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.

@thislittlebird I think you're right. I might ovulate or I might not, but I'm still going to give it a go and keep tracking.

On Monday I'm going to call the fertility clinic for a prescription of Metformin (I forgot on Friday). I'm excited but scared. I'm not keen on feeling sick for a few weeks, but if it helps me regulate my cycles, and helps reduce the risk of miscarriage then it will be worth it.

@Kay00 the Dr doing the scan said it's the best time now to try. Fingers crossed I ovulate soon

She said she would be looking over the scans. I think I didn't ask enough questions but the main thing is she said no blockages and all looked normal

I didn't find the procedure overall too bad. Slight pain when they put the tube in

@dogmam yay!! Im on downregs 1st 300 iu buserelin, then im not too sure after that. What about you?

@thislittlebird i used to call the clinic a lot just to chase them up for appointments and so they knew i was eager lol

@thislittlebird yes most definitely. Im just excited to get started. It's easier mentally once you have a start date.

@dogmam good luck with the call today!
@PurpleUnicorn01 woop for down regs! How are you feeling on them? Are they daily injections?

So I got my ivf paperwork through on Saturday... what a pile! I particularly enjoyed where they ask me if I have any convictions for harming children... Did you ladies fill out entirely on your or did you get an appointment to go through it before submission? I'm just conscious it's asking me for my AMH levels etc and it's just pure luck I remember mine!

Did you ladies fill it out entirely on your own

Pardon the spelling mistakes!

@dogmam good thinking. I need to go back today to pick up the forms for some tests and screening he’s sending me for (at my request). I wonder if they’ll be able to say if he’s sent the letter yet.

Typical that it was the weekend! Fingers crossed🤞

@PurpleUnicorn01 I’m gonna be such a nuisance lol. We’ve had something like 6 months of delay due to being incorrectly told our results were fine, then another couple of months due to the gynaecologist telling us there was nothing wrong. I’m hoping my age helps too? I don’t know if they take that into account.

I’m very tempted to start a private round while I wait but I want to know the potential wait for the nhs first.

@Kay00 do you get ovulation signs each month or not? I seem to get them some months.

@Juno231 i start on Thursday so will keep you posted. My forms were all online. I completed it before my nurses appointment as it said you have to on mine.

@thislittlebird yes they take your age and AMH into account so tend yo prioritise that way. The nurses are usually really helpful tbh.

@thislittlebird no, I have only recently started getting EWCM, and I have only rarely caught a peak on an OPK. FF often only gives me the dotted crosshairs, so I knew something wasn't right. I thought I was ovulating though 🤷‍♀️

I have called the fertility clinic for my Metformin prescription... eek!

@dogmam, please keep us up to date with your progress today!

@juno231 is this private or NHS IVF for you?

@Juno231 nhs! got that ball rolling in July last year so been sucked into "just the next step" mentality lol.

Heya,
Following as I've been ttc for a year and will have my 2nd fertility appointment in two weeks.
So far, we've had a blood test (normal), ultrasound (normal, semen analysis (normal) HSG (waiting on results, but right side looked slow/didn't have dye flowing through) and AMH (waiting on results).

Actually got the HSG and AMH blood test in mid May and have had to wait until 12th of July for results (I've asked so many times to have it pushed forward, but no success). The wait for results has driven me mad, especially because my right tube didn't show the dye flowing through.

I'm assuming (and hoping) that he'll want to do a further test to check the tube and that my AMH levels are fine, but I'm scared he'll just tell me to go away and keep trying.

Any advice on how I self advocate and stand my ground?

Thanks,
xxx

@JeanieJ hi and welcome to this sorry club! Make sure to know the actual AMH number and not be fobbed off with "fine".

There is a risk they'll say that as the other tube is good that you just need to give it time and that you won't be entitled to IVF until you hit the 2 year mark (check your local CCG policy as it could be 3 years if unlucky). I would push for a laparoscopy for them to see what's causing the blockage and if they could remove it. If they're hesitant you could also remind them that you could have endometriosis causing it and it could be on ovaries etc so they should really check as it could be an easy fix that's preventing you from conceiving.

I'd also try and get OH as up to date as possible so he could help advocate for you two. I find doctors are less likely to push back when men are speaking!

@Juno231 I'm happy to see you are moving forward. How do you feel about it?

I didn't think about that side and them asking questions like that lol

@Juno231 that's super helpful thanks - I honestly wouldn't have thought to ask for the AMH number.

