Rant about Guys Hospital

[Willieowinsbury]

Does anyone else find it impossible to get any questions answered by Guys ACU?

I can never get through on the phone line and they are terrible at answering emails. We have two frozen embryos that I want to get on and transfer (individually) and they are holding it up for a reason I don't fully understand and no-one will explain to me.

The letters they send are so delayed that the second embryo transfer had happened by the time they sent a letter about the first, and the information on the write ups is incomplete and incorrect. I don't even know who to take it up with.

They are nice when I am actually at the clinic but sheesh, this is driving me up the wall. And the counsellor hasn't replied to my three messages since July, asking for a session.

If anyone can recommend an organised clinic in central london for our next cycle (icsi for male factor/ endo) which I'm sure we'll need as our remaining two blastos are not great ones, I'd be very grateful.

[ivf2019]

Thank you @holly147 , that's good advice! I think they think I'm completely neurotic as I was pestering about waiting times etc. at our first appointment, but it really helps manage your expectations if you at least have a rough idea of when things will happen!

Will keep my fingers crossed for lots of healthy embryos for you x

[Holly147]

Thanks @ivf2019 . I know, the waiting is so frustrating isn't it!

I would recommend following up every email you send with another email/phone call, as we ended up with two major delays of 4-5 months each, due to me sending them an email and it being missed. Don't think I was persistent enough when I started off!

When the treatment actually starts it is very quick - I am on short protocol (not sure if they put everyone on this) and just had 12 days of injections followed by egg collection on Friday, then if we have any embryos develop to day 6 they'll be tested and frozen this Thursday! So it seems very short compared to the time waiting.

Hope you don't have to wait too much longer!

[ivf2019]

@Holly147 good luck with your first cycle, so sorry to hear you've been having such a nightmare with Guy's.

I'm currently waiting on first contact from ACU as we're also having PGD so the Genetics team there have just referred us. I'm so worried about the delays based on everyone's recent experiences - it's already taken since June just to get to this stage and I have no idea when we'll hear back. Every time we're waiting on something it's conveniently "just arrived on my desk" or "been posted today" on the day I email/call

[Holly147]

We've experienced similar at Guys, and ended up making a formal complaint back in October after an administrative error meant that our cycle was delayed by five months. They missed the email about the start of my cycle and ignored phone calls - this meant that I missed my slot and had further delays as they said the lab was closed for December. I started my first cycle two weeks ago, after a 2-year wait altogether, with lots of administrative errors along the way...

They did give us a very detailed response to our complaint and said that they had implemented a new system of double-checking emails and making written correspondence more promptly. They also said that they were employing additional staff to answer the phones, starting from January.

However, it doesn't seem to have helped - during stims (last week) I arranged my scans locally and had the results emailed to Guys. They had said that my trigger injection would be likely to be on day 10 or 12 of the cycle - however they didn't look at the day 10 scan until the following day, when it would have been too late for me to give the trigger! Fortunately I wasn't ready until day 12, when I had a very fraught hour waiting on hold, hoping to speak to someone before the clinic closed.

We are having PGD funded on the NHS, so unfortunately can't move clinics. Hopefully if enough people complain, things will eventually improve!

[Janefx40]

I know! I emailed them about 3 weeks ago to ask what we needed to do about our frozen embryos and tell them we have moved. I got an irrelevant out of office (it was beyond the dates they said they were closed) and no reply since.

But on the other hand they did manage to make us the most lovely baby - so somehow they manage to do their job.

[MrsT75]

I can write a long rant on this. The consultants are nice but getting hold of anyone is impossible, their finance account twice now claimed we haven't paid for various things when we have (keep receipts), they don't pick up the phone or answer emails (ever). We are at the point of giving up on them.

[Janefx40]

Totally understand @LuceConnection my DP is always far less happy to share than me. Hope all goes well for you x

[LuceConnection]

Thanks for responses all :)

Congratulations @Janefx40 that's lovely news!

sorry to be 'that' person but DP was unhappy that I shared our experience online and wants it removed.
We are in this together, so I am respecting that. MNHQ has kindly agreed to remove it for me, so I thought I would explain- before it disappeared.

Thanks again for the replies xxx

[LemonTwist10]

@Janefx40

Congratulations!! I too heard good things about Guys, however I think this decline has been within the last few years. Even if you’re a private funded patient, the treatment is no different to NHS.

[Janefx40]

Good luck @LemonTwist10 hope your cycle goes well.

Although Guys were pretty dreadful, I didn't find the comms as bad as described here so it must have for worse since we were there. Yes I could be on hold for 40 mins but I did always get through immediately.

Despite it all, we did get pregnant so fingers crossed to anyone still under going treatment there x

[LemonTwist10]

@LuceConnection

I am sorry you are experiencing this right now. I stayed for a few weeks longer and then my partner and I decided to bail as we saw no improvement and found this just wasn’t the place for us.

