Any Aussie ladies starting IVF?

[sheri76]

Hi ladies,
Just thought I'd share with you all in case you were unaware that we can claim 20% of out of pocket medical expenses that's over $2060, it's called net medical expenses tax offset & includes treatment under an ivf program. If you do your own tax online & use the prefill option it will work it out for you or you can request a statement from Medicare for your accountant.

Hope this helps

 

[Miss Redknob]

Can I ask who everyone is going through for their IVF. DH and I are going through IVF Australia with Prof Michael Chapman.

 

[danc1ingqueen]

Hi Girls,

Aleja, that is disappointing. I am sending you a bug hug.XX What the heck is going on with the consultant? You would think they could have got someone else to monitor you. Keep smiling hun.

I hadn't actually noticed about the difference in the protocols...very interesting....although i don't think there would ever be any chance of them getting egg numbers out of me like that...my amh is terrible.
Wish, i dont blame you for taking a month off, it can get a bit consuming all of this. Enjoy your month off girl. I reckon i might do the same if it doesn't work this time.
I am finding this long cycle ( am day 13 at the mo) a pain in the ass.
xxx

 

[danc1ingqueen]

PS Sheri..cheers for the tip

I am also going thru ivf australia in bondi..dr gavin sacks
x

 

[wishandwait]

Aleja- How frustrating!f You poor thing. Do they give you any drugs at all to make sure you ovulate? I'm so sorry mate that sucks!
Dancing Queen- I bet the long cycle takes FOREVER! What is the time difference compared to a short cycle? Do you have to be on the pill for a full month?
AFM- I have a mandatory rest cycle which I guess isn't as terrible as what I thought it would be. Had a bit of boozer last night which felt good, haven't hit it for a while! Tomorrow appointment with FS to make a new plan..pretty excited!

 

[Taylah]

Aleja- sorry your cycle got cancelled, wish enjoy your break but excited for you to get back into working out your plan of attack
Sheri- great Medicare tip, I just found that out myself

I went through westmead fertility centre (WFC) a little inconvenient as I live in Balmain but was really happy with the treatment & the cost - I only paid $1400 & get $500 back through Medicare + it worked !

 

[wishandwait]

Hey ladies,
Had appointment with FS this afternoon. He said that 2 eggs out of 8 fertilizing was a pretty poor result... he said that we won't know whether it was just bad luck or an underlying issue until we do another cycle. Now we wait for my next period and start long cycle beginning with the pill. He also doubled the gonal F and extended the time till trigger. Hopefully this does the trick.
I have a problem with looking at the dark side of things... I can't help but think the worst and i's so bloody scared of the same thing happening again.
How is everyone else?

 

[aleja]

hi gals,
wow Taylah that is so cheap!!!! and you are right it worked which is the main thing!! was the waiting list long???? I rang them when I first found out I needed IVF but they said there was a 7 week waiting period. I was impatient of course.

Miss red, my FS is prof ledger from IVFA BJ. he is lovely but very busy doing his professor things. Prof Chapman is a bit of a legend.He also delivered my friends 2 children.
DancingQueen, there was other FS to monitor me but I think it was a bit complicated as apparently my estrogen levels had dropped rather than rise. As frustrated as I am with him I'd rather just wait till he is back in the country rather than rely on some other doctor that I haven't had any contact with.

Wish, your boozy weekend sounds great! I need one of these too!! hope your Appt went well today.
I have never taken anything to make me ovulate because I have always ovulated on my own. This clomid business is all new to me. I am really reluctant to do it but I have to be realistic...it could take months for my cycles to regulate and I really don't want to wait that long.....

Sheri, thank you so much for the heads up. I was wondering why the clinic had said something about tax return.

 

[Miss Redknob]

Wow Taylah that is cheap. DH and I will have to pay around $12k upfront but after the medicare rebates we will be out of pocket around $6800.

Aleja, I heard Prof Chapman was good that's why we went with him, but I will be going back to my OB once I have a confirmed pregnancy

 

[Taylah]

Aleja & anyone else who is interested or running out of money doing ivf - The waiting list can be long if you go directly to westmead fertility centre - the wait is only for initial consult with a fs because it is free, what I did was go privately to a fs named doctor Alan tong he has offices at westmead & strathfield - which is where I went as it is closer to home but he operates through WFC, it cost $200 for me & $150 for DH to see him, if you call them at wfc they will happily give you a List of fs that operate through WFC, then there was absolutely no waiting at all I got in straight away - well as soon as AF arrived (only had to wait for the witch) all meds etc are all included & there are 2 payment options 1. Is the option I chose pay $1400 up front & get $ 500 back - this stays the same for every cycle or 2. you can pay $4500 up front & end up $700 out of pocket for first cycle then only $300 out of pocket for each cycle after that in the same calander year, it is all through Medicare so everyone can use this service it isn't means tested or anything & it makes especially multiple attempts affordable & they seem to have great results - not just me there was 6 of us on the day of my egg retrieval & 5 of us are now pregnant - that's a pretty good result if you ask me !
Personally I think paying thousands each time can cause stress on yourself & your relationship plus why pay so much if you don't have too

Wish- sounds promising Hun I was put on high dosage of stims straight off I wasn't on gonal f but I know it is similar my fs uses both but I was on 300 ui of puregon - what dosage have they upped you to?? Try to stay positive - remember ( my fs words) with each cycle the odds of conceiving get higher & higher xx

 

[Miss Redknob]

Taylah was yours a straight IVF cycle?

 

[Taylah]

Um not Sure what you meanby straight ivf cycle but if you mean a normal cycle then yes, I have heard the cycles referred to as short & long cycles – mine was long - started on the pill on day of period for 17 days then spray then stims then trigger then collection & transfer of day 5 blastocyst

 

[Miss Redknob]

Yeah that's what I meant DH and I are having a long cycle IVF with ICSI and genetic testing. We tried to go through Westmead but they don't do genetic testing

Did you have any side effects from the drugs?

 

[MJ73]

Hi girls, sorry I haven't been on for a while; have just been flat out at work. I'm sorry I don't have time for personals today, but sending everyone massive hugs & support. Will be back later for personals xx

 

[Taylah]

Red knob - the Side effects I had from all the drugs were very minor the spray - headaches & moody, the stims - heaps of bloating ( looked pregnant ) & progesterone made me a bit cranky & period like symptoms - cramps & headaches & crazy crazy vivid dreams xx

Mj - great to hear everything is going ok xx

 

[Miss Redknob]

Thanks Taylah, doesn't sound too bad

How is everyone one today?

 

[Miss Redknob]

Double post

 

[aleja]

Hi ladies
Red knob when do you start the cycle? The antagonist cycle is quite good in terms of minimal side effects . I didn't have any at all except that the antagon injection was ouchyyy

Taylah Thanks for the tips about westmead

Hi mj

Me: nothing happening .. I got to start taking Provera in a few days time ..I've decided to bite the bullet and accept that I need meds now to get my FET cycle going

Im feeling a bit blue about the Blues

 

[Miss Redknob]

I will start the pill with my next period which is due in 2 weeks and then start the synarel spray about 22-24th August. Then stop the pill about 3rd September and then go from there. My egg collection is booked for 21st September and can't be changed due to a PGD cycle.

 

[aleja]

Hi Red its great tou have very clear timeframes ..i don't know much about PDG..how come the EPU has to fall exactly on that date?