Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the journey continues

I’m not properly caught up on here, but good to hear you’re starting soon @beckyCarlos 🙌

@Mochii hi and welcome! I was on the ivf thread with you but I’ve taken a break while I wait for transfer. Sorry to find you here too. Tests wise, my private consultant (before our nhs round we’ve just done) recommended a Hycosy, DNA fragmentation (this can be an issue for the men who don’t have problems with their sperm at face value so might be worthwhile). Does your partner have any below average results from his sperm analysis? Sorry if you’ve said any of this, I skimmed down quickly. Changing GP was really positive for me, my old one was atrocious and didn’t care. They ran thyroid and PCOS tests on me, because my AMH and AFC is fairly high.

Thanks @beckyCarlos! I think I’m missing thyroid and AMH - now I think about it, I’m pretty sure I only had the follicle count. That gives me a great starting point!

Good luck with your IVF round

@mochii what a nightmare! With regard to teats, my GP/nurse did day 2 bloods (fsh etc), and a whole heap of other things, vitamin D, thyroid, rubella and chlamydia antibodies. From there, the results were sent to the fertility clinic who ordered more tests based on those results, which were antral folicle count (done via trans vaginal ultrasound, free) and AMH (bloods, had to pay)

My husband had two SA done, and has low everything, so we do have a male factor issue as well, but I needed to wait for my bloods/AFC to confirm if IVF was appropriate or if we'd need donor eggs, for me for now its long protocol IVF and seeing how I respond.

My AFC check also picked up a polyp which I had removed via hysteroscopy (done under local at the clinic as an outpatient) but during that they also did a visual check of the uterus as good practice to make sure theres nothing the internals missed.

Hope this helps a little x x

Yeah I complained straight away! I’ve changed GP as well but he always gets sent to the erectile dysfunction clinic incorrectly, or to a clinic that has shut down. He doesn’t even have that issue, poor guy 😂 I can’t work out how it goes wrong every single time! We wouldn’t be able to get testing through them now anyway, but that’s why I’ve had partial checks and still had treatment.

I was hoping some people would have had tests which diagnosed issues and then I could go for these privately to try and pinpoint what could be wrong. Do the NHS even test much other than the day2/21 bloods and HyCoSy? If they are fine and partners sperm normal is it always just labelled as unexplained?

@mochii your journey so far sounds like a ride! Have you complained about your partners referal? I would (now, having been on my own fun journey, I probably wouldn't have at the start!)

Downreg scan update... ovaries are small and quiet 🥳 continue with drug as they stand for now (buserelin in AM, 50ml) then on thurs it drops to 20ml, with stims in the evening! I'm a bit stunned (and have, obviously, had a cry, sodding forced menopause lol) I feel like its the first time I've come out with a positive outcome (oh the irony of a 'good' outcome being no folicles at all...)

Thank you @pinkginpls, that’s really helpful. I have had IVF twice and I am already registered at 2 clinics.

Unfortunately I was at the top of the list for NHS IVF but due to my partner incorrectly being referred to the wrong clinic 6 times, we had to give up after 3 years, so that is no longer an option.

Has anyone been to a private consultant who does checks? The one I have found is £200 per session just for the conversation, and if I need multiple it will be cheaper for me to go straight for IVF, which is why I did this initially.

@beckyCarlos thanks for the update. hopefully good news from @Gracie2021soon. onwards and upwards. x

@Mochii everyone's welcome! I never thought about what tests I needed, it was just anything NHS recommend and so do it. Although awfully long wait yes but they do do a throughout check.
I think a hycosy is crucial, making sure your tubes aren't block. I had a hycosy and a follow up laparoscopy to know that part of my left tube is missing. Speak to the consultant, (private or NHS) they will let you know what tests should be done to determine if IVF (and which kind) is suitable for you.

Hi, hope you don’t mind me joining.

I am about to start trying to discover the cause of my infertility through private testing and have no idea where to start!

