IUI & Fertility in SSC

[solanks]

Hi everyone,

I've struggled to find any groups that are focussed specifically on same sex couples trying to conceive (that do not have any fertility issues).

My partner and I are currently on round three of IUI using donor sperm. The first two tries we did we attempted the natural route (so no medication and no ovulation trigger injection). We decided to go down the medicated route on our third try and are currently in the two week wait, waiting for our results today!

This whole process has been emotionally, physically and financially challenging, so much more than we ever expected, and we would love to hear from other same sex couples on this topic who are in a similar situation to ours. We want to exchange stories, offer each other support, give advice and also recommendations (as there is so much conflicting information out there and each clinic's protocols vary too, which we found bizarre).

Looking forward to hearing your stories; be they successful, unsuccessful, or even if you are completely new to this journey ✨

I have had my meds delivered for our frozen embryo transfer, so looking like a mid Mar transfer all going well. The injections for the progesterone look intense, the needle is mega, genuinely feel like I have had more meds delivered than for the actual stim cycle. Hopefully there won't be too many side effects!

Ahh exciting! Good luck @ProfessorplumBilliardroomCandlestick ✨

Yeah it does seem to vary!

Thank you 😊

Ooh exciting about your NHS appointment, I hope it goes well and you have a plan after 🤞

Oh that's interesting, I don't know much about IVF really I thought it would be more appointments and less predictable so that's good to hear. Thankfully I manage my own diary and appointments so I can block out some mornings that I think I may end up having fertility appointments as time for admin so I've not had to cancel any work appointments for patients yet I'm hoping that continues but I know if I really need to that it's okay. I just feel really guilty especially if they've been waiting a while.

Glad that your blood came back normal. I hope your amh levels come back as good. That's something that I've not had tested so maybe I'll mention that at some point if we're not successful. I'm 27, 28 in April, so I'm not sure if that's impacting on why they haven't tested or maybe they just don't to start with. But obviously they could be an issue still at any age.

Woohoo, good luck!! 😊

Exciting! Not long now 😊gosh I had thought maybe injections rather than pessaries would be easier and less messy but if the needle is big then maybe not. Although I don't mind needles, have happily given blood etc. How do you feel about them? I hope it all goes well 😊

I am 4dpo. Someone talk sense to me and the unusual "symptoms" I'm having can't possibly be pregnancy symptoms already? I mean, even if the IUI worked it won't have implanted yet, right? I haven't had any IUI medication at all so it's not that.

Yeah you're right it's too early for implantation, that's usually at earliest 6 dpo but can be like 12 dpo I believe. I also always symptom spot too much, any sort of twinge etc. But I made a real effort to notice any twinges and feelings during my cycle out of the tww and found that I get those sort of feelings randomly throughout including during my period so going to try and ignore symptoms as much as possible during the next tww, easier said than done though! Best of luck with your tww! Any nice plans in to distract yourself or anything you'll try?

Had my day 12 scan today, got a 14mm follicle (on the small side compared to my previous months) but no peak yet. Which is weird as I have peaked on day 12 the last few cycles. But I have been a bit run down/had a bit of a cold and been tired since mid last week, so I'm wondering if that could have delayed it. Also may just end up having a longer cycle this month we'll see, wouldn't be a bad thing as my cycles have been a bit shorter the last few months during fertility treatment. Got another scan tomorrow and probably Wednesday morning too to see how it develops and if I peak. I've been testing at home with clear blue ovulation and had flashing smiley faces the last few days. Last cycle I had one flashing face day 11 and then peaked day 12.

I did mention about medicated cycles at the appointment today and they did say it's something that can be tried if this cycle doesn't work. They did mention about how many more appointments/monitoring it would be so I guess I'd need to see how I'd sort that around work.

Hey @ProfessorplumBilliardroomCandlestick

Hope the procedure itself went ok for you. This may not be relevant, but will drop in the chat just in case, my partner had a handful of symptoms including: bloats, fatigue, drowsiness, tender breasts, body aches, mood swings + just general feeling of crappiness (though we have a feeling these were likely from the pessaries prescribed though). Some may have been from the procedure itself (like the bloating), but it's difficult for us to be sure.

*All the best with your TWW! ✨

Ok thank you both. The main one is I've gone up 4 cup sizes over the weekend. I'm normally a B, maybe C the couple of days before period but I have one "B and a bit" bra that normally does the job. Nowhere near. I've had pain and sensitivity and so I had a bra fitted this evening at an E cup. So much more comfortable. I know breast changes are from progesterone so it's possible this is just a normal luteal phase... but I've never had this big a change this quickly. Appetite and fatigue changes are also new but I know have patches of this sometimes anyway so that's less of a "symptom" than the two bowling balls I'm currently hauling around on my chest. Trying to not get carried away as tbh even if it is linked to the IUI there's still quite a few phases to go before I can get too excited. There's still morula > blastocyst > embryo so I'm trying to get a level head... Trying!

@strawberrylaces12 that's great news on your follicles size! I'll keep fingers crossed growth continues well 🍀

@solanks procedure was a bit painful but nothing like the HyCoSy, so I'm glad. Even though I thought I had a "partially full bladder" as instructed, the consultant who did the insemination said it would have been easier to get through the cervix if I'd been even more hydrated so lesson learned there. It's difficult to judge!

