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!

@notyetamumbuttrying Such fantastic news, that’s awesome! 🥳 Hope you’re doing something nice to celebrate. Not long til the 17th eeeek.

@notyetamumbuttrying this is so exciting! How are you feeling? Will be thinking of you over the next couple of weeks. Sending lots of pregnant thoughts! ✨✨✨

@notyetamumbuttrying thrilled everything went well for you & your embaby is now on board! Really pleased for you with the numbers you've got to freeze too!
Can't even believe test day is 17th, that isn't even far away!!!
Take care of yourself & hoping for the best outcome for you both xx

@notyetamumbuttrying congrats on today x I didn't realise you were at Guys as well x x

@RiverRiot I had the obligatory McDonald's chips after transfer so that can be classed as a celebration 😂 now lying on the sofa watching finding dory 😆
@GJW2018 feel ok, the same sort of feeling after a smear, so it's ok on the whole. Eek the word pregnant and me together sound so weird! I'm already guarding myself tho in case it doesn't work. I won't refer to myself as PUPO (pregnant until proven otherwise) but embryo on board.
@Etonmess20 thanks so much, the support on here is really lovely!! 😘
@StrongEagle thanks! I am indeed. How long you been with them?

@notyetamumbuttrying you definitely deserved the McDonald's chips. I am good thank you! Just feeling in a weird phase of my life where I am kinda just waiting for that call and waiting for IVF to start and feels difficult to exist normally you know... I imagine the stage you're in is the toughest part...we will all be thinking of you! Great we can all go through this together - you lot probably understand more about my current mindset and thoughts than anyone I know really!

@Vparisi we do know exactly what you mean! Awful living in limbo isn't it! I really hope the call comes soon 🤞🏾

@notyetamumbuttrying I second @Vparisi the chips are well deserved! 😆 Hope the next two weeks fly by for you.

And for sure know how you’re feeling Vparisi, I found during that time it was so difficult to concentrate on anything else and I jumped every time the phone went. 🙈 But then once the call comes it’s all go! I have my day 9 scan tomorrow and can’t believe how quickly it’s come around. I really hope your call comes soon and am looking forward to hearing the details from you and the other ladies too.

Has anyone seen the Harry and Meghan news? It blows my mind that they’ve gotten married and had two kids in the time that I’ve just been trying to have one! Crazy. I’m hoping 2021 is the year for all of us though. 🤞🏼

Thanks @RiverRiot, I can't wait. So excited for you for today! Let us know how you go. All fingers crossed. Yes I know, happy for them but bit depressing isn't it. I can't log into social media without someone I know posting a pregnancy or birth these days. Glad you ladies are here otherwise it really feels like everyone else has it easy with pregnancy etc tbh.

@HereToLearnAndShare I don't suppose you have had any updates? I believe you should be the next one

I saw that baby news and had the same thought. My 20 something relative has had two since last March. It makes me feel such a failure. It’s silly, I know, everyone is different, but it’s hard to shake that feeling.

Good luck @RiverRiot and fingers crossed for @notyetamumbuttrying!

What is the McDonald’s fries thing about? I’ve heard it before but don’t get what it’s supposed to do.

@RiverRiot good luck with everything today, hope it all goes well

@Vparisi I've caved & dropped an email across this morning asking whether there's any update on expected wait times. I feel like I need to know if my head if there's any chance it's July or not! I feel really awful to email chasing as I appreciate they're super busy but,as you mentioned, I feel like my life is on hold!
Will let you know when they respond 🙏🏼

@RiverRiot I had a burger too 😝 thank you hun! Good luck today lovely! It's defo gonna be our year for all of us, it just has to be xx
@thislittlebird some stupid ritual that women doing ivf have started 😂 I think it's the salt in the chips is supposed to help but I don't see how it would. It came about due to salt being a good preventative for ohss and someone must've linked it to McDonald's chips somehow 🤷🏾‍♀️ stupid see 😆
@Etonmess20 hope you get a response soon!

@notyetamumbuttrying any excuse for McDonald's tbh, & if it's science then you just have to don't you?!
How you feeling today?

