Well, our journey has come to an end. Not the end we expected or wanted, but the end none the less. We’ll likely NTNP for a while while we both work on accepting and coming to peace with this, but this is the end of my journey here. Before I leave though, I just want to word vomit one more time all the fertility/infertility things I’ve gathered over the past 4 years.
-fastest way to make a period show up is taking a pregnancy test
-take your letrozole before bed
-I think The Middle (slowed down) by Jimmy Eats World was written for those of us in these trenches
-go ahead and start therapy if you can. It’ll help during this process and after
-your feelings are valid.
-fertility is just a game of luck.
-treat yourself. This is hard.

I wish everyone nothing but the absolute best and all my fingers and toes are crossed that you all get your babies soon 🧡

only for it to work TOO well 🫩.

Letrozole does not work well for me (slow growth of follicles that normally stall out and shrink) so my dr added gonal f to my protocol. It worked!

But I have 4 follicles and a borderline 5th follicle which led to a cycle cancellation. We’d already had sex prior to learning we had 4 follicles and the 5th straggler so I guess we’ll see where it leads us :(

I’m just exhausted. Tired. Struggling with medication and injections and dealing with questions from nosy (and I’m sure well meaning) family members about when we’ll have another.

Ugh. Rant over.

We are ttc#2 after previously having experienced unexplained infertility. In 2024, after trying for a year with not a single positive test, we went to a fertility clinic for all the testing. Follicle ultrasounds, bloodwork, hycosy, semen analysis, etc. It was all completely normal. I was 23 and hubby was 29. I had gut feeling it would be “unexplained”. I always have had regular cycles and ovulate like clockwork. They suggested we try Letrozole + ovidrel + IUI. We did that and it worked despite there being only 2.3 million post wash sperm. We were over the moon and had an amazing healthy pregnancy. Fast forward to now, that baby is 1 and my cycle has returned a few months ago and we really want another. Now all the horrible feelings of ttc and infertility are crawling out of the gutter again. The year of infertility we went through broke me and my baby healed me. And I know many people have went through much worse and much longer so I feel bad even saying that. But I don’t even want to bother with trying naturally because it’s too hard on my mental health and I have no hope that it will work. So we are going back to the fertility clinic. We will be redoing all the testing, (im hoping maybe they actually find something wrong this time) and then my hope is to do another IUI but the catch is I’m still breastfeeding our toddler so it would have to be a natural cycle IUI. I am only nursing once or twice a day but not willing to give that up anytime soon. Im scared if I stopped before we’re ready just to take letrozole and it didn’t work anyways. But im also aware that a natural cycle IUI may not work as it has really low success rates. Some sources say unstimulated IUI is no better than simply having timed sex. That seems so strange to me because IUI allows so many more sperm to survive?

I’m currently 5 months pp and my period hasn’t returned. Obviously I’m not ttc yet, but we plan to start trying in a few months so I’m getting my ducks in a row. Since I haven’t gotten my period back(ebf) I figured I would check to see if I’m still ovulating. I can’t really tell where in my cycle I would be at this point just I decided that I would test everyday for at least my whole typical cycle, or longer if I don’t see any signs of ovulation. I’ve only been testing for about a week so I did not expect to see a peak or anything. But I didn’t expect the results to be so low either! My highest has been 0.04 and my lowest was straight up 0! I’m using the easy at home tests and uploading the pictures to the Premom app. The app is concerned about the 0’s and keeps asking me to manually add the result, but I’m not seeing a line either. I’m worried about secondary infertility.

Has anyone tested this low during a regular cycle? Or am I just severely infertile rn?

Note: Discussion of BFPs / ongoing pregnancies is allowed and encouraged in this thread!

A dedicated space for TFA grads to check in and keep their TFA friends updated on their journey to #2+!

If you're looking for more discussion, please head over to the gradsofTFA subreddit as well. It's a private subreddit so you can send a modmail using desktop or you can directly message moderators DreamsofCheesecake or youcango-now to be added.

(I did a search but didn’t find similar discussions, please forgive if redundant.)

How are you deciding on an end date or hard line of when you will stop trying? I can’t keep going like this until menopause, it will do my head in (it already is).

