Infertility investigations/IVF in Scotland

[justbeingelle]

Just thought I'd start a thread for those who are undergoing infertility investigations/IVF in Scotland because it seems as though it can vary from the rest of the UK.

DH and I have been TTC since June 2018. Started investigations around July 2019. I have a large ovarian cyst which will be removed, hopefully after Christmas. Getting a laparoscopy and dye to check tubes too. I have very regular periods and I am ovulating. DH has a low sperm count, but the ones he has are good quality. Still awaiting results from ultrasounds, genetic tests etc so still feel like we're at the beginning of our journey. This is our first time TTC and we've not had a hint of a BFP.

Anyone else?

@Lily999 I hope all goes well in your scan, really exiting! 🙂
I feel that if there is no morning sickness that could make you more stressed, cause we are all always looking for symptoms of pregnancy 😄

@Pinecone88 so glad it went well for you and 11 eggs is fantastic!

@kikisparks Thank you 🙂

Good morning Ladies, hope everyone is doing well :)
@Pinecone88 let us know once you get that phone call today, keeping my fingers crossed for lots of little embryos. My call came in at 10:32 on the next day of the EC, but I was the last one for retrieval so hopefully you;ll hear back from them even earlier ;)

@Lily999 Just got the call! We got 6 definite embryos and 1 still on a question mark.
I just hope at least couple survive until Sunday 🤞 Next call is on Friday.

Whoop whoop, that's amazing!! Super excited for you, that's a very strong start, you should be ok can even hope to get 1 or 2 left at the end to be put on ice ;)

@Lily999 Thank you, I really hope so 🤞🤞🤞

@Pinecone88 great numbers! Fingers crossed you get good news on Friday!

Thank you @kikisparks 🙂

Hello. Haven't posted on here in a while. But have made an appointment with GP for tomorrow. I'm a bit worried. How do they start things off. What sort of tests do they do first?

@mrsawhite is this your first step towards investigating?
Usually it's a case of getting day 21 bloods done for yourself and a SA for your partner. Your GP will discuss some things with you, see how long you have been trying and then refer you to fertility specialist after that. Depending on your clinic it may take a bit of time for that appointment there to come through.

We first went to doctor in Oct 2019 and have just being going through tests since. Another appointment end of April to put us on IVF waiting list which is 6 months long

@willithappen hi thanks for replying. Yes this will be first appointment. We're in Aberdeen. Just coming to the end of AF so I suppose it's timed well for the blood tests. We've been trying since October 2018. I feel like my cycle is good. Pretty regular. Feel quite nervous.

@mrsawhite I'm Aberdeen also! Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'm happy to help where I can

All our tests were done by our GP and didn't need to re-do them at Aberdeen. I did have anHyCoSy test there (test to see if Fallopian tubes are blocked) there last week
At the moment we have to wait until it's been three months my partner has stopped socially smoking before they put us on the IVF list

Ah ok. We both do that (I know I know) so going to ask the doctor to help me pack that in. And lay off the wine. How the the tube procedure go? I've been googling this morning. And now just worked up about it all. Did your DH have to give a sample when you has blood test? Also what is that detecting. Ovulation?

@mrsawhite yeah, my partner is just a social smoker and I was told we'd go on the list after the HyCoSy so was a shock to be told we'd have to go back for a review appointment. You need to have fully stopped smoking for three months before they will put you on the list

The bloods (day 21) are looking for confirming you are ovulating. Anything 30 and above they are sure you are ovulating. I was 29.8 or something like that so they have said 'pretty sure' and just think the timing was off. So it says day 21 but if you don't have standard 28 day periods then your day 21 could be a different day in your cycle.

The HyCoSy wasn't as bad as some posts mention, not for me anyway. It's similar to a smear test, they put a little balloon into your cervix and that causes cramps which is the only pain I felt (only lasted a couple of seconds) and then shoot water and then foam through your tubes to see that they are clear and open.

Because everything is fine with me so far they haven't done any other tests. You may get other blood tests done, I think there are day 3 tests and another one too I have seen some ladies get. I have regular 28 day periods so they don't see an issue.

