Ivf Birmingham Women’s Hospital

[lauraloolooo]

Hi, me and my husband have had all our tests done and have been referred for IVF on NHS funding, we have been told that there should be no reason why we shouldn’t get funding but I am wondering what the time frames are on when we will receive our letter to state we have the funding to when when we will get the next appointment and timescales on treatment, we have always knew what the fertility issue was but we have had to have all tests going to rule out anything else before referring us and this has taken nearly 1 and a half years so am unsure on how long the next bit will take, any info from anyone would be greatly appreciated x

Hi lauraloolooo I’m currently having ICSI with bham women’s. Our first appointment with the consultant at the fertility centre was April 2017 at which point they had analysed my husbands semen and told us that we had MFI. We were put forward for NHS funding at that point and the proceeding month I had the usual tests and scans. Our next appointment with consultant was in Oct 2017 as funding had been approved and they were then rolling us onto their next available appointments at the centre.
We were invited to a group information session in Nov/Dec 2017 which was an hour long talk from nurse advising about the procedure and some reading material, consent forms etc were given. A couple of weeks later we went in to sign consent forms and here the nurse went through any questions and the finer details. At this point we were told that ICSI could begin upon my next cycle and to ring in on day 1 of my period.
As they go through patients chronologically, when I did call in Jan2018 they still had patients from earlier consent signings to treat and therefore I had to wait and try again the following month.
Feb 2018 they were still too busy and this was a little frustrating but I had been made aware that I might be waiting 1-3 months before a space is available, also, I think the funding only lasts 6 months so they have to have treatment within that timeframe. They told me that I would most likely be accepted in the next month - March 2018 - which I was only we had a few disruptive things going on at home and we needed some extra time.
However, I could have started in March. As it happens I started in May 2018. I down regulated for 2 weeks, then stimulated for a further 2 - during stimulation they scanned me every other day and monitored me well. Although I felt the appointments were super quick and a little impersonal, i suppose it was still sufficient and I didn’t particularly need any extra “hand holding”!
I had my egg collection 15/06 and both DH (who’s a dr too) and myself were really impressed with how efficient and supportive they were. The consultant who carried out the procedure and the anaesthetist were amazing and answered all my questions intelligently and compassionately.
Now things are in the hands of the embryologist.....🙏

Hope this helps give you an idea of what to expect although I understand everyone’s story is so different. In any case, wish you the very best in your journey, hope it all goes well.

Hi Dia12, thank you for replying, I have had two appointments with the consultant now the first appointment was in December 2017 and they said it was down to MFI but as I had no tests done she wanted me to go for all the scans etc we have recently been back and all tests were ok but that’s when they said they would refer us for IVF on nhs funding, it sounds like they had referred you on your first appointment, how long did you wait from when you were referred to hearing that the funding was accepted and receiving the date for your next appointment? I wish you all the best of luck with your treatment and thank you again for replying xx

It does sound like they referred you at second appointment.
I was referred at the first meeting with consultant in April 2017 and ivf funding was approved in Oct 2017 - 7 months.
My first available treatment date was March 2018.
May well be sooner for you. I think it helps not having Christmas holidays in between!! I saw Dr Shah (consultant) who was very good. He was very keen to get things rolling as I was 37.

Hi. I wanted to know is anyone allowed on the ward with me during egg collection day

Just watching this thread as me and my husband are now seeing a consultant at the women’s we have our follow up in September think our consultant was syeda but not sure x

Hi @lauraloolooo could I ask how long it took for them to approve funding in the end? Thanks

Hi, they are yes until you go in to the theatre room for egg collection which only takes about 10 mins and then when the put you back on the ward they call your partner in for you

After my last appointment with the consultant when he said he was referring us everything went quite quickly after that, it took about 3 weeks to get my funding letter back and then we were invited to the group meeting a couple of weeks later and then consent signing a couple of weeks after that and then treatment started, it seems once that’s gone through everything is pretty quick 😊

Hi, they are yes until you go in to the theatre room for egg collection which only takes about 10 mins and then when the put you back on the ward they call your partner in for you

Thanks lauraloolooo for your reply. We are already 1 and half years in like yourself. It gets very stressful but you have given me a bit of hope. My age is against me. I hope your journey has gone well.

