Anyone else awaiting fertility referral?

[MallonMary]

Hi all,

Been ttc (unsuccessfully!) for over a year and just found out there's a problem with DH sperm (low mobility and zero normal forms), so awaiting referral to fertility clinic to seek further help/advice.

Just wondered if there's anyone else in a similar situation about to embark on this journey too?

Also similar success stories welcome :) x

@Chochaw I feel similar to you, I also don't usually get ovulation pain but have had very similar symptoms. I was also worrying about OHSS. What CD are you? I'm currently CD10

@Etonmess20 I searched this morning and ohss can only happen after ovulation, have you ovulated already?? I was worried too as I had stomach pains today, but feel better now.
Keep drinking and take some paracetamol @Chochaw that should ease- it sorts itself out apparently 7-10 days after ovulation. So hopefully it’s mild and will get better as the days go by.
I do get ovulation pain which makes my ovaries ache so it sounds similar xxx

@Morpho123 no I haven't yet, that's good to know actually. Thank you for the reassurance!
I think it's so easy to symptom spot & fear the worst!! Hopefully my twinges just mean it's working really well!

@Etonmess20 no problem hun, I thought the exact same and that’s why I looked it up. Look at all of us thinking we have ohss now. Because we fear it so much we do think every pain probably means we have it.
I’m cd12 today, Opk still really light, but I’ll be dtd every other day til it’s positive now.
We’re very close together! Xx

@Morpho123 it's definitely a worry, especially with no monitoring. I have been using the CB digital ones (the 3 smiley face ones) & I've been low the past two days, my Dr did say not to bother until CD11 but I started CD9 as I always do. I usually ovulate around CD14 so hopefully not too long to wait. We've started SMEP for the first time this cycle so fingers crossed that helps.
Do you feel the af level of bloated or is it just me? I haven't even been snacking during lockdown!! Xx

@Etonmess20 I don’t really bloat with af or ovulation so I don’t know really, but I can confirm I have eaten all the snacks 😂😂
Keep drinking lots of fluids and that’s meant to help, fingers crossed this is all our month! 🤞🏽 Xx

@Morpho123 I certainly hope so, it would be nice for this to be worth it 🤞🏻 you start to get a little bit less hopeful the longer you TTC (I do anyway) though maybe first cycle on clomid will be different xx

Sorry ladies been working this afternoon. I'm CD17. I am probably just symptom watching and feeling everything. I has OHSS before and didn't know till 16 days after ovulation so this is definitely a new feeling for me. It's not agony but definitely a lot of pressure down below. I'm bloated but also ate so much rubbish during lockdown that it could just be that.
@Cat028 are you going to wait till 12week scan or go for one privately? X

I think I'm ready to dump a very close friend. She had a baby on 8th April. 2nd baby and and got pregnant 1st month of trying with both. Her and partner are also morbidly obese so it p*sses me that she can get pregnant so easy. I was talking all about her new baby and she asked how I am and I explained clomid etc. I hadn't really told her about it before because she was busy. She was so bloody rude. Telling me how stupid I was and that I have plenty of time, my daughter is too young and will suffer if I have another baby, she wouldn't choose to have a baby during pandemic and its putting me, baby and others at risk. I was so angry with her and told her that it is my choice, my body and my life. I am young but I do have a time limit. I want my family finished before end of next year or I'm done. I can't mentally go through it every month and I want my prolapse fixed. Sorry for ranting again - I think lockdown is getting to me now. X

@Chochaw
For your first one - I get ovulation pains every month and it's exactly as you have explained. It's usually how I can confirm ovulation is on its way and majority of the time it's my lower left abdomen I get them.

Sorry to hear about your friends attitude. That really sucks and they just don't appear to be understanding well.

I'm on 9dpo today and as of this afternoon I have really bad lower back pain. Can't think of anything I have done to tweak it out of place but could be from sitting at my desk so much!

@Chochaw could you perhaps "take a break" from said friend? I am one of those people who is very wary of saying/doing something I will late regret. But obviously don't know the situation/how long this has been going on.
Maybe just don't reply to messages for a week & see how you feel?

@Chochaw I hope that feeling passes. It's never nice feeling uncomfortable. I can understand why you'd be worried about it happening again. Fingers crossed that's not the case this time. Sorry to hear about your friend being so insensitive. Its easy to say those things when you aren't TTC. So hurtful. 😔

I'm not really sure if I will go for a private scan. We haven't discussed it yet. But I also don't know if I can go until 12 weeks for a scan. Seems so far away especially at the moment when it's all I'm thinking about.

@willithappen it could be. I have been feeling stiff since being on lockdown. I'm used to moving so much more than I am atm. Trying to get out daily for exercise but it's definitely not the same.

@etonmess20 I think a break is what is needed just now. I am happy for her that her family is complete but hurt with her comments about TTC.

@willithappen That is very reassuring for me. Hopefully it passes soon. I hope your back pain eases. I find cool freeze spray helps and great pads or hot water bottles for back pain.

