TTC 18 months or more -moving on to IUI/IVF/ICSI part 3

[bluebird3]

We have relocated from the conception board where we were previously chatting under the thread 'ttc for 10 months or more'. A lot of us are now long term ttc-ers and are going through infertility treatment or looking to take steps in this direction so we feel this might be a more suitable home for us!

Feel free to stop by and say hi and hopefully we can share the journey together and make it a little easier along the way!

@orangefolly it’s gone from 308 to 322 to 380 so not looking great! They are giving me IVIG as we speak even though my immunes tests are always fine to see if that helps but I doubt it will and it’s £1500!!! 😫

ttc what's the next step? Do you have another blood test? Still keeping fx for you.

How was your scan orange?

Not much new on my front. I've signed up for acupuncture in a couple of weeks. My dh thinks it's a con for desperate women. I'm like...yep! I fit that category.

Hi blue

So I had IVIG on Wednesday and my levels were 380 and I had bloods this morning (48 hours later) and they were 803! So more than doubled, I was pretty shocked! Who knows if it will still go up or if there’s anything in there but I have a retest on Monday. I had acupuncture blue, it didn’t get me pregnant but it did regulate my periods!

How is everyone else getting on?

That's fantastic ttc!!! It's such a hard time waiting to see what's what. Sounds really promising though. M

I'll settle for regulating my cycles. I'm tired of 10-12 day bleeds!

That's great news ttc. Fingers crossed it keeps going well.

I'm doing ok with injections and I'm back on Monday for a scan to see how it's going. I've had a rough week at work and I'm tempted to sign off with stress but I have never been off sick before. I can't wait for this year to be over- 2 weeks left to go!

I've never done acupuncture but I've been trying reflexology and it has helped me to sleep so much better. I've only had 4 sessions so hopefully it will help make OUI work.

chocaw I've considered getting signed off with stress a time or two but haven't had to yet. I wouldn't feel bad if I were you. Although if you can last another two weeks it will save you some awkward questions.

I've had another friend happily text to tell me she's pregnant again. I thought it was hard enough 2-3 years ago when we were struggling and everyone was announcing pregnancies and having babies. I feel like I've just got over that and accepted all these new babies/toddlers and now it's time for round two. Turns out it's harder being lapped than just beaten. Feeling sad.

Oh blue 🙁 I’m on my first round of babybombs so I totally get it!! How is it so easy for everyone else 🤷🏼‍♀️ Keep strong and keep going!xxxxx

TTC1 I have everything crossed that this turns out well for you!

Chochaw it is hard physicaly and mentaly tireing. Take time if you need it. Good luck for your scan

Blue I know the feeling. The people that i know already have 2-3 and most are "Finished" having children because they are "too old" and well .....Im older than them . The VAST majority of people around my way have babies between the ages of 16-23/24 . Not that much first time mothers in 30's round my way. I dont even flinch anymore when i get a babybomb. How are you getting on with the thyroid meds ?

Hi everyone, hope it's ok for me to join this thread...

I'm 34 yo, and DH and I have been TTC for the first time for 11 months now.

After a lot of trying - including a couple of attempts with a 'Stork' device (!! - very odd experience), went to GP for initial investigations and found DH has a lowish sperm count (around 6 million) - so we've gone to a private hospital for a round of IUI (also awaiting an NHS referral).

Had the first IUI on Tuesday this week just gone - it's quite cool actually - they seem to be able to concentrate the sperm sample to increase count and motility etc. Now 5 days into 2 ww it feels like pregnancy tests are constantly on my mind, but I know it'd be ridiculous to test this early! Funniest bit of the process was that they actually gave us an ultrasound picture of the sperm being injected into my uterus - the nice lady there suggested I put it in an album (well... maybe if it works ;-))

Anyway, I have my fingers crossed for those waiting and trying. It's a really hard process, but I'm trying to be hopeful. Hope there's good news to come for everyone.

scottish at my first bloods review it wasn't low enough so they upped my thyroxin dose. I go back Friday for the next blood test to see where we are.

lizzy welcome to the board. It's funny how each clinic is different. Mine wouldn't let us do IUI as they said you need at least 15 million count for it to have a reasonable chance to work. My dh has 7, then 9 million in his 2 samples. I really hope it works for you and I might be changing clinics for a second opinion.

Sorry for another moan girls but one of our good friends is expecting with his gf. She is due in July and we are all going away next weekend with a group. I'm dreading it as the only other couple going has 2 dc. It's going to be all baby talk all the time. To make matters worse I've been put in charge on an impromptu pseudo baby shower for the gf as she wasn't having one. I can deal with all that but our friend has asked me to write out some advice or words of wisdom for the new mum to be. What the fuck am I supposed to say? I have no advice or wisdom because after 3 years of constant shagging, then dozens of needles and more than I can count medical staff up my foof I still have no baby, and no mothering experiences to offer. I've spent the last half hour googling 'new Mum advice' and really cant bring myself to write out something that I clearly have no first hand experience of.

