Feeling desperate - advice please?!

[ladylazarus11]

Hi everyone,

I've never posted on here before and am really hoping someone can help. I'm nearly 38 and been trying for a baby with my partner for 2 years. I've just discovered that my GP 'forgot' to put my referral for fertility treatment through over 6 months ago so I'm at the back of the queue. I'm obviously devastated.

We don't know why we're not pregnant - my initial bloods were fine - and I don't know where to start but I am running out of time and will need to borrow money to go private in London.

But where? What is the path to discovering what the problem is? What will they be doing? Do I go straight to IVF? I've looked at HFEA website but they seem to be all about procedures like IVF and I don't know if I need that. I just have no idea what to do or what is wrong with us and Googling it isn't making my path any clearer. Can someone advise? Also posted in another thread but reposted here as there wasn't much response.

Many thanks in advance xxx

Hey! I have had the tests and now thinking about treatment (only one IVF cycle in my area of London and long referral times). The first thing to do is to get a fertility assessment which is all the tests (scan, bloods for you that are different to GP, sperm sample) and a consultation. I just picked a clinic with a good offer and went from there (about £500) but there is a lot of discussion about which places to use on the fertility forum. I went to CARE in Regents Park as it was near work and it seemed comprehensive. Many clinics in London have free open evenings so you can look around and talk to people before you commit to treatment.

There's a forum called fertility friends especially about this and they have a lot about which clinic.

Hope this helps.

Hi, sorry to hear your situation. Can't offer advice on the private aspect, but wanted to add you should be able to have some further investigations (other than the bloods you've had already) done via your GP outside of your fertility referral. After my initial bloods, my GP has ordered a transabdominal scan, and dh is able to get his SA done via gp request also. These are being done within a few weeks of gp request. You can also get amh test done via NHS bloods just paying about £50 for the test (I've not done this however so not sure how it works, but again gp can order it).
I mention all these just since it could give some clues as to what's going on and either gets some tests out of the way during the wait before NHS fertility clinic appointment, or means you are armed with some info for your private appointment (and less to pay for). I know some of this is sadly luck of the draw wrt the GP you have, but if you don't ask, you don't know. Hope this is in someway helpful as to 'what next'. Wishing you the best of luck.