First IVF appointment

[Firsttime2023]

Hey everyone, so I have been TTC for over 2 years now and never got a BFP. All fertility tests have come back ‘normal’ however, due to my age (I am 39 this year) I have asked to be referred for IVF.

i have my first telephone consultation next week and just wondered if anyone can tell me what this appointment will likely entail and if there is anything I should know beforehand?
I have no idea what the waiting list time is for NHS in my area, but I am hoping it isn’t too long……

thank you in advance ☺️

Hello,
I’m 38 and waiting to get my first IVF hospital appointment- so I’m afraid I can’t help you with what happens at that, but here for solidarity!

I have had tests etc, had an appointment with local hospital gynaecologist who approved my NHS funding application and now just waiting for that to go through. Hopefully won’t be too long now. Also not really sure what will happen at first appointment.

Friends who have had IVF privately think I will start on injections as soon as appt happens but I’m not sure?

Hello - 39 this year too!
I can give you an overview of my NHS timescales (not to say all will be the same) - GP Oct 2023, first appt at hospital Jan 24, first round of ivf Sep 24 - everything took longer than I would have liked for the subsequent rounds also……
I am grateful to have had NHS rounds however with hindsight I may have opted to go private to move things forward more quickly (but again this has the financial impact 😞)
I’ve had three rounds of ivf which have unfortunately been unsuccessful for me (unexplained infertility but have low amh) - wishing you both the best of luck 🤞x

Just quick-
use ovulation tests! You might not be ovulating when you think you are and it could be as easy as that. Super cheap on Amazon

Like you I’ve just had all the tests and have a just been told we will need IVF and hopefully will see the consultant in the next few months and the impression was we will start medication from that appointment.

@NewHope86 did they say to you how the low AMH would affect your chances as I have this as well but the appointment was a bit overwhelming and was on the phone

@AuntyBec my understanding was that the low amh purely gave my less follicles/eggs to work with - I only ever got max 4 eggs collected and unfortunately none made it to a full blastocyst which indicates poor quality - although low amh doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality - it just has in my case …
Hope you can get started real soon and best of luck! ☺️

My IVF was quite a few years ago now but as far as I remember the first contact was to go over history and the test results they already had. I think they then repeated some bloods and did a few extra.
Then the doctors went away to come up with their “plan”, medication doses, timescales etc and we were called in for an appointment to have it all explained and for me to have a scan (internal) just to makes sure all the right bits were in the right places.

from then I think I waited around 6 ish weeks to start meds because they want you to have a full cycle so they can start from scratch.

Best of luck to you! I had 2 rounds that unfortunately didn’t work and was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure (not a single egg was produced). But…..then fell pregnant spontaneously 7 years later….then again 11 months after my first was born. So hope is never gone

Thank you @ByByByi really hope you don’t have wait too much longer!
I am assuming this appointment is to discuss the process as I was on a patient initiated follow up meaning I could contact at any point to be referred.
I know it can vary depending on location for waiting times I’m just hoping it won’t take too long. I’m so scared I’m running out of time 😢

Thank you for this and I’m so sorry you have not been successful yet. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to go through all of that and it not work. Are you going to keep trying? What was you AMH level if you don’t mind me asking?

Hi @Sjh15i have tried ovulation strips many cycles and then stopped them and then started them again 😂 i do find them useful but also a real pressure when you do get that positive!

@Dinodoodle9545wow that’s amazing that you conceived naturally so long after failed IvF 🩷 thank you for sharing!

@Firsttime2023 thank you - I don’t mind sharing at all, my amh is 3.6.
We had every intention of doing a fourth round with OE ….. however our consultant has raised Donor Eggs with us - after a lot of talking and looking into it we think this will be our next steps - we need to be realistic both for mental wellbeing and financially!
I have booked two further consultations with different clinics just to be sure in my mind that there is nothing further that would give us a better chance with OE.
I would never have imagined a couple of years ago considering DE however it’s funny how life and different experiences can completely change your mindset - I’ve realised that if we were lucky to conceive with DE it would absolutely be our very much wished for baby x

Thank you @Firsttime2023
I just heard today that I have my first appointment in early July, so that’s exciting. More info to follow apparently.
I hope you don’t have to wait long too. The uncertainty and the waiting are difficult to handle!

Our treatment was over 16 years ago, but I would seriously consider going private if you can in any way afford it, which can often be done alongside NHS treatment if the wait is really long. I honestly don’t know how we afforded it at the time, but it sped everything up. We have 16 year old twins from our second cycle. Good luck! x

Hi all just wanted to update in case anyone else reads this.
i had a call with the fertility nurse today who is arranging for us to go in and complete all the paperwork in the next couple of weeks and then she said I can expect treatment to start within 5-6 weeks. I couldn’t believe it was that quick, I fully expected to be waiting months but she said there is no waiting list at the moment.
I am in the south west.

Hi @Firsttime2023oh wow that is exciting! Thank you for sharing. Do keep us posted here, it’s nice to hear how someone else’s journey is going :)

@Dinodoodle9545
Thank you for sharing your story that is so amazing x