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!

@Vparisi I can defo see why that would be frustrating, it’d be nice to have a heads up via a call if they have decided on a change. Hope you get some clarity on that.
Interesting, our AMH and AFC are similar (mine 23 & 22) but the Dr I spoke to never mentioned anything whatsoever about a freeze all. Perhaps as I’m a bit older (36 next week) but really who the heck knows. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks @GJW2018 that’s a good idea, I’m going to do that. 👍🏼

@RiverRiot that is interesting! I am 29 next month so tbh it doesn't seem like a big age difference to me. Definitely going to follow up. Just emailed on wait times and apparently still 10-12 wks from appointment so I am hoping for July.

Hey everyone,

We had our first appointment on the 26 of Apr. We signed off the docs, had scan and blood tests and now we wait... They told us it will take about 4 months until we start the treatment though which was disappointing.
Can anyone share how long it took for you? I know the Covid situation caused a lot of delays and cancellations. Hope that the waiting list is not that long now.
@WNorwoodJess @notyetamumbuttrying how long was for you?

It is such a relief to see such groups for sharing experiences and thoughts during this journey!

Hi ladies I need your thoughts please.

I emailed Guys as @GJW2018 suggested and got the same reply as @Vparisi. However, I then got a call about half an hour later from the nurse saying I can start on my next cycle, which would be next week! 😱

The thing is I’ve been so stressed at work lately. I’m freelance and the last five months have been pretty bloody unpleasant. I was planning to take June off anyway but the next two weeks are likely to be crazy busy and potentially even more stressful than they have been. If the timings work out I could be starting my first injection on my last and busiest day. 🤦🏻‍♀️

The nurse said it’s no problem to postpone to my June cycle which would be around the 25th-ish. Mentally, I think I could cope with the mayhem but should I if I don’t have to? Would it be better to have some time to relax and for us both to do all the right things and physically prepare?

I’m obviously so eager to get cracking after over three years of trying but I also don’t want the stress of my stupid job to scupper my chances. I feel like crying! 😩 What would you do in my shoes?

Oh my my @RiverRiot that is amazing news! It is so hard to say honestly - stress is a killer when it comes to these things but if you're starting on the last and busiest day it sounds like it could be timed ok. You've been waiting so long it must be hard to think about postponing another day x

@HereToLearnAndShare Hello. Our first round in 2019 was pretty swift but it was pre covid and the waiting list was manageable. This time I booked this June FET back in October but have had to chase quite hard to make sure everything is in place. Is that helpful? Do not be afraid to make a nuisance of yourself re contacting the nurses.

Welcome @HereToLearnAndShare ! You may have tour answer above as I believe RiverRiot had funding mid April if I am remembering correctly...

@RiverRiot that’s amazing news. To be honest my work has been suuuuper stressful this whole time and it’s been a welcome distraction, otherwise I would’ve been stressed about this. 2 of my friends had multiple rounds of IVF and said the times it worked was when they were stressed at work and weren’t overthinking all of this so maybe that’s the secret. I think while you’re doing stims it doesn’t matter as much, I’m going to attempt to be zen for my TWW as I want my body to be calm and snuggly for that embryo. I say go for it or weigh up which would be more stressful, the wait or doing it sooner. I hate making decisions but I always try to tune in my intuition and trust my gut. Go for what feels right. Just because it’s new info let it settle in and then make a decision xxxxx

@WNorwoodJess Thank you and good luck with your transfer! Hope all goes well

@Vparisi yes I found info that she had it mid Apr. So hopefully the waiting period is now not that long. Btw we are going to freeze all as well but for a different reason - my AMH is very high as I have mild PCOS. I have a friend working in the embryology at Kings hospital and she says that the success rate of frozen is even better than the fresh *she might be saying it comfort me :)

@RiverRiot this is great news! I personally woudn't postpone, but at the same time I can see how stress affects my body (My period is late if I had a stressful period at work) You know your body best though, as @GJW2018 suggested you better sleep on it.

@RiverRiot you’re in my Gemini gang? I’m 38 on Saturday. We’re going to do a little touristy trip of Canterbury and stay over for the night on Friday.

I would do the relax and prepare option probably but then I’m very affected by stress and it manifests physically . You might be better at it and as GJW said, it might be a distraction? What are you thinking?

I’ll check the recommendations out, thanks ladies. I’ve been following all these Instagram infertility accounts and then just now I realised my friends can probably see I’m following them if they check my profile following list 🥴. Oh well. My last childless friends had their baby, I found out today, they haven’t contacted me and I wonder if they’ve worked it out. The rest of them without kids had kids during the last year.

