IVF referral wait through NHS

[HopeHopeandmoreHope]

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone was in the same position as me, I have my next appointment with our consultant in less than 3 weeks and at this appointment he will be doing out IVF referral, from this stage how long were people waiting before they actually got their first appointment and started IVF?
TIA x

I’d been under gynaecology from 18. Ectopic pregnancy at 18, investigations for a couple of years as was found to have pelvic inflammatory and pcos and hydrosalpinx in remaining tube, then had another ectopic at 23. (Lost both tubes so needed ivf)

You need to be 23 to be referred for ivf here so was referred at that age, I literally rung them up the week I turned 23 to let them know they could now refer, I’d been waiting around unable to proceed due to my age.

It was a fairly quick process once I was referred, I had my ivf in Leeds. Needed a few appointments for bloods, scans, dh’s ‘certain sample’, my bmi was also slightly over so had to lose 2 stone during my tests.

Ds was born when I was 24 and I’d had 3 ivf goes for him including an ivf miscarriage from one of the cycles (had to wait 3 clear months before doing another cycle after this) so it was like 18 months from going to the ivf unit for the first time to ds being born, felt like forever at the time, but when I look back it was all rapid.

Good luck.

@danni0509 Gosh sounded like you had a really tough time, so happy you now have you DS! I also never realised you had to be 23! Thank you for letting me know your timeline, was this all done through the NHS or did you have to go private? X

Yeh sorry IUI I think it was, is that less invasive than IVF? I get so confused about all the different terms 😕

So sorry to hear it's both of you having issues. Did they say what the issues were (totally understand if you don't wish to discuss that as I know it's very private) I'm not really sure why I got a hycosy either to be honest with you, I don't understand why my tubes working or not working would have a different outcome for ivf as you don't need working tubes for ivf! Unless they were checking they worked for the IUI maybe incase I would have preferred that route first? Who knows!

I wonder why England requires the men to have BMI under 30 and Scotland doesn't. How strange they have such different rules. X

@mhchjj yes IUI is when they separate the better sperm and inject straight into you instead of removing your eggs, ICSI is when they inject a single sperm into an egg. It's all sciencey haha!
So I have irregular cycles so don't regularly ovulate and sometimes don't ovulate at all, boyfriend has a low sperm count so together we aren't doing very well at the whole baby making thing! X

@Yolo23 @Barbs3116 @mhchjj
How are you all getting on? X

Hey @HopeHopeandmoreHope lovely to hear from you

I was really fortunate and conceived naturally before my referral - I’m currently 10+6 and nervously waiting for my scan next week 🤞🏼 So far all seems ok but my anxiety after waiting this long to conceive has been intense!

How are you getting on? x

@Barbs3116 That is amazing news!! Congratulations I'm made up for you! 💓Let us know how you get on at your scan!

I'm still playing the waiting game! Back and forth for the last 2 weeks with doctors and ivf clinic trying to get our referral pushed through. They have called me this morning and said everything has been sent now so hopefully its not too much longer now x

Thank you 😊 I still haven’t told many people and feel nervous saying it even on here!! Hopefully next week will put my mind at rest a bit and I can accept it’s actually happening.

That’s great that you’re pushing for progress with your GP and clinic, it has to be done to get anywhere it seems! Hopefully not too much longer for you to wait now 🤞🏼

@Barbs3116 I get that! Hopefully you can start to enjoy the process after your scan! Aw glad I checked in now that's such lovely news x

@Barbs3116 amazing news!! Oh my gosh congratulations 🥳 How long we’re you trying do you mind me asking? That’s such amazing news ✨

@HopeHopeandmoreHope hello! I’m good thank you, having a nightmare with DTD at the moment due to general life getting in the way 🫠🤣 it took me 6 needles last week to draw blood to have my day 2-4 bloods 😅

As far as I know… our referral is going smoothly and I’m trying to not get too excited but I’m hopeful that come Feb we will have been seen. Although I think the latest timeframe they said was 26 weeks and that’s more like the end of March 🙃 How are you? Where are you atm with your cycle?

Im due to ovulate on Tues however my OH is away with work from Monday 🥲 we’re going to hit the weekend HARD - whether he knows it or not yet 🤣😅 xx

@Yolo23 thanks so much!! As I said I’m trying not to let myself get too excited but the scan’s not far away now..

We were trying for over 2 years but it was really a year of OPKs and BBT tracking. We also tried an at home kit called TwoPlus - I have no idea if this is what eventually worked for us as we also DTD that month, maybe it was a coincidence but we fell pregnant the second month of trying it. It was about £55 with a discount code but worth it I think…plus it took some of the pressure off DTD so much during the window 😅

Fingers crossed for your referral in the new year and good luck for this month 🤞🏼

@Barbs3116 oh wow! That’s fantastic. Thank you for sharing this with me - I’ve just been doing some online research and it looks interesting! Lots of success stories and something I’d never heard of.

random question .. your partner still needs to provide sperm within the window so you can transfer it straight away during ovulation right? You don’t store it somewhere (ie. In the fridge lol) - so it’s the same as having sex at the right time, but without the pressure yeah (so using the two plus) ?

thanks xx

@Yolo23 You’re very welcome! Someone on another thread here recommended it to me as they conceived during their 2nd month using it, so I’m happy to pass on the recommendation!

I was a bit sceptical and my OH was very much so but it might have just been what did it for us! Yes they still need to provide sperm in a little cup and you need to use it within about an hour I think, it just helps it find the right place to go 🤣

@Yolo23 exciting! Have they said what your next stage is?

