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!

@GJW2018 aw thanks you guys 😙

We have growth! 1 stubborn one wouldn't come along so it's 10 in the running and the trigger injection is tomorrow night and EC is booked for Tuesday morning 😬 transfer could be next Sunday! On the tube back, ready to tell Dh he needs to masturbate tonight or tomorrow so that the swimmers are fresh for Tuesday! What a wonderful process this is 😂

Hope everyone is well and happy bank holiday weekend!

@notyetamumbuttrying Absolutely crying with laughter! 😂😂 So pleased everything went well. 🥳🥳

Enjoy the rest of the BH weekend!

Oh wow @notyetamumbuttrying that’s amazing! This soooo exciting! Getting so real! Say goodbye to those injections! I’m scared to put mine back in, quite enjoying the pressure off time inbetween! Xxx

@RiverRiot haha 😆 it's truly ridiculous honestly! Thank you 🙏🏾 you too hun! X

@GJW2018 eek I know! Gosh yeah I bet! X

@notyetamumbuttrying Yep it’s definitely odd, DP and I had a conversation about how potentially our baby could be conceived ahem ‘using his imagination’. 😂

Thank you. Had my baseline yesterday and start stims tonight. Slightly bricking it tbh, mainly in case I cock it up somehow. 🙈 Not how I had originally planned to spend the bank holiday but hey I’ll take it! Ha 😂🤞🏼

😂 my DH was in and out in 2 mins I said that’s too short for our future children! He said there was an iPad in there, gave him the creeps! 😂 Oh yay @RiverRiot how exciting! Are you doing a short or long protocol? x

@RiverRiot haha I'm gonna say the same to mine tonight! Ooh it's all go for you too then, that exciting! Are you on menopur? I struggled with the different needle if I'm honest, preferred the buserelin ones. Have you got nice things planned for tomorrow or Monday?
@GJW2018 haha how funny! My Dh has been told to do it at home and bring it with him...odd eh!

@GJW2018 😂 Yeah I think knowing X amount of how many other people have ‘used’ the iPad before me would freak me out too. 😬😂

I’m on short protocol.

@notyetamumbuttrying Not menopur, I think I’m the odd one out on Gonal F. It’s like a pen but I still chickened out and made DP do the first one. 🙈 It was a bit anticlimactic though as I didn’t feel a thing. The vaccine hurt more tbh.

Oh that’s good that they let the guys do it from home. I think my DP would prefer that if it’s an option but then I’d worry about getting back to hospital in time. 🤣.

Just a very relaxing weekend planned with some nice walks and good food. How about you? Hope you get some chill out time in before the big day on Tuesday.

Hi everyone !

My emails have stopped emailing me when you post on here so i keep forgetting to check!
I got an email back which basically said they have no idea why but I think the date on the protocol letter is the date you get added to the list and my doctor was on holiday the week after my appointment so i think that’s the reason !
I got a phone call Thursday just gone- they asked me for my next few months period dates - has anyone else had this ? does this mean they will call to arrange start date soon??

@RiverRiot I am also on short protocol, the Gonal f 225

I’ve just briefly looked through messages and this all sounds super exciting! I hope you all get positive news !

Hey @notyetamumbuttrying that is so exciting and next Sunday is just around the corner! And yeh def not a romantic experience

Not sure if it is my partner only, but he seems to be freaking out about how will be 'producing' our baby in a 'baby factory' as he said. I remember he had a similar reaction when we were ttc naturally and I was tracking my ovulation to make sure we have sex on the exact days. Don't get me wrong he is very suportive, I was just wondering if this strict planning is a thing for every man?

@Welshpea It is great that you received the call! I think they will be planning to start with your next period, but the other girls know better. I am on the waiting list yet. How long have you been waiting for the call?

