abc IVF experience sharing - 2021/2022

Welcome @Mazzaroo2022 !

We will literally be cycle buddies! So glad to have someone doing it at the same time as me. I couldn't get a consultation booked in until 20th Jan, but AF is due 1st Feb so i'll hopefully be just a few days behind you if I can start that cycle.

Does anyone have any advice on how they've dealt with this process whilst working? Has it been difficult to attend work or is it still possible? Just wondering if I should use my annual leave to have a few weeks off in Feb.

Hi all, really grateful for the info in this tread. Me and oh are v new to this journey. Been ttc for years and so tired of waiting for the nhs. After an info zoom call last week we’ve decided to go for it and are booked in for my us on 30th and a consultation on the 5th Jan. Af is due 28th Jan so hopefully we can start then.

@Millymillymillymillymilly Thank you again for starting the tread. Already so informative.

@star2022 we seem to be at the same stage :)

Got my fingers crossed for you all!!

I haven't started the process yet, but I can already see how stressful and hard it sounds. I've got my ultrasound booked for 30th Dec, and consultation January so hoping to start the process in February's cycle.

Good luck with your next nhs cycle @Millymillymillymillymilly and fingers crossed for you @Sazles99 Thanks for the update. Hope you get your christmas miracle.

@NDW84 I'm so sorry you've had to experience that, hopefully they may know more about doses now etc so hopefully a higher dose might help? I've no clue how it all works but praying for you too!

Thank you for asking , I went on wed and they got 2 eggs . Only one was mature and even after icsi nothing matured overnight :(
I’m going to go again on a higher does of Bemfola . We did ABC with 150 Bemfola last time and it was only on the last scan that all the follicles had started to grow so hoping with a higher dose I might get more ?
Such a horrible thing to experience ….

@Millymillymillymillymilly I would definitely be the same if I tested at home!

Oh wow, that's all happened so quick, which is surprising for the NHS! In the year since I raised my issues with my GP, I've only had one appointment where I was given 2 months worth of clomid and nothing since!

I think I'll follow it up in the new year if this round doesn't work for us!

I guess the NHS approach is the more 'conventional' IVF, in that they try and control your cycle first, rather than work with it in the mild approach?

Ah what timing for a new job! You don't HAVE to tell them anything, do you? Maybe you can just say you have some medical appointments coming up (that way they can't say no!) And it'll set you up for the rest of the process as you can say one appointment has meant they need another.. such as a "blood test" or something!

I did a lot of that earlier in the process as I didn't want the pressure of my manager knowing from the outset!

Thanks @Millymillymillymillymilly! I completely agree that this has been the hardest part! I'm second guessing every single 'symptom' and have convinced myself it's not going to have worked.

We've decided not to test at home, because I've read of false negatives and also positives, then to be told the levels are not high enough! So we are just going to wait for the call 😬

Have you managed to get anh further with how/when your NHS round might work?

Thank you for your wishes 🤞

Hi @star2022 I'm please to hear you managed to get a cancellation! I hope it all fits in ok for you and your next cycle!

We are in our 2ww now and it's even tougher than I imagined it would be! But we are nearing the end so I'm just trying not to think about it too much to be honest!

I've had a LOT of cramping and discomfort throughout the 2ww and while I've read that this is part and parcel of the progesterone and could be implantation pains, I'm just not sure they should last this long!

But only time will tell now 🤞

@NDW84 how did you get on?

@star2022 that is brilliant news! How exciting!

@LondonladyTTC Managed to actually get a cancellation! So i've been able to reschedule my consultation the week before which now gives me 2 weeks before my AF starts so hopefully i'll be able start the process then! So glad!!

@NDW84 Good luck for tomorrow! Hope it goes well!

@Sazles99 How are you getting on? Have you had any scans yet? Hope you're getting on okay. Fingers crossed for you.

@Millymillymillymillymilly Thank you so much for that, that's really helpful, I've just checked my local ccg and they only allow 1 cycle on the NHS. Glad I checked now as i'm thankful i've booked in for private. Good luck with your next transfer!

Thank you so much :) I have another scan on Monday so I’m just keeping positive x

@LondonladyTTC I totally didn’t realise I missed quite a few messages from the 1st page so I’m sorry for asking questions you’d already answered!

