Start of fertility testing

[Peonies94]

Anyone else at the start of fertility testing? I’ve had my first bloods and had husband is waiting for his SA. My bloods weren’t done on any particular day of the cycle, and I have no idea what rhey were looking for. I phoned for results and have been told the gp hasn’t looked at them yet, but there’s no ‘red’. I’m assuming they won’t be looking at ovulation, which I am pretty certain I’m not ovulating, as I’m only having around 3 periods a month. Currently 3 months since last period. If anyone else is around the same place in the process or could help me with what they may be testing, that would be really helpful! Thank you

@Peonies94 and like clockwork, period has started today. Will have to call hospital tomorrow because all my paperwork was at home and the phone line is only open until 4:00pm.

I’m sort of glad I did it, not tracking, but it’s just easier for planning things to know what day my period is due.

So, HSG will be booked in the morning. That will be next week… it’s the HSG I’m worried about and the pain. I will have to let you know how it goes!

@Lauralozzle aww goodluck! Yes please let me know how it goes! Sorry your period has arrived! Sending you best wishes!

So, H.S.G booked for the 28th of this month. I’ve booked the day off work and Friday so I can have a bit of a long weekend as I believe the following Monday is a bank holiday.

Also, makes it seem like less hospital appointments for work.

Hi @Lauralozzle - I have my HSG next week too! Ekkk I'm quite worried about it but I feel it gives us either more answers or a better chance given the 'boost' it seems to offer. 🤞🏻

@FlyOnTheWall89 good luck to you too!!

@FlyOnTheWall89 oh, what day is yours? Good luck, we can both be a bit nervous together.

im quite looking forward to the supposed boost, but not getting any hopes up. Half expecting blocked tubes.

how is everyone?

@Lauralozzle mine is Monday so I'll let you know - from what I've read some people find it totally fine, others very painful. I would be surprised if I have any blockages - it's another thing to tick off the list though. I have only booked the afternoon off - I should have done the whole day really so I can just totally chill. You've got a good plan! X

Good luck to those having the HSG soon!! Totally agree with the point earlier about taking the whole day for it if you can, I did when I had a hysteroscopy (not the same I know) but it made it soo much less stressful knowing if I was in pain or upset I didn't have to worry about making it back and could just curl up on the sofa with a cuppa!

@mariabombia so my trust are using care fertility for the treatments only however for NHS patients are having tests first with the NHS then only getting referred there for treatment once the NHS side has decided what is needed? That's all I can say it may be different where you are! Are you wanting to go through them fully private?

Today was my date to contact fertility clinic if I hadn't heard anything so I called and am looking at a 20 week wait for an appointment! The lady was really helpful though and confirmed DH will need to do a sperm analysis so we are sorting that with the GP so it's one less thing to delay it once we do have our appt!

Even though I finally ovulated I didn't get my BFP this month 😢, I was testing from 7dpo (lol I know...) so I kind of came to terms with it already! AF started today which means my luteal phase was a normal length, such a relief for my body to finally be doing something it's meant to (even if it's relying on 1500mg of metformin a day to do so 😂)

How is everyone feeling in themselves? ❤️

@FlyOnTheWall89 I'm so sorry I just read your post fully again and realised I sound like a right idiot saying that after

@Endogal oh god don't worry at all haha. I'm a teacher so it's pretty hard to get time off anyway so I didn't even think of bothering to ask. I haven't told my school yet, but as things progress, I guess I'll have to! X

@Saraht1991 I missed your message on the last page! Sorry! Sounds like we’re all at the same stage thereabouts! Am I right in thinking you had your HSG recently? Hope it went ok if so.

@Mariabombia no experience with Care yet. The fertility unit at hospital is also a satellite clinic for care Nottingham but I don’t think we’ll have any experience with them until an actual IVF referral is made. The fertility clinic at the hospital is dealing with everything at the moment with tests and such.

@Endogal yay for ovulating! boo for bfn. Glad your luteal phase is normal though that’s reassuring.

I’m feeling fine in myself. Looking forward to another short week at work next week, trying (but massively failing) to stop googling HSG and people fainting. OH nicely told me today that labour would be worse and fretting about it being painful won’t stop it being painful. Men!

@Lauralozzle @FlyOnTheWall89 hi both. The HSG wasn’t too bad at all! I had got myself in a slight tizz about it but all was fine. It hurt for about 10 seconds! Was slightly awkward having two male doctors scrabbling around my vagina but hey! One step closer is what I kept telling myself! I took the rest of the day off work and had a chilled one. I did bleed for a few days afterwards, so don’t be alarmed if that happens to you too. Xx

@FlyOnTheWall89 @Lauralozzle should rephrase that, it wasn’t painful as such, more just uncomfortable! But only momentarily as I said :) like very intense period cramps!

@Lauralozzle HSG was completely fine. Barely felt it. The consultant explained it differently to how I've seen it explained before. She said the dye fills up my uterus the same way a period would so I might get period like cramps. I honestly barely even cramped and everything was normal. I was asked to change into a gown, I went in and within 5-6 mins later I was out and changing back into my clothes. The nurse kept me talking throughout and the consultant immediately told me that all looks totally normal. Hope that puts your mind at rest. I took Panafon 1.5hrs before. Xx

@Saraht1991 & @FlyOnTheWall89 I’m glad your H.S.Gs were ok and not too painful. What are your next steps? Do you have more tests? Meds to take? Or are you waiting on further appointments to talk about your tests?