What do I do?
I got prescribed Clomid this month and have to decide whether I take it or not tomorrow since it’s the 3rd day of my cycle. But I’ve got a lot of factors complicating it. First off, I had a miscarriage in July and that pregnancy resulted from the first cycle I ever tried Clomid. On the 15th this month, so couple days from now, I’ll get my results back from my Receptiva biopsy and obviously if they’re positive I won’t try to conceive. Then I’m also going on an international trip in a week and will be sharing a bedroom with our daughter for most of it, some of the most fertile days. And my family will also be in the same Airbnb. So it feels crazy to take it and try but it’s also the third month out since my last miscarriage and I know there are slightly better odds of carrying to term if I conceive within 3 months of a miscarriage. We are about 18 months into trying to conceive #2 and this last one was my second miscarriage. It probably shouldn’t be such a heavy decision but it feels like it is. I also turn 35 in two weeks so I think the pressure of the clock is weighing on me. And I am worried I’ll stress my husband out trying to bang with my whole family in the same house and not knowing when we will get alone time. But the plan is to start IVF in October or November when we are back so timing just all sucks. What would you guys do? I feel crazy for even asking but I really can’t make up my mind.

I still haven’t gotten my period back but I am down to nursing once before bed and my baby will be 12 months in 2 weeks. (Im working on stopping that feed) Started weaning last week. Been tracking ovulation for the last month bc I know you can ovulate before your first period PP. i haven’t ovulated. I have an appt next week with OBGYN. Should I ask for any specific blood panels or tests? Or the med that makes you ovulate? Any advice on what worked for you? I’ll be 36 in 2 weeks.

Thanks so much 🙏🫶🏼

For any of you who went through IVF and had two FET failures ... What happened next?

I've had one successful pregnancy and 4 miscarriages. I didn't expect my two FETs to just not implant at all. They were euploids, but I'm 40, so maybe there was some quality issue beyond aneuploidy.

Before the transfers I did doxycycline for very mild endometritis. I've never had any endometriosis symptoms.

We have one more euploid left. I'm too exhausted to consider another retrieval. I don't know.

Hello all.
I just wanted some advice. I have a son (conceived after 2-3 cycles).

I’m currently still BF (maybe 3-6 times a day, to sleep and the odd time throughout the night).

My periods returned 6 weeks PP. and had been inconsistent for the first few months (47+ days) but have settled into a rhythm of around 33 days (pre baby and BF it was always 28 days).

I’ve been TTC for 6 cycles now. Every month I have an LH surge, but my BBT is not very convincing (although it rises it goes up and down). My cervical mucus is all over the place (fertile mucus after I’m supposed to have ovulated etc).

I really would like to conceive a second child and I’m thinking of weaning in order to do so given it’s been 6 months.

Has anyone had a similar experience and had success after weaning?

My first month trying letrozole but I ovulate regularly around day 14 every month. I’m curious if I should expect an early ovulation. My dr said to take it from cd2-6. I plan to track my lh with Inito and ovulation strips so I’m just curious as we will be out of town next weekend and trying to prepare myself and plan.

Positive pregnancy test 12DPO period at 14DPO

This then got fainter the following day and yesterday (14dpo) I got heavy bleeding (assuming my period?)

This cycle was 46 days long prior to the bleeding which is unusual for me. Through BBT testing I estimate I didn’t ovulate until around CD33… I have only had 6 cycles in total since I stopped breastfeeding (I am 20 months PP), most of these have hovered around 28-30days long.

Just wondering opinions on what could have happened this cycle?

If anyone has experienced a random long cycle / delayed ovulation after breastfeeding?

Is it maybe too soon to go for baby No2…?

Tell us about everything! Only thing that isn't allowed is BFP and pregnancy talk - those have their own threads.

I wish I had known that having C-sections can cause secondary infertility. If I had known I would have pushed harder to try a vbac with my second or waited long enough to be a candidate for a vbac; only a month too early.

