Hi! I'm new here...

meli123k

Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I'm hoping to find some support and reassurance during this difficult journey, and have heard that these forums can help a lot with that I just turned 30 and DH is 32. Our RE has diagnosed us with unexplained infertility. We've been ttc since Oct 2014, his SA is good, and my HSG and bloodwork are good except for my thyroid (was fluctuating between 4 and 6 before meds, then meds got it down below 2, but a few months ago I was overmedicated with very low numbers and had to cut back on the meds...will be testing that again in a few weeks). 

RE suggested Clomid and IUI as our next step, so this was our first cycle trying that. At my u/s a couple days ago I was told my lining was thin, often a side effect of clomid, and was prescribed estradiol to help with that (2x day). I'm 1dpIUI now and also taking progesterone 2x day. We plan to try 3-4 cycles like this and aren't sure what we would do after (trying not to think too far ahead!).

Is anyone else here dealing with unexplained infertility? I wish I had some answers for why this is happening to us, but I'm trying my best to stay positive that maybe the extra push from IUI and fertility drugs will be what we need. Thanks for reading!  

wifeinraleigh28

Welcome!  You've come to a good place to find support.  There are a lot of women here with unexplained infertility, and many find success with the protocol you are trying.  Best of luck with your TWW and hopefully a BFP!

meli123k

Thanks @wifeinraleigh28! Good luck to you with your upcoming IVF!

srh18

Just wanted to say welcome and wish you luck for a BFP!! I don't have unexplained fertility (I have PCOS) but I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!

meli123k

Thank you @srh18! One of my good friends has PCOS as well, I know it can be very frustrating. Best of luck to you!

laur1212

Welcome! I just started posting earlier this month. This cycle is my first medicated cycle (clomid) and waiting for my IUI. We are unexplained secondary infertility so I get the frustration. TW**** we had zero problems conceiving my son so imagine our surprise 1+ years later and no pregnancy! Hoping your stay is short!! 

bbkidz

Prayers for you!

msirni0

Welcome! My DH and I also have the fun diagnosis of unexplained infertility. It is so frustrating, bc there's no easy "fix", but my RE reassured me that the odds of conceiving with an unexplained diagnosis are fairly high relatively speaking. I am in my second IUI cycle now. I hope you have success with IUI and aren't here for too long!

meli123k

@laur1212 Good luck with your IUI, I hope your stay is short too!

@bbkidz Thank you, I really appreciate it!

@msirni0 That is good to hear, I'm hopeful a few IUIs will do the trick. Good luck with your second IUI!

Hope everyone has a good Easter weekend!

BecauseLove

Welcome! 

oxinfree

ugh ugh ugh @meli123k unexplained is a brutal diagnosis. I know! I was unexplained for years and years. Only a few months ago did we confirm endometriosis. I'm sorry you've found yourself here, but welcome. It has been a great source of comfort for me, and I'll admit, I'm somewhat an addict now
In terms of dealing with unexplained, I don't have any cure all miracle suggestions. Honestly, its tough. You constantly wonder what you're doing wrong, or why your body is failing you. One thing I've changed recently (even before the endo diagnosis) is positive self-think/talk. I was always feeling angry toward my body, or upset that things weren't working, instead of believing in my body regardless of the past with no success. It is taking conscious work, but I'm getting better and better at believing I can get pregnant. I think a positive mindset can go a long way in this challenging process. 

I'm excited for you to be trying IUI. Maybe that's all the help you need... getting the spermies where they need to go, when they need to be there! I agree to not get too far ahead of you. Instead, focus on what's in front of you now, and that's the IUI. 

I found anything that I could do to control my outcome with the best odds possible helped me feel better also about "unexplained". So acupuncture, diet, etc. all were really important for me to integrate to feel like I was giving the best possible shot. I'm sure you've already looked at supplements too (things like DHEA, CoQ10, Ubiquinol, Resveratrol), but if not, give them a try too

Best of luck to you. Hope your stay here is short and sweet!

meli123k

@BecauseLove Thank you! I see you had your first IUI in March too, are you still in your TWW? Good luck to you!

