Feel free to come here to share in my anger and even do some ranting of your own.....
My clinic called me today. I've been emailing them (because their phone lines are turned off). 1. To complain they are basically stating on their website that new clients are prioritised 2. To ask for a schedule for myself and 3. To ask for the pills for the start of my treatment cycle (as they put everyone on the pill to sync up egg collection for everyone once a month) to be delivered.
They called me back 1. to say it's hard to keep track of all my demands with all the emails I'm sending (sigh - then open your phone lines?) 2. that new clients aren't being prioritised - they're just not doing any egg collections at all until 27th July (why?) and I'm probably in the 2nd batch (24th August) 3. to discuss all the new protocols that will be in place including zero scans except for the one right before egg collection (how will they know how my follicles are doing?) and my husband bringing his own sperm sample on egg collection day (not likely - we live almost 2 hours away!) and 4. to tell me they can't get a doctor to sign a prescription because they're on furlough in mid-July (again, why??? Unfurlough them! There's work available! But anyway...). I asked how people are having virtual consultations if the doctors are furloughed, and apparently it's just my site where the doctors are on furlough. I asked if the doctors at one of the sister sites could sign the prescription for the online fertility drugs delivery company and she was like I don't think so because they use a different company. That's fine! Just use that other company - it doesn't need to be Stork who my site uses. Anyway, the nurse was being incredibly difficult and saying she doesn't think they would be able to deliver to me as I am at a different site (even though the drugs would be delivered to my home). And we can have our treatment at any of the sites, so I'm not sure why delivering drugs would be different! Ugh. I understand it's not the nurses fault, and they probably have a ridiculous amount of work and clients to get through. But then, unfurlough staff who are off as they could help with this workload! And stop finding problems when there are clearly solutions available!
Rant over! (for now)
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ttcemmie
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Just a quick idea. Could you ring your gp for the pill prescription? I had to do that once with that clinic because they messed up my schedule (but that’s another story!) xx
Thanks! I might try that if I need to. For now, with my treatment being so far away, I will wait to see if my clinic can manage it in that time, although the doctor isn't coming off furlough until after I start the pills....
Yeah doesn’t sound like they’ve figured anything out!
I would not be happy about no scans until just before egg collection either. Haven’t heard anyone else say that, how can they possibly think that’s the right thing to do?! 🤦🏼♀️
Wow I would not be happy with that. I’ve been at two different clinics and can tell you that is not the norm. They should be scanning you regularly during stims to track growth and adjust meds if necessary x
Thanks Kibo! My main concern is how will they know what my follicles are doing! What if I miss the moment when they get too big. Not even having a baseline scan....
I honestly just don’t get it. Would really love to know if any other clinics are taking this same approach as it just seems like a blind, hope for the best, strategy?!x
It does seem like a blind hope for the best strategy. We were advised to have allsorts of extras this round - GERI, IMSI etc. but I will be pulling all that as I don't think it makes sense to have all this extra expense on what seems quite a dodgy/risky round. x
I know what you mean. I found IMSI had no significant impact for us compared to ICSI, we used it on round 3, but I would stick with the Geri incubators. I don’t think they are a huge cost (if I’m remembering right?!) and they did make a big difference for us. I wouldn’t do another round without them now xx
Thanks, DiamondRuby. That's sort of good to know some NHS do that so it's a viable method (although my NHS round they did scans every other day like with private). I do expect better from my private clinic, though. 🙁
Oh dear, I’m sorry to read this. It doesn’t sound great and it’s not fair on you to have additional stress. I would definitely consider to change clinic, I can imagine it’s not easy but if not you’ll have to wait 3 more months and how can you deal with them until then? Also, I wouldn’t believe in a clinic that tells you that your husband has to bring his sample from home? How can you if you live that far? They are also being difficult about delivering your drugs. I would expect better treatment since it’s all so expensive and emotional! I would speak to another clinic in the meantime, to see if they would see you sooner.
