# Hello - new and desperate for info!



## Greyhoundgal (Oct 7, 2013)

Hi all
Wow such a lot of info and so many stories I don't know where to look first! Thought I should introduce myself. I'm 40, my DP is 38. We met late in life but are so lucky to have each other and are desperate to have a family.  we've been ttc for 15 months naturally with no luck at all  . We are just in the processes of being referred by our GP for a consultation. We live in Essex close to Colchester so I understand this first step will be at the Colchester Infertility Clinic at the General Hospital

Early tests for me (the blood tests day2-4 of cycle) seem ok but DP's sperm analysis has come back 99% abnormal sperm and 45% motility. He's naturally v worried about it and so am I as I know my age already goes against us without taking any other issues into consideration.

We are wondering how long we will have to wait to be seen and whether it's better for us to bypass the hospital clinic altogether as our research leads me to believe we won't be eligible for any NHS funded treatment. Would we therefore be better to go straight to a private clinic?

I'm trying to remain upbeat but I can't help hearing the incessant ticking of the clock and it's true that you see babies everywhere when you are trying for one yourself.  

Would be grateful for any advice from couples in similar situation on what to expect from the process and where to look for information as well as advice on good clinics (probably too many things in an introductory thread but it's great to have somewhere to ask these questions).

Looking forward to getting to know you 
GHG xx


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## Michimoo (Oct 13, 2011)

GHG,

welcome!
You can get lots of support on this forum & can generally find everything you want to know about all aspects of fertility. 

Not sure if you know but, The fertility show is on in London at the beginning of November. That would be a great place to go & find out all your options, talks etc. it really was a comfort for me when we first embarked on IVF as there were so many people there. 
Sperm can be improved by supplements, change in diet so please reassure your DP that's it's not all bad. You can also use ICSI or IMSI where the clinic would select the best sperm. We learnt about IMSI at the fertility show.
I recently cycled with a 45 yr old who is now pregnant with her own child after 1 attempt at IVF, so please don't worry about being 40.

Best wishes

M
Xx


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## Greyhoundgal (Oct 7, 2013)

Hi Michimoo

Thanks for the tip re the fertility show I didn't know that  and thanks for the positive news about the lady at 45 who has had a BFP   it all looks really negative at times so it's lovely yo hear that 

GHG xx


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## Wraakgodin (Jun 17, 2006)

to FF, Greyhoundgal!!! Have a good look round the site, post in whatever section you want and make yourself at home. There are so many sections here with a huge amount of information, so whatever you are going through there will be someone here to help you.

I don´t know about the rules on whether you get NHS treatment or not in your area (seems every region in the UK is different), if you check out the East Anglia section ~ CLICK HERE you will find others in your area who will be able to give you that information. The ladies there will also be able to give you information about clinics in your area.

Here are a few other links that I think might help you, either now or in the future.

TTC over 40 ~ CLICK HERE They have a thread full of success stories to give us "oldies" hope!

Male factors ~ CLICK HERE

Coping With Infertility ~ CLICK HERE

Complementary and Holistic Approaches - CLICK HERE

IVF General chat ~ CLICK HERE

Keep a diary of your treatment (or read the experiences of others) ~ CLICK HERE

Cycle Buddies (undergoing treatment at the same time) - CLICK HERE

What Every New Member Needs To Know (includes a list of common abbreviations) ~   CLICK HERE

Chat Zone section which will give you info on upcoming chats in the chat room: CLICK HERE

Please feel free to ask more questions here, or on any other part of the site, there will be wonderful helpful people there to give you lots of support, information and cyber hugs if you need it.

Good luck!            

Sue


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## Greyhoundgal (Oct 7, 2013)

Thanks Sue - I could be here all day - so much to read


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## Wraakgodin (Jun 17, 2006)

oh, one thing is certain, you will become addicted to this site!!    