@chochaw I am so with you on the comment about obese people falling so easily, it takes the piss 😭
Your friend is being extremely insensitive but I think that’s because she’s a ‘lucky one’- she doesn’t understand. I would take others advise and steer away from her at the moment, especially whilst the current situation is so sensitive to most of us (appointments on hold, ivf on hold etc)- she will not understand this. And for us it isn’t a case of waiting til this is over- it could be a year, and the fact we aren’t falling as easily as your friend means we won’t stop trying either! I’d give her a wide birth for now (pardon the pun 😂). You need to focus on yourself and what is best for you, and that at the moment is clomid and continuing ttc- to be frank- who cares what she thinks?! X

@Chochaw I think you need to take a break from that friend. Life is too short. You need to speak to people that make you feel good!
I get ovalution pain every month, dull pain as you described but not painful enough to take pain killers.
My af is due on Friday but I'm getting very uncomfortable cramps and bloating. Feeling so tired. :(
XX

Hi All, so we finally got the call from our private fertility clinic! They are starting investigations again (no ivf yet) but we were only at the investigation stage so we are thrilled! Our appointment was cancelled because of lockdown, but now we’re in! Booked in for blood tests (amh, vitamin d and thyroid) internal follicle count and my husband another SA on Tuesday 12th May! And then the consultant will call us for a consultation on Thursday to tell us the results.
Now, has anyone had an internal follicle count? Silly question but I’ll be 11dpo, could this affect my chances this month from clomid? Like could it stop implantation? I mean I probably won’t end up pregnant this month but I like to think I wouldn’t ruin my chances either 😂
That’s the excitement of my day anyway, oh and also Iv had a positive opk, the most positive Iv ever had ever! So is it, dtd tonight/ tomorrow and sat?

@Chochaw how are you feeling? Hope the pains have eased? Xx

@Morpho123 Omg that's fantastic news! I'm so pleased for you. They are getting you in quickly too fair play.

I'm not sure about the procedure. But I'm sure it will be fine. It's fab your had a positive OPK too. I'd definitely be doing tonight, tomorrow, Sat. I would also say once again on sun or Mon just to be sure. Keeping everything crossed for you!

@Cat028 is it crazy that thinking of doing it that much, I’m tired already 😂😂
Thank you for the positive vibes! Fingers crossed! Hope you are feeling okay too! So happy for you xxx

@morpho123 that is excellent news! So happy for you. I'm wondering if internal follical count is like the ultrasound you get when monitored for IUI? If it is, it is painless(a little bit of pulling as they find the ovaries) my left ovary tends to be higher up. I'm thinking it sounds the same because my nurse talks about the size of follicles and not allowing IUI if too many are growing due to risk of multiples. I don't know what they would see at that stage as you will already be pregnant so no growing follicles as they will have released unless you have developed OHSS. The would be able to see the sac if you were pregnant.

I'm feeling a lot better. Still a little tender but that could be DTD so much. 🤣

@Morpho123 That's great to know things are moving forward for you!
When you say internal follicle count, do you mean by transvaginal ultrasound scan? I had that done, it was performed after my af , so I guess they have to make sure you are not pregnant.
xx

@Chochaw @limeflower2 I think it’s an internal ultrasound however Iv read that should be done on days 2-5 of your cycle, so maybe they won’t do that, but will do a normal ultrasound or be able to tell on amh? Who knows- or they may bring me back for that scan when Af arrives!

My peak ovulation has been, I did another test and it’s got fainter! So managed to just dtd to catch it. Pretty sure my husband is getting tired though, I don’t think he will manage tomorrow 😂 we normally do every other day as he struggles to ‘finish’ if it’s every day. 🤞🏽 Xx

@Morpho123 Yes now I remember mine was done on day 5. Amh is through a blood test. I'm sure you'll be fine.
I'm out this month, AF is here. :( I have high hope this month as I was able to see cervical mucus during my ovulation.
xx

@morpho123 so happy you are getting moving and it's some positive news! Fingers crossed the rest of places start to follow suit!

I don't know if an internal count is the same as antral folicile count? I didn't know I was tested for one but when I went for initial consultation they did an internal vaginal scan to look at everything. I was just told everything looked fine but they didn't actually explain what they were looking for that much.
A couple weeks later I got a copy of a letter they sent by GP staying all out results and their findings. On it they said I had an antral folicile count of 34. I had no idea what it was so asked him at out next appointment and he didn't actually explain that much either just said it meant we'd have very good odds.
Looking online I think it means each month (or that on particular) 34 eggs tried to come out and be 'picked' but only one (or sometimes two!) go down your Fallopian tubes.

I don't know if that's 100% correct or not but definitely something I was planning on asking more about when there

@Morpho123 🤣🤣my husband is the same. When I had IUI I had internal ultrasounds every few days from CD2/3 till the IUI was done to check how the follicles were growing. It was not nice having it with AF but they are so used to doing it that they don't bat an eyelid. X

@Limeflower2 sorry to hear that 😔 I hope you are okay. Think of it as a new cycle and a new chance. Pamper yourself and have a glass of wine xxxx Thinking of you x

@willithappen that makes sense, I think it is that, although I’ll be roughly 11dpo, so hopefully they can do it then.... or I’ll have to go back, I don’t mind either way if I’m honest!

@chochaw I’m so glad my husband isn’t the only one 😂 I end up getting a little frustrated but try my best not to show it. I take all these tablets and you have one pleasurable job 😂😂🤷🏽‍♀️