First fertility clinic appointment- what happens?

[daisyrosie]

Hi everyone. I've recently been referred to my local NHS fertility clinic by my GP and my first appointment in at the end of February. I just wondered what usually happens at the first appointment, is it just a review and a chance to talk about further tests and fertility treatments or will I have tests done on the day?

For background, I came off the pill nearly 4 yrs ago and I have PCOS which was diagnosed 9 yrs ago. I've had a smear test and 21 day bloods and hormone/infertility screening blood tests done. All results have come back normal and GP said I ovulated last cycle as progesterone level was 45. My DH had a SA done and he is normal too, so the issues are to do with me. Are there any questions I need to be asking when I go to my hospital appointment?

Thanks in advance, would really appreciate any help.

[Biscuitsforbribes]

Hi daisy, I had my first appointment last week. I'd already had day 21 bloods and an ultrasound of my ovaries, and my husband took his sperm analysis results with us.

What happened with us is that I got measured and weighed for BMI purposes, and then our consultant asked me a lot of questions about how often we have sex, how long we had been trying, symptoms, medical history etc. He was really thorough and down to earth. The next step for us was to be sent away to wait for an appointment for a hycospy scan of my Fallopian tubes which I need to book the first day of my next cycle and a blood test appointment card for day 21 bloods again! Bit of an anti climax

This might be different for you dependent on where you are in your cycle/ medical factors/ test results so I wouldn't think to much about others experiences. The best bit of advice I was given is to write any and all questions that you have no matter how silly you think they are before you go, and ask your doctor the lot. Also, if you can, take someone with you as an extra set of ears as it can be a lot to take in!

Good luck! Hope all goes well!

[Frustratedmummy79]

It's a few years since my first appt but I remember a lot of talking about how long we'd been trying etc. I don't think we'd done many tests at that point so further tests were booked including a hysterosalpingogram to check tubes. At my first appt they did an internal scan to check my ovaries, sadly they had forgotten to include this info in my appt letter so it was a bit of a shock for me!
Good luck!

[eggsinthefridge]

Can I ask how long ago you were referred? I have only recently been referred to our local fertility clinic and been told that I could be waiting up to two years due to waiting lists.

[Biscuitsforbribes]

It took ten months for us, but we're in Wales which is notoriously slow for this. The rest of GB seems much more on the ball! Two years sounds extreme, I really hope they've got that wrong, did they give reasons?

[eggsinthefridge]

I'm in Scotland. They never gave a reason. My GP recommended 'not holding my breath' for it happening any time soon, and to basically forget about it for a year before chasing it up.

[daisyrosie]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I got my referral a couple of weeks ago after stopping my pill 4 years ago (due to other events not related to GP) and first appointment is at the end of February so about 6 weeks, although it feels like we've been waiting longer due to getting blood tests and SA through the GP.

We weren't given any of our results as a print out, we were just told they were normal range. Do they get sent to the hospital as part of the referral? It would just be good to have anyway for our own reference.

Good luck to you all with tests etc.

Fingers crossed you're not waiting much longer eggs.

[Biscuitsforbribes]

Yeah they get sent with your referral, and i asked my consultant for a copy and for him to explain every hormone level they tested, why they tested it, what it should be and what could be done to work on them (as mine were ridiculously high). Your surgery should give you a print out if you call up and request it. I'm much better at asking for what I want now after being on these boards!

[daisyrosie]

That's good to know, thanks. Just a thought regarding waiting times, my GP referred me on the basis of my PCOS for fertility investigations, because they then do the full range of tests, whereas I was told that if they refer specifically for IVF there is a lot more paperwork to fill in for the referral and then the 18month - 2yr waiting list. Could that be what your GP meant eggs?

[eggsinthefridge]

I hope that is the case daisy. My GP discussed the referral and how broad she was being as basically all the tests they would have done, such as blood tests and semen analysis, they hadn't yet been done but will definitely get these done ASAP. It's reassuring that others have been seen much quicker than the 2 years. This past year has been utter hell with pure frustration at my cycle and not being able to conceive. I don't know how I could continue to put up with this not knowing what is happening and whether there is a quick fix or it is something more serious. The referral is certainly for fertility investigations though, but I hope she is ill-informed about the waiting times for this.

[Whatdoidohelp]

My first appointment was loads of paperwork, weight and height and going through previous tests ie SA and day 21. From that appointment to starting ivf was about 15 months so be prepared for the long haul.

