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Fertility specialist referral

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Esb27
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:45 pm

Fertility specialist referral

Post by Esb27 »

Hi guys,

I’m in the UK and have just got my doctor to refer me to my local fertility specialist. Annoyingly I missed his call but the surgery text me to say I’ve been referred and that the hospital will be in touch.

I know it’s going to differ depending on where you are in the country but how long are people waiting to get their 1st appointments with a fertility specialist?

I’ve had two ectopics (one tube removed, one saved) and two miscarriages so luckily the doc agreed with me that this needs to be looked into.

Obviously I’ll just wait however long it takes but just intrigued to know how long others in the UK waited.

Thanks in advance.

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

Hi I’m from the uk I have had 2 ectopics both tubes erupted. The 2nd one happened 3rd April this year and I have a fertility appointment 5th may because they said I’ve been through a lot and my only opinion is ivf they will do a appointment sooner but usually I have fertility appointments every 6 months! Hope this helps!

Esb27
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:45 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Esb27 »

Oh that’s useful! So the May appointment was booked for you after your second ectopic or did you have to go through your doc? I only called my doctor yesterday even though I had the ectopic diagnosed on 1st April so hoping I’ll get a call soon for an appointment in May/June.

Also, so sorry to hear you went through two and had to have both tubes removed. I’m so scared my remaining tube is damaged, that’s why I want some answers from a specialist. I hope your IVF journey goes well should you peruse that!

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

Sorry to hear you had a ectopic! No I didn’t have to go through my doctors for the appointment the surgeon who done my operation said because I’ve lost two tubes now he will try to get me the earliest appointment to see a fertility to sort out having ivf as that is my only opinion now.

Yeh I was like you after my first ectopic in January 2019 i wanted to check my other tube was ok so I had a hcg dye test which they said that they saw scarring around the tube and said I would be probably have another ectopic then I saw my fertility lady and she said the only way is for her to see the tube herself so I had a operation in March 2020 she said if she can fix it then she will be if she can’t then she will remove it. Luckily she said it was just slightly blocked but she managed to unblock it so saved my tube. We then started trying from June then I found out I was pregnant March 2021 but unfortunately had another ectopic and it had erupted! When I spoke to the hospital before it had erupted and I first found out it was ectopic i asked what they would suggest I do next he said I should try one more time naturally and if it was another ectopic then to try ivf but you still can have a ectopic with ivf unfortunately. I said there must be something wrong with the tube if it’s ectopic he said they would never know if there is because they can’t see inside the tube as it is so small they can only see around it and if they but a dye through it to see if it’s blocked.

I made my decision to try again after my first ectopic because it is only a small risk of having another one unfortunately I was that small risk. But everyone is different. You will probably have the hcg test to see if it is blocked like I did so depending on that if everything is ok I would try again it just totally depends on how you feel and if you can go through it all again if it is another ectopic. But fingers crossed all will be ok

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

Sorry I’ve just read you had 2 ectopics! What did they do after your first ectopic? Did they not do any tests on your second tube after you had the first one removed?

Esb27
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:45 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Esb27 »

Oh no that’s so stressful that the doctor removed the blockage but you still ended up having another ectopic!! This is my worry too, I’m tempted by IVF but having the remaining tube still there is scary as it can still be ectopic when with IFV (I think it reduces a little having no tube but you can still get it in the tube stump!)

Nope! To be fair the care by the early pregnancy unit I was great when I had the first ectopic but as soon as I had the op I was left to fend for myself. Maybe it was on me to get the doctor to refer me but I assumed that although my chances were higher that I probs wouldn’t have another ectopic. How wrong I was. I wasn’t told about scaring in the tube or if my remaining tube was damaged or not.It’s only now that I’m learning even more about ectopics purely because it’s happened to me again. I nearly decided to have an op to have the remaining tube out and just do IVF but it felt so final. I’m only 30 and I COULD still have a healthy pregnancy, but obvs the odds aren’t massively in my favour. But now I’m worried about the tube. Your experience hasn’t massively eased my worries - you had the dye thing, even an op to get rid of blockages but still managed to get another one!! You poor thing :(

I feel like mentally and emotionally I’ve built a big wall up so I’m dealing with it okay, if it happens again I’ll deal with it but what stresses me out the most is that I could have had the tube out now and gone down the IVF route but instead I’m waiting to maybe have another one then if that’s the case I will get the tube removed and be back in the same situation, but this time I might be older which isn’t great for the IVF route.

