IVF Questions Post Reply

[Red1981]

My husband and I have been trying to conceive for almost a year and a half now and are considering pursuing IVF. We aren't sure whether we'll go privately or via the NHS yet but wanted to know what the score was if we did decide to go via the NHS in regards to timeframe and what clinics/hospitals you are referred to etc. I organized an appointment with my local doctor this morning to try and find this information out but unfortunately he wasn't very forthcoming on the topic! I was told to "chill out" (that it had taken 9 years for him and his wife to conceive), when I then went on to ask what the current IVF waiting times were for the area I was told "how long is a piece of string" so frustratingly I've come on here to see if any of you ladies have any advice!

Has anyone gone through IVF via the NHS in SW11 (we are based between the commons) and, if so, do you know roughly how long it takes to be referred and what options of places you are given to undergo the treatment?

I'm completely new to all this so apologies if this has been discussed previously, any advice greatly appreciated - thanks!

[Goldhawk]

I think the NHS will only fund one cycle for you and you have to have been trying for 2 years before they will refer you

Do you have the money to go private?
How old are you?

[Mrsmac35]

Hi, I am so sorry to hear about what you're going through. I have been through exactly the same thing and I completely understand how difficult it is. The attitude of your GP is a total disgrace. My advice would be to see another GP within the practice and ask for some tests to be carried out on yourself and your husband. Usually these tests are recommended after a year of trying to conceive and they will tell you whether there is a medical problem stopping you becoming pregnant. We did ivf privately, we never actually tried through the nhs, so I can't help you with that part, but I would be more than happy to answer any questions you might have about the ivf process. Just to give you a little hope.... We started trying for a baby four years ago.... And our first baby is due next week after one round of ivf. Don't give up hope and please do PM me if you have any other questions.

[Bodders1]

Hi, very sorry to hear about what you are going through.
Do you mind me asking hold old you are? We looked into it via the NHS but felt the wait was too long given time was not on our side but obviously that was a very personal decision. My understanding from all the research we did is that the published success rates vary wildly between clinics - when we did it ARGC and The Lister we stand out. We ended up going via the Lister and we fortunate enough to get pregnant on the first cycle and now have a gorgeous 3 year old boy.
Do PM me if you want any further details and very best of luck making a decision.

[NYE31]

I think that you may get 1 round of IVF on the NHS if you are under 39 & you have been trying for 2 years and neither of you have any previous children but I gather that there is a massive waiting list so depending on your age, you may opt to go private.

I would def see another GP, get a 2nd opinion & then have all the tests done privately, the Lister is supposed to be very good.

Good luck

[Cleod]

Hi red,
We had IVF on NHS and privately. It depends on what PCT you are under. Wandsworth PCT has a 3 year wait but I think you are then entitled for 3 cycles. Lambeth Southwark lewisham has virtually no wait but you can only have 1 cycle. You have to be under 39 and have a normal BMI and been trying for 1-2 years. I agree with the others ask your GP to do some basic tests that you will need for the referral. If they refuse, ask for another GP- some are just totally out of touch! If you do decide to go privately then at least some of the tests are already done on the NHS.
We researched a few clinics, and everyone knows someone who has had IVF! ARGC and The Lister are the two main ones but we actually went to the fertlity academy, to Dr Gorgy. He used to work at ARGC and then opened up his own clinic. We went with him because one of the things I hated on the NHS was the lack of continuity of care, I'd see someone new each day who had no idea what was going on and what my history was which I felt was instrumental to the first cycle failing. At the lister you can see the same doctor but you have to be prepared to wait. At ARGC you don't necessarily see the same doctor but Mr Taranassi oversees everything- but it is a very busy clinic. Dr Gorgy however sees you every visit, he is very thorough and precise and I felt very comfortable in his hands. Privately is ALOT of money. It adds up, and that can be stressful. But if it works, you just deal with it! You might be jumping the gun a bit with going down the ivf route- there are other assisted approaches that aren't ivf, but there's no harm in doing your research and getting tests done. Please message me if you want to know more though. And also I would recommend going on fertlity forums as there is lots of information you can get from there.
Good luck! Xx

[pie81]

What an unhelpful GP. you should definitely try to see someone else who should be able to give you much better answers (and do the first round of tests if you haven't already had those).

If you're with Thurleigh Road practice by any chance then I highly recommend you try to see Dr Nasiruddin who is very good and very interested in all things fertility.

In case you haven't already had them, the first round of tests you want are blood tests on day 7 of your cycle and then 14 days after you ovulate (so day 21 if you have a 28 day cycle). these tests would check hormone levels to see if you are ovulating and should also include thyroid function test, various nutrient tests etc. your husband should also have a sperm test. Dpending on what shows up, there are then various "next steps" you could try such as a HSG (to check your tubes are clear), Clomid (to encourage ovulation) or ICI/IUI (basically turkey baster method!) before proceeding to full on IVF.

very best of luck.

