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!

@thislittlebird what is wrong with these doctors! I’m so angry for you. How dare they negate what your dermatologist has prescribed. It’s just so frustrating when the NHS are rubbish the only option is to go private for such a cost when all you want is to be listened to. If it makes you feel any better I’ve definitely been there with the NHS and it has worked out in the end it’s just so sad that it has to be such a struggle. Did you talk to the GP about your fertility concerns?

@notyetamumbuttrying 😂😂😂 omg that's hilarious, good performance under pressure is such an underrated skill I'm sure you never knew you needed until now 😂😂😂
That's really good to know you were completely asleep & not suffering too much with anything since. Have they said they'll give you a call tomorrow with an update?

@thislittlebird oh dear that doesn't sound promising 🤦🏼‍♀️ did you ask your GP to give you a fertility referral?

@RiverRiot ah that makes sense, should make it sting a bit less then probably! God yeah, absolutely sweltering today. Can't wait for boot camp later 🥵

@Etonmess20 @GJW2018 oh god, no chance. She wouldn’t even let me talk about my asthma meds repeat prescription they don’t have on file yet. 🥴 Said I need to call and speak to my assigned GP and she would only be dealing with my “urgent” skin issue today. I never said it was urgent, I went in with all my stuff (letters from derm, repeat) and said I need to sort out my prescriptions. Only one issue at a time, can’t deal with asthma AND eczema meds, never mind fertility.

I gave them the letters from the derm and said I need x, y, and z. She’s like no you can’t have any of those but you can have these cheap substitutes. I pushed back because I used to have these things on repeat until the old GP took them off me because I didn’t have them often enough, and then my skin went insane nearly two years ago and I’ve been fighting to get the meds I want since. Finally I have a letter from a derm and it’s still not enough. Why don’t I get the same care others get? Why aren’t skin issues (which has made my quality of life hard for some time now because it wasn’t treated) important? I’m so tired of it all I’m tempted to get private medical insurance but I need a lot of stuff, prescriptions are expensive private.

I’ll call back next week when my assigned GP is back from leave and hope he’s better 😩.

@notyetamumbuttrying it’s interesting to hear about the egg collection stuff because that part scares me, I won’t lie. Can’t believe it can be so fast, crazy.

@thislittlebird the procedure was 10-15 minutes and I was awake after 10 minutes!
Oh that's so rubbish of your new gp surgery, so sorry hun!
@GJW2018 ah that makes sense! Yeah that's how I feel today! I'm all stooped over like an old lady 😂 yeah it doesn't take long at all does it!
@RiverRiot haha thanks! It'll be icsi.
@Etonmess20 haha indeed! Yeah tomorrow morning so let's hope it's first thing!

@thislittlebird it would probably be fairly expensive to get cover for what they'd deem "pre existing" conditions too. I get bupa through work & it's only for things that are since you've had the policy (though not an expert so may not be an issue!) I got a prescription through a bupa dermatologist & my GP happily prescribes it, very bizarre they seem to be so against it 🤷🏼‍♀️
Really does sound crap for you at the minute, sending love! X

@RiverRiot yeah good point, they probably won’t insure me anyway. The joke is when I have the stuff I need I manage it well and have fewer prescriptions but getting the stuff you need is much harder than it should be.

@notyetamumbuttrying omg 10 minutes? That’s mad, I can’t even understand how they do it in ten minutes. Amazing really.

@thislittlebird yup! Prob closer to 15 mins. It'd be longer if I had more follicles. This is guy's description which explains the whole process to wrap your head round www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/acu/Invitro-Fertilisation-treatment.pdf it's a good read!
If I have leftover progesterone pessaries btw I'll send them to you if you like x

@notyetamumbuttrying Oh slightly higher fertilisation rates with ICSI I believe, so have everything crossed for you.

@Etonmess20 Mate, boot camp, are you actually insane? 😂 You wouldn’t find me there on a temperate day, never mind yesterday! 😳

@thislittlebird Jeez I’m so sorry everything is just seems like an uphill battle atm. I think these GPs should be called ‘miserly bean counters’ instead. Here’s hoping your designated bean counter leaves his abacus at home when you get to talk to him. And that your consultation goes well and helps put things back on track.

@notyetamumbuttrying wow 10 is a great number! Fingers crossed for that phone call! Exciting about the move - my DP is from Bucks (Little Chalfont) and it is beautiful plus great schools. We are looking at the moment, not quite ready to be far from London yet as I just moved from Australia late last year and haven't really had the London experience. So we are trying in Dulwich but we will see. Everything expensive at the moment. Just really need some garden space and as you say a bbq!! I am working on the kitchen table just like you

Thanks @Etonmess20 I did! Was there for 4 days, had an amazing time but probably wouldn't recommend travelling to anyone as all the testing is just so complicated and takes up so much time (plus is so expensive)...best to stick to UK at the moment I think!

@RiverRiot wow that is a lot of drugs! Hope they are going ok. I did indulge ha, feel a bit guilty but it was a holiday and I do wonder how much difference it really makes at this point. Now I am back to being strict haha.

@thislittlebird so sorry, sounds like it is so rough at the moment. Just keep pushing them and I hope you will get some resolutions soon. It must be so frustrating. Sending love x

@RiverRiot honestly was regretting my life choices as I was lunge walking in the baking sun 😂😂😂

@Vparisi glad you had a lovely time, nice to be able to have a break with all this going on in the background isn't it? Does sound like a faff with the testing but I really would love a holiday. Doubt with plans we have coming up then (hopefully) IVF we'll manage to get away before September 😢

@notyetamumbuttrying good luck today, hope you're not too sore & managed to get a reasonable nights sleep x

@RiverRiot that's good to know, thank you. Hotly anticipating today's call! Hope you're well?!
@Vparisi thanks! Aw yeah that is a nice area. I'm from Bucks so I'll be going home, whereas Dh will be leaving London and living somewhere else for the first time ever 😂
Ooh Dulwich is a good shout, hope things work out for you! Kitchen table working is not the one anymore 😆
@Etonmess20 thank you. Rubbish sleep so feel knackered today but less sore so that's something! Ah hope you get to go away soon mate!