I finally got through to the lister today. So I have two private appointments coming up now (one with the urologist), which is good. I’m very frustrated I’m probably going to have to go the private route but I’ll resign myself to the expense I guess and anything the nhs does offer will be a bonus.

Hi @HereToLearnAndShare welcome to a lovely bunch of ladies. Yes I had my appointment on the 14th April but in all honesty I don’t believe I’d be starting so soon if I hadn’t sent that email yesterday!
And obviously your friend is far more knowledgable than me but I have read stats that suggest frozen tend to be more successful.

Thank you so much for all your thoughts everyone. I started another thread to get some opinions there and the consensus seems to be to crack on! 😳 I think I can handle the stress and as soon as the job ends on the 28th I won’t even give it a second thought so that in itself doesn’t bother me. I was worried about the physical toll of the last month (stress and slightly falling off the wagon because of it) affecting my eggs but then I don’t know how much of a difference another month would make to them anyway?

@thislittlebird Yes I am! I’m next Saturday. Ironically, when we were having a crap time with the NHS and were looking into private we said if we had to go down that route we’d do it for my birthday and it just so happens I could be starting the day before!

The majority of my friends have all had kids too and I just find it so hard dealing with them atm so you’re definitely not alone. But do keep pushing with the NHS and as others have said don’t be afraid to be a nuisance. If you don’t ask you don’t get.

@GJW2018 good luck for egg collection today. Have absolutely everything crossed for you! xx

Oh ladies my notifications seem to have gone awol again so have only just seen all the messages from last night!

@HereToLearnAndShare welcome, really nice to have someone else join us!

@Vparisi just received my letter so I'm glad I didn't hysterically call the hospital like I wanted to yesterday, could have been embarrassing 😂 have you heard anything back about your email yet?

@RiverRiot omg how exciting!!! I really hope that it wasn't because you sent an email that you've been offered treatment to start next cycle (purely because I'm not too far behind you 😂) but seems a massive coincidence otherwise. I know I'm slightly late to the party on this opinion as well but I definitely think you should go for it!

@RiverRiot thank you and hooray for going for it! I’m back home now, a bit crampy and bloated but was a straightforward process they were super quick! They got 37 eggs but said they don’t know how mature they were. So they’ve put them all in with DH swimmers. She said they’re not doing ICSI because he’s stats from his sample are fine. They’re going to call tomorrow mid morning and say how many have fertilised then we have to wait till Tuesday to find out how many made it to day 5 and have been frozen which is going to seem like a long wait! He said the fertilisation rates are around 50/60%. We booked a spa break for the weekend for our anniversary but they said no hot tub or pool for me ☹️. Definitely going to need distracting! So happy everything’s moving forward for you all, so exciting! Xxx

@GJW2018 how was the sedation? Were you at all awake or completely out of it?
Got everything crossed for some really good news for you tomorrow & that plenty make it to Tuesday 🙏🏼
Spa break sounds like just what you need! Shame about no hot tub or pool though! ☹️ x

Thank you @Etonmess20 when was your appointment?
I have sent them an email to ask how long w wait. They responded to say that now is aprox 8 weeks from the day we have been added to the waiting list. So def better than initially told us, but it feels like the time has stopped.

@thislittlebird I am also Gemini and I hope they will surprise me with a call for my Bd next week

@notyetamumbuttrying how is the medication process going? Once you started how often they check on you? Do you need to go for scan every 2-3 days? Basically how do they monitor your body reaction to the treatment in order to make sure the dose is correct?

@GJW2018 good luck with the fertilisation 🙏

@HereToLearnAndShare my appointment was May 4th but I guess that depends entirely on when you get added to the waiting list. You would assume that it would be an immediate thing wouldn't you? & did they indicate whether the 8 weeks until treatment actually starts or until they call? It does feel like time has stopped doesn't it? So frustrating!!

@Etonmess20 Our appointment was on the 26 of Apr and they have added us on the 30th - the exact same day as they called for the test results. So I suppose they wait to see test results first. I would assume it is 8 weeks until they call as the treatment starting date depends on your period as far as I know ...

@HereToLearnAndShare that's interesting because we both had blood tests & DP did a SA the day after (only so they had one within the last 12 months). I suppose it'll be when it'll be but it's just really frustrating isn't it? Had enough of waiting now!

@RiverRiot how weird, an early birthday present then!

