I have my first appointment next week for ivf where I'm hoping to find out when it'll start etc, although I don't really know what to expect. All investigations have been carried out and the decision has been made for ivf so I'm hoping after this appointment it'll start soon...it's being done on NHS.
Anyway, my question is... how long do my husband and I need to have not drank alcohol for before they will start the treatment or is it just during treatment? I've not had any alcohol since mid October and it was just a couple of drinks, it was the first I'd had in over two months (I've hardly drank any alcohol since starting ttc) but my husband has a beer every now and again watching football but usually no more than two or three beers a week and not every week, just sometimes.
I suppose I'm just wondering if there are rules on NHS of not drinking a drop for so many weeks/months before treatment begins just like there is with smoking?
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Molly28
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I'm sure I've read that no more than 3-4 units a week is advised for both man and woman throughout but others will confirm. The main thing to remember is the three month lead up for the man. We're at a similar point to you and my husband has cut right back now for a view to starting ivf in early February. Like you, I cut back ages ago and have only had the one drink over the last 6 weeks. Though I hope to be able to have the odd glass of wine between now and February. Two years of eating and drinking as if I'm pregnant already and still not getting there is hard work! Xx
I typed a reply and it seems to have disappeared lol!
I'd be mad if we were sent away to wait longer because of a couple of beers... difficulties ttc definitely changes your whole life. A glass of wine now and then over festive season is a must, we need to relax too!
Thanks Penny, that's very reassuring! I'd hate to be sent away next week to wait months because of two beers every now and then 😂. I honestly stress out over the craziest things these days... feel I've done so much to get this far that I'd hate it to be ruined over something silly that we can control, especially since I've not been able to control anything else for the last two years ttc!
I know that feeling! They can’t police the drinking so don’t worry about a couple of beers. In our first appointment they weighed me and measured my height but didn’t bother with my husbands but asked us some health questions like how much do u drink? Smoke ? etc. Good luck with the journey. I’m currently in my 2ww, so the waiting continues xx
There is no amount as it were, in fact my clinic said if a glass of wine helped me to relax then it was no real drama. I haven’t drank during any of my rounds, but some women again have the odd tipple! It sounds like you’ve been super good so I don’t think either of you need to worry xx
Thank you for sharing! I've been very good buy I don't even miss that much to be honest but might want a couple over Christmas 😂
Hi
My clinic have said I need to stop drinking from starting injections, but I haven't really drunk a lot for the last 5 months as I figure it can only help! I will be having a few glasses of wine at the weekend, but not too many.
There’s no rule but there’s more evidence about occasional drinking making a difference to male infertility than female so if you’re going to give up drinking encourage him to as well!
You would say you will start earlier end of Feb. I have read that 1 sober month is recommended. Therefore if you have a sneaky tipple or 3 over Xmas you will be fine. Good luck x
I don't think you have to stop completely but they recommend you cut back. We knew my husband was going to have a pesa so he stopped before that. I've had cycles where I've had the odd drink but this cycle I had nothing. People get pregnant all the time even binge drinking but I looked at from perspective I wanted to be in healthy state and it is something you can have control over. X
Hey I have just had my first appointment yesterday at the clinic at uch (nhs). The 1st told me not to follow any of the deitry re1uirements I had been doing like trying to go Organic,cutting out sugar and red meat etc. She didn't mention anything about cutting out alcohol,however like you I will prob start treatment in Feb so will completely give up alcohol 6 weeks before. where are You having your present?
Hi. Im getting NHS treatment in Scotland and they were clear from the first clinic appointment that there was a requirement to stop drinking. Maybe it depends on where you get your treatment what the guidance is.
The evidence seems to be mixed however it’s clear that alcohol in men and women can reduce fertility but it’s not well understood.
I'm in Scotland too. What happened at your first clinic appointment? I was attending a different hospital but after my lap and dye (they found my remaining tube completely blocked) I've been moved to Glasgow Royal for IVF and my first appointment for that is next week. What's the rough timescale between that first appointment and starting treatment? I'm so impatient now, it's been the longest wait of my life 😂. Have you started your IVF treatment?
