Hi Ladies

Many of you won't know me but some might remember me.  I haven't posted on here for about 12 months or more although I still lurk now and again to see how my old buddies are doing.  Well, after our tough fertility journey,  and 3 years of unexplained infertility, I finally have a BFP.  Still can't quite believe it really but i'm going to be a mummy which is something i've wanted all my life and I feel so truly blessed.

I thought I'd post our story here because I know I used to love reading positive stories to give me even just a little bit of belief that it would happen for us one day.  So here goes for those of you that want to know.....

I'm  now 37 and DH is 45 and we started ttc 3 years ago and I joined the TTC board.  After six months because of our ages, I went to the doctor for tests and she referred us immediately to a fertility clinic.  Although at the time we felt very lucky to be referred very quickly based on the fact that many people have to wait, I look back now and think it actually made things quite difficult because I think as soon as you get into fertility treatment, your mindset changes and you believe that you will never conceive naturally.  My fertility nurse also told me that if you don't conceive within 2 years it's not likely to happen, which I think was really damaging to me and is absolute rubbish!!!!  At this point I also joined the fertility issues board.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, we had all our tests and hubby's sperm was fine but my FSH was elevated at 13, my inhibin B was 148 (which I think is good - so contradictory) but my AMH was 0.8 (very very low fertility). We were advised that my time was running out and it was suggested that we move quickly onto IVF as I was likely to be a poor responder.  We had our first IVF treatment about September 2007 and my body didn't respond to the drugs so it was cancelled.  We then tried again and I only got 2 follies, so it was converted to an IUI and the clinic forgot to give me progesterone, so my period came early, BFN.  We then had a third go and after taking chinese herbs and having acupuncture we go 11 eggs, 9 fertilised and we had 6 good quality embryos, 2 of which were put back, but BFN.  In August 2008 I had a laparoscopy to check my tubes and to check for Endo, all was clear but the fluid only went through one tube.  They said that my other tube probably just had a spasm but it was never clear whether it was blocked or not.  In September 2008, we had 3 frosties but only 2 survived the thaw and one was good enough for an FET, so we had that and again BFN!  During all this treatment, my GP, my chinese doctor and my fertility nurse all fell pregnant and had babies.  You don't need me to tell you how tough it all was.  I cried rivers of tears at the thought of never having a child with the man I love.  I am one of the most maternal women I know and not having a baby had never crossed my mind for a second.  I couldn't believe that all my friends had managed to conceive and that this was happening to me.

January 2009, hubby and I had a discussion about whether or not to spend money on further IVF.  We decided enough was enough.  We didn't want to go through it emotionally or financially and actually decided to look at adoption.  I looked into it in great depth and started to get quite excited.  It was something I hadn't really wanted in the past, but now it seemed a great idea and I was hooked!  I called around our local authority and adoption agencies, but nobody would start the process with us because our house was on the market!!!!  I was angry and devastated and felt like I had just hit another brick wall.

So by the summer of this year, we decided to be thankful for our wonderful relationship, each other and our life and booked our first holiday abroad to Egypt in 5 years.  We also decided that when we got back we would get a puppy (my substitute baby) and I was really looking forward to having a little something to love.  Then, the month after paying for the holiday I got my BFP!  It was two days before AF was due but I was woken twice on two nights with pains under my ribs.  I had some cheap internet tests so took one and it came out very faint.  I thought it was just one of them stupid ghost lines, but proceeded to do 7 tests over the next two days, then when AF didn't turn up I went out, bought a clear blue digital and went into the M&S loos to do the test.  When it came up positive I just sobbed.   I will never forget the moment I told DH, it was so emotional and he never let go of me for the rest of the evening.

So, was it me 'relaxing' or was it just our time?  We did do a few things differently. I have been taking Royal Jelly and Bee Pollen since the beginning of the year to improve my egg quality.  The month I got pregnant I had taken 200 mg of vit B6 (I had only ever taken 50mg before that but read high doses are good for fertility).  I had also bought an MN8 (little magnet for period pain), as I had read it was good for blood circulation, so who knows!

Well, I will be 14 weeks on Sunday and we've had our scan and finally seen our much wanted baby.  We've told all our family and friends and it's been wonderful.  I've dreamed of doing this for so long and imagined telling them but didn't think i'd ever get that chance.

I do hope my story has given some of you hope and made you realise that for most, it does happen, one way or the other eventually!  In the meantime, we have to be so thankful for what we do have in our lives.

Good luck to all you lovely ladies and I pray that you all get to experience your dream and i'm sure that one day, you will....and when you do, you will appreciate it all the more, trust me...

Shelleyx  (EDD 9th May 2010)

Hi Shelley,

This is so wonderful.  I can't believe it!

I got my BFP on 27th August and when I posted on here you were one of the people I mentioned as I truly hoped it would happen for you.

Well it looks like it happened for us both at virtually the same time as I am 14 weeks today.

It did take treatment for us to achieve our dream (our first try at FET) but 3 years and 1 day after starting ttc I finally got my dreamed of BFP.  We have seen our baby via scans 4 times now and we are so hopelessly in love with our babyfoo already - I just feel so blessed and hope that everything continues to go well.

This is such good news and I wish you all the very best throughout the rest of your pregnancy.

This board has had a real flurry of balloons in the past few months and there are quite a few FI ladies who are all due in April and May - it's just wonderful.

Cara xxx

OMG Cara, that is just fantastic news, congratulations!!!  I'm sorry I missed your balloon, I don't come on here very often, just lurk now and again, so didn't know, that is just wonderful and how lovely that we are expecting our miracles at the same time.

I would have posted sooner, but i've been suffering from horendous morning sickness morning, noon and night and throwing up most days so not feeling great at all, but hopefully it will pass soon!

I'm so thrilled for you and even more thrilled that we get to continue our journey together....

Shelleyx

Shelley, Congratulations on your BFP! This is a great story. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy.

All the very best