It’s all so stressful, they never teach you this [censored word] in school. They just make it sound like you’ll get pregnant super easily, when really so many women struggle with fertility issues, miscarriages and ectopics. I’m more mad than sad today!

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

Reading your story we have really similar stories just that my second one had erupted! I am also 30! So when I found out my second one was ectopic I was exactly like you I didn’t know what to do I was so scared of having a 3rd one and going through all that worry, stress and having to wait for my blood test results I was so so anxious! But me and parter talked about it and we agreed to try one more time and hope for the best and if it was another ectopic then we would go for ivf but like you said you can still have a ectopic with ivf so again if it came to it we would consider removing it if I did have a 3rd one. But because it had erupted that decision was taken away from me I can only do ivf. I was absolutely heartbroken that I lost my second tube that was my only bit of hope from trying naturally and not having to spend thousands of pounds ok ivf and it might not work but I have no choice now but in a way I am relieved that it has been taken away because I won’t have to go through that all pain again.

The hospital never referred me to get my tube looked at, I was already under fertility because before my first one we had been trying for 2 years so we were having appointments already, they were the ones that booked me in the hospital didn’t do anything!

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

And it’s the same for me I wish now that when I had my operation to check my other tube last year I wish they just removed it then so that I wouldn’t of had to go through it all a second time and also I would of saved a whole year of starting ivf as I will be 31 this July

Esb27
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:45 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Esb27 »

Oh wow our stories are pretty similar then. So sorry you had to go through all that.

In a way although the decision felt too final (and obviously wasn't the right choice for me at the time) the idea of having the remaining tube removed made me feel weirdly relieved/better about everything (so I totally get what you mean by that!). I know IVF has it's own issues, and can get very pricey if it doesn't work after your free one, but at least there is less of a chance of an ectopic. When the doc said I could still get one even with IVF, i was shocked and disappointed, but then she said it was so so rare and they only saw maybe 2 women a year with that (and considering how many people go through IVF that seems super super low, especially compared to what the odds are having a third ectopic)

It will be hard but at least you will be starting IFV at 31, rather than 35. The odds go down after 35 I think. I just have such a bad feeling I'm going to have another one next time, and by the time I get pregnant, have a tube removed then start to explore IVF I will likely be about 33-35. I know it's negative feeling like that but I've just not had one good experience with getting pregnant so I can't help it. Depending on how my meeting with a fertility specialist goes, I might suggest starting the process now then if by some miracle we can get pregnant naturally without it being a miscarriage or ectopic then great but if not then at least i'm starting that journey at a good age rather than later you know.

Have you started conversations with your fertility lady about IVF yet? My friend's sister in law struggled to get pregnant for years (she didn't have ectopics like us but she just couldn't get pregnant) and she has just tried IVF for the first time and just got pregnant so there is hope.

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

So sorry I’ve only just read this. So our appointment is on 17th may well it’s a phone call which is annoying as I have so many questions and would rather it face to face. I’m really hoping we can start the ivf as soon as we can! And really hoping we have a miracle!!

Yeh I understand what you mean you just feel like time is ticking! That’s good then that the chances are quite low with having an ectopic with ivf! That was what I was scared about I was convinced that I was going to have a 3rd ectopic! As the chances were even higher!

Have you managed to book in a fertility appointment yet?

Esb27
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:45 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Esb27 »

Ahh how comes it's on the phone? Because of covid or is that the first step? Good luck!!

I got a call to answer 2 random questions (if I was a British citizen and if I'd left the country in the last 6 months - lol) then they said that someone would be in touch within 4 weeks. Guessing that's with a future date for an appointment, but unsure!

Hols02
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:32 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Hols02 »

It’s because of covid they said they aren’t seeing anyone face to face!

Good luck to you too please let me know how it all goes!

Esb27
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:45 pm

Re: Fertility specialist referral

Post by Esb27 »

AhhI see.

I will do! Please let me know who yours goes on the 17th - good luck!!

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