The Drugs Begin (23rd April 2010)

Day 2 of my monthly cycle 23rd April 2010.

I start taking the pill today.

nothing much else to report .......... for now!

First Day of my Monthly Cycle and Hopefully the last till next year (22nd April 2010)

Day 1 of my monthly cycle 22nd April 2010.

I phoned Becky my fertility nurse to let her know that I had started my period.

Becky said to start taking the pill on day 2 of my monthly cycle (tomorrow), The pill was delivered in the parcel with my fertility drugs.

Becky also told me to book off from work the week beginning the 14th of June 2010 because that is the week that I will be having my Egg collection, Dave will be having his TESA (sperm collection) and then a couple of days later implantation.

Becky said I will stop taking the pill around 17th May 2010 and thats when I will start injecting the fertility drugs.

The Delivery of my Fertility Drugs (16th April 2010)

Delivery of the fertility drugs is taken care of by a courier just like any other mail order parcel, however the packaging is polystyrene as some of the contents are refrigerated and must by transfered straight to the fridge after delivery, now is a good time to check off the contents of the parcel against ones prescription.

Everything you need for your fertility drug regime comes in this parcel.

Ordering the Fertility Prescription (14th March 2010)

I emailed my Fertility prescription to Calea, who deliver my fertility drugs straight to my door.

When they receive your prescription they phone you back to confirm your delivery address, date of delivery and time of delivery (as someone needs to be in to sign for your delivery).

After emailing my prescription to Calea you need to send the original prescription to them in the post (a legal requirement).

Group Planning Session (13th April 2010)

13:30 pm, Group Planning Session 13th April 2010.

This appointment was held by Becky our fertility nurse (lovely gal).

We were accompanied by 4 other couples.

Becky did a presentation on the whole treatment step by step from beginning to end.

We found this presentation very helpful by filling in the blanks. the atmosphere was informal which made every one relaxed and feel easier about what we all have ahead, it also proved to be an opportunity for the clinic to fill in any blanks they have like missing blood results etc.

Anyone needing to update their blood tests and MRSA tests were called back in individually for that purpose and every one was issued with their prescriptions and asked about how they felt with what was to come.

Our next Appointment (25th March 2010)

Our next appointment at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine was with Sister Lorraine at 13:30.

Sister Lorraine just spoke to us about the ICSI procedure making sure we both knew the more complex details including possibility of multiple births and complications that may occur due to choices we make regarding our treatment.

I think the idea is to make sure you understand the moral implications and make informed choices about your own treatment before you commit to such things as how many embryos to implant and weather to freeze any for future use.

This meeting was fairly intense and gave much food for thought and provided us with plenty of discussions over the following couple of days.

The repeated blood tests (22nd March 2010)

My blood tests were repeated on the 22nd March 2010 at 11:10am, Daves were repeated on the 23rd March 2010 at )8:10am. at our General Practitioners.

We had to repeat the hormone tests between day 1 and day 5 of my monthly cycle, day 21 of my monthly cycle, then we both had to have tests for HIV, HEP C and HEP B.

The nurse also signed our passport photos aswell..... bonus!

More paperwork (13th March 2010)

Today we received our IVF information pack in the post, with lots more forms to fill out.

We were told we had to repeat all our blood tests because the last results were now a year old, we also had to have passport photos done of each of us as photo id, which had to be signed by someone in a higher profession.

The paper work (6th March 2010)

Next was all the paperwork to sort out and sign. The most important was to fill out the application for funding our treatment on the NHS.

The follow up Appointment (9th February 2010)

Dave had is follow up appointment on the 9th February 2010 at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine with Miss Dalton our Fertility Consultant at 09:50am.

Miss Dalton said she was pleased with the findings of Dave's trial TESA, as motile sperm was found immediately upon extraction, which indicates that there should be no problem when the procedure is repeated for actual fertilization.

