IVF/ICSI waiting lists at RFC, Belfast

[Steph63]

Hi ladies, I was having my CD12 scan a few days ago and noticed a chart on the wall setting out the private & NHS waiting list times at the RFC, which I thought might be useful to post here for any other NI girlies....

NHS WAITING LIST

Eastern Health Board: IVF 10-13 months ICSI 10-13 months
Northern Health Board: IVF 12-15 months ICSI 10-13 months
Southern Health Board: IVF 19-21 months ICSI 19-22 months
Western Health Board: IVF 4-7 months ICSI 11-14 months

PRIVATE WAITING LIST

Dr Boyle: IVF 24-25 months ICSI 16-17months
Dr McFaul: IVF 14-15 months ICSI 14-15 months
Dr Traub: IVF 16-17 months ICSI 20-21 months
Dr McManus: IVF 10-11 months ICSI 9-10 months
Prof. McClure: IVF 15-16 months ICSI 9-10 months

Hope someone finds this helpful!

Steph x

 

[Mrs R]

Thanx Steph, never noticed this. Hope I don't have to go down the IVF route with a waiting list like that!

 

[Steph63]

Well after I posted this I read on another site that it might all become irrelevant next month, something to do with the trusts merging and creating one combined waiting list, but I'm not sure how true that is, or what effect it will have on the waiting lists.

Mrs R, do you mind me asking what stage of treatment you are at? I'm quite new and trying to catch up with where everyone is at!

Btw, where abouts in NI are you?

Steph x

 

[maz]

Hi Steph

Thanks for that info. I have emailed the RFC to find out how much longer we'll have to wait, but so far the feckers haven't got back to me. I did get a letter a few weeks ago, to say that due to staff shortages, and extra funding from the NI Assembly, the self-funded waiting list has come to a standstill and they are concentrating on the NHS slots. My acupuncturist told me last week that they have the nurses, they have the specialists, but they don't have enough embryologists - hmmm - kind of an important link in the chain don't you think??? I'm going to try and sit down this weekend and write a letter to my MP - don't think it'll do much good, but it'll make me feel better.

I hate the Royal, and just hope that I don't have to worry about going there. It's so impersonal, and it's ridiculous that you have to walk through the maternity waiting room to get to the infertility centre... Talk about kicking you when you're down...

Did you have your preliminary tests done at the Royal or did you go to Dundonald? I live in East Antrim, but decided to go to Dundonald for tests, as it's a much nicer hospital than Antrim or the Royal - it's also where i hope to go for delivery (fingers crossed, at the end of this year).

I see from your sig that you're on tamoxifen - isn't that the cancer drug?

 

[Steph63]

Hi Maz, I know what you mean about the Royal, I hate it too! I wrote to my consultant in Nov with a few queries cos there is more chance of a direct line to God than talking to him on the phone, but am still awaiting a reply....

It is fecking annoying having to walk into the maternity hospital, I feel like everyone is looking at me like 'she hasn't got a bump, what the hell is she doing here'. And it makes me so mad having to walk through all the girls smoking outside with their big bumps

My treatment so far has been a bit odd! My GP referred us there and we had our first apt with the FS in Sept, he ordered a load of blood tests for me which I had done at my GPs and a more in depth SA for DF, but I was then told it would be 9 months before we could see him again! So I spoke to GP who gave me clomid and arranged for me to go for monitoring scans at RFU. Registrar at RFU changed me onto tamoxifen my womb lining was too thin on clomid. You're right Maz, Tamoxifen is usually used to treat breast cancer, but it is also starting to be used as a fertility drug, basically the same as clomid except it helps thicken the womb lining too. It's worked for me in that i have ovulated both months, last month was a so just waiting to see this month.

But most of the Dr's at the RFU are so horrible, it first month i went for my scan, the dr made me going on about how "bloody ridiculous" it was that my GP had prescribed my clomid, but she did it with the authorisation of the RFU!

Anyway, rant over, that post was alot longer than intended!

What are the staff like at origin? how's the injecting going so far?



Steph x

 

[maz]

The Royal really sucks ... I saw Dr McSmellyOne - god he stunk - talk about BO - yuck!! If you saw the same consultant as me - small weedy character, he took me off clomid after I'd been on it two months - I ovulate myself so shouldn't have been on it anyway, but he is a bit of a gobshite!!

