I'm really struggling with the not knowing if and when we will be able to start our ICSI after being cancelled the day before due to Clovid-19. The clinic have been awful. No contact apart from ringing to cancel, nothing on website until this week and the occasional Facebook post. I've just hung up from another very frustrating phone call which left me in tears. Despite their website saying they are contacting patients from this Monday 29th they couldn't not confirm they have indeed started. They have clearly stated that paitents who had treatments cancelled will be given priority but again cannot confirm or even indicate where we are on that list. I totally understand that it's a very difficult situation but these are details the definitely do know and have had ample time to work out. Besides to say we are to wait for the phone to ring without giving and indication of timescale is extremely damaging to both my mental and physical health. It could be weeks, months or years!! We've waiting so long for this, had all the emotions of finally getting to start treatment only to have it cancelled the day before. If I had an indication of time it would be so much easier to deal with but this is horrible.
Not knowing when we will restart afte... - Fertility Network UK
Not knowing when we will restart after Clovid cancellation is really getting me down.
So sorry your feeling down it’s hard not to work the current situation I think the issue is as well right now is that many towns are returning into lockdown due to spikes so essentially if your clinic is in one of those potential areas on the list you could start treatment and then lockdown happens again so maybe they are just trying to wait to a point where everything is up and running as it should be so there is no interuptions to anyone again.
If you haven’t already payed you could consider switching clinics if another doesn’t have such a long waiting time
Thanks for your reply. We are based in Wales so still not out of lock down and it's NHS clinic so changing is not an option. Although if it is going to be a very long time then yes would consider private at this point but in order to decided would be helpful to get a rough idea of time from them would be very helpful!!
Ah okay that makes sense Wales is on a different path to England at the moment so that may well have something to do with it.
We went private abroad to Greece and they are up and running with English patients arriving granted they have to fly in and out via another country right now but if they’re managing it seems weird that the U.K / Wales can’t get on with it sooner.
What an awful situation I hope you get an update soon. If it’s a NHS clinic and the staff were redeployed, it is probably the case that they have only recently started making plans so had a lot of work but must be close to catching up. Maybe like treez says, it would be worth looking at different clinics
Thankyou for reply yes NHS and your right staff were redeployed but back now and due to start contacting people from this week but wouldn't conform if this is happening and if yes, are we on the list and rough idea of time line. If months / years will be hard to hear but much easier to deal with rather and sitting wait for the phone to ring for months on end!
Waiting is so hard, I waited a year for my NHS round and that was without a pandemic!
Hi Crumble. Oh this is so awful for you to be kept dangling waiting for some hint of a start date. I realise that all clinics have had to re apply for their licenses, deep clean check stocks and get all equipment Ok'd before they can get going. This is why many clinics are dealing with FET's just for now, as some are still uncertain as to whether the lockdown is truly over for them. As "Treezuk" suggested, you could try elsewhere if you are having private treatment, but if not it will still be a waiting game. I would just keep in touch every 2 weeks and tell them you will accept a cancellation should one arise. Perhaps some counselling might help during the wait. There is a charity called the "British \Infertility Counselling Association" you might like to try. There is a charge, but all they do is fertility counsellig and relationships while waiting for and having treatment. You have to apply online at bica.net have a look and see what you feel. Obviously, I wish you well with all of this and hopefully it won't be too far off before you can get started. Diane
Thankyou for your advice yes it's the sitting waiting for a phone call that might happen next week or next year that's the hardest. If its months / years will be hard to hear but a lot easier to deal with than this uncertainty. I will look into the counseling thankyou.
I'm so sorry you're feeling so frustrated Crumble7 , I am sure many of us on here can feel your pain. My period arrived the day the government announced all IVF clinic should close, and I was due to have my first FET that cycle, after 2 failed attempts at a fresh transfer, so I just missed out on treatment that month. But I basically contacted the clinic every couple of weeks after the announcement of when they could reopen, even though I felt guilty for bothering them, and my treatment has finally started, but I was not very good at waiting and felt so out of control of my feelings. The waiting is hard, sending big hugs and hope you get some news/progress soon xx
Thanks great youve stated fingers crossed. Yes I'll feel awful as Ive been ringing every week or two and poor reception staff can't tell me anything. I really hope I might have some info soon even if it's not what I want to hear. Sending lots of love and best wishes with this time. 💜
I know how you feel too. When it was all cancelled indefinitely it felt understandable and oddly easier to deal with. Then I was very surprised when they could start to apply to open. But that made it much harder psychologically. I’m such a practical person and like to know I’m doing all I can do move things along. Being told to wait for 2-3 months just for an appointment was too uncertain.
