# Newbie!.....



## DiamondGirl (Mar 13, 2012)

Hi,

Where to start?! I've just joined, thought it was time to talk to some people who know what i'm going through!
I'll be 34 in August (wow, hate seeing that number in print!), and DH is same age. Big 10th wedding anniversary coming up this year & still no pitter patter of tiny feet  
Trying for 7 looooooong years and NOTHING!
We set out quite casually, saying that we wouldn't put pressure on ourselves and that things would happen in due course (yeah right)
So about three years ago we realised that things weren't happening as nature intended and we sought out medical advice.
DH had the sperm analysis which came back 'normal', my investigations, as u know ladies, were more 'thorough'! (blood tests, ultrasound,hcg, more blood tests)
Then, slap bang in the middle of this, DH gets the wandering eye and our marrige is in jeopardy!
All further investigations are halted.
Some time later, we have worked things out, and I have begun to trust again.
Little sister anounced her first pregnancy at Christmas time and this was the jump start that I needed to pick up were i'd left off
DH & I had a big talk and he promised his support. Have done the Day 21 and Day 1-5 blood tests, been referred to the gynaecologist (still waiting on appointment since referral in January!!   )
Have had full STI screening (all clear!)
I'm so scared that it's just not going to happen for us......


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## beany34 (Jan 29, 2012)

Hello! I turned 34 a couple of weeks ago but so far no more grey hairs than normal - or so my boyfriend says, I still maintain I've none!

Sounds like you've been through a lot these last few years, i hope your marriage is sorted and youre both happy again, there are stressful times ahead no matter what the outcome! Investigations weren't exactly extenstive for me but I start my first round of clomid tomorrow and am hoping it works properly and we have a little miracle at the first attempt!

Fingers crossed the gynae appt comes soon, waiting sucks!

Good luck in your journey, hope a bundle of mischief is not too far away for you


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## Betty-Boo (Oct 14, 2007)

Hello and welcome to Fertility Friends   

I've included some forum boards that may help answer some of you questions   

*Fertility Investigations ~ *CLICK HERE

*Complementary, Holistic and Spiritual Approaches ~ *CLICK HERE 

*Diagnosis ~ *CLICK HERE

Have a look round the site and if you get a little stuck with the navigation side of things - please shout!

You can also "meet" and chat with people in your local area through the *Location boards*. This is especially useful to find people who may be using the same clinic and or in the same PCT area. CLICK HERE

We also have a chat room - which is a fabulous place to 'meet' and chat with others. Our newbie chat is every Wednesday. A great chance to meet other new members and find out a little more about how the site works.

*Newbie chat ~ *CLICK HERE

All the best - our paths may cross again in other areas of the site.
Good luck,

  

Tis xx


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## Live Laugh Love Dream (Oct 27, 2011)

Hi Girls - thought I would join in chat   

Glad to hear things are on the mend on the marriage front DiamondGirl, and I hope your appointment won't be too far away, have you tried chasing them up? I feel as if we have to wait forever and a day for things, but read on here about other girls getting treatment so quickly - I know health boards will differ. 

Beany34 - I have an appointment at hospital next week, and will start clomid the following week, we too are hoping that it will work, however, I have a gut instinct that it won't  

A
x


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## DiamondGirl (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanks for replies girls!  
Waiting for hospital appointments seems to make time tick by sooooo slowly!! (phoned the appointment line and was informed that theres a 4 1/2 month waiting list!!!!) In the meantime, still trying to make things happen naturally & keeping fingers crossed every month. Haven't been temperature charting or purchased any OPK's yet, but cyles are totally irregular so after this AF is over I will get on it!  

