt it'll feel quite rubbish if I'm not preggers. Gotta love this journey!

Thanks hippybird - how are you? You've been quiet of late

Rose my fingers are crossed for you. I honestly felt like af was about to start - all the usual signs were there except the actual period!

I've been thinking of you all. This had been such a supportive group.

Bloopbeep - Excellent to see good news on here! I completely resonate with the anxiety in the first trimester after struggling with infertility and miscarriages. I wouldn't even use the word pregnant until after I was into my second trimester. For me, the anxiety hasn't completely disappeared, I still get very nervous before every ultrasound and doctors/midwife appointment. And I waited until I was 20 weeks to tell work I was pregnant. It was so obvious, I felt ridiculous waiting that late. Ah, to be naive and overly fertile.

Closephine - I'm sorry to hear about the morphology count. That is so incredibly frustrating. How is he fairing with the news? I'm sure you've tried everything under the sun, but just in case - we did see a significant improvement in DH's morphology when he took a regimen of supplements his urologist recommended (beta carotene, l-arginine, omega 3-6-9, pycnogenol, vitamin E, ubiquinol/Qu-10) from 1-2% to 9% although his SC continued to plummet due to stage III varicocele. I recently read that 50-80% of male factor secondary infertility is due to varicocele. I was surprised by that.

Hi all!
am new to this thread but read about half of the messages.. congrats bloop on the two lines!
About me - 39, DD is 4,TTC for 2nd child for 2.5 years (I mean like every single month ... have tried everything medical(clomid, IVF etc.) and homeopathic (acupuncture, herbal and others- but now reading this, there may be more things to try? )
I have unexplained infertility, but have problematic things such as endometriosis and low AMH high TSH

ALL of NCT moms from first births have had 2nd children 1/3 now on their third. many of my friend and neighbors also on their third child
One of my best friend just phoned last Sunday to tell me about the good news about her third child, and that really pulled me into a depression about it all and wanted to find people in similar situation maybe with some hopeful news

Welcome little dragon! I'm sorry to hear about your situation- it's even more frustrating when you don't know what's causing it and therefore are left in complete limbo as to whether it will happen or not. I think hearing from friends about pregnancies/births can be so so hard, my best friend just had her third yesterday and I spent the day feeling quite low- and who can you talk to about that- it just makes you feel like a horrid person!
I hope you can get some comfort from this group- I'm not sure how I would have got through the last year without it to be honest- would have felt totally isolated as everyone seems to be popping them out around me! we've had a couple of unexpected pregnancies so far on this group too which has been really reassuring.

Hi all, and welcome dragonmamma - rose is right, this board is hugely reassuring, when it seems all around you can pop them out so easily, and also very reassuring there have actually been pregnancies. That must be hopeful for a board that has 'infertility' in the title!

Closephine - sorry to hear about the morphology count. Will you try supplements? What have they recommended? On the plus side, of that is something you can get up, surely that gives you some hope if you can get it up? And you have a reason for your lack of success... I'm nagging my DH to get his sperm checked almost daily now. He's always too busy/stressed etc... we're just in our fertile window now, so once I've ovulated I'll march him to the health centre!

kitten sorry you're still feeling so low. Hopefully the results of your scan can give you some answers, and things you might be able to work on... X

anna sorry about the blooming arrival of af!! At least you have a lovely new cycle, brimming with new hope! Fingers crossed this will be the one!

bloop can you remind me of your stats, and anything you may have done differently recently!! Hope the anxiety is ok! I remember finding that first 12ww excruciating, and that's without any sort of infertility journey!

