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Anybody been to the fertility clinic?

Hi ladies

Just wondering if anybody can help me, ive got my first fertility appointment with the hospital in 4weeks just wondering what to expect? Im really quite nervous and scared im 27 and been trying for well it will be 15months when my appointment is.

So if anybody can enlighten me i would be very grateful.

thanks jen xx

Replies

  • Hi Jen,

    I have private health care so had all my checks done earlier than they do on the NHS (I have been trying for 12 months and I am 29). It is the same tests that they do on the NHS though. I had the following;
    Additional blood tests to those I had already had for progesterone checks, I think it was AMH and a variety of other things.
    Scan on day 2 of my cycle (not pleasant but best time to do as the quietest time inside you), they can see how many folicles you have and where you ovulated from last month.
    All of those were clear so I chose to have a hysteroscopy and a laparoscopy (excuse spelling) where they put you to sleep and make two incisions, one through belly button and one just above the pubic bone and they insert a camera and dye etc to see if there is any blockage. Whilst you're asleep if they find a blockage or a build up of scar tissue they can remove it (depending on size of it etc).

    Mine came back perfectly normal so we are in the "unexplained" category image

    I hope this helps, sorry it is so waffley.

    Let me know if you need to know anything else.

    Good luck with it all, I am a nervous wreck at hospitals but it is all worth it for peace of mind.

    Anna xx
  • Hi Jen24

    I have been going for appointments for the past 18 months now so be warned if you are going through the NHS they dont move very fast.

    They will just talk to you about your periods and how long you have been ttc. If you have not had blood tests yet they will send you for those and possibly ask for a sample from you oh.

    Goods Luck xxx
  • Hi Jen, i first well fertility clinic about 14months ago when we had been trying for 2 years.
    The appointment was for both of us (hubby to) and they asked each of us questions like what my cycles were like, how often we bedded, how long had we been trying for, about our diets etc. Basically all questions related to ttc.

    We came away from there with dates to go for blood tests each and my hubby had to give in a sperm sample.

    Dont worry about being apprehensive about going as we was to, infact we went the pub first for half an hour to settle our nerves, he he. (well it is right opposite the hospital) lol

    We came away from there though feeling quite positive as at last after 2years ttc something was getting done to help us. Im sure you and your other half wil feel like that to.

    Good luck when you go honey. x x
  • Thanks so much guys yes im NHS my doctors have already tested to make sure im ov and bloods too, my oh has had is sperm count taken and it was more than fine.

    thanks i suppose each individual place is different.

    good luck to both of you.

    jen xx
  • Sorry meant to say that hubby had to do a sperm test as well. You will be fine, just think once you know there is nothing wrong you will relax and go on to conceive. I also know a few people who have fallen pregnant in the run up to tests because they kind of switch off from the actual trying part if that makes sense. xx
  • hi left u a post on the preg site, has a funny story on end may cheer u up xxxx
  • Hi Jen,

    I had my first appt at the NHS - and when I got there it was mysteriously cancelled...grrr!! So the witch (fertility nurse) booked me in for 5 weeks after that!

    One thing I will recommend is - when they send through the letter and paper work - make sure you've had all the tests done as she was prepared to send me away, because I hadn't had rubella check or something - but I had all of them done beofre my first proper appt! The thing I found annoying was everything took so long - whihc is why I went private.

    I know I have PCOS - yet she wanted to go over EVERYTHING - it's 100 questions for the woman and 50 questions for the man. They are fairly standard questions - however be warned that we only got through the mans set of questions - that took 2 hours and we run out of time and couldn't do me! So she booked another appointment for 5 weeks time and didn't give me any advice for the mean time or anything!

    I'm sure most fertility clinics are nice - we just got a withc - and when she sent through her write up - I was very angry. Any way to cu a long story short - I went to see a gyne privatley in the next town - a 40 minute drive - but worth it! I sat down with him for about 10-15 minutes and then he gave me a perscription! All the weight had been lifted off my shoulders! Plus when I called him for an appointment on the monday - I got to see him on the thursday!! It's quick!

    I would probably say don't be too nervous hun - but don't try to get your hopes up too high either - as wilmie says- they do not move fast - the appointments there take a long time to get - then if you have to go for tests you'll have to wait longer! But fingers crossed you'll get a nice nurse who will reassure you. I'd go for the first appointment and if you're not happy you can always go private after!

    Hope this helps a little and that I haven't waffled on too much - I hope I haven't scared you either - I do know people who have been through NHS and are getting somewhere with then - so fingers crossed you get a nice one!

    XXXXX
  • Hi Hun, me and DH have been ttc for 2 years and we started fert testing last Dec. I had bloods done at various times through cycle to check that I was OV ok and they all came back fine. I also had a scan and doc said that everything was OK there. Unfortunately my DH has had a sperm test done and the results came back very low in areas. We never received any advice about how to improve this or any support when we were given the results so we came away feeling quite depressed. I worried for months about the testing but when your there it goes very quickly

    If you go on the NHS they can be really slow, we had our 1st appointment at beg of Dec 07 and the next earliest app was end of March so there is a wait in between. Hopefully you may conceive while you are waiting for your next app.

    The hosp have recommended IVF for us and they have done another test on DH to see if SC has improved or not! Our next appointment is in July so we will be told then if I will be put on waiting list for IVF. If I go on NHS it's 18 mnth wait list and it's free or if I go priv I can get it done 3 mnths..... but it costs 3K me and DH have done some research ourselves and changed a few things in our lifestyle that can hinder conception so we kind of feel like we are on our own really but still going along with the prodding and the poking LOL because we want a baby so much.

    My advice is that everyone gets treated differently and you may find a really supportive clinic whichever way you go. Good luck and lots of babydust to you

    xxx
  • Thankyou all so much i wish you all the best of luck and hope you get your BFP soon.

    Just one more thing the appointment is for me, does my oh come in with me or will i just go in myself and if they want to see him i'll just go get him??

    jen xx
  • Yeah they can be pretty useless can't they. We also got one app booked and we hsd the letter in the post to confirm it and then 2 weeks later we received another letter from the hosp saying we have had to alter your appointment blah blah. My advise is to be persistent and ask as many questions as you want, that's what I regret not doing when I was there coz it can be overwhelming. I would take you OH coz it is a comfort knowing that you are both in this together and it will bring you even closer than before... Good luck and let me know how you get on
    xxx
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