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 ✨

IUI attempt number 2 done, now for the wait! Interestingly we discussed IUI stats and the fertility nurse said the stat of 15% success is usually when there are known fertility issues and that donor insemination with IUI, which I'm having, with no known fertility issues is around 20-25%. Obviously everyone and each situation is different though!

I brought up progesterone pessaries to see what the fertility nurse said, she said it would be worth trying them and they can be pretty successful if I sometimes get shorter cycles, which I did last month. So will be starting them from this evening. She did say how they can be quite unpleasant in terms of side effects for some people, so said it was up to me if I was happy to try them. I'll probably end up with side effects from the trigger injection like I did last month anyway so why not, if it could improve the changes, I may just be even more hormonal than normal. I haven't been off work sick for years so if needed I can take some time off if it's bad. Anyone else who has used them, what are your experiences?

@Twomumfamily we are both feeling good thanks. Still nerve wracking but we are both trying to go with the flow. She is carrying and is much more relaxed than me which is a good thing. Didn’t have a bad first trimester thankfully and the second she is tired but still very active. We have the big 20 week scan this coming week so a little apprehensive about that.

I can honestly say this was never mentioned to us. I presume this has to happen after the embryo has reached the blastocyst stage? In which case our first transfer was a fresh at 5 days so wouldn’t of had the opportunity even if it had been included in the price and we didn’t know about it. We did sign an awful lot of paperwork but that centred on who was the legal mother so to speak. They did ask if we wanted to do the PGT-A but it would have been 3.5k and we didn’t feel it was necessary for the money. So confused if it’s current rules. We had to have a lot of blood tests before but the only one specific for me was the cystic fibrosis one which they insist everyone donating has.

what medication do they have you on? I suffered on day two with bad stomach ache but after that apart from being bloated and a little emotional I found them ok. I think that was my ovaries being shocked. Was on a very high dose of Gonal-f.

@strawberrylaces12 my partner was on the progesterone for the first 12 weeks. She was on two a day of the pessaries and two lubion injections. She said she was fed up of them by the end and couldn’t wait to stop them but that was as they bloated you (and be aware they can mimic pregnancy symptoms) and also they are quite messy. There are two ways to use them and unfortunately the easiest and less messy way is the back option(sure you know what I mean) but they can
upset your stomach that way. Sounds wonderful but they worked for us im
sure but that was IVF not IUI.

@Ivffirsttimer7 thanks for the info! The fertility nurse was lovely and very honest with us about the progesterone pessaries like wearing a pad at night. I'm just on one a day to use before bed so will start tonight. I'm a bit nervous about the side effects. The nurse let me know that it can mimic pregnancy as can the HCG trigger shot I had last month and also today, so I'm just probably going to have all of the side effects, yay 😂did your partner get any pain with the pessaries? I'll have paracetamol at the ready if needed!

Also congratulations on your pregnancy together, so exciting!!

@Ivffirsttimer7 so exciting, it’s getting so close for you both! I hope your 20 week scan goes well and you get a good look at the little one.

Yes, it’s the cystic fibrosis etc genetic testing they require (so I would do the testing) not embryo testing, sorry if I was confusing things. Basically, soon it will not be classed as ‘donating’ so those tests won’t be required anymore which should bring costs down. Does that make sense? Sorry I have Saturday brain today!

@Twomumfamily thank you. It will be our 4th scan so excited to see him again. ah yes that makes sense. I think what threw me was the cost. Mine was in and around the 300-350 mark, so the 1,500 being quoted is through the roof. We got every other test done through the GP but that had to be verified so only could do through the clinic direct. Outrageous that the NHS are saying it’s that much.

@strawberrylaces12 no she had no pain at all. It was more of an annoyance that anything less. She would definitely recommend using in the back than front. Might feel odd but no mess and no need to lay down for 20 mins after. Also no thrush or anything which I believe it can cause.

@Ivffirsttimer7 Wow that is so much cheaper, might be worth us shopping around in the future. I absolutely cannot moan though, as we are fortunate enough to be getting NHS funded IVF. I am just glad the tests are being removed soon!

Keep us posted after your scan! One hour until my first injection - it’s going sooooo slowly haha!

@strawberrylaces12 Hope you're doing ok post IUI ✨And hope you're also getting on OK with the pessaries! My partner had them on all 3 tries (though didn't complete the recommend dose cycle on the 2nd and 3rd as she was struggling with the side effects) - the mains ones for her were joint aches, dizziness, bloating, and feeling nauseous.

@Twomumfamily Thinking of you and hope you're getting on ok! ✨

@Ivffirsttimer7 thanks for the info! So far so good with doing them vaginally (sorry I'm just going to use the terms 😂) at night, a bit of discharge in the morning but nothing too annoying I just wear a pad overnight. If I get any issues going forward though I'll try them rectally, the idea of that just makes me more uncomfortable is all!

