Any positive experiences of Whiston Hospital?

[Tincancat]

Hi Aurora

It is mind boggling!  I wish I had found this website earlier. 

I wasted 12 months doing IUI at LWH before they bothered to do AMH which was found to be very low so little chance iof becoming pregnant via IUI.  I did become pregnant then lost it: never realised I should have been referred to  Miscarriage Clinic before I even started treatment.  Those at LWH knew I was eligible for MC as I had had a previous second trimester loss, when I lost my sons, but could not be bother to refer me before treatment.  Taking my money was more important than tailoring my treatment based on my history.  Those wasted years when I was younger where crucial and cannot be replaced. LWH had my history and did not do their job.

Doing a bit of research now ensures you can be sure whereever you go are they are on the ball and do all the tests plus appropriate investigations.  I thought I could trust the doctors at LWH to have my best interests at heart and to do what was best for me.  This did not happen.  You can avoid this by being aware of the standards which are acceptable in other clinics less money orientated but successful treatment driven instead.

Good luck and please PM or post if you need any more help
TC x

[FertilityFriends]

[AuroraAngel]

TC,

So sorry to hear about your negative experiences.  HOpefully things are on the up now though 

Me and hubby are doing lots of homework just now, so hopefully I'll go in armed with what I need to know.  I've already realised with the GPs that they tell you nothing useful, you have to know the right questions to ask yourself! I've been reading through the NICE guidance too.

Thanks for the offer of help, I'll see how Thursday goes and then may well take you up on that 

Good luck x

[Tincancat]

Yes I know what you mean.  My GP knew my history but it seems did not realise I was eligible for MC clinic:  GP could have referred me if she knew.  The Consultsnts at LWH sure knew I was eligible tho.

I am older and wiser to IVF clinics now  .  They are not all the same.

Off to Cyprus in March for treatment next and feeling the most positive I have ever done. 
BW
TC x

[Flips]

Just wanted to say that I had a mostly positive experience with LWH, having opted to have all my investigations done there as I knew if I needed IVF it would be there, and my friend who had her investigations done at Warrington and was then referred to LWH had to have all her investigations done again. My AMH was done at my very first appointment at LWH, and as I say it was mostly good  - I had one bad experience with a nurse and my referral to another department was lost, but as soon as I spoke to PALS it was sorted out and Prof Kingsland's secretary did her best to sort it out!

Good luck for Thursday (my top tip for Whiston is leave plenty of time to find a parking space, I ended up on level 12 of the multi storey on Friday!)

[Tincancat]

Hi flips
Perhaps LWH have learned their lesson.  I gave  them a roasting over how could they miss something so basic and said there should be a check sheet at the front of everyone's notes to ensure tests are not missed.
It does not give me my year back but hopefully it has helped others.  I still think their success rates are poor and they are more interested in numbers treated than quality with individual treatment plans. If you're NHS less of a problem but if you are paying it is very heavy on your pocket with no result.
TC x

[Flips]

I think things must have changed as their most recent success rates are pretty good (I didn't go into this blind!) but I do agree it can feel pretty conveyer belt like. I'm not their biggest fan (as I said, I had to get PALS involved at one point) but they're not all bad.

Good luck for your next lot of treatment.

[AuroraAngel]

Thanks Flips,

Its helpful to get other perspectives too.  I'll just have to see what happens on Thursday as a starting point I think and then go from there.  If it turns out we do need IVF and decide to go down that route, we'll need to self fund it anyway as I'm 'too old' for my area to fund it (despite what NICE says) so we'll look at all the different places and decide which is best from that point. 

If its treatments other than IVF then I'd rather LWH than Whiston, as a close relative works at Whiston which is my main concern and as you said about your friend, I suspect I'd only get referred on to LWH in time anyway.  I doubt that they'll just refer me on my say so, but seeing as the NHS ignored my wishes and sent me to a hospital I specifically asked not to go to for valid reasons, then they have to sort something else out.

Thanks for the parking tip too! 

Have your treatments all been through LWH then?  I notice you have a scan tomorrow - hope it goes well!  and huge congrats on the BFP!

Aurora

[Flips]

Thanks Aurora! Yes, everything was at LWH, and hopefully tomorrow will be my last visit there - if all goes well I'm having my maternity care at Whiston.

I think you should be able to ask to move hospital if you don't feel happy at Whiston - the NHS claims to be big on choice anyway! Good luck x