So here we are. *kinda long*

We are at 14 months TTC. Just wanted to share and reach out for support.

Background: I’m almost 31, my husband is 39. I had a Skyla IUI removed in December 2016.

Months 1-6 i tracked my cycles, we had sex, nothing happened 🤷🏾‍♀️ sure. Try a few tricks: preseed, OPKs, temping, vitamins, pineapple. You name it, i tried it.

Month 7, my female intuition kicked in and i felt like something was wrong. I had my well women’s exam with my PCP and she requested CD3 labs. I didn’t hear from her, i assumed no news was good news. Meanwhile, i begged my husband to go in for some labwork and a semen analysis. He refused. This went on for weeks.

Finally a few months later, he went to see his doctor as we were about to lose insurance due to job change. Turns out he had low count, low motility, etc. pretty much low everything, including testosterone. I was angry and devastated. We moved out of state and didn’t get insurance again for two more months. He was finally able to see a urologist and do another SA. He’s been on clomid ever since.

Month 11 - found a fertility specialist and went in for a consult and blood work. Hated her. She was kinda cold, they were expensive, and she talked about IVF the whole time basically. It felt like a sales pitch, not a conversation about treating our issues.

AF continued to come and go as she does, which devastates me every time and my poor husband has to pick up the pieces and be strong.

Month 12 we did nothing because we had not met our insurance deductibles and didn’t wanna waste anymore money.

Month 13 i emailed a different fertility practice and let them know about our experience at the other office. They invited us in for a complimentary second opinion consultation, which i conveniently scheduled on CD3.

In one visit, this RE has done for us what would have taken 5 at the other office. He reviewed my husband’s prior SAs and our bloodwork and i had an ultrasound of my ovaries and uterus.

Turns out my FSH/LH were a little off. My glucose and insulin were a little off. My cycles are shorter than what’s desirable for not only getting pregnant but staying pregnant. He scheduled my husband for an updated SA to see if the clomid was helping. We decided medicated IUI would be a good place to start. I was prescribed metformin and Femara to start immediately. I scheduled an HSG and follow up ultrasound for CD11.

My husband’s SA came back a billion times better, and my CD11 ultrasound showed i was resounding to the femara wonderfully. We scheduled my HCG trigger and IUI. I went next door and had my HSG. Just my Happy luck: blocked tubes. IUI cancelled. I am devastated. I went home very upset and defeated. Another roadblock. A few hours later, the NP called to check on me and she reassured me that this is very common and that we have options. The doctor had a cancellation so i was able to follow up the next day. Upon follow up, my doctor feels like he can clear my tubes via surgery and to help things along, he orders gonal F as part of our treatment plan. Last week, i had a tubal cannulation which was successful in opening up my tubes. Now I’m just waiting for my next cycle to start.

Our treatment plan will be femara again CD3-7, gonal F CD6-10, a CD11 ultrasound, HCG trigger followed by IUI.

I’m trying to remain positive and hopeful, but also realistic that this may take a few tries ☹️. It’s getting harder and harder to watch all of my friends and family make their announcements and come and go with their babies while we desperately wonder when our turn is coming. Infertility is the most isolating and depressing thing i have ever gone through, and i wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. Any encouragement or advice from anyone who’s been in a similar position is greatly appreciated ❤️