2 years and counting

[mandygk]

We've been TTC for what it feels like it's an eternity. I've finally gave in and made the appointment to see a fertility nurse (Keiser) and I am super anxious about what's to happen. I am so terrified with the idea of hearing bad news that I frankly haven't been able to sleep. Can anyone walk me through what happens during these first steps?
Thank you

 

[Princess Lou]

Hi!

I'm not sure where you are based but in Northern Ireland (and many places across Great Britain-but all are different in a sense) at the first appointment they take bloods from the female to determine and hormone problems, the male is then asked to produce a sample and the female is referred to Gynecology for a scan. This usually takes about three months (NHS aren't brilliant). You will then be asked if you want a referral to the Fertility Specialist. The waiting list at the moment is abut 12 weeks for the first appointment. There the FS will take his own blood work and have your partner do another sample and you will be given a scan at the appointment. The second appointment will be where you discuss treatments. Depending on the problem, you may be given medication such as Clomid or placed on the waiting list for another treatment. I was given Clomid and that didn't work so at my follow up appointment I was placed on a nine month waiting list for injections. That was 11 months ago. Unfortunately though, Northern Ireland only has one Fertility Center that is on the NHS so waiting lists can be long.

Every doctor and patient is different so it is plausible that you will have a completely different experience that what I have detailed above. But hopefully it can tell you what some women have experienced.

Good luck.

 

[kathleen756]

Hello there!

My husband and I hve been TTC for over 2 years now too and I can understand just how frustrating, depressing, overwhelming etc. this all is.
I haven't been on here long but this is a great place for support and information.
I'm not sure where you are from but I'm from Canada and I can tell you how it's been going for us so far.
Around a year and a half ago I went to my family doctor and told her we were having trouble conceiving so she referred me to an OBGYN who I saw 2 months later and then the OBGYN sent me to a fertility clinic called One Fertility and I got in there about a year ago.
We started with a very detailed discussion about both me and my husbands medical history and how long we had been TTC. We then both had bloodwork done to check for diseases and genetic abnormalities. (They took around 12 vials of blood for me and 6 for my husband.)
It took about a month for the blood work to come back and everything was fine there, so we sat down with a fertility doctor that we were assigned to (there are around 9 that work at the clinic I go to). The Dr. basically went over ALL of the options that were available to us. She broke it down into "levels" based on complexity and cost associated them.
The very first test they did on me after that meeting was a sonohistogram. This is how they check for blocked tubes, polyps, scarring etc in the uterus by injecting saline and watching on an ultrasound. Not painful at all and they told us right away what the results were. (everything was fine). That same day my husband gave a sample so they could check his sperm, those results came back in a week. (Also fine) it was at that point we moved forward with just Clomid (the cheapest and usually the first step they go for). Clomid thinned out my lining too much so we immediatley moved to injections for the next cycle. (They have a pharmacy on site and they stock everything you could need.) We started using Puregon (really easy to use with a tiny,tiny needle in a pen-like device and they showed me how to use it) that cycle we also started IUI as well just to increase our odds.
we took a break from January-June of this year because I don't think I was really mentally prepared and it totally overwhelmed me and I needed some time, but now we are back on board and committed to this until it works!

Sorry it's such a long story but I know I always feel better when I have lots of information.

The hardest part is waiting for results but just try not to let it consume you...way easier said than done, I know. And come on here lots and talk to all these wonderful women because everyone is so supportive here
Good luck and lots of sticky to you.

Keep us posted, I hope everything goes well!

 

[mandygk]

Hi!

