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?

@willithappen bloody bodies! 🤣 With weekends I can see us all being the same. Busy day for me tomorrow, Nightshift tonight, bloods in the morning and hour away and need to phone the clinic. That's a lot of excitement during lockdown.

@pixelflower let me know how you get on with the clinic when you do phone them :)

My stomach is 'bubbling' away just now so can feel the witch coming just now sure how long she'll take haha
Could be tomorrow which makes me a 28 day cycle or could be Tuesday which would put me to a 29 day which isn't uncommon for me either

Will do @willithappen 😊 My stomach is bubbling away with nerves and nervous excitement.
@LabradorMum are you phoning tomorrow?

@pixelflower I'd be the exact same!

@LabradorMum how did you get on when you called?

So I had a dream last night I was in labour/gave birth. First time I have ever had a dream like that and it's made me wake up with an awful mix of emotions

@willithappen oh no, is it similar kinda thing to when you dream you've had a fight with someone and you know it didn't actually happen but you're still mad?

Yeah a bit like that! I actually woke up and then remembered trying to get back to my dream so I could go back to that feeling :(

Although my partner was swinging the pram around during my dream so I was pretty mad at him lol

Morning, called to confirm this morning so everything is on track, start pills end of Jan then wait for AF for baseline scans

Hi @LabradorMum thanks for the update! How many days of the pills are you and then you call them again once you bleed after that?

I have been half worrying things will be getting cancelled as a lot of other clinics have started doing it and I have friends working in the hospital who are saying how overrun it is right now :( makes me feel so guilty.

Hi @willithappen so 8 days on norethisterone, scheduled in for baseline scan 4 days after I stop them then every second day (4 scans total). They didn’t say about calling, I get an email to confirm as there maybe difference in dates depending on when AF comes, but yes I think you call when you get your period.

I totally get what you mean I was in a flap last week was getting myself worked up, so woke up this morning just decided to go with what is happening and not stress if things change then they change nothing I can do about it. I know it is not a nice situation to be in I mean people probably don’t think that fertility is seen an a high priority but they are not in our shoes, I am sticking to the rules and we are allowed this so just going with the flow 🤷🏼‍♀️

Oh gosh so baseline scan is when you are on your period? I always feel wary about that! 🙈

That's my exact thought process right now too. I'm just going to keep going with it and what will be will be. Just hearing all my friends working there talking about the struggles making me guilty. :(

@willithappen yeah so it’s either on or just after I know what you mean it grosses me out lol!

100% the NHS staff of all descriptions are the most utilised and underpaid profession in my opinion what they do for people is well life saving and they do not get anywhere near the renumeration they deserve! I do feel guilty too especially when other treatments are not going ahead but it’s not our fault, I actually thought about doing some kind of fundraising in the future just to do my bit

@willithappen not had that dream but know the feeling of trying to get back into a good dream.
That's me been for bloods and phoned while waiting for husband to get his. Still waiting for him to come out 😶
Think might have been a mix up as she didn't have me penciled in, and I never got the letter for Norethisterone, but all sorted now.
I've to take them from the 30th till the 6th, scans 10th, 19th and 22nd and potential egg collection 24th of February. She said they'll send out all the information.

@pixelflower we are literally exactly the same timescale 🤣

@LabradorMum sorry, you posted while I was typing mine in the car so didn't see any of the ones that followed either 🤣
Scan on period makes me feel self-conscious and also anxious about the etiquette around it, but needs must and they'll be used to it.
I'm NHS staff and I feel guilty hearing how some areas are and what the staff have to handle as I've had it so easy compared to so many other staff members.
I think things in a lot of areas are picking up again. My husband just got a call today about a telephone consultation with ENT. He got a letter from them to confirm he still wanted an appointment last year just before everything started shutting down and that's the first he's heard anything. Think the situation has made people more open-minded to trying new things and be more efficient.

@pixelflower appointment is in march, I've had the initial telephone consultation before Christmas so this is talking about the hycosy results and another round of semen analysis. @willithappen yeah we have unexplained infertility but a male factor (although exact same as you, they say the amount etc should mean a low moph is ok).

@eiremogra hycosy is similar in some ways to a smear test. I'd suggest taking some painkillers before you go in, because you can feel the dye going in and round the tubes (feels like cramp/pressure). Also you should bring a sanitary pad because when you stand up after, you might get some leaking from the dye. Not loads of leaking, but just saves you worrying about feeling a bit damp! I was a bit crampy for an hour or two afterwards, but I definitely milked it with my other half- got my choice of TV and dinner at night, and even a cup of tea brought to me.

It was cool because you got to see everything happen as they turn the screen towards you. The doctor will explain everything that's about to happen before they start, and you can tell them to stop or slow down if you need to. I had a lovely nurse chatting to me during the examination about her thoughts on Elf on the Shelf, which was nice as it stopped me worrying as it was happening!

Sorry I could type for days about my experience! Its nothing to worry about, and it is good to get answers (or something else ticked off the bingo card!).

@willithappen AF arrived for me yesterday, for the first time since we've started this TTC 'journey', I had a wee cry in the toilet when I realised it was my period. I think I had put a lot of pressure on the hycosy to magically "clear" whatever mystery was stopping us conceiving.

@Tofu35 yeah I kinda hoped we'd fall in the three months after the HyCoSy too but no such luck

AF still not here yet! Looks like it could be tomorrow then!

@Tofu35 thank you for much for that, I feel so reassured reading about your experience. Unfortunately my fertility nurse phoned me yesterday to tell me that my appointment for hycosy has been cancelled - for the foreseeable :( Looks like Covid has put a halt to things and she couldn’t put a time on when things would resume again. I understand and know the pressures that all services must be under just now..but I still got really upset...sat in my car in a carpark!! DP and I have an appointment to see her this week...and after this week all appointments are cancelled.

@Eiremogra sorry that your appointment has been cancelled. Understanding why doesn't make it feel less rubbish.

@Eiremogra I am so sorry to hear that lovely. I thought that we were going to get off with it in the Scotland clinics. Which clinic are you with again?

I'm a bit worried as still no AF here and worried I might not get booked in if it's taking a while and will be pushed back

Hi @Eiremogra also really sorry to hear about your appointment that’s awful. I was advised that the cancellation would be added onto your waiting time when I asked the question (I’m also 40) so you shouldn’t be penalised for this in terms of age.

So devastating to get this far and be cancelled, I am kind of hedging my bets as to where treatment is also going to go ahead just a little worried!

Hi @willithappen the nurse has a diary to put our dates in I think they are used to AF not playing ball so from what she said yesterday I think they just add you in when you call.

@LabradorMum yeah I knew they would pencil in and then confirm, what I'm worried about is that they have people booked in and decide to go through treatment with them and not take anyone else on going forward so the longer I am the more chance I don't get booked in

I'm just over thinking it all anyway. Hoping I can distract myself today and hopefully it comes soon!

Ah @willithappen I get what you mean, I don’t know how the scheduling works but can’t see them dunting people to tell others at the last minute that they will be starting treatment.

I totally get what you mean though over thinking stressing and AF won’t come 🤦🏼‍♀️

I'm sure it will come today, just a pest actually willing it to come now haha

@willithappen I completely understand, I was worried about the same but sure you'll be fine. When she didn't have me even pencilled in I was worried they'd say there wasn't space but it was fine, so I'm sure it'll be ok.