Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the journey continues

[Gracie2021]

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!

@tillybabs
@thislittlebird
@kay00
@jeaniej
@PurpleUnicorn01
@paintfairy
@dogmam
@flutterby8
@Ughmaybenot
@dancingfairydreams
@beckycarlos
@jkjellyhead
@juno231
@decaffe
@bumble44
@BritinNZ
@tinkerbell098
@pinkginpls
@thedaydreambelievers
@everymumday
@wanderlust16
@lori23ttc

@Kay00 happy new year! I started talking to private in May/June. Needed a hycosy and sperm dna fragmentation etc but could have started August/September really. NHS GP referral to the fertility clinic was the very end of June. My funding was approved via email in late July/early August and I was invited to the clinic for an appointment to do all the consents and have a scan/bloods etc on 31 August. If it wasn’t for Christmas I would have started IVF in December, but it’s now January instead.

Unlike for @PurpleUnicorn01 the forms and funding bit was fast. The waiting list for ivf has been 4 months really, not accounting for my Xmas delays, whereas the funding and forms etc was 4 or 5 weeks from GP referral. I think it varies everywhere but for me having the private consultant letters saying we were eligible for help and what was wrong sped that part up.

Thank you @thislittlebird. It sounds like you both got the funding fairly quickly (I assumed this would take months) but the wait for IVF varies.

Did you both apply for funding via your GP? Or did your fertility clinic apply for you? And are you restricted by which clinic will undertake your NHS IVF treatment?

Sorry for all the questions!!

@Kay00 I think my wait is longer than lots of people on here, some London clinics have longer waiting lists than many on here from what I’ve seen. What’s the IVF CCG guidance in your area, what do you get and so on?

Initially we were sent to gynaecology by the GP and had to wait from Feb to May for that. Gynaecology sent us packing in early May, then we changed GPs in June and asked the new GP to refer us directly based on letters from private consultants we saw in late May/early June. If I’d known a GP could do this at the time I would have gone straight to them but you live and learn.

The clinic applied for funding for us, we didn’t know they would, but we suddenly received an email saying it was approved. Other people I know with Guys had to have a virtual appointment to complete the funding application from what I recall. I assume we skipped this step because of the private letters, that’s my best guess anyway.

My GP asked me if I’d prefer to be referred to Guys or Kings, basically. I could have asked for elsewhere, or to be referred to the clinic my private doctors were at IF they had an nhs arm, but they didn’t so I couldn’t. So I requested Guys because it’s easier to get to for us. Again, I think this is one of those odd things that varies, @PurpleUnicorn01 might have had little or lots of choice. Depends where you are.

@Kay00 at the time due to Covid there was only one hospital which was Birmingham Women’s. They did my funding application themselves.

@PurpleUnicorn01 was it the only one open at the time?

@thislittlebird yes thats correct. I was told this was the same for most areas. They were using one per main city.

@kay00 our GP referred us direct in March (and did initial bloods and separate referal for husbands SA) waited until july for initial consultant appointment, ordered more tests, which were done in Aug, then waited until october for next consult (amh bloods took 6 weeks to be processed!) Then had nurse consultation and cycle planning in Dec. Should be downregging soon but have a polyp 🙄 so waiting 4-6 weeks for removal.

Didnt have a choice, but also didn't ask, as we're in West Yorkshire, suspect its referral straight to Leeds as the only option anyway. From what I've heard things go a lot quicker privately here but no current person experience of it x

Thank you all, you're painting quite the differing picture! We only have one clinic in Exeter based at the hospital, but CRGW who have a much better rating have clinics in Bristol, Cardiff and Plymouth and are opening one in Exeter in 2022.

@thislittlebird my CCG will allow me 1 cycle of IVF on the NHS if I am under 40. But its not clear to me if I need to have been trying for 2 x years (which will be in May 2022), if this is the case then we'll be looking to do a self funded cycle first I imagine.

@beckycarlos how annoying about that polyp 😒

Well, I still have a couple of Clomid cycles to do, which will take me up to mid-March, then it's only a couple of cycles before I hit the two year mark, so maybe an NHS funded cycle will be a possibility first.

