Secondary infertility support group here!

[Annabellaboo]

Ladies-I hope we all find each other here from the original thread! I didn't realise we had ran out of room on the other thread! Shout if you are there!

Harry - you can have the AMH test done for £79 by Medichecks. They send you a finger prick kit and then analyse the dried blood spot.

I was looking yesterday because I am going to do the thyroid screen myself as I have read that a short LP can be linked to thyroid function.

Hi all,
Newby here, but in need of a bit of support :-/
Age:31 (OH 30)
DD age 2. Miracle baby as caught on straight after stopping pill despite PCOS.
Ttc since September 2015
OH has been tested too but all is good on his part.

Currently on cycle day 72 - longest I've ever been waiting for AF to appear! Have done 3 tests in the past 4 weeks, all negative.

Have been given clomid to start when AF does turn up. Hopefully but apprehensive, don't want to get my hopes up too much.
Feeling very lonely at the minute. No one to talk to about it all, oh has been working away past few weeks so on my own with DD. Not many friends, no one I'm close enough to to discuss any of my fears/worries. Fed up of being told 'it'll happen if you keep trying'. I know their only being nice/polite but they don't understand that it hurts sometimes.
Apologies for the quick sentences, was trying to get my point across quickly as it's making me very teary at the min & I don't want to cry at work!

Here's mine...
Name: blackcherries
Age: 35
TTC: 1 year, I know it's not as long as most others on here but I got impatient!
DC: age 2 & a bit
Currently in 2ww following first ICSI cycle. Had bit of a scare with bleeding yesterday but trying to stay positive.
My tests show all seems well with me, issue is with DH. Hoping ICSI solves this...

I have been TTC no.2 since May 2015, had bloods and one scan all fine, then I fell pregnant in October before the tube scan appointment, sadly had a MC in December.

The fertility team won't see me again as I got pregnant. I don't think that I ovulated this month, have started on Agnus Castus this month.

Any suggestions? Can my GP prescribe Clomid? Will I have to bite the bullet and go to a clinic?

Everything crossed that all is OK blackberries
Sorry for your loss stripeymug :( I would go see your gp and see what they say. My GP prescribed clomid, she has pcos herself so understands more than another Dr I saw who was extremely rude towards me and upset me so much I made a complaint about her. But that's another thread entirely!

Delurking officially!

Age: 32
ttc: since Jan 2016
Dc: 2 yo DD

Hubbys SA was all normal; my bloods so far normal, AMH low normal, "regular" cycles but some variance in length within normal range (25-37 days), awaiting further tests and thinking IVF in Sept if no progress.

Today I'm feeling good as I'm just cd 7 - the crazy hormones make me so stressed around week 2 of 2ww when my pms kicks in. Currently doing counselling to help me manage the emotions and deal with it, really helping. Never expected the wait for #2 & floored me a bit. Feeling more positive now though as getting more tests and feeling like progress.

Xxx

You're in the right place Voni, it's so nice to have a group of ladies who understand exactly how you feel. Personally I am very private about it all and haven't told a single friend or family member as I feel like a failure somehow and don't want people feeling sorry for us. Finding a positive in a terrible situation however is that I will definitely be more sensitive with questioning people in the future, such as asking "when's number 2 coming?". I remember asking somebody once "was it planned?" So ashamed of myself gah!!!!

Today my blood test kit arrived for thyroid hormones and I'm going to do it when DC goes to bed. Eurgh I'm dreading it, total needle phobe, then it's dutiful dtd night blood sweat and tears this secondary infertility malarkey!

Hi colabottles, what further tests are you waiting for? We have SA in about 6 weeks then gp will refer us so I'm guessing 3-4 months before we even see a specialist, I don't think I could wait that long, like you say, when things are in progress it's so much easier mentally.

Stripey, what are your cycles like?

Hi Harry
Just to say yes worth getting your amh checked. I had secondary infertility for 2.5 years. Aged 37 my FSH was 23! I was told by my fertility consultant that I was unlikely to have anymore dc's DD2 born When I was 39.5. As you know there are no guarantees but just thought I'd let you know my vital statistics X Best wishes to you all here on the secondary infertility board.

Hi all. Long time lurker, first time poster for secondary infertility.

Stats:
Me: 39 next month. I have endometriosis and took 3 years and a round of IVF to conceive DD, aged 3.
TTC number 2 since December 2014.
3 natural conceptions 2014-2016, miscarried after seeing heart beats between 8-11 weeks. 2 x ERPC.
1 x failed FET December 2016.
DH: 44, no issues
AMH low side of normal and all tests from recurrent miscarriage clinic normal.
Coventry tests normal range.
Endo scratch Sept 16.

Just writing that has exhausted me. I am battle weary. I'm currently a stay at home mum; partly through choice, although infertility/recurrent miscarriage has wrecked my career. I'm surrounded by friends who are on their 2nd/3rd maternity leave and conceive without issue. It's hard.

I conceived easily (1st time trying) when we started ttc #2, lost the pregnancies and tests came back as chromosomally normal (girls, heartbroken). Now I am not getting pregnant and my last hope frozen embryo from ivf in 2014 failed to implant just before Christmas.

