Infertility investigations/IVF in Scotland - thread 3

[itsmschanandlerbong]

A thread for those of us undergoing infertility investigations or treatment in Scotland.

Thread 1 - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/3742246-infertility-investigations-ivf-in-scotland

Thread 2 - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4138992-Infertility-investigations-IVF-in-Scotland-thread-2

Aaaaaand I'm bleeding now. I knew it was too good to be true.

@scirocco Oh no, you're not getting a break with this at all. Hopefully everything is OK, thinking of you.

I feel absolutely broken. Like, every time there's some hope, it just gets crushed into dust.

And as they've discharged me from the clinic, if I need re-referred I'll be starting from scratch with them re: waiting lists. So, I'd be lucky to get seen again before I'm 40, probably.

It feels like this was our first and last chance. We threw everything at this and still failed.

@scirocco I'm so sorry. Have you phoned the EPU? How are you doing now?

Got a private scan booked for tomorrow. No more bleeding overnight, so we'll see how it goes today... The Early Pregnancy service won't open for another few hours so I'll give them a call later, but I doubt they'll want to do anything as they haven't been particularly helpful at any stage of this.

@scirocco It's terrible how unhelpful they've been. Good that's there's not been any more bleeding though.

@Scirocco I'm so sorry to hear this, you've had a really shitty time of it. How did you get on with the EPU?

@Kamiros that's great your appointment went so well! Hopefully you're not waiting too long to get started now 🤞🤞

@Comiston34 how are you? Any updates?

@florafoxtrot 13 is a fantastic number! How are you?

@GemmTryTTC not long till your planning appointment now! Time goes so slowly when you're waiting.

Sorry for the silence guys, have been trying to focus on cycle 2 and went away for the weekend with some friends. Too much wine and food was consumed, I'm still recovering I think! But it was very much needed. Hoping to get booked in for cycle 2 next week.

@itsmschanandlerbong, good wine and food in the company of friends sounds like a great weekend - I hope you had fun.

I've not had any more bleeding so they aren't excited - just reminded me that spotting is common (well, yes, but that doesn't mean it's unreasonable for someone to get upset when they see blood during pregnancy). Private scan tomorrow... I'm going to be absolutely skint with all these appointments!

Feeling worried about the covid situation too - hospitals are getting very busy and some are having to cancel elective treatments again... Last time, I volunteered for redeployment to help at the 'frontline' but even with both vaccinations I feel like I can't risk the same thing happening again. I feel like a bit of a coward but I don't think I can volunteer again when it could put this pregnancy at even greater risk. I think I'll need to ask to stay in the lower risk acute areas instead...

@scirocco Hope today goes well, been thinking of you. Yeah it's easy for them to say it's common but terrifying for us, especially when getting that far has been a struggle in itself.

@itsmschanandlerbong That sounds great. We're away for the weekend later today- I think the few days out works wonders.

@Scirocco I hope everything goes well! I would do the same as you, as many scans as I can afford until I feel reassured/am broke. I understand your worries about COVID too! I don't think I would volunteer to be fair. The first lockdown I was an essential worker and I can;t imagine being able to do it once pregnant!
@Kamiros enjoy your weekend away :) I can't wait for the few days away we have next week!
@itsmschanandlerbong fingers crossed!

Hello, we got the news today that our only embryo is still looking healthy and doing the things a 4 day old embryo should be doing so we have been booked for a transfer on Sat morning. I feel a bit clueless of embryo knowledge as we've never gotten this far so my reading has been limited to getting to this point!

I'm utterly shocked to have made it this far in the journey so every bit of progress is being celebrated.

@Scirocco sorry you are having a rough time, look after yourself first and foremost. Work can come second at times like these.

@Kamiros how did you get on at Endo? I saw a lovely women at Spire in Edinburgh she couldn't have been more helpful.

That's great news @Comiston34 - keep going little embryo!!

We had a reassuring scan - heartbeat present, bang on for dates. No obvious source of bleeding, so probably cervical in origin. I'm now under strict instructions to relax and try to enjoy things again. Phew!

@Scirocco oh that’s so good news, I’m so happy for you!!!!! Now to fully relax, let yourself be pampered and enjoy!

Hi ladies, first time poster here although I’ve read the thread for a while and it’s been a huge source of comfort & information as I enter 18 months of TTC. I’m so pleased for those of you who have received your BFP and I’m so truly hopeful for those of you still waiting. My story is I’m 33 years old, fit & healthy…I very naively thought my husband and I would conceive easily. We both had the initial fertility tests at GCRM in Glasgow and came back with good results - his sperm check normal and my AMH and HyCosy all had good results, high follicle count and ovarian reserve. The GCRM consultant said we had a good chance of conceiving naturally but recommended we get on the NHS waiting list in the meantime and luckily our GP was happy to refer us to the NHS waiting list based on the GCRM results. I was wondering if anyone knows how long that is right now in Glasgow after the knock on effects of covid? I’ve heard conflicting info that it’s as long as 2 years or as little as 6 months…has anyone else been added to the NHS waiting list in Glasgow since the pandemic began?! How long did it take? Honestly I feel so lost and alone, all my friends conceived so quickly so I have no one who’s been through this. I don’t even know where to begin, it’s so overwhelming. Any guidance would be so appreciated xx

@comiston34 Great news. I think it might be the same woman as it was also Spire. She was lovely and so helpful. Finally feel like I have some backup as I was right with everything I've fought the GP on. She's given me some pretty strict diet advice which is hard but I need to do everything I can.

