# Getting a referal



## Dizzydi (Mar 18, 2010)

for IVF

Finally after trying unsuccessfully for the past 3 years (nearly) I'm being refered for IVF....don't know how long it will take.

Got to decide now private or NHS or if I really want to go down that avenue


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## Steff (Mar 18, 2010)

At last Di good look with it all hun, my sister went down the IVF result but unfortunetly she split with her partner at that time and since married some one else and had 2 children, it was very emotional for all concerned but i do hope things work out Di and you get the right end result.


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## Dizzydi (Mar 18, 2010)

Thanks Steff.

I'm keeping everything crossed - well except my legs 

I suppose I shouldn't joke, but it keeps me sain. 

They have even prescribed some more fertility drugs until I get my appoinment - just in case which I found barking as the last lot of results were worse than from my first lot of drugs.


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## rachelha (Mar 18, 2010)

Di

Glad you have finally got a referral.  

I really hope the waiting list is not too long and the whole process goes smoothly.

Rx


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## Steff (Mar 18, 2010)

So if you went private do you know what it would cost Di?


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## Dizzydi (Mar 18, 2010)

Hi Steff,

It is in the region of 3 to 4 k - but that depends on all sorts of stuff and will hopefully get more info when I go to the initial appoinment to discuss options.

Got to think about if we decide one try private and does not work will we be offered NHS? 

Got lots of reading up to do - going to look at the hospital website and see if there is more info on it.


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## Steff (Mar 18, 2010)

Dizzydi said:


> Hi Steff,
> 
> It is in the region of 3 to 4 k - but that depends on all sorts of stuff and will hopefully get more info when I go to the initial appoinment to discuss options.
> 
> ...



yes thats about right my sister paid 3k.Yup you gotta lot of material to work through hun good luck xx


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## rachelha (Mar 18, 2010)

Di 

A friend of mine at work is looking into the same private/NHS dilemma at the moment.  She found out you can have one try privately whilst on the NHS waiting list without losing your place, but if you have 2 private goes you can not then get an NHS attempt.  She is looking at the situation in Edinburgh, I am not sure if it would be different in England though


Rx


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## Dizzydi (Mar 19, 2010)

rachelha said:


> Di
> 
> A friend of mine at work is looking into the same private/NHS dilemma at the moment.  She found out you can have one try privately whilst on the NHS waiting list without losing your place, but if you have 2 private goes you can not then get an NHS attempt.  She is looking at the situation in Edinburgh, I am not sure if it would be different in England though
> 
> ...



Hi Rachel,

Has your friend said how long the waiting list is ? I suppose it will be different for each NHS trust. 

Was gonna try and do some research last night but I was to tired!!


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## Akasha (Mar 19, 2010)

Congrats on the referal, fingers crossed for you.
As far as i know, you only get 2 chances onthe NHS then have to go private and pay.


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## emeraldgirl (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi Dizzy Di

I have had 3 cycles of own egg IVF privately.  I think the NHS waiting list and stipulations re cycles depend on where you are based in the country.  So I would ring your local NHS trust to find out exactly what their criteria is.  I haven't had any NHS go's as I would have been too old by the time I came to the top of the list (waiting list at the time was 2 years).  But I do have some friends who went on the list but in the meantime had a private go.  The cost privately each time for me (with drugs) was just under 4K.

before we were referred for IVF we had all the investigations for possible reasons for lack of conception at our local NHS hospital, then on our last visit there the consultant we saw gave us his card and we went to see him privately for a consultation. 

Good luck on getting the ball rolling.  Let me know if I can help with anything. 

Dee xx


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## Dizzydi (Mar 19, 2010)

emeraldgirl said:


> Hi Dizzy Di
> 
> I have had 3 cycles of own egg IVF privately.  I think the NHS waiting list and stipulations re cycles depend on where you are based in the country.  So I would ring your local NHS trust to find out exactly what their criteria is.  I haven't had any NHS go's as I would have been too old by the time I came to the top of the list (waiting list at the time was 2 years).  But I do have some friends who went on the list but in the meantime had a private go.  The cost privately each time for me (with drugs) was just under 4K.
> 
> ...