Sue


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Hi GHG, we have a lot in common  

I can't talk for other regions but with us, we wouldn't have qualified for NHS IVF even if my DH hadn't have had two children and a vasectomy.  My dr said that our NHS cut of limit was 35 (despite what the news said about 40 the other day) and I'm 39.

We are just starting our first mild IVF ICSI treatment at Create.  My DH has a very similar problems to yours and we were told that ICSI is our only and best choice (particularly because of my age and the fact that we can only afford one try).  

For us, the NHS was horrible, unsympathetic and incredibly time consuming - my dr reluctantly put us on the waiting list for a consultation and we've still not had a date through 4 months on.  Privately though, we've had MOTs, additional tests for things that the NHS didn't spot and are on our way.

It's a HUGE amount of money though   but hopefully it will be worth it and I couldn't have waited any longer (2 years of driving myself crazy every month took their toll!).

In the meantime, what are you trying with your DH's motility and abnormalities?  I'm a massive believer in supplements and lifestyle changes, we went from 100% abnormalities to 94%.  There's not much that we can do about motility, due to the vasectomy reversal, but I think that men without this 'complication' can make quite a difference.

Good luck with whatever you decide.  The hardest thing that I found was the waiting and making the decisions xx


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## Greyhoundgal (Oct 7, 2013)

Ahh thanks Molly - sorry you've had an arduous journey getting to where you are but sounds like in the right direction - fingers crossed for you 

We are trying viridian men's fertility supplement for DP and also green superfood powder and maca (both taste horrid) and we will be getting pycnogenol too. I've also read about amino acids being really important in sperm production and morphology so will probably look into that too. Other than that I am vegetarian but eat fish and although DP eats meat it's rare and will tend to only be organic so that prob is a good ing - important to avoid free radicals I read. I read somewhere that the Zita West supplements are recommended but I don't know anything about them.

Thanks again for kind words and encouragement.....I'm thinking we should just go private and forget about waiting on the nhs only to be told we can't do anything with them 6 months down the line.....time is of the essence, isn't it?

GHG xxx


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

That it is!  I wonder whether you could phone your NHS clinic and ask their cut off point, that way you know whether to wait or not.

DH is on Zita West Vitamen, they are pricey (as everything is in this game) but they were a little cheaper on Amazon and I weighed up the quantities and thought that they were the best.  I'd like to have got Proxeed but I just couldn't afford it.

There are a million other supplements, my DH thinks that I've gone completely barmy sometimes as we've probably tried them all.  Lycopene is another one that had amazing reviews for morphology (eat tomatoes if you can't face another tablet!)

Our consultant didn't really go for supplements but he did mention selenium and zinc being crucial.

Fingers crossed for you too x


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## nikk (Dec 19, 2012)

Hi Greyhoundgal

When myself and my DP realised we had been ttc with no look we went to our GP where my bloods shown normal and nothing wrong, my DP sperm sample showed he had abnormal and mortlity problems. We we're refereed to our local hospital for further test, but in the mean time i kept suffering with server cramps and went back to my gp who ran yet more blood test which shown i had ovarian cancer long story short it was a cyst not cancer and further investigations show its me with the problems and in actual fact DP is fine!! It is a waiting game and hospital appointments are horrible to wait for we have been waiting for 2 yrs and the only reason I was seen to urgently was because I was wrongly diagnosed and my gyne was mortified and was insistent on helping me.


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## Greyhoundgal (Oct 7, 2013)

Thanks ladies for all your helpful and positive comments. We realise now we won't get any funding from the NHS so we're just in the process of getting a consultation and dome tests with a local clinic but privately. Can't afford to wait at my age   feel nervous but also excited as I feel like we are making a step in the right direction.

Molly - good luck for your ICSI  

Xxx


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Yay, you're on your way GHG!!  That is fantastic news.  I will keep everything crossed for you.

We have our next appointment this week, I'm so nervous but mostly about the money.  Can't wait to start now.  Thinking positively xx


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