Here is my LTTTC story . Sorry it is very long.
Six months after our wedding,
DH and I decided it was time to have children. We had heard how easy it is to fall pregnant from friends, family and the education system, so assumed I would be pregnant within a few months. This was in April 2000 and I was 22. After 6 months,
DH had a GP appointment so I made him ask the dr about charting temps as I had heard it mentioned but didn't know anything about it. The GP fobbed him off telling him that 98% of couples fall
pg within the first 12 months of TTC so he wouldn't help until we had been TTC for at least 12mths (I would seriously question the accuracy of this statistic BTW). So we waited another 9months, then went to a different dr who explained charting temps and CM and also sent us for ovulation and semen analysis tests. All tests came back OK and after another few months of nothing happening, we asked what else could be done. The GP referred us to an IVF clinic but told us that we would almost certainly be pregnant by the time we got in to see the FS. We got a cancellation appt so in May 2002, after 2 yrs TTC we finally got in to see a FS.
I had a laparoscopy the next week (found and cleaned up some endo) then we started on IUIs. I had 3 IUIs in consecutive months, then we progressed on to IVF. We had to take a break at this stage to save up to do IVF but returned one year later optimistic. The FS felt my chances of success were very good due to my age (25 by this stage) and general good health.
So November 2003, we had our first stimulated IVF cycle. But it didn't go as well as I'd hoped - we needed ICSI due to the poor semen sample, and I had only 5 eggs collected. I was so upset as I was hoping for a lot more, but we had one embryo transferred and 2 frozen from this cycle (all fairly poor quality though).
AF came about 3 days before the HPT, and I spent two days in tears that cycle (first day of
AF and a couple of days later at the negative HPT). I decided to put everything into my next IVF cycle so started acupuncture and reflexology and organised 3 weeks off work to coincide with the next cycle. I convinced the FS to do another stimulated cycle instead of using the frozen ones (I didn't hold much hope for the poor quality embryos being successful especially after being frozen and thawed).
My 2nd stimulated IVF cycle we still needed ICSI, but I had 16 eggs collected, 2 embryos transferred and 10 frozen (and the quality was better too). And about a week later I felt something different like a rock in my belly and no
AF before the HPT. I already suspected I was pregnant and was overjoyed to get my first BFP! It was so hard not to tell the world as I was so excited. My FS booked me in for an u/s at 7weeks. He found a blighted ovum, but kept looking and found a 6wk old foetus with no heartbeat. I was absolutely devastated and it took a few hours to really sink in. I took yet more time off work, had a D & C, attended mandatory counselling and took another break from TTC. This is when I really needed the support from BellyBelly but we didn't have the internet on so I had to cope on my own (
DH wouldn't talk about it and don't get me started on the rest of the family).
I returned to IVF later that year for a stimulated FET cycle, but of the 3 thawed none continued to grow after the first day so this cycle was cancelled. The following month, I did a natural FET cycle with two transferred but BFN. The next cycle we decided to change to blastocyst transfer, and did another full stimulated cycle (didn't need to use ICSI this time). I had 20 eggs collected, 1 transferred and 15 frozen but yet another BFN.
I did another 3 Natural FET cycles, before, in November 2006, I got a BFP. Once again I felt implantation (2 days after ET this time) and just had to try to stay calm until the 7 week u/s. The 7 wk u/s showed a strong heartbeat and I was overjoyed. I thought I could relax then, but spent the next eight months worrying. However, on the 9th Aug 2007, my beautiful healthy boy was born - Hayden Kyle at 3.87kg.
Hayden is now 5 mths old, is much-loved and everyday I feel so lucky to have him. The LTTTC journey has changed me and will be with me forever but everyday I am grateful for my healthy boy. I have 11 snowbubs left and will be returning to IVF this year hoping to be blessed with more children.