I have emailed the clinic to check though, if I'm now on progesterone pessaries will my progesterone blood test (to check ovulation a week after IUI) be impacted? I guess as I'm only on 200mg once a day so may take a while to build up. Fingers crossed it shouldn't matter too much as the two progesterone blood tests I have had (without progesterone pessaries) have confirmed ovulation. I've managed to book a blood test for Saturday at the GP, so a week exactly after IUI.

Just got to wait and see now. So far I'm feeling a bit better/less anxious at the start of this tww than last month. I think my expectations are set better. Just fingers crossed we made the right decision to do the attempt on Saturday and not wait until today (I think I ovulated either yesterday or possibly today) and the clinic did say it's better to have the sperm waiting for the egg ready.

How is everyone else getting on? 😊

@Ivffirsttimer7 Lovely to hear from you again and I can't believe how quickly the time has gone! Hope your 20 week scan went/goes well 🤗

Do you mind me asking whether you did a fresh transfer or frozen transfer? Sorry if you mentioned this before but as my partner and I are gearing up for IVF this year I'm trying to understand and read up more on the processes and procedures etc.

@solanks Thank you, done two jabs and so far feeling good. The needle is so fine that I could hardly tell it was going in - even managed to do my own yesterday. Don't have any monitoring until next Monday (day 10 of stims) so won't know how I am responding, which is a little unsettling, but fingers crossed it will be okay!

@strawberrylaces12 Hope you are doing okay during the TTW!

@solanks ah great minds... post at a similar time 😂yes so far so good (see my above post for details). No particular side effects currently, just a bit of discharge which I'm finding completely manageable. But I'm aware that I've only done two so far so it's early days!

Also so far I've had less of a reaction to the trigger injection this month (last month I had an awful headache later on the day of the injection). I imagine that I'll have nausea from the injection and/or pessaries soon. I'm quite a nauseous person (thankfully rarely sick though) anyway, so kind of used to it 😅

@solanks we did both. First was a fresh and didn’t work. Second time 3 months later was a frozen and that worked. Think it’s just luck of the draw. I think it’s better with timings for frozen but know two who fresh worked for.

@Twomumfamily how are the injections going?

@strawberrylaces12 hope all is going well and no side effects?

We had the scan yesterday and everything was absolutely fine. It’s a little more stressful than I thought it would be. Baby not in the right position so we were there 3 hours! Due to being slightly older we have a risk of pre eclampsia so could possibly have to deliver at 36 weeks. That’s only 15 weeks away which seems mad. We also get extra growth scans at 28, 32 and 35 weeks but we get to see him lots which is nice.

keeping my fingers crossed for success for you currently going through the process.

@Ivffirsttimer7 thank you! The only thing I'm having currently is quite bad nausea. But I had that last cycle I think from the trigger injection. Also I'm just quite an anxious person so get it a lot anyway especially with work stress.

Like before the tww is dragging quite a lot. I don't think it gets easier? 😂

Gosh that is stressful but I'm glad that you get to see him more and they should have a plan to reduce risks. Keep us updated!

@strawberrylaces12 oh you’re like me. I’m quite an anxious person which is why I was happy to do the reciprocal IVF. The waits continue I’m afraid. Every time you get over one there is another scan to think about. I do think the tww is the hardest though as you have hopes pinned on it.

Yes, it’s pretty standard for someone who is 40 to have the additional scans from what I know. Rather be safe and we are being seen by Kings, and their fetal medicine department is very advanced and the scans in-depth.

@Ivffirsttimer7 I am glad the scan went well, must be unnerving to have been there for 3 hours, but great that they are thorough. I didn't realise there was an increased pre-eclampsia, your hospital seems very on top of everything though which is great and must be reassuring for you. Has time gone quickly or slowly for you both since you had your BFP?

@strawberrylaces12 Hope you are doing okay and the nausea doesn't last too long. Are you halfway through your TTW now?

I am doing okay, today is day 6 of injections and had to add the Fyremadel one in this morning. They have been fine actually. I am a little moody and slightly bloated and VERY tired but doing fine otherwise. A little anxious as we don't have any scans to monitor growth until Monday (Day 10) eeek. I had 9 follicles in my right ovary and 6/7 in my left at baseline which was way less than a year ago (I had around 14 follicles in each ovary then). I think it's still good numbers and means I may not get overstimulated and a fresh transfer may be on the table. Trying to just take it day by day, and think 'what will be will be' lol. Easier said than done though! @Ivffirsttimer7 Out of interest what were your numbers like during this process (if you don't mind sharing?)

