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 ✨

@strawberrylaces12 I also found stims and retrieval super easy, just very bloated and nauseous afterwards (but no pain)!

Hopefully it will be the same for you and it will fly by!

Do you know what stims you are using? (I was on 225 Gonal F)

xx

Thank you! Yeah definitely one step at a time (although my mind can't help racing through it all!).

Definitely best to stay positive but also very hard to. But we've got this 💪

That's so exciting about having 7, congratulations! 🥰

That's really good to hear, thank you! Hopefully I'll have a similar not too painful experience 😅

Ahh thank you! I'm hoping that it'll be similar for me. I actually don't mind discomfort too much I think I'm usually okay with dealing with it. I'm taking some leave around work so hopefully that will help.

I'll be starting on Ovaleap 112.5 IU, they've kept the dose low as my AMH and AFC are on the high side of normal and I responded very well to a lower dose of Gonal 75 during IUI. They want to avoid OHSS of course. But then they can adjust the dose if needed 😊

We had our appointment yesterday to go over the treatment plan (with demo of how to use all the different pens/needles) and last couple of blood tests (HIV and hep). Although I knew most of it it still felt a bit overwhelming but also exciting too! So now to wait for my period which is due in about a week.

Does anyone know how likely it is to ovulate early after the trigger injection? Only because with my last IUI I had my LH surge one evening and I'd already ovulated one of the follicles by the next morning based on the scan. That's one of the things I'm worried about as it's 36 hours after injection. My body likes to respond and do things quickly 😅

Thanks so much @Twomumfamily ☺️ cautiously optimistic but I’m still not doing any chicken counting!

everything crossed for you @strawberrylaces12 ! I’ve no idea on the trigger/ovulation question unfortunately. I’d say definitely mention it to the clinicians during your scans - they might be able to reassure you.

@strawberrylaces12 How are you getting on? x

Hey thanks for checking in! So I was just waiting for my period to start (it was a couple of days after when I expected it) but thankfully it arrived and I'm on day 1 today so start injections tomorrow and have a scan on Saturday 😊 how are things with you? x

@strawberrylaces12 Ah exciting, how are you getting on with the injections? Good luck for your scan tomorrow!
All is good with us, my wife has had a scan and the transfer is booked for the end of next week eeek!
@Quickdraw23 Hope you are doing okay too, have you got a date yet for your FET?

So far so good with the injections. A little nervous about the scan tomorrow, hoping I've not over or under responded but we'll see. Partly excited too as it's another step forward. I wonder if I'll get an idea of roughly how long I'll be taking stims for. I doubt I'll sleep too well tonight 😅
Ooh that's so exciting! How are you feeling about it? 😊

I am sure it will be fine, mine were on the slow side to start with but grew loads in the last 2 or 3 days, so don't worry! Do you have a scan every few days now so they can asses! Glad you aren't feeling too bad on them, I think I was just very tired. Keep us posted 😍
I am so excited! I had a moment of feeling a little bit lost about not being the gestational mum, after trying and failing to carry, but that has gone now and just feeling hopeful. I am aware the feeling may come back but trying to be kind to myself and go with the flow! Gosh it sure is a rollercoaster, isn't it!

That sounds good to hear! During the medicated IUIs I seemed to respond really well to meds, if not a little too well. Now I know that my AMH and AFC are on the high side of normal so that's probably why! Yeah I should have scans every couple of days, not got them booked in yet but when I was booking my Saturday one in they said they'll see how I'm doing and likely bring me back in on the Monday to review. So so glad that I've organised my work diary so it's not too full on and then booked some leave in August too thankfully.

Completely normal to feel like that. But you'd be just as much the mum as your wife. My wife doesn't particularly have any desire to carry but really wants to be a mum and thankfully feels no difference as to whether the child is biologically linked or not, she'd still very much be their mum and an amazing one at that! I'm sure that will be the case for you both too 🥰

@strawberrylaces12 Awh thank you! Oh, of course, we are all mums regardless of biology! For me, it's more about not being pregnant and feeling like I failed as opposed to anything else; because I have tried to carry and so want to experience pregnancy. But I am working through it in therapy and the feeling has subsided now, just aware it may rear its head again. For now, I am focussing on how lucky I am that my wife is happy to do it for our family, as I know pregnancy isn't easy ❤️ I will carry in a few years once I have healed!

How are you getting on? Do you have a retrieval date yet? xxx

Yeah that completely makes sense. I know if it turns out that I can't get pregnant I'll definitely be taking up therapy as it's something I've always wanted but equally would be so happy if my wife was pregnant. That sounds like a great plan!

Ticking along nicely I think. Scan on Saturday morning showed that I'm responding nicely to the meds, quite a lot of smaller sized follicles on that scan as they'd be expecting (it was day 6 of my cycle, so day 5 of stims, as they don't do Sunday scans). So I've got another scan tomorrow morning to see how things are going, I'd imagine they'll have more of an idea then. I'm on quite a low dose (112.5 Ovaleap) to try to prevent ohss if possible.

