Stressed at long wait for appointment

[lauraebrad]

Hi all, I'm normally a bit of a lurker on here, but am really wound up today and needed to vent. I went to the doctors for day 2 and day 21 blood tests last Sept/Aug, then OH had his tests done in November. We went back to the GP for those results in December, and was told the most likely cause of our problems is me not ovulating. Got referred to the consultant and we had out first appointment yesterday.
Consultant said I have to have a hysteropingogram (sp) before she can prescribe clomid even though that is the most likely outcome ... and she will see me again to talk through the results at the "next available appointment" which is ... wait for it - 16th August!!!! I can't believe it is acceptable to call an appointment 5.5 months from now as next available!!

Anyone else got any experience of this or alternative suggestions for getting a prescription>?

 

[BigFoot1980]

Oh I know how frustrating that is. No suggestion from me sorry. Just wanted to send you a

 

[beauty]

WOW that is a long wait for an appointment if i was you I would contact the people who do the HSG scan every couple of weeks see if they have any cancellations.. I bet they will before August as someone will fall pregnant before there HSG scan someone always does!!

Its the worst part, its wait wait wait.. its just a joke!!
There is no other way i could get the clomid before having that HSG done, my GP wouldnt give it me and i assume this will be the same case for you..

I do think its best to contact them and try to see if you can get some cancellation before August!

Good luck huni, if im honest the NHS are just PANTS!
xxx

 

[caline]

OMG! Thats too long. I am sharing your frustration here. I can understand her wanting to do an HSG before prescribing clomid, but not making you wait that long! Irs better to have the HSG and then take clomid knowing that your tubes are clear and everything is normal with your anatomy.

Mmm, not sure what you can do about this though. It does seem an awful long time to wait. Maybe your area has a long waiting list for the HSG so she is anticipating this in scheduling the appt for August.

Maybe you could look into having HSG privately, although I am not sure if they get done privately.

Good luck

 

[lauraebrad]

Thanks everyone. Guess I just have to be patient and badger the HSG people for a cancellation if poss. Hopefully magic will happen and I'll get a BFP before Aug -but not holding out too much hope! More time to save some money I suppose!

 

[PrayerfulHope]

Good luck hun is there any way you can go somewhere else? I had to wait 4 months before my fertility appointment so i sort of know how you feel

tons and tons of hugs

 

[underthestars]

Lauraebrad I am so frustrated for you!

I am sure they will have a smart answer but do ask the innocent questions about the time they have to see you within. I have fallen out with departments previously that on had free appointments on a wednesday (for example) and will not let me wait until a Tuesday appointment comes free as they have to see me within 12/16/20 weeks. Just check - as I said they will likely have a smart reply but it's worth a try.

I agree with badgering them a lot for a cancellation - I have taken cake in to places previously (a knee MRI on the NHS) when I have wanted an appointment and there was a wait - again worth a try!

 

[FBbaby]

If you are in the UK, complained to the PALS office of the trust, or alternatively to the PALS of your local PCT, this wait is unacceptable.

 

[silarose28]

Hiya

HOW FRUSTRATING!

Is it the HSG or the doctors appointment you are waiting for?

I had to wait months between appointments to see the doctor - but I phoned every week and eventually got a cancellation - that's quite normal in my hospital apparently!

I got really stressed as I am 36 and felt like the clock was ticking. I have eventually booked 2 private appointments to see my doctor - cost £150 each so was pricey but it meant that my treatment was speeded up no end! I really begrudge paying though as I feel treatment should be available for those who need it not those who can afford it!

I'd phone every week to see if there are any cancellations if you can - it is really common.

Good luck!

