Leeds / West Yorkshire or anywhere really- need advice please

[Jenjenwoo]

Hi All,

So I am due to for my initial aapointment with Leeds Reproductive Centre at Seacroft next week and Im in a blind panic that they will just turn me away.

I am 33 and have PCOS, was diagnosed at the age of 20. Me and my partner have been ttc for nearly 2 years although not religously, only been tracking for the last 6 months.

My concern is that as I am over weight we will be turned away. I know being over weight has a negative effect on ferility and I am dieting and exercising but I will not have the 30 or below BMI for a while yet.

I was hoping to recieve clomid once all checks and tests completed but after doing some research Im worry even Clomid will not be offered and If I have to wait until I have lost the weight and my BMI is below 30 then I will just be another year or so older and I feel time is not on my side esp if I would like to concive more than 1 child.

I would not expect IVF whilst overweight I understand the financial burden to the NHS and the high demand from normal weight couples struggling to concive and like I say I am willing to try and reach a healthy BMI I would just like to be pro active with my fertility during this time.

Has anyone had any experience of recieving Clomid whilst over weight and If not has anyone had experience of being able to reicive it if paying privately at Spire or Nuffield Hospital.

I have just read the West Yorkshire commisioning document for fertility treatment and It only mentions the need for a BMI below 30 for Tertiary fertility services IUI, ICSI and IVF so Im not sure if it is a NHS england (used to be PCT) or a consultant dicision.

Any experience or advice welcome. (but please dont just say try to lose weight I am actively trying with low GI diet and exercise)

Thanks xx

[Phineyj]

Don't panic, you are 33 not 43 and nothing to do with fertility treatment happens quickly. If your weight loss goals are realistic you will have achieved them by the time you need to hopefully. It is a great idea to get as fit as possible when ttc anyway - hopefully your DP is eating healthily etc too?

[bessie84]

hi hun,

im at seacroft leeds too for iui (but my consultant is at pinderfields) I was overweight when i first started seeing my cons, i weighed 16st 4lb, bmi was 36 ish. like the above person said, everything in the trying to concieve world happens soooooooooooo slow, so your initial appt may be only to do initial details of stuff / history / bloods / scans, sperm samples - they may not offer clomid straight away anyway.

my consultant didnt as he did the above tests first. by the time i went back again (it really drags, the waiting between each appt is the worst part i find) id been on a drastic diet (lipotrim) and got my bmi down to just below 27, (i was about 12 stone then ish) and thats when he offered clomid (that appt was to go thru results and thats when he offered it)

altho i wasnt in the healthy range at the time, as weight went down at each appt, he was happy with that - they weigh you at each appt everytime you go.

i then went on weight watchers and contined to lose weight in a sensible manner, we got a bfp on cycle 6 of clomid, but miscarried at 9 weeks, then we had another 3 cycles of clomid which didnt result in a pregnancy. im now going to seacroft for IUI. my bmi is about 23.

i really wouldnt worry. x

[Bunbaker]

A girl at work had the same issues as you. They gave a her a target weight to reach before she could undergo treatment. Her baby was born a couple of weeks ago

[uggmum]

I was refused treatment at pinderfields until my bmi was under 30. This was for clomid.

I did manage to reduce it from 36 to under 30 but I was not easy.

I saw Mr Macrow and I found him good to deal with, he doesn't pull any punches but is also sympathetic.

[bessie84]

uggmum im with mr macrow too - your right with the description too. hes funny too at times which is nice. where are you at with treatment now? x

[Jenjenwoo]

Thanks everyone your advice is a great support and very encouraging.

Like u said I am actively trying to lose weight and would prefer to be lighter for a healthier pregnancy and I'm just hoping we're in the system whilst that is happening.

Bessie84 - apart from the lipotrim what else did you do to loose weight ? I am currently sticking to a low GI diet and tracking calories using myfitnesspal and I have just bought a cross trainer to use 4 days a week and also just stepping up my dog walks.

Has anyone been offered metformin to balance bold sugars and support weight loss ? I was given this years ago and I felt it helped.

My appointment is today so wish me luck

[bessie84]

GOOD LUCK FOR TODAY JENJENWOO - Do come back n let us know how you got on x

ps: i only did lipotrim as a drastic measure to get started as its a SPEEDY FAST thing to do to losing the weight, it was shockingly hard and i lost 4 stone in 3 months, ended up having my gallbladder removed due to the amount of fat that id lost. my consultant wasnt phased by it as i started weight watchers and thats healthy eating. you sound like your doing all you can, which is good. i wasnt offered metformin x

[Jenjenwoo]

So it went ok. Saw a lovely nurse practitioner but it came down to my weight. Can not offer me anything until I get my BMI down so I have been discharged and I need to ask gp to refer once I've lost the weight.

The worrying thing was she mentioned my age and how at 33 time is not on my side !! Eek!

So it's a full on mission to loose lots of weight as fast as I can.

They gave done bloods for me and semen check of my DP.

[uggmum]

Unfortunately, I suffered 2 miscarriages and I have now given up. I do have 2 doc and I was suffering from secondary infertility.

We tried for 6 years for another child, I had a lap and dye (performed by Mr Macrow) and 18 months of clomid.

When I lost the weight I did low carb, the boot camp threads on here are good. I lost 4 stone. I also do Zumba and I do classes at Sun Lane and Thornes Park.

Good luck on your journey.

[bessie84]

uggmum so sorry for your losses, theyre terrible arent they. its so sad. why are you giving up? arent you going down iui route? or ivf?

i also had lap&dye with mr mackrow, this is my first cycle after it, sick of this ttc lark to be honest. getting me down. ive had 4 previous pregnancies. 1 stillbirth at 41+3, my girl aged 5 and my boy aged 9. i feel so blessed to have them. theyre with previous hubby. had miscarriage last year at 9 week with my now hubby. he has no children.

thank you for the luck, - i hope you get your much wanted bfp soon.

jenwoowoo - im glad things went ok, shit with the weight thing, pisses me right off. try something quick like herballife maybe or lipotrim? (lipotrim is extreme tho) 3 shakes a day and no food, just water. you are monitered by pharmacist. i hope you get there quickly. 33 isnt too bad, i dont think. keep going, your doing good. x