[annabiss]

hi there,

I'm new to FF and wondering which threads (hope that is the right term) to go to...

My story is that we've been ttc #2 since Jan '07 on and off. Spent most of last year half-heartedly using OPKs (annoying), doing acupuncture and naturopathic stuff (worked the first time) and getting frustrated that every woman and their dog seemed to be popping out 2nd babies except for me. Finally decided to investigate things this year. I have a too relaxed GP who said my bloods/hormones were all fine but to see a fertility specialist (FS) in march if we weren't pg by then. The FS was, again, very relaxed about it all and I had to push her to refer me now for a scan/HYCOSY which I had done yesterday.

Turns out I have HEAPS of follicles and am a classic PCOS with all my  history of v. irregular periods etc.  Going to go back to FS in next couple of weeks to talk over the results and explore options, i.e. Clomid or the "little boost" as the dr doing the HYCOSY referred to it yesterday.

Have been a PCOS suspect for years but managed to regulate (ish) periods through natural therapies and since I got pregnant without help first time we were a bit complacent assuming it would happen last year.

SO...am torn between feelings of frustration and anger that if only we had known this last year we wouldn't have wasted all that time (and many arguments over scheduled "tries" for #2) and relief that at least now we know, we can get on with clomid or whatever it takes to get up the duff again.

I am quite ignorant of clomid apart from some stuff i've read on FF posts so can anyone point me in the right direction? Or even some positive success stories about people with PCOS using clomid getting pregnant...

thanks laydees

 

[Jo1983]

annabis

Sorry to hear you're having trouble ttc #2. I have been trying to conceive #2 for 3 years now. You should come and join me and the ladies on the secondary infertility thread. We are are a lovely bunch and you can have a good chat with us all on there.

Take care and hopefully see you on the secondary thread. 

Jo
xxx

 

[annabiss]

Hi Jo,

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely check out the secondary infertility thread.

I also read in your info in the signature (?) section that you are sharing your eggs. Wow! That is an amazing thing to do for someone else and I admire you for seeing past your own situation and wanting to help others.

Hopefully I will bump into you again on the other thread.

Annax

 

[Jo1983]

Thanks Anna 

I just hope that all my tests come back ok so that I can donate my eggs. I've just had my first lot of bloods taken so fingers crossed we're moving along now. Still waiting for an appointment at the donation clinic and with the counsellor but I've come to learn that nothing happens quickly. I'm such a pushy patient 

Take care and wishing you lots of luck for a bfp 

Jo
xxx

 

[DizziSquirrel]

& Welcome to FF Annabiss
I'm soory youve had an uphill battle already, nothings quick or easy is it ?
I hope that you can now begin to move forward and have baby number 2!

I am going to leave you some direct links to boards here on FF - that you may or may not have found, I would like to encourage you to post in these areas to build friendships and support from members who really do have an understanding of your situation, You may find there is an active running thread for ladies having treatment at the same clinic as you check both the ICSI & IVF boards as we don't have separate clinic threads for each.

What Every New Member Needs to Know
CLICK HERE

Clomid ~
CLICK HERE

PCOS~
CLICK HERE

Investigations & Immunology
CLICK HERE

Hoping for another miracle -
CLICK HERE

Secondary Infertility-
CLICK HERE

We also have a section on FF called Babydust, where parents can chat and share parenting tips.

And don't forget to have a bit of fun while you are on FF and check out the general chit chat / jokes / hobbies area
G&B – Community Fun board
CLICK HERE

To make the site easier to navigate click on the index tab at the top of any page - pink hearts mean there is something new within the board you have not read/looked at and if you scroll right down you will see the last ten posts from all over FF all are clickable if you refresh this page (f5) it will update the last ten posts as well as the boards/threads and who's online!!!
take some time to look at the help tab too

Check out the Locations boards for where you live & a site search for your clinic

Wishing you Friendship &
Dont forget to let us know how you get on!

If you need any help just ask!
~Dizzi~

 

[dakota]

Hi hun,

Welcome to Fertility Friends, this site is fantastic for support, information and friendship 

to your GP and Cons. But now you know whats wrong you can follow the next path. I conceived my little boy on clomid 1st cycle. I too have pcos and was on metformin for that. Have yuo been prescribed met?

Good luck hun   

Nikki xx

 

[annabiss]

Hi there,
thanks for the replies and all the suggestions of help.
Dizzi Squirrel, I'm off to post in the areas you suggested and I'm sure I'm going to become heavily addicted to FF...
Nikki, thanks for your post, esp. with your encouraging success story. Well done. I'm very pleased for you that you have your little boy and Lewis is one of my fav names for a boy too 
Jo, good luck with your egg donations and your journey too. I would love to hear from you again if you get a BFP.
And, sorry for slow replies. I  live in Sydney, Australia so am posting while you guys are sleeping!! A good friend of mine in London is a regular on the site (juicy) and suggested FF to me.
Annaxx

 

[Kamac80]

Hi annabiss and welcome to the site

You have come to a fantastic site full of advice and support.

Sorry to hear of your troubles with trying for number 2 and that you have PCOS which like you said explains the irregular periods. Its great to hear that natural remedies helped you to conceive your daughter and keep up with that.

Kate xx​

 

[annabiss]

Thanks Kate. Congrats on  your pregnancy too. Its wonderful to see so many success stories on FF esp. after reading that people have tried hard for a while to get there.
Annax

 

[Kamac80]

Hi anna

I do feel so lucky. After trying for more than 4 years with my ex husband it was a bit of a shock with my new partner although it took us 4 months to conceive.

