Next steps - 14 months TTC

[NCS88]

Hi everyone - I haven’t posted much here before but I do check in to see what is going on and you all give such great advice so I thought some of you may be able to help.

My husband and I have been trying for a baby naturally for 14 months now, and so far it’s not happening. I have had some basic bloods done and he has just gone for his first semen analysis last week, awaiting results. It is still early days but the desire to have a child is so strong I do think about it every month without fail.

My question is for those of you going down the assisted conception route, how did you decide that’s what you wanted or needed to do, and are there any less invasive options? Did you go through GP or private clinic?

I am not very good with needles or medical intervention in general and the thought of extra hormones buzzing around in my body also scares me, but I just don’t know at what point I will decide this could be the only way.

Thank you for any tips and for reading this! X

Any advice on how you came to your decisions

[Lizzielizzielizzie]

I just knew I would do pretty much anything to have a child. All the treatments are time limited (a few weeks or months with extra hormones) even though unpleasant, but childlessness is life long. The GP referred us to the subfertility clinic at our local hospital and once our blood/semen results were back they talked us through what the next steps were for us and what we were eligible for.

[NCS88 in reply to Lizzielizzielizzie]

Thanks for the reply really appreciate it. I think once we have my husband’s results back we will go back in and chat with the GP. X

[Lizzielizzielizzie in reply to NCS88]

Yes it very much depends on what information (if any) you get from those initial tests as to what your next steps might be.

[NCS88 in reply to Lizzielizzielizzie]

Yes very true. I just hope the GP will be helpful and understanding, the last lady I saw at my practice was not great at all which has made me reluctant to go back x

[Lizzielizzielizzie in reply to NCS88]

In my case we didn’t have to see the GP about fertility again after that first appointment, all our results were discussed at the sub fertility clinic which is obviously better, but it seems to be different everywhere. Are you sure your results will go back to you/your GP rather than a specialist?

[NCS88 in reply to Lizzielizzielizzie]

Well the GP requested it and the hospital said it would be whoever requested it for the results.. will have to call the docs later this week and see what they say x

[MissSaoPaulo]

Hi hon, I would think before you get to the point of doing IVF they will want to investigate a little more - check whether you're ovulating regularly, whether your tubes are clear, have a look at the uterus lining, egg reserve. There are a lot of things that can affect fertility, particularly on our side of things, and some of them can be sorted out.

If it does come to IVF you'd be amazed at how quickly you can get used to injecting yourself. The hormone levels are short term and everyone reacts differently, you may find it doesn't affect you too much.

We'd been ttf for around 3 years and for me the tipping point was one month when I convinced myself I was pregnant, feeling really weird, getting symptoms... but I wasn't and I couldn't believe my body had done that to me, like it was tricking me. I couldn't face any more months of that 'Am I, aren't I?' feeling, it was like I was going mad, and we booked an appointment with a specialist a few weeks later (we don't live in the UK and it's all privately funded) and began our IVF within 2 months (we'd already done all the investigation side).

Best of luck with your babymaking, whichever way it ends up happening!! And any doubts and questions people on here are amazing for advice and support xxx

[NCS88 in reply to MissSaoPaulo]

Thank you so much x