IVF/ICSI at Guys? Anyone else?

[Serena80]

Kazza - It would be great to have the same doctor. Lovely Dr Tom (LDT as he will henceforth be known) seems so nice & has an amazing voice. I don’t know how long I have to go on the dreaded pill for, I assume I will have to be on it for a few weeks while they are trying to grow the egg follicles to be removed for ICSI. Seems weird to go on the pill when I’m trying to get pregnant. It’s just so that when they say on day ‘21’ do the scans or take the drugs or whatever the next step is, it should actually be right for me rather than a few days out because I have longer cycles.

I don’t know why I didn’t ask more questions on the phone, I am completely useless and was caught off guard by LDT ringing me at work. I’ll have to ring them up if they haven’t left explicit instructions with the prescription.

Key – when I went to the consultation LDT mentioned that the sniffer drugs act to tell your brain to switch off in regards to your cycles (can you tell he had to put it into child’s language for me?) and that allowed the doctors to take control of growing the follicles, which is what the injections are for. So maybe the sniffing drugs are the ones that do down regulating? Although I am not really sure what down regulating is.

I promise you I am not usually such a moron but it’s all so new and I’ve been avoiding reading loads on the internet as I was trying to have a break from all things TTC when we were waiting for Guys, as it was stressing me out.

LDT gave me a sheet which outlines how the month of ICSI works – shall I dig it out when I get home and describe the various steps to you? I probably need to read it through more carefully anyway as I am so useless.

It is exciting. I bet his month will DRAG.

Key – you should definitely start chasing them. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to do this, but it sounds like it worked for Kazza, so maybe they’ll bump you into the one in a fortnight? Then we’d all be starting at the same time!

 

[kazzab25]

Hi key

That's good that should have someone covering!

Deffo give them a call just to check they have received the docs we got the letter from the pct about two weeks ago too!

Will defo let you know about the presentation! Where abouts are you from key? I live in chislehurst x

 

[kazzab25]

Hi serena sorry just seen your post if you can dig it out that would be great I don't no a huge amount either!! The extent of my knowledge is down regging- putting your cycle to sleep thin stunning to produce the follicles followed by lots of scans, once the follies are big enough you have a trigger shot to mature the eggs then retrieval takes place! That's about all I know at the mo!

What are you doing to prepare your body? I'm taking folic acid and vit c and zinc and oh is on five other vits for his low count although he has now given up smoking so hopefully things have improved!

Serena I'm so excited for you!! Can't wait to hear how you get on!!

 

[kazzab25]

Sorry about my typos using my iPhone !!

 

[key24]

Just spoken to Guys and guess what they didn't have our referral through!! Same thing happened to us from Princess Royal to PCT in first place, so should have know.

I have now faxed them my copy and will be on thier back to make sure progresses!! Was being good and putting my trust in the system but seems that is misplaced. It's just so annoying!!!

anyway rant over...

Kazzab -I live in Beckenham, so not from you at all.

 

[Serena80]

Morning kazza & key,

My husband has been to Guys this morning and they told him they were shut xmas day and boxing day, but that it doesn’t matter that they are closed as I can still ring xmas day and leave a message and get the process started. He said they would plan the scans around the closed days if needed. Obviously this info is second hand so i’m not sure if they mean they’d arrange them for xmas eve/Dec 27th or if you’d go to another dept to have the scans. I think I might ring them up this week with a big list of questions just to make sure I’m clear on what I should be doing. But hopefully everything will still run smoothly over Christmas, although it is a bit of a worry as I’m going to a wedding in Loughborough the day before xmas eve. I hope I’m not needed for any scans.

I looked at the sheet they gave me and it’s a timeline of the month but quite complicated. It’d probably be best to scan it in & upload it. Do you know if you can do that on this site?

I think the drugs you sniff must be the down reg ones, and the injections must be the stunning ones. That fits in with what the doctor said and what the timeline says.

Kazza - I’m taking folic acid, but that’s it really. I have cut out drinking since the lecture as they said the woman should cut down to 5 units per week or completely if possible. My husband has cut out alcohol too as they said the man shouldn’t drink more than 2 units a day. It’s quite hard though as we both love drinking! And we’ve got loads of birthdays coming up where we will need to think of lame excuses as to why we aren’t drinking.

In the consultation LDT just mentioned taking folic acid & cutting out alcohol. He didn’t mention any other vitamins, but I have read other forums where people say they were recommended them. Prob wont do any harm to take them!

