Fertility Clinic Appointments and Beyond..

[dogmam]

New thread for us to continue our fertility clinic appointment progress...

Some of us are waiting for initial appointments, some are having tests and some are starting treatment!

@dogmam yes day 7 of down regs. So far so good. That's exciting! They have given me 150iu menapur for stims. What about you?

@Kay00 really! I'm going to check if my trust has the same, that's actually really handy.

@Tillybabs did you get your results?

@dogmam can I ask you what your protocol is? I'm assuming mine won't be a world away. I'm wondering how many days of injections there are as well. What's the centrotide for?

Today I found out that my consultant who I specifically chose my private clinic for is retiring next month, so at most I could have one more appointment with her but I don't really see the point (she's already written my plan). I had a bit of a breakdown. I don't feel like we can catch a break, feels like the universe is telling me to give it up, you're not meant to do this. Sigh.

@thislittlebird nope I have to wait until my appointment on Tuesday

Hello ladies, can I please join you?

I paid privately to have a fertility MOT, consisting of pelvic ultrasound, AMH test and SA for DH. I had my tests at the start of last week and have an online consultation on Thursday to discuss the results. I'm also having day 21 bloods done next week arranged through the GP. DH's SA will be done at the start of next month. We've been ttc#2 for just over a year but I'm 42 so it's a bit more urgent this time around.

Hope you're all well.

Welcome @Mickymackyboobaaboo

@mickymackyboobaaboo welcome!

@thislittlebird I can imagine that's really frustrating, but she might be replaced by a consultant that you like even more xx please don't give up... we're here to support you xx

Welcome to @Mickymackyboobaaboo!

@Kay00 I'm so conflicted. Can't decide whether to have one more appointment with her or to move on to another right away. She has our plan written and I've requested to follow it either way. I can either see her early August or I can see another consultant a little earlier. I've emailed today to ask her to recommend a doc.

@thislittlebird will the treatment be any slower/quicker depending on which consultant you go through? If I were you I would just go with the next available appointment, as presumably regardless of consultant the treatment plan will be the same as the clinic will follow certain paths. It may be different in the nhs but I have only personally seen my consultant once, everything else so all my scans, appointments etc has been done by the nurse who is following the plan set by the consultant.
I am on the short protocol antagonist cycle. So 6.3ml Rekovelle for stims then from day 5 I also started Cetrotide which stops ovulation (continue with Rekovelle so two injections). Then on day 9 that's when I had my first scan and again another one on day 11. Last day of stims and Cetrotide was yestersay so 12 days in total. I also took my trigger shot yesterday which was 1mg of Buserelin which matures the eggs over the next 36 hours ready for egg collection.

On Friday my second scan showed I had over 25 follicles measuring over 15mm and some more smaller ones less than 12mm. They need to be between 15mm and 22mm for collection so I have potentially a lot of eggs! I have responded really well which I am pleased about however because of that, I am on a freeze all cycle which means no fresh transfer for me. I am a little upset as feel it's more waiting but I am too high risk of OHSS.
So egg collection on Monday which I am so nervous about. They have given me Lorazapam to take tonight before bed and another one before I go to the clinic. With a freeze all cycle they will make the embryos straight away and keep them until day 5 and any that reach blastocyst stage will then be frozen until I ring them when I have my next period. I am hoping my cycle will remain regular which if it does will mean transfer will be in about two weeks which gives time for all the medication to leave my body. I have been given the peasaries and eastrogen tables ready for my FET but will worry about those closer to the time. For now I am just hoping there are plenty of eggs tomorrow and we manage to get lots of them fertilised then it's just wait to see how many reach day 5.

Hope everyone is ok x

@dogmam possibly quicker, because the Dr I had is on hols until August 2nd before retiring later in August. My next cycle is August 3rd and I'd like to start something for that cycle, so seeing someone else will mean we can look at when to start the plan. I'd really like to start ICSI in August, but I don't know if it would be possible with so little notice? Otherwise September, I guess. We get our DNA frag results on July 26th.

It's similar to NHS, I think you only see them for the plan, the follow up and anything urgent in between.

God, I hope I respond well too. I just want to get going. I would be frustrated by the delay without a fresh transfer too. Egg collection very soon! You have a great chance of fertilisation with those numbers.

Hello everyone I'm jumping on the thread. IVF newbie here, TTC 2years male infertility, first scan is on Thursday after 1 week of estradiol. NHS 3 rounds and I'm so confused by the entire process 😭 hopefully I understand a bit more after Thursday. How is everyone doing emotionally? My emotions feel like they are all over the place atm

@Aliceinivfland welcome!

Emotionally I'm ok most of the time.

So you ere in the beginning stages of the ivf process? We are having our eligibility appointment this week coming. I will know my amh results then as well

When you say make infertility, do you mean your OH has a low sperm count? If so, is this something they can work with I assume?

Just asking because my OH doesn't give his sample until later this month and wondering if this will be a factor

@thislittlebird if I were in your position then I wouldn't worry about who your consultant is and just go for the first appointment possible, your priority sounds like you want to start asap so if changing consultant will allow that then so be it. Honestly, once you start you aren't going to be worried about who your consultant is. It's the nurses etc who give you all the details anyway and the consultant just makes the decisions in the background following clinic guidelines.

Hi @aliceinivfland good luck for your scan, is it to check how you're responding to stims? Are you on long or short protocol? Your scan next week will be to count how many follicles you have and what size they are and basically checking the stims are doing their job. You might be brought back for another scan or two as they want as many follicles possible and for them to be over 15mm, anything less than that aren't mature enough for collection. Once they're big enough, they'll arrange your trigger injection which is the final push before collection. I had mine last night ready for tomorrow.
We also have male factor and are on round 1 of up to 3 though the nhs. We are having ICSI and had our scans last week so a little bit ahead of you.

