# What to Expect - Appointment with Fertility Specialist, Gynaecology



## EMJ88 (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi everyone,

Apologies if this has already been asked a million times before, but I genuinely don't know what to expect. Anyway, here's a little bit about my journey:

Been TTC since Jan 2012, went to GP after 9 months and told to come back after 2 years. Went back after 2 years and had CD21 bloods done (all normal) and OH had SA. SA came back as 0% morphology and repeated test had 1% (all other parameters ok). I was then referred to a fertility specialist and OH to a Urologist.

We've had the appointment with the urologist who confirmed that ICSI would be best option and should get referred once "my tests" have been done.

I have waited over 6 months for my appointment and finally got somewhere yesterday (ended up complaining) and have an appointment in mid-Oct.

My main question is what to expect. Will I get the tests needed for the IVF referral quite quickly, or are there a few "discussion" appointments to begin with? My main concern is to get the IVF referral in as soon as possible as there's likely to be another huge waiting list for that.

I live in North Wales if that makes any difference to how things work.

Thanks everyone


----------



## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

They'll go through the results with you, explain what the next stages would be, I had my nhs care 'up north' in Newcastle.  Because my hubby had a zero sperm count, we were advised that the clinic would NOT do any surgical sperm extraction (despite getting pregnant once naturally) - we were offered counselling, and basically got told where we were on their waiting list (I think at that time were were high up)...and possible timescales for next appointments etc.

Feel free to take a list of questions with you - now is the time to ask anything that's troubling you or you're not sure about - you may get a little bamboozled with information...and we're here to support you too.

Best wishes
Sheila


----------



## EMJ88 (Jan 27, 2014)

Thanks so much for your replies!

Great suggestion, Sheila, with regards to writing down some questions and taking them with us - will be doing that for sure!

lou4891 - thanks for sharing your experience! From your signature it looks like you've been waiting a long time for referrals so it's good that they're moving quite quickly with your scan. Best of luck to you  x

Did anyone have to produce a urine sample to take to their appointment? I've had my letter and it asks me to take a sample with me. Any idea(s) on what they'd be testing for? I'm just happy and excited that they might actually be testing something pretty much straight away, which is a little sad of me, but it's been quite a long journey.


----------



## louise48910 (Jun 28, 2014)

Hi EMJ88, sorry I didn't see your reply. 
I didn't have to produce a urine sample at any point. It's strange, different clinics seem to do different things! How are you getting on? Hope you're doing OK. I know what you mean, just being told I need a scan and then after the scan being asked to do another blood test made me feel like things were moving.


----------



## EMJ88 (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi Louise,

Thanks for the reply.

It is strange that different clinics ask for different things. The stranger thing is is that once I was there, the specialist didn't even ask for it! I completely forgot about it in my nervousness too. I'm guessing it is/was for STI testing, but I've been tested before (basically had quite a few urine infections, so it's standard test for that apparently) and she seemed happy with that.

In terms of things moving along, I got a blood test done during the appointment (hormone profile - results came back ok a few days later), ultrasound to check womb and ovaries (all normal), partner had another SA (similar results to previous - low morphology), and am currently waiting for CD1 to book HSG.

This will be the second cycle that I'll be trying to book a HSG, typically CD1 was a Saturday last time so couldn't phone until Monday and then they couldn't fit me in. The woman on the phone was very rude and said that it can take six months to actually fit some people in. That resulted in some tears, so I e-mailed our fertility specialist and asked if she knew of anyone private. She said it shouldn't take six months at all, but gave me a name of someone who could do it privately. The option's there next CD1 if NHS can't fit me in again!

Anyway, how are things with you? Are things moving along?


----------



## Ames xxx (Nov 24, 2014)

Hi all. I am from Newcastle and was quite lucky as things moved quite quickly for me. I went to the doctors after trying for a year and had the bloods to make sure I was ovulating. All fine. I then was told to come back after TTC for 2 years which I did. GP then referred me to fertility clinic where they took bloods and organised the lap and dye ( I think that's what it's called) to check my tubes and my DH had seman tests. I had internal ultrasound at the clinic and then had the dye test around 2 months later. From that my DH had a further semen test and we had an appointment to go through all the results. All is fine and we are deemed "unexplained infertility" and referred for ivf.

We had another 2 appointments to go through the ivf process and sign consent forms and test for HIV, hepatitis then I was literally given my schedule on that day. We had 6 weeks until I started so we went on holiday and tried to prepare ourselves.

It's such a shame this " postcode lottery" exists. It should be the same across the country but I have to say I have been very lucky in my area that everything seemed to spiral so quickly.  

I hope you don't have to wait long to get started and wish you all the luck in the world. If you have any questions about the process please feel free to ask. I know everyone is different but sometimes it will put your mind at rest to just ask somebody who has gone through it.

 to you all xxx


----------



## louise48910 (Jun 28, 2014)

What a pain, 6 months is ridiculous. Hope you get your appt but if not that's fab that your Doc has suggested somewhere else to get things moving. Glad your other results so far have come back with good results. We're still waiting for our appt for the results of my partner's chromosome testing, just less than 3 weeks to go now. Excited but nervous. So many things going through my head (not all the time, I'm fairly 'together' considering), just the different possible outcomes which will give us an idea of our chances. Everything else they've checked with me is fine so that's a good start! Just waiting now!


----------



## EMJ88 (Jan 27, 2014)

Ames - the "postcode" lottery is such a shame. Wonderful to hear that things are moving quite quickly for you - this journey is difficult, so it's reassuring to hear that some areas have shorter waiting lists and less "faffing around". Best of luck with your IVF and the rest of your journey  x

Louise - I got my HSG appointment confirmed today - 22nd December. Stupidly happy and over the moon, haha! This entire process is making me absolutely crazy to the point that I cried with happiness when she said that they could fit me in! Hope the three weeks go quickly for you (it's Christmas so that usually helps time "move along"). It's crazy the amount that we deal with so can see what you mean with "together considering". Hope the appointment moves things forward for you  x


----------



## louise48910 (Jun 28, 2014)

Yay fab news! I know what you mean, I was excited when I was asked to have another blood test. Time is definitely going quickly. It's now two weeks today. I actually started feeling really anxious today driving back to the office after a meeting. I can't imagine what it'll be like at the appointment. I'm completely dreading non obstructive so much I think I'll cry if they tell us that. Sometimes I think 'things are moving on' which they are but at the same time it's still a potentially long journey having read some of the 'signature' things of people with this problem. They may have had success but it's taken so long. My partner is all take it step by step so I've not told him how I'm feeling but the reality is that it could take years. Urgh, not a good day. Work stressful too and I think my weird mid cycle hormones are possibly at play. Sorry to sound so negative, I'm usually fairly ok.


----------