Key – that’s so annoying but great that you are now chasing it. Let us know what they say & if you can get into the earlier lecture.

 

[kazzab25]

Key - I cant believe they have lost yours aswell!!! When you said you would fax the info over did they say that this would suffice? I got on to Amanda Easter at the PCT and she started corresponding with Guys too, we must have been in the same batch!!

Im still waiting for my letter to come through from Guys to confirm my appointments, if its not their tonight i will chase again, i have lost all faith in the nhs system!!

You really are not far from me at all!!!!

Serena - thats great that they are open and you have a 24 hour line to call!!! Once we are under guys it sounds like they are very proffessional!! I have cut down on drinking too but what with xmas looming there are lots of events so i know how you feel!!

I think you can scan an upload but im not sure how! I really hope we can all start together in december!! xxx

 

[Serena80]

It would be so so so amazing to all start together! I hope your letters turn up Kazza, and I hope they hurry up and get you booked in Key!

Kazza – if it isn’t way too personal a question, when would your December period start? You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to, just trying to figure out if you’ll start the sniffing drugs at the same time as me

 

[kazzab25]

I am totally open and am happy to discuss everything and everything so you can ask whatever you want!

I have PCOS and my cycles are completly up the wall, I am just at thye end of my period now, they have been arriving every 2.5 months at the moment but i can go as long as 18 months without one. So.. im going to ask if they can give me Provera to start me off as they did this before when i started my clomid!

so if they do give it to me and if my appt is deffo gonna be the 8th maybe i would start around the 13th dec, at a guess.

 

[kazzab25]

Me again, all my forms have arrived and i have completed them tonight, we are going to the presentation on the 30th nov and our first appt is on the 5th dec!! Now im really excited!!

 

[vesper21]

Hello,

I'm probably too late to respond to this, but thought I'd post my experience.

I was referred to Guys for my first IVF in 2009, and I didn't bother looking elsewhere because it was free on the NHS.

I also have PCOS - main symptom being lack of AF's. Guys were great in terms of monitoring because of the risk of OHSS but they only follow one protocol - Long protocol, which is not good for ladies with PCOS. I only found this out at Lister where I went for round 2. My consultant at Lister told me most NHS hospitals use one generic protocol and that the best one for PCOS-ers is short antagonist protocol.

ANyway, Guys - I can't fault them about being precautious, but they really should tailor the treatment according to specific situations. I'd be interested to hear from you ladies whether or not Guys have changed this...

The cycle at Guys resulted in BFN, and went to Lister for round 2 which was BFP (lost my baby in July though) and can't recommend Lister highly enough.

sticky baby dust to you all!

 

[kazzab25]

Hi vesper thanks for your story and welcome to our thread!

I do hope they have changed to protocol as we have PCOS and low sa! They seem to have a good success rate so fingers crossed!

Serena - did they say anything to you about the protocols?

Key- let us know when you here from guys! Keep onto them maybe you'll get onto the presentation on the 30th I just kept onto them once I new they lost the docs!

 

[Serena80]

Thanks for all of the information Vesper. It’s really interesting. I think it’s one of the problems with trying it for the first time is that you don’t really have anything to compare it to, or know the difference between NHS and private, so it’s good to hear other peoples’ experiences. Guys have put me on the long protocol so maybe they haven’t changed! At the lecture they mentioned the long and short protocols and said in the first appt the doctor would decide what’s best, so they must use the short one on some people. I wonder what they’ll do for you Kazza? If the first round of ICSI doesn’t work maybe i’ll talk to them about the short protocol option. Thanks Vesper! Maybe it’s because even though i’ve been diagnosed with having PCOS LDT said from the internal scan that it isn’t that major (only one of my ovaries showed more than 12 cysts which qualifies you as PCOS, and I regularly get my periods, just between 30-38 days rather than the standard 28 days. So maybe that’s why they put me on the long one?

I’ve read good things about Lister on these forums – is it a private hospital? Are you still having treatment?

Kazza – that’s great news about getting your forms at last, I am so excited for you. 2 and a half weeks and you’ll be ready to go! And it’s good that we’ll probably both start around the 13th Dec (ish!). I swear time has been going backwards this week, I feel like all I’m doing is counting down the days.

Key – let us know how it’s going for you hon *

 

[kazzab25]

I feel exaxctly same, wishing my life away at the moment!!! Im getting an IPAD soon so that should take my mind off things for a short while!! Currently im making a decision about the white or the black one!!

