Trying for a baby (12+ M/not straightforward)

AnnieM_3

Hi,

Hope everyone is ok today (esp. Lilo and Nottslass)!

I booked a smear today. I am way overdue one (very long story - there were issues which meant I was unable to have one but it's ok now), so I have booked it for next week. Reading Lilo's story made me get my act together and sort it asap.

OH is going to do the Fertility Score test this evening. Think he's a little daunted, but we've talked about it, and how we both might feel if it flags up a possible issue (tbh, I'd almost just be relieved it wasn't me, daft as it might sound). I let him know I'm not going to freak out if he has fertility problems, and that it wouldn't change my feeling about him. I found him reading up on the 'net about optimising male fertility last night, which has reassured me he is definitely thinking about it - nice to know we're on the same page!

AnnieM x

nesssie1702

Happy New Year to you all - may 2009 be a good year for you!

Lilo and Nottslass - sorry to hear your news Hugs all round in order.

Well, it won't be this month for me, as AF is here just now and is being a real B - got bad cramps and had really sore boobs too.

All the best

N x

AnnieM_3

Well, the results were... borderline Definitely more cool blue pink than warm red pink - between the positive and negative colours on the check strip. The only thing we're really not sure about is that we had to round up the number of drops of reagent to add - don't know if that would make it more blue, although if the result had been really good then surely it would have still been definitively in the positive scale????

OH is going to do the other test on Tuesday morning (men's swimmers are meant to be more prolific then???) to see what comes back on that one, and we're going to book in to see the doc anyway.

He's taken the result ok - we read up about ICSI and IUI yesterday, and although we don't really know that much, it seems like all would not be lost if it turns out that DH's swimmers aren't doing their job properly?

I actually feel a bit less stressed now. I feel like we're taking a positive step.I have felt for the last few days like it's come to the point where we have to seek advice or stop trying - I am THAT frustrated with the whole thing, I can't bear to invest all that emotion again and again possibly to no avail, if there's a fertility problem somewhere between me and OH - especially one that could be fixed/helped with some medical intervention!

Does anyone on here have any experience with fertility issues where it's the OH's swimmers that won't behave? Any info/advice would be gratefully received by us both!

AnnieM x

Somnium

AnnieM this is the issue with me and OH. We had always assumed our fertility issues were on my side as OH had already had tests early on due to other family members having issues and he was given the all clear. After several years and some tests it turns out I'm fine but he has a low count and low motility. The Doc's have basicaly said its not like we can't concieve naturally but our chances are much lower because of this. After much sitting about and waiting, and generally believing we had been forgotten about we have been told we can have 2 cycles of IVF on the NHS. So my advice is don't panick and just keep on at the Doc all is not lost.

myaccount08

AnnieM - i agree with Somnium, all is definitely not lost. There are loads you can do naturally to help improve sperm health. Several pages back i posted a list of things. Studies consistently show dramatic improvements within 3-6 months, so definitely worth a try. IUI usually has a threshold for healthy sperm after a wash, but with ICSI it does all the work. Hope you get an appointment soon and it all turns out to be ok

It's 4.30am and the noise is driving me insane. We have either a rat or a squirrel right above our ceiling (between the ceiling and upstairs floor). It knaws away at the wood and runs from the front to back of our house. Have no idea how it got in, but the pitter patter of feet running up and down all night long is driving me mad :mad:

MaximumImpact

Hi all

I just wanted to post my story to give you a little hope and luck. When I met DH, I was well aware that he had two children from a previous marriage and that he had undergone a vasectomy 15 years previously. We discussed having children (I am much younger than him) and also having spoken to the 2 children decided to go ahead and have the vasectomy reversed.

On speaking to the specialist, he was honest and said that our chances were very slim but that IVF would be easier to obtain with our PCT if we paid for the reversal ourselves. On this basis alone, we thought it would be worth it.

In April 2007, DH underwent the knife and then 2 months of real pain was endured by him. In December, we returned to the specialist who advised us that in his opinion the operation had failed but needed a sample before he could confirm this.