Nothing much going on here, just waiting for Thursday, I am so glad I have a short week this week. I’m tired 😴

@Lauralozzle we already have our IVF funding in place but we want to try for a big longer first (my OH is particularly keen not to go the IVF route yet). I need to speak to the consultant later this week. I'd like an AFC too which I haven't had yet as my AMH is 10.7 so a bit low. My OH needs to speak all things sperm too. I don't even have any spotting or anything so I doubt there was any debris at all to remove and therefore not sure I'll get that magical post HSG fertility boost. What about you? X

@FlyOnTheWall89 I am pretty much in the dark until 16th May. Should have consultant appointment then, they’ll go over ultrasound, amh and HSG. I’m guessing they’ll discuss IVF seriously at that point as we’re past the mandatory two year mark. I’m also guessing they’ll sort out my thyroid at that point too - borderline, too high really to conceive and too low for doctors to say there’s anything wrong, but the nurse did say if it gets to IVF will probably want that lowering.

I think what I’m finding difficult is I’m having all these tests and it’s still so in the dark with everything. I’ll be happier when I know where I stand.

right, enough doom and gloom from me!

Had H.S.G this morning. Got there, had to change into a gown and dressing gown. Had a bit of trouble with speculum, needed a different one, but to be honest that was very reminiscent of smear test. I always find speculums painful so this was no different.

I didn't feel the catheter go in, felt the dye though. At first it was like a mild period cramp, as it went on it got stronger and stronger. I definitely felt it, it was definitely uncomfortable and at the end I did say ouch but that was when they were just finishing. I think if it had been that level of pain right at the end throughout, it would have been much worse.

Overall though, not that bad, I've had period cramps much more uncomfortable. Nurse asked me if I know when I ovulate and to get busy lol. She didn't confirm the results properly but she basically said it looks fine.

@Lauralozzle That sounds really good - maybe there was a tiny bit of debris to free and that will help things over the next few months.

I'm feeling a bit disheartened rn. Feel like this will all end in IVF w ICSI. So desperately want it to happen naturally. I spoke to the consultant today and she just wasn't very empathetic. It was all so routine and she wasn't helpful with it being MFI at all. We have an appointment together next week.

@FlyOnTheWall89 I’m sorry you’re struggling at the moment. It sucks. Hopefully your appointment next week will help with how you’re feeling (hopefully they’re a little more empathetic.

So I spoke too soon. Felt fine, went for a walk - just felt super bloated, thought it might help. Probably went about 5 miles. By end of the walk, I was cramping quite a bit.

I’ve had a tiny amount of spotting after, but that seems to have stopped. Cramping has got much worse, I’m basically lying on sofa, wrapped in blanket. I’ll be honest, I’ve been in tears. Worried about infection or something. See how I feel in the morning

@FlyOnTheWall89 I'm so sorry to you had that experience, I think sometimes people can forget their daily grind is your everything ❤️ keeping everything crossed it won't come to that for you 🤞🏼

@Lauralozzle wooohooo for the positive sounding result but also boo for the cramps starting now!!! I hope they clear soon 😭😭

@Lauralozzle I recently had my HSG and it sounded a lot like yours , it was a struggle with catheter , then really quite crampy towards the end , I may or may not have let out the F word under my breath at the very end. I have a titled uterus but never had issues with smears before. I was really bloated for a few days after and all sorts of cramps and ache on one side, but I felt much better after a few days, try not too worry. If you get a temperature or extreme pain then call the GP / clinic but I think the rest of fairly normal when you’ve been poked and prodded with a catheter and had dye flooded up your insides. Hope you feel better soon x

@Loulou2202 thank you!

So the cramping has stopped, still felt it yesterday, eased in the evening and this morning cramping has gone. Had a lot of creamy yellowish discharge yesterday (not funky smelling or anything) so maybe it was that fluid making it’s way out and the colour was just old blood. The spotting in Thursday was brown/red and yellowish discharge usually happens as I’m about to start AF so probably just the fluid mixed with tiny amount of blood and usual cervical mucus.

Im still very bloated, I’m also constipated so you know, not helping! I feel much better today though. Yesterday just felt like period pain heaviness without the blood, today feels like the very end of a period which is always fine for me.

@FlyOnTheWall89 I have been wondering if the pain in the end was a bit if debris or something.

How is everyone??

This could be really good for the next few cycles ahead @Lauralozzle - maybe something was flushed out because I'd say that is quite a prolonged reaction.

I have spoken to the Dr and they are still recommending IVF w ICSI for us and after explaining I would love to find a middle ground before we start but they were pretty dismissive. Next Friday we will have a discussion on the phone with them all together which will be the first time myself and my partner are in the same call so hopefully we can come up with some kind of plan.

Xx

@Lauralozzle I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better now , it will be a distant memory in a few weeks