First Fertility Clinic Appointment Tomorrow

[dogmam]

Me and my partner have our first appointment with our fertility clinic tomorrow!

We went to the GP after a year of TTC and after 21 day bloods and partners SA, we were referred straight away to the fertility clinic. GP tests were in October/November so it's moved along quite quickly so far.

Feeling slightly nervous but also excited to hopefully get some help! My partners SA showed low motility and morphology so I assume that will be discussed..
What else should i expect from this first appointment? Is there anything I should be asking?

Thanks in advance! I'll update this after the appointment tomorrow as I know there are a few others on here who are in a similar position and might find it useful.

Hi ladies!

@tillybabs welcome! Wow your GP must be fab! So good that's you've been referred already
Keep us updated a do look through the thread so you can see what to expect in the next few appointments x

@paintfairy how exciting, it's went so quickly I can't believe you've started the drugs for IUI! How long do you have to take injections for? Very exciting!

@thislittlebird yeah we've also got a high count but super low motility but clinging onto the fact the count is high! There's a calculation you can do which takes all the individual results into account which gives an overall figure about the sperm quality, I'll try and find the article I was reading, it was really interesting but it's basically getting at what we are saying about high count almost cancelling out low motility to some degree.

I have no ideas about what to ask.. my other half wants to ask about protine shakes though ha I'm a veggie and he doesn't eat much meat so is hoping he can drink protine shakes as he's now back at the gym.. but yeah I also want to ask if we would be considered for ICSI, more info on waiting times, if I can get Hycosy done whilst waiting for ivf (just so it feels like something is happening whilst waiting) and also if there is anything else we can do/try (drugs of some sort maybe) whilst waiting for ivf. Also, they keep saying 'it can still happen naturally so keep trying', I want to know what is the actual chances of this happening? I know it only takes one sperm but with such a low motility, how likley is it that is would happen naturally.

@dogmam yes we've got high count too, with low motility. So potentially you could still have more motile sperm than someone with a low count but brilliant motility. Never simple. 🤣
5 days for injections. Next scan on the 6th day and then they'll decide if I need to do any more that day or beyond.

@paintfairy Nothing straight forward is there! Saying that, we also had low morphology aswell so even with the huge count I'm not sure what to think!!
Omg how exciting for you! I don't really know too much about IUI, so at the next scan if they think everything is looking good could they do what they need to do there and then? Then is it a TWW? Can't believe it's all happening for you! You could be the first BFF on this very infertile thread!

@dogmam I think protein shakes are a definite no no?

@thislittlebird hahaha about the duffers! Has OH had anything else in the past that could have affected it? Eg I know one of my friends is petrified as her OH has had mumps TWICE and that's really meant to impact fertility - another one has an OH with varicoceles which affect it as well. Doesn't sound like a bent pecker would affect it though, just from a plumbing point of view lol

'Bent pecker' hahah

My partner actually had torsion reversed and a varicocele removed when he was a child. A few year ago, before TTC he went to see a urologist as he was having pain and they found he has a small varicocele and a spermatocele cyst but they weren't concerned and he was discharged. I'm now thinking that this surely must be having an impact on our situation. Not sure if its worth going back to the GP for another referral to the urologist to see if they would recommend anything now that we are ttc? But I also don't want anything to effect anything in terms of delaying ivf.

@dogmam see I don't get why don't check that stuff before shoving you straight in line for ivf? Might not be worth doing now but definitely something to look into if you want a second child and potentially could avoid the ivf route then?

Hi Guys, i hope you're all well. Just catching up.

I know, I did mention it to the clinic when we had the first consultation but they weren't too interested. Like you say, they just go straight to IVF as soon as they see the SA results rather than trying to fix the problem. It's crazy really. I'll bring it up again next week and see what they say.

@purpleunicorn01 hi, how are you doing? Still waiting on your appointment to come around like me!

@kitekat81 how are you? Is it your consultation soon with create?

@flutterby8 how are you? Dis you get your appointment sorted as there was a mix up with it all wasn't there?

@kay00 hi, were you ever referred by your GP or did you go private?

Yes @dogmam 1.5 weeks to go and counting! I hope you're well.

@dogmam they have to go along with your cycle. So it hinges on when you ovulate. It'll be day 9 when I go next (usually ovulate day 12 or 13). So it depends what the scan shows. I'm scheduled for another Thursday. But potentially they'll drag me in at any time to do it end of next week. I'm slightly worried i might ovulate earlier with the injections though. Or I'll have over stimulated. In which case nothing will happen at all and we'll have to try again next month! I keep getting random cramps and I can't decide if it's back end of my period (day 5 but it's fine really and I never usually do) or if it's the injections. So many unknowns!

Hi Ladies

Can i join
I ha d a question..at ur appointments are you seen by consultant or specialist nurse? Also is it the same one each time? Ive only spoken/seen the nurses and each time there is a different one with me having to explaim things again

@Iloveoreos I've never seen the consultant in the unit! Only a name on paper. I saw the same nurse for my phone appointment, after my scan and then before my hsg. And I've emailed her a few times too. Yesterday it was a different one though. In haven't had to explain anything really as its all in my notes they do when you are there? Because even the original one wouldn't remember as they see that many people.

