Catzilla
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Hello everyone!
I've been meaning to start this thread for ages. Its an idiots guide to IVF. Basically this is our story so far...
We started insemination at home around 18 months or 2 years ago ish. No luck for us unfortunately. We didn't do it every month but it still feels like we've been trying for so long.
Totally fed up with the failures we approached our GP. He then sent us to someone in the hospital who we had to wait months to see... annoying! When we got there the lady told us that our GP shouldn't have sent us in the first place. Not because we're a same sex couple but cos were were too fat!!! Shocking lol. We we're told that we needed a BMI of 30 or below to even get tests. The way our PCT works is that same sex couples are funded but only if there is a fertility issue. If they test you and you're all clear then we get no help NHS wise. Mean!
So off we went to loose weight but whilst doing that we also lost patience! Bored of waiting and just getting older. We are 33 and 34 right now and we would love to have more than one baby so time is short. We decided to look into private IVF
We only came up with one clinic where we felt comfortable and with good reviews. London Womens Clinic. Luckily my wife works in London so its pretty convenient for us. We went to one of their inseminars. Totally free you just have to book. They give you loads of information and give you the opportunity to book for a fertility MOT at the end, which we did.
A short time passed and we went in for that appointment. You get a discussion with the Dr about what sort of things you are hoping to go for and then they give you an internal ultrasound to see what is going on in you ovaries. We also opted for an extra blood test that checks your ovarian reserves. We found out that H has one polycystic looking ovary but the Dr put that down to the weight and that should clear up, sort of, with weight loss. He wasn't too worried. The bloods came back with good levels for our age bracket so yay! That appointment and bloods set us back £210 which makes me want to cry. They've got you over a barrel really. They have amazing ways with eggs and sperm which we need in our life.
All we needed to do was loose the little bit of weight. Actually it was about 2.5 stone, so not that little. About time though really. No fun being a fattie. Other than being able to eat all the pies. That was always nice
So we went on a low carb diet which saw the weight drop off Got to a BMI of 31 and called the clinic up to say we're ready! Can we start with 31 and not 30?? They said yes. Obviously not governed by strict rules like the NHS but still lower weight is better for your chances so we continued on the diet, and are still doing the diet now. The pounds are going ))
So OK here we go! We had already filled out forms and done everything we needed so the Dr gave us a treatment plan. Long Protocol (if that means anything to anyone - it doesn't me!) I have to say. There are a few technical bits and bobs to this process but we are not going to get too bogged down with it all. we take the positive bits and hold on to those, do what the Dr tells us to do, turn up at the clinic when we are booked in and just do everything we can health wise to make our chances the best.
First thing we did was order injections. Well all the drugs we needed. I think you can get them cheaper if the clinic writes you a prescription and you shop around. Asda pharmacy was mentioned a few times. We opted for the clinic sorting it out for us and delivering the drugs to the house. Super convenient! The pack had a load of burselin, Gonal F, progesterone pessaries and pregnal trigger shot meds to. Oh and all the needles etc that you need. You're totally sorted, need nothing else. The drug package cost us £1200.
Now we needed sperm. Not something that fills me with joy but in actual fact it could if it all goes to plan. Some very generous chap will have helped us start a family all out of the goodness of his heart. Yay
We went with London Sperm Bank. They are actually downstairs in the basement of London Womens Clinic. The sperm isn't kept there, I don't think but still ever so convenient, we thought. There is an online catalogue which is good. We picked a donor that was similar to both of us in different ways, apart from, tall. We are short, which is tough when you really want something from the top shelf. We are secretly hoping for tall children that can reach everything that we never could. Sperm has cost us £850.
Next step was wait until you ovulate. We had loads of test from TTC at home so waited on that. Some people who have very regular cycles just start injections on day 21 but H is a bit longer than the norm but basically you start injections 7 days before your period. So that's what we did.
I'm a bit funny about the needles. So so so glad i'm not injecting myself. I can't even offer to help H with any of it. Not that I needed to as she has that down! The first injection was pretty painless. There have been a couple of sore ones since. Trick there is to try and avoid old injection sites, but it gets crowded pretty quick. We've been injecting for 12 days now. Ouch.
H got her period which is great as that's the next step. Call the clinic and book in for the baseline scan. That is where we're at. We are booked in for this Wednesday. I guess they will be taking a good look around and seeing how the ovaries look and from then on just monitor how the eggs grow. It's exciting!)) I know we have to pay the bulk of the treatment when we go on Wednesday. Can't remember, (or perhaps I've blocked it out), how much it is. It's loads anyway. What we thought we would do was make a day of it. We both booked a day off work. Our appointment is in the morning so we have all afternoon. It's going to be so warm! No not warm, HOT! So we're off to the zoo! Yes London Zoo here we come. A nice outside light hearted activity for the day. I won't be going to London for every scan after this one, so it will be a nice day for us just being together and both feeling a part of the whole thing. We are only in Bedfordshire, so not miles away. I'm planning on being there for the retrieval and implantation and any other that's deemed very important, but i hear that there can be many appointments/scans leading up to those which H can do in her lunch hour or just before/after work. She is 10 minutes away by Barclays bike.
That's it. So far... Much more to come, and in shorter posts! Sorry about that.
Keep everything crossed for us
I've been meaning to start this thread for ages. Its an idiots guide to IVF. Basically this is our story so far...