I feel time is running out for me and am unsure as to my next steps, if any. My mum thinks we should leave it to Mother Nature and keep trying naturally. We have a treatment plan of Clexane and Progesterone if I do manage to fall pregnant again. I'm inclined to rush into paying for a fresh round of IVF (with imunes?) or making an appointment to see Mr Shehata, or George Nduke privately? Seeing Annabellaboo's endorsement of Serum is making me think perhaps I should speak to them? (congrats to OP, saw your posts on the other thread and am thrilled for you!).

Anyone got any pearls of wisdom?

Welcome lostintriangle- sorry for your very hard journey. Serum are great I believe at giving the best chance. Have you had a laparoscopy for your endo?
Welcome all other newbies. I am between meetings so making his one quick but wanted to say hi.

Harry- It's in Athens. I decided to travel there for investigations as it was cheaper and I had read so many good things about Peny. It just felt right for me as they tend to do some tests that other clinics don't bother with and can be very revealing. I went alone for only 2 nights.
In that time I had a consultation both days with Peny, an aquascan and a hysteroscopy the next day and flew back home that evening. For me I found some clear answers and Peny sent me home with some supplements and meds.. It all cost a heck of a lot less then if I had the same things done in the uk and I felt I had been treated as an individual. She sent me off with a cleaned up uterus (it was a mess in there and was never picked up in any scans or even my laparoscopy) and a bag full of medication and told me to try naturally, convinced I would get pregnant soon. Looks like it worked because now 4 months later I have my bfp. Of course everyone's issues are different but it certainly is a good clinic for anyone I think as Peny is so thorough and treats each individual case differently and doesn't just sell you on everything possible.

Hi, yes I had a laparoscopy, which gave me my diagnosis of stage 3 endo, in October 2012. I paid privately for this, having had my symptoms dismissed during my twenties by countless GPs, who diagnosed me with IBS. By the time I had the lap, we had been trying to conceive for two years. How I wish I could get that time back.

I think I will fill out the Serum questionnaire and take it from there. A two night trip alone is doable for me too. I hope my appointment will be with Penny, heard such great things about her.

Hi I'm a lurker too... may have posted on the old thread briefly, but didn't keep up... hope it's ok to join in?
I have a DS age 3.5
TTC no2 since December 2014 (NTNP to begin with, but actively trying since March 2015).
I've just turned 40, DH is 43
No known issues 'unexplained'
One ectopic pregnancy (which self resolved) in November 2015.
One failed IVF in November 2016 (resulted in chemical pregnancy)
Currently in the midst of IVF round 2 - day 8 of stims...
AMH 15.4 at last measurement (which was November)
AFC 7/8
FSH & LH both nice and low (2.9 &3.9 - can't remember which way round).
Think I'm just old.
Feel v sad about it all as DH would love to have had more than 2 DC - but having more than 1 is proving tough enough....
Anyway, part of the reason for posting is that I saw your post Aurora about you being asked if your labour was a long one with forceps - which mine was - what were you told about this and what were you told you could do? Thanks!
Good luck everyone x

Hello Hobbes,

Sorry to hear about your ectopic and IVF disappointment, very hard for you.

Your numbers look good (from my limited experience) so I wouldn't worry about "being old". I'm just at the start of my journey for answers but I can imagine given the diagnosis of "unexplained" is the most painful part. There's always a reason, it's just so sad that the NHS writes us off.

I was told by my Arvigo practitioner that long labour and especially forceps can displace the uterus. Weakness in certain areas of of the pelvic floor is a clue that it's leaning out of place. The massage aims to realign the uterus and aid blood flow and lymph flow. Obviously this isn't from a medically trained person but I feel to have got a lot out of it in my first session alone. I'll share more about it if anyone is interested.

Fingers crossed you have a positive outcome this round.

Also a little update on my medichecks blood test. I had to do it this morning as it needs to be posted first thing. It wasn't actually a blood spot they wanted as I assumed, I had to fill a little vial - about half a ml which took quite a lot of squeezing my finger and getting it in a tiny tube was a bit of a challenge. The results are posted to your online dashboard the next day so much quicker than having to wait for your gp to look at them and then having to get them over the phone from a Receptionist!

annabellaboo was it you that had a stomach bug on way back from ivf cycle at serum? I'm testing tomorrow but have had a bug of some kind, throwing up and diarrhoea. Hoping this isn't the nail in the coffin :(

blackcherries- no it was closephine who had the tummy bug on her way back. Good luck for tomrow and hope you feel better!

Hi guys. Got a very faint bfp this morning! Feeling very cautious though as it's such early days and my stomach's still upset. Will keep testing and hoping the line gets stronger!

BlackCherries this is great news keep us posted!

Got my thyroid results yesterday (it really was a one day turn around - I am gobsmacked). All normal, including antibodies which GP doesn't test for, so it was worth it for peace of mind and rules something else out. Need something else to randomly obsess over as I enter the TWW but funds won't allow any more private tests or alternative therapies this month