Hi,
I've just joined this site after feeling rather alone over the past couple of months. We've been TTC for a year now with no luck and are just about to seek medical advice and make a doctor's appointment. Is anyone else at a similar stage? For those of you that have been through this, what did the doctor suggest at your first appointment?
Thank you 😀
Hi Sarah,
Welcome! I’m not at the same stage but can say I wish I’d found this place when I was! Everyone’s lovely and it’s a brilliant place to ask anything you forgot to ask at appointments or want to know to be prepared in advance.
I think the first appointment will depend a lot on your circumstances - how old you are, whether you or your partner have any known issues etc. We were referred straight to the fertility clinic because I have PCOS, was 35 and had been trying for some time. Some CCGs want you to have been trying for 2 years but again I think that’s age dependant. Hopefully you won’t need to get that far, and it will happen naturally anyway. Good luck! Xx
Thank you for your reply. Hopefully I'll get referred quite quickly xx
Welcome!
My Dr got me booked in for swabs and 2 blood tests - one during ovulation and one during my period. They then arranged for a semen sample for my partner.
Once results were in (discussed during another doctors appointment) we were referred to the local hospital at the fertility unit.
Unfortunately there is no funded IVF where we are but we then booked in with a private clinic and felt loads better being on the path.
Best of luck xxx
Thanks for your reply. I've had swabs and a blood test done, which have come back as normal. Now trying to chase the doctor to find out what happens next but it's taking some time!! xx
Welcome! Honestly this forum is amazing for support. It really depends where you live as to what will happen next for you. At one year I was told to go away and keep trying in the nicest way possible - my area doesn't do anything until 2 years. I was told 80% of women fall pregnant within a year and I likely just need a bit more time so to give it another year. Sadly it wasnt as simple as that. At 2 years (Jan 2019) I returned and finally got referred for testing. I had general bloods, day 21 progesterone, rubella screening and vaginal swabs. Also an ultrasound at the local hospital. With those results I was then referred to the fertility clinic at the hospital where further tests were carried out - another ultrasound, AMH, day 2-4 bloods and HSG. Would advise you get the ball rolling with testing if you can as NHS is a slow pathway. In the meantime keep trying - wishing you all the best! Xxx
Forgot to say my partner saw his GP and they agreed to do a semen analysis after 18 months, rather than the 2 year mark. So if you don't have much luck, consider sending your partner to their GP to speed things up a bit xx
I'm going to keep pushing to get referred I think. Thank you for your reply xx
Hi lovely, this is a great place to come to ask advice although I tend to dip in and out depending on my mood.
Im sorry to hear its taking you a little longer than I imagine you hoped. Where I am you have to wait 18months before they test fertility, which included bloods around ovulation and during my period, then my partners sperm count.
My partners sperm count is perfect, but we discovered I don’t ovulate naturally. We were offered 6 months medication to help but this didn’t work for us (it did for a friend though!)
There could be many reasons, so try not to worry. I know it doesn’t feel like it to you now, but 1 year isn’t that long and you never know, things might just not have happened yet.
Keep us posted and best of luck 💗✨
Thank you for your reply - think I'm just a worrier! xx
I didn’t mean to sound patronising when I said a year isn’t that long, Ive been there and it feels like a lifetime xx
Oh don't worry - everyone on here seems so nice. I'm very nearly 35 so think where I live might look into fertility after only a year at my age? xx
Hiya I was at your stage last year, i'm 32 and my partner is 28 and we have been trying to get IVF through NHS for over a year after trying for 3 years. I had a blood test first after my first appointment with the doctor, then an ultrasound, my boyfriend has given 3 sperm samples . He was told to stop smoking and come back in 3 months and give another sample to see if it has improved, he has like 3% mobility when he should have like 30 % I think. During the 3 months wait I was told to get a HSG appointment, that's where you call when you get your period and you have to go the hospital within 12 days of the period, but it's taken 4 months to get an appointment, I've got mine tomorrow. We will then have to wait 6 weeks for the results to be told what the next step is. Basically NHS is really slow but we cant afford private
Wow everything seems really slow with the NHS 😬. Thanks for your reply xx
Hi lovely, after seeing my doctor and getting bloods, swabs done etc I had to wait for the hospital to get in touch with me for an apt. It took 4 months for the apt to come through. After seeing consultant I had an ultrasound and a HCG (I had blocked tubes.). And was told I needed to lose some weight as my BMI was on the borderline of qualifying for funding. Lost weight, went back two months later and I was then referred for IVF and given tons of paperwork. Waited around 6 months for first apt at fertility clinic and I’m now 19wks pregnant. The wait times will all depend on your area though. I had my IVF in Glasgow and the wait times at the time were good compared to other places xxx
PS: I’m the same age as you, had been TTC for 10 years with no success.
What to ask in the second fertility appointment? (NHS)
One more time unlucky 💩🙈
Happy new year! 
The one without kids 
Only one NHS cycle 
