# 1st Appointment At RFC



## Guest (Feb 8, 2008)

Good Morning girls, hope everyone is well today. 
We have our first appointment at RFC clinic on tues and I just wanted some advice on what to expect.
I have recently had surgery for endometriosis and had a dye test, tubes are all clear, i've also had my bloods done to check for ovulation,which was fine, my hubbie has had his s/a done at origin and it was normal. Would these be the tests that we would normally be sent for at our 1st appt? Whats happens next?? Sorry for all the questions but I think reality has hit me and i'm starting to get really nervous now.

Think I might jump on the bandwagon and have a cuppa tea and a creme egg now, yum yum.

Bumble Bee


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## janners1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Hi Bumble Bee!!

I haven't been to RFC, but my own experience is that after you have all the tests and get the results back you then sit down with your consultant and discuss what treatment methods you are gonna go with. I imagine the doctor you will see will suggest what the next step is for you. You might have to have an internal scan, I only say this because I had to have one done and I notice you didn't mention having one.

I get nervous before all my appointments too!!!!! Cuppa tea and a creme egg is the best medicine!!!!

Good luck, KUP over on the NI girls boards!

x


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## Trishy (Jan 25, 2008)

Good luck Bumble Bee.  It will be fine.  

Are you going private or NHS?  

If it's NHS you may find this is an appointment with the consultant just to meet him/her and to sign various consent forms eg what will happen to the eggs if something were to happen to your DH etc etc and he will explain what treatment you need.  I was then taken for a blood test to check I ovulate.  That was all and then we had to wait until they were ready to start treatment a while further down the line.  Hopefully you are further on than this but if not I don't want you getting too worked up.  What annoyed me the most is thinking each time you go for an appointment that this is the start of treatment and yet it is maybe just another blood test etc.  But you may not need to wait any further as you have had all the tests already.

Our next appointment was just to take blood tests for Hepatitis and Aids etc for both of us as they do not have the facilities for patients who test positive but they find you alternative facilities instead.  Highly unlikely so you will be fine.  That was all that happened to us that day and then the next stage was to call them the first day of my period and another appointment was made with the nurse to talk us through the medication.  This day you will be asked to collect your drugs first at the Pharmacy department (and pay for them if private) and take them along with you to see the nurse who will spend about an hour talking you through them.  Nothing to worry about but a lot to remember at once.

I did not have one scan until half way through medication to check if the ovaries were stimulating well.  Surprising but that's the way it is.  So don't worry that you might be scanned when you go this time, you won't.

I hope this helps.  If you tell me what stage of the waiting list you are at and if you have had any appointments at all I can give you more details regarding what to expect at each stage.

Hope this helps


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks for the advice girls, we are going NHS at the min and then depending on the waiting list will then poss go private. I've been looking at Sims in Dublin, it's far cheaper than Origin. My gynae who looks after my endometriosis has been great and did my tests privatley through my health insurance, including the internal scan ( covered by treatment of endometriosis). He has suggested we start of with IUI, any idea how long the NHS waiting list is?....you may have picked up that i'm not a very patient person, not good at waiting for things  .
We were only refered at the end of Nov 07 so i'm amazed that our appointment has come through so quickly. We're seeing Dr McFaul, anybody else seeing him? whats he like?

Bumble Bee


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## tedette (Jul 13, 2007)

hi bumble Bee,

We are seeing Dr McFaul too privately.  hoping to start treatment with him in March.  He seems really nice and friendly but that is all I know about him!!

I suppose its a start! 

good luck!

Tedette


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## Trishy (Jan 25, 2008)

Bumble Bee

If you really want to hear how long the NHS waiting list is, I can tell you the time line we have followed but I am only telling you this so you are realistic, not to make you fell annoyed.  Basically patience will be required!

We were first referred in August 2005.  Our fist letter arrived to say we had been added to the waiting list and the waiting time for our first appointment would be 44 weeks.  It also said they would be in touch 6 weeks prior to this appointment to set the date and time.

Due to a few set backs (including our doctor falling off his motorbike and delaying things for 7 weeks!) we finally got our first appointment in July 2006 to confirm treatment required (ISCI) and to get a blood test to confirm I am ovulating.

Our next appointment was in November 2006 to confirm we wanted to proceed and to sign various bits of paperwork.  I had therefore assumed that would be us started on our treatment but he said it will be at least another year until we were starting the NHS appointment.

So basically we are still waiting for the NHS appointment.  The last time I phoned they said it was due around August 2008 (3 years wait in total) but that is still not confirmed until 6 weeks prior to the start date.

BE WARNED - If you decide to go private through the RVH like we did, we had to wait a full 12 months for this.  We were added to the private waiting list last January and are only going through treatment now.  We had initially been advised 9 months but expect it to take up to 12 months.

Bumble Bee - I am so sorry to bring you all this bad news.  If you want my advice I would go through origin who I think only make you wait around 5 weeks until you start treatment.  They are an extra £1000 or so but if you don't want to wait forever and can afford it then I would go with them.  I will certainly go through Origin next time.

I feel really bad now!


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## Guest (Feb 10, 2008)

Please please don't feel bad, this is exactally the info I wanted. At least if I know it's 3 years I can then make a decision.
Thanks for all the info

Bumble Bee


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## janners1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Bumblebee, I'm not sure but I don't think the waiting list for IUI is just as long as the IVF one, so it mightn't be as bad as you think  

Good luck and KUP!!


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## Trishy (Jan 25, 2008)

Yes Bumble Bee your list might well be a lot shorter.  I have been down for ICSI since day  one so don't know about other lists.  I hope yours is shorter and don't want to give you false timings but hopefully 3 years would be worst case scenario.  It's always best to have a free NHS back-up plan even if you do go private as it can be a very expensive journey.

I never wanted to sound negative.


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## bron11 (Jul 16, 2008)

Hi I would go with the other girls advice,  Royal sucks in terms of quality of treatment and info given.  Our inital app was Feb 07, second app  Oct 07, put on waiting list for private nhs dec 07.  Told 3 months for private, it was six.  Still no word on NHS, concerned now I will be kicked off as turn 40 in May 09.  Origin faster but they refused to treat me, after paying fees when FSH level reached 18.  Got told over phone by nurse which was so pleasant!  Thinking of trying Simms in Dublin if we can afford it.  Hope it all goes well for you wherever you go.  Bron


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## Cate1976 (Oct 29, 2007)

Here's what happened DH and I. GP referrd us to Altnagelvin back in October 2005.  First appointment was March 2006, I had dye test done May 2006, DH's SA was done August 2006, found out November 2006 that DH's sperm count was low, Altnagelvin had 5 month wait for test to be done again so consultant referred us to RVH as an urgent case.  Initial appointment at RVH was May 2007, DH's SA was done August 2007.  Review was February this year, was told that waiting list was around 4-7 months for Western Board and they fund 7 cycles a month.  Was hopin gto get letter saying top of list this month but we haven't.  Last time I rang, I was 7 on the list and that was 3 weeks ago.  Was 11 back in May after letters for June had been sent out.  Hoping to get my letter next month and start IVF in September.  If not then should get letter following month.  RFC had better not mess me about, I know someone who has a PHD in Medical Ethics.


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