The staff in Origin are fantastic - nothing is ever too much hassle. They are really nice, understanding, and easy to get hold of. They have an emergency out of hours mobile number that is answered by one of the nursing staff for when you're going through treatment. And get this, they have tea and coffee in the waiting room - which is great at any time other than when you're going for egg collection and aren't allowed to eat or drink anything...

Origin is about £1000 more per cycle than the self-funded cycles at the Royal - and my honest opinion is that it is money well spent ...

 

[Steph63]

The Royal really sucks ... I saw Dr McSmellyOne - god he stunk - talk about BO - yuck!! If you saw the same consultant as me - small weedy character

sounds like you are describing my consultant to a t!! I really don't understand why these people choose the roles they are in when they lack even the most basic of inter-personal skills!

Have you seen the most recent HFEA report on the RFU? Quite damning, doesn't exactly inspire you with confidence, but then again I can't say I was surprised. Although I should say, the Registrar I see every month is excellent, very helpful and friendly, and also quite sexy (god, is it really wrong to have a crush on you FS?!? )

Origin would be so handy for us if we get to the stage of IVF, we are literally just off the Belmont Rd, but I think that would be a good while in the future, I have a good bit of weight to loose and some saving to do!

How's your down-regging going? (if that's even what it's called, hard to remember all the right lingo sometimes!)

Steph x

 

[maz]

Down regging going well so far. Can't believe I've been doing it for two weeks now - how time flies when doing IVF - except the TWW of course - which drags even more after IVF. Origin is definitely the way to go in NI. If we're unsuccessful this time, I've told DH I'd rather not go to the Royal, so fingers crossed, we can scrounge the money from somewhere. DH has already down graded his car to pay for this cycle - I can't do the same cos mine's a company car - not sur the lease agency would appreciate me running off with the proceeds of their assets!!

I haven't read the HFEA for the Royal - must go have a look later. It's Friday, so it's homemade night, so after I've done that and got DH to load the dishwasher, I'll have a nosey for it. Is it just on the HFEA website?

I think you mentioned earlier that you have approx a 9 month wait for your review appointment - is that right or am I thinking of someone else? If I am right, and you want to speed things up a bit, I can give you a telephone number to pay for your review privately. It will get you 8 - 9 months higher up the list anyway...

 

[Steph63]

I haven't read the HFEA for the Royal - must go have a look later. It's Friday, so it's homemade night, so after I've done that and got DH to load the dishwasher, I'll have a nosey for it. Is it just on the HFEA website?

I think you mentioned earlier that you have approx a 9 month wait for your review appointment - is that right or am I thinking of someone else? If I am right, and you want to speed things up a bit, I can give you a telephone number to pay for your review privately. It will get you 8 - 9 months higher up the list anyway...

Yeah the report is on the HFEA website, think you search for a clinic, then it gives you the option to open it. Can't really remember how I stumbled across it, if you have any probs finding it let me know & I can email it to you.

You are right about the wait time for the review apt, but I'm going to wait & finish the course of tamoxifen before I make a private apt. I have the number somewhere, but thanks. Am I right in thinking its about £180 and its at the Ulster Independent Clinic?

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Steph

 

[maz]

My review was done at a clinic on the corner of Cranmore Park and Lisburn Road. It was £120 - but that was back in June 2008. I think Mrs R went to hers somewhere in the Stranmillis area - not sure where though.

I had a nosey on the HFEA website yesterday but couldn't really find any reports. I did come across the success rate info (which I'd seen before) but it's well out of date - surely to goodness they could have their 2007 figures there now. It's not like their are some pregnancies that are still ongoing from 2007 treatments ...

Weekend not going too bad - except for my lovely DH deciding to share his sore throat and cold with me - git!!! Went to Chili's for tea last night with a couple that are waiting for NHS IVF - I don't think they've had their review appointment yet. They don't know we are going through our 2nd IVF cycle - I haven't told them anything. So it's quite funny listening to her waffling on about how everything works (or so she thinks). Oh what a shock she is in for ...!!! I think when we announce our pregnancy, I'll tell her it was through IVF - heehee - or maybe that's just a bit mean.

 

[Steph63]

I think each of the consultants have their own private consulting rooms & prices, just typical mines more expensive.....