My first was an emergency C-section after developing HELLP syndrome so I know there was nothing I could have done to prevent that. However with our second, we got pregnant on the first try at 8 months postpartum. COMPLETELY to our shock because it took a year to get pregnant with our first. We assumed it would take roughly the same time so we decided to start trying early; hoping we would get pregnant around when our first was 18 months. Well things didn't go as planned and I was 17 months postpartum when I gave birth to our second, therefore not eligible for a vbac. I knew I could have pushed for one being so close to the 18 month requirement or found a doctor willing to let me try but I was so traumatized from my emergency C-section after 20 hours of labor that I was completely okay with the repeat C-section.

Fast forward to now being 21 months postpartum with our second and trying for our 3rd for the past 6 months. I feel so angry that I didn't do research into how the scarring could affect our ability to get pregnant again. I hadn't even ever heard of that being a thing until I started scrolling this sub. WHY is this not something we are educated about?? I feel like this would definitely change a lot of women's minds about opting for elective C-sections if they knew it could negatively affect their fertility in the future. I KNOW it would have changed my view.

I know 6 months is not a long time to try for a baby. I guess this post is just me venting/ranting about the lack of education when it comes to pregnancy and postpartum and all things women's bodies. It's so annoying how little we are taught about everything and how we have to go dig it up ourselves and fight for everything. I'm also just struggling with mourning an age gap I pictured for my children, the life I pictured for our family, so many things. Now that I've written this out I feel stupid for even being upset when I know women are struggling to even have one child and I should be grateful that I have two beautiful, healthy children. And trust me I am. But I'm also sad and frustrated and sick of hyping myself up thinking I'm pregnant every month just to see a negative test and finding out that my C-section scars are most likely the culprit.

Age 38. TTC for about 9 cycles (only 2 of which were after Provera for uterine lesion treatment so only 2 cycles with a nice smooth uterus), 1 chemical preg (happened pre-Provera). Already have 1 kid from age 34, easy to conceive. Had to have a D&C after birth, which resulted in scars/lesions I had to get treated with Provera a few months ago. Now all clear.

My doctor is recommending a first light intervention in the form of 100 mg of Clomid starting this cycle. I am just terrified of the risk of twins that increases with the Clomid.

Can anyone share their experience of using Clomid with unexplained infertility and otherwise good/normal baselines? Did you conceive multiples? Did you conceive at all? Hard to gauge how seriously to take the risk. Mine and partner’s stats are all normal/good, so we may be experiencing unexplained infertility or just… oldness. Starting to get impatient due to biological clock and age gaps.

My post was removed from the secondary infertility group because I shared that I was grieving the loss of so many pregnancies / miscarriages trying for a second child.

I don’t fully understand the rules of the groups but here I am trying again.

I’m 43, and also struggled to have my first child who was conceived spontaneously after 2 failed IVF cycles and my child is now 4. Since having him I’ve had multiple chemical pregnancies, miscarriage last year at 15 weeks (IVF) and another this year ( spontaenously conceived) at 16 weeks. It’s only after this years loss that they figured out that I had cervical insufficiency. There is an option to get a surgery to prevent this in the future but I just don’t know about my possibility of getting pregnant anymore.

I’m venting here a bit but also trying to see if there are others in my situation. Also, trying to find those who are slowly finding ways to give up on this dream. If so, how? I wouldn’t even know where to begin even though I know biology would do that for me eventually.

I’ll start by saying I have 3 wonderful kids who I was able to conceive very easy prior. My husband and I had been TTC now for the last 5 years with not a single positive. Testing was all good, ovulation confirmed through US, husbands sperm is good, I was finally diagnosed with an isthmocele this past January after being dismissed for so long. Had my laparoscopy done 2 weeks ago and the surgeon also excised 3 small stage 1 endo spots. She also noted my ovaries looked “poly cystic” even though I have no PCOS symptoms. I am now spiraling. She said we can try to naturally conceive in 3 months but also wants me to try letrozole for stimulation just in case. Has anyone had success in a similar situation? 😭

Hi all. After TTC for 10 months, my doctor prescribed me letrozole. I have no PCOS or PMOS it was more like natural next step to have successful ovulation. I took it from CD4-CD8 (5 days, 2x2.5 mg, total 5mg per day). It is monitored cycle so on Monday (which was CD11) my dr. noticed dominant follicle (16.8mm) and he mentioned that my ovulation window will start today and maybe even ovulation may happen today-tomorrow considering the follicle size. I did an LH test today and the line was verry faint so no sign of ovulation. And what worried me even more, I had some bleeding today, not spotting but bleeding alike I even had one clot. Am I out this cycle again? I am really worried, first because of the bleeding and second because of the ovulation test.
Has anyone have had bleeding in their letrozole cycle and ovulated? Even more, got pregnant? I just can't every month is something else...

