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

picklekin

Welcome ricegirl, have you been to the doctor and started having any tests yet?

Hope your having a better day today PTP *hugs*

cwtw

Hi ladies. It's been really interesting to hear all of your updates. I agree with so much if what you all say.... code the whole guilt/doing things differently/weird diet things - I could have written that myself!

Vs hope you're doing as ok as you can be, bug hug.
Ptp -hope you're feeling a bit better and the new drugs suit you better! That is my real paranoia, that if I have to go to ivf I will be a crazy hormone lady, committing random acts of violence/extreme emotion/weeping!

Hi rice girl, may your stay be short but sweet here.

Hugs to all.

codemonkey

cwtw wrote: »

Hi ladies. It's been really interesting to hear all of your updates. I agree with so much if what you all say.... code the whole guilt/doing things differently/weird diet things - I could have written that myself!

Vs hope you're doing as ok as you can be, bug hug.
Ptp -hope you're feeling a bit better and the new drugs suit you better! That is my real paranoia, that if I have to go to ivf I will be a crazy hormone lady, committing random acts of violence/extreme emotion/weeping!

Hi rice girl, may your stay be short but sweet here.

Hugs to all.

Omg cwtw, I tried everything! Every supplement (maca, soy, agnus castus, ayurvedic remedies, d-chiro inisitol, vitamins etc), was too scared to do strenuous exercise, we tried different positions, all the monitoring, I did the lunaception thing so bought curtains, I tried not to kill insects in case taking a life meant I wouldn't get to make one. I bought fertility jewellery, and at one low point, a spell (she did money back if it didn't work but I didn't bother), I must have spent a fortune.

Yesterday I very suddenly got all hormonal and weepy and attracted to the boss and I realised I must be ovulating. Then when I got home, DH was being a bit focussed on football to the exclusion of all else and I was annoyed with him and I remembered that this time last year, I'd have to ignore the fact that I was tired and grumpy and mad at him and have sex and last night I could just go to sleep. There are some bonuses to this impossible thing!

pinkteapot

Hi all. Feeling much better today! Don't know why - started feeling better during yesterday evening and woke up feeling fairly like myself again. Just a little tired, but been like that throughout DR. That was a horrible 36 hours. Baseline scan tomorrow at 2pm, so hopefully only today and tomorrow left on DR - fingers crossed!

ricegirl - I'm sorry that you're here but you're very welcome, and we'll all understand what you're going through. Have you been to your GP yet? You can get referred for tests to see if anything is wrong and stopping you conceiving after you've been trying for a year (in most areas).

code/cwtw - I have firmly avoided all the online diet, alternative therapy, etc etc advice. I'm just following my clinic's advice, which is to eat healthily (but no specific foods mentioned) and to exercise moderately (avoid any really vigorous exercise - I'm desperately missing my bike rides). I've also avoided almost all of the things you can buy. I did buy an IVF relaxation CD but I don't like it. I'm quite cynical TBH and I think there are an awful lot of people out there happy to prey on people struggling with this and take their money. :mad: I am taking Pregnacare Conception instead of just plain old folic acid as I figure a good multivitamin can't hurt.

Oh, cwtw - everyone reacts completely differently to the IVF hormones, so try not to worry. All you can do is give it a go and see how you are on it. I said all along that we'd do one cycle and see how bad it was, and then decide whether to do more (the NHS fund three in our area). Although I've had some bad days during DR, compared to some stories I've read I think I've been relatively lucky! And at the other end, some people say they didn't have any side effects at all.

pickle - thanks for the hugs, and hope I'm not putting you off by being a few weeks ahead!

ricegirl145

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am 38 so went to the docs after 6 months of trying. So far have had day 3 bloods, day 21 bloods, ultrasound scan and HSG. OH has had semen analysis. All results have been normal so far. We have our next appointment in Sept so just waiting for that now. Any ideas what the next steps might be? Given my age I've started panicking that everything takes so long and my chances of successfully having a baby are diminishing by the day.

picklekin

*eyes fertility bracelet guiltily*

pinkteapot

ricegirl145 wrote: »

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am 38 so went to the docs after 6 months of trying. So far have had day 3 bloods, day 21 bloods, ultrasound scan and HSG. OH has had semen analysis. All results have been normal so far. We have our next appointment in Sept so just waiting for that now. Any ideas what the next steps might be? Given my age I've started panicking that everything takes so long and my chances of successfully having a baby are diminishing by the day.

If all tests are (and continue to be) normal, you'll be "diagnosed" with "unexplained infertility".

In our area, with unexplained you first try a course of Clomid (though NICE guidelines say this shouldn't be offered for unexplained as it's ineffectual), then you can have IVF. However, you have to have been trying for three years before you start IVF, due to the cost of it.

Each area is different in terms of how long you have to wait before you can start IVF - for unexplained it's normally two or three years. Each area also then varies in how many cycles (attempts) the NHS will pay for, from 1-3.

Ask at your next appointment what the timelines are in your area. It may be that above a certain age you can get referred for IVF sooner?

It's hard in a way as if the tests find something wrong, you get referred for IVF (or whatever treatment is best) straight away.

You can get an idea of what the NHS policy in your area is, here: http://www.infertilitynetworkuk.com/niac_2/ccg_details

picklekin

Ricegirl, your next step will probably be Clomid, its actually against NICE guidelines to give correctly ovulating women this (http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg156/resources/updated-nice-guidelines-revise-treatment-recommendations-for-people-with-fertility-problems) but GP's seem to see it as a "go away and come back in 6 months" thing. As your at 18 months already I would be investigating what the IVF policy is in your area, NICE recommend that you have 3 full cycles under 40, as your 38 you might want to think about kicking one of them off (if you win the postcode lottery), you'd likely have to have been trying for 2 years though (can you say its been longer?). You might want to think about if you can afford a private cycle and get saving (about £5-6k).

You might want to think about getting some print out of the results so you can see them yourself. Depending on how proactive you want be that is. We had been told all along my OH's sperm was "fine" and only at our IVF appointment did they tell us that it was below average and we might need ICSI (the bit where they inject the sperm into the egg). I was really cross to feel this information had been kept from us!

pinkteapot

picklekin wrote: »

*eyes fertility bracelet guiltily*

Eep, sorry pickle (and all). Just realised my comments were a bit blunt! Just because I don't put stock in things it doesn't mean they don't work. Let's face it - I've never managed to get knocked up so what do I know? :rotfl:

picklekin

Don't worry PTP, your quite right, its daft. I just get this urge to DO SOMETHING. And am often at a loss as to what...