Long termers TTC

orchidsrpretty

Ciarrai, have you thought about going abroad if you deciðe to go for ivf? It's nowhere near as stressful as you imagine. If you get all your tests and ultrasounds done here you would only need max 1 week at your chosen clinic. If you choose somewhere nice you could be having a holiday at the same time. Even with travel etc, you could be saving upwards of 2000€ per cycle. You will probably find through your research Aswell that most clinics abroad will have a better % rate of successful cycles compared to here and are more wiling to try something, outside of the norm.

bobskii

We were the same,unexplained!If kids are part of your long term plans you will do what ever you have to,to achieve that . as orchidsarepretty has said if is not as bad as people would have you think.

Neyite

Ciarrai, it might not be straight to IVF though. We were unexplained and 3 months of Clomid and TSI sorted it out for us. I'm going back on clomid hopefully at the end of the month again for our second attempt. This time through the public system.

Ciarrai76

Neyite wrote: »

Ciarrai, it might not be straight to IVF though. We were unexplained and 3 months of Clomid and TSI sorted it out for us. I'm going back on clomid hopefully at the end of the month again for our second attempt. This time through the public system.

I was on clomid and no luck, plus I had every side affect under the sun and felt awful on it but if it is all I have to put up with I will just have to suffer on in the hope it gives me a baby at the end of it!

I think we may have to find the money from somewhere and go private, I can't really wait for the public system based on my age! I have just over a year left on a personal loan & I may try & top it up based on how much we will need to pay for treatment. I just hope the bank won't refuse!

bobskii

It might be worth speaking to someone in the hari about their grant scheme for people undergoing ivf. .I'm not sur how it works as we didn't qualify because I already had a child . but worth lookin into . also there is a group called pomegranate who help couple who can't afford ivf. Maybe have a look into that too.

Ciarrai76

bobskii wrote: »

It might be worth speaking to someone in the hari about their grant scheme for people undergoing ivf. .I'm not sur how it works as we didn't qualify because I already had a child . but worth lookin into . also there is a group called pomegranate who help couple who can't afford ivf. Maybe have a look into that too.

I've heard of that pomegranate one, but you have to be on a medical card to even be considered, which we are not!

orchidsrpretty

Merrion fertility clinic also offer reduced price treatment through the fertility foundation. They are quick in making their decisions and you don't need a medical card to apply. The minimum they require you to pay is 500€ Up to a maximum of 1500€.

Ciarrai76

orchidsrpretty wrote: »

Merrion fertility clinic also offer reduced price treatment through the fertility foundation. They are quick in making their decisions and you don't need a medical card to apply. The minimum they require you to pay is 500€ Up to a maximum of 1500€.

is that based in Dublin?

lulu1

Hi I have only just seen this thread and I will say to everyone never give up hope I was married 17 years before i had my first child
The first few years we took precautions because we wanted to save for a house. Then we decided we would try for a family thinking to ourselves one month and I would be pregnant. After about a year and still nothing happening we went for investigations. These continued for the next 4 or 5 years and nothing was found to be wrong with myself or my husband. I was put on clomid nothing happened. I asked my gyme about IVF and the words he said to me were sorry if you want to go down that road you will have to do it without my help because I dont believe in it, and we hadent a clue how to go about it. Anyway we got on with our life listening to the usual remarks like any news?? Anything happening yet?? I would just smile and say plenty of time yet, but inside I was saying to myself shut t f up. One summer I took terrible acne on my face tnd took all the over the counter meds and anything the doctor would give me nothing helped. My friend told me her sister got great tablets in their local healt h shop.So away I went and got the tabs this would have been around oct /nov. Around January my period was a day late then another day eventually after 5 days I could wait no longer and took a sample to doc. It wasnt my usual doc so I told him my history. He done a test and looked at me and says Jeez your pregnant. I made hime do two more tests just to be sure. Iwent on to have two more children using the same tablets again. there is no doubt in my mind what helped me to conceive

orchidsrpretty

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

is that based in Dublin?