TBH, I was gutted and knew that in my heart of hearts that the op had failed and we sat down to discuss our options. We researched IVF on the internet and spent lots of heartbreaking hours talking about things. I think at my lowest point, I resigned myself to remaining childless. It didnt help when everyone around me was asking when we were going to have children!!!

It was at this point that we stopped 'trying' and just enjoyed each others company and put the thoughts of children out of our head. We decided that adoption was the next best thing as we didnt want to make things harder on ourselves as we didnt even know if DH had any swimmers at all!!!!

On the anniversary of the operation, DH was at work and i felt very rough and decided to do a test due to being late and feeling sick...Lo and behold..the test was positive and DS was born 7 months later..(very prem but a fighter all the same)..

I honestly believe that when we stopped trying and got on with day to day life, my body worked better and with the pressure off, nature did her job....

I wanted to share this with you all in the hope it will bring you all luck and encourage you all that nothing is impossible...

xxxxxxxxxxxx

kencokenco

Thankyou gymfriend and myaccount08, for the advice you have given me. I have decided to try the agnus castus and see what happens.

My doctor did say something about clomid but because of the bad reaction I have had to the other meds given they are a little unsure as to give it to me or not.

I have a smear test on monday as well, due to the fact that I have pcos, I have to get it checked every yr. To be honest I have been getting some very odd pains in my pelvic area, a kind of constant numbness and obviuosly doctor wants to make sure all is ok. I thought it maybe was my womb dropping, which I was told could be a possibility, in which case I would have to stop ttc. But I am not too worried yet, will get the smear over and done with, and if the womb has dropped im sure the nurse will realise something is wrong on doing the internal etc.

Until then I am focused on ttc and see what happens.

Goodluck to all of you trying to conceive, and Lilo hope all goes well for you also.

AnnieM_3

Thank you so much for the advice and hope

Myaccount - I've just found your list. Thanks for that! Hope you get your nocturnal beastie problem sorted soon!

AnnieM x

nottslass_2

AnnieM wrote: »

Well, the results were... borderline Definitely more cool blue pink than warm red pink - between the positive and negative colours on the check strip. The only thing we're really not sure about is that we had to round up the number of drops of reagent to add - don't know if that would make it more blue, although if the result had been really good then surely it would have still been definitively in the positive scale????

OH is going to do the other test on Tuesday morning (men's swimmers are meant to be more prolific then???) to see what comes back on that one, and we're going to book in to see the doc anyway.

He's taken the result ok - we read up about ICSI and IUI yesterday, and although we don't really know that much, it seems like all would not be lost if it turns out that DH's swimmers aren't doing their job properly?

I actually feel a bit less stressed now. I feel like we're taking a positive step.I have felt for the last few days like it's come to the point where we have to seek advice or stop trying - I am THAT frustrated with the whole thing, I can't bear to invest all that emotion again and again possibly to no avail, if there's a fertility problem somewhere between me and OH - especially one that could be fixed/helped with some medical intervention!


Does anyone on here have any experience with fertility issues where it's the OH's swimmers that won't behave? Any info/advice would be gratefully received by us both!

AnnieM x

Hi Annie,Just to let you know,over the course of 12 months,OH had several sperm counts done - all of them were "bad news" (quantity & quality,not good).
Anyway,we were told that our only hope was ICSI,having nothing to loose,he started taking a multi vitamin and zinc - by the time we had our treatment,his sperm had improved so much that we didn't need the ICSI,only straight foward IVF !!!!!

nikkinoo_3

Hmmm, I need to book a smear too - got the reminder a couple of months before Christmas, but I've not been able to make an appt at an appropriate time in my cycle due to other commitments. Note to self: book it asap!

On another subject, I'm sure someone posted previously some info about what to take to the first appt at the fertility clinic. I've looked, but can't find it - so far I'm planning on taking:

Printouts of temping charts from Fertilityfriend
DH's sperm results
List of cycle dates

Is there anything else I should take? I'm assuming the doc should (and would!) have sent on the necessary blood results, as I don't have these.

All advice gratefully received! Thanks!! xx