We started insemination at home around 18 months or 2 years ago ish. No luck for us unfortunately. We didn't do it every month but it still feels like we've been trying for so long.
Totally fed up with the failures we approached our GP. He then sent us to someone in the hospital who we had to wait months to see... annoying! When we got there the lady told us that our GP shouldn't have sent us in the first place. Not because we're a same sex couple but cos were were too fat!!! Shocking lol. We we're told that we needed a BMI of 30 or below to even get tests. The way our PCT works is that same sex couples are funded but only if there is a fertility issue. If they test you and you're all clear then we get no help NHS wise. Mean!
So off we went to loose weight but whilst doing that we also lost patience! Bored of waiting and just getting older. We are 33 and 34 right now and we would love to have more than one baby so time is short. We decided to look into private IVF
We only came up with one clinic where we felt comfortable and with good reviews. London Womens Clinic. Luckily my wife works in London so its pretty convenient for us. We went to one of their inseminars. Totally free you just have to book. They give you loads of information and give you the opportunity to book for a fertility MOT at the end, which we did.
A short time passed and we went in for that appointment. You get a discussion with the Dr about what sort of things you are hoping to go for and then they give you an internal ultrasound to see what is going on in you ovaries. We also opted for an extra blood test that checks your ovarian reserves. We found out that H has one polycystic looking ovary but the Dr put that down to the weight and that should clear up, sort of, with weight loss. He wasn't too worried. The bloods came back with good levels for our age bracket so yay! That appointment and bloods set us back £210 which makes me want to cry. They've got you over a barrel really. They have amazing ways with eggs and sperm which we need in our life.
All we needed to do was loose the little bit of weight. Actually it was about 2.5 stone, so not that little. About time though really. No fun being a fattie. Other than being able to eat all the pies. That was always nice
So we went on a low carb diet which saw the weight drop off
Got to a BMI of 31 and called the clinic up to say we're ready! Can we start with 31 and not 30?? They said yes. Obviously not governed by strict rules like the NHS but still lower weight is better for your chances so we continued on the diet, and are still doing the diet now. The pounds are going ))So OK here we go! We had already filled out forms and done everything we needed so the Dr gave us a treatment plan. Long Protocol (if that means anything to anyone - it doesn't me!) I have to say. There are a few technical bits and bobs to this process but we are not going to get too bogged down with it all. we take the positive bits and hold on to those, do what the Dr tells us to do, turn up at the clinic when we are booked in and just do everything we can health wise to make our chances the best.
First thing we did was order injections. Well all the drugs we needed. I think you can get them cheaper if the clinic writes you a prescription and you shop around. Asda pharmacy was mentioned a few times. We opted for the clinic sorting it out for us and delivering the drugs to the house. Super convenient! The pack had a load of burselin, Gonal F, progesterone pessaries and pregnal trigger shot meds to. Oh and all the needles etc that you need. You're totally sorted, need nothing else. The drug package cost us £1200.
Now we needed sperm. Not something that fills me with joy but in actual fact it could if it all goes to plan. Some very generous chap will have helped us start a family all out of the goodness of his heart. Yay
We went with London Sperm Bank. They are actually downstairs in the basement of London Womens Clinic. The sperm isn't kept there, I don't think but still ever so convenient, we thought. There is an online catalogue which is good. We picked a donor that was similar to both of us in different ways, apart from, tall. We are short, which is tough when you really want something from the top shelf. We are secretly hoping for tall children that can reach everything that we never could. Sperm has cost us £850.
Next step was wait until you ovulate. We had loads of test from TTC at home so waited on that. Some people who have very regular cycles just start injections on day 21 but H is a bit longer than the norm but basically you start injections 7 days before your period. So that's what we did.
I'm a bit funny about the needles. So so so glad i'm not injecting myself. I can't even offer to help H with any of it. Not that I needed to as she has that down! The first injection was pretty painless. There have been a couple of sore ones since. Trick there is to try and avoid old injection sites, but it gets crowded pretty quick. We've been injecting for 12 days now. Ouch.
H got her period which is great as that's the next step. Call the clinic and book in for the baseline scan. That is where we're at. We are booked in for this Wednesday. I guess they will be taking a good look around and seeing how the ovaries look and from then on just monitor how the eggs grow. It's exciting!
)) I know we have to pay the bulk of the treatment when we go on Wednesday. Can't remember, (or perhaps I've blocked it out), how much it is. It's loads anyway. What we thought we would do was make a day of it. We both booked a day off work. Our appointment is in the morning so we have all afternoon. It's going to be so warm! No not warm, HOT! So we're off to the zoo! Yes London Zoo here we come. A nice outside light hearted activity for the day. I won't be going to London for every scan after this one, so it will be a nice day for us just being together and both feeling a part of the whole thing. We are only in Bedfordshire, so not miles away. I'm planning on being there for the retrieval and implantation and any other that's deemed very important, but i hear that there can be many appointments/scans leading up to those which H can do in her lunch hour or just before/after work. She is 10 minutes away by Barclays bike. That's it. So far... Much more to come, and in shorter posts! Sorry about that.
Keep everything crossed for us
at the time I thought that's it, Its not going to work. Don't loose faith I then ended up falling pregnant first time. Have faith x
The embryologist asked us if we wanted to put it back in or wait and freeze that one, then wait some more for tomorrow, and see if any of the others catch up. One other was an early blast already.
