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TTC after 35
kbrodie06
member
Infertility Consultation
kbrodie06
member
in TTC after 35
Went to a consultation yesterday, husband is out of town so he did not get to go. Very overwhelmed!! Not sure how to pass all the info back to him. I dont understand it all myself. I guess DR wants to go more aggressively due to my age. Now I am kinda freaked out! I thought this would be so much easier and with the OPK and CBEFM and all it would just happen. Ugh, not sure what to think now. Plus nobody knows so not sure who to talk to. Thats why I am posting this. I dont even know what all the terms are for everything. EEEK just a little overwhelmed here.
Kristin
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Re: Infertility Consultation
We haven't had an IF consultation yet. I guess I am putting it off. Maybe after next cycle. It is definitely overwhelming to think about. Just reading all the information that the women on these boards are dealing with has clued me in a little. I am always switching over to Google to look up acronyms though. I don't have any advice for you except to say good luck and don't let your doctor push you faster or further than you are comfortable with. 35 is a fairly arbitrary number when it comes to fertility and nobody knows how much time you really have.
Do you feel comfortable sharing what the Dr suggested? Maybe we can help simplify the info for when you pass it on to your husband?
It seems overwhelming at first but once you get used to the idea of needing help it becomes less overwhelming and more hopeful.
I'm sorry this is so overwhelming for you. There are a lot of great books out there. I know it sounds silly but "Infertility for Dummies" is a really basic book that is a good starting point. NOT that you are infertile per se, it just gives basic and clear information about what things are and what they mean.
Good luck!
I am happy to share, what I understand and know, I bet you guys can explain the process and what it all is going to entail. First he said since I am 40 I have to do the mammogram, ouch! Next he said I have to call the first day of my period to make an appointment to do the xray that tells is tubes are blocked or something. (I need to figure out which number I call and my period is only 1 day usually). There is the next problem, i am supposed to get blood work on day 2 or 3 of period but its only 1 day usually. Husband is to get a semen analysis and blood work and genetic counseling due to Amyliodoisis in his family (mom has and has had a liver transplant, grandfather and uncle died of it) Oh and he says if its genetic, they may be able to avoid him passing it on by taking it out or something. Then I think he was saying something about shots (oh crap, I dont do that at all) and then he was saying insamination or something. So does that crack you up and show you I have no clue. I really did not expect this to happen to me. I figured he would have me ............I dont know what....... wave a magic wand so next time we try it works.........I have no idea what I thought, but I am a bit freaked out. I am sure I left stuff out but not sure what. Then I need to get a sitter that will show up and is dependable for all these appointments. My last sitter took a day job, drats!!!
That is a lot of info!
I am not an expert, but I can clear up one thing for you. The bloodwork is really on your cycle days. Cycle day 1 is the first day of your period. Cycle day 3 is just the third day of your cycle, so it doesn't matter if you still have your period or not. (some doctors do CD 10 testing, CD 21 testing, etc.)
I know that is only a small thing, but I hope that helps!
So it sound to me like you might be doing IVF or IUI? Based on what you said about something being genetic and taking it out, I would think you'd be doing IVF. IVF is where they retrieve your eggs and, I think, they fertilize it before they implant it in your uterus. IUI is where they take our husbands sperm and wash it (though I'm not sure this happens every time) and using a catheter put the sperm in your uterus when you ovulate.
I've never done either so I could be talking out my a$$ but this is what I understand (in the simplest of terms) happens during these processes.
I do injections with timed intercourse. The shots are easy, small thin needle, does not hurt at all. I've seen a lot of women who do IUI have the same protocol as me (gonal-f or follitism w/trigger). DOn't worry about the shots, it's worse when they draw blood.
I think IVF has more injections.
HSG, while I've never had one, is where they inject dye into your tubes to see if they are blocked. Supposedly, after you've had it done you are more fertile (don't know how true this is) because your tubes are all clear.
Take every thing say with a grain of salt, I have done some research on IVF and IUI (I was curious and in case we needed too/choose too go that route) but I've never been through the process.
Also if you have the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, I think, it goes over (in little detail) the different procedures you can have done help with pregnancy. So it might help.