Gosh blue that is awful, do they know about what you are going through?? Even if not how would they expect you to give advice on something you are yet to experience?

Xx

Thank you for the welcome @bluebird3 - and I agree with @Ttc1london -

• that sounds awful - surely friends should be trying to understand and not make things harder. Not sure whether this will work in the situation, but maybe a private word to let them know how hard it is for you. The friend who has asked you to write that seems to be seriously lacking in empathy.

Thanks for sharing about the numbers needed for IUI as recommended at your clinic - once concentrated into the final sample for IUI (post washing and all the other things they do to prepare it) our count did become 9.1M but definitely less than the 15M your clinic mentioned. Quite strange as we got the impression from our consultant that concentrating from 5-6 to 9-10M was actually a really successful preparation for the procedure. I suppose time will tell.

Sending you good wishes.

Hi @lizzy welcome to the board.

Everything crossed for you @ttc!

@Choc do whatever you need to take care of yourself, it can be physically & mentally draining. You come 1st, work comes in way down the list.

@blue that is rather insensitive in my book Surely someone else could do the advice bit? I'm another fan of acupuncture. Obvs hasn't gotten my preggers, but def regulated my cycles. And it's great for stress & I always have an amazing night's sleep afterwards, so win-win 10-12 day bleeds sound horrendous

Thanks for the support everyone. They do know what we are going through completely. I don't know if it's a clueless man thing but why you would ask an infertile for advice for a new mum is . I think I'm just not going to do it and highly doubt I'll be chased as I'm not even close to the mum to be.

lizzy I might be remembering it wrong...this was almost 2 years ago so who knows? I'll keep my fx for you!

angel I have my first acupuncture session a week tues at 8:15pm. I sure hope it gives me a good nights sleep. Haven't had one of them in ages. 10-12 periods are awful. They aren't heavy the whole time but still puts us off. Not great when you are trying to make a baby...

Up from 800 to 2100 so we live another day! Obviously I am still EXTREMELY pessimistic as always but for once I am doing what I am meant to!

That's amazing ttc!!! Fx everything was just a little slow starting and will continue to go the right direction. I think it seems really promise me but understand wanting to be cautious.

Blue- I feel that's really insensitive to ask you to do that. I have always hated baby showers.

TTC- I hope your figures keep rising. Fingers crossed for you.

I had scan on Monday and had 3 follicles measuring 10mm each and lining of womb 6mm. So I've been told to keep injecting and back today for another scan. Nurse says she wants one of them to stop growing because if any more than 2 develop above 17mm they cancel IUI cycle due to risk of multiples.

Chochaw I have always thought if they cancelled it due to being more more than two follicles I would go for it anyway ;-) au natural if they won’t help? X

Definitely going to try the natural way if they cancel. I had a friend that had 6 big follicles and only had 1 baby. Would you use the trigger if they tell you not to or just wait for it happen naturally? I have the prescription here for it.

Hmm I think I probably would use it! I think as we all have issues it just gives you three times for chance of ONE healthy baby? But that’s me and I am naughty!

So scan showed lining at 8mm and 3 follicles at 19mm, 17mm and 15mm. So IUI is allowed to go ahead on Friday.

I hope everyone else is doing well.

Excellent news @chochaw! X

Fab news @ttc1 & @choc!

@blue have you started acupuncture yet? I'm starting back again next week, can't blooming wait

Had ptc at fc yeday. We could prob squeeze in treatment cycle before we head on hols in aug, but it could mean testing while we're away, so we've decided to hold off until we've come back. We're on flare protcol, so have to wait on af arriving to start, but hoping to start aug/sept. Bit frustrated that we could've easily had another cycle before our hols if it hadn't been for all the delays with the clinic. On a more positive note, I held on to unused meds from our funded cycle, so the drugs cost a lot less that we thought

Hi all
Haven’t updated in a while, so I had my first scan yesterday, all in the right place and there were two sacs! All was finally looking ok and then this morning I woke up to awful cramps and loads of bleeding! Went to the EPU, turns out I have a subchorionic hematoma (clot in the uterus) which doesn’t mean it is a miscarriage but I can cause one as the bleed is surrounding one sac and can pull it out. Bleeding has stopped for now and I have another scan tomorrow but I feel I will be back to the ttc FET1 soon!
Hope you’re all hanging in there big hugs xx

Ttc1 That must have been a fright! I have everything crossed all works out well for you at your scan tomorrow. TWO SACKS! I would have died of excitement. How far on are you ?

Choc How did the IUI go ?

Angel Going anywhere nice on your holidays ?

Blue I literaly would have told them to get fucked! How horribly insensitive. 5 times in the last 2 days i have been asked if im planning kids apparently its dead easy anyone can do it and also apparently not everyone is supposed to have kids and did i know ? I could adopt or get a surrogate? . Im about 2 seconds away from making a infertility bingo board game. I would make a fortune!

Hey to any newbies waves