Kicking myself about how much time was wasted when we were going through our 'rough patch'

Good luck with Clomid, try to keep positive!!xx


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## littleprincess (Jan 23, 2012)

Hi Diamond Girl,
So sorry you seem to have such a long wait to see Gynae- so frustrating, when like you said, missed time alreday- though so much better to know that you are both totally committed to what might lie ahead.
Did they test your DH sperm again or just your bloods? 3 years on they should have tested again as could have changed- DH had his done initially in summer 2010 then again Autumn 2011 when we resumed fertility testing (reassuringly no change in 'good' result) 
You should be able to get copies of test results for your own benefit before gynae visit- there are loads of really knowledgable 'old hands' on here who could help give you some advice of what they might mean and what to possibly expect at your consultation (when it arrives!)
In the meantime, make sure you are BOTH taking supplements and following the general health/ fitness guidelines (am sure you're well aware of all of these  already   ) 
Lots of members recommend trying alternative therapies to help try and conceive naturally or prepare your body (and mind) for any medical treatments that may come. 
Good  luck


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## beany34 (Jan 29, 2012)

Hello everyone - 

4 and 1/2 months for an appt That sounds crazy, i thought the long waits were just the NHS waiting lists fro IVF etc In a way I was lucky that my appts were quite quick(altho 4 weeks still felt like a long wait and yes time did seem to stand still!), the initial blood tests showed high FSH (so I realised today on doing some research!) so no further tests and straight onto clomid to try and sort it out/help me ovulate a bit easier I guess.I was nervous earlier int he week but when it came to yesterday I felt more than ready to start my tablets - I am ready to face my clomid future!

Diamond Girl - I started doing the temp charts about 6 months ago and it was a bit odd to be honest. It was very boring seeing the same temp day after day then exciting to see a peak only to realise that means it's probably too late to get preggers and then depressing when the temp drops as it means AF is on the way. It made me a bit obsessive to trying to figure out if we were timing it right, is that my temp peak or not etc etc but useful to make me more aware of what time of the month it was an how my body and moods were.... the end result was for it to drive me insane tho! Annoyingly for the 4 months I did my results were pretty similar and I thought that meant I was ovulating normally etc but then the doc had a different opinion so now I'm wondering if I just didn't do it for long enough but I guess we'll never know.

Live Laugh Love Dream (I may have to find an abbreviation for you!) - I too have that feeling that it's just not going to work, I think it's that natural instinct to protect yourself in case it doesn't work. Of course it may also be because we know our bodies aren't getting pregnant and so therefore that's the natural thing to be thinking?
I'm only on day 2 of the tablets and I'm sure I'll get more nervous as the week goes on, but in a way I'm looking forward to my first ovulation scan next week, it's going to be on day 9 instead of day 10 although I've no idea if that's going to make that much of a difference! This first month hopefully having the reassurance that there is at least one egg ready to be fertilised and being told it'll burst out in the next day or 2 so we know we're doing it "right" if you know what I mean? Course I'm not expecting miracles in reality but whereas this last 6-9 months I'd lost hope that each month AF would be missing I can again have a spark of hope she'll not show up.

I'm sorry I waffle on a bit once I get started! 

littleprincess I've started looking at alternative therapies but am at a bit of a loss, any suggestions?

And with that I'm off, keep positive everyone after all, it's not going to make us less likely to get our bundles of fun is it!

 to all

B


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## DiamondGirl (Mar 13, 2012)

Thank you all for your advice! Have been contemplating acupuncture but was thinking i should wait and see what the gynae has to say so that i can give the acupuncturist a more specific idea of where the problem lies ( that is assuming that I don't get hit with the 'unexplained infertility' tag!)
BUT....if its going to be another couple of months to my appointment then I might reconsider and go anytime!
*littleprincess -* Didn't even think of getting the test results before appointment - do they give them to you? Great idea - but would need a more informed member to help me out with what it all means!! Will defo get DH to get his swimmers checked again too.
Going to visit Mum today & little sis will be there with expanding baby belly!! Mixed emotions cos I love her sooo much & am happy for her but its also sooooooo hard to cope with it!!! 
Beany24 - am not really into the whole charting thing really but with another couple of months to go till my appointment i feel that i want to do all i can in the meantime, if only to try & make some sense of my erratic cycles & try to pinpoint ovulatiuon a little better! Good luck with the Clomid xx

 
J


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## littleprincess (Jan 23, 2012)

