TTC 1st child 35+ (Please spoiler any PG news/announcements).

[Maddy40]

Okay ladies...well since I'm monopolising the posts while you're all asleep on the other side of the world here are my thoughts on where we are headed if we go onto IVF and a comparison of our 2 options. I welcome all thoughts, positive and negative


OPTION 1 Private clinic in our local area
The Good
(1) best results in the country by several percentage points for older women using their own eggs.
(2) provide full-service from start to end including all meds, scans, tests, ER & transfer.
(3) are local to us.
(4) have your own FS doing ER and transfer.
(5) blood tests every few days to check progesterone and HCG from 7dpt.
The Bad
(1) They are around $9000 per cycle (plus an additional $1600 for the surgical procedures at ER). After government rebates it would cost nearly $5,000 per round.
(2) Assuming we do 2-3 rounds before our cutoff date...the cost means another loan or credit card. Our half-renovated home wouldn't get finished. DH wouldn't be able to visit his parents anytime soon (they live overseas and are elderly). And I'm the main breadwinner - how the heck would we service all that debt if we got a BFP and I was on maternity leave?

OPTION 2 Not-for-profit clinic 4hrs drive away
THE GOOD
(1) Run by a not-for-profit organisation, which makes me wonder if they might be more about 'best interest' than $$ (not sure, but I just like the idea of that type of operation) .
(2) $1,000 out of pocket after government rebates - which we can afford.
(3) Very experienced FS and the one I've got an appointment with gets very good reviews for her honesty and humanity.
(4) They can arrange for us to do scans and bloods here locally instead of commuting all the time for monitoring.
THE BAD
(1) Rostered doctor does ER and transfer, not necessarily your own FS.
(2) Very busy, apparently difficult to get through to nursing or admin staff with non-urgent questions.
(3) Includes most medication but not 'extras' like progesterone (FWIW my current IUI clinic doesn't provide these either, we are paying extra for it).
(4) They give you 2 HPTs and you are instructed to POAS around 12dpt and 14dpt. No other monitoring unless there are indications you need this.
(5) DH only recently got his driving licence and no way is he confident to drive in Sydney so I would be doing the driving.

So what do y'all think? We also have to consider our daughter who is 14yo and deserves to have us focused on her at least part of the time...she knows we are considering IVF and is on-board but...I am so worried that being consumed by this process might not be fair to her.

Okay...open slather for comments now THANKS!

 

[pbl_ge]

Gosh, Maddy I don't even know how one makes a decision like that, so I won't weigh in. My knee jerk reaction is a mix of the two options--try the cheap way one or twice, then one last stab at the expensive way? Or vice versa? Dunno. I hope you and OH can find a path that you're at peace with, and that it brings you a lovely bouncing LO very soon!!!!

I was reading an article earlier today, and thinking of all you ladies, and it's apropos to what you've written here. It's a US blogger whose book ("Offbeat Bride") I read when I was planning my 200 person Cape Cod wedding and trying not to lose my mind. She's an excellent writer, and describes her painful journey through 5 years of TTC and IVF in a very raw, touching way. I didn't know about it until I read this. She also speaks to being a hippie and having to conceive through technology. The reader-submitted video is amazing. Fair warning: I sobbed relentlessly while watching and reading.

"Coming out of the infertility closet"

Hope it's not annoying of me to post it. I'll lay off this site now.

 

[BabyBean14]

Delete

 

[Dwrgi]

Maddy, defo local clinic. Successful IVF is a challenge and if they have recorded success rates, then they're obviously good at what they do. It wouldn't bother me about who does the procedures, but I DO like the thoroughness of the regular testing. Ur house renovations can be put on the back burner for now, and how much easier does a local clinic sound, in comparison to a 4 hr drive. Also, when ur doing treatment, you DO NOT want a really busy clinic and having to wait around in busy, stuffy waiting rooms. Trust me. No brainer, Id say!

There, whoever said I was opinionated!!!?

Xoxox

 

[BabyBean14]

Delete

 

[drhouse]

maddy i would say local. But I think you should toss a coin. heads is close, tails is far and see how you feel when you see the result. It will tell you how you feel. The coin toss itself is not relevant. Thinking of you!

 

[chickenchaser]

maddy I would go for local too. It comes across that this is the one you are most comfortable with and I believe this is a big thing. The house can wait (we are in a similar situation, so I understand what it is like living in a half finished house, but you do oddly get use to it very quickly)And as for the money, if this is what you want the sod it everything else will work out. XXX However DH need s to get his confidence up with driving quickly. The day after my test a did a 10 minuet drive to work and they infrmed me that I was driving to Manchester the day after (about an hour and a half away) The sooner he does it the better and he will soon be up to doing the 4 hour drive.

