# what to expect from first appt at fertility clinic



## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hello there

I posted a few messages a few months ago when i was just about to get started on my journey - a few months later, i have had blood tests from GP's surgery (he's been brilliant) to check progesterone levels, hormone levels and infections - all came back normal though i freaked out a bit when i found out i had only ovulated twice out of the 3 months i got tested. as i am 34 apparently it's normal my gp said! 

still thanks to my lovely and understanding gp, i'm about to have another test on the nhs (i'm gay and single so will have to pay for everything afterwards) - i'm waiting to have a hsg at the jr 

in the meantime my gp referred me to the fertility clinic at the jr - that was end of feb 09. Got a call on thursday and i have an appointment on 13/05/09 with Dr McVeigh!! i am soooooo chuffed; my heart stopped beating for a split second when i realised they were offering me the appointment and i couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day. i know there's still 2 months to go but since i am still loosing weight to reach bmi 29 and still saving money like mad, i am quite happy with the couple of months wait. 

anyway, sorry to go on like that. i was just wondering if anyone has been treated by Dr McVEigh, how is he etc

Also, what can i expect from the first appointment? Can't believe it costs £175 just for the first appointment but hey i'd better get used to that. 

also, i have looked on the jr's website for the fertility clinic for the cost of treatment - they give a cost for ivf and icsi - now, i hope that as my test results seem ok that i won't need ivf. I was hoping that would only need iui. what is the difference between icsi and iui, or is there not one? 

sorry for the many questions, now that it is all happening, i have more than ever!  

Thank you 

Gini x


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## MandMtb (Mar 6, 2009)

Hi Gini,

Welcome back to the boards   ...and sharing your good news! Congrates on the appointment. It's so exciting! In respect of costings, at the clinic I have been referred to IVF (with donor sperm) is £3250, and IUI (with donor sperm) is £1125, both plus HFEA fees. Hope this helps, obviously all clinics will vary but at least it will give you an idea of the difference.

Take care and hope to hear how it all goes... good luck with the weight loss too.

S x x x


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

hay frenchy - welcome back!  i remember you from a while back.  congrats on the appointment.

ICSI and IVF are more similar that IUI and ICSI ... normally ICSI is for couples where there is an issue with the sperm rather than anything else.  with ICSI they inject the egg with a sperm ... to kind of force the fertilisation (hope i have this right!) ... with ivf they leave the eggs and sperms together to do it themselves.  if there is a prob with the sperm the ICSI gives a helping hand so to speak.  you shouldnt need that with donor sperm because the sperm should be of good quantity and quiality!

aimeex


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hey there

thanks a lot for the replies; that's definitely useful. 

I am however gutted as I have just called the JR to get my appt for my HSG and they are fully booked tomorrow (they only do it on a tuesday) and next tuesday is too far away as i'm on day 4. I should have called on Friday and i didn't - I'm angry with myself and really gutted that they only do it on a tuesday!   . Now i have to wait until next month + they won;t pencil me in around the same time next month. argh!!!! 

My GP told me that they want it to happen at a certain time of the cycle because they don;t want you to risk being pregnant and going through it - i can understand that but i am gay so there is absolutely no risk there!!!! should i tell them? I wrote them a letter and told them i was single so couldn't be pregnant but that's no the same - i could meet someone in the meantime but it's not going to be the case with me!

What is your experience of that? Have you had a HSG? Did you have trouble getting it done quickly? 

Aimee - I remember you got back to me a few months ago. Nice to hear from you and congratulations on the BFP!! Hope it's all going well. 

S - thanks a lot for the reply too; not going to let the bad news about the HSG impact on the diet, thanks for the words of encouragement re the diet. 

Thanks

Gini x


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

frenchy - there was a whole chat a while back on doing hycose or not, i didnt do one thought it was really expensive ....

ill see if i can find the thread.

ax


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## leoaimee (Jun 3, 2008)

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=156893.210

it was in the general chat thread ... for a few pages, see if there is any useful info there for you chick!


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hi Aimee

That's really useful; there's lots to read!!   - thanks a lot for that. 

Gini x


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## nismat (Mar 7, 2005)

Hi Gini, 
Sorry to hear that you have to wait another month for the HSG now, but at least it will still be before your conultation. It's great that your GP has been so supportive and helpful with all the tests etc. 
Try not to expect too much from the first consultation at the JR - it's not that it won't be important, it's just that you'll probably have built it up to be a whole lot more important than the consultant will think it is    You'll almost certainly come out wondering what your £175 bought you   They'll look at your test results, but be prepared for the fact that they may not seem wildly interested in them (often they're really just a check that everything is working "normally"), or go into them in any great detail. What is likely to happen is that they will discuss the merits of natural and medicated IUI (and indeed IVF) and make a recommendation, based on your desires but largely depending on what the standard treatment policy of your particular clinic is. They should also discuss the likely timescales, plus donor sperm availability/costs etc. They may want you to have an internal ultrasound scan before you start treatment (either there and then, or prior to starting treatment) just to check that there isn't anything untoward going on with your reproductive organs, and the scan will almost undoubtedly be an additional cost. You hould come out knowing which treatment plan you will be following, and having a much clearer idea of when you would be able to start, even if you don't have an exact start date.

