Should I go for ivf?

[toastonjam]

Hi!

I've posted previously regarding having a laparoscopy and discovering my left fallopian tube is blocked. My surgeon was extremely optimistic that I would conceive naturally however I'm now on month 8 and still nothing has happened.

I obviously don't want to 'give up' naturally if it is likely to happen but I also don't want to wait if it isn't. I just don't know what to do but every month that passes I feel like it's just not going to happen because of my blocked fallopian tube.

Should I pursue ivf or am I completely jumping the gun?

Thank you

X

Anyone who can help please?

Hi, I wanted to reply seeing as you haven't had any yet but my situation isn't similar to yours and won't have as much knowledge as others who are doing it as a couple as I'm doing it solo.

What I would say for anyone though is the things you need to consider are your age and getting a few of the basic blood tests done with your GP to ensure the hormones are at the expected levels, it's a day 3 and 21 of cycle usually. Could always get AMH checked and partners sperm quality checked, if it comes back good and you are young (or feel it) then this may give you the peace of mind to keep trying naturally for now.

If you would be looking to do IVF via NHS sometimes there's a year of trying naturally first to qualify I believe, others it can be that health factors or age can reduce this time but there could be a wait list so maybe best to get on that. If private maybe check out clinics and costs and either save or work out how you will do it, it's costly, atleast then if you do look to proceed you have all your decisions and finances in order.

None of the above stop you trying naturally, as you say you don't want to give up hope but atleast you won't reach a year later still TTC and have to start these process when you feel super deflated.

Hope this helps and hope you get further replies. What I can say from a year of reading IVF forums is that you can have someone in exactly the same situation as you and treatment/protocol and outcome can be different.

@ttcsolomumtobe

Thank you so much for replying! I'm sorry to hear you are in a similar situation.

I'm 30 but I'm so worried of leaving it and anything else going wrong! But I also don't want to go for ivf if it really isn't necessary yet. It's an impossible situation as nobody has a crystal ball unfortunately.

Thank you for your help 🩵

Just from experience what I would say is don't let being young put you off enquiring and starting to set it up as a back up plan. I say this because I started having the initial tests when I was 30 knowing I wanted to pursue being a solo Mom, it took 6 months to get through the clinic system, I was recommended IUI as no known fertility issues, just single. I took 6 months to look to get the ball rolling with moving house and needed to lose some weigh before starting it and then COVID hit, at that point I couldn't start treatment as clinics are closed and when they did reopen they were only treating people over 35. I then got moved house and took some time to settle, then got in contact with the clinic, I had to repeat my blood tests and there was actually a shortage of the blood vial tubes and again fertility was not prioritised, then the clinic changed ownership to a private company so this caused further delays. When I finally got started I did 3 IUIs and none worked. Now 6 months after my last failed IUI I'm due to start IVF with a different clinic and I'm now 35.

I get that some of the above is unlikely to happen again but my point is that there are delays, expected ones, silly ones like your GP not being able to fit you in for a blood test so you have to wait another month for your next cycle, clinics themselves being in demand and sometimes even though I wanted this so much some months just having to take a time out from it.

Fertility is all consuming if you let it, make sure you live and still enjoy your partners company and the intimacy, not just focusing on the trying to get pregnant.

@ttcsolomumtobe

Thank you so much - you've been so helpful.

We decided if by the end of the year I'm still not pregnant I will go straight for ivf but I also want to know I've actually given myself a fair chance naturally!

Unfortunately I have became totally consumed with it and it is causing real harm to my mental health that's why I wondered if I need to stop naturally. ☹️

Again, thank you so much, I really appreciate it x

Maybe just ask your GP to run the standard blood tests for you, I say this as sometimes it can be something such as your Vit D being low that has as impact and that gives you chance to make th improvement now, and the tests will take one or 2 cycles to get done depending how good your GP surgery is with short notice appointments.

Also have you been tracking your LH to know when your peak periods are?

The comment I have read the most from people going through or who have completed IVF is about how they needed to prioritise themselves and their well-being and going into any fertility treatment is very mentally challenging. There were definitely days after my failed IUIs that I wondered what was the point anymore and that's when I knew I wasn't looking after me.

Good luck with your journey x

@ttcsolomumtobe

Yes I've been tracking my LH for a couple of years - I started tracking it before starting ttc as I was curious when my peaks were. My ovulation has been a bit irregular the past couple of months (I usually ovulate around cd18 but I'd got up to cd21 - not sure if this is concerning or completely normal!).

Thank you so much xx

@toastonjam I guess it depends how long your cycles are, if they are only 25/26 days then it's quite a short luteal phase as doesn't give time for implantation. There could be medical reasons regarding this, would be worth checking in with a GP.

@ttcsolomumtobe

My cycles are normally around 30-33 days x

Ahhh okay, so that's a fair amount of time. I hope you get some answers