Results and the next steps....

It has been a little while since my last post, mainly because so much has gone on and it has taken me and my husband some time to get our head around things.

We got the results of my hubby's semen analysis and it was not good news. It was found that my hubby's sperm count was fine, but that he had very poor sperm motility. Only 9% of the little bugger were moving normally and the rest were either not moving or were sluggish. So not good news for TTC!

I had my bloods taken on CD21 and we then went back about a week or so later for the results of that as well. Again not good news.... it was found that I had not ovulated. My bloods showed an anovulatory cycle.
At first I couldn't understand this and asked the GP how this could be the case when my temperature had risen and I has had a positive OPK test which indicated that I had ovulated on CD20. The GP's response was that she didn't highly rate BBT and OPK's as reliable methods for TTC.

Since the appointment I have stopped temping and have also stopped using OPK's.I found it hard to stop doing them after doing it for so long as it had become part of my routine. But since I have it has made me relax slightly about things as I was becoming obsessed (a feeling which I am sure any women TTC can understand!)

At the appointment the GP also dicussed a plan of action with us. It was decided that because of the both of our results it was necessary to refer us to a fertility clinic to begin other investigation and most probably be placed on the waiting list for IVF.
The referal to the fertility clinic was made there and then and we are now in the count down for our first appointment. We are going on the 2nd June at our local clinic.

I am nervous and excited about the fertility clinic appointment. I am hoping that this appointment will make things clearer about what to expect for the future. I am aware that we will probably have blood tests and semen analysis repeated and that I will probably be required to have scans and possibly other tests. But that is not a problem.... all hopefully steps towards the baby that we both want.

I will update soon. Definately after the appointment at the fertility clinic.

TTC for 2 years and counting

Well unfortunately AF arrived bang on time so no joy after using the OPK's and timing BD perfectly. This make me think even more that there must be something wrong.
How can I not be pregnant when we did everything as we should of done and at the right time!?

I am now on CD5 and we are now at the 2 year point of TTC. I am trying to not think about it too much as much as it is really upsetting me.

I was supposed to have my internal exam and swabs done with the GP last week, but AF turned up which stopped me from going :(
So I am booked now for thursday instead. Just hoping that AF has buggered off completely so I can go.

Hubby has got his appointment for semen analysis on wednesday afternoon. He is dealing with it very well, although he is a little nervous about what the results will show.

Hopefully by next week we will have some results.

I am going to try and change the approach to things this month.

I have read up online about something called the 'sperm meets egg' plan, which recommends BD'ing every other day from CD8 up to ovulation. Then when ovulation is detected by either OPK or temps to BD on that day and for 2 days after. Then miss a day and BD again.

I am not sure whether to use the OPK's and temp this month. But we'll see how it goes. The 'sperm meets egg' plan seems to have worked for others who have found ttc difficult. So we'll see how it goes.

Doctor, Doctor....

CD32 today and I ovulated late on CD20 so AF is due in 2 days.

We made the decision to go to the GP and have a chat about TTC. We had our appointment yesterday morning and the GP was brilliant.
We saw a female doctor and she was very sympathetic. I'm sure she was pregnant herself so she will if appreciated what it meant to us.

We explained the situation and she ask lots of questions about medical history, gynae history, lifestyle, etc and then explained that the first steps were some tests for both of us.

Hubby has got to give a semen sample for analysis, which he will be doing next week. It has to be given to one of our local hospitals on a certain day and within an hour of being produced. Hubby has got to be abstinent for 2-7 days before giving the sample to make sure it is a true sample.

As for me - I am booked in for an internal exam and swabs in the morning in 2 days time. I'm just hoping that AF stays away long enough for me to get it done as I don't want to have to wait!! No patience I know.

I then have to have bloods taken on CD21 of my next cycle and I will be tested for full blood count, random glucose, LH, FSH, TSH, Free T4 and progesterone. The doc said this will show if I am ovulating as well as checking my thyroid, etc.

