Fertility referral

[paigeeemicj]

Hello everyone just wondering what people's experiences are with being referred to a fertility clinic.

I've recently (about 2 weeks ago) finally got my doctor to make an official referral to the fertility clinic in my area. The referral letter comes up on my NHS app so I know that's been completed. My question is how long does it take for the clinic to contact? Will they contact me to notify me I'm on a waitlist or will I not hear from them for a few months? And what are people's personal experiences with wait times for IVF on the NHS?

Bumping this, I'm in Essex too if anyone has any experience with Cambridge IVF as that's where we have been referred to

Hi there,
We're Cambridge IVF too! We were reffered in March, and our telephone consultation is booked for 2nd July. So it's been a bit of a wait.

@LilyPoppet1 wow that is a bit of a wait isn't it! Did you get a letter about the telephone consultation being booked? My doctor couldn't answer when I asked her how they'd contact me 🤦🏻‍♀️

Yes, we received a letter. But I had already seen the appointment booked in the NHS app.
We have male factor infertility, and we've actually gone private in London to try and figure that out, whilst waiting for NHS ivf appointment. He will have had tests, scans and results in the space of 5 weeks. So it's quite a difference!

@LilyPoppet1 I'm sorry you had to go private for the tests 😭 NHS wait times are just awful! We have male factor infertility too and I also have Endometriosis and PCOS with a history of ectopic pregnancies. It took about 5 months to get all our tests done and even then they want him to go back for a second sperm analysis in the meantime of waiting for an appointment with Cambridge IVF. It's great that you have finally got an appointment though even if it is a telephone consultation, I hope everything goes great for you! 💕

My doctor has been nothing but useless the entire time she didn't actually send me for any of my tests I had to get appointments with other doctors in my clinic to do so, the only thing she has done is do the actual referral after I basically had a breakdown in the office. She's been incredibly ageist, I'm 24 and she told me when I first went in for tests back in January that " you should come back when you're more secure in life " I didn't even know how to respond I was so shocked! The wait just feels like forever 😭 I hope I get my letter through soon

I've just checked, we were referred on 5th March and received our letter on 9th April. I'm so sorry that you are going through all that, thats so rough. And how horrible to be dismissed by the doctor. I've yet to actually see a doctor face to face, they only communicate with us via messages. It's a joke. I think I need to have an internal scan, which is part of the ivf referral, but never been mentioned.

@LilyPoppet1 thank you that's really helpful to know! I won't be too stressed for the next couple weeks now I keep manically checking my NHS app to see if anything got added 🤣

That's awful! Why are doctors so useless honestly! It's so difficult to get an appointment these days too. I asked my doctor about an ultrasound as it was on a list given to me by another doctor of things we need prior to our initial appointment and she said "well you don't really need it but if you insist" and did a referral for it but I haven't heard from them yet either. This is the list I was given if it helps 💕

Ah thank you - we've had all that except the ultrasound. Wonder what the consultant may say next month!

@paigeeemicj

Just to give a timeline of how it's going for me in the same process. TTC no1.

Aug 2022
stopped contraception, weren't trying but weren't preventing.

January 2023
Starting trying, LH tests etc

Sep 2023
Went to the Drs about unrelated matters, spoke about TTC, told to come back In January if not pregnant.

January 2024
Went to Drs about infertility, told should have been referred back in September as no contraception means trying.

January - February 2024 Had day 3, day 21 bloods, tried to organise SA but didn't have any for 8 months on NHS so we paid privately. Then my partner had to attend GP to be weighed. Then I had to have sti swab. She put TTC from aug 22 on the form.

March 2024.
First week in March referral was submitted.
Last week in March I had no letter etc so called the clinic and said is going to be over 6 months or 2 years? She said we've got your app for May well send a letter.

May 2024
First week in May had our first appointment with the consultant, asked us both medical history etc.booked in for ultrasound, day 21 bloods again, HSG and another AMH test. Completed most of these in May.

June 2024
Had my HSG at the hospital, which was horrendous. Took 2 tries for my right tube, but both were clear in the end.

First week July 2024, we have our follow up appointment with the fertility consultant , where I assume we will be referred for IVF as it will be 2 yrs end of July TTC. 🤞🏼🤞🏼