Hope that helps!


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hi Tamsin

Thanks a lot for your reply - that's really useful. 

I hope that i'll get the hsg done next month - fingers crossed for a cycle of no longer than 29 days!!! 

I spoke to the admin person/recptionist this afternoon - i need to go to france for a few days and didn't know whether there would be further tests or appts after the initial one. I am soon leraning that timing is the issue with everything so i wouldn't want to book a ticket and then regret it. She was lovely and understanding so not very helpful as only the admin person but she kept on referring to ivf as if it's a given that's what i'm going for. Then she assumed that my partner will be here on the day and might have to produce a sample for analysis. I had to tell her i'm on my own at which point there was a bit of a silence and then a "ah" before she continued onto sperm donor. It felt weird and i didn't een tell her i'm gay - god knows what she would have said then (or not said!). Surely they have seen it all from the traditional mum/dad couple to the mum/mum and single mum couple. anyway, it's been a bit of an emotional day; probably just need a good night sleep and to get a grip as well  

you mention an internal ultrasound - what does it check? did you have one done too? 

Thank you so much for the reply and goo luck with the plans for a baby brother or sister to your litlle boy. 

Gini x


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## Twinkie (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi,
My first appointment arrived today!! 18th April at the Esperence in Eastbourne. Very excited but a little aprehensive too now things are finally starting to move! They have booked us in with the counsellor at the same time. Can anybody fill me in on what the meeting with the counsellor is like and what happens please?
Good luck with that 1st appointment Gini.
Hope you're all having relaxing evenings, Sex and the City is being repeated on Sky, perfect!! xx


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hi twinkie

that's brilliant news!!! what a great feeling it is when things seem like they're moving in the right direction. 

can't help about what it's going to be like coz not happened yet for me but actually if you could let me know when you have had it, that would be great! 

are you doing it alone or have you got a partner? what sort of treatment are you or you two thinking you will need/want? 

good luck with everything 

gini x


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## MandMtb (Mar 6, 2009)

Hi Gini, sending you a   I haven't even had all my tests yet and I am anxious about my consultation, seems you are doing things the other way around to me, tests then consultation, whereas Im waiting for consultation then will have tests...hope you get some relaxation time!

Twinkle, Congratulations, thats great news on the consultation appt hun, I cant wait to get mine! 

Nismat, thanks for the advice, it helped me to. I think I have built the consultation into something it might now be..so you have helped me not get my hopes to high.

S x x x


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

Thanks S, that's really nice! 

so you haven't had any blood test or anything done yet? THe tests i have had done already are only blood tests, i'm waiting for a hsg and then god knows what is next! 

i'll definitely need to relax as at the moment it is on my mind all the time and i am finding that it is affecting my concentration levels at work! 

i hope you get an appoitment soon - i find that the worst thing is nothing happening at all! i am rather impatient  

Let me/us know when you have yur appointment and you start your tests. 

gini x


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## MandMtb (Mar 6, 2009)

Hi Gini,

I know what you mean, i'm impatient too, and it is all I think about!

I will certainly let you know when I get an appt through.

But no I have not had any tests yet, went to GP and she said would send a referral to the clinic I chose, then she said they would do tests, and did not offer to do any herself. Have been informed on others here I could go back and request her to do some (on NHS) or have some the tests at a GUM clinic. However going to wait first to ask the clinic exactly what they require. Then I will decide which route to take in respect of the tests.

At least hopefully you will be ready to start treatment quickly after consultation if all your blood tests are done! Which will be good if you impatient    !!! how exciting, keep me updated! x x


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

that's funny, isn't it how things are done differently depending on where you are. 

my gp would not have referred me until the blood tests were done - since i've got to pay for everything and he knew that a hsg is pretty much essential, he was actually really noce to refer me for that test on the nhs, so far i have been very lucky and have not spent a penny apart for the £175 for my appt on 13/05 that i had to pay last week when they booked it! 

speak soon
gini x


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## Twinkie (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi Gini,
Hope you've been able to relax a bit and get your appointment off your mind (exciting as it is!!)
My DP and I are having a CP in July. We're hoping to start with IUI but I guess we'll listen to what the consultant has to say. We'd like to start tx in either July or August unless CP or honeymoon dates conspire against us!! 
Have a good weekend
Twinkie x


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## Frenchy74 (Sep 28, 2008)

COngrats on the CP Twinkie - fingers crossed you can have the CP, honeymoon and start tx around the same time - would be really lovely!

i'm trying to forget a bit about the appt - not easy though! 

trying to concentrate on the weight loss as well - from what i have gathered i am quite likely to be weighed at my appt on 13/05 and my bmi can't be above 29 otherwise i'm likely to be sent away and told to loose more weight before anything can happen. this could delay things by several months! i have approx 14 to 16 lb to loose by then and if i stick to the diet i have been on since early january (lighterlife), i should be able to make it. I also want to get closer to bmi 25 before i actually get pregnant for a whole list of reasons! 

have a good weekend

Gini x


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