As for me, I'm doing fine. I think today I'd CD14, so I would expect to ovulate soon, although I had (TMI!) lots of CM a couple of days ago, and we DTD, but no temp shift, and cm seems to be gone again, but I assume I'm due to of any day now. Anna, you have short cycles, don't you? I seem to have extended my cycles the last few months, and I think it's the supplements I'm taking... I'm taking Dong Quai which is supposed to help regulate you, and EveningPrimrose, which is also supposed to. Also zinc, nettle powder (helps build blood), ubiquinol, selenium, plus pre-natal! I am positively rattling, but last month I had a 27 day cycle, and as I've not ovulated yet on CD14, I'm assuming this will be a 28day+ cycle.... it felt nice to have a small window/break from TTC after period, as usually we have to get straight on the case after period, and I'm normally pretty wiped at that point. So, all ok with me, thanks for asking guys, and sorry for the absence. Heading into the 2ww now, so I'm sure I'll be popping in more often now! X

rose - sorry, missed you out! When will you be "due" now you've had the insemination?

Also, Jenny would you mind sharing your stats and story again? Would be good to have a positive story and outcome to read! X

Hey littlesragon the women here have been really great and supportive so you're in the right place!

hippbird in September I only took folic acid and vitamin b6 (until ov only) - and we only dtd twice. It was my first Month using the clear blue fertility monitor I got on eBay (the one that arrived covered in dry piss) and I started testing opk late as I had no idea how to use it. I previously had the cbdigital ovulation tester but it never gave me a peak reading. I got a peak reading in September. I'd been ttc for about 2 years (not being careful longer than that) but found out earlier this year I don't ovulate regularly although my AMH is good for my age and fsh is ok too. No functional or physical abnormalities found. No reason for secondary infertility.

I'm still petrified it's going to go wrong and obsessively checking every fart and tummy rumble. I wish I could relax

I hope it all works out for you soon hippy

And good luck rose my fingers are crossed for a sticky bean for you x

Hi all
Thanks for the warm welcome! I feel very much in the mist of good company
Bloopbleep oh really? Do you think the clear blue monitor helped? I bought myself a big multipack of 100 one-step ovulation LH sticks and used them all up (yes all of them) in the past two years, and thought that was enough. I have to say, my friend who had two children said she really got pregnant from that. I wonder if I should use it? since I am 39 I do feel like I need to make a decision about another round of IVF quick given that I don't have many eggs left, but a part of me still hopes that other methods (again the clear blue monitor) and/or acupuncture, etc can make it happen naturally? What do others think? (i might just ask my friend if I can use her monitor since it made two women pregnant ... has a good history) - am already on ebay looking for one now..

Oh - bloop I wanted to say, I know how you feel! you keep telling yourself to relax, but you just keep worrying about every little thing that happens to your body. I hope it goes all well and in a few weeks you will probably be more relaxed. good luck!
also rose fingers crossed for you too! hope it all goes well.

Also I was wondering if anyone else is like that, but I seem to feel super optimistic around middle of my cycle/when i'm ovulating - nowish!- and then when AF comes go into a state of complete doom.. feeling it will never work. Does anyone else feel like that?

I totally know what you mean, dragon- very similar here and DH hears these sentiments every month- like I'm on a loop.

Thanks for the update bloop - i haven't e we really got on with ovulation monitors before, maybe because I've always used super cheap ones. I've been temping on and off for about a year, and that has been really useful, but maybe I should try the clear blue monitor, I have been tempted in the past while gazing at the vast array of fertility stuff in Boots!! And of your worrying and anxiety, try and remember it's only natural, and a natural part of the process. I would recommend trying mindfulness, it might help you cope with the worry. There's a pregnancy meditation in the Headspace app. Might be worth a try?
Dragon, I know just what you mean, I get all positive from about a week before ovulation, until about a week after, then the anxiety kicks in. But I have been trying to have a more positive mindset about the whole thing. I've said before on here, I don't want trying (and failing so far) to get pregnant to become the sole reason for living, as it were. I'm trying my best to take pleasure in my life as it is. We only live one, after all!
As for me, I'm on CD15, and no ovulation. A bit frustrating, as we've managed to DTD on the right days (trying EOD method, as want sperm to be strong), but won't work if I don't ovulate. So wish me ovulation vibes. But overall in the positive part of my cycle, so all is well!
Btw, in my Emma Cannon book, which I've recommended before, she talks about the different phases of your cycles, and how best to be in each phase. E.g. Rest during period, be creative and energetic in follicular, eat warming foods during luteal phase, etc... I'd really recommend it for those of you that like to do things to feel like you're helping things along.
bloop when you say only zinc and prenatal, do you mean before that you were taking more supplements?
Rose are you still in your special diet?
Where are the rest of you in your cycles? Dragon looks like we may be cycle buddies, depending on when I ovulate...

