Any Aussie ladies starting IVF?

[babypizazz]

Wow, there is such a difference in costing around the country! Either way, whatever you pay, if you get a baby out of it, I believe the cost doesn't matter!

I find it odd that private health doesn't cover more and now I'm really glad that I didn't get it. The egg collection surgery for me cost about $1300 each time but like I said, with my third round the nurses rang me to let me know they had some extra funding and said that I could have my egg collection paid for.

Good luck to you Molly, hope you have every success with IVF.

 

[Maddy40]

Not sure about Melbourne but we went through Westmead Sydney which is not-for-profit and were out of pocket less than $1,000 including medications. I know some families commute from interstate to use Westmead due to the low fees.

WOW!!! was that under private health insurance?

No - we do have private health care but it doesn't cover IVF. We only did one round of IVF, but I understand that with second/subsequent rounds couples are only out of pocket about $400 once they have hit the Medicare safety net.

We commuted from Canberra to Sydney for treatment as we could not afford the $11,000+ that it would have cost us here.

 

[aleja]

Hi ladies long time no chat

Firstly OMG babypizzazz you are pregnant!!!!
Wow wow wow!!!! I am so happy for you. When is your due date ?

Kirst Maddy and Take I am so pleased your precious babies are all well. Love the photos keep them coming x
Ps Maddy I love the name Leo that was my second choice
Take how are you going? Settled into GC??

Wish and Red our bubs are growing up so fast, it makes me sad .. Especially that I will return to work in May/June I feel depressed already thinking about it.
I too am thinking of TTC issues now.. Perhaps I will go back to FS earlier than 12 months. I doubt I will fall pregnant naturally i haven't even got my periods back yet. I think at minimum I will need Clomid .

All this talk about ivF costs makes me nervous too as we don't have the same funds we did the first time around as I am will work parttime. Maybe I will go through Westmead . Maddy who was your doctor? Problem is I loved my FS at ivf Australia but I was travelling to Bondi to see him. Not sure if I can dot he same thing this time around.

Sparkle and Molly welcome to the thread this has been a lucky thread indeed.

 

[MollyNorwood]

Thank you everyone for your information- knowledge is certainly power! I really appreciate it. I did a lot of calling and internet research as well as asked you ladies etc. Monash IVF here in Clayton will end up being aprox $5500 after my Medicare rebates, so it was about $9600 upfront. This includes the cost for sperm analysis (sucks we have to do another one!) and ultrasounds blood tests etc. We decided we will pay the extra for ICSI to help make it even more successful (hopefully!) as it worked out to be only a couple of hundred more than standard IVF. I am a lot calmer now that I have some functional understanding of the whole process I have made an appointment with my OBYGN/IVF fertility specialist from Monash and that will be on Thurs Feb 13th, so I will be filling in the registration forms for the clinic tonight to send in. We also spoke with a couple of other places for costings, they were all roughly the same. We figure we will just go to Monash as they have such a great reputation and its more practical locality wise for us. Yes, the legislation in Victoria came in 4 years ago so now we have to be made to feel like criminals before we spend thousands on our dream to make our family. Absurd, isn't it!? Im glad to hear this is a lucky thread!!! I haven't read it all as it like 209 pages now! Hopefully it spreads some baby dust to me! I wonder how many have become pregnant off here? Hmm

 

[Maddy40]

All this talk about ivF costs makes me nervous too as we don't have the same funds we did the first time around as I am will work parttime. Maybe I will go through Westmead . Maddy who was your doctor? Problem is I loved my FS at ivf Australia but I was travelling to Bondi to see him. Not sure if I can dot he same thing this time around.

Aleja....well I must be hormonal, I'm already bugging DH for another baby

I was with Dr Bradbury - basically there are a bunch of doctors associated with Westmead IVF and they each have their own speciality in addition to the IVF aspect. I only saw my Dr once because a duty Doctor does egg retrieval and embie transfer and mine wasn't on duty either day. All other contact was with nurses and office staff - Westmead is much more "hands off" than the private clinic where we did IUI but I liked that about them.

