# I'm new 2!! Anyone currently going to ISIS in Colchester?



## Angel129 (Oct 28, 2005)

I am all new to this infertility rollercoaster and still in shock   about the fact that my dh and I are going to need ICSI in order to have any chance of having a baby.  I am 30, my dh 40.  I have a 9 year old son from a previous marriage who is the light of our lives.  We (all of us, including our boy) are desperate to have a baby but do to my husband's extremely low   count we have gone to ISIS in Colchester and are due to have our first consultation with the doctor on December 2nd.  Does anyone have experience with ISIS and what did you think of the doctors and nurses?

I'm a bundle of nerves and so confused and scared.  I don't know what to expect or the right questions to ask.  I'm worried they are going to turn us away because I am overweight and have type 2 diabetes.  I am very well regulated and was just as overweight when I conceived (very easily) with my son.  We have seen the nurse and she has taken our medical history and told me to start taking folic acid.  I see this as a positive because she wouldn't have told me to start taking the folic acid if they were going to tell me to loose tons of weight before beginning treatment, right?  

I am so grateful to have found this sight and read the many positive things that everyone has posted.  

If anyone is at a similar stage in treatment or has been through ICSI and could help to ease my mind by explaining the process and what will happen, I would be so appreciative!!

Many   and   to all.  

Angel129


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## nicky30 (Sep 23, 2003)

Hi Angel

Welcome to FF.

I am from Essex and have never heard a bad thing about ISIS. Why don't you do a search using the search option at the top of the page and you will find lots of info on ISIS. I went there for a look around and met Terry the embryologist and one of the nurses. They were very nice. Dr Lower is very well respected in the infertility field.

We picked Hollyhouse in Buckhurst Hill in the end but not because we didn't like ISIS - it was just personal preference.

Check out the ICSI board too and you will make lots of friends who can reassure you and will understand what you are going through.

Good luck to you  

Nicky x


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## choccycake (Oct 24, 2005)

Hi, iv'e just read your message and just thought i'd say hello. I (and hubby) will be hopefully starting ivf at Isis, we have an appointment to see Mr Lower on 2nd Dec too! (spooky!!)
We have had first consultation with nurses and are having all the blood tests &hfea welfare of child forms done at the moment. If all that goes ok hopefully we will be starting ivf soon. I'm really nervous about it all though as we haven't done this before.
Good Luck
Choccycake.x


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## Angel129 (Oct 28, 2005)

Hi choccycake!!

Thank you for your reply.  That is strange that we are seeing the doctor on the same day!  I think he works out of several different locations including London, which would make him very busy, and hopefully very good.  Perhaps we can share notes on our experiences at ISIS and support eachother through this!  

My husband and I are going to see our GP this Friday to see if she might possibly do the HIV and Hepatitis blood tests on the NHS although we aren't hopefull about that, but if we can save £200 it's worth a try.  I just had the hormone and rubella blood tests done last week.  I wonder if they will call me with the results or if the doctor will go over them when he sees us on the 2nd?!    What are the child welfare forms that you have done?  We didn't have to do that, just answered questions about whether or not we had ever been in for psychiatric treatment, etc..

Take care and hope to hear from you soon 

Angel129


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## choccycake (Oct 24, 2005)

Hi Angel,
Just read your message, iv'e just got back from hospital as have just had blood taken for HIV, Hep b+c, rubella etc.  Have to have the hormone tests too, saw GP with hubby yesterday, hubby asked if we could get the tests done at the clinic, GP said we could and filled out all the forms for hubby and me to have all the tests done - I was really surprised as had previously been told by the receptionist at the docs that they wouldn't do it!! (maybe the doctor didn't want to say no as we were sitting in front of him!).
HFEA form is the Welfare of the Child forms - they are sent to your GP's they then reply and have to say if they think you are suitable for treatment or if there should be anything taken into account.  I had depression in past so was worried they would think I was unsuitable, GP thinks it will be fine, but he will have to mention it to ISIS any way, hope the ISIS people don't think i'm a nutcase or anything!  I'm hoping all our results will be back before 2nd Dec so they can see them....will have to see.  Keep your fingers crossed we get accepted.
Take care
ChoccycakeX


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## Angel129 (Oct 28, 2005)

Hi Choccycake- 

My husband and I are going to our GP on Friday to have the bloodtests Hiv and Hep b+c done on the NHS.  I already had the hormone tests done at ISIS last week as it was the 2nd day of my period and it was convenient.  I didn't think I would get into my GP to have the hormone tests done unless I waited for another cycle.  I too hope that all the tests and paperwork are back into the doctor by the 2nd of Dec. so that maybe we can get started early in the New Year.    

I think our GP has probably received the child welfare forms but I just didn't realize what exactly they were going to be asking of our GP, besides our medical history.  We signed that pamphlet that one of us signed and then we switched and the other of us signed.  That was probably the permission they need to ask the GP about how fit you are to have a baby.  Which is really annoying me at the moment,  because people who can get pregnant naturally don't have to be deemed worthy by anyone, why should we?