@oxinfree Thank you for these suggestions! I started acupuncture a couple months back and really like it, however my acupuncturist does not just do fertility treatments and I've read some people say it's way better to have someone who specializes in fertility acupuncture. However I really like her and the treatments help me to relax and de-stress, so I figure it's doing some good even if nothing else comes of. I also go to a therapist every couple weeks which has helped. I have mild/moderate depression anyways, but had been fine with just taking a pill each day. Once we had been trying for a while I realized I needed some more help to get through this. The positive self think-talk is something I definitely struggle with, but my therapist helps remind me to stay positive when I start getting negative I actually haven't looked into supplements much yet, although I do take a pre-natal and DHA. How does DHEA, CoQ10, Ubiquinol, & Resveratrol help with ttc? Have you noticed any bad side effects? Also curious if you had any signs of endometriosis? I have wondered if maybe that could be an issue, but don't have any of the typical signs and am admittedly scared of the thought of surgery. I read a bit from your recent blog posts and thought the part about you not believing in hiding your life or infertility was inspiring. I've started to come out more to friends about what we're going through, but initially I hardly talked about it with anyone and often have felt like it's this tiring burden I have to hide. I still keep it hidden from many, but in opening up to more people have found some comfort and even a few to commiserate with who have or are currently also struggling with infertility. Best of luck to you too!

BecauseLove

meli123k Yep first IUI and TWW...I suck at TWW's I really don't have the patience needed for TTC on the long term level lol...oh well it is what it is. Thanks for the FX...FX to you too! Some notes...I take Meteformin (dr orders) even though not really diagnosed with PCOS...I also go to an acupuncturist (just a normal one as we don't have a fertility one where I live). The one month I took off from both the acupuncturist and the Met even the higher dose of Letrzole/fermera didn't work (when I had both plus the Letrzole/fermera I had the biggest follie I have had yet). Best of luck to you on this journey! 

oxinfree

@meli123k - Yes, acupuncture will do good no matter if they're specialized in infertility or not, it should help to improve blood flow which is a major factor. I do personally see someone who specializes in it, I find it helpful for her to tell me what's common/normal/not etc, but I definitely don't think it's the be-all end-all. I've looked into therapy a few times, but ended up opting for other forms of therapy which I found beneficial. CoQ10 and Ubiquinol are similar, I think Ubiquinol is just a faster metabolizing version of CoQ10 (or some scientific word I'm messing up). Resveratrol is a newer thing I guess, studies still being done, but my RE recommended it as some studies have shown it to improve the overall health of embryos, so figured it was worth a shot. Haven't had a single side effect that I can tell... 
I did for years have signs. I had insanely painful ovulation, and then brutal menstrual cramps - to the point that I was on narcotic painkillers. I also had painful intercourse. So a lot of the symptoms for sure. I focused on altering my diet substantially, and that made a world of difference for me. I also have been doing acupuncture for years, so perhaps something with restoring flow has been beneficial. I have not had surgery, they found evidence in my uterine biopsy, but I've done lots of reading and am not convinced for mild endo that it would be a benefit. If this round isn't successful, I may look into it again, but I've been feeling so well it hasn't affected me lately.
I'm thrilled to hear my views on being open spoke to you. I feel really very passionately about it. Glad to hear you're making strides in that area. It's hard, but liberating, and infertility is certainly nothing to be ashamed about. Big hugs to you on this journey my dear!

meli123k

@BecauseLove I also have so much trouble with being patient, this tww is seeming especially long! Trying to keep myself distracted as best I can, but it's still tough.

@oxinfree Thanks for all the good info! I'll run those supplements by my RE and see if it's something I can try, if it can't hurt then why not Sorry you had to deal with a lot of pain from the endometriosis, I'm glad you were able to find a way to help relieve the symptoms and feel better.

Hope everyone has a good rest of the week! So glad tomorrow is Friday!