Thanks lovely. I have reached out to another clinic, but I'm tied in with a 2 year deal through Access Fertility at this clinic, unfortunately. Hopefully it gets better. They're just being so difficult it's annoying. xxxxx
I just want to join the rant as my clinic has been difficult with not answering their phones or my emails 😡 website still says they are closed although they were one of the first clinics on the HFEA list. I rang the embroyology team today just cz no one else was answering and spoke to the Embroyologist who was reasonably helpful and said I should get communication soon... I have heard this for over 3 weeks now and still no new communication or hope 🤨😔 I hope we both get answers soon. Oh and I also enquired on their website if I was a new patient and they said yeah they can book a virtual clinic for £250 😠 I can’t believe I’ve paid so much for such rubbish service and no baby yet 😤 sorry rant over!
Thanks for joining the rant. Yeah, that's awful. I don't understand how long it can take to do communication - surely it's just a template email and/or a 30 min call to each of their patients? The HFEA list was over two weeks ago now? Seems mental to me - I can't imagine anything else you would book which costs this much where communication would be this bad! My hairdresser when they reopen, I can't imagine, will have their phones turned off and take weeks to get back to clients.... I don't understand why the clinics are doing it.
Ugh, this is so frustrating for you. I’m really sorry you’re having to deal with it. If they have furloughed doctors (and possibly receptionists if the phone lines are down?), it strikes me that they might be in some financial trouble and are running down the clock on the current iteration of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (which finishes in July). I’ve never heard of the healthcare sector using furlough...but I guess they’re technically allowed to. Keep us posted; will be thinking of you.
Hmm that's a good point. Maybe they are having some financial trouble. Although, not sure how that could be when they're overrun with clients and it's not exactly a cheap service! Maybe they're bad at running a business? I think a lot of companies are taking the p*ss with the furlough scheme.... it should be there for businesses that can't be open due to the circumstances, not businesses that can be open but are looking to save some money. x
Have just thought if they are having financial trouble, they should want to get revenue in even sooner!! Some clinics started egg collections last week, but mine waiting another two months until the end of July can't be helping their finances! x
Yeah, that is a bit odd! But I wonder if, with the social distancing limitations in place right now (and thus fewer cycles happening), it’s still a better deal for them to get doctors’ salaries reimbursed at 80% while they can. No idea...but I just can’t understand why they’d furlough doctors if it wasn’t a money issue.
I cant believe you're having to battle with them so much, it's really in excusable the way they are being, especially in the field of fertility they need to remember what their patients are dealing with, add in lockdown and covid for good measure, they should be going over the top with support and help and guidance and just be nice! Argh, so sorry, really hope you get through to these people soon!!
So wish you could switch your clinic with access fertility xx
Yeah, they give all this spiel about having access to counsellors etc. but I don't need help working through my emotions on this.... I just need them to do the right thing and to get on with patients' treatments. Thanks, lovely.
What an absolute crock of s***!!! I swear I would have lost it if I’d heard that from a clinic!! My clinic are really crap at communicating irrelevant of Covid. Always chasing them, never answering phones, never calling back etc etc
I’ve not had one call from mine and we were due to start 4 weeks after lockdown. So I’ve booked an initial appointment at another clinic and will see what happens....
really hope your ok - it’s the most frustrating thing when all you want is a little guidance with a tiny bit of common sense. I’d look to the HFEA about this “only 1 scan” though. That doesn’t sound good at all, let alone safe xx
Thank you! Sorry to hear you're going through something similar (or worse). Glad for you that you're able to look at other clinics. Hopefully your appointment there goes well. Thanks for the advice - I have emailed HFEA as you're right.... is this even safe? I just think it sounds a bit stupid, if nothing else. I'm okay, thanks. Really hoping we get pregnant naturally 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞 as waiting for my clinic to decide they're doing something constructive and useful is a nightmare.
