IVF at Belfast fertility

[chocolate336]

Hi...I was just wondering has anyone had IVF at Belfast fertility recently? Thanks

@MoonIightDreamer i was expecting to get the letter mid April so was amazing when it came today! Had a little cry lol.

We were told we would start treatment within 2 months of being top of the list depending on cycles so hopefully everything will move quickly! They’re not open on Saturdays so will ring first thing on Monday to accept the offer.

How many weeks pregnant are you now? How are you feeling?

@Sunshine180 once we started consents any appointments were moved to their direct site at the Royal so your dealing directly with the team of nurses ect that will be taking care of your during your treatment. Once your consents are done you'll get access to their portal and you can view all the dates , medications ect on your calendar. They'll bring you up for some screening bloods and do an I.D check before you can collect your meds. Just don't forget the I.Ds like we did 😆 we had to drive 2 hours back down the road to get them .

I'm still a bag of nerves to be honest.
I'm currently 13 weeks , which is crazy.
We had our nhs scan on Tuesday but baby is measuring a few more days behind which honestly dosent help my anxiety. Good strong heartbeat and they said its a good sign baby was kicking away but obviously you just can't help but worry. I've had absolutely no pregnancy symptoms this whole time which probably has helped.
Never thought I'd be wishing to be sick but I'd just love a symptom or two to actually feel pregnant

@MoonIightDreamer when i ring on Monday will they give us an appointment to go to or will they just set us up with the consents online to fill in first do you know? Dreading having to go to the appointments at the Royal the parking is a nightmare but hopefully will be worth it in the end! Thankfully not 2 hours away for us only about 40 mins but will definitely remember ids now 😂

Aw that’s amazing your scan went well but I’m sure it’s hard not to worry! Have you told all your friends and family yet?

@Sunshine180 we've told close family and that's about it. I think were going to wait until our big 19 week scan to reveal to friends, fingers crossed all going well.

When you ring they will ask for your email address to set you up online and they will then send the consents via their consent platform. Ours was all done online.

@MoonIightDreamer i hope everything goes well for you between now and then and hopefully the time will go in quickly for you! It’s a whole new waiting process even once you’re pregnant.

oh that’s good, we actually already did our consents with TFP so know what to expect with them. Will just try to get them done as quickly as possible and get things moving. We have booked a long weekend break for the beginning of March to help breakup to wait as I couldn’t think about anything else but looks like we might not get going now which I won’t mind anyway as would rather start our treatment but it’s funny the way things work out

Hey sorry life has been hectic at min thats amazing so glad you've got your letter quite quickly, keep me updated on what to expect, I got a letter to go to gynaecology unit in ulster hospital which was apparently referred through my consultant just bit confused as she hadn't mentioned it at any of my appointments, did this happen for you also?

This is amazing news 🙌 is this your first cycle, I'm so nervous about egg retrieval

@Mumiialfie26 i know I couldn’t believe it when it came through so quick! My gp originally did a gynae referral for me to the Ulster because she said this was needed as part of the investigations before a fertility referral could be done but when I rang the Ulster to see how long the wait list is they said 3 years so I went private for an internal scan and the private gynae did our fertility referral. Have you already had an internal scan at craigavon? It’s maybe a waiting list you’ve been on for a long time.

yes this will be our first cycle, I’m nervous for all of it but also excited!

Buzzing for you so have they give you dates etc or are you waiting on them? I had my initial internal scan done at my 1st appointment in the Grove fertilty clinic then 2 weeks ago received a letter saying the ulster were in a place to give me a gynie appointment so go on 25th but not sure what to expect either letters are very little detail just to go to maternity unit! I had internal done few weeks back with my own gp and swab as my monthly had changed but all came back clear, I'm sure your excited such a wee journey I just hope it all goes well, but do keep me posted as so interested in the steps ahead for us both I suppose, take care x

@Mumiialfie26 i rang yesterday morning to accept the treatment and they set me up on the online portal and said the first stage is to complete all the consent forms but I need an up to date thyroid test first as I take tablets as it was a wee bit too high when I first got it checked.

So getting that blood test tomorrow and once they get the results they will load the consent forms to our online portal. Hoping I can push the GP to get the results back quickly!

I‘’m not sure what your scan at the Ulster could be for but the more tests you have the better I suppose. I am really excited to get started, really hope we can start on my February cycle! Also nervous for it though.. are you planning to take any time off work during it?

Hopefully won't take them long with your bloods i had mine done with my gp at start of December and they were back in 2 days, just trying to get threw to the surgery was the longest part 😆 🤣
Hopefully it all goes quite fast then for you, I've a few pound to get off 😆 after that Xmas eating!

Yes suppose that is true the more the better make sure its all ok! Yes I'm lucky enough that I work from home which has its benefits, what about you will you be able to take time off? Have u any other kids?