@scirocco Oh I'm so relieved for you, that's great.

@alice83b Welcome. Sorry I don't know much about NHS waiting lists. We went straight to GCRM and are in Fife. Some of the others will know more though.

Hi @alice83b

I'm in Glasgow too and have just had my first round of IVF through the NHS clinic. We were first referred to the clinic in Dec '19, first appointment was in Spring '20, and we started the actual cycle about 13-14 months after that appointment.

I think lockdowns complicated waiting lists as they've needed to prioritise people who were nearing the cut-off age limits, as I do know of people who didn't have to wait as long.

Hi everyone
Looking into some support groups on here for infertility. I live in North East Scotland so Aberdeen centre based.
I'm 34 turning 35 in Sept which is a bit scary in itself never mind with this going on 😳. TTC since October 2019
Me or husband have never had a child or BFP ever. Been together now 13 years (I think 😂). I was on mini contraceptive pill for the whole time till Sept 2019. Went along with things as most people do thinking it would happen for us but nothing as yet. Had bloods done at the doctor in April this year which have all came back fine and husbands SA is super sperm basically (140 mill per ml, motility 65% and Morphology 5%) which is great but makes me worry on my side even more. After initial video consultation I'm now waiting on my app for Ultrasound and Hycosy which I'm not looking forward to. Been told this will be Sept earliest so just a waiting game. Tracking OV via Clue App and LH sticks which as seem to match up with monthly symptoms. Cycle has been standard since coming off contraception at usually 26/27 days long with OV around day 12/13. Rough day today with AF arriving after some different symptoms this week 🙄. She's a d**k 😂.

Glad to see the progress some of you are getting with your treatments 💕. It's hard going sometimes at this stage never mind further ahead.

Wanted to ask about AMH tests? I've only had 21 day bloods so AMH wasn't included in this. Is that meant to be done with 3 day bloods or is that somethinf fertility clinic goes into after scans? But lost with where they come in.

Just catching up. @Scirocco glad your scan was reassuring. @Comiston34 @florafoxtrot eek hope your embryo transfers have gone well today!x

@Scirocco

@Kamiros enjoy your weekend away!

@Comiston34 that's great! Keeping everything crossed for you for your transfer!

@Alice83b welcome! Have you been added to the list yet? I was referred pre covid so I can't really help, but from what I'm hearing from a group I'm on, it's a few months to get an appointment with the clinic then they do some tests (hopefully they will accept your results from GCRM) then you're added to the waiting list which takes around 5 months for your first appointment. I was added to the list in July 2020 and got a letter through for my first appointment in February 2021, the appointment was for March 2021 and I started treatment in May.

@Belle2210 welcome! I didn't get an AMH test until I was seen at the clinic. If all other tests have come back fine then that's a good sign I think.

So I went to my first acupuncture appointment this morning! The woman was lovely and very thorough in going though my infertility stuff. Felt very relaxed afterwards, came home and napped! I'm going to go weekly until I start stims again and we'll review things then.

@Scirocco sorry, just realised I tagged you and hadn't written anything! I meant to say that I'm so glad that the scan went well. Now please take their advice and relax and try to slow things down 😁

@itsmschanandlerbong
Thanks. It ll hopefully be mentioned further down the line. Waiting for appointments is the worst 🙈.

I start reflexology this month too so will keep an update on how that goes. Sounds like you had a good experience with your first acupuncture 👍. Never tried it but will keep it on the back burner

Hi ladies.

Glad the scan went well @Scirocco. Hopefully no more bleeding and you can breathe for a few days.

Welcome @Alice83b. Not sure on Glasgow timescales unfortunately but hope you get some news soon.

Glad to hear all progressing @Comiston34. Hope you got on ok this morning?

@Belle2210 - I’m sorry you’ve found yourself here, I hope you aren’t waiting too long. I’ve had treatment twice in Aberdeen and never had my AMH measured, I honestly don’t know why. It would be worth asking though. I’ve only got good things to say about Aberdeen fertility clinic tbh, always been treated really well.

So I’m officially PUPO! A 4AA blast was transferred this morning, they think we’ve got 3 or 4 good enough for freezing but will keep an eye over the rest of the weekend. We’ve been out for lunch and going to do some pottering then chill out.

Hope everyone has a nice and peaceful weekend

@florafoxtrot Thank you. I guess most of us never expect to be here 💕 I will ask about it when my appointment comes through.

Congratulations on your wee egg beans 🥳