Hi

My name is Chimene, my husband Aaron and I are trying to raise money for natural IVF treatment.

I have been suffering with various gynaecological problems since my teens. I have been to numerous doctors and gynaecologists through out my life trying to solve the pain and discomfort it was all causing me.

Unfortunately they just gave me pills and quick fixes that only masked the problems. I was abused as a child growing up and then later by the man I ended up with. I managed to escape him after 13 years of being trapped after a doctor realised what was going on and gave me a number to contact a refuge charity for abused women.

I then started to rebuild my life and had hope for the future. I then met my now husband Aaron who is the total opposite to the man I was with. I knew I was ready and happy to have a family with Aaron. I came off the pill thinking I still had a chance of having the family I always longed for but couldn't as the man I was with before was able to control this as well.

Unfortunately all the problems came back after coming off the pill but even worse. Again I went to numerous doctors trying to get them to investigate and find what was wrong. I had 4 miscarriages in the space of 2 years of trying and one doctor who was a locum took me seriously and ordered scans. It showed up a significantly large fibroid growing into and out of my uterus and in his opinion distorting it enough to prevent implantation.

I had to refer myself through choose and book to St Michaels Hospital Bristol. I had to wait nearly 4 months to be seen by an actual experienced gynaecologist. They made me have all these tests including a hysteroscopy of which I had to wait 3 more months for. They did not look into the fibroid for which I went there for. Another 2 months wait and they did a laparoscopy where they found endometriosis and the large fibroid. The endo was removed.

By this point me and my DH were getting desperate and I was in a lot of pain. Through a friends advice we got referred to Bath Fertility Centre. Where they told us the devastating news that I had diminished ovarian reserve. They told me I did not have much time left that I could go through the menopause in a few months to a few years. Any one reading this I hope can imagine the shock and upset I was feeling, we thought we were going there to finally get the fibroid removed. It was not the case all they were interested in was getting us to use our only one free IVF with them.

The whole experience was horrible and I knew half way in it was not going to give us the family we want so much. Two viable looking eggs were retrieved but Miscarried again 2 weeks later. I complained about the pain again and a doctor Walker when looking at the follow up scan told us it was because my uterus was tipped right back. The first scan I had that first showed the fibroid showed it as normal if slightly forward towards my abdomen. I told him that it must be the fibroid pulling it back as it grew more. he just shrugged and denied any connection with the fibroid.

4 years later, I finally I had the fibroid removed at Southmead Hospital Bristol. after recovering from the operation I was hoping to experience improvement regarding the pain and discomfort but my uterus had remained tipped right back. Doctors tried to tell me there was nothing that could be done and that I had to live with it (as if I hadn't been through enough) but I wasn't having it so I started to research surgeons who performed correction of the uterus. to my surprise it was doctor Walker in Bath that did this. The doctor agreed to write a referral letter to see him as soon as possible.

I had my uterus corrected Dec 12th 2016. I thought the last operation was painful but this was excruciating whilst I was healing inside. It has taken 6 months to fully recover from the operation and I have experienced a lot of relief pain and discomfort wise. However 5 years of my fertility have been wasted and my egg quality and supply is rapidly diminishing. Funny though how Bath fertility prognoses of me going through the menopause has not happened yet, I'm still ovulating and hanging in there.

I am experiencing hormonal changes though that cause me problems of their own. The whole experience has caused me a lot of stress and upset where I had to give up my job as a support worker, which I loved doing. I have always loved helping and supporting others and thought that when I needed it there would be someone to help and support me. My DH and I looked into adoption as well as I was always going to adopt even after having my own. We have found out that we cant as we are having to live with my DH's Mum and sister and there is no spare room.

We are trying to save money for Natural IVF first considering we don't have much time left but this has been proving difficult as my DH is a labourer and does not have regular work. I am also Dyslexic where I find it hard to find jobs that will accommodate me even though I have managed to gain qualifications to do these jobs.

This experience has certainly been an eye opener for me and my DH and I really hope anyone reading this even if you decide not to donate will be made aware what it is like for women like me and others out there suffering through no fault of their own with gynaecological and fertility problems. We may not be dying from them but it certainly can destroy your quality of life and leave you completely debilitated physically and mentally.

When I find our happy ending hopefully when we are blessed with a child of our own, I will be back on here raising money to help other women/couples out there suffering like this. They should not have to pay thousands of pounds for treatment in order to have something that should be a happy, wonderful natural part of life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.