[quote paintfairy]@Iloveoreos I've never seen the consultant in the unit! Only a name on paper. I saw the same nurse for my phone appointment, after my scan and then before my hsg. And I've emailed her a few times too. Yesterday it was a different one though. In haven't had to explain anything really as its all in my notes they do when you are there? Because even the original one wouldn't remember as they see that many people.[/quote]
Atleast u got to see same nurse. Ive had different ones each time. Not a single nurse has been the same one from the previous time.Totally understand that they have to refer back to notes but its like a new person each time!

@dogmam
Sorry, I've been off the internet for a while and saw you mention via email.
So, things didn't quite go as I was expecting!
My consult was rebooked for a phone appointment with no set time but due to having a fair bit of overtime owed, my boss was cool with it.
For a few days before the appointment I'd felt quite unwell, but naturally put it down to worry as I am quite an anxious person.
The morning of the appointment I felt awful when I got up and then I brushed my teeth and my gums started bleeding.
Something didnt feel right, but I just felt unwell.
Went to work and my boss sent me home because I looked that crap and told me to do a test, just in case.

So, I did a test and it was a blazing positive!
I'm still honestly in shock. I dont know what to think at the moment. Its been 3 years and the day of our fertility referral I get a positive test.
Of course I'm just keeping things crossed at the moment because its very early days.

I hope everyone is still doing ok. There seems to have been lots of comments on here so I will have a read back through them all to see how everyone is doing.

@Flutterby8 oh my goodness congratulations! That's wonderful news and gives hope to all of us on this thread. How long is it now since you got the bfp?

@dogmam I'm not sure where I was at when I last updated you ladies but I've had two consultations with two clinics in the last two weeks. Last week was with a 'normal IVF' clinic located just over an hour from me, they proposed a flare agonist protocol and can start in August/September as they have a 4/5 month waiting list. Then this week I had a scan and consultation with Create who are 4 hours from me. My scan did not go well - I was pretty gutted to only have 2 follicles this month (down from 6 in January and 7 in February). In the consultation they recommended 3 cycles of mild ivf, and can start at the end of May. Bearing in mind the rubbish afc scan we've decided that mild ivf is the best fit for us, and the fact that they can start next month is great. So we have 6 weeks left to get pregnant naturally 🤞🤞🤞 otherwise it looks like we'll be starting ivf with Create end of May x

Thank you @kitekat81

I've only known a couple of weeks but to be honest, it hasn't hit home at all.
I feel very rotten and it's really difficult trying to hide it from people at the moment.
I'm absolutely terrified as having low progesterone could cause things not to progress. The fertility clinic did discuss this with me and basically said they wouldn't prescribe progesterone supplements at this stage anyway.
So it's a bit worrying and I'm keeping as much as possible crossed.
The only thing we did different was use the Conceive Plus lube. That was literally the only thing we changed.
No idea whether that has anything to do with it or not but I guess it's worth a try?

I feel terrible posting about it on this thread now as I know how much everyone here wants it so badly.
I honestly have every confidence that you all will get your BFP's soon 😊

This has also been such an amazing thread to read about everyone's experiences with referral and it really helped me to prepare for my appointment so I honestly cannot thank you all enough 😊

@Flutterby8 sorry you are feeling poorly. Try not to worry, it sounds like the fertility clinic don't think that there is reason to be concerned, so you should take comfort from that. Fingers crossed everything progresses successfully for you. Please don't feel bad about posting, we are all delighted for you!x

@Flutterby8 congratulations! Yes don't fe bad, we would all be equally as worried and scared.

@Kitekat81 not long to start if you're looking at May.

@dogmam @paintfairy how are you?

@Iloveoreos my first appointment was with the registrar rather than my actual consultant. I think my second is with the consultant

Also I don't know if this helps anyone but Maca Root is supposed to be great for sperm count and motility.

@Flutterby8 congratulations! Brilliant news.
@PurpleUnicorn01 yeah I'm OK. I've got my second scan tomorrow (cd9) after starting injectables last Thursday. Would expect the IUI insemination to be by the end of this week, if everything looks OK? I usually ovulate day 12 (sometimes 11, very rarely, but occasionally 13) but I'm not sure if it'll differ this month.
@Iloveoreos I'm yet to see a consultant. And I'm not particularly expecting one to be there for the IUI either?

@paintfairy that's exciting. How are u feeling about it all? I might consider iui depending what the Dr says next week and how long my wait is to start.

@paintfairy did they given you extra medication to release extra eggs or no? You are with create right?

@PurpleUnicorn01 I'm with the nhs. Yes they have given me gonal f injections. Which I've been injecting since Thursday. But they said not to do tomorrow until after I've been. As it'll depend on what's happening. I ovulate early and so I do wonder if my eggs are crap and that's the issue? So the medication might do the trick alone! Maybe.... 🤣 So IUI could work. We shall see!

Hopefully it goes well for you.

@paintfairy how are you getting on with injecting yourself? I'm starting to get nervous about that 😬