[quote Tillybabs]@Aliceinivfland welcome!

Emotionally I'm ok most of the time.

So you ere in the beginning stages of the ivf process? We are having our eligibility appointment this week coming. I will know my amh results then as well

When you say make infertility, do you mean your OH has a low sperm count? If so, is this something they can work with I assume?

Just asking because my OH doesn't give his sample until later this month and wondering if this will be a factor[/quote]
Thank you, yes so DP has a low sperm concentration due to a childhood infection. We have tried everything beforehand to improve our chances and are doing ICSI not IVF. I'm extremely emotional since starting this procedure and I can't get my head around the lingo. DP went to a urologist as well.

Sorry I forgot to mention that he has enough sperm that we won't need to use donor sperm :)

[quote dogmam]@thislittlebird if I were in your position then I wouldn't worry about who your consultant is and just go for the first appointment possible, your priority sounds like you want to start asap so if changing consultant will allow that then so be it. Honestly, once you start you aren't going to be worried about who your consultant is. It's the nurses etc who give you all the details anyway and the consultant just makes the decisions in the background following clinic guidelines.

Hi @aliceinivfland good luck for your scan, is it to check how you're responding to stims? Are you on long or short protocol? Your scan next week will be to count how many follicles you have and what size they are and basically checking the stims are doing their job. You might be brought back for another scan or two as they want as many follicles possible and for them to be over 15mm, anything less than that aren't mature enough for collection. Once they're big enough, they'll arrange your trigger injection which is the final push before collection. I had mine last night ready for tomorrow.
We also have male factor and are on round 1 of up to 3 though the nhs. We are having ICSI and had our scans last week so a little bit ahead of you.[/quote]
Hello and thank you so much for explaining, it is a bit of a minefield. I'm on short protocol currently. How did you feel on the stims after the first scan? I am finding my emotions are all over the place and it is really overwhelming, I've had nausea and migraines as well. Is egg retrieval the day after the trigger?

Morning ladies

Is the baseline scan internal? I've been booked in for this Friday but will still be on my period. I told her this and she said that's ok

Morning Ladies.
After a 2 month wait following HSG & blood tests (where HSG showed block tube). My follow up appointment finally came today, only to find out after an hours wait that the person who booked it messed up the calendar & my doc was in theatre 😢
To make matters worse, that person wasn't in & the lady on the phone couldn't book me another appointment. I'm so devastated.
I've just been left in the dark and now have to wait for this elusive person to call me back sort another appointment which will probably be months away.
I asked about my results & they said if I wanted them I'd have to collect in person with ID.
Anyone done this before? Are they easy to interpret without the doc?
X

@JeanieJ that's terrible. Did you get an appointment letter for the appointment? Or have a number where you can call to re-book?

Hey ladies, hope you don't mind me joining :-) I have my Hycosy booked the day after tomorrow, I'm feeling really nervous. What a journey we all have been on ey, feels never ending!

@Tillybabs I have both appointment letter & number. It was just an admin mess up.
Lady on the phone apologised and said her first task tomorrow morning was to speak to the other person about it.
If no one calls, Ill just have to hassle them again, but this clinic (Croydon) rarely answer their phones and never answer emails.
I'm just so devastated - I feel so left in the dark. TTC is such a minefield of unknowning, but dealing with crap admin systems makes it 10 times more stressful.

To make matters worse, I've developed pain in my lower abdomen (I think it's on my ovary) which is making BD painful. I was hoping to speak to the consultant today about it because I assume it's all connected and he'd bring me in for another scan, but now I'm just gonna have to speak to my GP about it. Nothing weird came up on my ultrasound 3 months ago, so whatever this is is new.

@JeanieJ sorry to hear that. I hope it gets sorted.

I'm also with Croydon at the Croydon Uni hospital. I find the best time to call the clinic is before lunch time. I called at 11am and got through today.

Little update on me, I had egg collection today and wow I was not prepared for that, I thought I'd be fast asleep but was awake and could feel everything. Not painful but very uncomfortable but in a fair bit of pain since so hot water bottle it is. I had a lorazapam last night and again this morning so was chilled and all the stuff were amazing. My partner was allowed to stay with me in the ward right until I got taken for EC, it took about 40 mins then I had to stay on the ward for a few hours. I felt instantly sick and couldn't eat anything so was given anti sickness meds.
Anyway the good news is they collected 19 eggs which I'm so pleased about! When my partner was allowed back after I'd been able to have a wee, we sat down with the embryologist who said we will find out tomorrow if any/how many fertilise. Fingers crossed!! We will then get further updates on thursday and saturday to find out how many made it to blastocyst.

@speeches good luck for tomorrow, one step forward

@jeaniej ah what a nightmare I hopebyou can get this sorted. Just keep pestering until you get some confirmed dates, maybe suggest to them you don't care which consulatan contacts you, you just want the follow up asap.

@tillybabs yeah the baseline scan is internal whilst you're on your period. Ergh I know! Don't worry though they're used to it. Just go to the loo before hand. You'll be fine. Is this to get you started for stims?

@aliceinivfland ah bless you, it's such a rolacoster your emotions and hormones are all over and it's all in response to the stims, hopfully doing their job. For me, my sideeffcts from stims have all been physic, really strange feelings and pressure in my ovaries but the 19 eggs that were collected today explains the pain! Luckily you're on short protocol which means 2 weeks max of stims so you're nearly there. I ate plently of fruit and veg during stims which i think helps with headaches because i suffer with them anuway. What's your AFC, I found this indicates how you're likley to respond. No, egg collection can be done anywhere between 36 and 40 hours after trigger, so I had my trigger at half 9 Saturday night and collection was first thing this morning x