AN APPOINTMENT AT THE ASSISTED CONCEPTION CLINIC

Today we went to the Assisted Conception Clinic. I had to have a routine transvaginal ultrasound examination and my fiance had a semen analysis. My results were all good and nothing was found. His results were really good and apparently he produced 10x more sperm than average.

When we get results like this it really does make me wonder what on earth is wrong with us. Why can we not just get pregnant naturally? I have a friend whose husband had really 'slow swimmers' and she has two children!! (My friend and her husband are lovely and so of course I'm happy for them, but still!). Anyway I digress....

The consultant that we saw today was the same man I saw back in April. He's a really lovely, friendly guy and I'm so happy that we are being dealt with by him. It just makes the whole process that little bit easier.

He told me to ring the clinic again on day 21 of my next period. Being the cheeky monkey that I am, I put it out there that I was in fact on day 7 right now, so could I call him on day 21 of this months cycle?

I don't know what got into me really as I'm never usually this assertive! He went off to speak to a Co-Ordinator. Then came back and said yes, they have a space for me! So that's it - today really is day 1 for us!

We were given an information pack which I'm about to read and the Co-Ordinator has just phoned me with my IVF schedule. Apparently I will be getting a phone call from a pharmacist who will be arranging for the drugs to be delivered (probably next week). We have loads of appointments booked now. I've decided to blog in real-time, as and when things happen.

All I can tell you is that my first set of injections will be starting in less than two weeks. These injections will switch off my system. I'll talk a bit more about this in another post!

Wish us luck!

Also I would love to hear from anyone going through a similar thing in the comments box below!

Jess. xx

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

I'm writing this blog as a way of documenting our IVF journey. I feel like I need to do this to get my head straight and as a way of taking everything in. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get a better understanding of what's happening if it's all written down. Plus maybe this blog will help others if they are thinking about going on or are on the IVF journey too. 

Here's what has happened so far:

In February 2016 my doctor referred me to the hospital to investigate our infertility problems.

The first appointment was to have an Ultrasound Hysterosalpingogram at the beginning of May 2016. (The results showed that my fallopian tubes are working normally).

Around this time my fiance had a semen analysis at the doctors. (The results came back good).

In August 2016 I had an ultrasound scan. (Again, the results were good and nothing abnormal was found). I also had many blood tests to check if I'm ovulating (I am) and to check for STI's. (I don't have any).

 In the middle of April 2017 I had my first appointment at the Infertility Clinic (my fiance wasn't there!).

The consultant asked me lots of questions such as what's my marital status, what do I do as a job, what does my finance do as a job, how long have we been together, have we got any children, have I ever been pregnant, if we smoke or drink and general questions about our health. 

He told me that our diagnosis is Primary Unexplained Infertility, three to four years duration. That's how long I've been off of the contraceptive pill. Thats how long we've been trying for. 

No one knows why we can't get pregnant. Hence the name unexplained fertility. The only thing my tests did show was high levels of prolactin. The doctors have put this down to stress.

The consultant told me we have two choices. We can either await events or go ahead and have IVF. As I'm 36 and my fiance is 38 we have decided to go ahead and have IVF. 

I never thought I would be someone that has IVF. It's hard to get my head around it all. But I feel excited nonetheless. 

At the beginning of May 2017 we went to the Assisted Conception Clinic.

This was to confirm our eligibility for NHS funded treatment. They want us to be registered at the same GP, to have no living children and be non-smoking for 6 months prior to referral. I have to have a BMI under 29 and my fiance has to have a BMI under 30. We need to be referred before my 42nd birthday and all cycles have to be completed by my 43rd. We must have been in our relationship for at least 3 years and be having regular unprotected sex. We must not have been sterilised, had a vasectomy or the reversal of either. We can only have had a maximum of 1 NHS funded cycle. So from that I gather we are going to get up to two chances at IVF on the NHS. 

We both passed the eligibility criteria no problem. We were then sent off for blood tests.

I had:

AMH/FHS (to check my ovarian reserve)

Syphilis screen

Hepatitis B screen

HIV screen

Hepatitis C screen

Chlamydia antibodies

Rubella (German measles) screen

and a MRSA risk assessment.

My fiance had:

Syphilis screen

Hepatitis B screen

HIV screen

Hepatitis C screen

We signed lots of forms and a new appointment was made for the end of May 2017. 

As I write this that appointment is tomorrow. Apparently the whole process takes around 8 weeks from start to finish. I'm not sure if it's 8 weeks from tomorrow or 8 weeks from some other stage. I'll blog again tomorrow and will let you all know.

Are any of you going through IVF too?

Jess. xx