Belfast Fertility Clinics

[Sunshine180]

does anyone here have any experience with fertility clinics in Belfast. For background my husband and I have been TTC for 2 years now and my dr has referred me to gynae but the waitlist is currently 3 years. My husband has booked for his semen analysis and if it comes back ok I assume the nhs will just tell us we have to wait on my gynae appointment so I was going to look into going private.

I have seen In Ovo do an IVF package for £5k has anyone with experience of them experienced are there many hidden costs on top of this please?

@daisy9207 ah okay I get you. Everyone’s treatment plan is so different, I like learning what / why people’s are different! We’re in the same boat as you, family know we’re doing it as they’ve been sorting the dog for us on appointments. Really regret it now, as I’m worried something similar will happen. I’m sure FET cycle was stressful for you, so nice to just be a wee team.

Aww that sickness sounds rough, I’m sure it wiped you too. Also very stressful, though I think we forget how resilient our bodies can be when we’re facing uncertainty. Was the bleed substantial enough or more continual spotting? Just in case I ever get lucky to get to that stage and find myself in the same position!

Good luck for your test, hope it goes well and you get to tell your family your amazing news!

Thank you! Yes I am 😂 it’s very close now! I have booked Thursday off work just in case, I’d be too distracted either way!

@StillTTC7 The bleed at 7 weeks was very light and didn’t last longer than a day. Was just the shock of it more than anything else cos I’d been feeling fine and didn’t expect it. Thankfully I’d already been booked in for my scan 2 days later so didn’t have long to wait to find out if everything was ok.

Good idea taking the day off work. I don’t think you’ll be able to concentrate no matter what!

@daisy9207 sorry to hear about the bleed you had I’m sure that was very scary but I’m glad it turned out to be ok!

@StillTTC7 hope you’re hanging in ok today, not too long to go now! That was a good idea taking Thursday off don’t think I’d be in fit state to go to work either way.

I’m feeling very bloated from the northisterone today but if that’s the only side effects I get I’ll be happy enough

@daisy9207 I’m glad to hear it only lasted a day, but I’m sure you were panicking. Not what any of us need to see.

@Sunshine180 Aww sorry you’re feeling bloated! I’m afraid to tell you that it basically stays that way for the whole treatment, at least it has for me. Must be all the changes in meds and procedures our tummies just don’t get time to catch up!

I think I’ve convinced hubby to take me to see Migration on Wednesday evening to keep my mind occupied, I love animated movies 😂 but yeah, no work on Thursday has to be the way to go.

@StillTTC7 I had expected to be bloated during treatment just not so early. Sounds like I may get used to it for the next few weeks!

oh that sounds like a good plan to distract yourself for a few hours! I watched the new chicken run recently and moved it 🤣 is your hubby off with you on Thursday too?

@Sunshine180 hopefully it eases for you but just warning you in case 🙈 get the comfies out! Lol

Aw I loved the new Chicken Run! The sequel none of us knew we needed! 😂 yes he’s off too which is good, moral support either way! I’ll probably make the poor critter read it first to brace me for the outcome…

@StillTTC7 I’ve taken some time off around my egg collection. Just over a week so think the collection should be around the middle so at least if I keep expanding I can just nope about and feel sorry for myself those few days lol.

how are you feeling today?

that’s good you will both be off together, hopefully will be a lovely day for you both! I’ve already had mine warned that I’ll not be able to look either

@Sunshine180 great idea! Haha yes, full on lounge wear for that week! It’s deserved lol. Also I really regret not taking time off after the transfer. I know everyone is different, and I’m usually really laid back, but honestly it all just hit me 2-3 days after it and work definitely exasperated it for me. Just a wee heads up in case you have any form of a stressful job, I feel so silly I didn’t take it off but I will if we ever go again.

I’m feeling a lot better thanks, I think it’s because I know we’ll have an answer by Thursday. Our poor wee hubbies, we put so much on them don’t we!

@StillTTC7 it’s really hard to guess how it will effect you until you’re going through it isn’t it, at least your wait is almost over now, I’m sure you’re counting down the hours!

I actually spoke with my dr the other day and he said it would be ok to ring for a 2 week sick line for transfer so I think I’m going to go ahead with that. I never take any time off sick and I wasn’t going to but I think it’s a fair enough reason as I have been stressed out with work these past few months, has probably been a mix of work and trying to keep everything progressing with the ivf tbh, it all sort of catches up on you when you think you’re fine sometimes.

did you change diet and exercise wise in the lead up to your cycle? I’m starting to worry about our diets a bit, think we need to try and be a bit healthier but it’s hard lol.

@Sunshine180 I really am! I am so tired of symptom spotting already! Lol

I think you’ve got the right idea, definitely go for it. I thought I was fine and then it all just hit me. It’s more than a fair enough reason, your body deserves the best chance it can get 😀

Aww us too! I’m usually very active and healthy enough, though I had the worst period I’ve ever had after the down reg injection and it crippled me. I had to change every 1-2 hours for the first 3 days…Then I got back to it for a week and then the swollen tender ovaries kicked in! So all I’ve been doing is slow walks with the dog which isn’t like me. The diet is the worst part for us at the minute, we’ve been so off our game 🙈 I worry about it too like you! Going to have to make more of an effort going forward though, but it’s so hard like you say!!

