# First Steps



## cazinge (Apr 11, 2008)

How did everyone go about starting ttc, we're planning on going 2GP for a refferal next month but do we have to do it like this? can we contact clinic(s) directly?  Also, when we go 2 GP what do we say, literally "we want a refferal for fertility treatment & for u to do all out bloods on the nhs please"   

Also, am slightly worried GP won't refer us because I'm too young or DW's too old or because we're gay or something!   We live in such a small town and "know" everyone I can say with 99% certainty that we will be the 1st lesbians to go to our (all-male) GP practice for a refferal for ttc - so not quite sure how well it will go down   
(although do know a single friend who went for a refferal & got a nhs refferal - 1 fully funded diui/divf depending on which treatment ther clinic deemed "most appropriate"  )

Sorry if am asking stupid questions   am just v worried about something going wrong & it not happening 4 us  

Caz


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## rosypie (Feb 1, 2007)

depends on the clinic whether they take self-referrals. if you contact your chosen clinic directly they'll be able to tell you. we just contacted all the ones we were interested in to see how they worked. i'm pretty sure if you want funding though it will need to be through your gp.

that's all i know. our pct doesn't do fertility funding so we never had that to consider. good luck!


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## cazinge (Apr 11, 2008)

Thanks, Ros btw your pic of Jude & Bruno is gorgeous!!!

I think we will just go to GP & see what he says, I doubt we'll get funding (although how they'll justify this when they fund single women I don't know) but I hope we'll be able to get all our bloods etc done on the NHS without too much hassle.

Guess I'm just a worrier really! 

x x x


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

ooh where do they fund single women, as all the single women on the FF thread have had to self fund and hence many go abroad for cheaper treatment.  I personally have spent over £50K so far on TTC and am single and have a known donor.

Best of Luck


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## kelz2009 (Jan 18, 2009)

Hello Caz me and my dp went to our gp and was able to be ref to lwc but it was very long waiting list, so me and my dp then decided to go to lwc last aug and have some tests done to put me at ease and for  me to know it can happen to us. 
we told the london womens clinic in swansea that we will come back in 2009 when we have saved the money 4 the treatment we needed.
we are now waiting for appt for blood tests then hopefully all sytems go. 
me and my dp are 23 and 36 this shouldnt be a problem with treatment.
hope you all the best in your treatment and try not to worry it will happen to you but you have to be patient which i have a problem with as. I want everything done like yeserday as my dp says....


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## Misspie (Feb 1, 2009)

Hi Caz, 

We are just starting our journey....we are looking at using a clinic in Denmark for our insemination to start with. We have our phone consultation with them tomorrow.
There are far more open choices and detailed back ground on the donors available, Including baby photos, medical history on parents/grandparents/siblings and aunts and uncles, plus a personality test, and a voice interview!

Which we feel might be nice to be able to show the children (hoping for sibling with DW in time) when they get to the age of questions and its needed to be explained to at the right time!!!

I'm 29 and DW is 27, so we hoping we won't have any problems, but who knows, you just have to stay positive! We live in a small village in Oxfordshire, though have a really nice practise and the GP who agreed to the tests and Nurse who took them certainly understand (Well at the moment anyway)

We spoke to our GP and told them of our plans, we haven't asked yet to be refered/funded if possible to a UK clinic, as feel that it would be good to try on our own accord and then if required to go back to our GP and explain our situation in more detail, with failed attempts etc

Though they have performed all of the blood tests and I have to go back for the scrape/smear and STI tests next week (which reminds me I must phone and book today).

So at least we are getting something back from our NI contributions to start and saves paying a clinic for them all!!! ;o)

I can certainly try and advise you of our experiences so far, but if your polite, honest and even mention you would pay for the results or unusual tests if required, they seem to be willing to help and so far no cost to us!

Lorna
xxx


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## cazinge (Apr 11, 2008)

I live in Gwynedd although in Wales we don't have PCTs its all done centrally thru the Welsh Heath Board (think that's what its called) and it all depends how ur GP interprets the guidelines set out by them.

From what my friend said, she searched online for a copy of the guidelines (I think u can find them on the National Assembly Website www.wales.gov.uk) and went thru to make sure there was no guidelines, etc that specifically *excluded* single women from treatment (eg having known fertility prob, etc) then went to the GP armed with this info (fully expecting to have 2pay for her treatment or at the v least her sperm) and got an NHS refferal. Unfortunately she has since been told not to have treatment on the grounds of a pre-existing heart condition & it is believed that pregnancy/birth could put too much strain on her heart & could *kill her!*

Hope this helps any single women who might be trying to challenge their PCT or whatever, Caz x

/links


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