Tuesday, May 31, 2016

My journey

I've been married to my wonderful husband for 2 years.  Once we got  married we thought... hmm... should be start trying... half scared, half excited!  So we tried, and hoped, and over thought every twinge and feeling every month.  My husband can't understand how I cant tell a period cramp versus any other type of cramp!!


After about 6 months we decided to try ovulation kits but after a couple of months, we stopped, it took the fun out of it all, which was pointless!!!


After a year, still nothing happened.  We popped to see my GP where we heard the usual "I'm sure it's nothing but I'll order some blood tests and refer you to a fertility clinic, no harm".  Hearing all that was scary but it felt good finally starting the process, not really knowing how much of a process was ahead of us.


We met our clinic and our consultation lasted 40 minutes.  I wasnt sure if this was normal or not.  We filled the doctor in with our medical history and she arranged an internal and external ultrasound for me and a semen analysis for himself.  Some of my tests could only be done on a specific day, eg the HSG test, which I couldnt get done on the day I needed to, which meant it was pushed back a month.  Everything seemed to drag and it felt like we would never start.


Finally, around November I was, after our first consultation was in August, we met our doctor.  They said my numbers, hormone wise and egg reserve wise, everything was basically "ok".  Not good. not bad, but just ok.  My husband had a low sperm count.  So they arranged him to have another analysis which was still low.  They recommeded ICSI for us.  This is when they inject each egg with 1 sperm, once the egg is collected.  We thought - ok, we know what we need to do to have our baby!


I started a nasal spray which put my ovarys asleep.  I then went for a scan to make sure it worked and everything was the way it was supposed to be, and once I got the all clear, I started my injections. 


The injections were grand.  Not too bad at all.  My husband made sure he was there for each injection for support.  I tried to get him to inject me, so he felt like he had a job to do and didnt feel left out, but he wasn't a fan of it, which I dont blame him for! hahaha


So I went in for a scan to see how the follicles were growing, and all along I thought I would have at least double digits.  I had in my head 12.  I had thought of every scenario and a low number of eggs/follicles was the 1 thing I hadnt thought of.  Throughout the scans, I only had 6 ok sized follicles that were growing. 


When I went in for egg collection, they managed to get 7, which I was delighted about, as Ive read online and in different forums where someone might have 10 follicles but 8 eggs were collected.  All my 7 eggs were mature and 6 fertilised.  After a couple of days I had 4 embryos as 2 had stopped growing and by day 5 I had one that was nearly a blastocyst which they put back in.  (I know Im flying along with all of this so if you  have any questions about any stage of the whole process please ask away)


The next part, the dreaded two week wait, was the hardest part of the whole process. I prayed it worked.  Every twinge I hoped was the embryo holding on tight, I prayed and hoped it was all working out and sticking and I spoke to it every day and every night.  I was due a bloodtest 12 days after transfer and the evening of day 11 I started to bleed.  I was devastated.  I still went in for the bloodtest but it came back negative.


At the moment we are switching clinics before we start everything all over again!


Thanks for reading
J xox

Hi!

Hi and welcome to my blog!


I'm a 30-something girl who is finding her way through the whole process of IVF.  I'll write in more detail soon of the journey my husband and I have faced so far.  At the moment, we have had 1 failed ICSI attempt and we are hoping to try again later on in the year.


For those of you reading this, you are either in the process of fertility treatment, or its something you are considering, which is a scary first step.  I am hoping through this blog, we can start our own community, sharing our stories and being a support for eachother, as it is a tough process to go through.  There are highs and there are absolute lows and I find it very difficult to talk to those about it who haven't been through it before.


Anyway, thats enough about me for now!  I'll fill you in more tomorrow.


Take care
J xox