Anyone just starting initial testing?

[strawberrysummer19]

I see a lot of posts from people are further down the line...

Anyone just starting out ? I'm right at the beginning of starting tests and thought be nice to buddy up at this stage - no one
From my outside circle knows yet and feeling like it would be nice to talk to other people going through same

I'm TTC for a second baby. Had natural pregnancy with ex husband 9 yrs ago

Look forward to hearing from you

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Hi :) me!! I'm on my 19 month ttc. And booked for further tests 3rd August. Local NHS not yet testing with no idea when they will. So booked a private clinic for after my next period. Amh test and pelvic scan for me, and semen test for my husband. Had my day 21 bloods with my GP in January which were fine but didn't take it any further. How long have you been trying? This would be my first and I've never been pregnant xx

Hi! We've been trying for a number of years but more kind of just if it happens it happens but the last few months I've recently thought as I'm 38 need to get a move on

I've had a vaginal swab and have my CD21 bloods next Friday.

My boyfriend is waiting for a day he can do his SA around his work

Apart from that, DR said they will refer us to a clinic for further testing

Because I already have a lo from previous relationship not sure how much help we will get but so far so good

It's nice to speak to people who are also going though it

Feel free to message me happy to help if you have any questions

I was TTC 17 months with lo

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Hi I'm also somewhere at the start of this phase too!
I'm 34, never been pregnant, been actively trying for 12 cycles but had stopped contraception for a while before that.

Went to GP in Jan and had CD21 bloods that showed a thyroid issue in March. Repeat bloods in June still showed high TSH. Pelvis scan and DP's SA were postponed to 2021 due to Covid. So we went private just a few weeks ago. Everything looks good with DP, but I have a slightly depleted egg reserve and suspected endometriosis.

Just started thyroid meds and I'm trying to get a laparoscopy done, and hopefully that will help with my 'primary subfertility'.

I really wish none of us had to find ourselves here but it is so nice to have others to talk to and I find MN so supportive (although I'm not great at keeping up with the threads I jump onto!)

Wishing you both lots of luck xx

@beachbum85 hi and welcome

Your story quite similar to mine actually.

I had an overactive thyroid in May and within weeks my levels are normal and back TTC
I'm on PTU - I'm guessing you are too?

So my partner has to do his SA this week and I'm waiting on my bloods CD21 next Monday then not sure if we will have to wait coz of Covid - my gp surgery said it's all still going ahead - guess it's a postcode lottery?

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Thank you @strawberrysummer19!

I have a subclinical underactive thyroid actually, so I'm on Thyroxine. I've only just started taking it last week but I hope my levels are sorted out just as quickly

Good luck for your tests and let us know! Definitely a postcode lottery... I kind of gave up when my GP said he doesn't think my TSH level had anything to do with fertility, and to check it again in a year, when a quick Google search will tell you otherwise... Sounds like your GP is miles better!

Hi all.

We are at the beginning also. We've been TTC our second for 17 months. I had inital tests in march at my gp which showed ive an underactive thyroid. So im on medication to reduce my TSH level. My most recent results are fine according to my gp but still over the fertility clinics threshold - So hopefully they reduce a bit more, otherwise im not sure what we do. We had a chemical pregnancy in December (which seemed to last a long time) which the dr seems to think is good as it shows things are working - and while i understand his thinking it doesnt make it any easier. Ive had some further inital tests and scan at the clinic in may and recieved word last week that there is currently a 3-4 mth waiting list to start treatment. So we are currently waiting- using the time to lose weight and hopegully increase our chances.
We've told no one, so its nice to have people to talk to about it.

@beachbum85 oh blimey what bad advice !
I was up at a&e with mine a couple of times where I was so poorly and when I was diagnosed there, the a&e dr said there is no way I would have got pregnant with it being so high. And it's all the same for being so low !
My dr at my gp then said to leave off TTC for 6months. I was then referred to a specialist and my consultant said absolutely no need to put off TTC as long as I am on PTU as some meds aren't safe for pregnancy ! So I just need to let him know if I do conceive so he can keep an eye.

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@Geep I got pregnant with my 1st on my 17th cycle so good luck!

