The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Conceive when its just not happening (12m+)

miss_hh

Hi guys, im starting Suprecur nasal spray on Tue, is there any side effects etc to this?

bigzippy

miss_hh wrote: »

Hi guys, im starting Suprecur nasal spray on Tue, is there any side effects etc to this?

I've never heard if it specifically (I've never done IVF though either), but if you already have it in your possession then there should be an information leaflet with it that would tell you...? It's this for down regulation, or...?

Have you guys seen (on the TTC thread) about QQ's upset today? I hope they work things out

pinkteapot

rumfeeble wrote: »

Hi and thanks for the welcome
Pink tea pot and veseviour I have another gp at the surgery but I can't remember which one is which name, perhaps I could just ask the receptionist who I saw last time and write it down this time. The nurse I saw for my blood tests told me IVF isn't even looked at until you have been trying 3 years round here, a local friend of mine had IVF twins 3 years ago she waited 5 years from beginning ttc until she got actual treatment and she had such irratic af's that they 'knew' something wasn't right before they started.

I think it's a similar wait around here for IVF, but there's a lot they can do before that.

The initial part of the process in my area goes as follows:

1) GP runs lots of blood tests on you and a sperm analysis (SA) on your OH before they can refer you, so the fertility specialist has all the basic test results. I was tested for every STD going, hormone levels, etc.

2) Once the GP has the results they refer you. We then waited a few months for our appointment with the fertility consultant.

3) Consultant took a medical history, asked some questions etc. Nothing wrong with us so far so next investigation is a scan with dye up my tubes to check they're not blocked.

4) Second consultation appointment to discuss results of the scan will come through, but will be 10-12 weeks after the first appointment.

5) If tubes blocked, they'll discuss options. If not, they'll try me on a drug that makes ovulation 'better' (not sure how!!) for six months before trying anything else.

All of that will easily take us to a year from the point of referral.

If appropriate for you (if everything is working in theory) they can try assisted conception - artificial insemination but they put the semen right up inside your cervix (dropping them off at the front door instead of the gate as I put it!).

All of this is done before IVF, given the cost of it.

It's still good to get into the system and start having tests done. If nothing else, if they all come back normal it gives you hope that it's still worth trying.

I'd keep nagging your GP for a referral. What area are you in? Maybe someone else on here is nearby and knows the guidelines for referrals where you are...

xx

pinkteapot

Quick question - I haven't yet used ovulation tests (at all!). They're so expensive in Boots and I was a bit sceptical about how useful they are. I also didn't want to start having those "Quick! I'm ovulating - into bed now!!" moments. :rotfl:

Do they work (I know they can only tell you if you're having the hormones that go with ovulation, not if an egg is actually being released and making it down the tubes)? And where do you get yours from?

lilymay1

pinkteapot wrote: »

Quick question - I haven't yet used ovulation tests (at all!). They're so expensive in Boots and I was a bit sceptical about how useful they are. I also didn't want to start having those "Quick! I'm ovulating - into bed now!!" moments. :rotfl:

Do they work (I know they can only tell you if you're having the hormones that go with ovulation, not if an egg is actually being released and making it down the tubes)? And where do you get yours from?

I have used Clearblue digital ones before now (currently a pack of 20 is £23.99 on amazon atm which is fairly cheap!). They have always detected a surge for me (smiley face).
You can also buy packs of cheap ones (IC's - internet cheapies) that are about £3.99 for 30 depending on where you shop. Amazon sell them as do ebay. They work for me, but I know some people have had differing results.
First Response sell them as well I think, and Boots do an own brand.

Generally, they are very expensive and if ovulation or your cycles are irregular then they can end up costing a fortune. Whether or not they work seems to depend on the person. The cheap ones are very easy to mis-read and depending on how often you test and when during the day you test you may miss the surge all together making them pretty useless.

Hope that helps.

P.S I'm going to join this thread if I don't get pregnant this cycle!

pinkteapot

Thanks. I have a completely regular cycle (25 days exactly every month!) and always have a, erm, lubrication change around day 10 which is quite obvious. Sorry, that may be TMI! So I'm not sure if the ovulation tests will help us or not.....?

Just had a bit of a disappointment. Mentioned earlier that we had our first fertility consultant appt last week. I have to book in for a HyCoSy this cycle or next and they said a follow-up appt to discuss the results of that would come through but that there was a 10-12 week waiting list.