Take care

Kate xx

 

[annabiss]

hi Kate
Congratulations to you on your pregnancy too.
Annax

 

[Ruthy10]

Hi
I just read your message and it sounds very like my story! I was diagnosed with pcos after a scan although my periods are regular it is causing some problems.  I was given clomid to make sure i ovulated and it was tracked (just one follie) i was then given an injection to make sure that it released (opks don't work with pcos! I get permenant positives) and then we had an IUI to maximise chances - hubby has low count as well.  We did get pregnant with clomid and although i miscarried if it wasn't for the clomid (and metformin) it would have been harder.
Good luck
X

 

[annabiss]

Hi Ruthy10
So sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I do read a lot of stories of mc with clomid on here so I am trying not to think about that too much and approach the clomid next month with a positive attitude.
Interesting what you say about the OPKs. Its only this month that I have been diligent about using them and there often seems to be a v. faint line on there (darker ones earlier this month but v. early in cycle) so its confusing! Then again, according to my fert cons, I am not PCOS despite v. irregular cycle so they should work for me in theory. I just think there are so many variables with them (time of day, not drinking, high LH levels in PCOS women etc) that they are unreliable.
What injection did you  have to make sure you released? Then IUI. Must confess I am a bit ignorant of what IUI is but it sounds like you've done quite a bit already. Are you going to keep going and try again? Good luck if so.
Annax

 

[Ruthy10]

HiAnna
I started reading up about clomid and miscarriage but my doc at the clinic says it actually helps mature the egg so is probably a good thing, my m/c had to do with chromosomes that even clomid couldn't fix.  Be positive with it, so long as you are monitored it really can help.
As for the OPK's I found them a nightmare but the clinic get round this by tracking the follies and then when they hit 20mm or so i had pregnyl which makes them release in the next 36 odd hours, basically mimics what your body does but you are certain that you ovulated.  The IUI is where they take DH sperm, wash it, give it a map and perhaps sat nav if they are really lazy! then straight into the uterus, it basically means that the fastest best quality ones get to the egg/s and they are close - good for low counts apparently.
We will try again but we were so excited to be preganant and just getting to the point of telling people that we need a break for a month or two then we will be back to UCH for round 2!
Let me know how you go with the clomid - be positive!!!
Good luck and lots of baby dust heading your way
XX

 

[annabiss]

Hi Ruthy,

I'm not surprised that you need a break and sometimes if you've been trying for a long time they can be the best months. I'm not even going to say you may get pregnant when you are not trying because people say that ALL the time. V. annoying!! But DH and I had a break over Christmas and first two months of the year as we had so much going on with overseas visitors, birthdays and holidays abroad. It was REALLY nice not to worry about it so much. Then we came home and had to knuckle down and go and see a specialist. I hope you have a restful, happy time away from the pressures of TTC.

Thanks for the reassuring words on clomid and mc. I realised as soon as i wrote the post to you that I didn't have the right attitude at all and I think i have to work on that. Even fert specialist waved me off yelling at me "STAY POSITIVE". Hmm, yes,  thanks for that in front of the waiting room!

Well on the clomid front, I am not being tracked at clinic instead going for bloods on CD 21 and CD28 to check ovulation/progesterone levels. I am on the lowest dose for 2 months so fert specialist wasn't concerned about having to monitor me. She still thinks we can do it naturally i think but she acknowledged it was time to do something as the past year of trying has worn me down a bit. Now that its a few weeks away I must confess I am worried about side effects but hoping that the small dose means less or that I may beone of the lucky ones who don't have any!!!

Thanks for the heads up on IUI. I've got a friend in London going through it at the moment and on her first cycle she said she got all teary when the sperm and the egg met for the first time (they have tube blockage issues) hoping that they would get on after all this time!!!

Thanks for your wishes and  to you too. Good luck and keep me posted.

Annaxx

 

[Ruthy10]

Hi Anna
I certainly shall keep you posted, secretely have fingers crossed that it will happen natuarally but shall be realistic as well.  Trying DH on lots of supplements which he is being very good about taking!
I meant to mention before i was on 50mg clomid before and no real effects and next time up to 100mg to increase chance but i have read that it can cause probs with CM (tmi i know!) lots of women on natural clomid cycles seem to take a lubricant from cough mixture to pre seed we dont have prob due to IUI bypassing that but it might help?
XX

 

[RLH33]

Hiya Annabiss

I am also new to FF and your story rang a lot of bells with me.  I have a ds of 3 years old and went on the Depo provera contraception injection after having him as I couldn't cope with remembering a pill every day!  This was a big mistake as it really mucked up my system and it took 6 months for periods to come back after I stopped it to ttc No 2 and then 12 months for them to become regular and only then with the help of accupuncture.

I have had a couple of sets of blood tests and the last set, last month said I had not ovulated which was a real downer as I then realised I may now need 'proper' treatment.  Dr referred me though to local Fert Clinic but rang them and next appt was in 3 months time!!!!  Bit the bullet and went private - appt is next week!  I have also been doing OPK's but am not 100% sure that they work as Mucus's indicate I may be about to ovulate but OPK's showing negative but had a positive last week which was too early - so don't know what to think.

I am really looking forward to the appt next week, hopefully I will be reassured that there is nothing 'serious' wrong (Accupuncture woman yesterday said women over 30 can sometimes only ovulate 10 out of 12 times) but if there is something wrong then hopefully they will be able to do something about it.

Dr said they may put me on Clomid and friend just got preggers on 2nd course earlier this year - so there is some hope.

Emotions are very up and down at the mo - starting to think my ds was a fluke as it only took 3 mths of trying - 18mths down the line this time and zilch!!

RLH