Good news is my experience at the GRI has been great. We’ve seen 3/4 different people and they’ve all been lovely. I’m IUI so the wait length is different for IVF. GP referral was January & 1st treatment cycle is this month, so not long at all. I think it is longer for IVF though.
First appointment is more of the same- be prepared to answer the same questions over and over again! They talk you through the options & treatment. If you’ve had all the tests from your referring hospital they may just put you straight on the list but be prepared that they might want to re-do some tests for themselves.
Have you done counselling- they’ll sort all that for you too if you haven’t already.
I'm so glad your experience has been positive. Yep my referring hospital has done all the tests and it's been decided that ivf is the only option. I'm hoping I don't have to wait too long or do tests all over again although I'm expecting all the blood tests to probably be re-done. The letter says if I cancel I'll need to go back on the treatment waiting list so I'm hoping that means I'm already on it, fingers crossed 🤞
No we've not been offered any counselling yet but the info leaflet I have has a number to phone if we want to go to counselling. Have you used it, is it helpful?
The counsellor at GRI is fantastic. From our initial consultation it seemed that it was mandatory (which may be because we’re using donor sperm) but we were happy to go. It wasn’t anything we hadn’t thought about but it was really useful to chat through.
I think you need to give yourself 3 months of being as healthy as possible to improve egg quality. So high protein diet, low carbs, cut out processed food and refined sugars. Try and eat lots of vegetables and some fruit. Cut down or out caffeine so chocolate as well as the hot drinks. Limited or no alcohol. I'm going to have a few drinks at my friend's Xmas party mid December, and I'll allow myself a few drinks Xmas eve and Xmas day but that's the only times I'm drinking between now and round 2 which will hopefully be between January and March x
Thanks for this info. I joined Slimming World 6 weeks ago and I've got my bmi down to a much healthier number. What it was at was still OK for ivf but only just, it was quite high and because of slimming world I've been eating really healthy. I had planned to not drink on Christmas day but I'll see what they say at my appointment.
I think anything that helps you feel a bit more relaxed is a good thing so a good quality glass of wine (they say red is best) won't hurt. Blood sugar levels are something to be mindful of though and I was advised to really watch these as I take Thyroxine for my under active thyroid and flying up and down isn't good for my hormones. Trust yourslef though, a little of what you like can't be too bad I think.
Also its not really so much about what you are 'allowed' on the NHS. Its about giving yourself the very best chance possible! I would also recommend an organic diet if you can afford it as it really does help to get rid of processed foods out of your diet xx
Thanks for this advice! I spoke to my husband today and he said he'll do whatever it takes. We're not really drinkers anyway but I want to give it the best chance we can. He said he'll do anything to increase our chances.
You are very welcome! It really can work as I am 44 and my partner is older. I got pregnant on first round using my own eggs and am now 23 weeks We lived like saints and it was hard but am so pleased we made all the sacrifices now xx
Huge congratulations on your pregnancy!! My husband and I have pretty much been living like Saints too but like you say, all worth it if it works and if it doesn't then at least we know we tried all we could!
Our clinic in Scotland wants you alcohol free for 3 months and throughout treatment. Just the same as for smoking.
Our clinic doesn’t monitor it, they do breathalyser for smoking.
It was all about the prep for us. We spent a year just getting our weight down (lost 5 stone all in) Slimming world too.
Stopped smoking for me, stopped drinking together.
My husbands sperm count improved (1.65ml/ml to 3ml/ml and mobility (18% to 65%) although we are still within our original category and require ICSI the count improved by almost 100%.
As a result from our first cycle we got 9 eggs from 17 mature follicles (there were 23 but some weren’t big enough) on day 5 we got 4AA (used & BFN) and 3x 3AA (frozen).
I guess, long story cut short we followed the clinics letter to the T. The IVF part of the process that could be controlled, it worked we got great results. Working on my first FET 2WW just now.