The Trial TESA 21st January 2010

On the morning of the 21st January 2010 we got up really early because neither of us could sleep and Dave could only have black coffee to drink 2 hours before his operation, also the medication Dave had to take as a pre-med called voltarol was in the form of a suppository! He looked forward to that!!

Dave and myself arrived at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Exeter at 08:15am, we were shown on to the ward and to Dave's bed (by the window, not much of a view though).

Once familiar with our surroundings we both had to change into hospital attire, Dave because he was going into theatre and myself as I was going to accompany him.

We had to wait about 2 hours in our cubical before our theatre slot at 10:15am, Once in theatre the procedure only tool about 20 - 30 mins and the staff nurses who attended were all very friendly and helped to reassure Dave during the process.

10:45am out of threatre and back in cubicle, we now had a wait ahead as you have to wait for the local anesthetic to wear off and demonstrate to the nurses that you are again able to past water.

They offer you tea, Coffee and toast if you want it.

Before you leave the embryologist comes for a chat and explains the findings of the procedure, which in our case was a healthy result.

12:30pm other than slight bruising and being a little sore all is back to normal and we leave the hospital and head off home. All in all good result today :-)

Dave's Pre Op for Trial TESA (29th December 2009)

Dave's 2nd pre-op appointment with the recovery/theatre/pre-assessment sister at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine at 09:30am.

At this appointment the sister talks to you about the procedure, what will happen in the theatre and after your operation.

She asks you loads of question ie Have you had a operation before, what are you allergic to etc etc and she weighs you and tests you for MRSA.

The tests for MRSA is just two swabs one just up your nose and the other is at the back of your throat.

Dave's Pre Op for Trial TESA (22nd December 2009)

Dave had an appointment with the recovery/theatre/ pre-assessment sister at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine at 13:30 but the Sister was off sick and no one thought to phone us to let us know so the appointment was reschedule.

The out come of being on Testosterone Patches (6th October 2009))

Our 3rd Appointment With Miss Dalton at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine.

Its another bad day today, Miss Dalton told us that the testosterone patches are not working at all and that Dave's motile sperm count is unchanged by the patches.

The next step is more invasive, what is suggested is to book a trial TESA which evolves a small surgical procedure where a needle is used to retrieve sperm directly from the tubules inside the testes.

The test after being on Testosterone Patches for 3 months (7th September 2009)

On the 7th September 2009 Dave had to do yet another sperm sample and take to the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine to see if being on testosterone patches for 3 months had made any difference to Dave's sperm count.

The results of Dave's 2nd blood tests (2nd June 2009)

Dave booked his repeat blood tests for 12th May 2009.

On the 2nd of June 2009 we received a letter from Miss Dalton that said Daves blood tests results were the same as previously, so with that fact established Miss Dalton has sent Dave's General Practitioner a letter requesting him to write a prescription for Testosterone patches.

The initial period for these patches to be prescribed will be 3 months at which point more blood tests will be arranged to see if they have the desired effect.

Dave started these patches on 3rd June 2009.

the 2nd Appointment at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine (5th May 2009)

We had our 2nd appointment with Miss Dalton our fertility Consultant at the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine at 12:10pm.

Miss Dalton had bad news and good news to give us this time, lets start with the good news..........

My mid cycle scan was lovely and healthy, everything is perfectly in order which means I defiantly have no fertility issues what so ever.

The bad news was ...................... Dave's blood tests results show that Dave's testosterone levels are low, Dave needs to repeat the blood tests and if the results are the same again then Dave will need to be prescribed testosterone patches which are just like the stick on patches people use to give up smoking, but they contain testosterone instead of nicotine.

Final Sperm test ( 23rd March 2009)

Dave took his final sperm sample in to the Peninsular Centre for reproductive Medicine, for the Laboratory to analyse for the last time before considering other avenues of treatment.

Mid Cycle Scan (12th March 2009)

My next monthly period started on 2nd March 2009, so I phoned the fertility clinic to let them know and to book my mid cycle scan.