I had blood tests on the NHS but unfortunately my other checks kept getting messed up so I ended up going for private IVF after 3 years and did not pay for testing prior.

I think I will go for a HyCoSy first of all. I know I have a high enough AMH, my day 2 and 21 bloods are fine and my partners sperm is okay.

Can anyone recommend any other tests to try to get to the bottom of this and determine whether I really do need to go straight to IVF again?

Sorry all, we've had a couple of nights away. @gracie2021 have a scan today at 12.55 to check everything is turned off. Its incredibly weird to be hoping to see NOTHING on the ultrasound! But, if everything is off it means stims can start 🤞 and on to the next step x

@tinkerbell098 I'm 36 too and I spent a lot of time (the last three months of Clomid) mentally preparing myself for IVF, and I think I'm ready now. Well... not right now 😆 I'll be ready to start soon!

@pinkginpls that is very unfortunate. My HSG showed that the dye didn't go all the way, it has gone up a part of it but definitely no spillage. The doctor said, there is no other way to confirm other than going through laparoscopy and with the current wait times, she advised move to IVF to avoid further delays due to my age (36). I can really understand as I had a breakdown yesterday after having told this and I had a feeling we'll move down that route, but definitely different when someone says that to you to your face. It's quite heartbreaking and something that no one wants to hear. Let's all get through this together xx

@Tinkerbell098 they did a laparoscopy to certified that a part of the tube is missing, was born like that not much you can do about it :/

I remember crying so hard as soon as I woke up from the procedure, just feel like you have been sentenced and it was scary. You have been reading so much about IVF and all that, thought you are prepared but it is something else when doctor tells you, yeah, IVF is the way to go.

Thanks for the replies girls and I'm glad I have a group I can share this journey with.

@Kay00 the timings don't sound too bad and hope things will move swiftly for you.

@Gracie2021 work has been flexible so far, but not sure how long these appointments tend to last. If it's an hour here and there, I could do early/late lunch breaks, but if it's an entire morning or afternoon I think I'd struggle. Once I get a protocol/plan I guess I'd know more and may take time off around that time to deal with it all. Sorry you've had to go through all that, but glad the embryo is still ok and hope you get the 5/6 they need. How long do they need to stimulate you to get to that?

@pinkginpls oh that's a very similar case to me. Did they tell you how you could have damaged the tube? Is it through HSG/Hycosy they diagnosed or did they do a laparoscopy? 13 weeks isn't bad and we were told 3 months, so sounds about right. Thanks for suggesting the open events and zoom calls, I would definitely look into that to prepare myself for it.

@Tinkerbell098 are you me?? coincidently my left tube is blocked too and has applied to NHS IVF funding. Throughout the journey going private or not has been playing in my mind constantly, so far we are still sticking with NHS, but my CCG only funds 1 round of it. if this doesn't work we will try private after.

I think it depends massively where you are, I am with SW CCG. We officially applied to funding middle of Jan and got a call this week to schedule the first consultation mid April. So that's going to be 13 weeks from applying to initial consultation?
Obviously I haven't gone through the process myself yet so can't share first hand experience. But loads ladies on here are more than helpful and just join the conversation! We are in it together x
I would also suggest to go to some private IVF open evenings? Create does zoom calls to explain what to expect etc. I went to one (when I was this close of choosing private) and was eye opening.

@Kay00 all the best, if mine goes well I hope to start IVF similar time as you.

@Gracie2021 sorry I missed the trauma you went through earlier this week. Sounds awful! What's worse is they still haven't proper explain why only two eggs? As if the entire thing is not stressful enough as it is. hugs x

@gracie2021 I'm not surprised you weren't feeling like commenting yesterday xx I hope you didn't feel pressured into commenting today xx a chat with your doctor tomorrow sounds very positive and I'll have everything crossed you get good news about your egg tomorrow 🤞

@tinkerbell098 I think I'm at a similar stage to you. I decided to get my tests etc at the fertility clinic done privately due to the slow pace of the NHS. I did 6 months of Clomid which didn't get me pregnant so, following a consultation with the doctor at the clinic, I have applied for NHS funded IVF.