Here's the link to the HFEA report:-

https://www.hfea.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/hfea/hs.xsl/825.html#The_Regional_Fertility_Centre_Belfast_0077

Hope you are feeling better, must run, should really be getting ready for work!

Steph

 

[Mrs R]

hi girls, acidentally posted twice so Im just changing this so as I don't look like like a donkey

 

[Mrs R]

Hi Steph, sorry for only getting back to u. I'm so unorganised lol

BTW, who's the sexy consultant?? I've only seen really old men! (Both looking up my ho-ha I mite add so probably best if I don't see the sexy one lol)

I'm also very not impressed having to walk past the pregnant smoking women on the way into the RFC. How insensitive! I always dread that bit

I have also been made cry my eyes out by a consultant who didn't bother to explain anything to me the last time I went for a scan. For doctors they're not so good with the bedside manner

My journey is a little different to yours..... after practically begging my GP to refer me to a specialist due to only having AF once every 4- 5months, I was finally referred last July.

I got an appointment for November on RFC where they did a load of blood tests and sent me on my merry way. At first I was told my review app. would be 6 weeks later. After 6 weeks and no further appointments, I rang RFC only to be told the waiting list for a review app. was actually 6 months!!

I thought I had heard her wrong so phoned back a few days later only to be told that the waiting list was now 7-8 months. And now ur being told it 9 months!! How ridiculous - u could grow a whole frigging baby by then!

So I wasn't going to wait 8 months anyway, and with Maz's help I was able to get in touch with my consultant and book a private review at the Ulster Independant Clinic in January. At this I was diagnosed with PCOS (like I didn't already guess that 10 years ago!!) It cost me £190 but £60 of that was for an ultrasound.

My consultant asked my GP to provide clomid. I was scanned on CD10 last month and clomid hadn't worked. So Im now on 100mg for the second cycle and going to be scanned on Sunday morning (CD12). Have booked for Sunday so as I can take DH with me so as they don't just brush me off as I try to get re-dressed with some degree of dignity. I find it so hard to remember to ask questions when I don't have any trousers on lol

Phew, that was a bit waffley but I think its important us N.I girls stick together as the NHS service for us is abismal! I like ganging up on them.
If I could afford to go private for everything I would, but I would need to win the lotto first!!

P.S Im from South Down

 

[maz]

I like the idea of us NI girlies sticking together... Safety in numbers and all that. I'm considering writing a letter to my MP if I don't get my after this treatment cycle. I'm not going to stress myself over it at the moment, but if we have no luck this time, then I'll get on to my MP about the fact that our beloved NHS is sooooo shite that we have to spend money on private treatments...

 

[Mrs R]

I can't understand why the differents boards have such variation in waiting lists for IVF / ICSI. The difference on the Western and Southern borad is crazy!

 

[maz]

I know - it's crazy. It's probably got something to do with population and social care for after birth or something. I hope when it goes to one massive supertrust it doesn't make the waiting list even worse... A bit like when the Euro came in down south and the shops hiked all the prices up!!! If we had a choice of more than one hospital that would also be a help. Think I'll put that in my letter too - if I need to write it....

 

[Mrs R]

Aww I so hope u don't have to write a letter to ur MP because you'll be too wrapped up in ur BFP to care!

I'm trying very hard not to get too down today as I've been feeling very hormonal since taking my last clomid tabs yesterday. Can definately feel the difference this time. Old lady sweats, can't sleep, bloated, huffy.........the list goes on!!

Stupid NHS

 

[maz]

I agree ... stoopid NHS.

Those lady sweats are something else aren't they???

 

[Mrs R]

Oh yeah, bring on the lady sweats! I was in work last nite and it was about -4 degrees and I was sweating like a pig.

So does this super-duper Trust mean an emalgamation of all the health boards? Surely that would only make waiting lists longer...... just what we need!

 

[maz]

I think the idea with the supertrust is to give patients a choice of which hospital to go to for treatment - but seeing as there is only one hospital in NI that has NHS funding for IVF, we don't really have any choice of where to go for treatment... I would imagine that the waiting times will get longer for the areas which currently have shorter waiting times and shorter for those with longer waiting times. Hopefully, none of us will have to worry about the NHS waiting lists...