Fingers crossed you will be seen soon
I think 4 months is pretty average- we were waiting 4 months before being referred before TTC my lo and I fell the month after we had all our tests including a hycosy which I'm sure helped as I was pregnant that month.

Yes it's nice to talk to people from what I remember last time it can feel lonely and what with feeling like you're in your own bubble it's not great times with what's going on around us

We've told Boyf mum and sister and my mum and sister and my best friend.
Purely because last time I didn't tell anyone and I feel people will tread more carefully now they know if that makes sense but I know that's not right for everyone. You have to do what's right for you

Im glad we have this thread so we are here if we ever feel like we need to talk
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@strawberrysummer19 Fingers crossed its lucky cycle 17. With my first i concieved the first month of trying and thought this time would be similar but unfortunately not and i dont really know why.
We are going privately so the 4 months waiting time to start treatment, im assuming is a result of closures and working through backlog. We were referred by gp for nhs treatment in February but waiting times were over a year and as im 35 i didnt want to wait. To date we haven't heard anything about an inital appointment so think waiting times for nhs will be much longer now, so glad we went private.
Thats good you have ppl around you to support you and talk to when you need it. I change my mind on telling ppl daily. I do get asked often when ill have a second as my first is now 4 and always come of with some excuse why we are waiting and think itd be so much easier if ppl knew. However, I have 3 SILs who are pregnant ( all due within weeks for when i would have been, had i not had a chemical which is hard) and dont want them or family to feel awkward talking about it round me as its their time to be happy and excited.
Hopefully all your tests go ahead this week, keep the ball rolling.

Oh good luck @Geep I really hope so

To fall so quickly with you're first and then have to wait must he hard.

Ah that's so sweet thinking of others and your sil - that's so lovely and I totally understand. My Boyf brother and girlfriend are also TTC so bracing myself for their news and likewise will be happy for them. But it's so hard people getting pregnant around you.

Oh I see I think you're very ahead of the process than me...literally I'm right at the start so if there is a wait I too may go private
We are giving it to xmas new year then will look at private.

Where I've just started a new job and have Lapland booked for Xmas not ideal to get pregnant this year! But I know it doesn't work like that. And Im determined to still go to Lapland as that's for my lo.

So glad we have this post for support z

🙋‍♀️ sadly 😢
I'm 41(just), he's 40 (just) trying for our first just started cycle 11 on Monday.

I've had all the bloods done in April and may, for some reason and no one could tell me why but the doc that checked them wanted them repeating. All came back normal though apparently. I was already on thyroxine for underactive thyroid and my levels are good at the moment. Partner was due to get SA done but then Lockdown happened.

He's sorted that out today and is going to get it done around work in the next few weeks.

Although he did have undescended testicle as a baby which didn't get sorted by surgery till he was 2 so there is a high chance it's an issue in his side 😢 I ovulate every month with regular 28 day cycles.

@claireb707 sorry to hear you've been trying unsuccessfullly..so far. Hopefully we will all have some good luck soon.

It's good your levels are good.

As I say I fell on my 17th cycle with lo. So fingers crossed.

My partner put his SA in today and my bloods are on Monday. Then the waiting game until we get referred I believe

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Gah realised I can't count / type - cycle 12 started Monday not cycle 11 😢

We are kind of in the initial testing phase though we had our first appointment with fertility dr today on the phone.

My oh has his SA next week (normal Andrology is closed but the fertility clinic have managed to arrange it for him- we’ve been waiting since early June).
I had my bloods done in June, referral sent off last week of June and had our appointment today so a lot faster than I thought it would be.

We’ve been trying for 15 months now, first baby. All my pals are pregnant, it’s so hard. I’m only 27.
PCOS, suspected endometriosis and at the moment I have a large cyst on one ovary, unsure if an endometrioma or not.

Fertility clinic have ordered another ultrasound (I had one last week for the cyst but that wasn’t For fertility stuff), got my AMH bloods on 28th and they’ve also put me on the list for a laparoscopy which is probably gonna be autumn time.

