London clinics that are great at looking into unexplained infertility not just pushing ivf

[800msprint]

Hi
Im looking for any advice on London or South East clinics that are rigorous in looking at history , past tests and exploring all options related to secondary infertility - unexplained. I've decided I don't want to go spend the ivf route but I do want to make sure I've thrown everything I can in case there is something preventing me getting pregnant.
I've had two children. We have considered ivf but I think it would break me. I would do it if we didn't have children or an only. But I have two so I don't want the massive upheaval.
I've been with Create who I've not really been impressed with and had one failed iui. All the standards tests came back fine. I remember he did note that there might be some adhesions when he looked in the ultrasound but he didn't sound concerned. I have under active thyroid now under control.
My acupuncturist has suggested a couple of other tests - blood clotting and immune issues. I'm keen to look into this and possibly get a second opinion on my uterus too!
So yes I've heard that the Evewell is good though when I look I can't see all the other tests offered just a lot about ivf. Also The Lister. And the CRC clinic. I could also stick with Create and get the other tests done through them. It would take less time as I'm already with them but I feel unsure now.
Any others I should know about? Tx in advance.

There is a Dr Shehata I believe who is supposed to be very good but I only know of people who've gone to Him for recurrent miscarriage rather than unexplained infertility. It's also expensive to run all the tests - £3k+ so you are getting close to the cost of IVF which they may just recommend at the end of it all already?

I'm with Create Birmingham and have to say they have been amazing and very supportive running tests and talking through all the options but I know Create St Paul's is a different animal being so much busy and probably less personable

Yes I think he's at crp clinic. Gah I don't know what to do! Maybe I should just stay with Create. They have been fine but like you say impersonal, issues over invoicing and forms and not calling me back. It's been exhausting. Plus I'm wondering why they haven't suggested these things to me rather than me doing all this research...

Unless you've had several miscarriages at this point I wouldn't say that you need blood clotting or thyroid tests?

How long have you had secondary infertility and how old are you?

Like you say with 2 kids already I wouldn't go down the IVF route - I have 1 daughter and I can honestly say that IVF is one of the most selfish things I've done. We've done 5 rounds with Create and spent £35k - it's taken over our lives - no holidays, can't move house as remortgaged and took out loans, mood swings my daughter has had to suffer through and lack of focus on her whilst constantly thinking about and going through treatment

@ivfdreaming over 18 months now. I had two early mcs before my first. Maybe I'm just grasping at straws. so sorry to hear of your rocky road

Not CRGH. 2 years into us trying, various tests and a round of IVF. The best they came up with was “there might be issues with one or both of you”. Hmmm no shit. I think anyone could work that out!

I had flagged Lister and Evewell and maybe CRP Clinic though that seems to push the immune issue thing a lot. I just doing want to be pushed into ivf. I would just like to try and uncover what the issues are. Maybe it doesn't work like that. I'm kind of ready to stop now and work out how to close the door and move on.

I switched from create to care and am so much happier.

@800msprint I've just moved to NewLife in Epsom (Surrey) from Create St Paul's. I had a Zoom consultation with one of the doctors at NewLife and afterwards I was very emotional. He looked at that forms I had filled in about medical history, and recommended a few tests to have done. For example, I have quite a few allergies, so he's recommended a whole host of extra immune system. He also recommended sperm DNA fragmentation, as we have a big drop off from day 3 to day 5 embryos, something that Create did not mention.

@HJF84 good luck with it all. I have quite a few allergies but that’s always been minimised and not explored in anyway. Our embryos had a drop off after day 3 as well, so l was thinking a DNA fragmentation test as well -our clinic have never mentioned this

Thanks I'll look into them. Easier for me to get there as well. It's such a minefield.

Hi @800msprint

I've not been there but I've heard that Zita West look at fertility as a whole including complementary therapy not just IVF. They also do immune work so if that was something you wanted to talk about, they do have the expertise.

Good luck x

@800msprint - have you ever had your thyroid antibodies checked? You say you have an underactive thyroid that's under control, so I assume you're taking levothyroxine. This replaces the missing thyroid hormones but doesn't treat the underlying cause. There is research showing that the presence of high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies increases your chance of miscarriage, implantation failure, etc.

I know this as I have the same issues. My anti thyroid hormones are in the 900s (normal range is below 30 or something).