I think all those symptoms you mention (and I have them now) are all progesterone linked so maybe they would be stronger after the pessaries in your case. But I don't really know how they work in terms of the speed of increase in progesterone. For me I'm not sure if this is within the range of "normal" luteal phase in a non-pregnant cycle. I haven't had any hormone treatment at all so hence why I'm questioning it so much.

@strawberrylaces12 forgot to answer your question - no big plans just the normal work week. Might go to the local space centre at the weekend though so that would be nice and distracting hopefully!

@ProfessorplumBilliardroomCandlestick yeah it's so hard to know, symptoms can be from anything. But best of luck! 😊sounds like a good idea about the space centre and distractions. I've found nice plans and distractions have been a huge help in the tww.

Thanks my follicle size (14mm) was actually quite a bit smaller than it has been for my other day 12 scans, usually they have been between 18 and 22mm but I do think this cycle will be longer as I've not peaked yet. I started taking pregnacare vitamins a few months ago, similar time to when fertility treatment started. I'd read that some people find their cycles get longer or shorter and can be messed around a bit. I've stopped taking them for this cycle, just taking folic acid tablets, so I wonder if stopping them may mean that my cycle goes back to more 27/28 days than 25/26 days. Who knows. All feels like a bit of a best guess doesn't it 😅

Cycle day 13 scan this morning showed my follicle has grown to 16mm now and my endometrial lining has also thickened well which is good. No peak yet which makes sense. Another scan tomorrow morning to see how it's going. I imagine the actual iui won't happen until Thursday or Friday at the earliest.

Hoping everyone is doing well 😊

@strawberrylaces12 that's exciting progress on the follicle growth - 2mm a day is ideal, isn't it?

I think so and the fertility nurse seemed happy with it. Let's hope it keeps growing a bit more if it can. But one month I did have one that was 18mm one day and still 18mm the next day when I peaked so I think the closer to ovulation, the slower they grow maybe.

How are you feeling in your tww today? I know the days go slow in the tww don't they😅

Our nhs appt got cancelled today due to the junior doctor strikes, so both feeling a little crappy today. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait too long for the new appt (only a week) and we also have an appt at another clinic too, so will be a busy one for us. All being well, we hope to have a plan of action by end of next week. Both really keen to get things moving again!

@strawberrylaces12 Sounds like things are moving along nicely follicle-wise for you! How are you feeling about this next procedure?

@ProfessorplumBilliardroomCandlestick You still experiencing symptoms? Hope you’re doing ok :)

@solanks aww I'm sorry to hear that it was cancelled but glad it's only a week to wait. Our consultant appointment was cancelled back in September time due to strikes but thankfully had it rearranged for about a week later too. I hope your appointment goes well, how are you feeling about it?

Thank you! Yeah mixed feelings. I've been so tired recently and not sleeping well (I think impacted by work stress but also probably a certain amount of stress over fertility stuff too), so yesterday at the scan I felt pretty unbothered by it all and almost quite numb. But today I caught myself feeling a bit excited when things had moved along. I'm definitely feeling less excited overall, sadly, pretty sure as a way to self protect from disappointment. But still quite excited in some ways. It'll be interesting to see how my counselling appointment (first one, as there was a bit of a wait) goes in a few weeks and to talk through my feelings about it all.

@strawberrylaces12 exciting! Are you going in every day? Today went faster. Being at work definitely helps move time onwards. And the 3hr nap I had!

@solanks ah rubbish news. Thank goodness for a soon replacement appointment!

Yup, still full of symptoms, and a new one today - return of cervical mucus, which is another "unusual for me but plenty of people have this every month after ovulation" thing. And I'm tired as hell. Midday naps are now a thing. And my appetite is through the roof. DW currently making 2nd dinner as I snack on cucumber and hummus 😂 So that plus random gas, tiny mild cramps, ridiculous dreams, etc... it's all a bit odd. Time will tell! I think the big ones to look out for are implantation bleeding and that wouldn't be for another couple of days yet

@ProfessorplumBilliardroomCandlestick yeah so far this week we've been in every morning which has been a bit tiring but needs must! Last month I went in on day 12 and bam I was peaking with two large follicles so they did the iui the same day, that was a lot less faff but ah well!

Could be good signs who knows. I've had what I thought were symptoms in my tww, sore boobs, nausea, cramping, vivid dreams, even including a weird metallic taste briefly in the last tww which I was really thinking could be it but unfortunately not. Fingers crossed your symptoms are a positive sign though 😊

Another day, another scan😂now up to 18mm follicle, no peak yet as of this morning but lines on the tests are getting darker. I had egg white/ovulation cm this morning so hopefully peak/ovulation is soon. Back tomorrow for a scan and if I peak then possible iui.

@strawberrylaces12 18mm is great! Are you testing in the evenings too?

I haven't been actually but I'll test this evening out of interest! 😊

@strawberrylaces12 ah! My clinic likes them taken 12 hours apart once you've reached High fertility, as some people only peak in the evenings. So interesting how differently clinics do things!