1st hospital appt

[Just_married]

We have stepped down to ntnp after 11cycles of frantic ttc & too much money spent on opk/hpt, preseed, pregnacare & wellman conception, soy isoflavones, etc.

Ironically, our 1st cycle ntnp we have an 'infertility clinic' appt.

Appt is 11:20gmt, letter sternly warning I will receive diagnostic only as I'm too old for any assistance at 40. Been told I will have an internal scan & get results today.

I'm not looking forward to it at all, I have no idea what to expect as never had this before. Any girls give me more info and advice...is it painful? How much can they see from this type of test? And what else should I expect today and future appts? Also, has anyone my age or above had this type of appt in uk?

My DH is worried about people's attitude at the clinic too as he is a musician & doesn't have a very regular income at the moment.

Just feel like running away this morning and worried that the whole diagnostic process and attitude of doctors due to my age will be more stressful as we have had so much disappointment. But we have waiting a long time for this appt and don't want to miss it.

 

[Just_married]

All as no one responded I'm thinking some of you may not have had an internal scan or first fertility appt, so I would like to respond to myself as it might put other ladies mind at rest if they face it in the future.

The scan was absolutely fine. In my head I imagined a big machine and some pain as getting a smear test is sore for me, bit the scanner was small & the procedure was painless. The nurse said they can check for cysts, measure follicles and measure womb lining with the scan. I had one 18mm follicle which she said was good for cd9/10. It only took 5 minutes to do and as they do this sort of thing all the time there was no awkwardness.

The consultation took ages, full medical history from both of us, so I would recommend that you write it all down before you go. We were both asked for blood tests there and then for general health checks, asked to return another day with urine samples from both of us to check there is no infections & to give a sperm sample (strict instructions: abstain for 3/5 days beforehand, bring to hospital within 2 hours!) and I was given letters for my doctor to do 2 specific hormone tests on days 20 and 1-3.

We won't actually see a FS until around 5-6 weeks time and he will check rests to decide on any (non-assisted) treatment (e.g.clomid) or tube test.

I spoke to nurse about my aunty receiving clomid for small egg/follicle size and she looked at me like I was crazy. She also asked why my DH was taking coq10. So we decided we will write down all our questions and save them for the actual FS.

So now to work out when we can spare 3-5 days for a sperm sample lol!

Apart from all of that, back home we chatted about it for a short while then decided that's enough thinking about it for now, and back to ntnp and not discussing it.

 

[Bettydraper]

Hi there - that's good to know. Were on about month 6 ttc and at 39 I don't want to leave it too long before getting some proper checks. I think I've been trying to put it to the back of my mind as I find the whole tempting, opking etc stressful enough and have this fear that too many tests and poking around will kill the romance it for both of us! This month, I'm advcating NTNP too (although OF COURSE i'll know exactly when) and then see about the clinic after that. Thanks for the info

 

[Just_married]

Hi there - that's good to know. Were on about month 6 ttc and at 39 I don't want to leave it too long before getting some proper checks. I think I've been trying to put it to the back of my mind as I find the whole tempting, opking etc stressful enough and have this fear that too many tests and poking around will kill the romance it for both of us! This month, I'm advcating NTNP too (although OF COURSE i'll know exactly when) and then see about the clinic after that. Thanks for the info

Best of luck then, hopefully you won't have too long to wait for your bfp. We went to gp at 6 months ttc as I was over 35 (nhs guidelines say that's when to go, so let doc know if your under nhs). For our health authority it took them just over 3 months to get appointment and that was with a 'nurse led' clinic. By the time we actually see an actual FS it will have been 11month ttc. They are also over-keen to stress that where I live, 38 is the cut off for any assisted conception, so I will get diagnosis only. Dont know if that extends to tubal surgery or clomid, these are all questions for the actual specialist.

Despite all this we just keep reassuring ourselves that the 'average' length of ttc at my age (40) is 12 months, so we are still not too worried!