I'm not sure where you are based but in Northern Ireland (and many places across Great Britain-but all are different in a sense) at the first appointment they take bloods from the female to determine and hormone problems, the male is then asked to produce a sample and the female is referred to Gynecology for a scan. This usually takes about three months (NHS aren't brilliant). You will then be asked if you want a referral to the Fertility Specialist. The waiting list at the moment is abut 12 weeks for the first appointment. There the FS will take his own blood work and have your partner do another sample and you will be given a scan at the appointment. The second appointment will be where you discuss treatments. Depending on the problem, you may be given medication such as Clomid or placed on the waiting list for another treatment. I was given Clomid and that didn't work so at my follow up appointment I was placed on a nine month waiting list for injections. That was 11 months ago. Unfortunately though, Northern Ireland only has one Fertility Center that is on the NHS so waiting lists can be long.

Every doctor and patient is different so it is plausible that you will have a completely different experience that what I have detailed above. But hopefully it can tell you what some women have experienced.

Good luck.

Hi! thank you for responding! I live in the US, I guess it's all about time and waiting. It's good to read about the process that everyone has gone through it's really helpful and it helps form an idea of what's to come.
Much luck to you

 

[mandygk]

Hello there!

My husband and I hve been TTC for over 2 years now too and I can understand just how frustrating, depressing, overwhelming etc. this all is.
I haven't been on here long but this is a great place for support and information.
I'm not sure where you are from but I'm from Canada and I can tell you how it's been going for us so far.
Around a year and a half ago I went to my family doctor and told her we were having trouble conceiving so she referred me to an OBGYN who I saw 2 months later and then the OBGYN sent me to a fertility clinic called One Fertility and I got in there about a year ago.
We started with a very detailed discussion about both me and my husbands medical history and how long we had been TTC. We then both had bloodwork done to check for diseases and genetic abnormalities. (They took around 12 vials of blood for me and 6 for my husband.)
It took about a month for the blood work to come back and everything was fine there, so we sat down with a fertility doctor that we were assigned to (there are around 9 that work at the clinic I go to). The Dr. basically went over ALL of the options that were available to us. She broke it down into "levels" based on complexity and cost associated them.
The very first test they did on me after that meeting was a sonohistogram. This is how they check for blocked tubes, polyps, scarring etc in the uterus by injecting saline and watching on an ultrasound. Not painful at all and they told us right away what the results were. (everything was fine). That same day my husband gave a sample so they could check his sperm, those results came back in a week. (Also fine) it was at that point we moved forward with just Clomid (the cheapest and usually the first step they go for). Clomid thinned out my lining too much so we immediatley moved to injections for the next cycle. (They have a pharmacy on site and they stock everything you could need.) We started using Puregon (really easy to use with a tiny,tiny needle in a pen-like device and they showed me how to use it) that cycle we also started IUI as well just to increase our odds.
we took a break from January-June of this year because I don't think I was really mentally prepared and it totally overwhelmed me and I needed some time, but now we are back on board and committed to this until it works!

Sorry it's such a long story but I know I always feel better when I have lots of information.

The hardest part is waiting for results but just try not to let it consume you...way easier said than done, I know. And come on here lots and talk to all these wonderful women because everyone is so supportive here
Good luck and lots of sticky to you.

Keep us posted, I hope everything goes well!

Thank you so much for your response
I have been reading a lot of threads and posts in here and I love how helpful and supportive everyone is. I have no one to talk about this issue my mother lives far away and she's not being to helpful, and discussing it with my expecting friends doesn't seem right at the moment. All I keep hearing is "when are you having kids?" "what's taking you so long?", and also this gem: "if you relax and don't think about it, it will happen"...etc. I am ok with having lots of exams and tests done and so is my DH, and bless his heart he is being really supportive and patient. What terrifies me is the waiting, which It's something I will learn to deal with. My appointment is this Wednesday and I am hoping that everything goes well.
Good luck to you too and lots of as well

 

[kathleen756]

You're right, the waiting is the hardest part and all the fretting that goes along with it. I just came back from my clinic this morning to find out we have to take this cycle off from treatment because I have 4 cysts from last cycles injections, go figure They then proceed to tell me that it's because I respond SO well to the drugs I'm on... great.