On the 5th March Dave went back to his general partitioner talk about giving up smoking. He was given Nicorette Inhalator.

Then on the 12th March I went along to my mid cycle scan, I was horrified to find out that this scan is done internally through the vagina using a small hand-held ultrasound probe.

The scan is helpful to the doctors as it shows weather your womb and ovaries are healthy and it also shows weather you are ovulating as indeed you should be at this time of the month.

I was shown the image of the scan, but unless you have a PHD then it just looks like black circles on the screen I couldn't really define the ovaries but im sure the doctors could :)

The First Appointment at the Fertility Clinic (24th March 2009)

The morning of 24th March 2009 at 09:30 Dave and I attend our first appointment with our Fertility Consultant Miss Dalton.

Both of us were a little apprehensive at this stage as we were unsure of what exactly was ahead of us, so today was to be an important day on this journey.

We talked through options of what possible treatments we would need to conceive our much wanted baby, but first further testing would have to be done ie yet another sperm test for Dave and depending on blood test results a course of medication too.

We were both also told that we had to give up smoking, but yippee to me I had already given up on the 25th January 2009, but Naughty Dave was still smoking!!!!

The first letter from the Fertility Clinic

We received a letter from the Peninsular centre for Reproductive Medicine at the beginning of February 2009.

We were sent instructions to have blood tests done and also sent an information pack on IVF/ICSI and other forms of fertility treatments.

I had to have blood tests done on one day between day 1 and day 5 of my monthly cycle and then again on day 21.

Dave had to have blood tests to tests his testosterone levels and other hormones. Dave also had to be tested to see if he had cystic fibrosis.

Then we both had to be tested for hepatitis B and C, HIV and other relevant infections and diseases.

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The Referral (13th January 2009)

The next step was for Dave's General Practitioner to refer us to the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine so the specialist's could find out what was going on and to help us fulfill our dream of becoming parents.

Repeat Test (5th January 2009)

Dave went back to the Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine for a repeat test hoping that this time the test would yield motile sperm and thus be a more positive result.

Unfortunately the results of this test came to us by post a week later and yet again a negative result showing no motile sperm present.

Result by post (4th December 2008)

Today Dave received a letter from his General Practitioner with the results of the sperm test done at the clinic, unfortunately the result was again negative showing little or no motile sperm in Dave's sample.

Dave was told to repeat the same test in the new year.

So far there has been little in the way of good news, but we have to stay focused on the goal however far away that may be.

A Trip to the Doctor for Dave

After Dave received his result from his fertell fertility test it was a trip to his General Practitioner.

The GP said the next step would be to confirm the results by performing a laboratory sperm sample test at our local fertility specialist clinic, a place called Peninsular Centre for Reproductive Medicine, a place we would soon get to know quite well.

Husband's Result (11th November 2008)

Typical male it took Dave some 3 months to get around to doing his test, Maybe this was to delay facing a possible bad result.

I wont go in to the dynamics of how to perform this test, you can use some imagination with this one, but its all down to a light and a line on the top of this test pot (see pic).

What seemed like hours of waiting (actually an hour) finally produced a result and unfortunately it was a negative. Meaning for Dave further tests would be required to confirm this negative result. So not a good a day for us, but we move on.

My Result (28th August 2008)

The female test kit is just like a pregnancy test, except that you have to do the test on day 3 of your monthly cycle and your first pee of the day!

Okay test done, wait 30 mins, all good my result is normal, so no obvious fertility problems for me.

HELLO!

This is the diary of two people's journey's, Me Tammy Evans and my husband Dave.

What began with trying to get pregnant soon became a life changing process as we set off on our NHS fertility treatment journey.

Having tried to get pregnant for 2 years naturally and nothing happening we decided to get fertell fertility test kits that can be done in the comfort of your own home, we brought these from our local boots store.

We bought testing kits for both of us as at this stage we had no idea who had fertility problems, but we were soon to find out.....