After 18 months of trying naturally, we eventually went to the GP who suggest we seek assistance.  It was early 2005 and we first visited the Hull IVF unit.

Over the next few months we both underwent various tests and I was found to have some mild polycystic symptoms.  I was prescribed Metformin but this lengthened my periods to 55+ days so after 4 months we switched to a prescription of 3 months of Clomid.  Still unsuccessful, we were prescribed another 3 months but were advised that we should perhaps try IVF at the end of that course.  We just started to get out heads round IVF when round 4 was positive.  We were pregnant!  Our first child arrived 3 weeks early on Christmas Eve 2007.

And all was good….until the desire to have another kicked in!!  Zac was about two when I started to feel I’d like him to have a sibling.

After a few months trying ourselves, we booked to see our consultant at Hull IVF Unit again and as we rightly assumed, he prescribed Clomid again after the last success.  Six months went by, we went back and got another six months.  With just one more month to go, we were starting to panic and at a consultant’s meeting, he suggested that given my age at that time, 37, as as results were indicating I may be prone to early menopause, and, of course as 11 rounds of Clomid hadn’t worked, he suggested IVF.

I wasn’t at all ready to cash in my last chip of hope, so he thankfully prescribed another 3 months of Clomid to allow me time to read up on the IVF treatment as get our heads round it.

Our first round was in November 2011.  I was extremely poorly after hyper-stimulating, so much so that the cycle was almost cancelled.  This was on top of a terrible cold and chest infection so I wasn’t well at all.  However, we were able to proceed placing one blastocyst embryo back and freezing three other excellent blastocysts.  We got a positive test, but I never felt well  throughout and sadly lost the pregnancy.  We were devastated but quickly got back onto the next cycle.

Cycle 2 was in February 2012 where two out of the three embryos survived and we had both place back.  Unlike before I felt pregnant, looked pregnant, acted pregnant – even felt nauseous! – yet the test was negative.  We were completely shocked!  We had been so sure we were pregnant we almost didn’t test!  That’s the effect of drugs for you!!

We prepared for cycle 3 which was in June 2012 where again I hyper-stimulated but we were better prepared this time and were able to coast for a little longer.  I felt in excellent health and frame of mind this time round. We had one excellent blastocyst placed back but sadly I started bleeding just one week later.

After three attempts so close together and three disappointments, we were utterly devastated this time.  There was no third time lucky for us.  The feeling that no amount of money or no amount of healthy eating and keeping fit were helping was truly horrendous.  We felt utterly out of control of our situation without any clue of what to do next or how best to move forward.

We took a month off to try to enjoy my brother’s wedding and after a review meeting with our consultant who just felt we’d been unlucky, we opted to try for a fourth time.  The pain of our failures, plus the impact it was all having on us, Zac and those around us, were beginning to take it’s toll.  We’d also spent a fortune.  We weren’t sure we could go on for much longer and felt this would be the final time.

Just 12 months after our first cycle, we began cycle 4 in November 2012.  Again I was hyper-stimulating but again we were able to keep it under control.  I had two excellent blastocysts and as this was probably going to be our last time, I asked to have both put back to give us the best chance.  The level of drugs I was on meant a urine test after the usual 2ww was futile as it would show a positive whether I was or not.  Blood tests at 5 weeks showed and unusually high hcg level and as scan showed we were finally pregnant.  A further scan at 7 weeks revealed a viable pregnancy with two heartbeats.  We were finally blessed with our twins.

After all we went through, and now with the crazy world of twins, our fertility journey is over and our family is finally, fortunately complete.  Zac adores his brother and sister and they in turn adore their wonderful big brother. x