I have been told the funding should be sorted in 4-6 weeks and then I should get an appointment with a nurse at the clinic to discuss my protocol, the process in more detail and how to give myself injections. I will then be waiting for a new cycle to begin before I start stims (or down-regs depending on protocol).

My doctor said she expected my egg retrieval to be around June time. She said this was as fast as it could be and it was no quicker for private patients. I'm based in Devon, so it could be different where you are of course.

Hi everyone, I was on here a couple of months ago but disappeared for a while as I didn't really know where my journey(?) was heading. I was referred to fertility clinic in Aug last year, and yet to hear back from them, so decided to go private last month. Since then, I've had AMH and HSG done. I had a follow up appointment today at which she said my left tube blocked and referred me to IVF (NHS). She said the wait will be about 3 months, if not we can go private.
Whilst I know somethings about IVF, I'm very clueless as to how much strain the body is put through mentally and physically. Could you lovely ladies educate me on what to expect, timelines etc? Do you get a plan on the first appointment and then how long after would you actually start treatment? How much time off work do I need to prepare for? Would you tell your employer? Sorry, I really am clueless and want to prepare myself. I'm in tears as I'm writing this as I never thought I'd be here. I saw it coming, but it's different when you are actually put in that position eventually. Sorry for the rant.

@thislittlebird Yes, I'm sure they do. My spotting continues today (very light, one small clot) and to be honest I'm not 100% sure it isn't my period who the hell knows?! I'm not so concerned about what day is CD1 anyway, because I'm not taking Clomid on CD2.

@Gracie2021 how are you feeling today?

@Gracie2021 any updates today?

@Kay00 the drugs definitely do some odd things. I think I’m ovulating soon, rather than earlier like I first thought. Might be able to try this month after all, if only once or twice. I’ve had more ECWM this month than I do on non-medicated cycles, it’s strange. I do wonder if the drugs jolt your system a bit to produce some hormones like it’s supposed to.

@gracie2021 for some reason your earlier messages didn't shoe up earlier, so I didn't see them, how odd!!

It sounds like you're having a really frustrating time with a clinic that seem disorganised (at best!). I'd certainly be demanding answers too, esp if I'd paid 5k!!

My spotting seems to be drying up. I'm sure it's caused by my hormones shifting because I have been irrationally grumpy today 😆 maybe this is Clomid's last hooray before I step back into the Wild Wild West of un-medicated cycles?

@Kay00 this is true! I need to think of it as practice, and also taking control of something I suppose? Since we don’t seem to have much control of anything in all this.

Period weirdness sounds annoying, keep us posted.

@beckyCarlos I did not end up going for the run . Best laid plans and all that. Work got a bit chaotic today, I might go into the office and use the gym there tomorrow instead. I’m definitely not a person who runs lmao. I might be a person who runs occasionally, if she can stick at it. I decided to start couch to 5k from scratch because this is a return to running or jogging for me since I sprained my ankle in the summer.

@kay01 sorry your womb is being weird!

@thislittlebird I'll be forever in awe of you if you go for a run 🤣 I've tried many times to be 'someone who runs' but I am just not that person.

@gracie2021 I really hope you get some answers and an earlier scan x x

@thislittlebird I 100% believe in you! You can do this! Applying for this job will be an achievement whether you get it or not

Going for a run is a great way to feel more confident and the help clear the mind. Its a win-win enjoy yourself!

I'm not really sure what is happening with my uterus - ha! I had very light spotting on 7dpo, bright red blood (a fair amount in a short period of time) yesterday at 9dpo, and now just older darker red blood but only when I wipe. Not sure if this is the start of AF, but my temp was up again today. Either way I'm not pregnant, I did a IC just in case.