@RiverRiot keep us posted with the injections. Hope you will not have any side effects

@HereToLearnAndShare

Oh cool hope that's the case! So i had my appointment on 29th March but added to the list 10th April so 7 weeks assuming this is the actual call to get started 🙂

My husband is still in the it'll happen naturally camp. Because we are unexplained and have had 2 pregnancies ( one miscarriage and one missed miscarriage which turned out to be a molar ) He can't get his head around why it's stopped happening. We try not to talk about it at the moment as it has definitely taken the fun out of sex! I've even stopped looking at calendars during the month to see where I am in my cycle. He seems quite chilled about the whole IVF bit though and hasn't mentioned producing his sample! 😂 probably because he's adamant his swimmers will find my egg eventually 🤣🤣🤣 after 4 years I think the chances are slim

@RiverRiot haha they're all pretty daunting aren't they! It hurt me but then I'm a wuss I think 😆
Luckily we're just a tube ride away so shouldn't have any issues getting there. He'll just have to keep his hand on it to keep warm 😆
Sounds like a nice weekend! No chill time for me apart from tomorrow. Was out all day yesterday with my sister at lunch and shopping and today I've been out at the new development we're buying, picking tiles and flooring lol! Now on our way bk to London to get ready to go for dinner. No plans for tomorrow thank god but I do need to tidy the flat!
@Welshpea I didn't have that, but mine started differently as I had a lap first and the discharge notes said to call on my first period. I'm long protocol.
@HereToLearnAndShare I know, the week will whizz by with the bh and EC on Tuesday. I think men are very practical so it must weird them out that we've gone a non practical way to make a baby. Mines not said a lot but does realise this is our best possible chance so has just gone with it!

@notyetamumbuttrying so glad to hear your scan went well & EC is now literally round the corner for you 🙏🏼 soooo weird your DP has to do his sample at home & take it in. My DP had to do a sample for an SA once but they made him do it in one building then carry it himself to another building to give to the lab. He said the worst part was they made him carry it in his hand to keep it warm 😂😂

@Welshpea oooh very interesting you got a phone call asking for your dates, we had our appointment 4th May so still waiting for contact from them! Hopefully they get you started very soon - did they just ask for your dates on the phone but not confirm anything?

@HereToLearnAndShare when you think about it, it is really weird to think that our babies will be made as part of a "process" that a lot of other people don't have to go through so I can see what your partner means. I dunno about you guys but we're kind of at the stage where we doubt it's going to happen naturally so I'd literally do anything for it to happen 😂

@RiverRiot hope your stims are going well & not having too many horrible side effects.

@Vparisi @GJW2018 hope you are both keeping well & enjoying the sunshine ☀️

@thislittlebird how's things with you? Hope you've managed to make some progress x

Thanks @Etonmess20 you too! I'm in Lisbon this weekend having an amazing time. Crazy to think it could be my last non-pregnant holiday! Wonder when we will get the call mentioned above.

@notyetamumbuttrying thinking of you this week! Very exciting for Tuesday

@Vparisi oh wow, I hope you're having an amazing time! Never been to Lisbon before but can imagine it's gorgeous! How long are you there for? I keep getting that strange feeling too about being my last day out with friends before pregnancy etc. I really hope it's soon, feel like time is currently standing still!

@Welshpea Oh that definitely sounds like progress, hopefully it means they’re organising themselves for the next few weeks and will call you soon. My DP was in the ‘It’ll happen naturally’ for such a long time too. He’s finally come round though, not that he’s got much choice now. 😂

Glad I’m not the only one on Gonal F. Here’s a pic of my drugs haul, it really helped me when @notyetamumbuttrying posted hers to know what to expect.

@notyetamumbuttrying OMG I’m in awe at your activity levels, especially when you’re about to hatch! 😂😂 Have everything crossed for you tomorrow!

@HereToLearnAndShare and @Etonmess20 Thank you! No side effects yet and I managed to do the injection myself last night as well so that felt like an achievement! Ha.

@Vparisi Oh that’s sounds fab! Hope you’re having the best time in Lisbon and have a drink for me if you’re indulging. 😉🍸

@thislittlebird Sending love. Hope things are progressing and you’re feeling a bit better now.

@RiverRiot that is some drugs haul! Must be really daunting when it all arrives 😬 well done on managing to do the injection last night, it must be so hard doing it to yourself - that's probably what I'm dreading the most! Glad there's no massive side effects at the moment too, last thing you need in this heat is hot flushes!! 🥵

@notyetamumbuttrying just seen that you're moving! Are you going far? Nothing like all the stressful things going on at once!! 😂 when are you moving?

