Anyone struggle with Infertility?

[GirlWithIn]

I've seen a few things mentioned and wondered who all has been drug down this road to have children.

[MrsS]

Yep. What a battle. No babies, but happier now than I've ever been. I decided I should be grateful for the many blessings I already have. There are too many to count. :wub:

[maudeispam]

Hubby and I are working with a fertility specialist now. Waiting for hubby's lab results to comeback. I have PCOS and the doc believes hubby may have a low male hormone count. Two X's against us...will keep you posted.

[Kim G]

I did...I had to take several meds and was finally able to have one little boy who is now 4. We want another but our little one was born w/ a birth defect and if we go through with it again no meds for us. But the first go round I am glad we did. However I am happy to say I have not been on the pill 6 months or longer and having my own cycles....so we are talking about it. I wouldn't change a thing and if he is the only one we have I am ok with it and will give him all the love and support I can through our life.

Good luck!!!!!!

[ginabobina]

I have PCOS and we tried for a while with no luck. My weight was so high it wasn't a good idea anyway. I will likely need Chlomid when I am far enough out from surgery and down to a safer weight. I would love to be pregnant 2 years from now but a lot can happen in that amount of time. I am 35 and will only go so long before I will just not have kids - just my personal feeling about not wanting to be a certain age when they are in highschool and college etc. For now I'm trying to focus on getting healthy and losing weight and take a break from thinking about babies - it can be heartbreaking

[Neal R.]

We struggled with it for about a year. Finally broke down and went and got tested (both of us) I thought I was ok because of my son from a previous marraige, but you never know. My wife ended up taking Clomid and we concieved on the second month. We want another one down the road soon, so hopefully we won't have further problems.

[Melodi]

HI, I'm Melodi and I've struggled with infertility for many years. I work for a fertility specialist in Oregon. All my six kids are adopted, being a mother was a very needful part of me, so we did it in a big way!!!! Call a specialist and go get treatment and you can be on the road to motherhood in no time. Many Doc's work with banded patients now. Best of luck. Melodi

[GirlWithIn]

I too have struggled to get pregnant, I think I could write a book! Done clomid for many months, IUI, 3 tubal pregnancies, 2 failed IVF's, 2 miscarriages (one was my 4yr olds twin) tube unblocked, tubes removed. But I seemed to be lucky with frozen transfers, I have had 3 and each resulted in pregnancy's but only one live child. My main issue was getting past my tubes, I was told at 16 that I had PCOS, but I've never had any of the symptoms on a constant basis, and was never dx with it by the Fertility Specialist I see now. I actually had my last miscarriage last Nov, and wanted to get the band before having a transfer but dh wanted to try again, so after the mc, I started the band process.

We still have 6 frozen embryos, and will try again next year.

[Momotrips]

Good luck with your embryos. Infertility is so stressful.

We tried for five years. The first year was hyperthyroid treatment (radioactive iodine so not allowed to get pregnant for 12 months). Next 3 years were spent doing treatments that we knew wouldn't work (male factor infertility), but my insurance was paying for 80-90% (huge HR oversight...) so we had to do what they specified. We did Clomid and Metrodin and Pergonal along with IUI, etc. My husband even had surgery for a vericocele (mass of tangled blood vessels in the scrotum that can raise the temperature of the sperm and kill it - didn't work). Finally we got to do IVF and ICSI (injecting 1 sperm directly into 1 egg) was just recently readily available and one of the best reproductive urologists in the country was my husband's doctor...it worked the first time and our triplet boys just turned 9 last month.

It was easier for me, as the problem apparently wasn't mine - easiest pregnancy ever with three big babies - no bed rest. I always feel so bad when I talk to my "parents of multiples" friends who had so much trouble with miscarriages and pre-term labor and preemies. I always feel like the freak that no one wants to share with because I was so lucky.

We looked into adoption at one point, but decided that since insurance was paying, we should wait it out. In Texas (at that time, anyway) there was no $ cap on what insurance could pay, so unless my place of employment wanted to tick me off, they weren't changing the policy until I was successful or gave up. They changed it as soon as I quit after my maternity leave. Ha!

