IVF at Guy's & St. Thomas' & general process/timeline

[Lill02]

Hi all,

This is my first ever post, but I've been following for a while. :)

After having all the usual tests, including a hycosy and hysteroscopy, we were diagnosed with unexplained infertility a while ago. We have now finally waited long enough to be eligible for IVF on the NHS. We've got an appointment back at Guy's & St. Thomas' tomorrow (we had to see the GP and ask to be referred back as we've now waited the required time frame).
I'm not 100% sure what will happen tomorrow, but I'm basically hoping they will agree we've waited the required time and suggest we get the ball rolling for IVF, i.e. fill in our funding application, etc. I'm really hoping this will happen, I can't face being sent away again after we've waited so long...
What have your experiences been? Does that sound like realistic next steps? Has anyone been at Guy's & St. Thomas' and can share their timeline?

Thank you!

Hiya,

We were at Guys last year. For us it was very quick but I don't want to get your hopes up in case things have changed.

We went to the Gynae clinic to talk about infertility (can't remember what that clinic is called) and they immediately referred us to the Assisted Conception Unit. As with you, we had already had all our tests and been trying for long enough.

I was told that the funding would have to be approved but according to the Drs notes we should be eligible. This was actually waved through very quickly - I think it was about a week then we were offered an appointment.

At the time there was no waiting list. Our first appointment at the Gynae place was late Feb and we were offered an appointment at the ACU in mid March but were away so went in late March and started IVF in April. I got a positive result 1 May and our baby was born almost a year ago.

Having said that I called today about a Frozen Embryo Transfer and was told I would be offered an appointment within the next 2-3 months so it is possible there is a longer waiting list now (or that things are different for Frozen Transfers).

Good luck. In some ways it is stressful but also a huge privilege to have help from all those professionals and, as in our case, it really can work

Ask anything you like x

Thank you for this advice and congratulations! I am also due a first visit next week so hope it will be smooth. Which tests did you bring results of? I have the ones GP asked me to do FSH bring one of them and privately AMH and follicle count with spark analysis. Is this sufficient?

Hiya Leala. Sorry I can't tag peoples' names on Mumsnet at the moment.

In our case we had done a whole heap of tests but it gets a bit confusing as I'd had a lot of the hormone and blood tests for another unrelated condition so I'm not sure about which were needed for infertility. Yes that included AMH, FSH etc but also oestrogen and progesterone levels and a whole heap of other hormones and blood tests plus we'd had various scans. We had also had STI tests. I had never had a hycosy so was worried they would want to do that first but they didn't.

Actually when we got to the ACU they said one of my tests was too long ago so they just redid the whole lot then and there. They have a blood room in the clinic so it was literally 5 mins and done.

The first appointment at the ACU, they just talked through my history and situation in detail and then told me to come back in when I got my period to start.

It was very straight forward for us but again I don't want to get your hopes up too much as everyone is different and this is a couple of years ago now (April 2018). But it sounds like you are on track and I really hope it all goes smoothly for you both

Xxx

Hello! Thank you for your messages, they’re so inspiring and make me hopeful that we’ll get there too. 😊
The appointment went well. We just ran through all of our details and the doctor said she would fill in the IVF funding application for us. She did warn us it might take 2-3 months to get approved as there’s a back log at the moment unfortunately. 😕
One thing we didn’t realize was that we need to both be registered with the same GP which we’ll get sorted while the application is being processed.
The waiting is the most difficult part, but we can’t wait for Spring now and for things to hopefully move forward!

Thank you for your message too. I am looking forward to the appointment next week and hope it will be smooth. Do you know if I am 39 there is a faster process or not due to age? Is there anything else that they ask that could help or not? Things like how long I have lived in the area or the fact that I am moving from the area soon but want to continue here? Would this have impact?

Lil: I'm surprised you have to have the same GP as my partner and I weren't even living in the same city when we did it. But maybe this has changed or maybe it is a requirement of your particular borough and how they fund stuff.

Leala: There is a faster process if you are over 40 in that you only need to have been trying 12 months before starting IVF but I don't know about being 39 (we were 41). I don't think that would make a difference to the waiting list at the clinic tho.

I know that it feels like every month counts when you are waiting for IVF but actually 2-3 months will go fast and you may need that time anyway to do a few more tests or sort things with work etc. It will come round sooner than you think. IVF is great but it is also quite intense so a couple of months to get your head around it could work out ok.

Oh and moving area could make a difference if the funding is different there. Where we live now, for example, there is no NHS IVF but there was where we lived before.

I don't think it would matter if you had already started treatment (tho I don't know) but it could if you were still on the waiting list.

You could ask without saying you are definitely moving "we're thinking about moving, would this make a difference?"