[Flowermummy]

I dont have any personal experience, but have 2 close friends who are going through the process.

My understanding is that before going down the IVF route you should try to have as many tests done as possible (and as many on the NHS as possible), to understand the cause(s) of the issue.
My friend had a 1st round of IVF (privately) without all possible tests, and then discovered she has an immune condition that needed to be treated before IVF, so the money paid for the 1st IVF round was essentially wasted...

Best of luck!!

[Red1981]

...Dammit! I wrote a really long reply out but it was wiped when I tried to preview it!

In summary, thanks to you all for replying it's given me food for thought. To answer some of your questions I'm 33, but after trying for what seems like an eternity we are keen to start a family ASAP. After getting nowhere with the NHS, I got fed up of being patronized for supposedly not trying long enough (went there after a year!), being told that we were "still young" and everything seeming to take an eternity to get a referral we decided to go private and had all the initial tests done via the London Clinic (AMH, FSH, Thyroid, Progesterone, HSG, Internal Scan, Smear, STD tests etc). All the results came back normal apart from a small endometrioma on my right ovary which thankfully hasn't impacted my tubes as the HSG test last week showed they were both open. I presume this means I have endometriosis but have no other symptoms and the internal scan showed everything was fine.

My husband and I are now at this strange point of wondering what to do next? I would go back to the London Clinic to ask but haven't been overly impressed and felt I was just a part of one great big sausage machine, other than the initial consultation with a doctor, all test results have been sent in an email attachment by a secretary and any I've not understood I've had to use good ol' Dr Google to translate! I'm not sure of any other assisted methods other than IUI which I'm not sure we'd benefit from as much as my husband's been tested and had great results. I'm going to book an appointment up with Dr Nasiruddin thanks for the tip and see where we go from there. I'll also consider Immune testing and look into ARGC, Lister and Fertility Academy.

[Mrsmac35]

I would recommend mr Tolba at the lister if you decide to go down that route. I'd also recommend acupuncture as I'm a firm believer in alternative medicines for regulating hormones and blood flow. I attend daniela gottwald at feel good balham and she is fantastic. Acupuncture is really recommended alongside ivf and I firmly believe that's what helped our ivf work.

Good luck!

[Echolife31]

The Lister Fertility Clinic are very professional and caring and have some of the best success rates in the country.

[NYE31]

Try Ian at The Vitality Centre

http://www.vitality-centre.com/pregnancy-birth

He works with lots of patients doing IVF at the Lister

Good luck x

[redsky]

Hello - really sorry to hear what you're going through. Please do see another GP.

It sounds like you've already had some tests done. Not sure if your OH has too but I guess that's the next step if not.

I've had cycles at both ARGC and lister (I was successful after lister cycle). For me the ARGC was just too much. Daily blood tests in the first week, twice daily in the second week. I ended up taking 3 weeks off work as I couldn't go to the clinic and work. They do get results but it's an IVF boot camp - I wouldn't recommend it (personally) for a first IVF cycle. If you're like me and like knowing 'why' you're being asked to do things, the ARGC isn't for you. It's a bit chaotic and nothing was explained properly to me, and wasn't overly impressed i had to go immediately for immune treatment at a cost of £1500. I have lots of friends for whom the ARGC has given them their much longed for babies, but it's full on.

I'd go and have a consult and see what the lister can do for you. I lived off Northcote rd when I was having treatment there and I'd often walk to appointments. Walking through battersea park on a sunny day (especially when the cherry blossom was on the trees) really made me feel good.

one other thing - join the Fertility Friends website. Amazing support and a mine of information. Good luck, its a long road. X

[Cleod]

Fertlity friends is great yes. Someone called Agata on there explains so much, she's like an IVF encyclopaedia!
I also went to Kate Freemantle for acupuncture. She's amazing.
Good luck and stay positive x

[MrsAmanda]

What a dreadful attitude of the GP, definitely see someone else, although it sounds as if you're doing the right things.

I was a bit older, 37, when we first went to the GP as nothing was happening. He took me seriously and referred me straight to St George's for a scan. I only had to wait a couple of weeks, I think.

At the scan, they bluntly told me I had fibroids and PCOS, would never conceive naturally and my only hope was IVF. In the next breath said that the NHS waiting list was 30 months, but by the time it was my turn, I'd be too old so if I wanted a baby, I should go private.

We did a bit of research, and went to see Zita West. She was much kinder, recommended the Lister and gave me accupuncture.

From first seeing our GP to starting treatment at the Lister took six months.

We were very fortunate; our first round of ICSI produced DS1. And despite what I was told by St George's, we conceived DS2 naturally, without trying.

Wishing you all the best of luck x