Yes. The merrion fertility clinic. It's beside holles street.

stickybean

lulu1 wrote: »

Hi I have only just seen this thread and I will say to everyone never give up hope I was married 17 years before i had my first child
The first few years we took precautions because we wanted to save for a house. Then we decided we would try for a family thinking to ourselves one month and I would be pregnant. After about a year and still nothing happening we went for investigations. These continued for the next 4 or 5 years and nothing was found to be wrong with myself or my husband. I was put on clomid nothing happened. I asked my gyme about IVF and the words he said to me were sorry if you want to go down that road you will have to do it without my help because I dont believe in it, and we hadent a clue how to go about it. Anyway we got on with our life listening to the usual remarks like any news?? Anything happening yet?? I would just smile and say plenty of time yet, but inside I was saying to myself shut t f up. One summer I took terrible acne on my face tnd took all the over the counter meds and anything the doctor would give me nothing helped. My friend told me her sister got great tablets in their local healt h shop.So away I went and got the tabs this would have been around oct /nov. Around January my period was a day late then another day eventually after 5 days I could wait no longer and took a sample to doc. It wasnt my usual doc so I told him my history. He done a test and looked at me and says Jeez your pregnant. I made hime do two more tests just to be sure. Iwent on to have two more children using the same tablets again. there is no doubt in my mind what helped me to conceive

What tablets did you use? Sorry I can't see it in your post?

stickybean

Hi girls, just back from holidays, reading through all the sad news here, but so great to see how positive you guys have all been. I love reading the support everyone here offers each other xx

Aunt Flow is having fun playing with me again this month, 7 days late but I feel like she is about to rear her ugly head any minute...

Just a quick one, is there anything you guys have taken to regulate your cycles? We're not meeting the fertility specialist till till October, I want to try and get my cycle as "normal" as possible....

lulu1

stickybean wrote: »

What tablets did you use? Sorry I can't see it in your post?

No sorry I didn't. Mention them in post but if you want to pm me I will give you the details

fro9etb8j5qsl2

Agnus castus worked for me after more than 2 years TTC. I had tried using them a few times over the 2 years but I was missing days and not using ov tests etc. Decided to give them 1 last go and armed with my thermometer and ov strips, I took them religiously up until I got the positive ov test. Lo and behold, that month I got my bfp! Might just be coincidental but definitely worth a go

barbiegirl

Well we went to see the doctor yesterday and he was very straight forward and honest. If on our second round we get a similar fertility result essentially my eggs are dud and we need donor eggs. We're not adverse to the idea but would prefer to use our own if possible.
So anyway it's 6 weeks on testosterone, with the greasy hair, hairy face and narkiness that entails, followed by a couple of weeks on the pill and then a short protocol ICSI, I think he called it CAAP. The timeline kind of suits us with hols in four weeks.
He also downgraded us from IMSI as he says it's not of any benefit as the problem appears to be egg related, hubbies bits are A1, and also that instead of a day 3 transfer to go with day 5. He says the stats are 25% for positive test on day 3 transfers and 75% on Day 5, so even though we will probably have less eggs, the eggs that are there are better quality with a way better chance of survival. So we agreed to that plan. As we said to him it's not about getting eggs back into me, it's about getting a baby at the end.
So that's our plan for the next couple of months, relatively happy. We have a plan, and a back up plan. So the next while will be spent trying to lose more weight, I'm a size 14 now, so one more dress size to go to target, maybe doing some extra exercise if my energy levels pick up, fingers crossed, and keeping my fingers and toes crossed for the rest of you. xxx

Neyite

Noor Substantial Toilet wrote: »

Agnus castus worked for me after more than 2 years TTC. I had tried using them a few times over the 2 years but I was missing days and not using ov tests etc. Decided to give them 1 last go and armed with my thermometer and ov strips, I took them religiously up until I got the positive ov test. Lo and behold, that month I got my bfp! Might just be coincidental but definitely worth a go

Only trouble is that you cant take those with fertility medications, which a fair few of us are on. But I do know another boardsie who they worked a charm for on the chat thread.

