The Trials & Tribulations of Trying to Conceive when its just not happening (12m+)

Peonie

Slinky_Selina wrote: »

informed me that there was now no consultants around on the 24th Feb so they were arranging a new appointment. And the new appt is JUNE 2014 a whole 9/10 months after the last appt, 6 months later than it should have been.

Has anyone else had this, should I kick up a stink and demand to be seen sooner? Or just go private and I really dont want to think how much that will cost.

After my op I had to wait a few months for the results appointment so I found out the email address for the appointments team and emailed them every other day with the same stock message asking if they had any cancellations for my fs. It took a few weeks but I got an earlier appointment. I found it easier to pester by email than by phone.

Whattodonow wrote: »

PEONIE! That's so exciting! Do you know why they changed it to short protocol?

Haven't been to any of the support meetings - as much as I have down days, the next day I pick myself up. Might be a different story if this whole IVF malarkey fails though. Hewitt have been great - always call you back, nice nurses, etc (apart from one who can't do blood samples. Both me and OH were left with big bruises and she blamed the needles. Then I got her again for more blood tests and she did the same thing!)

I agree with Peonie, it is a bit odd no doctors involved yet. Maybe because Hewitt serves such a large city - it seems they do everything possible to save time - patient info evening & dvd for example, are things which probably save them a hell of a lot of time. As long as I see a doc on egg collection day I'm not too worried!

P - do you remember how long it took for the drug company to call you please?

teaandcakeordeath wrote: »

WTDNWhat's the DVD that you get? I've only had the patient info evening and a consultation with Dr Green to send me off to other hospitals so haven't got that that far really. No idea what the next steps are now that there's actually a chance we might be able to start treatment soon! Seems surreal! How do you find out your treatment protocols etc. without seeing a doctor? And most importantly- who weighs you and when?!? Do they take your height as well or are my sock lifts a wasted purchase? :rotfl:

I have no idea why they changed it from the long to the short protocol or whether it was before or after I spoke to the nurse on CD1 & arranged the drugs. It's made me very confused. If they made the decision based on the drug tests or maybe they only made the decision after I went in to give our medical history in October. It's strange, the nurse I spoke to on CD1 was very clear that we had to use barrier protection this month so we've missed a month trying on our own.

I think it was RG that said she had 1 appointment and then started. It seems like that 1 was the equivalent to the 4 I've had so far. It's a lot of info to take in so I suppose it's up to the individual whether more or less is better.

The nurses have been lovely. It's a very welcoming place. I suppose as long as the doctors are making the important decisions behind the scenes...

I do wonder what else they do at the centre as there was a couple in their 70s so there's no way they can be having treatment.

Teaandcake - After the blood tests the next stage for me was to take in the tonne of paperwork we had to sign, the nurse filled in the medical history, I think she asked for our heights so no uplifts required and used the weight machine in the room although she did not take the reading. Next you phone up on CD1 to arrange the start of the treatment, apply for the prepayment certificate, wait for the drugs invoice. Then I phoned the hospital on the Monday to pay the invoice, I think the next day I had a phone call from the drugs company and arranged for them to be delivered on the Friday and they arrived at 7.45am. You can get them sent to work. Next was the injection appointment and that's where I'm up to.

The DVD comes with the drugs and shows how to mix and inject. But the nurse yesterday did the same and let me try so I would be comfortable.

Hmmm I seem to have rambled on quite a bit.

Teaandcake thanks for the support group info.

Peonie

Ha ha, others have answered the questions in the time it took me to write my essay.

Part_Mouse

Morning all

Day 13. Of bleeding.

time2deal

Morning ladies,

Lots of chat! I can't keep up. A few little things - Sewit - it nearly covered the screen in tea with your husbands conversation! Men are so unless sometimes.

Re going private - as someone said above, sometimes you have to put your own mental health ahead of money. Knowing there are problems, or not, or at least feeling like you are less in a limbo of stress and upset can be worth the money, and possibly even the principles.

PM - hugs.

Peonie - one thing with IVF I have discovered is it seems to be HIGHLY variable and unpredictable! Most times I go into the clinic I'm told some other plan, or something has changed. I try to roll with the punches, and not get too frustrated.

AFM - ready to go for Mondays operation. The insurance people are covering it, and were actually very nice to me when they called. They apologized for all the questioning, but they just needed to be sure it was covered. I'm off work on Monday and Tuesday, and working from home on Wednesday so next week will be a bit quieter which I'm looking forward too. And the last of the flood damage at my house is finally getting fixed (after 6 months!) which will also make me happier as I can finally tidy up all the random boxes and furniture that have been in the wrong places and cluttering the house since the summer. It's the little things sometimes...

Derby2

Good grief! So many post...I can barely keep up!

Slinky: I had lots of appointments cancelled with my NHS consultant, made even worse by the fact he only work Monday's, and it was right in the middle of bank holiday season. It is so, so frustrating. It might be worth keeping in touch with them regularly to see if there are any cancellations.

Star: I don't know how you kept yourself from throttling OH. Mine would have definitely got a severe talking to!

Come back Tea...we miss you!

AFM: AF still hasn't shown and I'm not really feeling periody today. I'm still not hopeful because I have no pg symptoms and watery CM which I believe can be a sign of the lining breaking down. I suspect the progesterone has just delayed it, but I'm quite happy living in denial for the time being!

time2deal

I've just had a letter saying my NHS appointment is cancelled too. I have it in the background in case this private cycle doesn't work.

From a principles point of view is that a bad thing!? I just can't afford another private cycle and I now qualify with my weight down a bit.

By the way, if you go private it doesn't necessarily stop you using NHS resources, but it's worth checking. My trust says if you have three failed private cycles then you aren't eligible, but no other restrictions. However, remember the systems aren't linked up - how would they ever know you went for a scan, or even a full IVF cycle? It's up to you to tell them.

angeltreats

DH had an appointment with the urologist (I think) this morning and they've decided to operate on his varicocele. It's keyhole surgery and will probably be in January or February. I assumed they'd wait till after this (and then a waiting period to see if his count had gone up) to go ahead with the IVF but apparently not, they will do the two alongside each other which surprises me a bit.

This is all from DH though as I wasn't at the appointment, god knows what the consultant actually said as DH doesn't have a good track record for remembering stuff and reporting correct info...

Wonder_Woman

Lovely ladies that have had egg retrieval - how long were you out of action for after? Day 2 here and feel quite poorly, my stomach is so bloated and sore its about to pop! They didn't mention this - just wonder if this is normal?

Derby2

WW: I've not yet said conratulations for 6 embies! I had really bad trapped wind (TMI) and it was very uncomfortable, and that lasted a few days.

Ok, ok, ok; I confess! I'm starting to get hopeful and I keep getting a tingly panic that AF/BFN is now going to come and be a crushing blow. I was doing so well LOL!

Wonder_Woman

Thanks Derby, good to know its not just me. I'm hoping its down to the progesterone and not fluid build up but my god its uncomfortable - I've never had bloating like it.

I know, you can't help but be hopeful when you've come such a long way already. As others have said, you know your own body but also AF symptoms are so similar to pregnancy symptoms that it ain't over til it's over :rotfl:

PM - did you manage to get hold of your FS yet? Its so frustrating when they are so carp at getting back to you!!