@Ivffirsttimer7 yeah that makes complete sense. I've always had more of the 'maternal' feeling than my wife and wanting to carry if I can. She wants children but too bothered about carrying. But I think I'd feel like this whoeever was carrying anyway😂

@Twomumfamily thank you! This weekend will be hard way. I'm not 100% sure which day I would have ovulated but probably around Sunday especially with the trigger injection (I had IUI and trigger injection on the Saturday).

Glad that the injections have been okay and I hope the side effects are manageable! Fingers crossed the numbers is a positive thing 😊

One thing I have noticed with the progesterone actually is having it in the evening before bed I'm falling asleep faster. Although I am more tired in the day I think, but hard to know if that's the progesterone or another factor.

@Twomumfamily the time has flown by since middle of October. It dragged from BFP to the 8 week scan but then has gone fast. She hasn’t really looked pregnant as such until maybe week 16 and since then it has become very real.

Your numbers are great. I had an AMH of 6, baseline 2 follicles on each. During the stims I got scanned 7, 9 and 11 days. Only one of my ovaries responded (due to damage during a cyst removal years before) but my right ended up with 10 of good size. 7 eggs, 100% fertilisation and 3 got to blast stage of which we froze 2. Some people would be upset by those numbers but I was 37, with a dodgy ovary and the one they used was stuck to my pelvis so they weren’t sure they could use it till they went in. So we were really happy. We don’t have lots left but it only takes one as they say. One friend was younger and had many more follicles but ended up the same as us. Other was 41 and ended up with 15! So you never know.

The tiredness is real isn’t it. I remember it wiped me out. Glad to hear all is going well

@strawberrylaces12 to be fair I have been quite relaxed about it. We did have covid over Christmas which was a slight worry but luckily I got more unwell than her.

@Ivffirsttimer7 Thank you so much for breaking that down for me, I didn't realise that more follicles grew after baseline, that is very reassuring. Your numbers were great, especially with 100% fertilisation rate and brilliant that you have 2 in the freezer. I would be very happy with 3! As you say it does only take one!
How was the egg retrieval? I am a little nervous about that but the Dr said I would be completely out of it and I am going to take the two days off!

@Twomumfamily retrieval was ok. I was really nervous about what was going to happen but they were lovely. They ended up giving me max dose of the pain killers and although I wasn’t out of it like you would be a GA, I can’t remember much of it. I think I was in and out in 20 mins and very dopey in the recovery room.

I was fine that day and took the next off but prob didn’t need to. Oddly I was in a lot of pain day 3 and rang them as I was convinced I had OHSS(I think that’s what it’s called). They said it’s due to them having to manipulate my stuck ovary and the pain went off the next day. It was bad though I won’t lie, I couldn’t walk or sit without being in agony. Just rest up after and get taken care of!

Hi folks, I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus the last few weeks, but just popping on to catch up and say good luck everyone with all your scans, injections, transfers and TWWs! Got everything crossed for favourable outcomes for all x

Thanks @Quickdraw23 hope all is good with you?

@strawberrylaces12 How are you getting on during the TTW?

@Ivffirsttimer7 Thank you for this info, oh gosh that sounds VERY painful I hope it didn't last too long?

I had my day 10 follicle scan yesterday, looking like retrieval will be Friday or next Monday. I had 26 follicles but only around 14 looked mature (with some smaller ones which may or may not catch up) which is okay I think! My levels look good currently so we may be able to do a fresh transfer, I will find out at my next scan on Weds! I am pretty ready to get these bad boys out now NGL, feeling the bloat!

Hope everyone else is doing alright x

@Twomumfamily

Oh I did post a fairly long post yesterday but it doesn't seem to have posted, hmm weird.

Anyway it was just to say that the tww is dragging but it's not too long until the weekend when we can test! I've been a bit down/emotional at times but not too bad considering I'm on the progesterone pessaries. No other side effects thankfully, maybe a bit of bloating and some cramping but nothing too noticeable. The nausea seems to have reduced thankfully.

Also my progesterone blood test result came back to confirm ovulation - I wasn't sure how it was going to work with taking the progesterone pessaries so obviously it's going to be higher. I had a result of 100 (my previous ones without progesterone pessaries have been 31 and 32 to confirm ovulation) and the nurse said that it confirms ovulation even taking into account the pessaries so that's good. It does seem particularly high but I wonder if I did release both eggs (I had one larger and one smaller follicle on the day 11 scan), also not sure what is a normal amount for the body to absorb. I'm on a 200mg pessary once a day.

Great to hear about the outcome of the scan and eek not long now hopefully! Good luck with your next scan 😊

Turns out I posted my reply in the wrong thread that's why 😂😅oh dear!! 😂

Just a quick check-in from me. Due to start my "admin cycle" this weekend coming, so I'm currently counting down the days until it feels like we're "actually doing something".