30 something and TTC #1 for a year

[MrsG2010]

Congrats Sarah! Wonderful news!

 

[LBNY007]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this thread and any thread for that matter, lol. I'm 32 years old and have been TTC my first for 1 year.

I was on BC for over 13 years. I was on a 28 day cycle and it was like clockwork. I could tell you the exact day I was going to get my period. Since I've gone off birth control, my cycle went from 28 days (for a few months) to 35 days. Then it decided to take a couple months off?! My last period was Dec 2011. I was so concerned and I made an appt to see my gyno late Mar 2012.

She suggested that I start Provera, to jumpstart my period, which worked. She also gave me Clomid 50mg, to be taken CD 5-9. I also had to keep track of my bbt temps, which I haven't done before. Anyways, my temps climbed on CD 18, which meant I did OV and they stayed up through CD31. I took two tests bot BFN. My temps dropped two days ago and my AF came yesterday

So now I'm waiting to hear back from by doc, to see if I continue with a 2nd round of Clomid @ 50mg or go up to 100mg?

I'd like to see those of you out there that have had luck on Clomid??

 

[GettingBroody]

Hi LB! Welcome to the thread!!!

Looks like you've been having a tough time like the rest of us - you'll fit right in!! Have never been on clomid myself but a few of the other girls here have. I think I'm right in saying that Sarah is the only one who's had a with it? (on this thread anyway, I'm sure you'd find lots more in other threads!) Have you and your OH had your bloods/SA done? Was everything good with those results? Looking forward to getting to know you!

Ladies, there's been so much going on here recently maybe we should repost that little summary piece about each of us so that all our updates are together? I'll scroll back a bit later and see if I can find it!

 

[LBNY007]

Thanks GettingBrody for the welcome!

I did get bloodwork done at the end of March (before provera and clomid) and my numbers were all in the right places. My DH hasn't gone to the doc for bloodwork/sperm count.
I was going to discuss that with my gyno, whenever she calls me back.

Things are very frustrating... I have two sisters. My oldest has two children (6 & 9yrs old). My youngest sister went off her BC one month before before I did and she got pg in her first month!! So I figured it would be easy for me and thought it would be cool to both be pg together. But that wasn't the case... it was so hard watching my sister go through all the changes and feel the baby moving in her belly. My new little niece was born (7 weeks ago)!
I'm so happy for her and her DH.

But deep inside, I'm like "but why not me, when will it be my turn?"

 

[GettingBroody]

I know exactly what you mean. Myself and a few friends all happened to start ttc around the same time. We had great plans for all the things we'd do together during our maternity leaves. Now they have their babies and I'm still waiting!

I would definitely recommend that your oh gets his bloods & SA done sooner rather than later. Out of the 6 girls on this thread at the moment 2 of us have significant problems in this area and are moving on to ICSI now. I hope this won't be the case for you but you should definitely go and get it checked it off the list...

Is anyone else having problems with BnB since they did the maintenance last night? Mine has been crashing and showing errors. Switched to mobile view now instead, we'll see if that's any better!

 

[aleja]

Hi LB thanks for joining us, we are a friendly bunch I think and I think it's fair to say we all understand the heartbreak and frustrations of being long term TTC
I haven't been on Clomid either but I am sure the other girls can help . I agree with mrsBroody about getting your DH checked out. Hopefully there wont be an issue there for you but its better knowing than not. I am part of the Male factor infertility camp and it was only discovered after the 12mth mark .

It must be so painful for you sometimes around your sisters . I have a similar situation with my SIL . Although I love love my beautiful nephew I sometimes feel so sad and desperate (and remorseful) hanging around their cute little family because it just highlights everything I don't have yet .

How long will you be on Clomid for?

MrsB I totally agree with reposting the summaries thanks for offering to find it

ATM: I went to my first acupuncture session today. I really enjoyed it as the specialise in IvF cycle support . The woman was very supportive and very thorough . She asked more questions about my cycle than my FS!!!!!??!!
I will be doing acu during my next frozen cycle... BUT she did bring it all back to DH.. She said what I am hearing over and over. That DH is the one with the issue there HE is the one that should be doing the treatment . MrsB you might be I interested in this .. For low sperm count and motility Chinese herb medicine is used rather than acupuncture . If it was poor morphology then acu is used .

Mk how is your acu going? Notice any difference ?

 

[mk8]

Hey girls

Sarah- congrats!!!!!!

Lb- welcome! You will fit right in. From what u have said, def worth exploring tests on dh. Its prob all ok but will be good to rule that out.

