# So many questions



## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hello there

I am sorry if i ask my questions in the wrong place - new to the site and trying to find my way and some answers too. 

I have an underactive thyroid and take 150 of thyroxin daily - i am single and therefore planning on doing this on my own, what would be the best options for me. I have not been tested to see if i ovulate or if i can conceive naturally. I have had irregular periods over the years but have been writing down specifically when i have my period for the last 3 months - 19/07, 15/08, 17/09; period lasts 3 to 4days max. if you have a period, does this mean that you automatically ovulate? so sorry if this comes across as the most stupid question!

I am in oxford and was wondering whether IUI or IVF are funded by the NHS in this area and would love some details about this

I am loosing weight at the mo and want to wait until i have bmi under 30 to go see my gp and talk to him about my plans. if the waiting list is likely to be very long, should i go speak to him now even though bmi above 30? would he refuse to refer me because of that? 

If i am not in the right place for the questions i have asked, could you let me know where i could ask them in order to get some answers

thank you very much in advance for your help

Gini


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

hi gini

im not really and expert but there are lots of ways to work out if youre ovulating. one of them is tracking the number of days in your cycle not just the lenght of time your period is for. day one is counted as the first day of full bleed of your period and the last day is the day before the next full bleed. if your cycles are between (i think) 26 and 34 days long it is counted as 'normal' and more erratic or longer cycles are considered outside the 'normal' range. having a period doenst garuntee ovulation.

you can buy ovulation predicter tests from chemists. which are wee sticks. these determine whether your body produces the luetenising hormone which triggers ovulation.

i used a digital clear blue one ... and i have to say they arent completly accurate and i didnt always detect a surge ... but they help to give a picture.

you can also detect ovulation by making note of your cervical mucus (discharge) when you ovulate it tends to be more stringy sorry if this is a bit graphic ... but if you hold it between thumb and finger you can stretch it and it doesnt snap. this is because your body produces this before you ovualte to help the sperm swim through your cervix.

your can also monitor your basal body temp. this you do by taking your temp with a digital monitor first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. it needs to be at resting. your temp drops slightly before you ovulate.

here is some additional information if i havent explained this very well.

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/bbt/bbtfaq.html

sorry i dont know how BMI effects NHS elligability.

but i do know that most NHS trust ask that you having been trying to concieve through intercourse for three years before they fund a cycle of IVF or IUI.


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=59901.msg0#new

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=101841.msg2325608#new

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=16321.0

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=59514.msg0#new

some more links that might be helpfull ...


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## Alison0702 (Apr 7, 2006)

Hiya  

If you look in the search box at the top of the page and type in the word your looking for, it brings up loads of examples of that word. I use it all the time now and it's really helpful. Just thought I'd let you know. Hope you're ok


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

aimeegaby said:


> hi gini
> 
> im not really and expert but there are lots of ways to work out if youre ovulating. one of them is tracking the number of days in your cycle not just the lenght of time your period is for. day one is counted as the first day of full bleed of your period and the last day is the day before the next full bleed. if your cycles are between (i think) 26 and 34 days long it is counted as 'normal' and more erratic or longer cycles are considered outside the 'normal' range. having a period doenst garuntee ovulation.
> 
> ...


Hello, thanks so much for your reply and for the help re ovulation question. will also have a look at the links you gave me.

you say in your reply that most nhs trust ask that you have been trying ttc through intercourse for 3 years before they fund cycles of ivf or iui - well what happens if you are gay (my case) or straight but single? Isn't that discriminatory? do all lesbians have to fund all their treatments then?

thank you so much for your help


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=154232.0

if you read this thread you will see previous discussion on this

i dont really know anyone straight gay single or coupled who have had much success on the nhs it seems like there are really long waiting lists and maybe only one cycle at best so most people self fund.


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## rosypie (Feb 1, 2007)

i know of a few lesbian couples who have had success with nhs treatment. not sure whether they paid something towards their treatment or not. i think in a lot of cases the nhs is just way cheaper even if it's not completely free. you are rather at their mercy though in terms of waiting list, both for treatment and for having the necessary consultations with the various professionals (drs, counsellors, etc..). sometimes if you go to a clinic that's run more like a business then they can be more flexible with arrangements (i.e. weekend opening, less cancelled appts) although it doesn't necessarily follow of course. i'm pretty sure mable went through nhs so maybe she can add something here (?)

nhs trusts are not supposed to discriminate against lesbians. some have funding in their budget for this and allow couples a specific number of IUIs on nhs. in this case they don't apply the 'trying for 2 years' thing.

i don't know anyone single who's been nhs treated... and i'm not sure whether criteria for funding would exclude single people. being single wouldn't stop you getting a referral though.


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

hay rosypie

thats a bit more optamistic!! 

axx


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## snagglepat (Sep 13, 2004)

Hi Frenchy,

We received a certain amount of treatment on the NHS with no waiting list, but then we had a known donor. I was diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis so we knew I may well need some assistance to conceive. In the end I was given metformin on prescription and I had scans each cycle to check my ovaries to ensure one was producing a follicle/egg. This helped us to time inseminations correctly in my otherwise very variable cycles. We did the inseminations ourselves at home and in the end this worked for us. We would have eventually been able to have IUI with our donor (once we'd been through a checking/quarantine period with him) at the clinic at the NHS hospital which we'd have had to pay for but it would have worked out a lot cheaper than going to a private clinic. 

I was entitled to the treatment because I was diagnosed with a fertility problem and I fulfilled their other criteria (BMI under 30 and no older than 35). You may find you thyroid problem entitles you to something therefore - worth exploring with your doctor/hospital. 

Best wishes,

Gina. x


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

hay frenchy

i have a friend from my cycle buddy group called paboo and she has a thyroid problem ... she said you could private message her with any questions that you might have about that specifically.  i think if you go to message section you can send her a message.

aimee


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

her name is pabboo two Bs and two Os sorry spelt it wrong in the last post.  if you go to messages and search for members you will find her!


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

HEllo everyone 

Thank you so much for the replies you have sent. 

Aimeegaby - thank you for giving me the name of your friend so i can ask her questions about thyroid problems. Really grateful for this and quite touched by how helpful you and everybody seems to be.

ROsypie - thank you very much too - though i am not going to raise my hopes too much, your news are indeed more positive than some of the other replies i have read

to all - not been on the site since last week as i needed to get over the bad new (funding) and review my situation. I am back with a fighting spirit. I will go private as soon as i can (money!!!). Will see my GP first week of november and see what i can get. I'm hoping i can get the blood tests and as many other tests as possible funded. I need to find out as soon as possible if have a fertility problem or not so that i can see what options i have and how much it is likely to cost me. 

thanks again
Gini


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