I believe that if communication is bad at the beginning before treatment, what the hell would it be like when we had a “failed” cycle and the aftercare / updates and plans moving forward.

We are now with Concept Fertility, haven’t looked back since and communication is brilliant, staff nurses are contactable throughout the day and their success rates are good also. We are now waiting for my period to start so I can start taking my medication.

I do wish you the best with your treatment regardless and I hope the complaint I made sees their admin process overhauled and patients such as yourself can receive a better service moving forward.

X

[ivf2019]

I had my first appointment with Guy's yesterday (via Genetics as we're doing PGD) and they did warn us about the terrible correspondence from ACU - apparently it has been escalated internally and they are hiring new staff in November which is expected to help with capacity issues.

I really hope those of you waiting on FETs get them very soon. The understaffing issue does worry me but we're right at the start of our journey so I'm hoping things may have improved by our next step.
x

[Janefx40]

@MadCatLady24 sorry you've had such a negative experience. I think they are massively under staffed but it is stress you don't need.

You've made me think that I should contact them about our frozen embryos.

I hope you get it all sorted

X

[MadCatLady24]

Couldn’t agree with you more, ladies. Guys is appalling... they’re currently holding our frozen embryos hostage and refusing to answer the phone / reply to emails. We’ve missed two FET opportunities because of their inefficiencies. Despite having a perfectly normal cycle, I’m now being forced into a medicated cycle to suit their timings (not mine!)
I feel like moving our little frozen embryos to a unit where the staff actually care. With Guys it’s all about the money and never about the patients. I’ve complained twice, including crying down the phone to the matron, but essentially no one cares. If we had our time again, I would pick anywhere else but Guys.

[Michelle404]

Urgh, so sad to see so many people having bad experiences.
I wish I'd been referred somewhere else.
Currently fuming as I'd sent them an email informing of my day one, 2 days ago now. No reply, so probably will lose a month of treatment due to their sloppy incompetence.
I've chased over email 2 times more, called multiple times each day, but no one picks up. On hold at least an hour each time. Currently two hours. I'm halfway between tears and rage. It's utterly pointless.

[LemonTwist10]

Also I wanted to add that having to purchase sperm online, pay for storage and shipping is equally frustrating. Most private clinics do it for you which I find much easier.

I find with Guys, although I am self funding, you still get NHS treatment. However, if you pay a premium for “personal treatment” or something like that, you have the benefit of seeing the same convulsant, who will also perform your procedure and you will also have his / her mobile contact number to use at your will.

However, I don’t think there should be levels. You’re either self funded (private) or your not. I am seriously considering moving.

I would love if there are any up to date suggestions of clinics in London / Surrey.

Thanks bunches

[LemonTwist10]

Hi ladies

I too wanted to add that I find Guys to be the best part of a bad trip. My partner and I were referred this year. Completed initial consultation, implication counselling and so on. Since then I received a letter which they did not pay for postage, I spent £2 collecting it from my local sorting office, in the end the letter was informing me about how to book an initial counselling session (which I already booked and had) a few weeks prior.

Also I have booked an appointment with the donor department for August, however, I received a call the other day asking me to arrange an appointment to come in. I asked the lady on the phone what it was for and she couldn’t tell me.

I’ve attempted to contact them on the phone since yesterday and no joy, they don’t pick up. Also, sent emails asking for the above to be addressed, she responded but didn’t if that makes any sense as she failed to answer any of my queries.

Also it was worded poorly, I had to read it several times to actually figure out what she was trying to say as for some reason punctuation wasn’t perceived necessary when she composed her email response.

My partner and I are seriously considering moving to another clinic as this is too much. It’s so stressful and I don’t think I can do it much longer as I want to be relaxed and happy for when I attempt my first IUI.

Sadly, this is my story...

[Janefx40]

Hi Michelle,

I saw your post and have to agree. I had my second cycle at Guy's having had another elsewhere. It was pretty shocking all around from the lack of empathy (although staff are ok in person), incompetence (they made a massive error in my treatment by forgetting to give me 2 vital drugs and frequently gave me the wrong amounts of drugs on prescription) to being utterly impossible to contact.

Having said all of that our cycle miraculously worked and I am 11 weeks pregnant - so something went right and miracles do happen.

I was sorry to read back through previous posts because some people seem to be worrying that all clinics are the same and it just isn't the case in my view. The other clinic I attended were caring, efficient and effective.

Plus Guy's like to convince you that the extras some clinics offer are rubbish but then they are sooo extremely conservative that they ignore all evidence that isn't multiply clinically trialled - it takes time for that to happen. Personally I think if there is reasonable clinical evidence that something may help and it is proven not to be harmful, then giving women the option is fair.

Well anyway I feel your pain. Stepping into the building makes me anxious!