Hopefully we will start at the same time!! It does sound like they are now offering the long and the short protocol and it would make sence as you are regular that you have the longer one, maybe due to my pcos they will put me on the short one. Im interested to have the scan as i have not had one for ages and the last one i had they didnt really tell me anything.

Did they give you the seman analysis results after you had your scan or on the same day as your first appt?

Key - Any news hun ?

 

[vesper21]

Serena - You're right, they say the first cycle is usually the one thats a little trial and error. Hopefully they'll get it right

Yes, Lister is private. I'm now actually living in NYC and am about to cycle, but the whole medical system here is incredibly confusing. I've found a clinic with a good reputation but I don't agree with the protocol the dr. wants to put me on. I had to negotiate down the dose of one of the stimming drugs! Luckily I'm coming to London next week for a couple of weeks and have made an appt with my consultant at Lister... will get a second opinion from him about the protocol my dr. here wants to put me on.

It's good to hear Guys are offering more options - I guess they have to if they want good results. Plus Guys is pioneering in the field of infertility, so has to stay on top its game

BTW, I'm from Sidcup and went to school in Chislehurst!

 

[key24]

not sure what the difference with long and short protocol is (God it's a whole new world isn't it!) but hopefully they are offering all the options out there to get best chance of success!!

I don't think we'll get on the 30th Nov meeting but if we get on the 11th and then have the meeting within a week we should be able to start on Jan cycle (fingers, toes and legs crossed!). Have they mentioned anything about holidays affecting treatment? We want to go skiing last week of Jan (as hopefully next year we will either be pregnant or with new born), but this might be at the beginning of treatment, so don't know if it's allowed??

Vesper - hope all goes well with next treatment and great that you can run it past your old consultant. BTW what school did you go to - as i went to school in Chislehurst?

Kazza - enjoy the ipad, nothning like a new toy to take your mind off things!

Serena - bet you can't wait to get started on the sniffer drugs (it's all so romantic isn't it!)- good luck starting treatment

k xx

 

[kazzab25]

Oooh lots of locals!!!

Key- keep chasing I had too!! They wouldn't have done anything if I didn't! Yes really can't wait for the iPad!! I'm not sure about your holiday if you start mid jan you may need to be available for scans or egg retrieval?

Serena - when did you say you got your blood and seman results?

Serena

 

[Serena80]

Vesper, you’re living in New York? How exciting, I love New York. It’s one of my favourite cities in America, alongside New Orleans which is also great but completely different. It must be quite daunting going for treatment in America, when you are so used to the system in England. And especially when you have had so much experience in the past and actually got a BFP, you know you don’t want to be taking the wrong doses of drugs. It’s good you negotiated, I often feel too intimidated by doctors to question their decisions. Hopefully the appointment you go to when you’re back over will put your mind at rest. I really hope everything works out for you, it must have been so tough having a BFP before and then losing your baby. You are very brave and courageous for having more treatment and hopefully things will work out for you this time.

Kazza, they gave me the blood test results on the phone, but that was just because they rang up to ask me to go on to the pill. I don’t think they’d have called otherwise, just added my notes to the file. They haven’t given my husband the results from the sa, I assume it’s the same results as his previous tests as it was just a retest. Again, they just said they’d ring if there was a problem. When we went in to the appt LDT did say that the results might be back by the end of the appt but they weren’t - so it might be possible for you to get them during your appt on the 5th.

Key – they didn’t mention holidays affecting treatment, and didn’t ask if I had any booked, but I would agree with Kazza and would think that you’ll have to be around for appts/scans so they might suggest you either don’t go on holiday or put it back a month. Unless you can time it for a week you wont be needed in to hospital? You can’t sneak in a late December ski hol? Not always the best snow and completely freezing, but still an option!
Your’re right, it isn’t at all romantic. I was saying to my husband that if it works and we end up with children and they ask how babies are made – we will have a much more crazy answer than the old stork story!

 

[kazzab25]

Thanks Serena, yes what a story to tell the little ones!! haha

Vesper - good luck hun and keep us posted xx

 

[key24]

You're right about the journey to get there being interesting, but having a little one at the end will make it all worthwhile, and you know what it will happen for all of us at some stage - am sure of it.

In terms of hols i guess i was looking at the treatment procedure online at ivfdirect (guys website) under treatments (i can't post link as not be on website long enough apparently!

and it seemed to suggest that if my cycle starts on 21 Jan, then i'd be waiting 21days before starting the down regulations drugs (whatever they are!) so time for some skiing. Do you not think that is right or have i got timings wrong??