IVF at Manchester St Marys

[pickupapenguin2]

Has anyone had or having IVF at St Mary’s? Have you had good experiences? I had a choice between Liverpool & Manchester but went for Manchester so just wondered what people’s experiences have been? I’ve only just been referred so at the beginning of the journey!

[DreamingOfBump]

Hi, just came across your thread and wanted to reply as I also got referred to St Mary’s this February so we may be on the same journey! We’ve been TTC our first for over a year but issues on both sides mean it’s not going to be possible without the help of IVF for us unfortunately. So far we’ve been really pleased with St Mary’s everything’s moving faster than I’d thought we were referred in mid Feb after initial tests at my GP and got our e-book appointment through end of Feb, pink forms arrived mid March and sent back the same day :) we were told to wait 10 working days before ringing to book in for initial test, had a slight issue at this point with missing forms but seems they had a back log due to the bank holidays and after hounding the poor nurses with calls day after day finally got my appointment through two weeks later. Went to St Mary’s for the 1st time at the end of April felt a little like a fish out of water but all the nurses were really lovely, had my scan and bloods done and hubbys tests and was told to wait 4-6 weeks for a letter inviting us to see the consultant to discuss our treatment and results, it will be 6 weeks on Monday so I’m just watching the letterbox now! Would be great to hear your journey so far and the journeys of any other ladies out there who have had experience of St Mary’s x

[Mumofadog]

Hi!
Are you ladies still on your IVf journey at St Mary’s?
We are about to embark on ours so would love to hear how it is going.
Would appreciate any guidance/advice ‘cause I am terrified right now.
😬

[DreamingOfBump]

Hi! Sorry it's taken me a few days to get back! What stage are you at? I find it so comforting to talk to other on here about our experience you'll get to find out lots from the ladies on here they are fab! We are still on our journey we had gp tests in November/December then got a referral in Feb pink forms arrived March then onto St Marys for initial scans, bloods, semen analysis and AMH bloods in April after that we waited a 6 weeks for our initial consultation but unfortunately at that appointment last week were told that St Marys were not able to treat us! Something to do with not being contracted to our CCG! I wish they had told us that months ago!? Anyway since then we've been referred to Sheffield CARE and our personal overall experience has been much better so far, we've been treated like humans rather than numbers and fingers crossed we saw the consultant in a free one to one session on Friday and as soon as the referral is complete and we sign the forms we will hopefully start injecting within the next two months I wish I could be more positive about st Marys for you but I wish people had told me about CARE sooner!! If you have any questions at all please message me I'm more than happy to share and listen it really does help in these stressful times, wishing you all the best! Xx

[Charliechalk123]

Hi, maybe coming on this a little late, how are you doing with St Mary’s. I have just been referred through Royal Preston.
We had our initial tests through GP and hospital, I have a low AMH and my partner low sperm count.
The professor said maybe cannot get nhs funding because of this, but he has sent a referral.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I keep reading lots of information and trying to stay positive, the professor who referred us suggested ICSI, has anyone had this? Thanks Natalie

[SpringLake]

@Charliechalk123 You should be able to find the local Trust rules for IVF referral online, it's likely to be based on age & weight & prior IVF treatment, of both of you. I haven't heard of it being based on medical grounds (except duration of unsuccessful trying).
Have you looked to see if the clinic has an open day soon? Anyone can go to those. It can help answer a lot of questions, before you get to the stage of having an appointment. We had a chance at the end of ours to put questions to the consultant 1-2-1 (not private, but quietly aside from the main group).
Sorry, I don't know your area or ICSI myself.

[Charliechalk123]

Thank you for this, I will call them tomorrow and see if they have an open day, i Have been reading the nice guidelines and think because I am 38 my AMH is low for this age group and this may be a reason why I will be refused on the nhs, how long did it take for your first appointment to come through, I was told around 6 weeks xx

[SpringLake]

The nice guidelines don't get uniformly applied so you have to find what the local nhs trust has chosen. i don't recall how long it was, but my first appointment was for an ultrasound and blood test (my gp didn't want to do my amh). it came through quicker than the surgery appt so i had to delay my ivf planning appt until after surgery... it's scheduled for the new year!

[Charliechalk123]

So you are planning to have your IVF this New Year? How are you feeling? I had my tests at Preston Hospital, but read on here that you usually have them done again after the initial appointment.. which clinic are you going to? Did you chose or were you referred via GP?
xx

[Lauren83]

@Charliechalk123 there's often a limit of FSH 2 I lost NHS funding at St Marys once my FSH went over 10

[Charliechalk123]

Is FSH the Pituitary test? I think mine came back low, but to be honest my mind went blank, I should have asked more questions but at the time didn't have any. I will write them all down when I go to see St Mary's, there is so much to take in x

[SpringLake]

@Charliechalk123 I am! I had to rush a bit as in my area funding is cut off as soon as you're 35!
I got to choose, any one in the country they said... though being as close to home as possible is a good idea (unless you feel dreadful about that one or their stats aren't great).
The nhs faxed over all my test results, so I didn't need anything repeating. Had one ultrasound and blood test (for new data) and that's been all.
There's another thread going now which you should see to read through... might help. I commented on it earlier today... called something like "anyone starting their ivf journey?)