Thanks, I hope they come back soon - I really do feel awful chasing, don't want to be that person but I'd rather them manage my expectations in a realistic way than my brain keep going "it might be July, oh but if it was July they'd have called by now" etc. Feel like I'm driving myself slowly mad!!

@Etonmess20 exactly! 😏
Feel alright thanks. Had the update on the other 4 embryos earlier, none made it to day 6 so it's just the 3 frozen for us, which is obviously good but was hoping one or two might've pulled through!
Totally understandable to chase, I would've too! You need to manage your brain as you say. ♥️

@notyetamumbuttrying glad you're feeling ok today. Oh I'm really sorry to hear that. Like you say, you've still got 3 which is great but it's understandable you'll feel a bit sad about the others not making it 😔

@Etonmess20 thank you hun x

@notyetamumbuttrying Oh I’m so sorry to hear about the other four, I was really rooting for them. One on board and three of the freezer still gives you excellent chances but I totally understand where you’re coming from. I have everything crossed for you for the one currently snuggling away! Good for you on the Maccy Ds. I know what I’m having if I make it to transfer day, and all in the name of science as well! Ha.

@Etonmess20 You’re a girl after my own heart! I wouldn’t worry about chasing, it’s such an anxious time, it’s hard to deal with the mental load of it all and I’m sure they’re used to it.

@Vparisi @thislittlebird Yep I’m with you. I got a text from my best friend this morning to warn me before it drops on FB that her sister is pregnant for the FOURTH time. Can these people just piss off with their super fertility already! 😒

So back from the clinic and I’m triggering tonight with egg collection on Monday! Cannot believe how fast this is all happening!

Apparently, I have eight ready to go but will probably lose two of them as these are already at around 25mm & 29mm. (The nurse said anything over 30 will either release on their own or won’t fertilise) But she was really pleased and said she hopes to get around 14 collected, all being well. Please just let them be ok quality now. 🙏🏻

@RiverRiot you're right, I just wouldn't want to be THAT person or have them put me on some difficult patient list 😂 I'm sure they fully understand we're all super anxious & just want to get started

So pleased to hear everything went well for you this morning & you've got EC booked in now. It's mad how quick it all happens once you've got the go ahead isn't it? Your numbers sound really promising as well so I have absolutely everything crossed you'll have high numbers & plenty for the freezer too! 🙏🏼 good luck with the trigger tonight!

@Etonmess20 I’m pretty sure I’m on the difficult patients list after my two PALS letters. The second of which has been ignored 🙄.

@RiverRiot that’s all very fast! I’m trying to arrange a private hycosy this week, I guess it’s something to do while I wait for progress lol

@notyetamumbuttrying 3 in the freezer is still really good, and on the first attempt!

@thislittlebird are you still waiting for PALs to contact you?

@RiverRiot wow that’s gone so fast! How exciting!

@notyetamumbuttrying how are you feeling? That’s still amazing that you have 1 on board and 3 good to go! Sending such positive vibes for you!

@thislittlebird I’m definitely on every difficult patient list!

We got married the same day as Harry and Megan ... one of my friends has had 3 in the time we’ve been trying, all of the rest in my friendship group have had at least 1 and another single friend who’s on the pill has gotten pregnant twice with one night stands 👍🏼🙄 not ideal being surrounded by babies and baby chat!

@GJW2018 yeah we’re the last ones in the group without kids. I don’t want them to ask about us having any when we meet up next month.

@Etonmess20 yep. I replied saying is it standard for such things to be logged as formal complaints and then never heard back. That was weeks ago. I feel so depressed by my nhs experience every step of the way. Also not loving having to pay for tests they should have done for me, but it is what it is. Hycosy will be at least £500 in London, I’m sure.

@thislittlebird it has been awful for you from what you've said & if even PALs aren't helping I don't know where you can turn. Such a horrible situation if you have to end up paying privately for treatment you should be entitled to 😔

@Etonmess20 Yeah, I don’t even know what to do anymore other than focus on saving as much as we can until it all begins privately. Two doctors have now written letters saying we’re not unexplained. Waiting to receive the second one, when I get it I’m going to ask the new GP for a referral to assisted conception at Guys or wherever, not to a local hospital gynaecology dept. The lister doctor we spoke to was so confused that we were deemed unexplained and said we should fight for our entitlement but it’s so tiring.