My next task is to contact my fertility clinic when my 5th Clomid cycle starts to arrange a follow up appointment with the consultant, and we can start discussing my options.

Thanks again ladies xx

Hello... new poster in MN.

Hoping I can join in this thread.

Initial appointment on 14th January 2022 in Scotland after the general tests done by GP 6 months ago. DH has had to go for 2 SA...with no reason or results yet.

@Kay00 yeah it really is all so variable by area! Did they say if you're allowed to do private before NHS in your CCG? And how many transfers? Mine was quite clear but not sure everyone's is. May isn't too far. On the plus side you have a private doc who can write a letter telling your GP what's wrong and what you've tried.

@CuriousAries welcome! When do you expect DH's results?

@thislittlebird yes, I have have two rounds of IVF private before an NHS funded cycle, and on the NHS they will cover you for two transfers. Yes, im sure one of the private doctors will sign off on what I need. I'm feeling much more equipped.

@curiousAries welcome! Perhaps your DHs initial SA was inconclusive?

Hey @CuriousAries :) my husband had 2, which were weirdly impossible to get the results for (first one, the practice nurse rang and said the department had been 'unable to analyse the sample' which was just a lie 🤣 they had, and it was below normal on all aspects, and they need a repeat in that case which we did, and never received the results for, the practice said they'd be sent straight to the clinic...) then we had our contutants appointment with the clinic who said thats never happened ever because its a different department etc and they legally cant transfer info. So after that, when my husband went back to the practice for a STI screen (required by clinic) he asked the receptionist and she said they HAD been sent to the clinic (they hadnt, I had to photograph them and send by email) but she printed copies of BOTH for him there and then 🙄

If there's anything I've learnt over the last year or so, its ask someone else, ask the same person the question in a different way, ask on a different day, and eventually you'll get what you're after 😅 its not in my nature to be what I see as 'a pain' but it seems to be the only thing that gets things moving! X

@beckyCarlos @Kay00 @thislittlebird

Hello 😊

I'm assuming we will get the results on the 14th so not long now...considering the 1st one was done in July! I did keep chasing the result and they said it can take up to 8 weeks...then got a letter through for 2nd one...and before that 8 weeks were up we had this appointment. My GP hasn't had the results on their system - they requested the first one initially but the clinic is the one doing it and requested 2nd.

DH has a diagnosed hormone condition...although he gets yearly checks and last years testosterone was fine- his consultant said it shouldn't affect fertility....I'm sure the fertility specialist may pick up on different things though 🤣 Don't think DH will cope if results aren't ok....although I'm trying to prepare him by letting him know there's medication to try first if there are issues etc.

@kay00 I sent my referral in beginning of August I think and got it approved first week of Sep. The confirmation came directly with an appointment to get everything rolling for just five days later!

@beckyCarlos I think MIL needs to go on an information diet 😬. There's no reason why she needs to know about your medical procedures, especially if this is how she reacts.

@juno231 thank you I think she meant well 🙄 or at least didnt quite realise what a bashing it felt like. She was a nurse so in some ways it's fab, shes offered to help with injections if I'm nervous etc, which is amazing, but I think I never realised how...I dunno how to put it...'out if control'? It can feel once you've shared things? I'm very much a 'put it in a box till it has to be dealt with' person, might not be the best approach but it works for me, and sometimes other people can open the box when I'm not ready and I dislike that 🤣

@beckyCarlos it'll be hard for her to fathom that this is your step #112 in badgering the NHS into helping you and that it's so hard to keep trundling along :(

@juno231 that's a quick turn around too, this gives me hope! Thanks!

Hi everyone, I have been reading this thread and thought I would also jump on as there's so much useful information here. Me and DH have been trying for over 2 years now. First spoke to GP in January 2021, had blood tests, scans and SA, referral sent off in March 2021, first appointment with Gynae specialist was in September 2021, where we were told we would need IVF. Was sent for a HSG in October and booked for a follow up which is later this month (January 2022). As you can see it's been absolutely ages and so much waiting around especially for the gynae department.

