# Fertility Clinic waiting.....



## SookieScott (Feb 28, 2013)

Hi everyone - I am new to this site so firstly let me just say a big hello to everyone x

Basically, my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for over three years now. Long story short - my husband has been tested and has a VERY low sperm count with slow mobility.  He has been referred to the hospital who have done scans for him and he has another appointment in July (which seems like ages away).

My doctor has taken my bloods and swabs but that is all so far.  I am really frustrated as she says she has sent off the bloods to the fertility clinic but that was over 7 weeks ago and I still haven't heard a thing from them.

Is this normal?  I appreciate that I wouldn't get an actual appointment with them straight away but not even to receive a letter is really making me worry.

I called my doctor again last week to chase it all up but she didn't really seem like she thought it was a problem.  I guess to her it isn't but to me its everything.

I thought by now I would have had all the tests (laporoscopy, tubes etc).

What should I do?  I am too scared to call her up again which sounds ridiculous I know.  Should I make a physical appointment and speak to someone else?

My husbands doctor seems much more accommodating towards him.  Obviously we know there is a problem with my husband (the sperm) but we don't know for sure that there isn't a problem with me as it seems to be taking forever to get anything done.

I am so stressed out at the moment its affecting me badly.

Sorry to rant so much especially as I am a newbie xxxxxxxxxx


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## NicL (Nov 11, 2011)

hi there and welcome to ff! sorry you fine yourself here but you are among friends and well get heaps of support. 

i think all of up can empathise with your situation. Everything seems to take am age in the sun up to treatment. once you start it flies by! its sad but doctors as in gps often don't take it seriously or don't know enough about infertility.

We are like you with male factor - once that was diagnosed they did nothing on me it was just a straight referral to fertility treatment. I had an ultra sound but nothing more. have never had anything more detailed. 

Please try not to worry - easier said than done i know! but do keep pestering them to keep it moving. It is a very stressful situation - i was the same - but try to do some nice things which will relax you. Infertility takes over your life so make sure to take some time out and look after yourself. 

The thing that helped me was looking at what we could be doing ourselves - what vitamins etc help. Made of feel like i had a little bit of control. 

good luck x


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## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

SookieScott, welcome hun, if you feel you're not getting anywhere with your own gp.... make an appointment to see your hubbys gp, as sadly, he seems to have an issue.  Your husbands gp may well be able to refer you for fertility treatment on the back of your hubbys results.  As, if you have male factor, you tend to end up going Ivf/icsi route, eitherway going through these treatments would bypass problems such as ovulation etc.

Chances are, if the sooner you've got a referral, the little nearer you are to realising your dream.... your ferility clinic will more than likely repeat every test you've already had anyway....

Sadly, if you're going nhs route, nothing is done quickly.... so be prepared for a wait, funding has been slashed, and in some pct's stopped altogether.... while you're waiting for your appointments at the fertility clinic, use that time effectively, look at your diet and exercise regime, do you need to lose a lb or two... nhs clinics won't consider ladies with a bmi of 28 - 30 (as some clinics differ) - so get your bmi checked.... also get hubby to take Wellman multivitamins to give what he's got a natural boost....

hope this helps a wee bit - but however long you end up waiting - I promise you, it'll be well worth it if lady luck smiles down on you.

Best wishes
Sheila


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## SookieScott (Feb 28, 2013)

Thank you to those who replied to my post and apologies that I haven't responded sooner.  My job prevents me from always being able to reply when I would like too but I do appreciate you answering!

Just wanted to give an update on what I have done since.

I booked an appointment with my husbands GP last week and told him that I felt my doctor hasn't done enough and also asked why I haven't heard from the fertility clinic.  He checked my records and my GP had definitely sent a letter off to them so I am pleased about that it still however begs the question why I haven't heard anything from them! 

Has this happened to anyone else? I just can't believe they haven't even been in touch with me. 
The doctor was helpful enough but even he just said I do have to wait and in the meantime, just keep trying to get pregnant naturally 

With my DH low sperm count this is not going to happen.

I just want the fertility clinic to contact me with an appointment.  If there is something wrong with me as well as DH the sooner it's found out surely the better?

And also, we can't go ahead with ICSI or IVF until I have been tested is this correct?

I know you have all told me not to apologise but I am sorry for always coming on and ranting bit I just don't have anyone else to talk to.

I don't even know where the fertility clinic is or I would ring them direct myself. Does anyone know if this is something my GP would even allow me to do of I asked? 

I can't believe it's been over 14 weeks and I haven't even had a letter from them.

I am so upset xxxxxxx


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## SookieScott (Feb 28, 2013)

Hi everybody,

So last week I finally had an appointment at the fertility clinic (after lots of Google searching for numbers and names and ringing them direct to make an appointment)

However,  my partner and I both attended and as we know at present the problem lies with him and I am currently waiting for my tests to be carried out.

As they are aware of my partners problem (azoospermia), they put us on the waiting list for IVF as of that day.  We are entitled to one free cycle which doesn't seem very much but I understand its a postcode lottery and there is not much I can do about that.  I don't want to sound ungrateful but I was sure it was going to be at least two and now I am already worried about that.

Anyway.  The doctor we saw said that she would recommend freezing some of my partners sperm for future use and she also recommends a private appointment at a specialist hospital to test his sperm one more time but in greater detail.  This she said would cost £300-400 for the freezing and a £100 for the private appointment.

The freezing we will definitely do and the money we will find but the private appointment hardly seems worth it!  We already know his count is low (he had three separate samples taken already on the NHS)  What more can they possibly tell us?

I guess I want to know if this really is worth a shot and if anybody else's partner/husband was told to do this after already being given a prognosis?

What more can a private appointment tell us and do you think we should go?

Thank you all in advance xxx


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