I’m 32 DH is 35 both been TTC for 21 months now with not a single bfp during that time. It’s strange because he too is very fit and healthy, literally a gym addict & also had low morphology last year. However, after cutting out the odds pints he has & lowering his stress levels & eating more fruit and veg he managed to increase it from 2% to 4% if that helps anyone reading. Took him 5 months.

@NDW84 really wish I knew the answer but I have no clue as I’ve not yet started treatment. I hope someone else is able to help you, but I’m glad it all looks hopeful so far! It definitely seems so tough to get through. Fingers crossed for you!

Other 2 were still less than 6 . Do you think I have a chance ?

Hi , on my scan today , 2 were doing great and one that was less than 6 on wed had really tried to catch up so that was hopeful . Bloods came back today as 980 ?
I’m not sure what it all means but they seemed hopeful .
It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done .
Thank you for your response .

@LondonladyTTC Oh yes that makes sense! To be honest, we kind of had a similar thought process and have decided that although its Xmas, DH and I are both on a major detox, lots of fruit and veg, water and no alcohol this month (as tough as that will be!) My friend had a successful ICSI early this year and she was advising us to do the above from what she had been told so we just want to make sure we make the most of it.

That's a really tough situation you're in! Have you any idea what happens at that appointment on the 8th? Is this your first referral appointment to Gynae from your GP? Or is this an IVF related appointment? As I had been referred to the fertility consultant in May and at my first appointment with the fertility consultant they just took a history of our situation, sent me for a progesterone blood test (which I had already done with my GP) and then had to wait 3 months for a HSG appointment which i had in November last month. And again having to wait another 3 months to see her after which I'm guessing i will then get put on the waiting list.

Just thought I'd explain all that in case you're at that part of the process because it still takes so long with the NHS.

@Millymillymillymillymilly It really is so expensive, costs add up and yes if you view it as insurance that's a good way to see it and you've lined up NHS route nicely. I started the process of contacting my GP Oct 2020 and I still haven't been put on the NHS waiting list yet so I totally understand how long these things can take!

@star2022 I was very close to going through the process this month but we realised we had so many unhealthy events on (including DH having two stag doos!) we decided we would wait and get a bit healthier. We were planning on doing in with my cycle starting 18 Jan (wouldn't need another ultrasound as it is less than 3 months since I had one) but have just got an appointment though with the NHS fertility clinic for 8 Feb so now have NO idea what to do and whether to wait... I am guessing that given this the my first NHS hospital appointment the IVF wait time will be very long making me think I should just go ahead with ABC. How long is a piece of string!

Hope you manage to get an appointment!

@LondonladyTTC ahh that's so nice of you to check! My nearest is actually Birmingham which always seems to be so full! I was actually considering Oxford as that's my 2nd nearest but then I thought if there's quite a few appointments then maybe sticking to the one closest is better.

It's weird because they have quite a few for ultrasound but the virtual consultations only seem to be once a week.

At what stage are you currently in the process?

@star2022 just noticed there are appointments available in Wimbledon in case that is any use? I wonder if the other ones are still to open up as odd that there are no January ones showing!

Hi @Millymillymillymillymilly wasn't sure if you were going to come back to the thread but glad you have. Thanks for creating this thread by the way, its so helpful.

I'm so sorry to hear that, can't even imagine what it must feel like for you. Glad you're in talks with nhs though, it's good you've been on the ball with them at the same time. That's what i'm currently doing, I've had my HSG in Nov which was all clear but waiting for them and apts are so long so my consultations are booked with abc in January and hopefully by then I might hear something back from my consultant or be put on the nhs waiting list at least.

When you say you need a second transfer, does this mean you will have to pay for that separately too? And would that process be different for you or will you have to do it all again? How do you feel about it all?

Thanks! @Sazles99

I'm going to keep trying to see if I can get a cancellation. Do they book your treatment consultation during your initial consultation? If so, how long did you have to wait before you had it?

I will definitely try and get a SA booked in Jan from our GP in that case as even on the email it says needs to be within 6 months. Thanks for the heads up!

What stage are you at currently? Have you had any scans yet? How have you found their service?