[Michelle404]

I know this is from last year, but wanted to add Guys are still horrific!
I've had nothing but stress. Complete incompetence with admin and keeping my file up to date. Inability to communicate info to other departments in a timely manner. Zero empathy.
Never answer the phone and if they do they often hang up on me.
Cause unnecessary treatment delays.
Utter apathy and laziness, like they think the patients should be grateful, regardless of the service they provide. I get the feeling they view fertility treatments as a luxury and you are lucky to get whatever they deem to throw at you. They disjust me.

[Willieowinsbury]

Both of you have had a rougher time than me with your MCs. Closest I've been is a chemical after the fresh cycle.

Agree about the weird wall art, haha! Must be really hard to choose between natural cycle with all hopes pinned on one little egg, and especially if the sperm are dodgy too, or go for donor egg. I'd like to have natural or mild in some ways as I'm terrified of being in agony after egg collection again. I did phone the emergency line to say how ill I was but they didn't seem worried...until they saw the size of my ovaries at transfer 🙄

I'm going to look at Serum now too - personal endorsement is all I really rate at the moment in these shark-infested waters.

Hi TurquoiseDress. In a funny way despite my rant I think Guys are good at the medical side, it's just the communication problems and feels uber 'nhs' if you know what I mean, with all their usual problems. If it had worked first time I probably would have raved about them, it's just the more it fails, the more sides we naturally see of them and the more bitter I get. Was at a wedding yesterday and already wondering if the new pair will have a baby before we do.

Also I think they won't endorse anything that's slightly leftfield, hence no vitamin recommendations even though I think they probably do help. They also don't buy into hidden infection screening, but I'd love to have it done - probably not proven enough to make it cost effective, but anecdotally it seems to make a difference. At least they are not peddling snake oil so I would trust them not to do the same to private patients. Maybe a bit too far the other way!

[isthismummy]

It is very hard to know what to do for the best TurquoiseDress The costs are so astronomical and you really want to know you're doing the best you can for your situation.

Well after Guys wrote me off we had to look abroad as there is no way we can afford treatment in the U.K. I picked Serum in Athens because I'd read so many positive accounts from women who've gone there. DH and myself firstly did their hidden infections tests which came back positive. We had antibiotic treatment and I conceived shortly after that in June. Sadly I had a mc at 5 weeks. Travelled to Serum at end of July for Hysteroscopy which revealed a uterine septum and extensive scar tissue. Clinic have told us there's still a chance I may conceive again naturally, but I'm now on CD 60 and going out of my mind. They've told me the next step is natural cycle, but I'm feeling very torn. We have limited funds and part of me just wants to go straight to donor eggs to up our chances. Feeling very low about things atm.

I can't speak highly enough about Serum though. Penny the director is so lovely and compassionate. They really make you feel cared about and like they want to do the best for you.

Do you have any idea regarding your amh levels? Because if they are decent for your age then there's no reason you shouldn't be in with a chance🙂 Poor morphology can be overcome with icsi. Also certain vitamins/life style changes can help improve sperm quality. Serum put my DH on a sperm improvement protocol which helped his motility improve, although it's still fairly low unfortunately.

My advice would be to do your research, check out the forums etc, but ultimately go with your gut decisions on what to do and where to go. It's such a personal journey and I really believe that following your instincts is the best way to go. Good luck with it all

[TurquoiseDress]

Thanks for sharing your experiences isthismummy

I can't quite get my head around the fact that we might need IVF to conceive baby number 2, especially when my previous 2 pregnancies really just happened without any planning/timing etc.

Also, I'm under no illusion that there is going to be any hand-holding or touchy feeling or maybe even empathy- the world of fertility clinics seems v much a business and it's got a captive (and pretty desperate) pool of potential patients.

Your experiences at Guy's really doesn't sound nice.
I am prepared for them to give me bad stats/low expectations because I am now 39, DH a bit younger but our main issue seems to be sperm quality.

A dismissive or smirking consultant is the last thing that you need.

When I let my mind wander a bit, going abroad seems to be the best thing for us- really to do with the cost. We are London based so of course going to a clinic locally would be much easier.

But I don't know...I seem to have a bad impression/opinion of all fertility clinics and have never gone near one before.

Where are you on your journey so far, if you don't mind me asking?
Apologies if I have missed info that you've given already.

[isthismummy]

So sorry to hear about your mmc TorquoiseDress

Well I was NHS at Guys, so as a private patient you might be better treated, but I personally wouldn't risk it. They have very much a one size fits all approach to treatment. One consultant actually smirked when I asked about vitamins etc to improve DH low motility and my poor egg reserves. She told us to just take folic acid and that everything else basically had no effect.

I really feel that for private treatment going abroad is the way forward. I went for a private consultation at City Fertility in London and the consultant there was horribly dismissive too! Serum in Athens is the only place I've been where people were kind, positive and helpful.

[TurquoiseDress]

This thread has made me shudder a bit.

Until very recently I knew nothing of the world of sub/infertility and all the private clinics that are out there.

But the more I read, the more off putting I find it all, like you cannot trust anybody, as a couple becoming more desperate to have baby number 2, I feel that there is a lot of (potential) exploitation out there!