# hello from a newbie! ~



## mwmm (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi guys,
i am new to this site so thought i would give a quick intro.
I am 30, my partner is 42, and we have been trying without success to conceive now for 2 years.
To date, i have had day 21 progesterone tests which came back at 23 and 27 and a transvaginal scan that did not detect any problems with my ovaries or endometrium.
I suffered with what i now believe to have been an attack of PID when i was 19, and unfortunately left this for months, so by the time i had all the swabs and bloods done, the infection had cleared up on it's own. Since then, i have had mid cycle bleeding, irregular bleeding, cystic acne that required years of low dose antibiotic treatment, very heavy periods, and reoccuring water infections.After several months of thinking over my G.P's suggestion to be referred for a laperoscopy, i have decided to brave it and will be asking for referral next week.
Just like to add that this is a great site!!
xxxxx


----------



## LoisLane (Apr 26, 2007)

Hello mwmm

Welcome to FF, your absolutely spot on about it being great of here, its fab!

Best of luck with you Lap, hope all goes well for you!

If you go to the message board, you can click on your county and find other ladies in your local area, which I found great when getting info on local clinics etc.

All the best and lots of   to you.

Louj x


----------



## boonbo (Dec 18, 2007)

Hi hun welcome to the site,
I'm newish too, my name is Billie and hubby is Andy we have bin tryin for #2 since jan 2007, we already have a fab little boy called Jack who was born in oct 2005. I have pcos and awaiting to see my consultant at the edn of march to see if i'm gona be put on fertitly drugs, i've had a hycosy scan with come bk clear.
I hope u get ur bfp very soon hun n look 4ward to gettin to know u.


----------



## mwmm (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the replies so far girls, it's very reassuring to know that there are other's going through the same thing.
xxxxxxx


Louj said:


> Hello mwmm
> 
> Welcome to FF, your absolutely spot on about it being great of here, its fab!
> 
> ...


----------



## emsy25 (Mar 18, 2005)

Hi,

Just wanted to say hello and welcome.

Emma
x x x x


----------



## DizziSquirrel (Feb 15, 2005)

& Welcome to FF  mwmm   
Sounds like youve had a difficult journey already  I hope that the Lap gives your next step a better chance of sucess, 
as once Drs have been inside and checked you out
it brings about reasurance or answers and gives you a platform to make proper descions with,
so get that referal and go for IT!

I am going to leave you some direct links to boards here on FF - that you may or may not have found, I encourage you to post in these areas to build friendships and support from members who really do have an understanding of your situation,

Starting out & Diagnosis ~
CLICK HERE

Meanings ~
CLICK HERE

FAQ ~
CLICK HERE

Inbetween treatment~
CLICK HEREhttp://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=47.0[color=#c40000

A rough guide to IVF
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/content/view/106/3/

G&B - Community 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  &    


If you need any help just ask! [/color]
~Dizzi~


----------



## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hi mwmm, just wanted to say welcome to Fertility Friends and that I hope you find all the help and suport you were lookign for. 

C~x


----------



## Fluffs (Aug 31, 2004)

Hi Mwmm, just wanted to say hi, welcome and wish you the best for luck for the lap      I hope 2008 is your year  

Fluffs xxx


----------



## ♥keepinghope♥ (Nov 28, 2006)

hello and welcome

hope you get the answers you need from the lap and dye

good luck keepinghope xxx


----------



## DizziSquirrel (Feb 15, 2005)

Tomorrow is Newbie Night in the Chat room at 8pm
- do pop in and say  To Caz & I
The chat room has various themed sessions each week, 
Details of these can be found on the main index page 
The chat room is open 24/7 with lots of support, fun & friendship to be found.
We already Offer one2one Chats by prior arrangement CLICK HERE


For help in getting into the chatroom  CLICK HERE


----------



## mwmm (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow-thanks, will try and grab a quick 5 minutes- didn't realise there was a chat room too-what a fab site this is!!!



Forgot to say that i have the dreaded appointment with my G.P at 5.40 today, so looks like the referral for the lap and dye, 'but', just to make sure my partner is sincere about his support, and 'just' so he doesn't feel so left out, i think i'm going to ask him to do another sample for SA,...he works overseas alot and is due back soon, so may as well get another one in now as the consultant will require a new one anyway.Also, a big thankyou to those of you that have left your kind messages of support,which has made me feel most welcome.
xxxx


----------



## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Well then good luck with the apointment this afternoon. 

C~x


----------



## mwmm (Jan 3, 2008)

ok,....lap and dye referral being arranged-the not so good news is that apparently i will need 2-3 weeks off,......i'm sure that can't be right, maybe it's because i explained i will be student nursing in September,...but i am now seriously concerned as taking that amount of time off is not going to go down well at all- I'm sure i dont recall my Sister taking taking that long to recover when she had her two laps done!
Ooooh, for those of you that have had laps,....is it possible to request some form of light sedation before the op?.....i know that i will end up climbing off the trolley at the last minute otherwise with a full blown panick attack,....another worry also-......it's all becoming very real now,.....excited,but scared


----------



## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hi again.

