Fertility appointment

[lillyflower]

Hi all, so I've been waiting for my appointment to see a fertility specialist which is now next Wednesday. I'm feeling hopeful that they will help but I keep worrying that even if we are accepted for ivf how would I cope without all these pills! At the moment I'm on anti depressants which help with nerve pain and codeine when it's bad. I take paracetamol and ibrupofren most days which means I can get work done etc. So I'm worried how I'll cope if they tell me I can't take these and then if it's successful how would I cope with a baby ! Then I worry that they'll say I'm too old or that ivf isn't possible and then how will I feel! My mind seems to be going round in circles I'm trying to think positive but then all these worries of how id cope creep in and I wonder if it's the right decission. I know my tubes are blocked so likely to need op before ivf is discussed but I'm hoping I'll get some answers next week. Anyway I'm just asking for any advice or if there's any questions I should ask. Has anyone been to a fertility specialist and know what happens? Or have any of you been through this and found it's not as bad as I'm thinking? Thanks x

[Cloudyrain]

I can't help you in the slightest other than to say "snap"! We are at ours too this week - after 4/5 years of ttc it's what we wanted but are very scared of now it's more real!

I think me and the man are worried that they are going to push us on to clomid which I really don't want as my endo is very active and hormone hungry! I dont want to mess around for another year with iui and things, we just want to get on with IVF and if it doesn't work move on with our path to adoption (which we want to do even if the IVF does work).

I think the most important thing is to work out what you want to get from the appointment and then make your feelings clear. They won't force you to do anything you don't want, and should make joint decisions with you.

They have told us to prepare for 3 hours, and from what I have been told they will probably want to do another ultrasound and more blood tests (probably repeating everything we have had done already).

I know what you mean about drugs, but hopefully if you go the IVF route you will get to do a long protocol with a long down reg - which I'm quite looking forward to! Don't get me wrong, Im not looking forward to stimming, but they can help with what painkillers you can take. And I don't think there is any reason you can't continue with your paracetomal and ibuprofen for the majority of the time.

I have moved onto a bit of a health regime in advance of getting my body to be at it's best and actually found my pain has reduced a bit, even the flare ups aren't as bad as they were. I just take loads of good vitamins, do daily gentle exercise, no caffiene, and about 60% of my food intake is fruit or veg. I know it's not much, but I feel a bit better being in control of at least one thing.

Good luck and sorry for rambling, i just know kind of how you must be feeling because we sound quite similar! X x x

[lorrainemax]

Hey guys, I am not there yet as I have been referred and waiting for an appt to come through with the fertility specialist, but my head is all over the place and it's not started yet. I am wondering how I will cope emotionally as I feel like I'm so emotional with it all at the moment :/ How long did it take for you to get an appt after being referred? Hope that your appt goes well, thinking of you both xx

[lillyflower in reply to lorrainemax]

Hi my doctor refered me nearly 3 months ago to see a fertility specialist I was told it was a very busy department so would be a bit of a wait, I received a letter to say I was on list then letter with an appointment a few weeks after. Any referal should be within 18 weeks but hopefully sooner x I was initially a bit of an emotional wreck but since being on antidepressant I'm coping much better with everything. After my lap I was diagnosed with endo and blocked tubes so all got a bit much to deal with but I'm just taking one day at a time and trying to stay positive x

[colleenbird]

Hi,

I know exactly how you feel. Had my fertility appointment 1year ago, the 1st one just went through basic background info for myself and partner, they arranged the dye test, sperm samples, blood tests and swabs. We waited three months and were told that the only problem was motility, which could be increased by lifestyle changes. We were simply told to come back in 6 months for a check up as we should manage on our own.

This was good news on the whole but as I've been suffering with endo for a few years, had laparoscopy in 2011 which was no help, I really wanted to move along a lot quicker. I had a further laparoscopy in may this year and have just been back to fertility to b told we can start ivf in two months I can't begin to say how pleased I am. I've suffered a long time, I've been put on morphine & anti depressants but I will gladly suffer without if I can finally have a baby

The timescale they give you is disheartening but it really does fly over.

Hope you get some good news & if you have any questions I be happy to share any info xx

[lillyflower]

Hi thanks for the replies and thanks for the info. I've had my tubes checked when I had lap and know they are blocked with fluid so I'm hoping they will do tests and jump straight to ivf. I am concerned that I'm now officially too old for nhs funding but was refered at 35 so fingers crossed now I'm 36 they don't just say I'm too old! I know Hampshire only fund one attempt so not great news but while there's still hope I'm ok. I will be asking about how any fertility drugs will effect me and what pain relief I can have. I seem to have finally got the pain relief under control and still have bad days but in generally I am coping much better since being on the anti depressants as help with the nerve pain so I'm not limping anymore! I'm trying not to get too excited incase it doesn't happen but am trying to stay hopefull as even a small chance is better than none!

Thanks for your comments and fingers crossed the appointment goes well x hope you all have success too x