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!

@HereToLearnAndShare - yes had my EC done this morning. I am back home now, it was very smooth, got period like cramps now so the nurse asked me to take paracetamol, but I think I can deal with the pain!

They will call me tomorrow and let me know how many eggs were actually mature . I was triggered very early so I'm just praying it's not that bad.. my E2 levels were high so they wanted to play safe and put my safety first

@Sarah2328 during the appointment they told us it will take up to 4 months. Then they said aprox 8 weeks. So hopefully no longer than that.

@Rj1988 fingers crossed for you! Hopefully there are more matured eggs than anticipated!

@HereToLearnAndShare good luck with it all, hope your feeling okay

How did you go @Rj1988?

Hi @Vparisi - waiting to hear back from the clinic. Hopefully they should have some update for me tomorrow or day after.

My EC was smooth, even though my estrogen levels were high I don't think I had any OHSS symptoms. However only few eggs got fertilised. I suspect that's bec most of them were immature as I was triggered very early but the nurses didn't give any details on that.

I hate the waiting game

@Rj1988 I am glad it went smoothly and I know it is disappointing, but all you need is a few in the end to make it work. Good luck with your call, fingers crossed!

Hi ladies, do you know if the clinic always call on day 5 to give an update even if none of the embryos make it?
I've been anxiously waiting for the call since morning and no one has called still.

@GJW2018 - did the nurses called you on day 5 to give an update of how many embryos made it?

Hi @Rj1988 glad your EC went well and you’re not getting any OHSS symptoms. They called on day 6 as they seem to be freezing them then too. We had some frozen on day 5 and some on day 6 and the call was mid morning on day 6. Are you doing a freeze all cycle?

So I think I ovulated at the weekend and went in Monday for an update appointment. I’m due to start my next cycle on 4th/5th July and they will book in a scan for two weeks later then ET 5 days after the scan so around 22nd/23rd of July eeek getting real again!
Hope you’re all good @becarefuloutthere have been thinking of you!
And @RiverRiot hope you’re feeling good! When is your test day?

@GJW2018 its so exciting to have the timeline! ☺️ Perhaps this is a stupid question, but is there a second cycle before transfering the frozen embryo? 😳 I will be doing freeze all as well and I hoped they won't be any injections after the EC

@GJW2018 just re-read your post. I assume you mean your monthly cycle not stim one 😀

@GJW2018 - thank you for letting me know. I have been feeling so low all day thinking that none of my eggs made it to day 5 and hence the nurses haven't bothered! But I will wait until tomorrow morning which should be my day 6

and yes it was all freeze for me as I was on high risk for ohss.

Are you going for your ET? They said they will book me in for July too if I get any blastos...

Hey @HereToLearnAndShare no you can have it the next cycle but we opted to have a cycle off in between. So when you have a bleed after EC you start the estrogen and have the scan etc like I will be next month. No injections! Just estrogen tablets till they say your linings thick enough then add the progesterone pessaries in the lead up to transfer. Yes monthly cycle no stims!
Yes @Rj1988 I know the panic. If you haven’t heard by 10.30/11 I would send an email. I sent one saying my husband and I are booking in calls for the rest of the day and could they let me know what time they were going to call so we could make sure we’re available and they rang straight away. Should hopefully be having my ET mid/late July 😬

@Rj1988 weird you haven't been called yet. I was called the day after EC to say how many fertilised and then wasn't called again, just booked in for transfer on day 5. They told me at that point, how many had made it to freeze. They then called on day 6 to tell me the rest hadn't made it.
@GJW2018 so pleased you're so close now! Yay 😀 aw thank you! Yes I am, bit sicky but ok on the whole! Got my 3+ weeks on the digital this morning so that was nice at 5 weeks today!

Woohoo! Great news @becarefuloutthere 🌟 hopefully the sickness will stay at bay! What happens next? After you got your positive do you let Guys know? Do they do an early or 12 week scan or are you discharged to normal maternity?

@GJW2018 thanks 😊 so I've told them and they've booked me in for a viability scan at 8 weeks. I've gone ahead and self referred at my local hospital and I have a midwife appointment in July too. Once the 8 week scan is done, I get discharged into the normal nhs for my 12 week.

@becarefuloutthere Ooh that’s so exciting! 🤗 Hope little Romeo is doing well in there and the sickness doesn’t get any worse.

@Rj1988 They didn’t call me til 5:45pm on my day 6 so do chase them if you’ve not heard by 12ish. Let us know how you get on.

@GJW2018 OTD is Friday but tested this morning as technically 14DPO now. Faint positive on FRER but negative on a cheapy. Not that I take the cheapy over a FRER but it should be darker by this point so am thinking chemical.

So exciting you have your FET booked in! 🥳 I’m looking forward to hearing all about it and sending you lots of love and luck for it. Who knows, you may even fall on beforehand! 😉

@GJW2018 that is so exciting!! It will come around in no time at all!

@HereToLearnAndShare you hit the 8 week mark this week right?? Still so impatient for the call! I emailed yesterday for an update on wait time but didn't get a response yet...

@RiverRiot crossing all my fingers and toes for you xxxxx

@becarefuloutthere glad little Romeo is still doing well!! Hope you are feeling ok!

@Vparisi do let me know if you hear anything! Did you ever get to the bottom of if they're wanting you to do a freeze all by the way?

@RiverRiot everything crossed for you 🙏🏼

@becarefuloutthere so glad you're feeling well, hope your new house is progressing too!

@RiverRiot - I am sure the lines will get darker in no time, hcg is suppose to double every 1-2 day

@becarefuloutthere - all the best

I am still waiting for the call... I was so impatient that I called the nurse yesterday and she told me they are understaffed and someone should call me in 2-3 days 🙄

By the way ladies, just started my bleeding today. It's hurting like a bitch 

@RiverRiot @GJW2018 - how many cycles did you guys wait before your FET?

@GJW2018 ah it is great to have the ET booked in! Something to look forward to!
@RiverRiot fings crossed for a positive test!

@Vparisi yes, it is the 8 week for me and I haven't received the call yet! Yestarday they called me to ask for the laparoscopy but this was becouse I was still in their waiting list for it. I asked for the IVF but she said she is from another department and has no info about the IVF list... Let us know if they respond to you. I plan to give them a nudge tomorrow or Mon.

@RiverRiot haha so on Romeo..,due dates are worked out differently with ivf, it's not from your last period, it's two weeks before EC which was the end of my period for me, so new due date is 22.02.22, what a cool dob!!
Just seen you got a faint positive! Will you let guys know? How you feeling?
@Vparisi I'm ok thanks honey! How are you?
@Etonmess20 aw thank you 😊 it is actually. Getting the surveys done now and we have our mortgage offer pending a couple docs 🥳
@Rj1988 thank you ☺️ 2-3 days, ouch! I hope its tomorrow instead!
@HereToLearnAndShare I hope you hear soon, such a waiting game isn't it!

Thank you ladies, it really means a lot to me. 🥰

@becarefuloutthere Wow! Got to be twins with that date eh, especially with your blazing test last week! 👯‍♀️👀

@Rj1988 2-3 days, bloody hell! The only thing I can think is no news is good news. I’m sure they would have put you out of your misery if it was bad news.

Tbh guys when I went for my transfer it was really busy, like standing room only in the waiting room busy. I thought it was just an off day but maybe if they’re short staffed as well, that’s why everything is taking so long for everyone?
I do hope they sort it out soon though and you can all get going ASAP!

@RiverRiot I don't think I could get twins with one embryo transferred? Can it still split before it implants? 🤔