The NHS lets me down again.

[MelC2011]

I'm sorry but this could be a long post - just need to let it all out.
Some of you may know that I finally had my 1st fertility appointment yesterday after TTC for 3.5 years.

A bit of history -
Had a lap & dye 2 years ago and had adhesions removed as my stomach wall and womb were stuck together.
Ultrasound scan shows I have a small fibroid
3 x day 21 bloods taken. Results - 25, 36 and the latest being only 20.
Day 3 bloods all ok.
Hubby's sperm checked twice and brilliant results both times.

I've been told all of the above would not affect our chances of conceiving ... yeah right!!

We did get pregnant in July 13 but suffered a very early miscarriage.

In my area the PCT have very strict rules of being offered help.
2 years if there is a known problem and 3 years if classed as unexplained.

I've been to the doctors many times over the last 3 years and have always been fobbed off.
Last year I was told my by GP that we would be referred to infertility at the end of 2014 if we weren't pregnant. She even called the PCT direct to ask for guidance with regards to my early miscarriage as originally I was told after a miscarriage we would have to start right at the beginning again. But she came back and said the miscarriage wouldn't be counted.

We were referred early this year and had to have all tests re-done to satisfy the criteria.

Our appointment was yesterday and imagine our horror when we are told we shouldn't really have received the appointment.
Also, being offered treatment IS going to be affected by our miscarriage.
She wants to help and is clutching at straws that because of my adhesions and the strong possibility of me not ovulating every month she is going to put our referal through in July (2 years after the miscarriage). BUT we could still get refused!

More changes recently with our PCT is that they are not offering clomid anymore and they are also stopping IUI ... it's literally straight onto IVF. Her words on the IUI 'with unexplained fertility the chances of conceiving are no greater than you having sex that month'.

She is going to ask for yet another ultrasound for me but the waiting list is 4-6 weeks currently.

I don't know what to think. My heart has been ripped out.
I'm devastated that we keep getting passed from pilar to post with no real action.

I don't really know what to do now.
I'm seriously thinking of writing a letter of complaint.

Thanks for reading guys.

P.S I'm sorry I've not been around much in the last few months xx

 

[Browneyed Girl]

I'm so sorry hun, it's so unfair how access to fertility treatment varies so much around the country.

It sounds like you definitely have grounds to be referred after 2 years in your area, your day 21 results show you may not be ovulating consistently so is going to affect your chances. Why don't they offer clomid any more? Could you consider getting this prescribed privately?

The hospital I had IVF at also won't do IUI for couples with unexplained infertility unless donor sperm is used as the stats aren't good enough. It sounds like your area takes the same view.

It sounds like the best outcome might be a referral in July so it might be worth seeing what happens with that. If you were declined I would definitely consider complaining as you have been messed about. Sorry it wasn't better news xxx

 

[lisey]

Oh gosh, I would be furious. I don't understand how the 'rules' change in different areas.
I would be writing the the PCT to complain about it.
It seems extreme that they go straight to IVF rather than trying less invasive routes first. I don't know if its something you would want to consider but I would think they would be happy to prescribe clomid privately xx

 

[Dee28]

So sorry mel

I guess July isn't far off and if you're turned down I would complain/appeal. A friend of mine found out she was pregnant the day she was meant to start her IVF, her first pregnancy ever after trying for many years that sadly ended in a miscarriage. She was initially told she now wasn't eligible for IVF and by the time she would be again she would be over 40 and no longer eligible anyway. Her gp appealed on her behalf in the end and she got pregnant on her second IVF so always worth appealing.

In the meantime would you consider/can you afford a private clomid prescription? With a consultation and first month of tracking scans it'd be a few hundred pounds xx

 

[snowbee]

Sorry you are being messed about. Like the other ladies say, skipping straight to IVF seems a bit extreme. If you can afford to do so I would def look into going private for clomid. Your day 21 bloods are similar to mine (and same with OH and sperm counts) and we are going for clomid for 6 cycles as a starting point. We would go private to skip the wait but once we do we can't go back to the NHS in this area so that is why we are holding on for our NHS cycles first, just in case clomid doesn't work for us and we have to explore other avenues.

 

[CDAbaby]

That's terrible, I can't believe how different it is, it's like a bloody postcode lottery!! The funding here has changed to 1 year Ttc this month I believe!! I would appeal all the way, they can't fob you off like that!

 

[jazzsaxplayer]

That's terrible. A PCT cannot "play" with people's lives like that.
Almost at July now - how's things going?

I had a bad experience with one of the PCT's near me and a complaint to PAL's was no use either; what did help was bombarding my local MP! After all they have a good sway in how much money is given to NHS for things like infertility treatment! Dee28's idea of your GP appealing sounds like a good one too - did you have any luck

 

[phonixgirl]

I'm so sorry.

I don't really understand why they are being like this with you. I think it's awful that they are not offering clomid or IUIs (clomid more than IUIs tbh!).

Clomid has helped sooo many people. It even helped me (I didn't get pregnant, but I always bleed for a stupidly long time before my period, and I had no bleeding whatsoever on it!).

For what it's worth, I have also been fobbed off many times - mainly by GPs telling me I don't "look like" I have PCOS or that my bleeding before my period is normal/another period/breakthrough bleeding (rather than the hormonal imbalance causing by me not ovulating properly, triggered by the PCOS, that it is!).

It absolutely is a postcode lottery. I know many areas offer three cycles of IVF treatment - ours only gives you one go and that's it.

Good luck, whatever you choose to do.

xx