OH is onboard - wondering if he should ask for a breakdown of his SA - they just said it was fine!

Another question - has anyone asked NHS or gone private for DNA fragmentation on the male side? I've read some stories that the standard NHS SA comes back fine, but when they get an assisted conception method, they find out that there's issues with the DNA fragmentation? OH wondering if he should ask for one or just go private (although probably v expensive)?
I know it's early days, it just makes me feel a bit better to get the ball rolling because I hate not knowing!!

@JeanieJ ah yes definitely get the SA results! There's def been a lady on here who was told their results were fine when they weren't at all and has had to file a complaint etc.

From what I've read/seen they don't do DNA frag on the NHS, it would have to be done privately. Tbh I wouldn't do one unless you had a history of recurrent miscarriages, as it could be due to that. But if you're struggling to catch at all then I would hold off on DNA frag.

@JeanieJ oh and a DNA frag is around £500!

@Juno231 ok that's great advice on the frag & SA cheers 🙂
It's just so weighted in my area in terms of testing that OH is a bit helpless right now. He just takes his vits & tries not to drink (bless him).

There hasn't been a sniff of pregnancy over the past year for me- not even a chemical, albeit I refuse to test because it would drive me mad, so who really knows.

Hope things are going ok in your journey?

Xx

@JeanieJ ah well you're stronger than me - I don't think I've ever had AF arrive without me testing first lol

I started investigations in July last year and have had the lot done - including an exploratory laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. Unexplained infertility is the verdict! Just got my funding paperwork through this weekend to start the IVF journey :)

Hello, I rang the clinic and it's all systems go! I go for my baseline scan in the morning and to be shown how to use the injections etc and start first injection tomorrow.

@purpleunicorn01 not long for you to start. Have you been shown how yet? Im short protocol so straight on stims which is Rekovelle then Citrotide to stop early ovulation but not sure on how much, suppose I will find out tomorrow.

@juno231 Sounds like things are moving fast for you now that you have the forms sent through. I got two copies of the 'welfare of the child' form for me and my partner to each complete and that was all about convictions, history etc then another form we each got sent was to do with our research choices. We filled them in at our consent appointment, long with various others and the consent forms.

@jeaniej welcome, yeah if all your tests come back ok, you will likley be told to keep trying although as you have already been trying for over 2 year, if they have done all the tests they might officially class you as 'unexplained' and start the IVF process. Also, no we haven't been offered any tests on the nhs for DNA frag, despite having severe male factor infertility. Personally I am happy to go along with ICSI rather than do further tests.

@kay00 hopefully the metformin does the trick for you. Have you got sorted with your prescription?

@thislittlebird if I were you, I would find out the wait first. Also, going private doesn't always equal faster treatment. There's a lady at the same clinic as me who is paying private for ICSI who had her initial consultation at the same time and she hasn't even had her consent appointment yet, so just bare that in mind.

@dogmam yay im so excited for you! Il end up being a little behind you due to the downregs. I start my first injection Thursday i have to go into the hospital for them to show me. Keeping everything crossed for you. Are you have any acupuncture? Its amazing. Id recommend it for relaxation

@Juno231 glad that things are moving for you & good luck with your first cycle! 🙂

@dogmam thanks! It's been a year ttc, so we're still in the early stages. We kicked started tests a little earlier because I had a sneaking suspicion that the appendicitis I had as a kid was impacting my tubes. The right one didn't show the dye flowing through on the day 🙄, but still waiting for my appointment with the consultant.
Hoping he'll recommend a lap to investigate further 🤞🤞

Sending you lots of luck for your cycle!! ☘️

My ccg does offer one funded cycle, but you need to be 2 years ttc which I think is normal 🤔

@PurpleUnicorn01 I started acupuncture a few weeks ago!
It's really calming 🧘🏻 and a nice treat every week. I'd also recommend.

@JeanieJ if anything is impeding fertility though you won't have to wait 2 years!

@dogmam omg exciting!! I wanna hear all about it As for me - no consent appointment has been mentioned or made? But then again my doc seems to be chaotic...

Morning ladies

So I just spoke to the fertility clinic and wasn't sure what I needed to do next. It turns out I have to wait for my next period and book the amh blood test and also book in my baseline scan.

I don't know what the baseline scan is so will look that up.

It seems some of us are around the same stage of the process.

@Tillybabs as in your IVF baseline scan? seems odd to be doing an amh test this late in the process in that case!