Thank you for replying. So nervous

Hi @Babydoll19 how far are you in the process now. I'm due in tomorrow for egg collection so nervous too 😣

Hi. When you go in they call u in to get you ready for General anaesthetic. They put you to sleep. And the procedure is done within 10mins. You can't feel a thing. You will then wake up in recovery room. As soon as your fully aware they call your partner in to join you. They give tea n toast.Your discharged within an hour or two. I went at 9.30am was home by 2pm. When i went home i just felt tired so sleeped it off. Felt abit of bloatidness/cramp but 1 paracetamol did the trick. Before evening came i was feeling back to normal. They write down how many eggs they collected on your discharge paper and theres a emergency number if needed

Also if you want to be with your partner while he gives his sample please make sure they have it written in your notes. Otherwise your partner will be asked to give his sample without you.

Hope it goes well for you xxx if i can do it you can. I hate hospitals n surgeries, but i still managed to do it. Even though i cried like a baby before they put me to sleep. The doctors and nurses are lovely there.

Sorry for writing in detail. Always there for anyone who needs advice.

I have got egg transfer tommorow. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

Please let me know how it goes x

Anyone who knows what to expect on egg transfer day. Please message me. Im nervous

Hi, can I join? I've got my first appointment at the women's next Tuesday.

Wed been trying for 16 months and actually conceived the month our referral was sent. That unfortunately ended in a long drawn out mmc in April. I've seen a gynecologist as I have multiple fibroids but she's discharged me and told us to carry on with the fertility clinic referral.

I'm really worried they'll just re-start the block and send us away. I'm nearly 36, dh is 37. I'm not really sure what will happen at the first appointment?

Good luck for your egg transfer @Babydoll19 🤞

First appointment they go through paperwork and check your health. You need to make sure all your scans, smears etc are upto date. I had to have a hsg scan to check my fallopian tubes. I had a polyp taken out aswell before i even reached ivf stage. Your partners sample needs to be tested before you start ivf. Then funding goes through if it goes through you will be invited for a seminar thing where there they talk about ivf n answer any questions. The appointments are really far apart though so u might think things are going so slow but once you start on ur ivf medication its pretty fast. Ask much as questions as you can. No question is stupid, even the littlest thing is important. Good luck x

That's really helpful thank you.

The GP did cd1-5 and cd21 bloods, had smear and scan plus triple swabs. We ended up paying private for dh's SA as they pushed his original date back a couple of months. The GP wouldn't refer without all the test results. Do you think we'll have to do them all again? All have been done within the last 6 months.

Hi @VenusStarr my and my oh had problems being referred from our gp to the women’s as the woke s wouldn’t accept without certain tests. I had all the same as you and my oh has done 2 tests. We had our appointment in feb, the consultant asked my oh to have another sa and I have had a hsg test which was done this week. We are now waiting for our follow up which is September and that’s when we’ve been told we will be referred for ivf as we now it is male factor. The appointments are long to wait in between especially waiting for test results, forgot to add my oh had genetic blood testing there and then at our first appointment with the women’s. I didn’t have to do my tests again as long as your tests have been done in the last 6 months as you said the women’s should accept you. The first time our gp referred us they rejected it as I hadn’t had my fsh and lh tests done in day 2-4 of my cycle. Good luck

Can I ask how many rounds Birmingham funds?

One round of ivf is free if ur eligible

Hopefully not x

@babydoll19 had egg collection today morning. They've collected 5 . I'm home now was tired had a good couple of hours non disturbed sleep . Feel kinda normal now ... they will be letting me know tomorrow how eggs are fertilizing. Hope your transfer goes well . Best wishes . Please keep posting here if you don't mind. I'm so nervous if the eggs will be ok 😕

@hopingformiracles can I ask were you put asleep for egg collection? Just wanted to know as will be hopefully having a round of icsi next year with the women’s and how did you find the doctors/consultants for ivf? Hope all the best for you in your round x

@babydoll19 thanks. As every day passes, IVF is looking more likely for my future. I definitely need to save more aggressively