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

Thanks @willithappen that's really useful!

Yes already been told it will be freeze all which in some ways takes the pressure off as I can take that time after egg collection before going right into transfer

Hey -
We had our Fertility investigation appointments in Monklands during the month of May . Today we received a letter to say our follow up appointment is September .

I’m anxious waiting so long for results . Is this a standard time ? Should we relax because it’s far away and therefore we might now have issues ?

Any advice is appreciated please

@ally99101 I was a freeze all also, and although it was disappointing I actually liked the break in between to let my body recover.

Welcome @Wishing4stars, unfortunately yeah that sounds standard. We went via Monklands too. When we had the tests there, they found male factor and then we were referred to the royal, for repeat tests then added to the waiting list. Monklands don't do IVF or ICSI, you need to be referred to the royal for that.

Thanks @itsmschanandlerbong. I get what you're saying. I think you're right about a distraction during the 2ww and yes some mix of time off before egg collection and maybe after too. Good to know going back to work straight after the transfer itself is doable!

@Scirocco congratulations! Have everything crossed for you!

Thanks for the advice everyone with regards to timings. Just wondering when everyone else mentioned to their employer that they would be starting treatment soon? After nurse planning visit ?Probably overthinking this but anxious about it (work in the NHS and don’t like cancelling things at short notice)

@Scottishrunner I didn't tell my line manager what it was for, but said I'd need some time off for health reasons - that it would be at relatively short notice but was unavoidable. That was accepted, and I got the leave I needed.

Thanks!

@Scottishrunner I think you can always mention it to your employer to let them know that it's something you're planning if you're comfortable doing that. Its hard because it's something you just can't plan, you're never going to know exactly when it's going to happen so I would suggest if you want to mention your initial thinking/ plans just now but anything more than that I'd say you're better waiting until you've called on day 1 of your cycle that you're going to be having your treatment as anything before that so much could change. I was told I might call on day 1 and if they've got too many people doing treatment that month I'd have to call back next month so even right up to day 1 I wasn't sure if it was actually going to happen with this cycle

@Scottishrunner I didn't tell my employer until today, funnily enough. I started a new job in December and wasn't expected to be starting until august time. I hadn't told my manager about going through IVF and had just said I had a doctors appointment or hospital appointment rather than being specific. I was off for 2 weeks there during stims and egg collection. If I wasn't off, it would have been harder to justify appointments because I was back and forward to the clinic every second day for scans and you need the full day of egg collection off too. I told my manager today because I am struggling quite a bit and wanted my manager know in case I needed any time off. They were really supportive.

I didn't, and still haven't, told my employer. I got lucky that I was working from home while doing stims. Went back to the office the week before otd

@Kitekat81when do you head down? They won't pull the plug without very good reasoning as the last thing they want to do is have a failed collection. They kept reminding me that not every month is equal and although it's really hard cancellation is better than failure and loosing a paid cycle.

I really hope it goes well, they will treat you well, I felt in very safe hands with them. Even after my refund they have been really nice when I emailed them for a copy of medical records. I've BEGGED them for a satellite clinic in Scotland. Please beg too!

@ally99101 Oh wow ok, I'm nearly 32 now but when I had my AMH tested last year it was 18.8 which was told was normal so yours must be really very high. Do you have PCOS?

I told my line manager after my fresh transfer was unsuccessful because I was a bit of a mess. It's made this cycle easier. I'd take off time between EC and ET personally if I was doing a fresh cycle.

It just so happens we had break planned this week before FET ET but wasn't planned that way. I'll be back at work next week

@2mumlife no I don't have PCOS. I did ask the consultant whether such a high AMH suggested PCOS and he was quite adamant that it didn't. I have sort of cynically wondered whether I might as I feel like I tick a few of the boxes, oily skin and acne and difficulty with my weight but my cycle is like clockwork every month and when I was going through IUI my hormone profile each time was 'textbook' according to GCRM and they said I ovulate every month. I guess this first go at IVF will probably reveal some things whether it goes well or not.

Thanks everyone. We will be doing a freeze all cycle as I’m at high risk of OHSS. I probably will discuss with my line manager due the unpredictability of timings etc.

Is anyone else having problems with the GCRM portal today? Maybe part of the bigger internet problems!

@Scottishrunner just checked portal and all working ok for me.

We're doing freeze all as well due to OHSS risk. What is your AMH/follicle count if you don't mind me asking?

Unless you have particular concerns with your employer knowing I do think it makes things a bit easier and takes the pressure off a tad, as long as they're understanding which I would hope most are.

@ally99101 how odd. I got a text to say I had a new message, logged in and all my messages are gone. I’m unable to send any either. Will try again tomorrow.

My AMH was >99 and AFC was 167 (have pcos). Both are very high so trying to be realistic about the risk of OHSS (been advised I’d be on short protocol)

First monitoring appointment done, I’m a bit bummed as I thought we’d get more follicles than we have and won’t be able to donate, potentially. I have 2 good size ones on my right ovary, 2 or 3 big ones on my left and the rest small ones, total 10. The nurse/sonographer said we are on track, ideally we’d have more on the right ovary but oh well. Another appointment on Friday and to keep doing what we’re doing. It’s day 8 of stims and I feel like we won’t get many or any at all make it to embrio and I’m sad. If we get 10 or more the clinic keeps 6 and we keep 4, if we want to keep them all we need to pay the treatment price difference (fair enough!) so I’m also hoping it’s 9 we get tops so we don’t have to pay difference (we have the money saved for it anyway). Oh what a rollercoaster of a journey!
I know it’s not a bad result, but I’m scared none will make it to embryo.

Just found you all. I've so much to catch up on and will try to keep up better on new thread.

Huge congratulations through @Scirocco! Delighted for you!

I start norethisterone tomorrow so things progressing. Had a lot of wobbles the last few weeks so trying not to think about it all too much.

Thanks @florafoxtrot - still terrified things might go wrong... Hope is a scary thing in itself.

@GemmTryTTC aaah so do you get a discount on treatment if you can donate? Hopefully the drugs will do what they're supposed to and you'll end up with the right number 🤞🤞

@florafoxtrot hello! Best of luck with starting!

Just catching up. Great news @scirocco. Fingers crossed for you @GemmTry Ttc

Congratulations @Scirocco!

@Comiston34 I just arrived tonight! I'm staying in Didsbury from tonight until Sunday (day 5 - day 9) and then Wilmslow from Sunday to Saturday (day 9 - day 15). So I'm a bit further away from the clinic at the moment, but will be close for when we get to the critical days. First scan tomorrow morning, really nervous about what I'm going to find out! I'm so grateful that you shared your experience of your cycle down here. Although I will be devastated if they decide to cancel the cycle, it won't come as such a shock as I'm sure it must have been for you, as I feel half prepared for that news. Will be really gutted though, as I have 10 days of accommodation arranged...🤦‍♀️ Oh my goodness a satellite clinic in Scotland would be amazing! They seem to be popping up in other places so fingers crossed! 🤞

Ladies, what kind of CM did you get / are you getting during stims? I'm on day 4 of stims (day 5 of my cycle) and I'm getting EWCM, which seems really early! Not sure if this is normal or something to be worrying about?

@Kitekat81 EWCM is totally normal during stims, I got it from around day 3 onwards throughout my cycle. I'm now getting it again during TWW, I'm guessing it's because of all the hormones.

@itsmschanandlerbong oh phew, thank you!

@KiteKat81 Hope it goes well today. I was the same with ewcm.