 

[chickenchaser]

Ladies thanks for the EPA advice. XXX

 

[JennyEc]

Hello everyone, gosh I'm feeling really good today.

Just wanted to share the news with you all. I saw my FS yesterday and I'm starting IVF around the 19th of Feb, depending on when my cycle starts.

He said that whilst my AMH was low, my FSH was good and everything looked good in my scan. He's hoping that I will respond well to the medication and that they will be able to retrieve about 6 follicles.

I'm very excited to get going and I feel hopeful. A few of my friends have said they have a feeling it will work for me. And I kind of feel that way too. The doc says it's good to have a positive attitude.

A note on medication for anyone else doing IVF (I think Owl is starting imminently as well - hello Owl ). My clinic (London Fertility Centre) were going to charge me about £2000 for the meds , but I've done a bit of research and the cheapest I could find was Healthcare at home. They are basically half the price, it's going to cost about £1000 rather than £2000 if I use them. As far as I can gather they deliver the meds on dry ice either to where you work or live.

I spoke to my FS about DHEA and he said that whilst he didn't prescribe or endorse it, he said it was my choice if I wanted to take it. He said that there hadn't been enough clinical research into it's effectiveness but he didn't think it could do any harm, so if I wanted to take it I could. I've ordered it in from the states. I'm hoping it doesn't make me go spotty and violent

So anyway that's me. I'm taking all the supplements that you ladies have recommended, and will start DHEA asap. I've noticed when I take omega 3, if I burp afterwards it tastes like mackerel. Nice. Probably TMI.

Thank you all so much for being here. It's like I've got someone holding my virtual hand

On one last not, the nurse who took my blood yesterday to check for infections made a right mess of my vein, and I've got a bruise the size of an orange on my arm now. Ouch.

 

[JennyEc]

BTW - Maddy, I think that going local is best too. The doc has said I have to go in for scans every 4 or 5 days to see how I'm responding to the medication. I imagine it would be stressful and a pain in the neck to have to travel 4 hours everytime you had to go for a scan. Goodluck with your treatment, I look forward to hearing how it goes.

 

[nessaw]

Maddy I think local sounds best. I hate driving to new places so I understand ur oh. I can see the ethical reasons for going to the other one however the results of the local one speak for themselves.

Jenny great news on the ivf. Good luck.

Pebble the gummy coq10 are amazing!

About to crush up my clomid!!living it up on a sat night!!

 

[emily405]

Hanging out with AF. I have a headache and cramps and I'm cranky. You know, I kind of thought this was going to be easy because I'm extremely regular to the point that I've always known the day that I ovulate and when AF is going to come within hours. I hope waiting until 38 wasn't too late, and now that I'm going to be 39 after this few month break, I am worried. My insurance does not cover any fertility treatments at all, I do not have the option of switching to a different plan, and I can't afford them on my own. So it's pretty that Starbucks restroom insemination works, or I consider adoption.

Maddy, I don't know if you'll feel bad after IVF, but I would think I'd want to be nearer to home even without having to drive myself. Though even with your husband being a new driver, he will get used to driving eventually. My BIL is a New Yorker so he didn't learn to drive until he was an adult and living in the suburbs but now he does.

Jenny, I am glad you are feeling good. FX for you! Mackerel? Yuck.

Nessaw, can you put the clomid in applesauce? Ice cream?

 

[nessaw]

Emily sorry about af.xx

Tried it with honey today. Pretty gross! Will give apple sauce a go tom. Thanks.x

 

[owl35]

Maddy - I would also go local

Jenny - yay for having an ivf buddy, we'll only be like one week apart! good luck!

Ness - good luck on your first comid cycle how come you're crushing up your pills?

Lots of love to all you lovely ladies Have a great weekend

 

[nessaw]

Owl am rubbish at swallowing pills! They don't do a liquid version of it unfortunately!

 

[nessaw]

Which days do you drink pineapple juice on? Am throwing everything at it this month!!

 

[twiggers]

x

 

[Nectar]

Sorry girls! I accidently posted here instead of in my journal! I was reading Maddy's update on here and obviously posted in the wrong tab.....so excuse this post! (I didn't know how to delete it so just editing).

 

[twiggers]

x

 

[BabyBean14]

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