Infertility on the NHS - what to expect?

[user1475434669]

Partner and I are both 34. Started TTC first baby in January and fell right away. Miscarried in March and no pregnancy since. My bloods were all normal in August (thyroid was just over 3, which I read can be too high for successful pregnancy?) GP now is sending DH for semen analysis and referral for both of us to fertility specialist. What can we expect? How long will the process take? (We are in London...) I am a nurse and feeling awful for the jealousy I feel around all of the mums and babies I see, and gutted that we can't fall preg again . With every month that goes on I'm feeling lower, and am finding it hard to even try anymore. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't tell me how good I am with babies or ask when we're going to start a family.

for you firstly. We live under two miles from a huge fertility centre so our GP gave us an appt there and then for 3 weeks time after a scan showed i had pcos. I had waited a month for scan. I think weve been lucky as its fairly quick

Also sympathise with people asking all the time. An old lady told me my child would be beautiful like me so i should hurry up and have one! It was a backhanded compliment

We were referred in Nov 2013 after ttc for over a year and finally started treatment in Nov 2015. We had lots of problems, I fell pregnant twice and mc twice in that time, so appointments had to be cancelled and then rearranged. My cycle never returned after either mc and that meant delays for tests that needed to be done on certain cycle days. They had a problem with long term illness with their staff so they were very pushed for appointments and one person was dealing with several people's cases. Every appointment we were sent was rearranged by them.

Thyroid I have been told should ideally be under 2 for successful pregnancy. You may need to push for this as you will be in the normal range with a level of 3 and some people are not familiar with it needing to be under 2. Mine was 2.2 and is now 1.3. I wasn't offered any treatment but I signed to a recurrent mc trial last year that was looking at thyroid anti body connections and mc, I don't know if I have the placebo or medication but my results would suggest I have the medication.

I hope your journey is swifter than ours has been, it can be heartbreaking, big hugs.

We went to GP in Feb, lots of tests and analysis followed (all tests had to be completed within a three month window), referral was sent off to hospital around May. Appointment was booked for eight weeks later (July) then cancelled and rebooked (Sept), cancelled again and rebooked (Oct), then we got a cancellation and went in August (phew!). Issue identified as male infertility so no further investigation done on me. Now we have referral to clinic which came through very promptly.
Good luck to you!

Thanks for all of the responses. I'll hope that our referral goes smoothly.

Ladies do you have regular periods,are they light and/or painful?

Have you had a hysteroscopy with a camera to look inside your womb?

Do your own research, keep notes of everything and push to explore every avenue.

So many things but more help than ever for us if we push hard

I've found out through hysteroscopy and then googling I have Asherman's Syndrome- scars on my womb causing MC

NHS Gynae's were clueless and I had to tell them what it was

Seeing private specialist on Monday