Manchester NHS IVF - experiences?

[RingLightLight]

Hi! Just this week been to have bloods and US scan at reproductive health at St. Mary‘s.

I have (lean) PCOS and late 30s.

Bit frustrating as at every step you’re given a new time frame - but no overview of what the overall time might be and what will happen at each stage.

I've been told 12 weeks to hear back and then no idea what might happen after and in what time frame. I did ask today and was told to look at website. But this information isn’t on the website.

There's no info on decision criteria, overall timeframes, etc.

Anyone been through treatment recently at this hospital and have an idea what to exist? Thank you x

Hello,

Can I please ask how your first appointment went with Manchester Fertility? My OH is having private tests with them as ours is male factor but just waiting for results before actually discussing IVF. Just interesting to know others experience

we also had our bloods/ultrasound and semen analysis with SM at the end of August and was told 12 weeks for results. No idea what will happen next which is a concern.
Has anyone had NHS round through Care and felt the process was quicker?

Hi @HoustG - we were in exactly same position. Male factor. We had tests back in January. We're about to start our first ICSI cycle. Everyone has been really kind. There have been a few instances of chasing etc but I suspect that's the case everywhere you go!

Thank you! I hope everything goes well with your first cycle :)

that’s good to know. They told us 3-5 weeks for his blood/genetic tests back and we are on week 4 so will chase up next week if we haven’t heard.

@RingLightLight @Tryingtobepatient001

Hey, how are you both getting on?
I had my appointment on Monday and he said he would do the referral for CREATE so fingers crossed, said it should be about a 3 month wait. He seemed very positive though so felt abit better after leaving just thinking now shit is getting real!! X

@HopeHopeandmoreHope the GP has confirmed we can be referred to private and has sent the form over to Care. I attended a seminar for Create last week and really like them, but they didn’t get back to the GP, and I spoke to my acupuncturist who said she thought normal IVF would be better suited to me anyway. I think I just like the idea of it being more natural (and no needles!) with Create. Our plan is to do our NHS round with Care, then maybe move to Create if that isn’t successful. In the mean time we have however had our consultation apt through for St Mary’s! So I’m not too sure whether to attend this still anyway or not?!

@Tryingtobepatient001 that's great you are getting somewhere! Did you actually visit create or did you do the online seminar?

@Tryingtobepatient001 you can't really get away from the initial needles for egg collection if you want to get more eggs in one go.

But your transfer cycles can be done on a natural cycle with Care or a medicated. I was given the option :)

@HopeHopeandmoreHope i just attended their online one - it was pretty good. I also recognised the consultant from one of the BigFatNegative Podcast shows (well her voice 😂)

@Lyrabee oh really that’s good to know! I’m sure I’ll have to get over my phobia pretty quickly! Actually it’s not even a phobia so much, I just faint quite a lot!!

@Tryingtobepatient001 that's totally understandable. They're very small needles but I definitely had a couple of mind over matter moments when I couldn't do it 😆

@Tryingtobepatient001 I'm going to sign up to their next one! You'll have to let me know how you get on with care! X

@RingLightLight @Lyrabee @Tryingtobepatient001
How is everyone getting on x

@HopeHopeandmoreHope I've had another transfer done this week so just waiting.
Bit disappointed that Care are no longer providing tests so I've now got to go buy some ... how are you doing?

@Lyrabee wishing you all the luck!! ❤

I'm in the process of getting my details over to create which has been so stressful! We received a letter on the 11th October from the hospital who also sent it electronically to my gp who was meant to do the referral, they misunderstood and it just got filed away, so I've spent the last 2 weeks ringing between the clinic and the gps to find out what is going on!! Think we've finally got somewhere today but none of the admin site seemed to know what they were doing! So frustrating. Hopefully things will start moving now

@HopeHopeandmoreHope aaaahhh yes I know that stage. Honestly you can't leave them alone at all. Even when you're all registered you still need to be the one chasing them. It's so frustrating!

@Lyrabee Oh no I thought it would get better! 😂

It gets better in the sense that you know who to go to 🤣

@Lyrabee doctors rang me to say they've now sent everything over so hopefully I'll hear from the clinic soon!
How are you feeling after your transfer x

@HopeHopeandmoreHope Oooh fab! Hopefully on the right track :)

All fine after transfer, its weird because you feel no different and anything you do feel is probably the medication!

