Guys ACU experiences

[SamVan]

Hi all! l’m starting my ivf journey with guys ACU late June and am keen to connect with anyone else who has/is undergoing ivf at Guys too. I’m excited and hopeful but also terrified as it’s my first IVF round and I’m hoping I cope ok with the meds and the hospital doesn’t drop the ball. I’m concerned as the communication from guys isn’t amazing and I’m worried they won’t get things done on time and I’ll miss a month. Mentally, I just can’t miss another 😅 I’ve gone too crazy already!

anw I hope to meet some other ladies in the same process as me! ❤️

@SamVan they are great number!

Yeah, luckily my period didn't fully start until the 7th which was my cut off point, so I've started my meds and we're doing this!!!

Scan booked for 23rd (day after we get back from holiday) then transfer will be booked from there if my lining is thick enough.

Yeah, the failed cycles were very mentally draining. I think I actually fell into a bit of depression but it wasn't just Ivf worries, there was covid, work were being really awful to me, I got engaged (that was lovely but was also in the same week that my first fresh transfer failed, so just a bit overwhelming and when it failed I felt robbed of my celebrations). So I took quite a bit of time for myself before trying again.

I found it very frustrating that there was a bit of a lack of info about when I could start my FET. Similarly, one nurse said if I was desperate to start, we could start from the withdrawal bleed... This was not entertained by anyone else I spoke to. They asked me to email them a week before I was due to start my next period (following withdrawal bleed). But I had no idea when that would be as I have PCOS and wasn't sure whether I counted the withdrawal bleed as an actual period (as it came earlier than a typical cycle) or what.

So for me, my cycles are usually around 31 days. My withdrawal bleed started on day 17. From that bleed it was 34 days until my next period (so a tiny bit delayed)... Then I used my tracking app's prediction to notify the clinic of my next expected period. Made sure I got the necessary medications in the meantime.

I'll copy the nurse's email with the schedule overview in if you'd like?

@Becky105 that’s great with your potential transfer coming up soon! It’s so hard knowing when to take a break from ivf but I’m glad you managed to get some time to work things out. Sounds like it was a pretty intense time. I would have done ivf sooner if it wasn’t for work too but it’s so difficult to find a good time and also not helped by clinics not being clear about timings.

thanks for the info on the fet cycle. Did you see a doctor before your first fet or did it happen straight away? I already have all the fet drugs but might try to do a natural transfer if they let me. Thanks I would love the email address if there’s a specific one. I usually email ivf nurses but responses are patchy.

In case anyone is still here/looking for recent experiences, I've had a pretty poor experience at Guy's throughout 2025 (private patient). Lots of communication issues and a few examples of things that happened to me:

No confirmation of transfers going ahead (had to contact consultant personally on their mobile the morning-of)
Incorrect meds prescribed
Transfer carried out 3 weeks after a miscarriage. They assured me it was all fine as I'd ovulated but I suspect not and wish I had waited/questioned further.
Having to chase lots of times
Being told I had X number of embryos left when I really had Y
No real review after failed transfers/miscarriage. No suggestion of tweaking treatment for a better outcome etc

Anyone is welcome to DM if they'd like more info but just wanted to share my experience.

Best of luck to all going through this awful experience!

This thread has been a godsend in calming my nerves. I've used mumsnet occasionally but never created an account until stumbling across this!

I froze eggs pre-chemo in 2024 and looking to start the process up again for IVF. Getting answers, or appointments has been a nightmare so far.

@MrsWindrush your experience sounds similar to mine. Keen to know how you got on. And @SamVan a year on, how did you find your treatment?

Sending you all good energy :)

@HelloSunshine143 I really didn't like the treatment at guys so we ended up going private despite having three free rounds. I found it so stressful because everyone would tell me something different, timelines were unpredictable and inflexible, waiting times were long and I rarely ever got to discuss my treatment with anyone. 100% don't regret swapping. It was like night and day.