Support during the wait for IVF

[adviceneeded1990]

Referred for IVF October 2023. Waiting list in my area is 9-12 months. It’s literally all I talk about, look up online and think about. I can’t sleep. Any advice to stop myself going completely mental during the waiting period? Did anyone else continue to actively try during this time or did you relax and let a more “what will be, will be” approach prevail?

I’m trying conceive plus vitamins and lube, seed cycling, weight loss (1st down 1 to go). Husband is on zinc supplements and has lost a stone also. His sperm count is low end of normal, my progesterone levels are low end of normal. Best medical guess for lack of success is the combo of those two things hence them referring for IVF.

Hey, unfortunately I don’t have any tips but I’m in the same position. Although I don’t have such a long wait ahead of me hopefully it just feels all consuming atm! I’m constantly researching and reading about it too, it’s just exhausting. Also not booking or planning anything for this year cause we don’t know when it’ll be and having to make excuses about why I can’t go to things.

we’re talking the pregnacare and wellman vitamins and just seeing what happens as can’t face actively trying anymore, think it just makes it so much harder every month when it doesn’t happen! Has it taken you long to get to the point of getting your referral?

@180monkeys

Oh I know exactly what you mean every month is just like grieving all over again.

It’s ‘only’ taken us eighteen months to get to this point thanks to a brilliant GP who referred us after 6 instead of insisting we try for 12! I knew my progesterone was low due to previous blood testing and losses with my ex so had a feeling we would need help and really wanted to get a jump on things.

I was ‘only’ 32 when we first saw the local infertility clinic though, 33 now, and they just keep talking about 35 as the magic number and basically telling me they won’t rush anything until then 🙈 so lucky in some ways to have been referred so quickly but the wait is just dragging! How close are you to starting treatment?

Fingers crossed for you!

@adviceneeded1990 oh that was good your gp did your referral early! But even with that I know how long any wait at all would feel. We have our first appointment with the consultant at the fertility clinic and got put on the treatment waiting list mid December and were told 4 months wait to start so hopefully will be top of the list and ready to go mid April. We had our referral and all our tests done privately before this as our go was being useless so that sped things up a bit!

im sorry to hear about your previous losses, hopefully IVF will be able to overcome the cause of them. I’m 28 so although I know time is on our side fertility wise it’s so frustrating when the drs say that when you just want to start now!

I've just been researching a lot regarding egg health and how to get into healthy eating, exercise and taking supplements. I take the zita west supplements (ultimate egg health) .. we have had bloods and consultation next week so I'm thinking I might push treatment back until the end of March .. to ensure I'm getting the eggs that have benefited from all the supplements. But I'm also 41 so time is not on our side.
I also listened to "it starts with the egg" www.itstartswiththeegg.com