@Lyrabee I can't even imagine getting to that stage yet! I really hope this is the one for you :)

@HopeHopeandmoreHope Hi there! Sorry to have been a bit AWOL - I was in China with work so very limited internet access!
I have a bit of an update - I've been referred to Care Manchester and it sounds like my funding has been approved. I did prefer Create tbh - I ended up paying for a private scan with them as it was really cheap, and had a consultation after - they seemed really nice and took a long time going through everything with me. Getting referred to them however was a nightmare (GP said nothing received, then Create said they have sent stuff etc). In the mean time the GP referred me to Care, so it looks like thats where I'm ending up now! Care also seem good although more difficult to get through to etc, and they have requested I have new bloods and scans, so I'm pretty much where I was back in July! ARGH! I start my new job in Jan though, so realistically I wouldn't want to be doing anything until after then anyway.
Its exciting you've finally got some sort of referral! Keep on at them and hopefully things moving soon.
@Lyrabee so exciting - I'm keeping everything crossed for you!

@Tryingtobepatient001 oh how amazing working in China! I've had a nightmare the last few weeks trying to get my referral sorted! I received a letter in the post with my referral request on so I presumed that was that, a couple of weeks passed and hadn't heard anything so I chased and said they hadn't received anything and told me it was my gp who had to do the referral so trying to get them to do their part was a bit of a nightmare however they called me this morning to say everything has now been sent off and should hopefully hear back in the next week! I've heard good things about Care too! :)

Thanks @Tryingtobepatient001
I'm with Care and while they were a nightmare getting going, they are super nice when you get through to them! You will get given the details for carepals - I email them if they take ages answering the phone and they respond quick but a massive FYI on if they do bloods - you have to push to get your results. We had some done right before Christmas so we were delayed starting 'because of christmas' which made me really angry!
You'll get assigned to a consultant as well, I see Nicoletta and she's super nice and has called me direct a few times.

Do reach out if you get questions!

Hi everyone,
my first time ever joining an online chat like this! Here goes…
Ive received the consultation appointment from st Mary’s (an hour long) for January. We had our initial baseline tests done in July this year. Does anyone know what’s discussed in this appointment? We were initially referred by my husbands GP in September 2022 (male factor) so it just feels like a very long time and I’m hoping things can get moving now!

Hi! I had the blood tests and US just before you in June (after referral in March) and likewise have first appointment with someone next week. (This is also with SM.)

I would be interested also in having an idea what the consultation will cover and what to expect.

If I’m entirely honest I’m incredibly angry at the dreadful communication (and more) from SM, and the constant breadcrumbing. I was initially referred from dr in relation to PCOS and was expecting to discuss options such as clomid etc and get a prescription. The blood tests in June duplicated the blood tests already performed with GP in March. At the blood test appt in June, I was told casually before I left to pick up a form from reception and make sure I filled it in – turns out it was an application for IVF which had not been mentioned or discussed at any point – by me, the GP, the nurse, anyone. NICE!

Was told back in June to expect next steps within 6–12 weeks. 30 weeks later there is a preliminary appointment with a dr and zero indication of timelines following that. It would have cost nothing to communicate this. I would have gone straight to a private clinic back in March had accurate timelines been given. Apologies for the rant! Just disgusted by the total disregard towards patients I have seen.

I am really surprised to see you were waiting even longer for the referral! On my letter it asked that I not chase the referral until three months had elapsed, with a specific date given. I called on the dot on that date. They immediately told me they had three appointments available THE NEXT MORNING and to take my pick. Why the three month wait? I guess it’s possible they had three cancellations just before I called but seems unlikely.

I’m now hoping to go with Create (via GP referral) and now chasing the ICB for confirmation of funding.

@RingLightLight @Itwillbeworthit

If I recall correctly the appointment is with a consultant to basically so over every test result and look at options. They asked me again about all my cycles and medical history and my husbands too.

I hated my short experience with SM and I'd warn everyone against it if you can help it however it might be a little better now ... although I doubt it.

Good luck to you both. SM does get the right results, I know people who have gone with them but it's very much a waiting and chasing game.

Oh and be prepared to be in the same waiting rooms as the ladies who are successfully pregnant.