I would change clinics, plus I've never heard of any doctors being furloughed my clinic isn't open yet because the doctors and nurses are redeployed, to other areas due to covid 19. I hope you get started sometime x
Sorry to hear your clinic isn't open yet. I have no idea why they're furloughed the doctor(s). Especially when there's work on! Doesn't make any sense to me. The nurses at the clinic must be even more annoyed because they're having to all the work from admin to emails to treatment schedules..... Unfortunately, I can't change clinics as locked in to an Access Fertility 2 year unlimited deal, but I am keeping Access Fertility up-to-date in case there is any scope to pull out. xxx
Same story with my clinic! always chasing them, never answer their phones etc..cancelled my treatment back in March after we’d waited a year to see them....when I asked roughly when it would be reopen I was told I would just have to be patient and that it was more important to keep everyone safe & I would be triaged with everyone else waiting. Particularly frustrating as a nurse who has worked throughout this pandemic (I was clearly safe enough to be at work) when you do finally get thru to the receptionist they’re always rude & snippy like you’re bothering them...mine sent the wrong drug prescription & when I queried if they acted like it was my fault..doesn’t give me a lot of faith in the whole system hearing what we’re all going thru!
Ugh! How annoying! Sounds like the staff all have loads of work on, but that's not our fault as customers. And it's the work they've always been doing... it's treatment plans and treatments. Nothing "out there"! I always felt my clinic was one of the safest places anyway - locked up and can only enter with permission, very few people there (natural social distancing), people doing everything they can for their health for the best results for treatment! Pre-lockdown my clinic had already implemented mandatory hand-sanitiser and temperature gunning people, so thought they would have been pretty prepared for reopening. BTW you might not want to mention you're a nurse as I have seen on here of a clinic (quite wrongly) refusing a patient treatment because of her job. xxx
This is so hopeless isnt it?!!! Especially when other clinics are ready to go.
Its a kind of put you head under water and scream situation really for me.
I just got a call from my nurse after stalking by email basically saying June is not gonna happen for my FET and should ring in July. So stupid of me to think there was a chance to start again.
She said they are working at 30% capacity and the cancelled ladies get priority. Happy for them but given my cycles are wacky this means another delay of maybe 2 months 😢😢😢😢
Really would like to know how to deal with this all 💔
It's super annoying when other clinics have already had egg collections last week! Makes me wonder if my clinic is putting in enough effort. Sooo hopeless. Super makes a mockery of the government's announcement.... My dad asked me when my next appointment is. I said I don't have one! Can barely even get hold of my clinic. He was like oh I thought they opened at the beginning of May? Sadly not!! Sorry to hear your FET isn't going ahead next month - especially when FETs are much easier. I asked my clinic if I could have a FET to speed things up and they basically just said no. Sigh. They're not even trying to get things moving! Sorry to hear it will be a longer wait for you also. 😢
My dear I fully understand how frustrating this might be. But always remember you don't need this stress and annoyance right now. Yes your clinic might frustrate you but always find a way to unwind pls. Your body doesn't need the stress. By God's grace have you thought about pregnancy happening naturally?
Pls be patient. What will be will be. If they say bring husband sperm from home, that's fine. Just make sure you put it in your handbag to be safe.
When I did my ivf, we lived 4 hours from my clinic which was very tiring. We used buses and trains as husband doesn't drive.
After two failed ivf I was planning for the third one and it happened naturally. God will do it for you. This covid - 19 changed everything, it's not just your clinic. Pls calm down OK things will get better.
Get a pen and paper and write everything down, the one you manage to achieve just tick it. It's a way to de-stress. There is no hurry in life, what we pray for is good health. And believe me you will be a mum soon. ✌️ God bless and don't forget to pray 🙏 pls. Hugs
Thanks for your message, Mary, but feel that anger is sometimes a positive thing (us British do love to complain! lol). I'm not stressed, but I think anger pointed in the right direction can be constructive. I am using it to pressure my clinic, explore other options etc., and commiserate with you lovelies on here. 😊
The sperm thing.... surely it would have died in the 2 hours it takes to get to our clinic? They need a fresh sample and I don't want to ruin our chances by having sperm outside the body for 2 hours. They're looking in to allowing him a room on site now as usual (we will have both been Covid tested, so should be fine).
I believe you I will be a mum soon, but I think there is a great hurry in life to do everything we want to do as time waits for no man! Or woman. Hopefully this is the cycle I get pregnant naturally! We've been trying our hardest! 😉
Thanks for your message. My best wishes and most positive thoughts for a pregnancy and baby for you also. xxxx
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