@StillTTC7 in my head I’m really looking forward to the time off I’m going to be chill, go for walks and do yoga but in reality I’ll probs just sit and google every possible symptom lol.

aw your period after the down reg sounds awful, strange how it can make that happen if it’s not usually like that. I didn’t realise some people could down reg with an injection rather than tablets! So many different options for everything isn’t there.

we’re ok with the active side of it too mostly with walks with the dog and a few other bits but it’s definitely the eating for us. Need to be more organised and get back into routine. Probably be pancakes after dinner tonight though! Lol.

Can I ask were all your injections the preloaded pens? One I have to take for the full stims time is and I’m not too worried about it but the other one I have to add half way to stop ovulation I have to mix up myself and it seems like a real faff and a bigger needle, I’m nervous for that one!

Hi @Sunshine180, sorry to jump in here on your chat but I see you were added to the RFC IVF waiting list in Dec and you’ve started treatment already - that’s so quick! It looks like we were added to the list a few days after you in Dec but haven’t heard anything yet. I’ve rang a few times for more info but keep getting different answers on waiting times! 🙈

Can I ask how soon after you got your invite to treatment you started consents and then treatment?

I’m trying not to get too impatient but desperate to get started (we’ve been trying for 2.5 years)!

Hope it all goes well for you! 💕

Hey @TryingTTC , that’s really frustrating you haven’t heard anything yet. Are you still waiting on any test results or anything? Are you ringing the main appointments line at the royal or the grove well-being clinic? I was told the main on at the royal manage the list for the initial consultation but for the actual treatment list it’s the grove well-being centre that manage it.

We got our letter to say top of the list on 13th Jan so it all moved very quickly. Things were delayed by a week as I needed to get an updated thyroid blood test and my consultant had to sign that off but after that consents were sent straight away. There’s 2 stages of them and you get a week to do each but we just completed them the first night we got them as we wanted to move quickly and then the nursing team were really quick to keep everything moving too.

I know exactly what you mean, we were expecting to get the letter around April time and it was killing me. Did it take you long to get to the referral stage with your GP?

thank you, hope you hear soon! ❤️

@Sunshine180 mine were pre loaded pens

@LiIacMoon aw I really wish all mine were too. Did you find the preloaded pen east enough? Did you have treatment at RFC?

@Sunshine180 yeah very simple to use. I was worried in the beginning i wouldn't get my head around the pens 😀
The one I used to stop ovulation , that I had to mix was cetrotide, I found it a bit more trickier having to swap needles during application . One to suck up fluid inside bottle and then switch to another smaller needle to inject. Found it impossible sometimes getting them to pull off
I posted under this thread previously under a different username. I had treatment there in October and currently 18 weeks pregnant now

@LiIacMoon yes that’s the same as me, it sounds so complicated compared to the pen and that’s the one I have to do in the morning before work so I’ll have to get up super early to make sure I have time to sort it lol.

aw that’s fantastic! Was it your first transfer if you don’t mind me asking?

@Sunshine180 I used Cetrotide for my first round at RFC and it was actually grand once you got used to it. My husband helped with the mixing and I did the rest. My biggest tip is to leave yourself plenty of time so you aren't stressed trying to get it done before work.

@Patientlywaiting37 thanks for your advise! We’re just going to have to get better at getting up early haha

@Sunshine180 haha yes your internet history will look like you’re doing a thesis in IVF 😂 walks and chilling sounds perfect though. Will your hubby be around to keep your mind off things?

Yeah down reg was just the one injection on a certain day of my cycle, day 22 I think but my brain is so fuzzy I can’t remember! Lol but yeah so cool how many different ways people do things.

All my injections were ovaleap in the pre made vials so we got off easy with that. I think I’d be a bit overwhelmed with the others you’re doing but I see people have gave you some good advice 😀 I’d say after 2 goes you’ll be flying though and just excited to tick every one off!

And yes to pancakes after dinner 😆 once a year means they’re a must! Lol

@StillTTC7 yes definitely, and from all the research and feeling like I must know everything possible I still come on here and read stuff I had no idea about! Lol. Yes he’s taken off from collection to a couple of days after fresh transfer if we get to do it so it will be nice to be off together, will have to plan a few things to try and distract ourselves.

Yeah the thought of it all is a bit scary but hoping after the first few it’ll be fine, everyone else manages so I’ll just have to. They didn’t show us them in the hospital though which I thought was a bit strange, just referred us to the videos so all feels a bit unknown as don’t really want to take them out and fiddle with them too much until it’s time to use them.

how are you feeling today? One sleep to go!

@Sunshine180 yes first transfer . I still can't quite believe it worked first time

Has anyone had private treatment with rfc? Does anyone know roughly a price range with everything included

@LiIacMoon thats amazing, love to hear that! 🥰

@NightSkyWanderer https://belfasttrust.hscni.net/services/rfc/treatment-options/private-fertility-treatments/

at the bottom of this page there is a price list. I think they do have a waiting list atm but I haven’t had private treatment with them so not 100% sure. The staff at the grove well-being centre are great and I’m sure would answer any questions if you rang

@Sunshine180 haha I know! A never ending world of information! Aww that’s great news then, I think it really helps for partner to be there for even just a bit of reassurance never mind the company.

As someone else said earlier, just get prepared and give yourself loads of time before your given time. Watch the videos a few times before and both of you tackle it together! You’ll hopefully wonder why you were worried after doing the first one 😀

I know I can’t believe it! I have had a bit of brown spotting this am and early afternoon, so I’m a little bit apprehensive. I know it’s early days, but I really just don’t feel pregnant if that makes sense? But only tomorrow will tell!

@LiIacMoon congratulations on your pregnancy, and first go too! Amazing news.