The doctor said that after these tests come back the next step is referral to a specialist. So we'll see what happens over the next few weeks.

I just wish I could get pregnant and that be that. I don't want to have to seek medical advice/help for something that should just happen.
So many ladies seem to be able to get pregnant just by looking at a penis (exaggerating I know!) and then there are all those who get pregnant and don't want to be. It just seems so unfair.

I'll stop ranting and moaning and leave it at that. Until next time.....

OPK........

This cycle I have put my OPK to use and at the moment I'm not too sure what I think of them.

I started testing of CD15 and eventually got a positive on CD19. I was about to give up using them as I didn't think it would turn positive and then decided to do a last one and it turned positive straight away. I was so excited (sad I know)!!!
The following day I had a temperature rise and my fertility friend chart detected ovulation.
So the OPK positive was correct.

If I am not pregnant AF will be due in a couple of days so we'll see if the OPK helped soon :-)

Have got enough to use them for one more month, but at the moment I don't think I will be buying anymore. Certainly not expensive ones anyway.
The OPK's that I have at the moment are normal first response tests and it would cost a bomb to use them all the time.

So we'll see if the OPK helped in a couple of days.

Another month.....

So I am now on CD (cycle day) 9 and so it starts again for another month! I continue to chart my BBT and am waiting for ovulation. I am planning on using the OPK's this month and will start using them about CD15 so I have got a few days yet.

The plan for visiting the docs is to go after this cycle if no BFP.
I have been chatting to the ladies on www.hitched.co.uk, they are all so nice. Listen to me moaning, giving advice and it also helps to hear how other people are getting on with TTC.

I just can't help thinking that there is something wrong.

A couple of days ago I had a good chat with my mum. She knew that we were TTC but I hadn't told her how long it had been. I have now told her it has nearly been 2 years. I think she was a bit suprised that it has been so long without a BFP, but then told me that her and my dad were in the same situation. It took them over 2 years to get pregnant with my brother and she nearly starting taking Clomid to help.

It has made me feel a little better knowing that my mum went through the same thing... and thne eventually went on to have my brother and me naturally without any fertility treatment.

Anyway.... wish us luck!!!

Will we ever be parents????

I have decided to actually put this blog to use and to write about what I think is going to be a very long journey to me and my new husband being parents.

I stopped taking the contraceptive pill in April 2009 after we decided that we would see what happened on the baby making front. The result.... nothing.

We recently got married after being together for 4 years and in September 2010 we made the decision that it was time to start trying to conceive properly, at which point I started to take my basal body temperate (BBT) every morning in order to pinpoint ovulation and work out when was the best time to 'do the deed'!! I also started taking folic acid as recommended to try and prepare for pregnancy.

Anyway.... still nothing. I have had a couple of months where I have thought that I may get the Big Fat Positive (BFP) but no, not yet.

I am now starting to get worried that there might be something wrong with one or both of us. After nearly 2 years of being off the pill I am still not pregnant and it is getting harder every month with AF (Aunt Flow) shows her nasty head.
I have been pregnant in the past with a previous partner, but that pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 7 weeks, which was devastating and still now can be hard to deal with. I have been able to get pregnant before, but cannot seem to get pregnant now.

We have made the decision that for the next few months I will try OPK's (ovulation prediction tests) to double confirm when I am ovulating... although the temperatures is showing this perfectly well. But we'll give it a go with the hope that this will help and get us the result that we want. A very close friend of mine was ttc for 9 months with no joy and then on the first month of using OPK's she got pregnant.

I have a feeling that it won't make any difference and we will be in exactly the same situation in a few months time.

If all else fails.... in 2 0r 3 months time we have decided that we will be making a trip to the GP together to find out if its time to start some tests to find out what the hell is going on.

Anyway.... fingers crossed for a BFP and I'll keep you posted!!!