I'd forgot i asked u before if u had any other children had to look back there over thread, I've dropped hints at my teenage son and not sure he is too fussed 😆 he has when he chooses my undivided attention and had it to himself for 14 years this month (mummy's boy) not telling any friends or family either so feel like keeping it all to myself so glad this thread is here 😆

@Mumiialfie26 don't be nervous about the retrieval. It's honestly not that bad. They give you something to relax you and then intravenous pain relief. It all kicks in pretty quick. Some people are so relaxed they are lucky enough to fall asleep during it

@Mumiialfie26 i am lucky enough to be able to work from home too but would really like to take time off during it as I find work really stressful so don’t want to be stressed about that as well during the process! Will have to wait and see if the consultant will give me a sick line or not.

I feel the same about having not told anyone. It’s hard when you think about it 24/7 but can’t really talk about it! So glad for this forum too.

@MoonIightDreamer really hoping I’m able to just sleep through it! Do you keep you in for long after it?

Heres hoping thats me 😆 moonlight dreamer are you 13 weeks pregnant?

I totally get you about it being all you think about its crazy..and can't stand when people say don't think about it & it will happen 😆 😂 part of the reason why I havent told anyone to be honest, id say your gp would even give you sickline for it.. I heard they are actually introducing paid time off for women going through ivf not sure when or what but it is suppose to be happening!

@Mumiialfie26 I'm 14 weeks today which is still all a bit surreal.
I think I stayed for about 45 mins after retrieval. They like to monitor your blood pressure and check if your in any pain. Once they know your ok they'll bring you some tea and toast and then release you. They did look after me really well. They came around every 10 mins checking on me and taking blood pressure. The meds , scans and retrieval are the easy part. It's waiting on the news if any of them made it to blast and the wait after transfer to know whether its worked or not. Those are definitely the most difficult bits of the journey

Yeah I got that vibe after watching Alex Jones making babies its the waiting in between? Was this your 1st cycle & successful? Congrats have you had any scans? Is this your first baby?

@Mumiialfie26 this was our first round. I didn't expect it to be successful at all. I really felt like the odds were against us given our ages now. We had 3 fertilised eggs and all 3 made it to blast but they were all utterly rubbish grade embryos. We implanted a 5bc and a 3cc which we expected neither would take but luckily one did. They wouldn't freeze our last embryo due to the grade tho which was kinda upsetting.
Yeah this is baby number 1.
18 years in the making so it's quite bizzare to be having this experience.
We've tried everything else over the years and ivf was kinda a last resort. We started the process with gp of referral to gynae then rfc 5 years ago. We managed a natural conception a year ago but it ended in a loss.
We had icsi as we both have male factor issues and I have pcos.
We didn't tell anyone we went through ivf and havent shared our news with anyone other than parents. I kinda want to wait until the 20 week scan. I've already had 3 scans already 😆 I suppose I am extremely paranoid about it ending in another loss but I'm trying to distract myself as best as I can and just take one day at a time

So glad you've got your success and I'm sure it will all go to plan, nothing ever stops the worry for sure, even if I'm a few days late each month I wrap myself in cotton wool! I havent heard much about the grades of embryos where is good to read up on this?

Were both very lucky we do have children my hubbys are all grew up now 18 plus and we have a 14 year old boy together and no sticky bean (2 miscarriages)

Do you mind me asking what age yous are? I'm 36 & my hubby is 43, we were just told his sperm count was a little low but normal for treatment wish they would of got him to do another sample, she explained about most couples get the icsi now when is unbelievable anything for an extra shot!

So good to get scans as does put your mind at ease, do you think you will find out what your having??

Well did you manage to get thyriod bloods done.

I was at the ulster this morning it was basically wasted time as it was to get me started on their waiting list so basically a referral from gp 2 years ago.
Did no scans or anything just told me results of amh levels were 25?? And as I was already with BFC to stay on that route, also got letter of acceptance but just realising on letter need up to date id for portal my passport is out of date so need to get something sorted ASAP was just about to book a holiday for April but thinking its maybe going to have to be a winter holiday hope all going well

@Mumiialfie26 hi, yes I got the bloods done and our consultant signed them off. So we completed the first stage of our consent forms yesterday and are just waiting for the nursing team to contact us to do the rest and get a plan in place now.

that sounds like a good AMH! Mine is 28.3 and I’m 28 and was told that was normal for my age. Oh that’s great you got your letter!! Hopefully you will get started soon then too! That’s annoying about your passport though, are there no other forms of Id that are accepted?

I'll have to ask when ring clinic but think I need it for the portal part which has to be completed within 7 days of accepting isn't that right? I don't drive so had a scare years ago and never wanted to drive again, even bad passenger 😆 I'll be getting new passport anyway as was planning holiday but thats weeks off xx

@Mumiialfie26 have they gave you access to the consenting platform as well as the normal portal? It’s the first stage of the consent forms you have 7 days to complete. I would put a message on the portal and ask is there anything else that can be accepted, they’re really good at replying right up until 5 o’clock!

Or else the only option would be trying to get an express passport, they probably aren’t too busy at this time of year, think it’s mainly coming up to summer they take long

@Mumiialfie26 hey, how are you getting on? Did you get your consent forms completed?