I honestly think that people just don't know what to say so they feed lines like "just relax and stop thinking about it and it will happen" I consistantly run out of responses for all the lines I get.

I hope everything goes well for you on Wednesday

keep us posted, we'll be here

 

[mandygk]

You're right, the waiting is the hardest part and all the fretting that goes along with it. I just came back from my clinic this morning to find out we have to take this cycle off from treatment because I have 4 cysts from last cycles injections, go figure They then proceed to tell me that it's because I respond SO well to the drugs I'm on... great.

I honestly think that people just don't know what to say so they feed lines like "just relax and stop thinking about it and it will happen" I consistantly run out of responses for all the lines I get.

I hope everything goes well for you on Wednesday

keep us posted, we'll be here

aww bummer do you know for how long you have to stop your cycle? what was your diagnosis for infertility?
I've learned to just deflect the topic when people ask me about babies. They usually get the message.
I will definitely keep you posted, Wednesday can't come soon enough!

 

[kathleen756]

The cysts they found aren't very big, all around 2-3mm so they will wait out the month and then on my next CD1 I will go back in for bloodwork and an ultrasound to see what is going on.
2 cycles ago I ended up with just 1 cyst and it cleared up after about a week and a half so I think they are assuming my body will take care of the ones I have now too. If it doesn't, they will put me on birth control pills to shrink them.

Our diagnosis was "unexplained infertility" which I hate because it's really just a lack of a diagnosis. They can't find anything wrong with me or my husband so we are just flying blind and hoping for the best. I almost wish they had found something specifically wrong because at least then we could move forward with a guided plan. For me (i am an admitted control freak) this is terribly frustrating.

i do however, feel better each cycle when we try something different even if its just a different dose of hormones or a diet change because I feel as though we are moving towards something better. I try to remind myself that it's just, one step at a time until we finally have our little bundle of joy.
It will happen for all of us, it's just a matter of time.

 

[kathleen756]

Hi Mandy!

How did it go today? Were they able to tell you anything while you were there?

Hope everything went well!

 

[mandygk]

I hope you won't have to go on BC, and that your body takes care of it. I will keep my fingers crossed! It has to be incredibly frustrating to have such open ended diagnosis, I understand the control thing.
I am the type of person who needs to know what happens, when it happens, and why it happens, lol. I guess this experience will teach me to let go of this terrible need to control things.
Thank you so much for asking about my appointment. It went well!
First my husband and I met with the Infertility nurse who was absolutely wonderful, kind and straight to the point. She explained to us the steps we have to go through, types of exams that need to done, etc. She also managed to squeeze me in today for a pap smear and a consultation with the doctor who will be taking care of me. She is wonderful and I like her, I feel extremely comfortable around her! I couldn't have asked for a better doctor.
Within the next day or two I have to go back to get a blood/hormone exam and then I have to go back on the 3rd day of my Cycle to get other types of tests done. This will help my doctor determine if any other type of exam needs to be done or if we can go ahead and move with medication/hormonal treatment. I am hopeful, and also grateful because my experience was not as stressful and scary as I thought.
I just wish I didn't have to wait so long to find out what's going on with my body.
How have you been feeling?

 

[kathleen756]

mandy, I'm so glad that your appointment went well!
You'll have to keep us posted as everything moves forward. I'm also really happy to hear that everyone you met with made you more comfortable with the whole process. i know for me, I felt better just knowing that somebody had a plan, and it wasn't just up to me anymore. Kinda like your on a baby-making team I suppose

 

[mandygk]

Hi how's everything going?
Yes I like that idea of having a baby making team. I just got my blood work results on Tuesday and my TSH is extremely low, in other words I have hypothyroidism and elevated prolactin along with slightly elevated hemoglobin a1c... Now I have to wait for my appointment next week to see what can be done about this. And I still have to go in for more examinations on CD 3 and CD21.
I am a bit overwhelmed... but hopeful.
how about you?