My friend hasn't text at all...don't know if he thinks the friend he has told will pass it on to me because we're close. It's a little odd tbh.

I feel guilty for complaining again today. I got a letter from The Bad Appointment and the doctor was brief, said she would help the GP as much as she could (which was nice, hence why I feel bad) but said she explained the CCG guidance to us and she really didn't. She just said it's "not enough" to be explained. Ok...wish I knew where the guidance said you have to have "enough" of a problem. Anyway, I need to stop feeling bad but I wish the case manager would call me so I could get all this resolved.

@GJW2018 glad the egg collection went pretty well! I worry about having lots of eggs myself with regards to maturity, looking forward too hearing how yours are, fingers crossed some are sufficiently mature. Shame about the spa break limitations, what a pain.

@HereToLearnAndShare Geminis assemble! Fingers crossed for a birthday call!

@thislittlebird I don't get how you don't qualify for anything more though? Even if you were unexplained if you'd been TTC long enough & had no children etc then you'd meet the criteria 🤷🏼‍♀️
Do you know what CCG you are?

@GJW2018 Crikey, that’s quite a clutch you have there 😂 Hope you’re still feeling ok this eve and I guess that means you will possibly have 18-22 fertilise. Wowsers. Fingers crossed for tomorrow and Tues. 🤞🏼 Hope you’re having a super relaxing evening and the spa sounds awesome. Shame about the hot tub but hopefully it’ll be a nice distraction anyway.

@Etonmess20 when I had the email yesterday it said 10-12 weeks from appointment to treatment but it does depend on your period as you start stims on day 2 or 3.

@HereToLearnAndShare Welcome to the Gemini club. ♊️
Are you short protocol?
The nurse said the first scan will be 9 days after you start stims then another one a couple of days later if necessary. I think the every 2-3 days thing is private.

So hoping it’s really soon for everyone else now!

🍀

@thislittlebird Cross post. Do not feel bad. I don’t know why she feels your results are “Not enough” but if you ask me, her f*cks given are not bloody enough! Maybe sperm samples are not her area of expertise but still, with your progesterone levels I would have thought she’d at least give you clomid or something. It’s baffling.
Just be hot on your new GP and don’t take no for an answer when it comes to your ACU referral!

I’d try not to read too much into your friends behaviour. If they know/suspect about your struggles they might not want to upset you or they could just could be wrapped up in their own sleep deprived world. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I didn’t even know one of our friends had their second for about two weeks or more and that’s only because we found out through someone else. It happens. x

@HereToLearnAndShare ok thanks although these stimming needles tend to hurt when they go in. Prefer the buserelin ones. So I started with buserelin (down reg injections) and did those for 12 days before getting a baseline scan. Now I'm on stimming drugs and reduced buserelin for 9 days with a scan booked in for next weds. They said egg collection would either be Friday or the following Monday. I thought I'd need more scans but seems not! Maybe that'll happen after the first stimming scan? Are you waiting for the call to start still? Have you been told your protocol?

@Etonmess20 glad you got your letter! I def would have called hysterically haha, I have no chill, especially with this situation! Yep they said they will set up a call.. Can I ask if yours said anything on freeze-all?

@GJW2018 wow that is an amazing haul!! Good luck and crossing all my fingers for you! Spa break sounds amazing but shame about pool etc. Can I ask a dumb question about the reason why the hot tub isn't allowed? I have heard that but don't know the logic! You must be looking forward to a weekend to distract you. I have Portugal next weekend and am hoping it is my last pre-pregnancy trip so planning to enjoy it ha.

@HereToLearnAndShare good to hear it is 8 weeks given 2 days ago it was 10-12 up until 30 mins later when @RiverRiot was called haha. You can't really trust these timelines can you...

@thislittlebird do not feel guilty for complaining, it is your life. What CGC are you in? Have you checked on the policy what you have said meets every requirement? I would print out and take with you so you can prove there is nothing making you inelligible. Sending love xx

@Vparisi morning! So my letter says "a treatment plan has been discussed with you in detail today. Please note that treatment type can change as late as on the day of treatment. Treatment plan : IVF/ICSI. Protocol : short antagonist. Starting dose : 225iu menopur. Monitoring: day 8. We may adjust the dose according to the response. The risk of freeze all has been discussed"

I took from the last part that he means basically he told us on the day that depending on how you react they may decide it's unsafe to transfer & will freeze all (but only in certain circumstances)
I assume yours refers specifically to definitely freezing all rather than just if circumstances dictate?