Just got the letter - 28th March 2013 for the follow-up. So no rush to get the HyCoSy done this cycle then. That'll make the second appt 20 weeks after the first - twice as long as they said it'd be. :eek:

bigzippy

Mine took 6 months for the appointment when they told me it would be 5 months, PTP. It's frustrating isn't it? In the end my hsg took longer than that to happen, but that's another story entirely!


That sneaky cow, hope, keeps creeping in again, and my brain's started running away with me with 'what if's :cool: I just had a really vivid dream where I had a baby girl, and then a baby boy, too

rumfeeble

pinkteapot wrote: »

I think it's a similar wait around here for IVF, but there's a lot they can do before that.

The initial part of the process in my area goes as follows:

1) GP runs lots of blood tests on you and a sperm analysis (SA) on your OH before they can refer you, so the fertility specialist has all the basic test results. I was tested for every STD going, hormone levels, etc.

2) Once the GP has the results they refer you. We then waited a few months for our appointment with the fertility consultant.

3) Consultant took a medical history, asked some questions etc. Nothing wrong with us so far so next investigation is a scan with dye up my tubes to check they're not blocked.

4) Second consultation appointment to discuss results of the scan will come through, but will be 10-12 weeks after the first appointment.

5) If tubes blocked, they'll discuss options. If not, they'll try me on a drug that makes ovulation 'better' (not sure how!!) for six months before trying anything else.

All of that will easily take us to a year from the point of referral.

If appropriate for you (if everything is working in theory) they can try assisted conception - artificial insemination but they put the semen right up inside your cervix (dropping them off at the front door instead of the gate as I put it!).

All of this is done before IVF, given the cost of it.

It's still good to get into the system and start having tests done. If nothing else, if they all come back normal it gives you hope that it's still worth trying.

I'd keep nagging your GP for a referral. What area are you in? Maybe someone else on here is nearby and knows the guidelines for referrals where you are...

xx

Thanks pinkteapot,

We have had the blood tests and DH has had the SA and all came back normal. The doctor didnt seem keen on refering us at all. He just said to relax and keep trying after all we have only been trying a year (ffffs!).... he said to try things like being relaxed about it all, going away for a weekend break or using OPK's and giving up caffene. I did point out I had been doing all those things.

The only thing I havent tried is temping but as DH works shifts we wake up at really varied times and DH wasnt keen on waking up at a certain time if he had finished a late shift and had just got to sleep. Also I get up during the night for the loo and dont often have 4 hours asleep before I get up.

time2deal

Hi all,

Very quiet in here today.

Thought I would quickly update. After a really terrible weekend, where I couldn't seem to stop crying, I finally gave in and told my sister what was going on. She made the mistake of getting in touch and saying 'how are things, haven't spoken to you for a while'!

And, after so much stress and heartache, it really helped. I actually finally feel like I am finding myself again. I think the stress of everything just got on top of me. I'm still where I am, but somehow it's not the end of the world anymore. And I am so scared to let people in, but it does help a little.

bigzippy wrote: »

That sneaky cow, hope, keeps creeping in again, and my brain's started running away with me with 'what if's :cool: I just had a really vivid dream where I had a baby girl, and then a baby boy, too

It worries me that this is what is making me ok again too. I can't help but hope, despite knowing I have few eggs, and DH has even less sperm, but you can't help hoping. After this month it'll be too much, so I am going to try to stop myself hoping as that way lies madness!

Anyway, still a bit weepy, but slightly less out of control crazyness.

And QQ - hope you are coping ok. Lots of love, and hope you have someone to turn to.

lisawood78

miss_hh wrote: »

Hi guys, im starting Suprecur nasal spray on Tue, is there any side effects etc to this?

Is suprecur for down regulation?

It's been a long time since I down regged (last 3 full rounds were flare protocol) but when I did, sorry to say I didn't fair too well. It basically puts you into a medical menopause with a lot of the symptoms that brings.

Headaches, hot flushes, horrible mood swings etc. This is one of the reasons I now do short protocol where you do not need to downreg. BUT this is only my experience and it was on Synarel spray rather than Suprecur.

I hope it goes well for you, if you have any more IVF questions make sure to ask them here, there is much experience abound! (sadly)