[StillLikeAirIRise]

Hi Natalie, I'm currently having ICSI at St Marys if you want to ask anything about the clinic specifically. In terms of your funding though, I've no idea as I live in mcr so my CCG funding rules will be different from yours.

We started it off in sept 17 by me going to the GP as we'd been unsuccessfully TTC for 2 years exactly. I had 2 day 21 blood tests and a scan from the GP and my husband a semen analysis. These tests showed a low count only from husband, so the GP sent the referral in Jan 18.

St Marys sent a questionnaire back to us within a few weeks that we returned with the instructions to wait 10 days and book the female and male tests with the St Marys team (they repeat all the GP ones) these tests were done by March and we had a consultant apt through in the May where they confirmed we needed ICSI to conceive and to book a further apt with him ASAP but his waiting list for apt's was 4-6 months.

In the meantime book a seminar session where they talk about the process of IVF/ICSI to all of the prospective couples - we did this in June, and miraculously our apt came through for July. You sign all of the paperwork for IVF at the consultant apt and they talk through the protocol they have prescribed for you. On your next bleed you call the clinic to request treatment that month (if too many couples have called that week for the lab to be safe you will be delayed until the next bleed, they will delay you a max of twice I believe, but I have never been delayed).

On that bleed, they book a "teach" session where a nurse shows you exactly how to draw up and inject your medicine and you pay for the prescription (NHS charge) and you give your address details for a courier to deliver all of your medication before your next bleed. On your next bleed, you call to request treatment again and the nurses will call you back within a couple of days to confirm when you start your injections. They will give you a schedule on blood tests and scans to check your progress.

My first IVF started at the end of August, which I think was pretty quick really. I was on the short protocol so it was over and unfortunately failed by the end of September and since then I've also had a failed frozen transfer and yesterday had my last frozen embryo transferred so will be taking a pregnancy test on 31st Dec. I'm pretty tired as have been pretty much on IVF medication since the end of August!

I have found the individual nurses/doctors/embryologists at St Marys to be very kind and helpful, I've not had a bad experience with them, however the system is pretty frustrating- lots of waiting around etc. However it's a busy clinic and hospital and ultimately I'm not paying personally for the privilege as many do so I just get on with it as most would.

Good luck on your journey xx

[Charliechalk123]

Thank you so much for this information, it has really helped. I will keep you posted on your journey.
Good luck with yours, hopefully you will be going into the new year celebrating xx
Will you continue to keep trying, I have promised myself that I will try twice and then look at other options, I really don't it to take over my life, but it's hard to think about anything else xxx

[StillLikeAirIRise]

Hi @Charliechalk123 I'm extremely lucky that I have 3 funded NHS cycles and my CCG also funds any frozen embryos from each fresh cycle.

So I have only had one of the 3 cycles so far and therefore have 2 cycles left. This is even though I have had 3 transfers as I was lucky enough to to have a transfer from the fresh cycle and have 2 embryos good enough to freeze. Hope that makes sense!

I will have all of the funded cycles allowed to me, prior to starting this my husband and I agreed with each other that we won't fund any cycles ourselves and will draw our line at the 3 NHS cycles. Tbh if these don't work then we will not continue, it's exhausting and I'll be done by then I think

[STCx]

Hello, I have also just started with St Mary’s, I have had all my initial tests, had my first consultation and I have my group session in January and the signing of all the forms, is there another consultation after the group session? Just wondered because I have read everyone having another consultation but I would of thought they could of just told you everything in the first consultation? Hope everything’s going well for youse all!

[Charliechalk123]

Hi,
What did they talk about in your first consultation? I am waiting for immune appointment to come through.
What are the tests you had done? I think I may have already had these at my local hospital? x

[STCx]

Hello, my OH had his SA done, We had all my tests done at my local hospital also however they like to re do them all to be thorough! I had my bloods done, urine test, normal checks like bmi, blood pressure, I’m actually a little underweight so I’m eating constantly to try put on the weight otherwise I won’t get funding.. I also had to do an internal ultrasound, they also recommended to have a smear done so I got that done at my local gp.. then a month later I had my first consultation, and the doctor was great if I’m honest! I’d definitely be writing feedback about him! He just discussed our options which for us, our only option is icsi, but he was so positive about it all, I left a lot happier than I arrived! He was so nice! Have you booked in for you initial tests yet? xx

[Claireyfairyxx]

Hi everyone!

I am just about to start IVF at st Mary’s. My partner and I decided to have some tests as we have been trying for a little over a year (I am 37 my partner 41) this is our first.
In the past year I’ve had two very early miscarriages. Tests showed that my partner has a low sperm count and that I have low amh so the consultant told us to not waste any more time trying naturally.
We are having our group seminar tomorrow then are due to sign consent forms next week so fingers crossed!
How are your journeys going?? Xx