 

[Sparkle_13]

Maddy how long did it take you to get your 1st appt at Westmead? And then how long til you started your 1st cycle? The difference in price is phenomenal and is making me question if we should shop around a bit... Thanks

 

[Maddy40]

Sparkle... I got the Westmead info brochure and rang each doctor on their list, then took the first one that had an appointment available. Each doctor was a different price too - I think Dr Bradbury was about $400 for that initial appointment (not included in the Westmead IVF costs). I think we had to wait about 6 weeks to get in. As well as a doctor's appointment we needed an intake appointment at Westmead - I managed to get ours on the same day as the doctor. Coincidentally the day we saw the FS was Cycle Day 2 for me so we were able to start our cycle that day (I did a long down-reg cycle).

 

[babypizazz]

Hi ladies long time no chat

Firstly OMG babypizzazz you are pregnant!!!!
Wow wow wow!!!! I am so happy for you. When is your due date ?

Hi Aleja

Welcome back! Yes, I'm FINALLY pregnant! We are due 15 August 2014. Although my OB says that I will probably deliver around 1 Aug 14.. Did any of you get told that you probably wouldn't go past 38 weeks????

I have my nuchal scan next week and an appt with the other OB (as mine is off on leave at the moment) the day after so I will ask her what the deal is.....

How are you and Marlon doing???? Any photos you can post?

You're all lucky women being able to take proper maternity leave.... 'Cause my husband and I work from home, he wants me to take as little leave as possible so that we don't dwindle our savings.... Ugh!!!

 

[Take2]

Hi ladies..all settled into Gold Coast, Keyara has started school and that's all gone smoothly thank god.
Cydney is an angel..we are so blessed. Not 100% sure but I think we're done with the baby making. Wayne has a daughter overseas and we have to make sure we have the finances to visit her and fly her here. I also had high blood pressure in the last week and my blood results from labour showed liver function issues so it turns out I had ececlampsia so future pregnancy becomes high risk, could be hard with 2 kids to care for if I get sick. Hard because Cydney is so delightful its tempting to try for one more.

 

[Sparkle_13]

Thanks so much Maddy I gave one of the centres a call (it was one that a few drs worked at) the 1st appt was mid February as they'd just had a cancellation and it was also with dr Bradbury. I booked it and then called hubby but he's away that day, he's also not keen on changing drs again for a third time. I care more about the fact that it's $3000 cheaper but he doesn't so we'll see...

 

[Miss Redknob]

Aleja - It's funny how we were all waiting to start our treatment, now we are all planning #2 How is your little man going? xx

Maddy - Are you and DH going for another one? xx

Sparkle - I swapped to IVF Australia from Genea as the FS I was seeing was pushing us so hard to do IVF. I was pregnant wight he 7th and I had been to my OB and the baby's heart had stopped and I called him to tell him that I was having a D&C. He didn't say anything nice just you need to see me about IVF! I hung up on him and then shopped around, but my OB suggested IVF Australia xx

BabyPizazz - Due to my history my OB said I would not be allow to go past 38 weeks due to being high risk. I was booked in for induction at 38 weeks, but ended up going to hospital at 36+5 due to severe pre eclampsia. xx

Take - Glad to hear you are all settled in That's what I worry about, being sick while pregnant and looking after Lincoln. xx

 

[babypizazz]

Thanks Red! I'm not sure why I would be considered high risk at this point. My only history is unexplained, no previous pregnancies.... But hey, if it means i get to meet my baby 2 weeks earlier, who am I to complain!!!

 

[aleja]

Hi ladies,
Ms Red, I know what you mean- We must be crazy or something thinking about another one so soon!! For me it's an age factor too as I'm turning 37 this year.
Marlon is well , turned 6 months last week - he is in the cute chubby stage now. It's amazing how they grow. It makes me sad that I have to return to work in June as I will have to put him in child care 2 days a week.

Maddy I think it's hormones as I was the same at the beginning. Plus M was a big sleeper as a newborn so I thought I was on easy street. Then he turned 10 weeks and I got a reality check !!! he does not sleep much in the day so it's hard to do anything.

 

[Kirs_t]

Hi girls!!

So exciting that many of you are about to try for number two!! We would be over the moon if we fell preggo naturally - but if not, jan 2015 is not too far away when we will use our frosties. I really can't wait for another bubba!

Lily had a rough start the poor bubba and was diagnosed with silent reflux (and is why she couldn't sleep for even 1 hour at a time!) but we started an antacid two weeks ago and the difference is incredible. She is such a happy baby now and is only waking to feed once or twice a night!! I feel like a million bucks too now that I am getting some sleep! Happy mum and baby

Sparkle and Molly- keep us posted on hour appts. I'm on the west coast but our ivf cost were similar. I think we were out of pocket around $3000 for the fresh cycle and private insurance only covered the hospital bills for egg collection.