Once your referral is in, hopefully you’ll all get seen rather quickly like I have!
I’ve cried nearly all day today as it all got on top of me, but I do feel a lot better now we have a plan of action.
I just wish this cyst pain and bleeding would do one I’m bored of it now! ESpecially as it’s our first wedding anniversary this weekend

@Fro93 ah sorry to hear you've been through such a bad time. I really hope now you have a plan, that it helps. I know from TTC my first, I was so stressed and upset all the time. I know it's easier said than done but this time I cannot get how down I was. It's like it's all I could focus on, wondering why I wasn't falling pregnant when we were doing all the right things imo when people around me were accidentally getting pregnant or after a short time of TTC!
But this is where I think this thread is good as people like us understand more than people maybe around us. I've got my CD21 bloods tomorrow and awaiting on SA results so after that I think we get referred for the further testing (I think so my gp seeks to think)
How far we will get with that I'm not sure

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Hey everyone and welcome @Fro93 @claireb707 and @Geep - I'm sorry you find yourselves here as well and you're having a tough time too

Just in case anyone is waiting for the NHS, I just wanted to share that this morning I got a letter saying that my appointment for my pelvis scan is next Sunday morning... very unexpected!
I've already done that privately in the meantime, after having it cancelled in March, as I had kind of given up, but it's great to hear that things seem to be moving again

@Geep and @claireb707 may I ask how long it took for your TSH to go down? Mine was just under 5 and I started taking 50ug of Thyroxine a couple of weeks ago

@strawberrysummer19 I had never had symptoms, so only noticed it through the blood tests. That must have been scary ending up at A&E! Yes, that's the only thing my GP said in fact: to let him now if I do conceive as they'll have to keep an eye on it.
How did your partner's SA and your bloods go?

@Fro93 happy anniversary! I hope you had a nice time and the pain and bleeding subsided

I have told a few friends that we're TTC, mainly those I know who struggled too - all but one have a baby or are pregnant now . I'll finally be seeing my family next month, and I'm sure I'll get the usual comments, especially from my mum and grandma who seem to be obsessed about having kids before 35 (and that's not going to happen as I'll be 35 in a few months)... not sure if it will help at all to talk to them about it

Ooh sorry not a clue @beachbum85 I've been on thyroxine for over 10 years and I can't remember. Was originally on 50mcg and it gradually went up and I've now been on 125mcg for a couple of years.

Doc is aware and has said I have to up my dose by 25mcg as soon as I get pregnant but who knows when thats going to be.

No one but us and people on mn knows we are trying. We haven't wanted to get parents hopes up or our group of friends

@beachbum85 Well... my dr calls just now regarding my bloods - my CD21 tests aren't back yet but my thyroid is now low! It's 8 and he said my levels need to be 10-20 to be healthy and for pregnancy so I've now halved my meds (PTU)

Will update when we have our sa and CD21 back
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@beachbum85 and that's great news about the scan

Hopefully investigations will resume for everyone too
Xx

Hi all, thought I'd join in! I am 34, and TTC for almost 3 years now. We did all the tests and came back as unexplained (though I've since had a another test showing chocolate cysts and possibly endometriosis). Where we live in Surrey we can apply for 2 NHS funded rounds of IVF (yay) but had to wait 3 years (less yay).

So we decided to go down the self funded route via NHS back in Jan, then that was cancelled due to COVID. That has started up again and we have done the ultra-scan and blood tests but as it's coming up to three years of trying now, wondering whether to just wait a little longer and go for that.

Anyone have any idea how long the wait list is for NHS funded? I assume it's different for every hospital!

Welcome @Frenchie86 that's good news and hopefully not too much longer to wait?

Hopefully someone may be able to advise on what times

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Thanks @strawberrysummer19 yes very exciting but daunting! What stage are you at? I felt like there was so much information to give us and not much hand holding (though I get they're busy). They also hadn't previously mentioned all the extra costs which is why we are now thinking of waiting a bit. We have someone from our GP phoning us who will be able to advise.

Did any of you feel a bit daunted at the first nurse app too? All those forms you need to sign! x

Yes I can imagine it is

Im right at the very beginning
I have a lo from previous relationship so I know IVF is out unless we go private but my gp said they will help with the tests

I'm 38 just had CD21 bloods and partner has done his sa

We are going to have the tests they offer then if nothing has happened by the new year then we will look at ivf but likely to go abroad

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Ah ok, it's a start that they can help you out with tests, and hopefully that should speed things up if you go abroad too. Having read a few threads, quite a few people have gone abroad as it's such a lottery to be able to get funding x