Changing IVF clinics/specialist

Hi, we have just had our review appointment with our FS at FA after our first failed IVF cycle. A bit about our background - we have unexplained infertility for nearly 4 years and never had a BFP. Our first IVF went like this - 13 eggs collected, 8 fertilised normally and we had one perfect 8 cell implanted on day 3. Sadly all our other embies didnt make it to freezing. Sadly the embie transferred ended up in a chemical pregnancy. At our review appointment we got REALLY bad service from our FS who basically said the reason why our cycle didnt work and we didnt have any frosties was because of chance and bad luck!! I asked him about doing any tests to see if we could find out what is wrong with us and possibly why it didnt work and he wasnt open to looking into anything and said any other tests would be a waste of time cause if something was wrong as we wouldnt of had 8 eggs fertilised. He basically rushed us out within 10min and all he wanted to do was fill in our form for round number 2.

So this has got me thinking - has anyone gone to another clinic or another FS within the same clinic for a second opinion? and did anyone get any tests done after a failed cycle to try and pinpoint the problem? I would like to get tests done but unsure what to get tested and where to go to get tests done seeing as my FS is hopeless. Also does your FS release your results from your IVF failed cycle if you are getting a second opinion from someone else?
I really cant accept that I just have to give it another go and pray it works. This will be our last public funded cycle and we cant really afford to go private and keep trying with several failed cycles. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated as Im so frustrated and confused as to what I should do next on this journey xx

Hi Tiff, very interested to hear what other ladies have to say about this as we are in a similar situation.
I am a bit reluctant going to another clinic though probably for the reasons that kiwikt mentioned. There is no use doing tests for the sake of it unless doctors really feel that based on fert rates or embie quality or whatever else it might seem that there is a particular issue that needsto be investigated further.....
I have quite good confidence in Repromed and the FS we were seeing, so I don't think BFN was due to them making a poor effort...so no sure whether it would help seeing a different specialist? Bu then our review session was about an hour (rather than 10 mins) so I didn't feel rushed or anything, it just truly is a case of - try again next time.
We are instead going to the naturopath and doing acupuncture and will concentrate on making ourselves healthier and ensuring that there are no other potential problems that could have affected the first round... hopefully being healthier and taking herbs and supplements before the next round will make a difference. But of course there is no certainty in any of it.

I too thought that being young and healthy the odds were in our favour and we'll come away from the first IVF with our little bub. But reading other stories it really and truly is an unpredictable journey where sometimes older women respond poorly to the drugs and only have one embie and it works from the first go....then others do 4-5 cycles and finally get their precious little one.... You just can't have any expectations about it I guess....have to go into it hoping for the best but realising that it might be a very very long journey.

Hi Tiff8ny,

This is my very first post on a forum! I am a constant reader of these things but have never quite got around to writing anything myself. So here goes ...

I had been following your posts about your review as I was due for a review a few days after yours and was interested to see how you went. I'm sorry to hear how upsetting the process was. After all the hard work of an IVF cycle and then a BFN you want some kind of answer of what can be done to help.

I had my review today with a FS at Fertlity+ in Auckland and the experience was quite different to yours. I have severe endometriosis so I think that gives them a bit more of an idea of why things didn't work but I was in with the doctor for about an hour and walked out feeling pretty positive. I was recommended to have this review with this particular Dr by a nurse at the clinic who said he is very good.

I asked about tests too and most of them he said would be a waste of time as the things they test for usually can't be fixed.

I wondered if you wanted to get a second opinion whether it would be worth getting copies of your notes and paying to have a one-off consultation with another specialist (unless your clinic let you have another consultation with another doctor, of course)? You may get the same answers but at least you won't be wondering 'what-if?'.

Going to a Natropath, during my first cycle, really made me feel like I was doing something rather than just doing whatever the doctors and nurses told me. I didn't get pregnant but I know I was pretty damn healthy and it felt good to have some control.

Next time around I'm definitely going to try Royal Jelly ... there seems to be good reports from ladies who have taken this leading up to their IVF cycles. It's supposed to be good for egg quality. Worth a go!

Good luck.

hey mary - what is this royal jelly you are talking about and when is it best to start taking it?

Tiff8ny - hang in there hun, can you go higher up to get some answers?