NHS Fertility Clinic Help

[TheGoddessFreyja]

Hi All,

Looking for a bit of advice. Myself and my parter have been trying to conceive for 2 years and found out my partners sperm analysis showed extremely low parameters which would make trying to a baby very hard.

The sperm analysis did state on the 2nd one he has done that there could be a possible varicocele.

Now we were lucky enough to be referred to a fertility clinic. This is a private clinic but takes NHS patients.

We've had one phone call so far and the Dr looked over our test results (his semen analysis, my transvaginal ultrasound scan) and said its likely IVF would be our only option which is shattering.

They requested me to chase my laprascopy appointment to find out where abouts I am on the list as I have suspected endometriosis as I have pain during sex, get my partners other semen analysis results, some blood tests results from myself, and said my partner will require a full blood hormone panel (testosterone check etc)

I thought the blood test would be through the clinic so emailed them today and they told me that it would be a charge for his bloods with them whereas I should go back to our GP and organise one with them.

Now I'm confused, as although this is a private clinic, we were referred through the NHS so surely it should work like it would if we were at an NHS fertility clinic?

I don't mind organising the blood tests at all but now it's making me wonder what's going to happen when I ask what other tests we can do for my partner? Ie, him see a urologist (as was told from my GP the fertility clinic would sort it) to work out if that is causing such low parameters, medication to help him produce more sperm as that wasn't even mentioned by the Dr on the phone call..

We only get one shot at IVF and I feel they will push straight for that when I really want to try other avenues and have that as the last final resort.

Has anyone else been through this? Especially with male factor infertility with the NHS fertility clinics? I think I'm really going to have to be our advocate during this process and push for extra testing but as its not been mentioned, it does fill me with dread.

Becoming a mother is all I've ever wanted and I'm sure many of you understand how truly daunting it is going through this process, especially when catchment areas are so hit and miss if you are eligible for funding with IVF.

Different situation here. Same issue.

Got referred through GP after 2.5 years of ttc, had to wait 13 months to be seen. Irregular periods, no confirmed ovulation on repeated bloods (high oestrogen, low progesterone). OH fine. I suspected PCOS and while waiting to be seen had an US that showed I likely didn't have that as no evidence of cysts. Only thing they found was sub clinical hypothyroidism, which is now being treated.

By the time I was seen by the fertility clinic they said they'd give me letrozole (which is what I was hoping they'd offer) to make me ovulate but they wanted another US and a hycosy. AFC was low side of normal but not terrible. And I had a simple cyst in one ovary but tubes were clear.

Went to see Dr. again expecting to get a prescription and suddenly he's saying I thought you had PCOS but no evidence on US so you need IVF, I was devastated as you were as suddenly what I thought was our last option was our only option. Then he put loads of pressure on us to get AMH tested privately as he said if that's high you could still have PCOS. AMH came back really low which I wasn't expecting and just gave me something else to worry about.

He said irregular periods are likely due to thyroid or low AMH. I get low AMH causes infertility but I don't understand why it would stop ovulation full stop so there must be something else going on but they weren't interested in investigating it - it's very frustrating. And I keep getting simple cysts which they don't want to investigate either.

I'm in my tww from my only funded cycle on NHS and it hasn't gone perfectly so we'll just have to see - trying to be positive!

I don't think you should have to pay for OH tests. They may just have got muddled up and assumed you were private as they are a private clinic. I think as you say you will probably just have to advocate for yourself.

It's a hard, long road but I really wish you the best of luck with it ❤️ x

Oh Jen thanks so much for commenting on this.

I'm so angry for you about the PCOS as you do not need to have cysts to have it! My cycles are super irregular and weight is hard to lose but they don't seem to be that bothered because I don't have the typical symptoms of it. They are investigating for endo which I'm greatful for as I know that can cause irregular and heavy painful periods.

I can't believe they were pushing for you to pay for an AMH.. did you pay or did you manage to get it on the NHS?

I just can't get over the push for IVF straight away when surely that's the most expensive procedure of all? Ive researched so much and apparently clomid can help men with better sperm count so surely tablets would be worth trying first. I'm tempted to email back to ask if thats right about paying for a blood test when we've been referred under the NHS but I don't want a black mark against our name or be thought of as problematic when we desperatly need them 🙃😖

Oh my goodness! really keeping things crossed for you that this cycle is a success! 🩷 Will keep you in my thoughts for the next two weeks and hope to hear some lovely positive news 😊🩷

This journey for becoming a mother is so hard when some it can happen so easily, but it will be so worth it in the end my lovely 🩷 xxx

To be fair to the doctor I am 37 and with low AMH maybe he thought it was better not to wait 6 months to see if the letrozole worked and at that moment maybe IVF did give us the best chance but it didn't feel very satisfactory at the time (and quite shocking)

I think it's better for patients in some ways if AMH isn't offered on the NHS because I have heard people say on here that they can't get IVF on the NHS because their AMH is too low which is awful. And if I hadn't tested mine they may not have got the dosage for the stims right as I don't think my Dr. was expecting mine to be low.

I hope you get some answers soon 🙏

I was pushed straight into NHS funded IVF, which didn’t work. Only after that did the NHS agree to an exploratory laparoscopy which showed stage 4, very advanced, endometriosis. It was only after that was surgically excised that I fell pregnant (only second month of trying, aged over 40!). My surgeon said the inflammation from the endometriosis meant the IVF would never have worked. I have no idea why the NHS are so keen to use IVF as a first option.

I can only speak from my own experience but I would strongly advise you to explore/rule out/treat any underlying causes before going for IVF.

A poster on here recently updated her thread about her husband’s varicocele - would be worth a read too.