Is our fertility clinic experience usual?

[KTgirl]

Hi!

Since starting in November, there has been an element of us always having to chase up results, chase up requests for phone appointments with the doctors etc.. We get there in the end...but I suppose the ‘care’ factor hasn’t exactly been what I thought.

Medical treatment aspect has been fine - but the attentiveness factor has felt a bit lacking. Not uncaring specifically ....just not what I hoped.

Our ‘patient coordinator’ just feels like a slightly inconsistent PA to doctors, rather than someone trained in that supportive role.

Not raging, and certainly don’t expect the clinics to behave like therapists ...just curious of others experiences!

Thanks

[RecipIVF]

I don’t know what stage we’d be at if I hadn’t of been calling asking what’s the next stage and when can I book in for tests, consents, plan for next FET etc. Saying that the clinic is better when I’ve started to take meds. Hope all goes well 🤞🏻

[Hidden]

Each person's experience is different and all depends on your expectations and what you think is a realistic turn around time. Everything with IVF is a waiting game especially if it funded. Good luck and hope it all goes well 🤞

[TrendyDove]

My clinic is a bit like that too. I even considered changing even though their success rates are the highest in my area...but after reading this, maybe they are all the same?

[Waitingforbaby]

We found this with our NHS round but with our private round it was amazing! The NHS just don’t have the man power for the admin side of things Unfortunately. X

[Hope4another]

That has been my experience, too. It's frustrating!

[Florencehill]

I sympathise completely. It can be hard to get the information, reasurrance and clarity when you need it. Thats why I turned to this forum as so many people have insight and answers when you cany always get hold of the clinic staff. You do find yourself having to suddenly learn a hell of a lot of IVF /medical stuff off your own back quite rapidly. Wishing you a smooth journey. X

[SANDTIUI]

Hi! We've had the same experience. Its take ages to get calls returned and when they are they make use feel like a nuisance. Care hasn't been to bad but we feel like out fertility plan is very generic rather that looking into the treatment we have so far and possibly giving us the best opportunity. Feeling quite frustrated tbh. Sam x

[lablover5658]

Hiya,

Unfortunately the process can feel a little mechanical.

I had a very similar experience in my first cycle. I thought it would be a more sensitive and caring environment. They follow the treatment as you would expect but there is no individual care.

I think they just want to leave any emotion or sympathy to the councilor.

I have changed clinics because I could never get to speak to my old consultant and tests and result were getting extremely hard to get.

I am hopeful with the change, however it still feels a little robotic but I think that it fertility clinics.

Good luck and keep positive.

❤️

[Millbanks]

I was amazed at how clinical the clinics are! I really thought that for a business that deals in one of the most emotive topics, they would focus on customer care - but really I think they are more focused on the treatment... I've spent most of my time doing my own research, asking them if we can try certain things, and chasing them up too. Our NHS hospital even lost our entire folder of notes at one point.

xx

[Babytocome]

I changed clinic to another city!! lol... I live in Sheffield, had my first with NHS at the hospital and the consultant was very young (didn't give me confident)but I sticked there as it was funded... negative results though... the next clinic I had to chase for ever, and the doctor was the most arrogant Greek I have ever met (and my husband is Greek, I know about that!!lol)... so much better in the one I am now in Manchester and also has another clinic in Leeds which I can go to either of them for the scans

[Abs37]

We felt exactly the same! During our first round I donated my eggs, the clinic couldn’t have been kinder or more reassuring. I also feel the main difference was that I had a designated nurse whom I saw on each visit. Each treatment since I haven’t seen the same nurses who don’t know my history and it’s felt very disjointed - I haven’t felt treatment plans/options have been explained properly and I’ve often had to remind myself I’m not a nuisance for ringing and chasing for answers/results xx

[KTgirl]

Thanks everyone! Really helpful and interesting to read - I probably should have mentioned that ours is a privately funded treatment (3 cycles). Again, not that I expect that to mean the red carpet treatment - but it’s been interesting to learn that it doesn’t mean you don’t still have to stay very proactive and organised yourself in making sure you get the information you need!Sending good wishes, positive thoughts and social distances high 5’s to all.

[Purpledoggy]

I have had a lot of problems with my clinic. Some have been minor but a few needed my intervention to rectify. It is an NHS clinic but I am paying for it as there is zero CCG funding in my area.

