Hello! Thx so much for the welcome! This sounds like a positive, encouraging & supportive bunch!

My husband suggested I look to see if there were any support groups I could join. So I began googling fertility & the Mayo clinic. I haven't been accepted at Mayo yet. I just recently decided to get a 2nd opinion & thought of this hospital.

I started my journey about a year & a half ago. My husband & I got married & decided to begin trying in 2018. He was 36 & I was 38. We started w/ my Obgyn. She said to try for 1 year. Then said if we weren't successful, to contact a Dr she knew at Mid Iowa Fertility, one of the only clinics in Iowa that I know of, which is where we live.

I used an OPK the entire year we tried. I had Positive surges each month, but we didn't conceive. Finally in March 2019, we went to see the fertility Dr.

We both did tests. We found my husband had a 0 sperm count b/coz he was on TRT (testosterone replacement therapy). The Dr ordered him to go off & got him on HCG & chlomid. We were to evaluate again in 4 months (July).

I had an ultrasound, HSG X-rays, & bloodwork done. We found I had an about average egg count (7 egg follicles), a normal ovulation cycle that month, & a really small fibroid that didn't cause the Dr any concerns. He suggested we wait until my husband's count increased to try an IUI.

In July, sure enough my husband's count significantly increased enough for us to do an IUI in August. We froze several vials so that he could go back on TRT.

In August, rather than just waiting for my cycle to begin as normal, the Dr ordered me to go on Femara on days 3-7. Then, the Dr said, to go in for my IUI, when I got a Positive surge, or if I didn't have a Positive surge by Day 15, to go in for an ultrasound.

My OPK showed Positive surges every month prior, but while on Femara, it didn't. Instead it would just show flashing (estrogen was detected but not the LH hormone). So, on Day 15, I went in for an ultrasound. We found 4 egg follicles measuring 12 to 15.5 mm. The nurse (only nurses perform the IUI's at this clinic) said we wanted at least 1 egg to be 18 mm. So, I should go back in 3 days (Day 18). I went back in for what we hoped to be our IUI, but the ultrasound showed I had already ovulated, & we missed our window.

So, from August to October, I was on Femara on cycle days 3-7. I would never show a Positive surge (just flashing) even though bloodwork performed later on showed ovulation. During these months, the nurses never caught my ovulation window in time for my IUI. I would either go in for my ultrasound too early, too late, or not have enough ultrasounds done to catch my follicles at the right size before I ovulated.

This month, the day before Thanksgiving, the Dr wanted to take a look at the fibroid we saw earlier, which had been small at the beginning. He said it grew & he advised that I have it removed via abdominal myomectomy before we try an IUI. I was & am heart stricken.

I've been a competitive athlete for many years & still want to compete (or at least train) as long as I can. I took a break so my husband & I could try to get pregnant.

Now, we have to deal w/ this fibroid, which I think was aggravated by the Femara. This med not only made a small fibroid bigger, but it also made my ovulation unpredictable.

I'm worried for the surgery, its possible complications, & it setting me back to workout. The recovery time, then trying again for the IUI, which has already been an emotional roller coaster, has dimmed our hopes on conceiving.

I was hoping to see the Mayo clinic for a 2nd opinion, or alternatives. This clinic we're at now has not been very sympathetic, or helpful.

Thank u for letting me share. If u have any advice, or if u can share ur experience w/ fibroids, recovery, or IUI's I would greatly appreciate it. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 🙏🏼💕