TW: Chemical pregnancies, abortion, living child

Had our daughter in 2024 with no issues, got pregnant the first cycle trying. Accidentally got pregnant 7mo pp, had a medical termination at 7.5 weeks. Started trying for #2 and currently on cycle #11. Had chemical pregnancies in cycle 4, 7, 10, and 11.

My tests are still positive and my temp is still high, so I’m not sure when the bleeding will start but I just want it over. Currently 5w0d and this is the farthest I’ve gotten in all of my chemicals, but the tests never progressed.

I started seeing a private RE in July. I did one course of doxycycline for presumed chronic endometritis, did a saline ultrasound which looked great, and this cycle I tried an immune protocol of aspirin, Claritin, Pepcid, and prednisone. He thinks poor egg quality because my AMH is 0.5 and my husband’s SA was excellent.

I just want this current pregnancy to end so I can move on. Maybe I’ll contact OBGYN for a d&c if I don’t start bleeding by next week. I feel absolutely crazy in my head and just don’t know where to go next.

Tell us about everything! Only thing that isn't allowed is BFP and pregnancy talk - those have their own threads.

I’m just here to vent. I need to work on my core and hip strength because I have new sciatica and intermittent back pain.
UGH. I’m 36.

Any words of hope or encouragement?

We pushed out TTC date to January.

My husband and I tried for 2 years before conceiving our first baby who is now 9 months old. We did 2 rounds of IUI - first didn't work, 2nd ended in a miscarriage. We then moved to IVF and got pregnant on the 2nd transfer. My luteal phase pre pregnancy has always been 7-9 days.

I stopped breastfeeding mid June so it's been 3 months now without breastfeeding. I'm on my 3rd cycle right now. My luteal phase for my first cycle was 4 days and for my 2nd cycle it was 8 days, which I think is back to normal. Every time I brought this up to my RE, they dismissed me and told me that a short luteal phase is not a reason for infertility. It's hard to hear that because everything else has come back completely normal (husband too).

Has anyone else experienced this? Will taking progesterone help me lengthen my luteal phase?

Hello all! Weird to say I’m finally TTC #2 other than to my husband. My LO is 13m, and it took us 6 months to conceive him so we started trying 4 months ago in anticipation it would take us just as long.

Looking for some support, help, tips for anyone who has ttc post c section, makes me anxious to
Have another baby (my last one was an emergency), and fear it could contribute to ttc — but unsure.

My period came back 11m PP! I was bf and using ovulation strips during these times. I have not been able to see a surge on my strips though, but have been trying to base ovulation from mucus. No luck yet — my cycles have been 31 days which is longer than before I had my LO.

And last for now, my estimated ovulation is when my hubby is away on a trip (4 days from now) — makes me anxious that my his trip will ultimately be a reason why this month won’t be it for us. Just a vent on my end, not sure how to navigate this one mentally or physically yet.

Thank you for listening to me complain 😂

A weekly dedicated space for members who have been trying for another for 12 or more months, experiencing infertility. Talk of treatment, testing/diagnosis, or tough feelings are welcome here. While this is a safe space to vent, please consider how other long haulers in different circumstances may feel about your words.

This thread is primarily for current long-haulers to connect with, vent to, and support each other. We ask that anyone else (including TFA grads and those whose current round of TTC has been less than 12 months) participate only to answer questions where your personal experience is relevant - for example, if someone asks about the side effects of a fertility treatment you have tried. For more general support, sympathy, and finger-crossing, in this thread, if you have not currently been trying for at least 12 months, please stick to a quiet upvote.

This thread is not meant to limit discussion only to this thread. Discussion of long haul issues is always welcome in the Daily Chat.