@notyetamumbuttrying bless you, no wonder with all this on your mind & bet the sedation meds probably didn't help! Glad you're not too sore today - have you got the day off or are you working?

@Vparisi ooh Dulwich is beautiful 😍 everything has gone mental property wise hasn't it? Hopefully with the stamp duty holiday ending things will start to go back to normal a bit more

@notyetamumbuttrying sending super fertilised vibes for you today! When we were waiting for the call I emailed about 11am and said we were both booking in calls for the rest of the day and could they let us know what time they’d call so we didn’t miss it and the email seemed to prompt them to call straight away so might be a good idea if you haven’t heard by midday. The waiting is the worst! I also did the same on day 5.... I am definitely number 1 pest! (They definitely all hate me! 🙃)

@Etonmess20 I'm working, it's not too busy thankfully!
@GJW2018 haha loving your style!

So had the call....8 out 10 fertilised and I'm booked in for transfer on Sunday. I get no more updates until then! I know the drop off rate drops again by then so I'm shitting it! 😬

Oh my God amazing! @notyetamumbuttrying they said fertilisation rates are around 50% and yours were 80! They’re obviously good quality eggs and sperm! Got everything crossed for you for Sunday. I’ve put off having my embryos put back in for another month so will likely be mid July now for me. This is sooo exciting for Sunday! Xx

@notyetamumbuttrying congratulations, that's so good & gives you the best chance of a nice one to put back in & some for the freezer too 🙏🏼 how brutal no more updates until then though!? 😬 Sunday isn't actually far away but sure it'll feel a lifetime for you now!

@GJW2018 I'm thanking icsi! Goes up with that! Good luck for next month then. I'm so petrified now 😳
@Etonmess20 thank you. So so brutal! Not even a day 3 update, so unfair! Dh can't come in either so he has to wait downstairs in the cafe 🙄

@notyetamumbuttrying I think that is so awful they can't come in, I get covid rules etc but realistically does it make that much difference for a partner to come along? Whole process is difficult enough as it is without that added in 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Etonmess20 completely agree! I thought with the restrictions loosening he'd be allowed in. I might just smuggle him up and see if anyone says anything 🤭

@notyetamumbuttrying I think that’s so bad he can’t come in but he was fine to be there for the egg collection. I’d definitely try to smuggle him in! I know it’s going to feel like a long time till Sunday but I just tried to keep busy and distract myself in those days. Especially as the weathers so nice you can make the most of hopefully your last few non pregnant days! ✨✨

@notyetamumbuttrying worth a go if he's going to come with you & sit downstairs anyway, worst they'd do is tell him to go downstairs. You may get lucky & they just let him stay!
Maybe it'll change after 21st June if restrictions lift again

[quote Etonmess20]@notyetamumbuttrying I think that is so awful they can't come in, I get covid rules etc but realistically does it make that much difference for a partner to come along? Whole process is difficult enough as it is without that added in 🤦🏼‍♀️
[/quote]
This is very frustrating to me. I want my support person there and that’s my husband, I don’t understand why it’s such an issue. I’m also worried men still aren’t allowed into births, which I think was a thing for a while? It’s infuriating and there should be means of avoiding it like getting tested or vaccinated etc.

[quote notyetamumbuttrying]@Etonmess20 I'm working, it's not too busy thankfully!
@GJW2018 haha loving your style!

So had the call....8 out 10 fertilised and I'm booked in for transfer on Sunday. I get no more updates until then! I know the drop off rate drops again by then so I'm shitting it! 😬[/quote]
That’s amazing! I’d be over the moon if we had that rate when we get there. Fingers crossed for Sunday, weird they won’t tell you how many made it before then.

On the house moves thing...I’m your DH. Lived in london all my 38 years and DH is from Cornwall. If I get pregnant we’re likely to move down there eventually but sadly it’s not cheap in the nicer areas because of all the second home owners. It’s frustrating when he’s from there, we have a 3 bed Victorian terrace in London and yet we still aren’t sure we can get what we want there because it’s so inflated right now. We’d likely wait for a while yet and hope it calms down a bit.

On the plus side I have a proper desk in an alcove in my living room. Could have put it in a room upstairs but wanted to be near the garden rather than stuck in a small room all day.

@thislittlebird yeah they definitely should do something to make it so that we can have support (or anyone in hospital for that matter). I know even when my mum has that accident earlier this year & she'd been kicked in the head by her horse multiple times & been knocked out they still tried to make her friend leave her at the door to a&e. Her friend was like "she doesn't know how name, her birthday, what's happened, where she lives" & they eventually let her in briefly but then made her leave. Madness 🤦🏼‍♀️

@GJW2018 madness right! Very true. Did you have drinks/bad food etc? Do you think you'll stop any supplements after transfer, like coq10?
@Etonmess20 exactly so defo worth a go! I think it will change after then for sure. So hopefully the rest of you will be able to have partners there!
@thislittlebird it's downright ridiculous really!
Thank you. It's because they don't want to disturb their development. They only tend to give day 3 updates if you have really low numbers (or so I've been told by someone who went through it a few months bk, whose now pregnant).
Mad that you're priced out of Cornwall but ok in London. I didn't realise what a difference all the second homes made down there!