CRGW

[Jacky83]

Is anyone else on here having treatment with CRGW in South Wales? Just wondering what other people's experiences with them have been.

[CritterTamer]

Hi OP yes I've had previous treatment with them and am currently cycling with them again (FET this time). Happy to chat if you want to PM me 😊

[Becbelly]

Hi Both, just wondering how you both got on at CRGW?

We are on the NHS waiting list but with Covid holding everything back we are hoping to start some treatment with them.
Have a consultation next month.
Thanks.

[SamoyedFan123]

@Becbelly I can't recommend CRGW (Llantrisant branch) highly enough.

[Becbelly]

[quote SamoyedFan123]@Becbelly I can't recommend CRGW (Llantrisant branch) highly enough.[/quote]
That's good to know, the Llantrisant one is where we will be going. We did have to go there for a few NHS tests when we first started. We are now under the heath but everything is moving so slow with Covid. We were referred for treatment last Jan and still nothing

[minionme]

I've starting tests but unsure of how things will progress... so far I have a high amh of 55, not had a proper consultation yet so will see.

[Cat028]

Hi, I have a consultation with CRGW at the beginning of March. I have only had basic contact with them so far but excited to get started.

[Becbelly]

@Cat028 if it's the llantrisant one it's lovely in there. Not been in any of the others. We have already been diagnosed on NHS with male infertility. So all my tests have back ok but the next bit of treatment before we can go any further has been put on hold for a year now, so we are considering going private for as much as we can afford.
I'm excited to speak to them next month and hopefully get some things rolling.

[Cat028]

@BecBelly my tests showed low progesterone and my DH has low morphology.

We were told to expect a 2 year wait (end 2022/early 2023) so have come for private treatment. We have been trying for 5 years so far.

It seems to be a combination for us. We will go to the Swansea clinic for tests/scan but Llantrisant for egg collection and transfer.

[Becbelly]

@Cat028 so sorry to hear that. We have been waiting 3 years now since we first went to our GP, but I think we would have been seen last year if not for all the things going on.

They think we are more than likely going to need a sperm donor, but we want to try the retrieval as a last hope before we go down that route. So hoping to go private for the retrieval. Just hope things get moving quick.

Three girls in work are pregnant and two of my close friends. All I'm seeing is announcements at the moment, it's getting harder to put on a brave face.

[Cat028]

@BecBelly

I'm sorry to hear you have been waiting so long too. Covid definitely has put a spanner in everything!

I understand wanting to try the retrieval. I think I'd want to do the same in your position. When is your consultation?

I hear you! Hopefully we have something to look forward to with our consultations coming up. I don't think I can do another pregnancy announcment! A few work friends have had their little ones and my best friend had her 3rd the week I would have been due. (Had a miscarriage back in May.) That was the hardest one to swallow.

[Becbelly]

@Cat028 I'm so sorry to hear that, I bet that was really hard! It's heart breaking. Trying so hard to be happy for people but unless they have been through this they just don't understand. Do you have people you can talk to? My mum doesn't get it, but I have a family member in the same boat so we lean on each other a lot.

I have a scan 15th March and then consultation is the end of March. DP isn't to keen on paying private for his retrieval as he thinks there will be nothing there so a waste of money. But we will definitely do it for a chance. I talked to the NHS and it's fine to have some but some private if we want to.

Covid has a lot to answer for, we were supposed to get married last year and postponed to this year, but looks like we will be moving it again.

[Cat028]

@BecBelly 100%, such a tough journey. I'm naturally impatient too so this is driving me to the edge. I am quite open about what is happening so have a handful of people I trust to talk about it with but the only one who really understands is my auntie. She went through IVF and adoption so I talk to her about everything.

Must be such a tough decision. I get what your DH thinks but if there is a chance you'd get something I'd go for it too. They said the same to me about being fine to have some private treatment in the meantime.

That's such a shame about your wedding! When would have been your wedding date?

[Becbelly]

@Cat028 it would have been May 2020 and now due June this year. Can see us moving again though. The wedding was a good distraction but now it's not distracting any more I want to get treatment moving.