'Talk' with you soon 

Angel129


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## ERM (Nov 2, 2005)

I just had surgery done by mr lower although I am at ARGC for IVF he is v nice. Best!


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## Abbi2 (May 20, 2004)

Hi

I have had all of my treatment to date at ISIS.  The team there are excellent, we have always been made to feel as if we are the most important couple; whenever we have had a consultation, there has never been any time pressure; whenever we have had scans eveything has been explained; whenever i have had silly worries i have never been made to feel as if i have been a time waster....so all in all i think that they have been excellent.

I have had ec performed by Mr Lower and the Irish lady, and i have had et done by amanda towzer and arrianna D'angelo.  

I am currently having further investigations to see if there is an implantation failure issue (or whether it is just bad luck!) - but i was reassure to know that they were not willing to just continue taking money from us to try try and try again - they want the best possible result too!

If you are still unsure of what questions to ask, perhaps it would be worth getting a copy of the **** guide to infertility... it give you lots of ideas as to what to ask.

Hope all goes well for you

Abbi xxx


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## Angel129 (Oct 28, 2005)

Hi Abby-  

Thank you for your input!!  I am going to go and have the first fertility consult with Dr Lower on 11.11.  Can you tell me if he will be doing an ultrasound on me at that time?  I was reading the procedures page on the ISIS website and it said that the woman has an ultrasound and then all results are discussed.

I will try and get ahold of the HFEA booklet.  Do you know where I can get one?  Perhaps I'll try the website...

Do you happen to know what the policy is at ISIS about a woman's weight?  I am a diabetic and somewhat overweight and worried that they will turn us away because of this. 

Thanks for your help and  with your treatment.

Angel129


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## reikilisa (Jun 14, 2005)

Hi girls

Hope you don't mind me joining in,  I had my first ivf at Isis(unfortunately it wasn't successful) but they are all lovely there,  I was treated by Doctor Adrianna but now have my follow up appointment on the 18th November to try again i will be under Doctor Lower so am pleased to read this thread and hear such good things about him.
On my first appointment there the doctor went through what was involved and then the nurse showed us how to use the injection pens and we had to sign all the forms so nothing major done until i started taking the drugs.

Good luck to all you girls who are starting treatment soon. I hope we all have successes as Isis.
Lisa xxx


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## Angel129 (Oct 28, 2005)

Hey Lisa- 

Thanks for your reply.  I'm really surprised that they started you right away at the first appointment.  It makes me even more excited than I already was .  I can't believe that we may be starting this time next week!!  

I am so glad to hear all the positive things about ISIS.  I can honestly say at this point I have not heard one negative comment about ISIS or Dr Lower.  Can you tell me if you are going private or NHS?

I'm sorry  your first ivf wasn't successful.  If you want to talk, I am more than willing to listen  

 with your next treatment.  Hope to hear from you again soon.

Until then   
Angie


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## reikilisa (Jun 14, 2005)

Hi Angie

Sorry its taken me a while to reply, had hubby off with the flu (thats a cold to us females but you know what there like!!!)  
My 1st ivf was nhs and i was really lucky as it came in that you could get one free on the nhs and i only had too wait about 6 months and in the meantime they tried me on iui at Colchester General.  This next one though i will have to pay for.  It was really hard because i got grade 1 embroy's and they were so positive about that i thought this has GOT to work but i wasnt lucky that time - Hopefully next time.  

Good luck for your appointment on the 11th - Let us know how you get on.  Mines on the 18th so we might be starting around the same time. That would be nice to have someone to talk to about it all.  Its so hard for people that have not been through this to understand and all my friends/family have never had trouble getting pregnant.

Well better stop waffling.
Good luck  and let me know how you get on.
love lisa xxxx


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## Abbi2 (May 20, 2004)

Hello Ladies

Angel 129 - huge apologies for not getting back to you sooner - life has been a bit hectic!

In answer to your questions, firstly, yes i did have an internal ultrasound scan on my first appointment with Dr Lower.  I was asked if it would be ok, so went ahead with it there and then in the hope it would move things along.... guess if i had said no then they would have made an appointment for it to happen on anouther date.  I am not sure exactly what the were looking for, but i would guess that it was to check for ENDO and Hydrosalphix and make sure evertything was doing what it was supposed to.  The nurses and consultants at ISIS have always been very good at explianing what it is they are looking at on the scans and showing you where everything is...we even got pictures of my folicles on our full IVFs (if you are having IVF you will get used to scans, you have to have quite a few!!!)  The scan is not painful and i was alway allowed to have DH in the room with me.

Secondly ****, the book can be ordered FREE from their website: www.hfea.gov.uk or you can phone and order it on 020 7291 8200.

Hope this helps!!!

I wish both Angel and Reikilisa all the very best of luck with your cycles  - and if you have any more questions, or just wanna chat please feel free to contact me

Love Abbi xxx


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