Fertility 101
The Fertility Cycle
After learning so much about my body and how it works through my reflexology training and my nutrition training I was well on my way, as I thought, to getting the family I was now longing for.
How little did I know!!
Of course like all of us I had done my research and understood that I would be put through the menopause and all sorts of drugs would be pumped into my body by my own hand too!
Cycle 1 – July 2005
I was put on Clomid which is a drug that enhances the chances of producing sufficient eggs for the whole process to be viable. My reserves proved to be OK! Thank God!
So we managed all of this and I was fortunate enough to produce two viable eggs after the clinic in Harley Street had done their magic, they were both put back. How excited was I!
I then had the inevitable 2ww (for those not initiated into the jargon world of fertility, this is the waiting time from the eggs being planted back inside you to the first chance that they want you to do a pregnancy test). Mine was a big fat negative! But I did have a very strange dream the night before my test in that I saw both my Mum and Stepfather and I was convinced that they were there to take both of the fertilised eggs and nurture them with them.
Moving on!
Cycle 2 – September 2005
Much the same as the last one but this time no dream! After this cycle I visited a friend for a well needed week in Qatar it was wonderful to see her and her husband to have a complete rest away from home. I had registered interest in contributing to a TV documentary on older single women trying to get pregnant. Upon my return I was called to a filming weekend with Channel 4 and the documentary team. I had also filmed in my home and being asked plenty of questions that really get you thinking.
So October 2005 I met the rest of the girls from the Baby Race there were a total of 23 of use and we had a wonderful weekend of filming and getting to know one another even to this day (2018) we are still, well some of us, in touch.
Within the group there were various of us trying to get a baby, from IVF using donor sperm, IVF using known sperm donor to DIY with donor sperm and of course adoption from abroad.
Cycle 3 – Last clomid cycle – November 2005
This was the last of the three cycles I had signed up for and the pregnancy test fell on Xmas Day of that year. Well it was going to be a great Xmas or a total nightmare. Total nightmare but I did not let that completely spoil the festivities.
I had a plan I was going to do three more.
Cycle 4 – February 2006
Nothing special about this cycle apart from I did a lot of research about where to find the cheapest place that I could get the drugs that I needed. And I did find some at the Lister Hospital. I saved approximately £400 on them. It was at this point that I decided to further my knowledge and skills with Reflexology and I was injecting myself during the course in layby’s on the motorway.
I even went on an overnight cruise with some friends and nearly missed getting off the boat as the injections needed to be done a specific times of the day. That was eventful especially as people were looking very strangely at me because I had needles and drugs! I did wonder what they thought, I left them wondering.
I also attended a seminar in London with a midwife turned Maternity Reflexology training and I can’t believe that I am telling you this but for the first time in my whole life I walked out of a seminar.
This training being a midwife and of slightly advanced year was absolutely adamant that IVF patients did not deserve to have reflexology or any treatment to help them, little did she know that I was on my 2WW so this being told to us at the start of the afternoon session was like a kick in my guts. I promptly left in total disgust. Needless to say that from this point on I was even more determined to do whatever I could for ANYONE that was trying to have a family.
Unsuccessful again!
The good news was that I passed my Maternity Reflexology training (this tutor was also a midwife but certainly more amenable towards IVF).
Cycle 5 – March 2006
This cycle was quite interesting. I presented after the first lot of drugs as being overstimulated so we abandoned this cycle and strangely the universe presented me with an opportunity. Let’s just say a man and wine were involved!
I was waiting for my period to arrive so that I could start the next cycle. After talking to the clinic they said that if it had not arrived by the Friday this was the Tuesday they could send me a drug to bring it on. I did not feel completely comfortable with this for some reason. Well in the afternoon I presented myself to the local Chemist with a sample and a test was done there and then, I was called into the store room to be told that it was postive! WTF!!!!!
Wow and wow and wow again!
Anyway this joy was also short lived as I did have a bleed and obviously miscarried a week later. DOH!
Cycle 5 continued – April 2006
We tried again but we were not successful.
Cycle 6 – Last Chance Saloon – June 2006
Well I knew that I could fall pregnant by now but for some reason was unable to sustain it. This cycle the clinic went a bit further with what they did and we went for ICSI (where they fertilise the egg and allow it to go a bit further before implanting back).
I was mildly hopeful on this one! The journey home was a funny one as they had to sedate me a bit and I have been told that on the way home I was constantly asking the same question about how good the egg was that went back.
Well 2WW and yet again a big fat negative!!
So this was not meant to be for me well the natural way!