Baby pizazz! I really can't wait to hear about your scan too! I bet you're counting down the days!

Chook are you still here???? How is your bubba? How are you?

 

[babypizazz]

I can't wait to hear about your journeys trying for number 2!!!! I hope you all fall pregnant naturally.... Given that you tried so hard for the first there is definitely every possibility! Sometimes the body just needs that little push!

For us though, this one will be our only one... I'm turning the big 40 at the end of this year and DH will be 46... I would probably do it again but I don't think DH would.... Plus we only have the one room for kids as the other one is an office! Seriously though, I'm happy with one. I was an only child and turned out fine, plus they will have lots of cousins...

Kirst, yes, excited about my next scan although a tiny bit nervous given my age.... Hoping to get a good number for the nuchal scan so I don't have to worry about further testing! Although at least now they have that blood test so I don't have to do an amnio.

 

[Miss Redknob]

BabyPizazz - Hope your NT scan and OB appointment goes well Have you had much morning sickness? xx

So great to hear from you Kirst So glad you and Lily are going well now that you got something for her reflux xx

I am the same can't wait to hear everyones TTC journeys again. DH and I have to do IVF as we have been told buy our OB that if I fall pregnant naturally I will be in trouble As my chances of conceiving a "normal chromosome" baby are slim. But when I look at the heartache we went through, I would rather my kids have normal chromosomes so they don't have to go through what we did

 

[Kirs_t]

You've defn had your share miss red. I hope there is no more heartache and only happiness for your next miracle! Ivf is worth it to make sure your bubs have the right chromosomes and how awesome that we have the science to make sure! Xxx

 

[Miss Redknob]

So true Kirst

 

[Maddy40]

Kirst - glad you got the reflux sorted. I tell you, it made life very uncomfortable when I was pregnant, so I can't imagine how yuk it must make a little bub feel.

Maddy - Are you and DH going for another one? xx

Probably not I'm smart enough to appreciate how amazingly lucky we are to have Leo. One round of IVF with my own 42yo eggs, resulting in one embryo, that in turn became our gorgeous boy. But it means we have no frosties and I would be 43yo by the time we could think about going again.... In my heart of hearts I don't think it's possible to win the lottery twice!

Maddy I think it's hormones as I was the same at the beginning. Plus M was a big sleeper as a newborn so I thought I was on easy street. Then he turned 10 weeks and I got a reality check !!! he does not sleep much in the day so it's hard to do anything.

Good reality check Aleja! We are getting fantastic sleep most nights and physically I feel like I'm recovering really well, so it does make it easier to be a bit blasé. I don't get much done during the day either - L catnaps in 10-min spurts and cluster-feeds ALL DAY roughly once every hour....so thank goodness for those long periods of sleep at night!


I am going to try and go to my first mothers-group on Friday - it's arranged by the families association in my department. And DH is hoping to get to the Canberra Dad's playgroup on Saturday morning, although I think I'll stay nearby in case I'm needed for milk-duty!

 

[babypizazz]

BabyPizazz - Hope your NT scan and OB appointment goes well Have you had much morning sickness? xx

So great to hear from you Kirst So glad you and Lily are going well now that you got something for her reflux xx

I am the same can't wait to hear everyones TTC journeys again. DH and I have to do IVF as we have been told buy our OB that if I fall pregnant naturally I will be in trouble As my chances of conceiving a "normal chromosome" baby are slim. But when I look at the heartache we went through, I would rather my kids have normal chromosomes so they don't have to go through what we did

Hi Red

Thanks. No morning sickness really... Just a really heavy feeling after dinner sometimes but no nausea! So grateful! Still falling asleep on the lounge at night though and ALWAYS hungry! I'm already overweight from all the hormones over the last 2 years so I'm scared to put on too much more weight....

Wow, I didn't realise that your journey was so difficult. At least you know that you can create a beautiful healthy baby even if it is with the help of IVF. i guess we should all be grateful for modern medicine that it gives us this opportunity to become parents... So I hope that when you do go back that it happens quickly for you xx

Kirst, good that you have Lily's reflux sorted out... I am really not going to know what has hit me when I have our baby! They are just the most fragile little beings.