My partner has 1% morphology, with everything else in his sample fine/above average. So they don't actually see it as an issue at all and just say it would take us a little longer. We have been TTC 5 years and nothing, so I'm convinced it's the morphology but they have put us down as unexplained and referring for IVF eventually

Hi everyone, I've not been about because I've been on holiday so just catching up.

@NG9876 op was fine, a small complication during but I'm fine now, thanks 😊
To prep for ivf I'm trying to lose weight, eat healthily and cut down on my alcohol intake, but still enjoying nights out, holidays etc. This journey is hard enough, still gotta have some small pleasures.
That's good you got your appointment through! Hopefully you can fill out the forms when you get there.

Welcome @spacegirl123 😊

@willithappen that's frustrating you have to wait longer again but at least it's all a step in the right direction. Glad your hycosy went well 😊

@kikisparks that's fantastic you have a start date! Something to look towards/aim for, for starting. You'll need to keep us updated with how it all goes 😊

@MelAndShoe I am so sorry about the news you got, that is so, so difficult out to hear and process. Try and be kind to yourself and use any support you have around you. Have you thought about using the counsellor at the royal to help you come to terms with and process things?

@Pinecone88 thats great everything went well, I'm so pleased for you! When will they be implanted again?

@Lily999 hope the scan went well for you, keeping everything crossed!

@mrsawhite our first appointment at the gp involved just getting some blood tests, then when we got referred to the hospital that's when we got more blood tests, scans, etc. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

We've had another appointment at the royal. I had a blood test to check my egg reserves. DH has to hand in 2 more sperm samples. The previous samples showed a very low count. We were told with such low levels it would be extremely unlikely for us to conceive naturally. Although we knew that, it was really difficult to hear. We have a follow up appointment in 6 weeks where they'll decide if we needed ICSI which is likely if DH will need an operation to retrieve his sperm. We'll be placed on the waiting list at that point.

@willithappen ooh still sounds uncomfortable though! I suppose at least this gets the ball rolling. Ridiculous how many years I've spent not trying to get pregnant. And now we want to. It's not happening. Frustrating for you to be told it will just take a little while longer after 5 years! What is normal for morphology? Sorry for hundreds of questions.

@justbeingelle will do. I'm so nervous. On the one hand be good to know if there is an issue. But also would quite like them to say everything is fine just keep trying!

@mrsawhite we have been told that 4% is normal for morphology. They say though that because of the large number the fact that it's 1% doesn't matter because there should still be plenty to be getting through :/

Ah I see. Still doesn't feel very helpful though does it.

@justbeingelle thank you, yes, the nurse said when we started: it might take me a while to find my way so don't be alarmed, but then about 2seconds later she said wow, there we are! When the midwife came in and said: look at that strong heartbeat, that's exactly what we want to see now. :) My heart wanted to explode, it was unreal.
DH was staring at this photo for minutes afterwards trying to figure out if it's a girl or a boy that made me chuckle :D :D :D

@mrsawhite my first GP appointment the GP asked us some questions (how long trying etc) and referred me for day 21 bloods to test progesterone and confirm if you’re ovulating. DH has a different GP and was told to go there and ask for a semen analysis. After bloods were done I went back and got my result (which was 34 in the normal range) and then she referred us to the hospital where we got DH’s analysis results and they did a transvaginal ultrasound and referred me for a hycosy.

@Lily999 aaaah that's amazing! Congratulations!

@MelAndShoe I feel so sad for you, I hope they can do something to help 😓

@Pinecone88 Fingers are crossed for you! I hope the next few days go quickly.

@Lily999 Congratulations! So happy for you.

@willithappen they have never tested my husband’s morphology, only count and motility. I have questioned it and they just said it’s not something they do at the Queen Elizabeth where we got the test done. So hopefully it’s not something to worry too much about or surely they would test for it everywhere.

I was told they’re doing all ICSI just now at the Royal unless you get loads of eggs.