What can I expect from fertility clinic referral? Endometriosis and PCOS

[redflowerbluethorns]

Just looking for experiences as I don't know anyone else that has been referred to the fertility clinic.

We have one child, I got pregnant after a year, we are blessed to have her. We've been TTC now for over a year, with one pregnancy but I miscarried at 4 weeks.

Due to me having endometriosis and now suspected PCOS (awaiting ultrasound but the testosterone levels in my blood tests were high) I have been referred to the fertility clinic. Husbands tests were fine.

Can anyone share their experience? I have no idea what to expect. When I Google it everything just says IVF. Surely that's not what they jump straight in to?

Finding it hard to discuss with people as I don't know anyone else that struggled to conceive.

Hey, have they tested you to check if you're ovulating?

My GP diagnosed me with PCOS after all the tests, did 9 weeks of blood test before referring me.
The gynae gave me metformin & some sort of medication that forced a period and ovulation... I fell pregnant the first cycle... after not having a single period for 8 years

Hi, no they haven't yet. Was it the clinic that did that rather than the GP? I haven't got to that stage yet, the referral went through last week so they have said I should see them within the next 15 weeks.

I do have regular periods (albeit with a slightly irregular cycle of 27 - 36 days).

As for bloods I've just had two tests to check general hormone levels. They wanted both within 1 week of starting my period so I assume not looking for ovulation at that time.

The Gp was the one who did all the tests before referral. GP sent me for ultrasound and bloods etc. the gynae just made a plan and said "here's the med's, come back in 6months", but by then I was already pregnant

Just checking you're aware you'll need to pay for IVF since you already have one child? It might be worth starting to looking into which clinic to use and saving up.

Personally, I regret waiting for nhs tests and treatments when trying for dc2. I think you need tests to find out how bad the endemetriosis is, maybe that was a contributor to the mc. I don't know much about that. I do have pcos, so on metformin. I've previously tried clomid and other ovulation inducing drugs, but unknown at the time I had scar tissue blocking my uterus.

I didn't know that we would need to pay for the IVF. I thought we might get one shot on the NHS. I have enough in savings that I could afford one round. I'm hoping we won't need to pay for all of the consultations.

I haven't had a lap for endo since 2016 but at the time it was stage 1. I was told by my gp not to have any more surgery for endo unless I had to as it would lower my fertility rate even more so, so I don't know how much it has spread since then. They didn't check inside my tubes at the time, just external uterus, ovaries and ligaments. It was mostly on the back of my uterus and on my ligaments. PCOS investigations have only been taking place in the last 4 months due to symptoms such as increased hair growth and weight loss difficulties.

When you say you regret waiting for tests - what is the alternative? Private treatment you mean?

I feel so hopelessly depressed about all of this, and terribly guilty as DHs results were absolutely fine. I don't know anyone else that has an only child and she has been asking about a sibling to play with. All of my friends get pregnant at the drop of a hat and keep trying to compare our situations.

@redflowerbluethorns if you're in England, yes you have to pay for all ivf as you already have a child. You'll be entitled to some tests on the nhs and if it was felt surgery on your endo was needed you'd most likely receive that too. The waits may be huge. I've been trying for dc2 for 5 years, but I keep having new problems found, but I do feel like we're getting closer to making a healthy baby, although I am now 40, which is depressing.

Where I live there were big nhs waits and eventually I gave up waiting for some tests (HyCoSy to test tubes) as my hospital didn't have anyone trained to do them and was hoping to employ someone soon. Mine was 'unexplained infertility' at the time, so there was limited stuff the nhs would do anyway. It may be worth perusing for endo. I'm currently under both an ivf clinic and a separate immune and miscarriage clinic, as now I can get pregnant but not stay pregnant. I've had three surgeries, one on the nhs to unblock a tube that turned out to not actually be blocked, two private to remove scar tissue in my uterus. I conceived our dc1 after 9 months with no issues. I do think I'm an unusual case. For many people it can be just a case of needing ovulation inducing drugs such as clomid. I do think you should push for having the endo checked.

What do you mean with having the endo checked? To check it isn't blocking tubes?

Would we get things like meds on the NHS do you think? I assume we'd get endo surgery.

Just tried having a conversation with DH about thie as I'm so sad. He always tries go give me "solutions" and has told me to calorie count because somebody once told him it might be weight related (I am slightly over but the doctors have said I'm not doing anything wrong re weight loss attempts). I wish he'd just offer comfort as I carry so much guilt.

To be honest, I don't know about endo. I don't know how that's tested for. You would get drugs like clomid (ovulation inducing for pcos) on the nhs but you wouldn't get ivf drugs on the nhs.

Pcos and fertility is linked to weight unfortunately. I think there's evidence that losing 5% (may have made that number up) of your body weight when you have pcos can improve your fertility. I don't know much about that either, sorry. I have to be blunt with my dh and tell him I just need sympathy and support, not really advice. That's only because I know a lot more about it all than him, purely because it's me who goes to all the appointments and does the research. He does a cursory Google and then comes out with things that can sometimes be opposite to what doctors have said.