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

pinkteapot

cyantist wrote: »

I haven't been through anything like the 10 years of trying and 4 IVFs but I still don't understand the unexplained part.

It's only unexplained because they haven't tested it surely?!

You get a 'diagnosis' of "unexplained infertility" if the standard tests that the NHS do don't find a problem. Off the top of my head, they tested us for:

Me:
- blocked tubes
- hormone levels during my cycle, to check I was ovulating

OH:
- sperm analysis to check both count and motility

cyantist wrote: »

Are certain centres more likely to test out all these additional things like antibodies? Especially if they are private ones?

Some private clinics do immune testing, some don't.

The problem is that the scientific evidence still isn't 100% on whether immune issues really do have an impact on fertility, and how. It's not understood well at all and research has been conflicting. So the skeptical scientists may argue that people who have a successful IVF cycle with immune meds would have been successful anyway. Though anecdotally there are people who have had lots of unsuccessful cycles then had success with immune treatment. Until research proves conclusive, immune testing and other treatment 'add-ons' won't become standard.

More info from the HFEA here: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/fertility-treatment-options-reproductive-immunology.html

But, there are SO many people with unexplained infertility that there simply must be something going on that science doesn't know about yet. How can it take one couple a month to get pregnant and others years and years? It doesn't make sense to me.

Edited to add: To clarify, there's one immune condition that has a known and proven effect on fertility. Anti-phospholipid syndrome (aka sticky blood) can cause recurrent miscarriage, so women who have had more than three (IIRC) miscarriages are tested for it I believe.

fairy - thinking of you.

shrimpy_80

Really sorry to hear your news Fairy x

Keeping everything crossed for you FP

cwtw

So sorry fairy dodgy hug for you:grouphug:
Do keep us updated about the Czech clinic. I know someone who went to Cyrpus and it sounds v relaxing.
Fingers crossed for you frozen.
There are mixed views about the immune testing. Robert Winston has quite strong views http://www.genesisresearchtrust.com/Blog/immune-therapy-after-failed-pregnancies
But equally how else do piloting treatments start?
Good luck ladies....

frozenpenguin

Thanks shrimpy and cwtw xxx

Hope you're okay Fairy, thinking of you and sending massive hugs your way xxx

Hope your scan goes well today elephant! xxx

Hugs to you all and have a T-rex pic xxx

picklekin

Sorry Fairy *hugs and offers another WKD*

mogwai

Sorry to hear about your bfn fairy, how are you feeling?
Fx frozen, my heart goes out to you ladies that have been trying for years xx

Fairy_dust

Thanks ladies for your kind words! . I'm doing ok apart from the bad cramps & heavy bleeding that I'm having. Even ibuprofen doesn't dull the pain .

How are you getting on Frozen? Only 2 more days til OTD, how are you feeling? Have you tested yet?

Elephant You must be starting your stims this week? How exciting for you!

Good luck to those who are starting treatment & hugs for those that need them xx

ElephantLovesMe

Thinking of you fairy love and hugs to you xxx

Had my scan yesterday and finally nearly a month later than planned I am starting my injections on Friday. For someone who hates needles it isn't going to be easy but I'll get there. I've got bemfola to inject and its 75iu because they are treading Carefully with me got two scans booked next week to check on progress.

Frozen thinking of you as it gets closer xxxz

frozenpenguin

Thanks mogwai and elephant xxx (and good news on your injections elephant!)

I'm not too bad Fairy, I haven't tested yet but am feeling both excited and nervous about Friday :-s

On the one hand, I've had a few crampy-type pains each day and since the weekend, I've been knackered (despite getting 8, sometimes 9 hours sleep), I've even been yawning on the way to work.

On the other hand, this is the first time I've been through the 2ww on Progynova and Cyclogest so who knows, maybe those side effects are just from the drugs.

I dunno really, I mean statistically there's more chance of it being a BFN than a BFP but there's always that little bit of hope in your brain isn't there?

frozenpenguin

IVF/ICSI/IUI/FET cycles currently ongoing

• frozenpenguin: Medicated FET. Provera 17/3. DR sniffer (Buserelin) 19/3. Oestrogen (Progynova) 5/4. Scan 16/4 & 23/4. Progesterone (Cyclogest) 26/4. 1x5dET with EmbryoGlue 1/5.
• ElephantLovesMe: IVF LP. DR sniffer (Buserelin) 7/4. Scan 21/4 & 27/4. Noresthisterone 27/4. Scan 12/5. Stims 15/5 (Bemfola 75iu).

Ovulation induction
cwtw: Three rounds of ovulation induction by injections
lauraw82: Appointment 12/11, Clomid for 4 cycles


Awaiting FS/other appointment or making alternative plans
159: Waiting for OH's tests
claretsgirl: Trying naturally
chocoholic_chick: IVF LP. DR injections (Buserelin) 2/3. Stims (100iu Gonal-F) 25/3, (125iu Gonal-F) 31/3. EC 8/4, 17 eggs collected, 10 fertilised. ET postponed, 4 amazing blasts in the freezer. Appointment 1/6 to start FET.
cyantist: Trying naturally and doing blood tests and DH sample
Fairy dust: Investigating a clinic in the Czech Republic
Flee: ICSI
Floaty: Medicated FET, co-ordination appointment 8/5
GlasweJen: Accepted into a group for a mitochondrial transplant, EC & ET hopefully at the end of 2015
Gelly123: Blood tests for chromosome testing - clear
Goodvibes: ICSI 2=chemical. ICSI 3= 2015, follow up appointment Jan 2015
Isla_red: Further treatment Jan 2015
lisawood78: Filling in forms for embryo adoption in Spain
lucyloves: IUI mid April
mogwai: Checking for ovulation and trying naturally
Picklekin: Approved to proceed to stage 1 in the adoption process
pinkteapot: Trying naturally and considering options
Primmer: Adoption panel 19/11 - they said yes!
shrimpy_80: Surgery (3 ops) 9/6, IVF delayed for 6 months til after the operations
TamVilla80: Metformin for 2 months then starting on Clomid
Think Pink: Trying the NTNP approach for 6 months
vesper: Referred for IVF


Team wonderbra (lovely and supportive aunties)
codemonkey
tea lover


Recent graduates

• nightsky224: Natural 20/3/15
• emmaj30: IVF. Stims 18/1. EC 29/1. 1 x 5d ET 3/2. 16/2/15
• Wonder_Woman: IVF round #3 with immune meds. 2/2/15
• Clevernamehere: Natural 28/10/14
• jazz25: Clomid. 16/10/14
• Gettingthereslowly: Medicated FET. Oestrogen (Progynova). Scan 12/9. 2 x ET 17/9. 1/10/14

Acronyms
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...postcount=4460