Ah it is good to have someone who understands. I know a few people who have a adopted. I think if treatment didn't work for us we may consider it. But I really would love a child of our own so much. Time is ticking by and like you I really am fed up of waiting now.

I'm excited for our appointment I just hope DP doesn't turn around and say he wants to wait for NHS. I been trying to tell him how nice it will be for him having it done private lol. I know it is a lot of money but with postponing the wedding we can use that and replenish it.

March will be there before we know it! Do you have any appointments before your consultation? I have to have a scan and bloods and DP drop a sample in. Wondered if it was standard practise. Llantrisant is local to us but they have a really good offer on for the consult which made DP happy to book lol.

[Blueron123]

[quote Becbelly]@Cat028 so sorry to hear that. We have been waiting 3 years now since we first went to our GP, but I think we would have been seen last year if not for all the things going on.

They think we are more than likely going to need a sperm donor, but we want to try the retrieval as a last hope before we go down that route. So hoping to go private for the retrieval. Just hope things get moving quick.

Three girls in work are pregnant and two of my close friends. All I'm seeing is announcements at the moment, it's getting harder to put on a brave face. [/quote]
Hi, my husband had his retrieval with Gareth Brown at Nuffield Llantrisant. It's next to CRGW. The embryologist from CRGW carried out the procedure with Dr Brown. He's a fantastic urologist and I highly recommend him.
We had no option but to pay. We had been waiting for years to have it done through IVF Wales and just as we were about to have it done, the urologist went on long term sick! I think it cost £2000 and was worth every penny. Good luck

[minionme]

@Blueron123
Hi I'm pretty new to ivf and I've not had a proper consultation yet. Does every man have to have a retrieval or can the sperm be given naturally? Only asking as I know my husband defo wouldn't do it that way.

[Cat028]

@BecBelly I'm sure it was a great distraction for you. I remember being so busy in the run up to the wedding. You never know June is a bit of a way off yet. Do you have long to decide? We have been using travelling to take our mind off things but that's had to come to a stop. 😞

It's definitely something we would consider. To be honest I'm so terrified of needles that I have always said if I didn't happen naturally I wouldn't do IVF. But I've come to the realisation now that this is the reality that I have to try. I'm so anxious though! The waiting is what really made the decision for us in the end. I can't do another 2 years of this.

Hopefully after the appointment he might see that it's worth going for it. Haha! I'm sure you can be persuasive. The cost definitely made our decision harder but we have saved a bit over the years and we'd rather put it towards this.

I'm sure it'll fly by. Yeah, I have bloods and a scan next week. We have results for my DH already so they have accepted those and he doesn't need to do another sample. That's great! Hopefully if he's up for the consultation it means he might be open to the retrieval.

@minionme I am new to this as well but I think it depends on the man and if there are concerns about his sperm. I'm sure someone with a bit more knowledge will come along but I think my DH just has to give a sample.

[Blueron123]

[quote minionme]@Blueron123
Hi I'm pretty new to ivf and I've not had a proper consultation yet. Does every man have to have a retrieval or can the sperm be given naturally? Only asking as I know my husband defo wouldn't do it that way. [/quote]
Hi,
Men have to provide a sperm sample as part of the initial tests. My husband didn't have any sperm in his sample so had to repeat it and we had the same result. He had blood tests, these can indicate if there is a sperm production problem, his results were normal. We paid for a private consultation with Gareth Brown and he said from what he could feel, my husband didn't have vas deferens (these are the tubes that are connected to the testicles and carry the sperm to the ejaculatory ducts), so he was hopeful that our problem was an obstruction rather than production issue. Luckily for us, my husband had lots of sperm in the epididymis and we managed to freeze 6 vials. We've used 2 so far with IVF Wales, hopefully 3rd time lucky with CRGW 🤞🏼

[Blueron123]

[quote Cat028]@BecBelly I'm sure it was a great distraction for you. I remember being so busy in the run up to the wedding. You never know June is a bit of a way off yet. Do you have long to decide? We have been using travelling to take our mind off things but that's had to come to a stop. 😞

It's definitely something we would consider. To be honest I'm so terrified of needles that I have always said if I didn't happen naturally I wouldn't do IVF. But I've come to the realisation now that this is the reality that I have to try. I'm so anxious though! The waiting is what really made the decision for us in the end. I can't do another 2 years of this.