Lemere

My husband and I got married and tried to conceive six months into marriage to no avail. We tried for six years ( charting, basal body temp. readings, etc.) and also massage therapy (I have a history of fibroids and one major fibroid surgery as well). We had a chemical pregnancy years ago, but no viable pregnancy. We adopted 2 1/2 years ago and were over the moon with our son. About 7 months ago, I gave up stressing about "trying" and resolved to just get healthier. I started working out by doing more cardio, gave up fast food and junk food, lost about 10 pounds, and started drinking close to a gallon of water a day. I also changed my supplement  routine and started taking fish oil, COQ10, a prenatal, biotin, and royal jelly everyday.Three months later, I found out we were expecting! I have read that royal jelly regulates hormones and has assisted some women in getting pregnant. The pregnancy happened two years after my fibroid surgery. I believe the fibroids caused the infertility. That being said, I still did not immediately conceive after fibroid removal either. I do believe God's grace along with the royal jelly has helped me since I have been doing a lot of research on this. Stay positive. It is refreshing to know you have support in other ladies who have been there and are still there. Too often we feel "shamed" to discuss fertility issues. I think sharing our stories makes us even stronger. Blessings to you in your journey!

kaityh1

Welcome!  I'm still a newbie here myself   I hope your stay is short!

meli123k

@Lemere Congratulations on your adoption and your pregnancy! That is so great you were able to conceive after going through so much and that you were able to start living a healthier lifestyle as well. I need to get back into cardio, I've been slacking lately, but it does help me feel better in general when I push myself to do it I have heard some good things about royal jelly but haven't looked into it much. My husband and I have discussed adoption a bit as a possibility depending on how things go this year. From the little I know there can be difficulties on that journey as well, and it's nice knowing there's also a support community for adoption on thebump.

@kaityh1 Thank you, and welcome to you too! It looks like we started ttc around the same time. I also hope your stay is short!

CooCoo4U

Welcome @meli123k !!!!
We have unexplained infertility too...sucks!
I hope you find a such comfort and support here that I have. I too hope to hear great news from you soon!!!

meli123k

Thanks @CooCoo4U, best of luck to you! Also your avatar pic is adorable, is that your kitten?

Kp214

Just wanted to say welcome and that I hope your stay is short. Patience is very hard for me also. However, the support here has been a blessing and making it easier. 

meli123k

Thanks @Kp214! I also hope you don't have to stay much longer, but am glad you have found support here. Fingers crossed for you!

em01092

Welcome! I hope your stay is short. DH and I don't have unexplained truly, as I have PCOS and I too have a thyroid issue, but that's it. I can't help but wonder even though my thryoid numbers are good if that is still playing a role. The assumption at this point is just that I don't ovulate on my own, yet I get a period every month (which is apparently very odd for PCOS).

Sorry to hear about your lining. That was an issue for me too when I was on clomid. I would suggest maybe asking your RE about trying femara instead of clomid? A lot of women say it gives less side effects. 

meli123k

@em01092 Thanks! I have a thyroid issue too (hypo, guess it would be good to add that to my siggy), the numbers were only off a couple points but I know it can have a wide range of side effects and varies from person to person. So I wonder if maybe that has something to do with it. It's frustrating since I'm being treated for it now with levothyroxine and still nothing. It's taken a while to figure out the right amount of meds for that though. At least I feel less tired now

Before I started treatment my nurse said she had discussed an alternative to Clomid with my dr., but that he had preferred Clomid (not sure why, I didn't question it at the time). I wonder if she was talking about Femara. I was told the Estradiol I'm now taking should counteract the thin lining side effect, so I'm hopeful all is ok there. If there are any more issues next cycle I will ask about the Femara though. Good luck, and I hope you don't have to stay here much longer either!

jlreising1

Hi,

I read your post and we are in similar situations. While we don't actually know what is causing our infertility (and haven't been told yet that it is unexplained) we have been trying since Oct. 2014 as well. I am 28 and my husband is 30. We are still in the 'initial' stages. My husband has had a SA and I have had an HSG and everything checked out there. My OB-GYN then put me on Clomid for 3 months. With no luck, she referred us to a fertility doctor which I just schedule our initial consultation with. I'm not really sure what to expect next. I'm assuming the next step is typically IUI? If you don't mind answering, were there any additional tests before you decided to try IUI? I know all of this will be answered when we meet with the doctor, it's just nice to talk to someone other than a physician about this. We haven't told anyone that we are trying. 

meli123k

Hi @jlreising1! I'm sorry you are having to go through this too. Did you get bloodwork done as well? For unexplained infertility our RE's suggestion was to go onto Clomid with IUI. He said 3-4 cycles is usually typical to see if that works. He mentioned we could try more invasive testing (I think laparoscopy), but that he didn't recommend that for us and I wasn't too eager to go ahead with it either. I hope this helps and that your appointment goes well! Good luck!