Hoping Three is the Magic Number

Hi Fertility Tips Community,

I hope that it’s ok and that you understand that I’ve not given my name for privacy, but I hope that this helps others out there who are in the same position. (I hope there are other women in the same position – Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2) still has a huge stigma, I’m not ashamed but it’s private, the whole world doesn’t need to know (let’s hope there is a cure soon… it’s in the works!) I’m only just getting over the shame and embarrassment of my infertility issues, one step at a time.) 

Five Christmas Eve’s ago I was very nervous. I had decided that I’d stop taking the pill and my then boyfriend, now husband and I could start trying for a baby. Christmas Day was amazing just the two of us, he cried when he realized what I was saying. He’d wanted us to start trying far sooner, but as a nanny I was slightly reluctant. After about 18 months I went to the doctor, I still wasn’t pregnant but we were still having so much fun trying but my periods were crippling. I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. I eventually had a laparoscopy which made my life pain free (for a while) and the doctor told us to get on it. I pointed out we were getting married in nine months. I was still happy to wait, no one was spoiling my/our wedding day – we’d have a honeymoon baby.

Ah little did I know. After we got married we moved, there was a lot of stress on my husband and baby making was not at the forefront of his thoughts which only caused arguments. So, we made a deal another six months of trying and then we’d go back to the doctors.

Still no baby. We were back, making an appointment with fertility specialists now. Dr. N was amazing. Laid out all our options for us.

At my first base ultrasound there was a cyst. I was still positive, I was put on the pill which I was told would help the cyst and, in the meantime, let’s have a look at my tubes (HSG), and being on the pill meant it could be done anytime. The results came back they were blocked. Dr. N scheduled me in for a tubal cannulation. Which he told me he was able to unblock them both, no problem. While all of this was going on, it turns out that I have HSV2. Which has started to rear its ugly head. My husband barely paused when I told him the news of having an incurable virus.

So, back to the baseline ultrasounds, I kept getting cysts for six months – every month boom there one was. Finally, we had a clear month and I was put on Femara and we were set for our first IUI. I was ok with taking the pills but the trigger shot sent me into a tail spin, I had a panic attack trying to give it to myself, my husband stepped in but he felt very uncomfortable doing it. Unfortunately, the IUI was a fail, of course the next month another cyst had appeared again.

Round two, the doubled does of Femara felt like my brain was melting, but once again it was a fail. At this point all the drugs and disturbance down there has caused my periods which were always every 29 days to now become erratic and unreliable. I ended up rage quitting all my period apps.

All my doctors wanted me to do was IVF they didn’t seem to understand that I injecting myself was now not an option. Not even considering that my husband and I are not keen on IVF for a number of reasons.

So, I found an acupuncturist who is amazing. She has synced up my body again. I was very skeptical walking in and was thinking how could a bunch of needles make me pregnant? (I know needles again, as long as I’m not the one having to put them in, I’m ok). So, we’re now at July 2020 and my new problem is my HSV2 is going crazy so when we need to have sex we can’t.

So, we’re going for round three of IUI, with our acupuncture lady on my side, and my periods are back on point. Let’s hope three is the magic number !!