- The incorrect pre-IVF blood tests were requested, which I was charged for then subsequently refunded when I called to complain;

- they lost my AMH blood sample, which they did not realise until I called to ask what my AMH result was;

- they never seem to use the method they say they will to contact me eg got all set up for a Skype appt then just phoned me, and one day went through a full COVID questionnaire the day before an appt before I asked why they were bothering as my appointment was virtual;

- they never went through how to administer my medications;

- they ordered the incorrect amount medications for me, which I queried and they then corrected

- the first ultrasonographer I had was quite rude and a bit useless - she got snappy with me when I queried my polyp and said there was nothing there, implying I had imagined it (despite having been diagnosed on hysteroscopy a few months earlier), then on all subsequent scans they showed it to me on the screen, as well as showing it to me on the 3D scan the first person took and it was pretty obvious...

- the nurses are the point of contact for all medical queries and they have no ability to take into account your medical history when answering questions - I had to insist I spoke to the consultant to get anywhere when I was having trouble bleeding after EC.

I really like the main consultant I have dealt with, and they have always been very pleasant, but I have found dealing with them a bit stressful overall due to the above. I still have 2 more fresh rounds to go with them but not sure I'll stay there if no BFP by then.

So, I think you are not alone in your problems! xx

[Cinderellie]

Our IP's have had to chase up all of the time and to the point that the clinic never sent our medication in time for a medicated cycle and then said they hadn't sent it because they would now do a natural cycle IVF instead which you might have thought they'd have told us? They also had to repeat bloods for me and my husband because they'd done them too early (before the treatment date was planned) and so they were out of date results by the time it came around. This meant another day off work for me and hubby as the clinic is 3 hour round trip and you never know how long you'll be there.

I'd be fuming if I was the one paying of course, I thought it was poor to be honest. Considering all 4 of us are new to fertility clinics and treatment I expected a little more hand-holding and felt at times under-informed. Perhaps that's because I'm just a surrogate and not an intended parent but who knows?

[Hidden]

I feel the same about ours, I would say at least you even get appointments with drs. We haven't seen them other than 'sales' calls and then the nurses make all the decisions. I clinic has a really good rating but I don't know how when doctors aren't involved in our journey and I am simply a number

[Belangalo]

Oh I am so thankful to find this! I am terribly sorry you are having this experience! I know how frustrating and unnerving it is when IVF is such an emotional and heartbreaking process! My experience has been exactly the same with my clinic! I feel like any call I make is a nuisance and I'll only get a call back if someone feels like it! I get almost no information from them...it's like pulling teeth! At my first frozen transfer 6 days ago I asked the doctor while he was inserting the catheter if I should be getting my bloods checked etc and everything else- because it was the first time I've spoken to a doctor since I started my IVF journey in October of last year!

The embryologist just came into the room and told me the embie was expanded and that was good before walking out of the room while I was still asking her a question about quality and if I still had one in the freezer! I'm not joking! She literally walked out while I was still talking to her! 😅 I didn't even get to see the embie on the screen! My husband was speechless! He said it felt like a conveyer belt and I wasn't treated as a person.

I admit I am starting to feel like a cash cow to my clinic...like they just want me to do endless cycles before they even start to investigate things! I only have a choice between this clinic and one other because of where I live. So I am considering making the change 🤔

[hifer]

Hey there, I’m really saddened to read this thread as apparently so many people agree with you! We had a terrible time with our first clinic. The patient care was good but the administration was terrible. We left because I couldn’t handle the stress of spending hours on end (at work) chasing for anyone to speak to/ results/ follow ups etc etc. This was an NHS clinic and whilst I’m not bashing the NHS (at all) it’s just a fact. We went private and have had no problems at all. This clinic suits us. They are organised, efficient and patient care is very good. It’s expensive but all private clinics are. We don’t have a patient coordinator but the nurses pretty much run the show plus I’ve been there so long that everyone knows me!! Paying to go privately I would personally expect to be looked after very well. It’s an incredibly stressful time and you need the care to reflect that.

So sorry you are going through this and frankly to everyone else that agrees with you. Xx

[Zebedee1971]

Our first clinic asked us for payment after we'd just found out they'd failed to collect my 13 eggs from egg collection... Because I started coughing during the procedure and had to stop, meaning they only got two. I'd been in reception for half hour crying, waiting for the embryologist in a private room for 20 mins, and was in tears as I left after speaking to her... But they still wanted payment. Even though we'd paid in advance. Literally chased us down the hall for money that we'd already given them. Then they got nasty when I complained about that and a few other things.