K-
If it helps I have had 2 HSG and took a few Tylenol prior and had minimal cramping after. While it was uncomfortable it didn't hurt.
Also I was petrified of the shots but my mind ended up making it out to be worse than it was (but I'm not afraid of needles) I found that it was easier for me to give myself the subcutaneous (small needle shots) for the egg stimulating drugs and for my hubbie to give me the intramuscular (medium needle shot in the rear) for the ovulation trigger drug. The RE even had us take an injection class to help ease our minds (now I feel like an old pro!)
GL with the genetic testing I've never had to do that.
Yes, this whole process can be very overwhelming. Unfortunately, there are no magic wands.......otherwise we wouldn't be TTC, we'd be standing in line for the Fertility Fairy! I think you have to look at it like YOU are taking charge of your TTC journey......if something isn't working, you see a specialist. It doesn't mean you're infertile, it just means you've accepted that you need a little help reaching your goals. I was scared at first too, but I had to accept that I wasn't getting the results doing what I was doing (same things you are), so I called my Dr.. It is definitely better to ask for help earlier rather than later.
The first thing I did was have a HSG, which was a bit uncomfortable, but not painful........I agree with pp and you should take an advil or something. My Dr. always likes to test bloodwork on CD3, whether AF is still around or not. Since I'm taking shots, she also likes to monitor me regularly with bloodwork and ultrasounds to make sure my body is responding correctly and at the right pace.
As far as what your Dr. told you, it sounds like maybe they want to try an IUI.....which like the PP states, is when they take your DH's sperm, wash it, and insert it in your uterus when you are ovulating. Sometimes they do it one time, other times they may do a B2B (back to back) IUI, which is when you have the process done 2 days in a row, to ensure the spermies are there when ovulation occurs. Generally, they ensure that you ovulate by giving you drugs which prompt this......typically injectables. Some of the injectables stimulate your ovaries to produce more that one mature egg, so you have a better chance at fertilization, and then there's a "trigger", which is a shot you take that releases the eggs (ovulation). Now, I will admit that I NEVER thought I'd be able to give myself injections, but honestly (swear!), they weren't bad at all, and my Dr. also had her nurse come in for a little tutorial so that I knew what I was doing AND she made me inject myself with a syringe filled with water to practice. I also got info sheets with pics and a DVD tutorial just in case. Now I feel like a pro!
I know that all of this is still overwhelming, but many, many women here on this board have gone or are going through the very same thing and can answer a lot of your questions and calm your nerves.
Best of luck for a BFP in the near future!
OK...so he wants you to have an HSG to make sure your tubes are clear...they usually do this between cd5 & cd8. It doesn't matter how long your cycle lasts it's just the time into the cycle they care about. The bood work on cd2 or cd3 will measure your FSH, progesterone and some other stuff to see where you are at with regards to ovarian reserve. I'm not sure about what procedure they use for the sperm but I think he was talking about doing a medicated IUI cycle?? FOr that you could do injectable meds like follistim. It sounds like he was just giving you a lot of info...which they do. You will know more once you have the testing done...then you will be able to figure out which way you want to go.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Well, I can only share my experience. My husband"s job has him gone 50% of the time and that makes having babies difficult. We weren't diagnosed with fertility issues, we just decided to be proactive with our age and getting married late in life. We didn't read anything before we started so i felt very similar to the way you feel. Two things I would have done differently would have been to decide on a budget for what we were willing to spend towards fertility treatment and i would have really dug into what my insurance actually paid for with infertility. I have had the dye thru my tubes. it really wasn't bad. mild cramping afterward. I have had two IUIs and am prepping for my 2nd IVF. I knew nothing in the beginning and feel like I have learned so much. I am still struggling with all of these acronyms! If you have any questions feel free to contact me. I would love to help. Good luck! Deanne
This is overwhelming! As far as choosing what kind of treatments to try, try to go with your gut feeling about what's right for you and what you think will work. I wish I would have done this a little more often. And, don't be afraid to speak up and/or challenge your doctor if you don't understand something, or don't think something is right.