@Etonmess20 ah thank you, feel excited now! Yeah it's odd isn't it, but he'd prefer to do it at home so that's good at least. Haha your poor OH, must be so embarrassing for them 😆
@Vparisi aw thank you 😊 have an amazing time in Lisbon! What a fab city 🤩 hope it is the last trip before pregnancy 🤞🏾
@RiverRiot haha I'm a glutton for punishment more like 😂 let's hope I haven't dislodged any eggs early 😱 if it helps, I'm still in bed right now 🤪 good to see the drugs haul! They gave me fyremadel when I didn't even need it so mine looked bigger than it needed to be! Your short protocol right?
@Etonmess20 yeah! So back to where I'm from which is Bucks. It's a new build development so we had to pick tiles and flooring for the kitchen and bathroom. Omg I know, I swear I always do it to myself too 🤦🏾‍♀️ we've had our flat on the market for nearly a year so when we finally got an offer we couldn't not accept it. Then it became all systems go!! It's gonna be mad going from a one bed flat to a 4bed house! Here's hoping Ivf works and I can be pregnant when we move! Completion is due early September 😬

@notyetamumbuttrying true, at least he can be in the comfort of his own home!
Oh god it sounds so stressful all this going on bless you, glad everything's moving in the right direction though! Hopefully you'll be needing the extra space in your new house very soon! When we moved from our flat to our house it was ridiculous the extra space, felt like we were proper rattling round for a while 😂😂

How exciting @notyetamumbuttrying we are the same going through renovations always seems to all happen at the same time! We went from a 2 to a 4 bed as I thought it might tell the universe to send us some kids to fill it! Good luck for tomorrow, what times your procedure? Will be thinking of you x

@Etonmess20 I truly hope we need it soon! We'll have to sell up if kids don't happen. It's a very family oriented place so I couldn't live there without kids. We'd go bk to London and get a riverside pent house or something! Ha yeah I bet you did. Hope you get to fill it with babies soon too!

@GJW2018 ha that's kinda what I'm hoping to! Good luck with the renovations. Is it a big job? Thank you, it's 9am x

@notyetamumbuttrying I will be sending good vibes at 9am for you! ✨ we’re having a couple of the bedrooms and the hallway plastered and the kitchen done so everything is everywhere which isn’t ideal but feel calm. I think I prefer action to just sitting and waiting so feels good!
I’m a bit confused about my cycle. One doctor told me I would have a bleed 3-5 days after EC and the other said 7-10 days after. I’m now 12 days on and nothing apart from a bit of spotting. Going to call them tomorrow as I want to get some sort of timescale for when these bad boys are going back in!
Sending alllll the luck for tomorrow 🤞🏻 For lots of eggs! Xxx

@Etonmess20 @RiverRiot yeah, a little progress. I can’t remember what I said last but after the bad appointment I complained to PALS. They said someone would be in touch but they haven’t been. Funnily I went to my acupuncturist (in Shooters Hill, since a few of you will know where I mean) this week and she knew about the doctor I saw. Said she hadn’t met her but had heard from her ttc clients who had been there that she was not helpful whatsoever and thought she needed to retire.

We saw Mr Ramsay this week, so that’s progress, but my husband still hasn’t been for the tests he asked him to do, which is annoying. He needed to get to work, so when he called up they said no appointments until early June. So now we’re waiting on that. He said to us we’re definitely not unexplained and it’s a shared problem, even if his sperm can get to the egg my progesterone levels mean I may not be able to support a pregnancy. So it was good to hear someone else say it, I guess.

Seeing the Lister doctor this week and hoping she can tell us timelines and more. I haven’t engaged my brain on it all yet so I need to do that before Wednesday. I’m kinda livid the nhs haven’t acknowledged our problems really but I can’t keep waiting and fighting them. I turned 38 last weekend, I don’t have the time.

Wish I was going to Lisbon like @Vparisi. I’m hesitant to book anything abroad. Maybe after we’ve dealt with this ivf business. We’re going to Cornwall for a week in six weeks, need to lose some weight and I’m finding it impossible.

I haven’t caught up properly, but I can see @RiverRiot’s drugs haul. Are you long or short protocol?

@notyetamumbuttrying that’s one of the reasons I haven’t moved yet. I’m petrified of buying a proper family home and then having to sell up because we don’t have kids and I can’t bear it. Wish I could know what’s gonna happen. Also can’t do any renovations until this is all sorted because money. I won’t lie, I feel trapped. Can’t move jobs or houses or area, feels like a lot of treading water.

I think @Etonmess20’s husband must have gone to the same place as mine, where they make you go for a little walk elsewhere to drop the sample off 🥴