P.s. Apols for all the typos, didn't preview first...

I didn't take zinc and prenatal. Some months I'd try a whole host of things like zinc, magnesium, ubiquinol, iron,vitamin c, evening primrose oil, b12 and b6 and Angus castus but I rattled and nothing happened so I stopped. Angus castus did nothing but shorten my lp and I don't think any of the others helped with ttc but ubiquinol was great for energy and joint pain.

Hi bloop - d'oh! You said folic acid and vitamin b6, I totally misremembered! I wonder whether all the other vits you took did help in the long run... I've read that it's a 3 month cycle to make a fully matured egg, so who knows! I'm not sure when you stopped taking them, so that might be completely hopefuy thinking. I'm hoping so, as I'm taking pretty much all of those now, and hoping they will make a difference. They must be, as my cycle has lengthened quite significantly for the last two cycles. Pretty sure I ovulated yesterday, as I had a temp shift today - hurrah!! So that should mean I'm looking at a 29 or 30 day cycle this month. Hopefully having a slightly longer cycle might help...
Hope you're all well today- I'm working from home today, so it should be a chilled one. I have accupuncture at 1pm, and my accupuncturist has just come back from a 10 day trip to China, doing accupuncture training, so I'm hoping she'll be full on enthusiasm and new ideas/insights! And then later we've planned to watch King Kong (new version) with hubby and DS (he's 9, I figure he'll be able to handle it...!), so life's good today!
Hope you're all doing well. X

I'd only taken the b6 for two weeks as the side effects of high doses scared me.

hippybird you are definitely my ovulation buddy :) but my cycle is only 27 days long - almost on the dot... can set your clocks to it- so we might be going out of sync soon.
And i totally understand when you say feeling like getting pregnant taking over your life. I sometimes wish i could just move on with my life without having to think about it any more.

About supplements i take the pregnacare conception ones but do people recommend also taking additional stuff? I didn't for awhile since i am on thyroid tablets for my high tsh levels.. but am curious. I'm also starting acupuncture again Monday and last year before my ivf i had done it almost every week for 3 months or so and i think it might have helped.

Hi ladies, I think I may finally have some good news, I did a pregnancy test yesterday and it came back positive. I can't quite believe it yet, and still worrying it's the HCG from the injection I had, but that was 17 days before I tested so it's meant to have left the system by then. I'm going to test again tomorrow to double check. My boobs do feel sore though.
We get offered a 7 week scan with the IUI package we paid for, so hopefully that will be reassuring. It feels insane, considering we tried so damn hard for so long and then one cycle of IUI could do it, it makes me really wonder what on earth was the matter as they never found anything wrong.
Anyway, I'll keep you posted- I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekend and bonfire night as much as possible, xxx

Oh how exciting Rose - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you x

Oh congrats rose so happy for you! Fingers crossed for your first scan!

Hi ladies. A short one just to say yay congrats rose!! Fingers crossed it is a definite positive. That is amazing it worked like that first time! I will catch up with the posts and write more tomorrow.
Welcome littledragon- sorry you find yourself here but it is an amazing support through the difficult times.

Thanks both- I've done another test and it's saying positive still so hopefully it's fine.

I have spotting :( it's watery and yellowy/beige like pre af. Really worried... I'm 6+1

bloop just seen this. Try not to worry unless it turns red. Brown blood means old blood, so could be from implantation, or just shedding old blood. But I do understand you will be feeling really unsettled. Hugs! I'm sending you positive vibes xx

Rose - also to say how wonderful!! So great we've had more positives on this thread now - very encouraging and I'm delighted for you!! Can you remind me/us of your journey and stats? X