What clinic are you at? I think I'm worried because I was told I was going on ivf waiting list, then I got this appointment so I got all excited that I've got to the top of the waiting list and now I'm wondering if this is just an appointment at the IVF clinic to say...yes you're now on the waiting list but go away and don't either of you drink for 3 months. Or they say they were actually going to start but can't because my husband had two beers last week. I've given myself a migraine stressing about what this appointment will be like... ridiculous, I know! 😂
We are Aberdeen. Our clinic was open with us. We met all the NHS requirements in March this year and were told approx 5-6 months to treatment. So we expected September. However having previously accepted and attended a cancelled appointment last minute, they offered us another cancelled slot in June.
29/6 we met to discuss our plan.
4/9 for Egg retrieval by the time we’d waited for CD 1 to come around again and then done long protocol prep, scans etc
9/9 for Transfer.
25/9 for test day.
16/10 review appointment (another offered cancellation) we started short protocol that day as I was CD1.
7/11 FET
That’s our timeline.
Best advise I’d give is take cancellations. Our clinics time is too valuable to waste, so if they find a couple who’ll take them and attend, they keep offering you them. Speeds the process!
Hi Molly, we were referred to GRI nhs waiting list in May. First appointment in Sept which was just to confirm we are on the waiting list and repeat bloods for both of us. They said it would be 6-8 months to get to top of the list and then 6 weeks to get an appointment once you reach the top! Good luck with your appointment, let me know if they update you on the waiting time x
Oh no! 😢 that's what I was scared of but I had a feeling I'm going along this week to just be told that's us on the waiting list. Do they include from the date your referral hospital puts the referral in or are those months wasted and it just starts from this first appointment? Did your partner go along too? My husband hasn't to come to this appointment they only need me to go apparently so I'm not sure when they'll do any repeat tests with him. The whole process is so long and this is it reduced too!! I'll definitely update you to any changes with waiting times. I hope it moves quicker for us both, fingers crossed 🤞
Yeh my husband was requested on the letter. We both had bloods done that day as you have to have HIV and Hep B/C checked to be on the list. I think the months are maybe wasted but I was expecting a year waiting list so 4 months for first appointment on top of the 6-8 after is maybe about right.
Thanks for this info. Yeah the letter says I'll have blood tests and swabs and to take my recent smear results, and to make sure it remains in date throughout treatment so I'm expecting a repeat of tests. My husband must be getting a separate appointment because it specifically says he doesn't need to be there but he's coming anyway to give me emotional support, I just know I'll start crying!
Just make sure you have all your questions written down so you don’t miss anything out. Maybe if he is with you they might just do his tests to speed it up! Good luck 🤞🏽
Thanks for all the advice and support everyone. Appointment went OK but still got a 2 to 4 month wait before we get to start ivf. Anyone else feel like you're just wishing your life away to get to that point of one day being pregnant?
Oh Molly I know exactly how you feel - we got our referral to the fertility clinic at St Mary´s Hospital in London in October 2016, and after a year of tests, operations and more tests, are finally now going to have our first appointment to discuss IVF in a couple of weeks.
I understand that these things take time, but at times it can be quite frustrating to deal with all this waiting, especially as while we wait we're not getting any younger, so our chances for successful treatment get slimmer day by day... (I was 36 when we got the referral and am now 38)
However there are luckily also lots of things we can do to improve our chances. I stopped drinking coffee in mid December, and have cut down my drinking to a maximum of 2 units per week (going through the festive season would have been quite tricky otherwise), but am planning to stop drinking completely now that all christmas and new year celebrations are done with. I'm also in the process of finding out about nutritional supplements and herbs that might support fertility, and will get started asap on what ever I can find that might help. Sadly my boyfriend drinks quite a lot of coffee (3 to 4 cups a day) and also drinks up to 6 or 8 units per week, although not every week, and I haven't yet managed to convince him to quit - wish me luck!
All the best of luck for you as well! I think it's good to find out about what might help and try to do as much as we can, but also trying not to stress about the stuff we can't do, as after all we're not robots, as my fertility doctor told us on our first appointment
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We lived like saints and it was hard but am so pleased we made all the sacrifices now xx
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