Broody- a summary sounds like a good idea. Heres mine:
- ttc since jan 2011. Regular cycles (26-29 days).
- im 32 next month and dh is 32. Neither of us have kids.
- we have regular bd, ive stressed about ttc since day 1 unfortunately.
- ive had day 21 bloods last yr which showed ovulation, though progesterone was borderline at 26nmol/l. Dh had sa done- normal. Result: 6ml volume, 35m/ml count, 51% motility, 7% morphology.
- i had an ultrasound scan last yr too due to some pelvic pain and everything was normal.
- i was put on clomid for 6 cycles last nov with no monitoring and no bfp.
- gp then referred me to a fertility specialist. I had the initial consultation last month and was referred for more tests incl day 2 bloods, day 21 bloods, another transvaginal sound and hsg.
- day 2 bloods done, transvag u/s done (normal). Doing day 21 bloods in just over a week and on waiting list for hsg.
- have tried reflexology and acupuncture and taken pregnacare or b6 since ttc.

Aleja- acu was fine. I went twice (2 x in a cycle) and didnt nitice a huge difference but my last period was heavier (ive had v light periods since ttc) and the acu lady helped to nourish my blood. I was also on clomid at the time so periods appeared even lighter. How are you finiding it? Im on a break from clomid, reflexology and acupuncture this cycle.

 

[GettingBroody]

Ok, my turn! Am just going to use yours as guide mk8 instead of going back and looking for the original!

- ttc since jan 2011, regular cycles (28-30 days)
- I'm 32 in July and dh is 42. Neither of us have kids.
- we have regular bd and made sure to bd at the right time (although some cycles were probably better timed than others ) Have tried the different recommendations - every day, every second day, every day and a half (think I made that one up myself!!!)
- I had day 2 & 21 bloods last Sept/Oct both of which were normal. Progesterone on day 21 was 60 so definitely showing ovulation.
- Dh had SA done in our local fertility clinic in Feb and results weren't good. The FS asked for blood work and second SA. Bloods came back normal, SA was unchanged. Result: 4.9ml volume, 2m/ml count, 10% motility, 1% morphology.
- Clinic recommended treatment by ICSI
- My blood results are now considered out of date (done over 6 months ago) and so had to be redone before we could go to see FS about treatment. Day 2 & 21 bloods taken again - normal results.
- We are finally going for our first official consult with the FS on Tuesday. I will be getting a transvag u/s on the same day (will they send dh out of the room for that bit?!!)
- Am really really hoping that they will want to start treatment as soon as possible and that we will get the go ahead for next cycle. I don't see the point in wasting any more time when we are so unlikely to get pg naturally.
- have not tried any alternative treatments such as reflexology or acupuncture but I have taken what seems like every vitamin/ supplement under the sun since beginning ttc! Have also used Soft Cups and Preseed. In the last few months have abandoned everything but FA.

Ok, who's next?!

 

[aleja]

Hey girls I can go next ...

- I'm 34, DH 33
- TTC since march 2011 but NTNP 6 months prior to this
- used OPKs, BBT and all sorts of tracking to time BD
- day 21 bloods confirmed ovulation
- ultrasound shows small fibroid but in location which does not affect uterine shape
- Referred to fertility clinic in January 2012
- Day 3 bloods normal
- Ovarian reserve (AMH) :10 (normal)
- HSG : tubes clear
- DH.. Sigh! Low sperm count approx 2million , low motility 30%
- referred straight to IVF clinic in Feb 2012
- 1st ICSI cycle (antagonist protocol ) in April
16 eggs collected, 15 fertilised , borderline ovarian hyper stimulation
1 blastocyst transferred, 4 blasties in the freezer but AF came early..BFN
- frozen embryo transfer planned for June
- trying acupuncture during frozen cycle


Oh boy that was an essay! It was almost therapeutic writing it all down ...




-

 

[aleja]

Broody good luck for Tuesday , you must be so glad the FS appt has come around fairly quickly. .. I have a feeling your FS will order even more tests before your cycle starts .. He/she might ask you to get the AMH blood test done. This is an important one as it helps to determine how you will respond to the IvF treatment . And for your DH i think the DNA fragmentation test (fertility potential of sperm ) and karyotyping testing (to check for chromosomal issues) is common

Mk - I think I will start the weekly acupuncture sessions at the beginning of my next cycle in june . The lady wants me to start weekly sessions from next week but it is all adding up now . Everything is so expensive .. Our medical bills are already astronomical let alone adding the complimentary stuff

 

[GettingBroody]

Girls, I have a quick question. I'm just filling in the registration form & questionnaire for he FS on Tuesday. One of the questions is " How many years of unprotected sex have you had with present partner?" Am I right to assume they mean unprotected in terms of stds (ie condoms etc) and that they're not talking about the pill etc?

