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PCOS - ovulation induction

3 replies

kibit219 · 28/01/2025 17:37

Hi everyone,

I’m new to Mumsnet and hoping to get some advice.

My husband and I are trying for a baby, but as soon as we started taking it seriously, my period stopped. At first, I thought we were lucky, but the pregnancy tests kept coming back negative. I booked an appointment with my GP, had some blood tests and ultrasound, and was eventually diagnosed with PCOS. It’s been such an emotional rollercoaster, I was generally healthy, never skip a period, but got my first period stopped when we really want to have baby.

We decided to pursue treatment, and from what the NHS explained, the typical steps are ovulation induction first, then IUI, and finally IVF. It looks straight forward. However, we’ve found out we’re not eligible for NHS-funded treatment because we’re both on working visas, even though we’ve been in the UK for six years and paid the full amount of IHS fee.

The private charges at the hospital the NHS referred us to were very high. the initial consultation was £4xx for me and £3xx for my husband. We decided to explore the private market, but I’m struggling to find a clinic that isn’t focused on IVF. My period has been absent for four months that time, and I hadn’t received any medication during the time.

After my period came back, We’ve been trying for few more months with no luck, and I’m now looking for a fertility clinic that could help us start with ovulation induction, specifically Clomid. Unfortunately, most of the clinics I’ve found through Google seem to target IVF clients, and I don’t know where to find a doctor who can prescribe Clomid without IVF.

As immigrants in the UK, this journey has been much more difficult than I imagined. We’re eligible for ILR next October, but I’m 32 now, and we really don’t want to wait that long to start our family.

We’re based in Greater London and would really appreciate any recommendations for affordable and reliable Clomid treatment. Thank you so much for any help or advice you can share!

OP posts:
WhyDoesItAlways · 28/01/2025 17:59

Might be a bit outside your area but I used oxford fertility clinic. The consultant i saw did all the exploratory tests and advised I had ovarian drilling to stimulate ovulation so that she could also have a good look inside to check if there was anything else other than PCOS causing the infertility as if there is, there would be little point in taking clomid/metformin etc. As it was, she found it had endometriosis and lazy tubes so advised to go straight to IVF.

Basically point of all that info is that they offer a range of treatments not just IVF.

kibit219 · 29/01/2025 12:05

WhyDoesItAlways · 28/01/2025 17:59

Might be a bit outside your area but I used oxford fertility clinic. The consultant i saw did all the exploratory tests and advised I had ovarian drilling to stimulate ovulation so that she could also have a good look inside to check if there was anything else other than PCOS causing the infertility as if there is, there would be little point in taking clomid/metformin etc. As it was, she found it had endometriosis and lazy tubes so advised to go straight to IVF.

Basically point of all that info is that they offer a range of treatments not just IVF.

Thank you for your suggestion. I will take consideration. Transportation is not the main concern, we just want to get treatment.

OP posts:
Needspaceforlego · 29/01/2025 12:10

TBH I'd try a private GP see if they can give you ovulation stimulatants (clomid) which is a fairly cheap drug.
Failing that skip IUI and do IVF.

IUI is the most stressful horrible thing. It must work for some women but not me. The whole thing seemed much less controlled and was a faff compared to IVF.
I can see why private clinics don't do it.

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