Thanks Dee & everyone really appreciate you kind words and help. I will certainly ask more questions etc as and when I need to.

Dee - can I ask what NHS you are under? 

I had initial investigates privatley as far as I could under PM. Once I have had the initial appointment at St Marys I will then hopefully decide what to do.

Seen my Diabetic consultant today and we where chatting like we do and I asked if he could explain why I have stoped ovulating when 6 months ago I was getting great 21 day results - and he said unfortunately there is no real explanation as my diabetes is well under control and I am not over wight and exercise etc ......but hey ho no more dwelling on something which is out of my own hands.


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## Emmal31 (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi Di,

Just wanted to wish you luck with the treatment. Can't believe you had to wait for so long to be given a referral. Let us know how you get on with it all xxx


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## Red Pumper (Mar 19, 2010)

Hi Di,
my wife and I went through a couple of cycles privately a few years ago. Our GPs surgery were very good and helped us by prescribing the drugs, so we just had to pay for the rest. Worked out about 2k per cycle around 2004.
Neither cycle worked and because of the emotional strain we decided not to have another cycle on the NHS.
Don't under estimate the emotional stress. If you are offered counselling (and you should be) then my advice would be to use it.
In the end we decided to look at adoption but luckily my wife became pregnant naturally we when were halfway through the adoption process. We now have two little boys.
Don't give up hope on conceiving naturally. It's amazing how often you hear of it happening.
Good luck.


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## rachelha (Mar 19, 2010)

Dizzydi said:


> Hi Rachel,
> 
> Has your friend said how long the waiting list is ? I suppose it will be different for each NHS trust.
> 
> Was gonna try and do some research last night but I was to tired!!



We are in the Lothians and the waiting list here is 3 years!!!  I know it is a bit less in Glasgow and apparently only about 6 months in the borders.  I think it is a bit like pumps it really depends on where you are.


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## emeraldgirl (Mar 22, 2010)

Hi Dizzydi

I am in Kent, so my NHS is Bromley.  And forgot to mention even though I had to pay for all my cycles privately, I went to see our GP and was entitled to free drugs for the first 2 cycles, which made a big difference, so that is also something you could enquire about when the time comes.  God it must be a strain for you financially having to pay for your initial investigations privately.  My consultant didn't think my fertility problems were down to my diabetes. Just one of those things. 

Dee x


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## bev (Mar 22, 2010)

Just wanted to wish you good luck with all thats ahead of you and that you get a positive outcome!Bev x


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## Dizzydi (Mar 22, 2010)

Thanks for the info and your support it means a lot.

& heres to hoping for a future bundle of joy x


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## cocacola (Mar 22, 2010)

My daughter went IVF, she lives in Cambridgeshire. I'm sure after initial investigation, she only waited a few months.
She was given a drug to stop her cycle and then given another drug to stimulate her egg production.
She produced 7 fertilised eggs and 3/4 of them survived.
She was implanted with one egg, (her choice). Baby expected in July 
Good luck, my daughter went NHS. She said her treatment couldn't have been better.
I think they were offered 3 attempts at the drugs etc and 7 implants.


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## Dizzydi (Mar 23, 2010)

cocacola said:


> My daughter went IVF, she lives in Cambridgeshire. I'm sure after initial investigation, she only waited a few months.
> She was given a drug to stop her cycle and then given another drug to stimulate her egg production.
> She produced 7 fertilised eggs and 3/4 of them survived.
> She was implanted with one egg, (her choice). Baby expected in July
> ...



Hi cocacola,

Thanks for the info - it is good to hear what experiences others have or are having. 
There was no real explanation why I couldn't conceive especially as I had two miscarriages in 2007. But unfortunatley this last 3 months I've not ovulated properly.
I'm now just going to relax and de stress until I get my appointment and see what the next plan of action is.

