IF support group

[bluefish]

Aside from here, have any of you reached out to an IF support group? I found out about one in my area a few months ago, but have been dragging my feet to get there. Even though we are all in tx or figuring out how to live life child free, it still seems overwhelming to put myself out in front of strangers.

The further we go in this process, I would really like to have some one to share stories, emotions, and frustrations with.

My H understands what 's going on, but he isn't so well equipped to analyze *feelings* I need someone I can vent/talk to about IF who knows what I'm feeling is normal and can empathize with me.
Oh the Places You'll Go!
*i am here*

[awick14]

I haven't found anything like that where I live. But I would love to find somewhere I could go and talk with people face to face about it.

I agree that DH doesn't get the feelings part of it. We were talking tonight and he said that talking can't undo what's happened so why bother.

[King26]

We have one at the hospital here, but it's such a small town where everyone knows everyone that I didn't feel comfortable going to it.

I don't go to a support group, but I do have a friend at work who went through the same process it the same RE, so it's been so nice to have someone to talk to IRL, cry with, and share my story with. I didn't really want to tell anyone about what we've been going through, but she's trustworthy and hasn't told anyone, and it's been a huge help to me.

[starburst604]

I don't know of anything either, though I haven't really looked into it. I belong to a private FB group that a friend from high school added me to (she had IVF). I also chat with a few people who have dealt with IF in the past and have kids now, like H's best friend's wife. It's good to be able to talk to someone who gets it. Other people are supportive but it's different when someone has been there themselves.

[pooh8402]

This is my main support group. There is a coworker who is dealing with IF too, so she is also a support system. But a formal local support group? No. I doubt we even have something like that.

[riffraff]

We had one through our RE's office in Florida, we haven't found anything like that on Phoenix yet. I'm hoping my re has one like in Florida.

[oneslybookworm]

This and GetP are my main support groups. I have a few friends that struggled with IF, but I haven't reached out to them just yet. Something about the anonymity of the internet makes me feel safe.

[discogranny]

There's a good chance this is going to come off as flameful, but: My RE's office has one, but when I mentioned attending he told me in a delicate manner told me that most people were pretty new to IF treatment and tended to cycle out pretty fast. I think he was both aware that it might not have been a good fit for me and that he didn't want me to scare off his new patients with my bad endings.

There's a group hosted at one of the mega-churches nearby but only at their branch that is over an hour away, so I've never gone.

[starburst604]

discogranny that's a good point. Other types of support groups, like loss of a loved one or an addiction, people don't just recover from that and no longer have the issue. With IF, most people get their golden ticket to leave at some point which will only be more frustration for others who are taking longer to get there.

[G22]

There isn't anything like that around here. I consider this group my people and my support. Ive never been so thankful for forum of internet strangers I've never met in person. Though I've been around long enough, I've made some good IRL friends out of it.

I am on a private FB group for military wives going through IF at the base where well be going through IVF. They are nice, but its mostly a quiet board unless someone has a question. But I did find a cycle buddy there so she and I keep in contact as we get closer to October.

[loira]

I've considered attending a loss support group. I've felt exceedingly isolated in what I've gone through, and even though my H and I talk about it quite a bit, it's not the same as talking to another woman who went through all the same physical and mental trauma. There do seem to be quite a few where I live, but most of them are for stillbirth and neo-natal loss. I don't worry about people judging me, because fuck them if they do, but if there's no one there who's gone through the burden of choice it's not really what I'm looking for. Also, I can barely express my feelings to close friends and family, let alone strangers.

[kristind3]

My local board has a decent IF subgroup that is a great place for support. Most of them are on the other side though, whereas I'm one of the few without a kid. There's only a couple that are still thinking about/pursuing treatments.