Only panics I've had so far have been having ewcm yesterday early afternoon and panicking that I was ovulating early, which I then read about and know it's likely just due to rising oestrogen due to all of the follicles. Then also my ovamex injection (to prevent early ovulation that I started yesterday evening) made me bleed slightly and have quite a red and raised area of skin. But then again, I read the information leaflet in more detail and it is normal. It went down after about an hour or two. But just feeling like I'm over thinking things a lot 😅

@strawberrylaces12 It's so easy to overthink during this process, but sounds like you are doing really well, hopefully, your scan tomorrow will show more growth. I had my first scan on day 10 of stims and I still had quite a few small follicles, but the next scan on day 12 they had all grown! Sorry to hear the Ovamex is causing irritation (I found it stung a lot too) but good to know it is normal. Hopefully not too long until your retrieval! x

@strawberrylaces12 im glad stims are going well! It sounds like you’re having similar issues to me with the irritation after the second jab etc. fingers crossed for lots of nice even follicle growth at your next scan. And well done! The stims are tough!

@Twomumfamily lovely to read your update! Sounds like you are managing everything so well. I have been having similar preemptive thoughts, as I am so convinced my transfer won’t work, as the previous three haven’t worked. You’re doing a smashing job, I hope everything goes well.

no date for my FET yet - I am waiting for my period. I had my withdrawal bleed which was heavier than usual as they warned, and now waiting for a real period so I can get started. It’s going to be an unmedicated FET which I am pleased about. So should be in the next 2-4 weeks that things start moving for us again. Then we will have to see! I toyed with the idea of holding off another month as I’ve got a wedding coming up, but I just want to get on with it. Our first consultation with our clinic was early March this year, so it will have been nearly 6 months from start to actually having an embryo transfer by the time it comes around, and I’m feeling impatient!

Thanks both! Scan this morning went well and they're growing nicely, one is even up to 19mm now with quite a lot at 16 and 15 etc. So I'll hear this afternoon if they want me back in tomorrow with possible egg collection on Friday or scan on Thursday/Friday with possible egg collection on Monday (they don't do weekend egg collections). All exciting anyway and now can't wait to hear what the next step will be 😂

@Twomumfamily the transfer must be coming up soon! How are you feeling?

@Quickdraw23 really hope things move forward with it. You've been so so patient, very impressive! Is there anything you need to do between now and waiting for your period or is it just the dreaded waiting around?

@Quickdraw23 Awh thank you so much, that is so kind. I know, it is really hard but trying to stay positive. That is exciting, it shouldn't be too long then! We did the same with our IUIs, we pushed it back a few months to go on holiday but in hindsight I wish we had just got on with it, it is such a balance. You can still enjoy a wedding after the transfer, and hopefully you will have a little secret in your tummy! It is wedding season aha, we have 3 weddings coming up this summer so my wife will possibly be on the non alcoholic drinks too. Fingers crossed your period comes soon and you can get the ball rolling.

@strawberrylaces12 Sounds like you are ticking along nicely! Hopefully you will get your retrieval booked in soon. Are you aiming to do a fresh transfer?

Yep our transfer is coming up very soon, eek. My wife has been absolutely fine on the meds (way better than I was) so she is feeling really positive :) I am dreading the TTW but we have lots of things to keep us busy.

@Twomumfamily just back from the scan and wow they've grown well over night. Now have 3 from 19-21mm and like another 5 at 18mm and quite a lot under 18cm but not too far behind. I can't believe how well my body likes to respond to things. Also can't believe that I have this much going on with my ovaries and I don't actually feel too bloated. collection now very likely Friday but I'll hear to confirm this afternoon once the consultant has reviewed it. The aim is for fresh. But today the nurse did say that depending on how many eggs they collect they may recommend a freeze all and do a frozen transfer another cycle if there are a lot of eggs collected due to OHSS. I'm so full of nerves and excitement about it all!

Any tips or words of wisdom on the lead up to and for egg collection?

Ooh so exciting!! That's so good that you have plenty to keep you busy 🥰

@strawberrylaces12 Good luck today if you are having your collection! The only thing I can think of is making sure you have lots of electrolytes after your retrieval as that helps to flush the hormones out!

Thinking of you both ❤️

It went well and I'm home now. A bit of discomfort and pain currently but manageable (feels like a mix of bad trapped wind and bad period pain) and I'm keeping top up with paracetamol. They got 24 eggs! I think they'll call me this afternoon to let me know how many are mature and then keep me updated with fertilitisation/embryo info all being well 🤞 they said that assuming that I don't get any symptoms of ohss that I can still do a fresh transfer so hoping to keep ohss at bay.

I've got lucozade and will keep drinking plenty of water. Interestingly the nurse said eating salty snacks is a myth?? But I'll just enjoy some nice food today anyway 😊

@strawberrylaces12 Congratulations that is brilliant news, 24 eggs is amazing, hoping you have a fab fertilisation rate. Glad you are feeling alright and not too sore. Do you think your transfer will be next Thurs or Fri? So exciting :)

Thank you! I just hope that they're decent quality. I'm so pleased with 24 eggs, I was on a low dose of stims (112.5 Ovaleap) to prevent ohss so it's a good job I wasn't on a higher dose as I responded so well 😂 I'm sure the nurse said Wednesday but also at that point I was in the recovery room and feeling a bit sleepy so I could have misheard but my wife thinks they said Wednesday too. But just got to wait and see how things (hopefully) progress 😊 now I'm just hoping that the donor sperm thaws okay and there's no issues with it!

Wow, lots of exciting updates here. Following all your progress with joy and hoping for all the best for all of you 🍀❤️

Hey! Great to hear from you. How are things with you? How far along are you now? 😊 xx

@strawberrylaces12 25 weeks! And feeling pretty good, finally.

Our clinic was able to tell us post-thaw motility rate for the sperm which I found helpful. But if it was vastly different to what you think it is they would definitely tell you. Fingers crossed your 24 develop well