Neyite

barbiegirl wrote: »

Well we went to see the doctor yesterday and he was very straight forward and honest. If on our second round we get a similar fertility result essentially my eggs are dud and we need donor eggs. We're not adverse to the idea but would prefer to use our own if possible.
So anyway it's 6 weeks on testosterone, with the greasy hair, hairy face and narkiness that entails, followed by a couple of weeks on the pill and then a short protocol ICSI, I think he called it CAAP. The timeline kind of suits us with hols in four weeks.
He also downgraded us from IMSI as he says it's not of any benefit as the problem appears to be egg related, hubbies bits are A1, and also that instead of a day 3 transfer to go with day 5. He says the stats are 25% for positive test on day 3 transfers and 75% on Day 5, so even though we will probably have less eggs, the eggs that are there are better quality with a way better chance of survival. So we agreed to that plan. As we said to him it's not about getting eggs back into me, it's about getting a baby at the end.
So that's our plan for the next couple of months, relatively happy. We have a plan, and a back up plan. So the next while will be spent trying to lose more weight, I'm a size 14 now, so one more dress size to go to target, maybe doing some extra exercise if my energy levels pick up, fingers crossed, and keeping my fingers and toes crossed for the rest of you. xxx

That sounds promising! I have just started the C25K programme and enrolled in a race at the end of it. I think I need it as a stress-buster to be honest. I havent been through the mill with fertility procedures like some of you have but I'm starting to get tired of the process. I just want to have my family complete, and never have to pee on a stick, or datewatch or shag to order again.

I felt that I was banging my head off a brick wall at my last appointment, but I got clomid in the end - I'll start that next cycle.

barbiegirl

Neyite wrote: »

That sounds promising! I have just started the C25K programme and enrolled in a race at the end of it. I think I need it as a stress-buster to be honest. I havent been through the mill with fertility procedures like some of you have but I'm starting to get tired of the process. I just want to have my family complete, and never have to pee on a stick, or datewatch or shag to order again.

I felt that I was banging my head off a brick wall at my last appointment, but I got clomid in the end - I'll start that next cycle.

I did C25K two years ago and it really worked til I injured my knee, I'm thinking of doing it again.
Sometimes doctors don't listen but at this stage I am of the opinion I am paying you to listen, to find the right solution, I don't expect miracles BUT you will help. Fingers crossed on the Clomid.

TomeeTipee

barbiegirl wrote: »

I did C25K two years ago and it really worked til I injured my knee, I'm thinking of doing it again.
Sometimes doctors don't listen but at this stage I am of the opinion I am paying you to listen, to find the right solution, I don't expect miracles BUT you will help. Fingers crossed on the Clomid.

Barbiegirl, glad to hear that you have a plan. I think the most important thing after a failed ivf cycle is that doctor's learn something from it and make adjustments for future cycles. Fingers crossed it works out for you. Will you be starting after your holiday?

Neyite, I really hope you have success on clomid again. Did you get answers regarding your previous miscarriages? Maybe you said before, but I think I missed it. Obviously you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I've had 2 miscarriages myself, one quite late, and my biggest fear is ivf finally working only to go through that again

Neyite

TomeeTipee wrote: »

Neyite, I really hope you have success on clomid again. Did you get answers regarding your previous miscarriages? Maybe you said before, but I think I missed it. Obviously you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I've had 2 miscarriages myself, one quite late, and my biggest fear is ivf finally working only to go through that again

Full range of blood tests came back normal. So no answers other than 'its just one of those things' and 'many women experience miscarriages and go on to have healthy children'

Took me a while to dicipher that diagnosis of medical jargon let me tell you! It took from my referral in Sept 2013 until now of a wait for empty platitudes that I've heard dozens of times. :rolleyes:

But I've been referred now from Gynae to the public fertility clinic now. I was under these doctors in 2011 as a private patient so am much happier now. I got bloods done this morning for an AMH and the nurse was a dote. She said it only took a smidgen of clomid the last time for me to get pregnant so has full confidence that it'll happen again for me.

ahaaha

barbiegirl wrote: »

Well we went to see the doctor yesterday and he was very straight forward and honest. If on our second round we get a similar fertility result essentially my eggs are dud and we need donor eggs. We're not adverse to the idea but would prefer to use our own if possible.
So anyway it's 6 weeks on testosterone, with the greasy hair, hairy face and narkiness that entails, followed by a couple of weeks on the pill and then a short protocol ICSI, I think he called it CAAP. The timeline kind of suits us with hols in four weeks.
He also downgraded us from IMSI as he says it's not of any benefit as the problem appears to be egg related, hubbies bits are A1, and also that instead of a day 3 transfer to go with day 5. He says the stats are 25% for positive test on day 3 transfers and 75% on Day 5, so even though we will probably have less eggs, the eggs that are there are better quality with a way better chance of survival. So we agreed to that plan. As we said to him it's not about getting eggs back into me, it's about getting a baby at the end.
So that's our plan for the next couple of months, relatively happy. We have a plan, and a back up plan. So the next while will be spent trying to lose more weight, I'm a size 14 now, so one more dress size to go to target, maybe doing some extra exercise if my energy levels pick up, fingers crossed, and keeping my fingers and toes crossed for the rest of you. xxx

barbiegirl wrote: »