 

[DragonMummy]

i had EXACTLY the same thing - saw my fs last autumn who diagnosed pcos. then sent away until end of march! and he didn't even give me any medication like metformin for the time being. fortunately my gp took pity on me and prescribed metformin which didn't work but at least when i see the fs now i can go straight to clomid.

my gp reckons its that theyre hoping you might get up the duff in the meantime thus saving nhs money....


did he say why you are not ovulating? because if it is pcos, your gp might be able to give you metformin in the meantime. although i suspect i only got it because i had depression and anti depressants aren't baby friendly so they thought that was the best idea.

the only other thing i could suggest is that you look into soy isoflavins - they apparently work like clomid and are available at most health food shops. opinion is divided as to whether they work though and i haven't researched them properly. but just an idea rather than a recommendation.

 

[mrphyemma]

I'm feeling a bit like you. After having all the blood tests, semen analysis and internal scan done via the gp I finally got a referral to a FS and amazingly got an appointment really quickly within 2 weeks. I then went to the FS appointment hoping for clomid but he had other ideas and now I have to have CD21 and Cd24 progesterone bloods done again and an HSG and go back in.............wait for it...........JUNE!
FFS when I had bloods and 1st attempt at HSG last cycle the results were back in with my gp within a week so why oh why is it taking 3 months for me to see the FS again.

It is VERY frustrating and I think I have next to no chance of conceiving before then

 

[DragonMummy]

maybe that's just standard practice then. i guess there's a lot of women who lie about how long they have been ttc - I know there was a woman in ttc who went to her gp for a fs referral after 1 cycle which bloody infuriated me (she got pregnant cycle 2 ffs!) so I guess theyre weeding out the frauds - they'll probably be pregnant by the time their appointment comes round! Doesn't mean I am climbing the walls any less....

 

[Blue12]

Totally agree - climbing walls through all the waiting... and Dragonmummy is right there are so many people who lie about how long they have been ttc that get help it is very upsetting!

 

[Aphrodite]

I feel for u hun...

My initial appointment was in September, and I needed a follow up after all my tests..for 29th March! Well like the girls said, I wasn't prepared to wait that long so I badgered them for a cancellation..eventually got one for the fourth of Jan, and was seen by the fertility clinic by 26th of the same month. Now, I will actually be down regulating on the IVF drugs by 29th March! I'm confident you'll get one hun-even if its only 2 months before the original appointment-book it in, then keep ringing and keep moving it forward. Thats what I did. Good luck hunni!!

 

[- Butterfly -]

It is incredibly frustrating. I think the only thing to do is to check on a very regular basis whether they've had a cancellation. Everything about TTC or IVF is about WAITING!! AAGGHHHHH

Although we had our fs appointment early March and will be proceeding with IVF/ICSI we've been told this will not happen until June/July. We were told that this is due to the waiting list.

Terrible cos all I do is wish my life away . . . .

 

[Blooming]

i absolutely understand your feeling about this waiting time. It is just so frustrating cos it leaves u in a limbo as you can't do anything to treat yourself even if you want to. This waiting time applies for everything - tests, results IVF waitlist and it really doesn't help when we are anxious and our biological clock is ticking.

While you are waiting, it may be helpful for you to read up on holistic fertility treatment such as traditional chinese medicine. I know there is a TCM thread in this forum that you may want to check out. I haven't read the book recommended in that thread, but I know personally that TCM has proven to be very effective in aiding fertility. It talks about the type of food to eat to build up your body system and acupuncture etc which improves the body and prepares it for when trying to conceive.

Hope this helps. If you need more information, feel free to drop me a line.

 

[BritAcrossSea]

If you are in the UK, complained to the PALS office of the trust, or alternatively to the PALS of your local PCT, this wait is unacceptable.

This is exactly what I done when I wanted a prescription for progesterone. They were taking far too long to get a letter to my drs who would then prescribe but once I contacted pals, the letter got to them that same day! I know it's not the same as waiting for an appt but maybe worth a try to hopefully get things moving.

Hope you don't have to wait too long.

 

[2016]

That's insane!!!

And to think good old NHS gave my friend with PCOS clomid for 7 cycles and only THEN decided to check her tubes for blockage!!! Morons!

Hope you get an appointment soon