Have you ever had a general anasthetic before? It really isn't as scary as you first think. I rememebr crying in the toilets at work one day because i was absolutely terrified of my pending lap. However, the night before I had it it done I got absolutely no sleep through excitement/fear and, subsequently, iw as out cold hardly before they'd put the drugs in. I don't even think I got to a count of one. I have had a few GAs since (for IVF egg collection) and on those occasions I was givena sedative immediately before the main drug. I think it was some kind of muslce relaxant/ tranquiliser but I do remember feeling rather drunk and saying night night to the anesthetist! I am sure you will be just fine and, you can discuss your fears about GA and the op with your cons before you go in. 

As for time off. I had 3 weeks off and, even then I think I went back too soon. My job (at the tiem anyway) was not at all manual or heavy lifting, but I did lots of driving, which did tire me out. However, I had quite a lot of endo removed, including a bit that had grown inwards into my bladder and ad to have a small sectionj of bladder cut into and removed to clear it so, actually, quite a big op in the end! I know some ladies on FF have gone back to work a few days after a lap but I think it depends upon your job and how much lifting, bending you do and how much poking around you've had done to you!
I would say do not worry about work. You have this op scheduled and they will understand and, if they don't they will have to lump it. It's not like you won't be giving them notice that it will be happening and, it's not like you have much choice as to when it will happen. You might find you can go back on very light duties earlier but, best to plan for the worst case scenario.

Hope this helps.

C~x


----------



## Kamac80 (Nov 24, 2005)

Hi and welcome to the site 

You have come to a fantastic place full of advice and support and i wish you loads of luck with everything.

Kate xx[/center​


----------



## mwmm (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi girls, thanks for all the brill advice and support, and Kamac80, congratulations on your BFP!!!!!
Well,....as far as the recovery time goes, i seem to be getting alot of mixed messages elsewhere, so, i think i will have a chatt with the nurse at the pre op appointment,I'm hoping that if i get the laparoscopy within the next 8/9 months, none of this will be an issue as i don't actually start my Nursing until mid/late Sep, so keeping my fingers crossed!!-The other problem now, is that my partner works over in Iraq and only comes home for 4 weeks every 2-3 months,...so, if the op falls when he is away,...could find myself in abit of a pickle as my Mum has heart probs, and my family and friends work full time with family commitments,so,....having 2 staffs, 1 doberman, and 1 english bull terrier with a big house that will need lots of house work,...plus my lively 14 year old Daughter has me a little worried, although having said that, i'm sure my family will step in when and where they can.Also,...i know this sounds crazy,.....but my mind is racing ahead, and thinking about all the possible outcomes with the laperoscopy, and obviously, although we all try not to speculate on worse case scenario, i think it is fair to say that a good majority do think about the unimaginable,'what happens if they suggest IVF?'-My partner and i have already agreed that should we be unable to conceive naturally, we will go atraight on to IVF(should we be suitable)......but with him working away 2-3 months over seas, and only one month back home,...i'm concerned that the length of the IVF cycle will be compramised by this-He literally cannot time off unless there is a death or serious unforseen accident,...great huh!-But,...i guess we will cross that bridge if or when we need to.( Think i need to put my foot on the break pedal abit!)
xxx


----------



## DizziSquirrel (Feb 15, 2005)

One step at a time  _if_IVF is needed then it can be planned to coincide with your Dh being home, for the Lap and the help needed at home, maybe putting the dogs in kennels for the 1st week could help  
As you have a DD already can i direct you to the secondary infertility threads, 
Secondary Infertility 
CLICK HERE

There are a few members her who also have partners in the forces, which I'm assuming yours is 
there is a thread on G&B for you to chat on if you wish,

Good luck with what ever you decide

~Dizzi~


----------



## mwmm (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey guys, thought i would update you with my first appointment today.
Well,....firstly, i discovered that my cycles which vary from 23-33 days are pretty much normal, and all the other menstrual problems didn't appear to be of concern,so,we then went on to the infertility issue-My other half has been out in Iraq and isn't due back for another couple of weeks, so havn't been able to get a S.A done,...but wasn't informed by my G.P that he would need to produce one before my gyn appointment-not happy!-Then, i was informed that my day 21 test needs to be repeated,along with another test thats 2-5 days into my menstrual cycle(havn't a clue what that is for!), and i can then go back in 3 months time!.....so in a nutshell, i sat around for over 2 hours to be sent away for an appointment in 3 months. I  feel a little let down by my G.P, as i feel he should have prepped all these tests before hand. Am now considering on going private, will see what the S.A throws up in terms of results, see what the my bloods turn up, and if there are no abnormalities or areas of concern, will think about pushing on with either a private lap and dye, or, the x ray test to see how my tubes are looking.
What a carry on!-I actually feel more stressed out now than ive ever felt about ttc before!


----------



## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Hi again. Thank you for coming to let us know about your appointment. I think this is fairly standard for a first apopitnment to be honest. I don't think GPs really have the knowledge to know which tests to ask for so you often find that first apopintment is just another round of tests. 
The day 2 - 5 one is probably for FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). This is what your body produces to make a follicle containing an egg on your ovary grow. The lower your FSH level the better (I was told, anything below 10 is fine). A high FSH might indicate a reason you are not conceiving.

If you feel you want to speed things along and go private, then it's a plan, however, as much as I understand your frustration, I personally think you should get as much testing and treatment done on the NHS as you can, because, if you need to go down the IVF route later on, then the waiting lists are quite long and you may want to look to private treatment then and, basically, save your pennies for if and when it does get expensive! As I say, up to you and worth looking into costs to see how affordable it is. 

Wishing you lost of luck. Wish you'd had a more productive appointment. 

C~x


----------