 

[GettingBroody]

Also, there's sections for Surgical Procedures and Previous/Current Ilnesses.... Are they only looking for stuff that's related to fertility or everything? (childhood illnesses like chicken pox, tonsils removed etc?) This stuff is so confusing!

 

[aleja]

Hi broody
I would assume the unprotected sex question is related to how long you and DH have been actively trying to get preggers without contraception

The surgical question .. Hmm I think maybe just list if you have had any major surgeries or major illnesses or medical conditions eg diabetes PCOS etc

 

[LBNY007]

Thank you ladies!
I've spoken with my DH and he is made a doc appt for later this month to check his bw & SA.
I've started a 2nd round of Clomid 50mg (CD 5-9) yesterday.

I don't know about any of you, but yesterday was hard for me. It was Mother's day, and I spent it with my parents, sisters (with their kids) and uncles. I had to sit there with a smiling face while gifts were being exchanged and comments made about how I'm not a mother yet (since I'm the only one left who isn't). It was enough to make me want to scream!

 

[GettingBroody]

Hey girls,

Well we're back from the FS... He was very very nice and definitely recommending that we go ahead with ICSI. He said that maybe in the future there is a chance that we will get surprise natural baby (because hey it only takes 1!) but that it's very unlikely.

He does want another test done before we start. DH needs to get a chromosomal bloodtest to check for an deficiency that would prevent an embryo from developing. I presume this is the same as the defrag test you were talking about Aleja? It's very expensive - over €500 for one blood test!!! DH is in shock!

Unfortunately it'll take 3 weeks for the results of that test to come back! (What'll they be doing that'll take 3 weeks?!!!!) so more waiting When they are back we need to go meet with the nurse who will go through precise details about the treatment and decide when it will start etc.

When I got home I looked through the info they gave and saw that the majority of their patients go through the Long Protocol of ivf. This is where you must take bc pills for 3 weeks (starting on day 1), then about 2 weeks of one injection, then switch to a different injection so the whole process leading up to egg retrieval takes about 6 weeks. (I think!) The other option is the Short Protocol which is just 2 weeks of injection. I'm not sure who decides which option is the one for you.... Aleja were you given the choice?

My problem is if they decide to go for the Long Protocol - I am on cd14 now so I'll be on cd1 in 2 weeks but DHs blood tests won't be back by then so that'll mean waiting another month to even start taking the bc pills!!! Also I very very foolishly booked 2 holidays this summer - one with dh and one with my parents (they're taking me away as a birthday treat) So I will be out of the country at the start of July and again at the start of August. I am kicking myself. When I booked them I thought this would all be over one way or another and that the break would do me good but it hasn't even started yet!! I can't really afford to throw money away and just cancel the trips, seems like such a waste.

So....what now?! The nurse won't be meeting us to discuss protocols, dates, details until DHs bloods are back but I was thinking of maybe ringing them tomorrow and asking if it is likely that I will be going through the Long Protocol. If so maybe theyll let me start the bc in two weeks time even though we'll still be waiting on results? That way at least when the bloods come back we'll be one step up the ladder? Seems like such a waste of time all this waiting for bloods and then waiting for bc.... Really hope they agree but not sure what my chances are? Good job I don't have your FS LB he'd definitely call me impatient!!!!

Wow, that was some essay!! Helped me get it all straight in my head thoug! Thanks for reading girls!

 

[mk8]

Hey broody, I'm glad you're getting some traction. Good plan regarding the bcp. Good luck and keep us posted. I had no idea there was such a thing as long or short protocol for ivf!

How are the rest of you today?

I had a mini panic this afternoon. I called the fertility clinic to see if my day 2 bloods were back- curious about my fsh (to see if eggs r still fresh!) and thyroid (never checked this before). The receptionist said she could give me results them when she found my record, she hesitated and said she will put me on the cancellation list to see the fs again. I thought huh? I'm not done with all the tests (day 21 bloods and hsg to go). So I thought something must be up. I also went for rubella, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests as part of the usual screening. So I was in a real panic. I don't expect issues but hey, I guess u never know right? She said I could ring my gp, so I did but they haven't received my results. I rang the clinic back who said she would check with the nurse. I also rang the nurse. The nurse said that the recep can't give results and if there was an std issue, they would write and tell me to go to my gp for antibiotics. I had the bloods done 2 weeks ago so hopefully alls well. I also spoke to the receptionist again to clarify my next appt and she checked and said the same thing and implied nothings wrong in terms of stds! But she's still put me on the cancellation list to see the fs again to discuss results (which is good) so I think there could be an abnormal result regarding fsh or thyroid. Hmmm

 

[aleja]

hi ladies,
mk, i would be in a bit of a panic too as it must seem like there is some urgency to see the FS? When is your scheduled appt and will you be seeing the same FS that you had in your first appt? if so does he have an email that you can ask him how the results went? or talk to a nurse over the phone? I am sure it is nothing and maybe just a misunderstanding with the receptionist.