Congratulations to your daughter, bet you cannot wait for the lovely new arrival x


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## Steff (Apr 21, 2010)

hi dizzy phew thought you might have been stuck in edinburgh i remembered you going on the 17th and then it all happened did you get ok?


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## Dizzydi (Apr 21, 2010)

*Got some movement*

I received a letter two weeks ago to fill in a questionnaire to see if I was potentially eligable for IVF - Filled it in and sent back.

Then today got back from break in Edinburgh to a letter to say I have to call the hospital on the first day of my period before 11.00 am. 
& I will need to have blood tests and an internal scan and then they will decide if I am suitable to continue.

This is fantastic, but I'm unsure as to what happens when I call - do I have to go to the hospital the same day?

The funny thing as well is that in the past couple of months I have been taking clomid which is a drug to help ovulation my monthly cycles have been 23 days - having taken the drugs this month I expected mother nature to have arrived Tuesday - maybe somewhere out there my body knew this letter had arrived and I would be able to ring Thiurs / Fri (This is when I expect mother nature as I have got the horrendous pre blobby pains.

Here's to keeping mu fingers crossed that I am going to be able to have IVF.


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## Steff (Apr 21, 2010)

Great news Di fingers crossed

did you get home ok with all the trouble with the planes xx?


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## Emzi (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi Di
I have no experience on babies or IVF but my fingers and toes are crossed that everything goes well for you xx


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## Dizzydi (Apr 21, 2010)

Steff2010 said:


> hi dizzy phew thought you might have been stuck in edinburgh i remembered you going on the 17th and then it all happened did you get ok?



Hi Steff

Hubby and I drove up Saturday - well Hubby did. What an amazing place. I absolutely loved the zoo - spent most of Monday there. x


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## rachelha (Apr 21, 2010)

Glad things are starting to move on the IVF front.  Also glad you liked Edinburgh, I think the zoo is fab too, especially the tiny little monkies. 

What else did you get up to?


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## Dizzydi (Apr 21, 2010)

rachelha said:


> Glad things are starting to move on the IVF front.  Also glad you liked Edinburgh, I think the zoo is fab too, especially the tiny little monkies.
> 
> What else did you get up to?



We spent most of Sunday at the Castle. We went into the Camera Obscura thought this was fantastic, did a distillary tour The Glenkinchie, The dungeons and the mercat Historic Vault Tour and Dynamic Earth - packed loads into the 3 days there - and boy did we cover some miles. My feet are hobbit shaped at the moment. x


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## rachelha (Apr 21, 2010)

Dizzydi said:


> We spent most of Sunday at the Castle. We went into the Camera Obscura thought this was fantastic, did a distillary tour The Glenkinchie, The dungeons and the mercat Historic Vault Tour and Dynamic Earth - packed loads into the 3 days there - and boy did we cover some miles. My feet are hobbit shaped at the moment. x



My goodness that is a lot. Camera Obscura is one of those places I keep meaning to get to, but have not made it. Did you go out for a meal for hubbies birthday?


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## Dizzydi (Apr 21, 2010)

rachelha said:


> My goodness that is a lot. Camera Obscura is one of those places I keep meaning to get to, but have not made it. Did you go out for a meal for hubbies birthday?



We did within 10 minutes walk of the hotel we found an Italian on the saturday night which was excellent and then found an Indian Sunday and Thai last night  - very naughty I know but boy they where good. We had a pub meal on the other night and that was just as good.

I must say I loved the whole Edinburgh experince - it was fantastic x


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## Steff (Apr 21, 2010)

Dizzydi said:


> Hi Steff
> 
> Hubby and I drove up Saturday - well Hubby did. What an amazing place. I absolutely loved the zoo - spent most of Monday there. x



so pleased you drove hun so much easier then flying at the minute xx

Glad you had a good time the place sounds amazing  x


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