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?

@nextweek it certainly lifted my mood too! I'm not going to get overly excited though until I get my appointment letter through and see that Aberdeen is up and running

I’m ok thanks! Been up and down the past couple of weeks as it would have been my first cycle and had all gone to plan egg collection around now. Have not managed to put ivf in the back of my mind sadly!

The HFEA announcement is amazing but I keep getting worried when people say the NHS clinics probably won’t be opening just the private ones. Hope there will be some news from the Scottish hospitals in the coming week.

I was a bit worried that NHS clinics wouldn't open as soon as private, but I saw the Aberdeen clinic has put an update on their website, so hoping it applies to both groups of patients. I know some clinics in other parts of the UK might be different as they only do private OR NHS but not both.

If they don't do NHS I wonder what their reasoning could possibly be for it. They said they are going through their backlog of appointments so I'm hopeful that it's NHS too.
I may drop an email and ask

It'll be interesting to see what info people start getting from their clinics. I'll let you all know if I hear anything

@nextweek
I emailed this morning and got a response asking for my CHI number, gave them that and then got an email back with a video appointment for two weeks today. I'd asked in the email if it applied to NHS. That wasn't answered but I got an appointment so I assume it means NHS still going ahead also!

@willithappen thank you so much for letting me know, that's fantastic that you've got an appointment through! Am I remembering correctly that you were waiting for an appointment to confirm that you would be added to the waiting list? I'm usually the sort to think, oh well I'll just wait for them to contact me and see what they're saying, but on this occasion I might be a bit more proactive and contact them to find out what's happening. Which email address did you use, mailto:[email protected] ?

Great news @willithappen! I might contact GRI, even if I could just know if they’ll be applying to HFEA to re-open I feel I could be more patient and wait to hear back after they’ve applied, not knowing one way or the other is so hard!

@kikisparks yeah getting in touch is worth it!
I got my period today so was feeling down but I got way more back from my email to them than I expected so it's certainly made my day!

Thanks, I’ve called and left a message as I can’t see an email address. I feel really pushy and impatient but then on the other hand they made a huge balls up before by mixing my notes up with someone else and not putting me on the waiting list when i should have been and that would not have been sorted quickly unless I had been pushy so I feel it’s sometimes necessary throughout this process!

Wow this thread is amazing! I am based in Edinburgh was was due to start my injections for ICSI round two on the 26th March and was cancelled the week before !
Has anyone heard news about the NHS Edinburgh clinic! I am scared to phone as I think they think I am a bit pushy and I don’t want to annoy them x

@RonRon1 Sorry haven't heard anything about Edinburgh but I wouldn't let feeling 'pushy' stop you, think of it as being proactive! They've probably had lots of people get in touch so wont think anything of it. Good luck!

@RonRon1 I haven’t heard about Edinburgh, but please don’t think you’re pushy, this is our health and our lives and we are entitled to advocate for ourselves.

Have you checked their website? The GRI in Glasgow put an update up today www.nhsggc.org.uk/your-health/health-services/assisted-conception-service

Hi ladies, hope you're all ok. Hopefully we're hear some news about the clinics opening soon. I'm just trying to focus on losing a bit of weight and eating healthily so I'm ready for when we have news of our appointment. The waiting is so hard.

@itsmschanandlerbong I've been so unhealthy during lockdown so news of them restarting treatments is just the kick up the bum I need to get back on track! I'm hoping we get some sort of update this coming week.

I got a phone call from GRI last week returning my call. They couldn’t give me any date or time to resume treatments but said there should be weekly updates on website. The nurse thought FETs might resume before egg collections as they don’t require an anaesthesiologist. She said their practices just now are not set up for social distancing at all and it may take a while to work our how to provide treatment in an HFEA approved way.

I’ve contacted the counsellors by email to set something up as all the waiting is getting to me now.

GRI have announced they're restarting all fertility treatments again 😁😁😁

Nevermind ignore last message I got too excited, it's the GCRM are opening again, step in the right direction though.

Hey, hope everyone is well. I've been so on edge this week waiting to hear anything about my clinic opening for treatment again, but nothing so far :-( I've been keeping an eye on the HFEA website as they're updating the list daily of clinics approved for opening but I don't think there's any Scottish ones on there yet. I'm desperate for some sort of timeline!

GRI have put an update up to say they are submitting their application on Monday. Hopefully that means they will start contacting us next week and booking us all back in 😊

HFEA have announced that all Scottish NHS clinics are applying on 18 May to re-open best news ever, made me smile even though I’m curled up with endo pain. So happy and I’m glad this should apply to everyone on here since it’s all the clinics!

That's great news that they're all applying from Monday, thank you for the update. Hopefully the process is quick and straightforward and we can all get started again!

Hello. Not been on here in a while. I went to GP last week who said I have a cervical polyp so has referred me to gynaecologist. Got a text yesterday to say I have a phone appointment tomorrow. I've also got to have MMR jab as no records to say I've had it. I know I have but suppose got to have it. Annoyingly we then can't try for 2 months. Anyone else had a polyp? Is it painful to get removed?

Hey folks.

Just quick update from my appointment as a couple of you asked (Aberdeen)
They advised they have applied today to HFEA and that they plan to be able to do procedures by end of June again.
So it was a 6 month waiting list before, and they are off by 4 months now so that's me on waiting list today and looking at a 10 month wait for us.
He did advise that they have stuff in place to be able to see MORE people than usual and to try get through their backlog faster though. I'm not entirely sure how but I won't argue with anything that gets us to the top of the waiting list faster

@willithappen thank you so much for the update, I'm Aberdeen to so that's really helpful to know. If it helps, I think the waiting list times they give are worst case scenario as I was told 6 months but reached the 'top of the list' within 4 months, I know someone else at Aberdeen who was the same, so hopefully you wont end up waiting the full 10 months.
My next cycle is due to start this week so I'd accepted I wouldn't be starting treatment this time, but really hoping I can get started with my next cycle if I'm lucky, but depending on backlog it sounds like it might be the cycle after that.