X

Thank you so much. I am with really low AMH levels and very few follicles for my age so I have been told this will be very difficult even with ivf (this was private clinic)and now all I am focused on is the egg quality as staying positive that I need only one good egg. I find messages like yours supportive and filling me with hope. I have started following supplements advice from the book it starts with an egg and really hope this cocktail will help me too

It is so hard when you hear test results like that. I personally loved that book and took Ubiquinol and the other recommended supplements plus we avoided plastics etc. No idea if it helped or not but it didn't hurt (except my wallet - Ubiquinol is pricey!).

Our baby is the result of a single embryo transfer of an embryo that was behind developmentally and we were told there was a 5-10% chance of it developing into a blastocyst. So you just never know. It really does only take one but I don't know if it is helpful to hear that.

Some people find it helpful to hear success stories but I'm not sure it helped me. I was so sure it would never work for us but it did (second round).

Good luck xxx

We are with Guys and have found them quite efficient once the funding actually came though. We were referred around June last year, funding approved in August and started with my period in September. Transferred in October unfortunately failed but was all smooth and we will have a FET next month. You are in good hands.

Thanks, ladies! It's definitely good to hear success stories, it keeps me motivated and so hopeful.

@justkeeprunning5 - that's really good to hear, got my fingers crossed for your FET!

I still kind of hope we might get a BFP before, not getting my hopes up but you never know!

Hope everyone has a good rest of the week and thanks so much for your messages. :)

Thank you guys. That’s very good to hear. I will update after next weeks appointment. Would you know where I could find a list if all acronyms used here as I google nonstop?

Sorry, @Leala20 ! This list is a good one: www.babycentre.co.uk/a25020237/common-fertility-abbreviations-and-acronyms
Looking forward to your update!

Hi @Leala20, how did your appointment go? Hope all is well!

@Lill02 thank you for remembering me! I was told they would not fund me due to low chances of successful ivf but will fund me in donor eggs ivf. I am trying to come to terms with all this and still waiting to get it all in writing. I am hopeful that naturally as I have been told I have more chances (still low) but you never know and we are exploring egg donor process

@Leala20 I imagine that must be hard to hear and come to terms with. I hope you are getting the support you need from the hospital.

When you are ready there is a lady on Instagram called Trying to be a mum and she blogged her donor egg process following failed IVF with her own. She has an interesting story to tell and a happy outcome. Maybe worth a look? I’ve stumbled across many on there and it’s a really supportive network.

Im not great with words or advice so I hope this comes across as intended, hope you are doing ok.

@justkeeprunning5 thank you! Will check this out. I have found this forum useful and hearing stories with my results bring successful still give me hope but as I am in late 30s we need to make decisions now as we cannot only continue trying.

Hi all, I just wanted to give you an update on our timeline as well as see how you’re doing.
We got our funding approved the other day, about 6-7 weeks after our application was sent.
Now we’re waiting for our first appointment to speak about our course of treatment, etc. Fingers crossed this will come through quickly, but apparently there’s currently a bit of a waiting list.
How is everything going for you all?
Sending love!

Very good news! I have my appointment next week and the doctor told me they would do the application for me and that it’s a 6/7 week period. Was it like this in your case too? Did they inform you of joe long is the waiting list?

Hi @Leala20 @Lill02

In case it helps with timelines we got our funding through early July 2019, appointment about 6 weeks later with the consultant and started treatment with my September period.

They told me they currently have a shortage of embryologists which is meaning they can’t have as many people cycling with them as usual but more are starting soon, it meant a one month delay for our FET so not too dramatic a wait in the grand scheme.

Once you are in they are great - I’m currently 5+2 following my second transfer. Couldn’t fault their efficiency once you are actually in the treatment system.

Best of luck to you Xx

Hi @justkeeprunning5

Do you know how long you have to wait with Guys after a failed fresh transfer to have a frozen transfer?

We found out yesterday our fresh transfer failed and we’re desperate to get on with transferring one of our two frozen embryos.

@Westnorwood I am sorry to hear that, I know exactly how that feels. Be kind to yourself over the next few weeks.

Our fresh transfer failed in late October and we started preparing for this cycle in early January and transferred 5.5 weeks later. It was a longer than usual gap due to Christmas. They think they tend to like you to have had a couple of cycles before trying again to let it all settle. I had a follow up consultation within 5-6 weeks of the failed cycle. FET is a lot kinder on the body, I did medicated but you can also do natural if your ovulation / cycle is predictable.

Wishing you all the best.

Thank you, and congratulations!

@Leala20 yes, same for us - we had our appointment in January at which they filled in the application and sent it, and now heard back 6/7 weeks later by email that we’ve met all the requirements and should expect an appointment through in the next few weeks (but I think the appointment itself might then still be a few weeks out, I’m not sure...).

@justkeeprunning5 Congratulations, that’s great news! Thanks for sharing your timeline.

@Westnorwood I’m so sorry your cycle wasn’t successful and I hope you get to move forward quickly.

Have a good weekend everyone!

@justkeeprunning5 and @Lill02 thanks so much for sharing this. This gives me a good idea of a timeline. All the best for you ladies and I will see how the appointment goes next week when we are to do the application.