I've been reading some of the posts and it seems like GPs can refer people directly for IVF? I'm so confused because what was the point of my GP referring me to gynaecology then? Or does it depend on your CCG? Also, my appointment on 19th January is a telephone follow up appointment which I assume is just to discuss my HSG results. I am desperate for them to send off my IVF referral but is it likely that would happen at a telephone appointment or does it normally happen at a face to face appointment? I was weighed etc in September to check BMI but I often see people talking about having bloods done for HIV etc which I have not had.

@acaciabluebell hi! Funny to see you here because I almost replied to you on your Letrozole clomid thread and then deleted! I’ll say what I was going to say further down on here instead.

I think we’re quite similar in our results, bar the low AMH, mine is high, but my old GP referred us to gynaecology at the local hospital because of my low progesterone results (17 and 10). It’s so damn slow with gynaecology in my neck of the woods. It took three months to wait for them only for them to tell us to piss off. Didn’t even offer clomid. Ridiculous and a waste of our time, but most people don’t seem to have such a shit experience.

So my understanding is that GPs see you and refer to gynae in the expectation they’ll assess the best route, rather than straight to the fertility clinic. They might offer clomid for six months etc. That’s my best guess anyway, it didn’t happen for us, and the reason my new GP referred us directly is because a private doctor had seen us after the nhs gynaecologist told us we wouldn’t get any help (despite me possibly not ovulating and my husband having 9% motility 🥴) and the private doc made a case for us that my GP was happy with. I’m not sure if some areas refer without such a letter, not entirely sure if it’s a CCG variable.

I’ve heard of people having video calls to do the funding application, and mine was done without even seeing us, just emailed to us on the back of the letters. So it might be possible they’ll do funding too at the same time. Can you ring the administrators and find out what it’s for?

The HIV and Hep bloods were done when we got to the nhs fertility clinic for the first time from what I recall, that was a few weeks after the funding was approved. We’ve got to have them done again before we start ivf this month. It’s taken a year from my first private fertility check up, and 17 months from my first nhs fertility tests with the GP to get this far. Very painful.

I’m scared my phone will refresh and I’ve typed a lot so I’ll post this then reply to you about Letrozole.

@acaciabluebell I was going to reply to you but didn’t know if this was helpful. I was going to ask if you were private or nhs and if you were offered a trigger shot? I was private, did Letrozole + trigger shot + progesterone and three scans to decide when to trigger each month. Not cheap, but it did the job of making me ovulate. My progesterone went from 10 to 108! So I will assume that’s 2 eggs being released + cyclogest. I worked out when I had ovulated myself with OPKs and symptoms, plus luteal phase length from cycle one, then booked in a blood test to confirm, and it was about three days after my trigger and clearly I got the right day with a result of 108.

Obviously without a trigger it’s more guess work but the signs were there and I responded the same way each month and patterns would emerge. It didn’t work for me, but it does for lots of people, including on threads I’ve been on.

@acaciabluebell hi! I think the standard seems to be GP referring you to a fertility clinic/assisted conception unit (often just called gynaecology?). They can refer you at the next appointment if you meet the criteria (in my case that meant trying naturally for 2 years, or having something preventing natural conception - in other areas they might make you do 3 rounds of IUI first!), it doesn't need to be a face to face meeting. The viral blood tests usually get done after the referral has been approved but before all the IVF stuff starts. At least it did for me!

@Juno231 my gynaecology referral was the local hospital (in Kent), so definitely not the fertility clinic in my case. I thought it would be at first based on experiences I’d read :/

Hi ladies, haven't been on in a while as between christmas and new year, have been going through the devastation of misscarying our ivf baby. At 7w4d I was scanned and it was confirmed no heartbeat, so I decided to opt for surgery to 'remove the pregnancy' at 7w5d. Feeling so sad, numb and just super defeated that out first round of IVF has resulted in both a chemical pregnancy and now a miscarriage. So it's onto round 2, we are just waiting for a follow up appointment to discuss if we will change protocol for next time as it'll be a full cycle from scratch as we only had the two frozen. It was early Jan last year that we had our first ever appointment with the clinic so feel like we've taken 1 step forward and 2 steps back. But we go again so back on the bus!