Good luck to all who are struggling. There are success stories out there. Also, the 8 years we were child-free, we wouldn't trade - we got to do so much together and enjoy our marriage and each other. That's not a bad thing...cherish that time, as once you are successful it's a LONG time before you get to have each other all to yourselves again.

Some days I'd be willing to sell a couple of my blessings cheap! I'll let you know the next time that happens!

[kebsa]

i had hormonal issue that meant that caused fertlity issues, i am single and unattached which means that fertility assistance s not available in this country- then i developed variou other health ssues and became disabled, i still have not really come to terms with not having kids of my own but i have just accepted that it was notmeant to be- you's think it gets less painfaul as you get older but for me it seems to get worse- i see a lonely future, the lack of grandkids on top of the lack of kids- i am sure that the fertility issues by themselves could have been dealt with but bringing up a family when you are significantly disabled is really tough and perhaps not fair to the child- or thats what i tell myself

[GirlWithIn]

We did ICSI too Melissa, but it was such an overcall ! This last time we didn't do it and we had great fertilization success!

9 year old triplet boys!! Oh My!

But I feel like my little girl needs a sibling, makes me so sad that I lost her twin!


Karen,
I'm sure you have lots and lots of people that love and care about you!

[Goannabanda]

Another failure this month. (sigh)

At least I have the appointment with the ob-gyn in 2 weeks time for discussion of secondary infertility to look forward to - and not having AF around for that is a small blessing I suppose.

I have never had a gyny consult other than for my pregnancy or pap smears, and am feeling a little apprehensive. So I am deferring to you guys who have walked the road before me for advice. I've had a bit of alook around at some infertility / conception sites, but some insight from my b2g family would be most appreciated.

I am wondering what I need to tell him / ask at the consult, apart from the obvious facts about cycle details, how long we've been trying, etc?

Also wondering what tests or investigations he might want to do - either on the spot, or book in with another clinic?

[GirlWithIn]

He may want to do bloodwork to check your hormone levels, I think this has to be done of day 3 of your cycle. It should show if you are ovulating.

He may want to do a HSG, its a dye test to see if your tubes are blocked.


He may want to do a sperm count on your dh.

He may want to do an ultrasound to look at your ovaries to see if you have any signs of " the string of pearls" in your ovaries that will indicate PCOS.

He may want to do a saline ultrasound of your uterus to check for polyps or cysts.



I would make sure that you know all the above things mentioned before I let him put me on any clomid or other fertility meds, because if you have any of the issues, clomid will not help in some cases.


That's all I can think of right off the top of my head! Good luck honey, if you wanna talk or haVe any other questions pm!!

[Goannabanda]

Thank Patrisha, I really appreciate your list.

I have heard of HSG before, and obviously had blood work and internal / external ultrasounds before, but I've not heard of a saline ultrasoud - heading off to google that one later.

I think I'll make DH do his tests first - after all, he works in telecommunications / broadcasting, so is exposed to radiation on a daily basis. And anyway, why should I have all the fun??? LOL.

I know that the gyny will tell me to lose 10kg - all the weght I've lost so far has only taken me back to where I was when I had my son - so to him, I will not look any different. So there's one person in my life who won't think I've done anything in the past 6 years...

My appt is next Wednesday 5th Sept - I'll ask more questions after that, I am sure!

[Goannabanda]

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - I really appreciate your generosity and compassion, and feel comforted that I have you guys to turn to for advice and understanding.

I went and saw the ob-gyn today, and had a great talk with him about my situation. As Patrisha predicted, I'm booked to have an HSG / saline ultrasound, blood tests, and DH has to be tested too. I joked that DH should do his bit first, after all, why should I have all the fun, LOL.

We should have the tests and results within the next month. If all is normal (which we hope for and the doc expects), then we'll try the Clomid for 3 months. 10% chance of twins with Clomid - that would be just my luck.

So in the interim it's back to baics - living like a good lapbander, and implementing all of the good conception tips that we know of. Thank goodness that today I got another .5ml fill to help me get back on track with weight loss.

If you are the praying type, we'd love your prayers, and if not, please just keep your fingers crossed for us and send your happy vibes our way.

Here's hoping that the current b2g baby boom is contageous - even way down here in Down Under!