Hope you get your bfp very soon! Thanks for your response! X

 

[goddess25]

Thanks for that info. Good to know.

Hope you get some good information when you finally meet the FS.

 

[harley9671]

Hiya. Im 40 and had a mmc at 9.5weeks in aug 2011 after conceiving in the ist month of trying. I had my 1st blood tests taken today and will get the results next week. Me and OH have an appointment with fertility hospital on tuesday and a week after that for a scan. Tonight i burst out crying and threw something at OH for no reason, i didnt realise how scared i am of what the results will be. Im trying to stay a bit positive a i did get pregnant after all.
Thanks just married its good to know someone is going through the same and hope and pray we get the results we want. GL to you honey.x

 

[windyhill]

Best of luck then, hopefully you won't have too long to wait for your bfp. We went to gp at 6 months ttc as I was over 35 (nhs guidelines say that's when to go, so let doc know if your under nhs). For our health authority it took them just over 3 months to get appointment and that was with a 'nurse led' clinic. By the time we actually see an actual FS it will have been 11month ttc. They are also over-keen to stress that where I live, 38 is the cut off for any assisted conception, so I will get diagnosis only. Dont know if that extends to tubal surgery or clomid, these are all questions for the actual specialist.

Despite all this we just keep reassuring ourselves that the 'average' length of ttc at my age (40) is 12 months, so we are still not too worried!

Hope you get your bfp very soon! Thanks for your response! X[/QUOTE]


I don't get this - if you're over 35 they say go see the DR after 6 months TTC, but mine said I had to wait a year. Now we're at a year and have NHS appt at end of March. I am 39 in May. So now they might say I'm too old for assisted??? Grrrr!!!

 

[Just_married]

Best of luck then, hopefully you won't have too long to wait for your bfp. We went to gp at 6 months ttc as I was over 35 (nhs guidelines say that's when to go, so let doc know if your under nhs). For our health authority it took them just over 3 months to get appointment and that was with a 'nurse led' clinic. By the time we actually see an actual FS it will have been 11month ttc. They are also over-keen to stress that where I live, 38 is the cut off for any assisted conception, so I will get diagnosis only. Dont know if that extends to tubal surgery or clomid, these are all questions for the actual specialist.

Despite all this we just keep reassuring ourselves that the 'average' length of ttc at my age (40) is 12 months, so we are still not too worried!

Hope you get your bfp very soon! Thanks for your response! X

I don't get this - if you're over 35 they say go see the DR after 6 months TTC, but mine said I had to wait a year. Now we're at a year and have NHS appt at end of March. I am 39 in May. So now they might say I'm too old for assisted??? Grrrr!!![/QUOTE]

This is criteria for my LHA (local health authority) so hopefully yours is different. Assisted conception in my understanding is ivf and iui, bit not clomid or tubal surgery, so there's other ways to get bfp.

If I were you and it turns out you are beyond the criteria due to your length of wait then I would advise you to contact you LHA and ask for their appeals procedure so you can appeal the decision as nhs guidelines are clear and if the wait made you beyond assisted age then it's docs fault.

Fingers crossed for you, you never know, you may even get your bfp without them before your appt, now that would be two very big fingers stuck up to their criteria !

Xxx

 

[windyhill]

thanks, yes indeed it would. Have just had a letter saying my appt was cancelled - so angry and upset! Rang them up and asked what was going on - they said they'd brought my appt forward but I hadn't received the letter yet!! RIDICULOUS!! Don't know any of the acronyms, but am OV yesterday or today, so the wait is about to begin again....!
Thanks for the advice re the appeal - will remember that! x

 

[Kasgreenbean]

Hi. Thanks for the info. I have an appointment in April, by then it will be about 10 months. Managed to get my referral before I turned 38 so will fight tooth and nail for treatment if necessary. We too were told a year but if you are over 35 then at 6 months checks for progesterone and oestrogen, and an ov scan are possible. I worry about other things like being on the pill for so long that its affected cm production. anyway baby dust and fx