We were already self funded at an NHS clinic. Luckily for us they have a slightly more expensive price plan which means you get priority treatment. So we signed up for that and things are moving again. If you do have any funds available, I recommend using them. Even if you have to move clinics.
Sending you positive vibes x
That’s really very bad policy of the uk clinics. VIP ticket to get an appointment and have a bit of care!
GO ABROAD if you get this situations from a clinic. Is like a breath of fresh air !
Think positive!!!
Everything comes with a reason! I wait to much for success and i know is a very difficult journey to some of us... positive vibes are the key and be strong every time you get an obstacle! Hope to have news soon and to get a sort cut to your journey.
Sending positive vibes!
Hi crumble7 I am also based in wales awaiting nhs treatment. I am not sure which part of Wales you are but u was told by my consultant in S. Wales that the clinic is opening in August and they will be doing people who had started treatment and had it cancelled first. They think that will take 3 months, then they will be starting on the rest. They think it will take longer then normal because of social distancing etc. Apparently people will be seen not in order of how long they have waited but by how urgent they are, age etc.
Hi. I know exactly how you feel as o was feeling this for weeks. My clinic in Aberdeen are NHS/private so had been redeployed. I eventually got my phone call and on Thursday had my video call with the nurse to arrange dates. They told me they were so sorry but as they have only just got back to a full Nursing Team it was not possible to give me any indications of dates earlier. I know how frustrating it is but 🤞🏼 you get your call soon when least expecting it. In meantime just relax, drink that wine, eat that chocolate. That’s what I did of course still eating healthy and exercise but I’ve been through this numerous times now and most important think is to be relaxed and not obsessing as I have done in the past 🙈
Hi Crumble I completely understand I was the exact same (nhs Scotland) had FET appointment cancelled on day of lockdown After a miscarriage in Feb and all I wanted to do desperately was move forward and have some kind of timeframe to look to. The clinic put on their website eventually that they would start calling patients end of May.... I watched my phone for weeks, whilst working, hoping it would ring! Finally it did and we are all booked in to restart now (lucky because we have frozen embryos we don’t need egg collection which is the part most nhs clinics are struggling to do at the moment as they need the anethitist etc. From redeployment and it is more invasive than a FET so maybe another reason why they can’t give you timescales). I didn’t understand why they couldn’t give a rough timescale before the call or indication what category I was classed as ( they put priority categories on their website) to save me a lot anguish and able to plan and move forward a little... but now from visiting the hospital and all the changes they have made as well as the dependency on the ladies cycles and different types of procedures and the lockdown uncertainties, I get it, they really just have to work through patients in priority order and take it one step at a time. Giving a date they don’t meet would, in hindsight, have been even worse! I guess it’s easier for me to say that now I’ve had the phonecall as I felt the exact same as you before it, all I can say is hang in there and hopefully your clinic will put in some more updates soon but as as realistic guide to help you plan for a phone call I would say if you are NHS and need egg collection it might be a little bit longer for them to set that up and running so not to expect one straight away and if it’s sooner it’s a bonus xx
It sucks but from what i see online i dont think any of then are great with comms. I am with nhs scotland. I had my prostrap injection and was due scan first day of lockdown, when they called me to cancel i was told when things were back up and running they would call people in the order of their cancelled appointments. Then they posted 26/5/20 to say they had different phases and they were dealing wih frozen transfers first. I couldn't believe it so i signed up for an intro for private clinic but they have backlogs too so i decided to wait a bit longer. I then read the reason they were doing frozen only as they had no aneasthatists which made sense. Although all nurses back they couldnt do egg collections. I made up my mind to give things until august to see how things stood. They then updated website 29th june to say they were goung to start calling the cancelled cycles, i got a call on wednesday to say i should call up when i get my period to get booked in. Although it feels like a life time since my cancelled apt in march its just been over 3 months which is much better than i originally thought. It took them around 5weeks to get through the phase 1 parts 1&2 and deal with the frozen cycles, again although it felt a long time to me it wasnt really. I hope you hear soon but try not to let it get you down. Its promising things are starting to move x
Delighted you got the call 😊 I was in for my prostrap yesterday in Glasgow ...it’s all very strange but I’m so happy things are starting to move for people. Hope your period comes soon xx
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