Hopefully after the appointment he might see that it's worth going for it. Haha! I'm sure you can be persuasive. The cost definitely made our decision harder but we have saved a bit over the years and we'd rather put it towards this.

I'm sure it'll fly by. Yeah, I have bloods and a scan next week. We have results for my DH already so they have accepted those and he doesn't need to do another sample. That's great! Hopefully if he's up for the consultation it means he might be open to the retrieval.

@minionme I am new to this as well but I think it depends on the man and if there are concerns about his sperm. I'm sure someone with a bit more knowledge will come along but I think my DH just has to give a sample. [/quote]
I was petrified at the thought of injecting myself, I'm a big baby but honestly they don't hurt at all.

[Cat028]

@Blueron123 That's really reassuring to hear. I have just managed to come to terms with the blood tests. Hopefully it will be okay.

[Blueron123]

Honestly the blood tests hurt a lot more. I couldn't feel the stim injections.

[Becbelly]

@Cat028 oh my gosh I'm the same with needles... I have also recently been diagnosed with a condition that can cause blood clots which can lead to miscarriages so I will have to inject myself with clexane if I get pregnant. The thought of it makes me feel sick! But will be worth it I hope. I'm so glad your DH sample was ok, hope the scan and bloods go ok, let me know how it goes!

@minionme my DP has nothing in his samples, also his FSH levels where high which makes them think he's not producing sperm. But the DR on the NHS said it was worth a try to do the retrieval so we know we tired everything before we go down the route of a donor.

@Blueron123 thank you for that information. That is so good to know!! I will look in to that. So he is located in llantrisant? Yea we were told the consult who does the retrieval on the NHS was on the sick and then going to retire and train a new doctor up. But again he hasn't had chance to with Covid.

[Blueron123]

@Becbelly so they still don't have a urologist? That's crazy! We waited months, they kept promising us we would be transferred to Bristol, we were told we were next on the list but it never happened. In the end my mum said enough is enough I'm paying for you to go private. I got back in touch with Gareth Brown and he said he could do the procedure in 3 weeks. IVF Wales said we could transfer the sperm to them but we'd have to pay for the courier!!!l I was so angry because of the stress they had caused, in the end they agreed to pay it.
Gareth brown is a Urologist at Royal Glam but he holds a private clinic at Nuffield in Llantrisant. I did a lot of research beforehand because I wanted to ensure we chose a good urologist with this type of speciality and I'm so glad we did. The embryologist from CRGW attends the procedure in order to check the sperm etc. The embryologist is called Lyndon, and from what I've heard he's really good. He used to work for IVF Wales but left in order to setup CRGW.
If you need anymore info please let me know.

[Blueron123]

@Becbelly my husband was due to have the procedure with the urologist in December 2018, but then he went off sick. We had it done privately in May 2019. I can't believe it's been over two years and they still don't have someone to do it. What are they doing then if they need to do sperm retrieval?

[Becbelly]

@Blueron123 we were referred by our GP to the royal Glamorgan to start investing and then were referred on to the heath. Dr Jenkins is the urologist in the heath and he was the one we seen who told us he had been off on the sick and was waiting to train up a replacement as retiring, that was Jan 2020 when he referred us and still not heard anything, so I called them about three months ago and they said they were not doing them at the moment. heading in to my late 30's now so don't really want to wait much longer. It's so frustrating!! Would you recommend Gareth Brown to do the retrieval over CRGW, or do they refer you to him anyway?

[Cat028]

@Blueron123 It's definitely the fear of the unknown for me. I am more comfortable with blood tests now so hopefully like you say they will be fine. 🤞🏻

@BecBelly that sounds really scary. I'm glad you have an option though to protect yourself to prevent the clots. My DH has said he will inject me if I can't manage it myself. I have started watching the med videos on the CRGW website to try and even look at the needles. 🙈