Broody, great to hear about the FS appt and that it went well. As you can already see, IVF is a lot of waiting around for something to happen. It is so frustrating and i think the worst thing about it (besides the cost!). That test your DH is getting sounds like the Karyotyping blood test which takes about 21 days to get back...no idea why!!?? they look for chromosomal mutations, etc. It's a shame they are not letting you do anything until the result comes back..This didn't happen to me - i proceeded with the Nurse orientation and just before I started the first injection my FS sent me an email to say DH 's test was normal so good to proceed.
I think its definitely worth asking about starting the BCP sooner rather than waiting around for another 3 weeks.

I didn't have a choice about protocol. FS chose the short one which is pretty standard in Australia now. He said pregnancy outcomes same with each protocol so he couldn't understand why other doctors are still doing the Long one??
The long protocol pretty much down regulates your hormones and puts you in temporary menopause (yikes!) before starting injections to stimulate the ovaries. From what I know it involves sniffing medication before the injections start and this gives all sorts of symptoms.
The short protocol starts stimulation at the start of a normal cycle and it goes so quickly. At least for me it was really not bad and I didn't have any side effects. If you have a choice I would go with the short protocol personally, given you have normal ovulation and you don't have any fertility or hormonal issues. However I'd love to hear why your FS would choose one over the other. There must be pros/cons to each one of course.

Its hard not to beat yourself up for booking holidays, spending money etc. But i guess you can't put your life on hold either. It's a tough one Broody and I don't know what to say about this. I am having the same issues...planning holidays, work commitments, etc around IVF cycles..

I still hope to fall pregnant between cycles (would be a miracle!)

 

[aleja]

Thank you ladies!
I've spoken with my DH and he is made a doc appt for later this month to check his bw & SA.
I've started a 2nd round of Clomid 50mg (CD 5-9) yesterday.

I don't know about any of you, but yesterday was hard for me. It was Mother's day, and I spent it with my parents, sisters (with their kids) and uncles. I had to sit there with a smiling face while gifts were being exchanged and comments made about how I'm not a mother yet (since I'm the only one left who isn't). It was enough to make me want to scream!

Hi LB, yes Mother's Day is getting harder and harder each year.
That sounds awful having to be the topic of conversation with your family. I know family and friends all mean well but I wish they would just grow insight and realise that it is not nice to sit there and hear them talk about OUR lack of babies. I wish I could tell you to stand up for yourself and tell them to F*** off and mind their own business, but it's hard to do that. I get myself in similar situations all the time, sitting there being polite and smiling whenever asks me "when are you having babies??"

I am having a current dilemma ...its not even a big deal but I feel so anxious now even thinking about it..I am going to a friends on the weekend for a cup of tea. She has a baby. I dont mind this as she is a good friend and her baby is gorgeous. but I just found out she has also invited another good friend who also has a baby. now it will be me with two new mother's and their beautiful babies . Spot the odd one out.
No doubt they will both want to know what is happening with ttc as they know we have been trying for over a year.

 

[GettingBroody]

Well, I just spoke to one of the nurses in the clinic and she said there's no way I can start anything until the blood tests are back and we've had our nurse consult I am quite cross right now because I really just don't see the harm in starting the bcp while we're waiting on results Or, since we had to wait a few weeks for our first appointment why couldn't they have taken dhs bloods back then and the results would have been back in time for the apt!! Seems like they could save a lot of time if they just put some thought into it! So...the earliest i could be starting my three weeks of the pill (Look at me eager to go back on the pill!) is the very end of June but that would mean EPU when I'm supposed to be away with DH and to be honest I can't see us deciding to cancel our hols - its just money down the drain and also we might be glad of the holiday to look back on in the following months! So, looks like I won't even be starting the bcp til Aug or maybe Sept depending on my cycle dates. Endless endless waiting

Mk8, so sorry you're having a worrying time Did u get any more info today? When is your apt?

to all

 

[MrsG2010]

Getting broody. That seems ridiculous, I don't understand why you have to wait.

Mk any word ?

Aleja I see your dilemma. I hope you are able to Enjoy yourself.

Lb I definitely understand mothers day stress. Luckily I was busy all day and distracted.

As for me, follow up appt next wednesday with dh. First appointment in 2012. I hope we can finally move forward.