@Barbs3116 Ooh I've never even heard of that! I'll take a look! Remind me, did you say any of your initial tests brought up any issues for either of you?

@HopeHopeandmoreHope we hadn’t heard of it either but by this point we thought why not!! Our tests didn’t highlight any issues for us but it was over 2 years that we were trying x

@Barbs3116 thank you - it’s definitely on our maybe list should we need to! We’ve managed to DTD with a flashing smiley this eve so that’s great - hopefully will have a static (confirmed ovulation) either tomorrow or the next day…

@HopeHopeandmoreHope nope! As far as I’m aware, we just go straight onto IVF but I may be wrong. Keeping everything crossed that it’s super straight forward! What about you?

@Yolo23 I'm just in limbo stage at the minute! All information has been sent from my doctors now to create so just waiting for them to process everything then they should be in touch with an appointment!

@HopeHopeandmoreHope pretty much the same as me then! I’m getting more and more excited the nearer 2024 comes 😊

Are you doing anything different these next few weeks while you wait for the appt? Have they given you a time estimation? Xx

@Yolo23 I got a phone call this morning to book our first appointment so that's now booked for the 5th Dec and I've filled out all my forms so that's exciting! At the first appointment I'll have a scan, speak to a consultant and meet our patient coordinator, I can't believe it's actually starting!

We have both stopped drinking the last few weeks, I have my works Christmas party at the end of the month so that will be a struggle to not drink too much haha!! I've tried doing a little exercise every day too.

Have you picked your clinic yet? X

@HopeHopeandmoreHope oh wow! Congrats on moving forward 🥳🥰 very exciting!! Yes, you’ll probably face a wrath of questions about the non alcohol but it’ll be worth it.

Were on the NHS list so I’ll have what’s given! We get 2 cycles fully funded and I’ve always said third time lucky.. so if we’re unsuccessful then we will deffo pay for a round privately.

Im so excited for you 🤩 xx

@HopeHopeandmoreHope that’s amazing news, congrats and good luck with your first appointment 🎉 It should all move pretty quickly from here!

Stopping drinking has been a struggle for me too, I stopped about a month before we conceived and cut down 90% for about 6 months before - it does get easier after a few weeks but the smell of a good glass of wine still gets me!

Hi guys, I hope that you dont mind me joining this chat? Me and my husband have been trying to conceive for over two years, I had some investigations done privately as I thought tubes may have been blocked from a pelvic infection when I was younger, it came back all fine which I was super shocked about. My husband has had two sperm checks, both came back with low morphology the other counts were ok. We got referred to the fertility clinic and were seen quite soon by a nurse to see whether we were eligible and to go through all of the questions and sign the forms etc. now we've both had to have further investigations, husband another sperm test, me 2 sets of bloods and a scan which I am having on the 4th of Dec. We've had an appointment through for the 23rd Jan to discuss the results and findings, which I am finding hard to not know now what they have found as I guess for two years that's all that's been playing on my mind. Any how does anyone know how long after your appointment to discuss the findings treatment can be started etc? I just feel so down about it all, never thought I'd be in this situation, but who does?!

@Yolo23 hopefully you hear soon! 2 rounds is really good! We get 1 but I'm the same I have for some reason convinced myself it will work on the second round haha!

@Barbs3116 it's hard, it's more the social life, I don't drink at all at home so if we've nothing planned I don't bother but that's very rare, we seem to always have something on! How are you feeling? Have you had your scan yet?

@Rockyslife welcome! The waiting is the worst, I feel your pain! We had a repeat semen test for my partner at the beginning of August and soonest appointment we could to discuss the results was October, that's when they confirmed we will be referred for ivf, the week after we got a letter requesting the referral but there was confusion between the doctors and the clinic for about 3 weeks so I spend nearly every day chasing but finally got it sorted and rang yesterday to make my first appointment at the ivf clinic which is beginning of December. Regarding how long it will be before I actually start treatment I have no idea, I'll know more after that first appointment :) so really from being referred to being accepted to booking the first appointment wasn't long at all, about 5 weeks but could of been quicker without the confusion from the doctors. Good luck!

@Rockyslife I feel you too! Unfortunately this process is such a waiting game 😩 I can’t really share much as we had one SA and some general tests for me and was referred onto IVF back the middle of Sept. We’re not as quick as @HopeHopeandmoreHope unfortunately! 🥰 but was told we’d be seen within 26 weeks. I guess it varies across the country and if some places only allow one round then naturally I’d imagine the process to be a bit quicker than those eligible for 2/3 rounds.
I think it’s really important to keep trying to think of the positives and how far you’ve come >> 2 years of being in complete limbo, vs 6 months ish of finally progressing forward is definitely a step in the right direction 😊 you’re both soon to get the answers you need, and hopefully things can be arranged to give you the best possible chance. I find relaxed(ish) if I have a plan and a date to work towards. I know everyone is different but hopefully time will go quickly for you and you’ll get your BFP!

@HopeHopeandmoreHope so exciting!! I’m buzzing for you. Can’t believe how quickly your appointment has come around. I’d chase mine up somehow but not sure if timing is better for it to be after our holiday in January as we’re off to Morocco. So may let fate be fate! Hope you’re keeping ok xx

@Yolo23 I can't either! They did say we should hear in the next 3 months so getting the letter a week later was amazing! I wasn't expecting to hear anything until the new year! Oh a holiday sounds lovely. I believe in fate there's a reason everything happens when it does! Xx