Well we went to see the doctor yesterday and he was very straight forward and honest. If on our second round we get a similar fertility result essentially my eggs are dud and we need donor eggs. We're not adverse to the idea but would prefer to use our own if possible.
So anyway it's 6 weeks on testosterone, with the greasy hair, hairy face and narkiness that entails, followed by a couple of weeks on the pill and then a short protocol ICSI, I think he called it CAAP. The timeline kind of suits us with hols in four weeks.
He also downgraded us from IMSI as he says it's not of any benefit as the problem appears to be egg related, hubbies bits are A1, and also that instead of a day 3 transfer to go with day 5. He says the stats are 25% for positive test on day 3 transfers and 75% on Day 5, so even though we will probably have less eggs, the eggs that are there are better quality with a way better chance of survival. So we agreed to that plan. As we said to him it's not about getting eggs back into me, it's about getting a baby at the end.
So that's our plan for the next couple of months, relatively happy. We have a plan, and a back up plan. So the next while will be spent trying to lose more weight, I'm a size 14 now, so one more dress size to go to target, maybe doing some extra exercise if my energy levels pick up, fingers crossed, and keeping my fingers and toes crossed for the rest of you. xxx

Glad you have a plan made barbiegirl and hope your energy levels get up. I feel really good this last week-actually have energy to exercise so those drugs must be nearly gone out of the system. We were given the same plan really-one more try before talks of donation. A big shock that I didn't really handle well in hindsight, but time will tell all I suppose. We didn't come away with a major plan as such as we will meet again before next procedure. We only started tests in March and are at this stage already, I often just feel so overwhelmed by it all. But as I said being very optimistic these days, taking a leaf out if your book barbiegirl x

TomeeTipee

Neyite wrote: »

Full range of blood tests came back normal. So no answers other than 'its just one of those things' and 'many women experience miscarriages and go on to have healthy children'

Took me a while to dicipher that diagnosis of medical jargon let me tell you! It took from my referral in Sept 2013 until now of a wait for empty platitudes that I've heard dozens of times. :rolleyes:

But I've been referred now from Gynae to the public fertility clinic now. I was under these doctors in 2011 as a private patient so am much happier now. I got bloods done this morning for an AMH and the nurse was a dote. She said it only took a smidgen of clomid the last time for me to get pregnant so has full confidence that it'll happen again for me.

Neyite, it must be very frustrating to hear the usual miscarriage line after waiting all that time.
I wish you all the best with clomid and it is really encouraging that it worked so well for you before. Glad to hear that you will be back with the fertility clinic that you are comfortable with too.

TomeeTipee

Hi all, looks like I'm all set to get started with ivf! Last month my cycle was cancelled as I had no follicles showing on my pre period scan, but this morning I had 3! To be honest, that is still a bit rubbish, but I don't think it's ever going to get much better. Just waiting for my period to arrive so that I can start the injections!!

pwurple

3 is plenty, one good one is all it takes! Fingers crossed for ye.

barbiegirl

Plus remember the drugs sometimes recruit some that can't even be seen at this stage. We'll all have everything crossed for you.

Synyster Shadow

I second the last two posts.. I look forward to future announcements.. Been lurking here since I joined boards and its somewhere I thought I'd always be.. I never pictured my future the way it is.. I was on the "only ivf will work" but I can say at least your times so much closer.. I seen that after all I went through..

Best of luck TT

TomeeTipee

Thanks for the good wishes ladies. My period has arrived so I'm finally starting for real!!

Cooperspale

Good luck TomeeTipee
I'm just ahead of you, got word today that retrieval is on Tuesday.
Here I go again, fingers crossed

TomeeTipee

Cooperspale wrote: »

Good luck TomeeTipee
I'm just ahead of you, got word today that retrieval is on Tuesday.
Here I go again, fingers crossed

Best of luck Cooperspale, hope you get lots of great quality eggs! Let us know how you get on xx

stickybean

Good luck Cooperspale and TomeeTipee xxx