[daisyrosie]

I know how you feel about the frustration, I felt like I was losing my mind sometimes! Feeling much better now that the ball is rolling. Did your GP give you an e-referral? That's what mine did and you can choose where you go for treatment, the waiting time for first appointment and the appointment dates and times available. If you still need blood tests and SA test done, your best bet is to do these and then ask the GP for the referral based on the results. It does feel like jumping through hoops but keep going!

[daisyrosie]

Thanks whatdoido, I shall be prepared for lots of form filling and weighing! To be honest that is a good thing as the info my GP had is out of date so it may help things along if they can see I've been trying to lose weight and eat more healthily.

[rachelb1985]

Hi daisyrosie i was just about to start up a message similiar to this as i have recently been referred to a fertility specialist. I had my first appointment a few weeks ago. He just said my day 21 blood test was good but didnt tell me the progestorne level was which i would like to ask on my next appoint. He asked questions about me and my partner. I had taken my partners sa results with me as he had been given them by his doctor. The specialist said his results were poor but he needed another test done incase this was just a one off or something had caused that reading i.e wee infection which he found out he had a few days after doing the test.
They have sent me appointmenrs for a internal scan which is a camera looking inside im told it feels a bit like smear test. Im also waiting to have a day2 blood test on my next period.
My body seems to let me get my hopes up a lot :(

[MrsCrumbtious]

So glad to find this thread. We got a referral to the fertility clinic in March so not too much of a wait.

Hoping they can answer some questions we have and hopefully won't wait too long for more diagnoses

Xx

[daisyrosie]

Hi Rachel, that's good news about your day 21 test, I'm sure they would have said if it had indicated that you hadn't ovulated. Good luck with your partners next SA, fingers crossed it was just the wee infection causing the issue, they are nasty things aren't they!

Mrs Crumbtious, my first appt is the last week of Feb so similar time. I'm so glad I started this thread, perhaps we could all update how things are going/vent when we want to?! As supportive as my hubby is I don't want to bore him with all the talk of tests etc. Good luck to you both xx

[MrsCrumbtious]

I'd love that! Hubby thinks I'm getting a bit obsessed with ttc so it would be great to find someone to chat with going through the same :-)

[daisyrosie]

Mine too, I guess because we're constantly reminded of TTC with our cycles we are much more aware of it. It's certainly hard to ignore! Still, not too much longer to wait now. I'm actually looking forward to the testing in a weird way, one step closer to baby!

I saw an advert online for inofolic which is a treatment for PCOS, have you heard of it? I've not heard of it before.

[MrsCrumbtious]

No, there's so many different supplements/treatments out there it's so confusing haha! I took pregnacare conception last year and AF disappeared so really worried about taking anything that might mess up my cycles xx

[daisyrosie]

I'm the same, I've been taking the Healthspan conception vitamins but I've not tried anything else. I did wonder, if things like that work, surely they would be recommended by doctors, so I might mention it at my appointment at the end of the month. How are things with you? Xx

[MrsCrumbtious]

I'm good thanks, had the letter through for our appointment yesterday and strangely looking forward to it
Have been trying pre seed for a few months to see if that helps instead of supplements but guess it wouldn't hurt to ask about any vitamins to take especially for my hubby (he's more likely to listen to a medical expert rather then me nagging!)
So have you had any scans etc before your appointment? You said you've got PCOS? Xx

[daisyrosie]

How have you found the pre-seed? I've heard it mentioned on here but never tried it. Like you say it can't hurt! My hubby is the same, he did take the male conception vitamins for a while but stopped them. We have been having smoothies for breakfast for a few months so I'm hoping they will help a bit with the diet! I've had some blood tests recently but not had a scan for 10yrs since I was diagnosed with pcos, so I will be interested to see what's happening in there! Xx

[rachelb1985]

Thats really interesting to read mrscrumbtious as i have recently started taking pregnacare conception vitamins also and had a very strange and late period this month. I will have to see if it happens again. I had my blood test today "day 2 blood test" the doctor called it i cant wait to hear the results and get some amswers.

[daisyrosie]

Hi Rachel, when do you get your blood test results? Hope it goes well, I'm sure you'll get some answers now as you've had the day 21 done as well.

[popmpl]

hey huns. I am facing secondary infertility, and referred for a fertility treatment. Hubby SA is done and my blood works are also done. Can anyone tell what shall i expect? Are they going to do the tubes test again? I have a son already, who i conceived after the treatment. So i had that tube test done even before. I have PCOS too

[daisyrosie]

Hi popmpl, I'm not sure what happens in the case of secondary infertility, but they probably would want to do the tube test again if that worked for you before. It will also depend on what your blood results and SA showed. I have my first appointment a week on Friday so I can let you know what happens if you would find it useful. Xx