Hi Diamond girl,
I think consultant should send copies to your GP or if done at your GP surgery you should be able to request a paper copy after GP seen them (this happens at our surgey) Could always phone Gynae dept. at hospital if they were done there. Your records, so you should be able to access them.
With regards to the acupuncture- the hard thing is that it isn't proven to work although loads of really positive stories on here and I know of a few people personally (esp. with the 'unexplained' ) who had luck becoming pregnant naturally (even 1 for whom Clomid had failed!) also lots of women have it alongside IVF treatment (again know of people with success after this) Could just all be in the 'mind' but I personally think there must be something in it- one thing to bear in mind as with any alternative therapies, it's rare for there to be an overnight 'cure' and could take a few months or more to see the wanted for outcome- a good practitioner should be upfront with you about this. 
I started a few weeks ago with a properly trained fertility practitioner (she is Zita West accredited) who came very highly recommended.
If any of you do decide to try acupuncture, please check out their credentials first as sadly some dodgy ones out there. The Zita West website has lists of affiliates and I think there may be another site that has fetility specialists listed. 
Good luck with results and any future treatment


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## Live Laugh Love Dream (Oct 27, 2011)

Hi Ladies

I've not been charting either, just find it all so confusing   and did use ovulation tests for while, but that just made me so anxious, I was like a walking time bomb, and one month didn't get anything at all, which sent me into meltdown, so phoned the nurse and she advised against using them, so I went back to the drs for another 21day progesterone test - well 2 actually, one on day 21 and one on day 24 (my cycles are different every month, anything between 27 and 32) both came back ok, but with the same level on both days - not sure what that means? We just bought a fertility monitor last month, but it arrived 3days too late to start using, and will start clomid after af this month, and not supposed to use monitor when on clomid, so a bit of a waste of £.

I went for acupuncture for a few months last year, after our 'unexplained infertility' diagnosis.  I really think it helped - loved getting it  It totally relaxed me, and definitely think it helped with my cycle - pain/swollen tummy/breasts etc. Would have loved to have continued, but other things to pay for at the moment.  Would seriously recommend it though!  I've also heard that Reiki is meant to be good too?  I'm currently reading a book on Chinese medicine and infertility, and have started going to yoga - so hopefully all will help on my journey  

A
x


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## adele louise (Mar 16, 2012)

hi diamondgirl

i know exactly how you feel. my brother and partner announced they were having a baby when our first treatment failed and our 2nd failed on friday and their baby is due this week. i try to be happy for them but it is so difficult, the past few months have felt very awkward, i know i will love my new neice but i will find it very hard to cope with it, 

i hope in time it will ease!
adele x


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## DiamondGirl (Mar 13, 2012)

Have heard the same thing from a lot of people - the OPK's can merely add to the frustration and stress every month, the reason that I wanted to start charting was to help figure out my cycles - they are irregular (ranging between 26-32 days) so am finding it very difficult to work out when i'm ovualting every month!!!!

Am keen to begin Acupncture anytime but have heard that it can be quite expensive - although if it worked it would defo be worth it!!


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## Live Laugh Love Dream (Oct 27, 2011)

It would appear the Drs surgery gave me the wrong results for me progesterone tests; was at hospital yesterday and the day 21 was half the level of my day 24, so according to the nurse, she reckons I ovulated on day 17/18? So going by our bms, think we've missed this month too  Although we have kind of being having a couple of 'off months' to give ourselves a break and enjoy each other again   so can't be too disappointed.

I had another scan yesterday, nurse said my lining was lovely and think, and I produced a good healthy egg and that I most likely ovulated from left ovary. Partner came away positive, where as I'm just as frustrated - if everything is ok...then why the hell can't we get pregnant  

My prescription for clomid is ready, so will begin that when period arrives next week. 

Good Luck 
A
x


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## beany34 (Jan 29, 2012)

Keep positive Live Laugh Love Dream, Chlomid may be all you need if everything is actually working fine - more target practice is a phrase I've read recently which might do just the trick for you! I can understand you frustration tho, it's almost worse knowing AF is going to show up than wondering next week if she really will show up! At least you're all set to go with the Chlomid.

I've taken my first round of Chlomid, no side effects or anything and am off to the docs for my first follicle tracking scan tomorrow which I think means we find out if it's worked   .... of course all being well it means come tea time tomorrow we can be planning a nice romantic baby making weekend  

I've been thinking about using OPKs again, I've read that Chlomid can change your cycle so though it'd be worth another go. I tried them about a year ago, maybe more actually, but was never sure about the results - possibly a problem if I wasn't ovulating every month tho, I never considered that at the time!

Bx


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