What stops you going abroad for IVF?

[Mrs R]

Another one of my rambling threads....

Just wondering, if you have considered going abroad for IVF but didn't go, what stopped you?
(Of course I know money is a big issue for many, but apart from this)

If you have had IVF or any fertility treatment abroad, what did you consider when making your decision?

DH and I are seriously thinking about this, but as we have not told anyone we are ttc, we have nobody to chat with, or run things by.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[CurlySue]

My only concerns would be the language issues, i.e. not being able to properly communicate with some of the people in charge of care. There are a few people involved in such treatments and I'd imagine that not all of them would speak perfect English. There's that old English snobbery coming in, going abroad and expecting everyone to speak OUR language rather than trying to speak theirs, but when it comes to medical treatment I would always like to know that I'd be able to communicate any issues I had with no language barrier. Going abroad might prove difficult, in this respect.

We all have pre-conceptions as well. At least in England we know what to expect. What if we were to go far, far away for treatment? Would there be the same standard of care? It'd be like unknown territory in a lot of ways. I get images in my head of grotty little clinics and doctors that don't wash their hands. I know, I know, sounds terrible, but it's another concern.

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

money... i need a special kind of IVF and i dont have a money tree in my garden so its the NHS or nothing..

 

[Mrs R]

I have specific clinic in mind in Norway, who are in theory, happy to treat me.

English speaking staff, very clean (been reviewed in numerous national and international newspapers), excellent rates of success, affordable.....

I'm on a bit of a high and am trying to find some reasons to balance things out

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

why go abroad tho? what are they offering that this country isnt? quicker? because if thats it sometimes it pays to wait it out a little longer. id never go abroad. u never no what could happen

 

[CurlySue]

I have specific clinic in mind in Norway, who are in theory, happy to treat me.

English speaking staff, very clean (been reviewed in numerous national and international newspapers), excellent rates of success, affordable.....

I'm on a bit of a high and am trying to find some reasons to balance things out

Well having been to Norway on holiday you'd need a money tree just to eat there for two days. The price over there is shocking!

 

[Mrs R]

why go abroad tho? what are they offering that this country isnt? quicker? because if thats it sometimes it pays to wait it out a little longer. id never go abroad. u never no what could happen

They offer everything this country doesn't lol

Ok here are my reasons

NI Private treatment: 13-16 month waiting list (not yet on the list) £500 consultation twice the cost of Norweigan treatment 28% success rate for first cycle

[
Norway: 4 week waiting list free consultation, half the price of NI. private treatment (literally) 50% success rate for first cycle for women my age


My European Health Insurance card also covers medical treatment in Norway (although they are not in the E.U) should something happen where I need hospital treatment.

As I said, I totally have rose tinted glasses on at the mo. Just looking for a reality check because DH is starting to get excited too - don't want to let him down

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

Why not NHS funded? i can understand the time waiting tho.. iv been waiting over a year and im not on the list i need and the sucess rates are low here compaired to america but nothing would make me go there for treatment.

 

[Mrs R]

You need to be on the NHS waiting list to self-fund as well, we're not even on the list yet. And as far as im aware, there's not much difference in costs in self-funded treatment and private N.I treatment anyway.

As for travelling abroad, DH and I have done alot of travelling and are comfortable with the thought of going to another country. Other countries can offer alot more that N.I can't.

Although I fully understand why some people wouldn't be happy going else where. We are looking at Norway because Scandinavia is known for having some of the best health care in the world. I personally would not consider the likes of India as I have the preconception of the small, dingy hospital with doctors you cannot communicate with. I'm probably totally wrong, but these are simply my own prejudices.

I understand where people are coming from when they say they wouldn't consider treatment abroad but we are desperate.

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

my dr in NI was prepaired to send me to london for my treatment. fair enough mine is alot more money and alot more complicated but theyd do all the pre op stuff in NI and all my treatment would be in london then transfered back to NI for aftercare. plus NHS list you dont pay for treatment if your granted funding.. if you feel you have to go abroad to have treatment good luck to you i hope they give you your long deserved baby. But i no that feeling of being desparate esp as my treatment is rare to this country and not even got a good sucess rate here. chances of it working are small. so i no the feeling of being desprate

 

[Mrs R]

Did your Dr give you a time scale for your treatment? I'm glad you're getting a good service on the NHS, I'm sure some areas are better than others.

I have just found that we have been treated quite badly up til now. In 2 years of ttc, the NHS help we've received has only made me ovulate twice! And they're in no rush to find something else that will help me ovulate.

We're very fortunate that we're in the position where going abroad offers us much better options and at the minute the best option seems to be leaving N.I behind altogether.

Best wishes for your treatment. I'm sure we'll all get there in the end, regardless of what country our children are conceived in lol

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

i was given 3-6 months but due to moving and dr's this end not knowing wtf to do with me its taken alot longer.

 

[sh77]

Interesting misconception that you have of India. I think you will find they have moved on. Perhaps you should read a little more widely.

 

[reallyready]

I would go abroad and in my case it would be in an effort to afford an IVF. Would just find a bi-lingual doctor.
Even found my dr here in the US with same criteria because english is second language for DH. That was back when I thought we'd get pregnant right away and that if anything happened to me during labor I'd want them to be able to speak in Italian. Ha. Now I'm just hoping to get pg in the first place! You don't have to be bi-lingual just help me figure out HOW to get pg...

 

[jojoD]

For me it's just the 'better the devil you know than the devil you dont!'. At least if you have treatment at home you can drive to the hospital or clinic. Although as MrsR has said we so limited in NI with only three options.. NHS... NHS self funded or Origin Fertility Care. Would go down south though, as it is still only a car journey away.

I have given up on the NHS. In NI the self funded list is longer than the NHS! What a joke! Paying means you wait longer!!! I was even worried about going to Origin and it's still in Belfast!!! HFEA website at least rates clinics we know nothing about!

Would love to have the confidence to go elsewhere... especially when I hear waiting lists of only four weeks. What a dream!!

 

[Mrs R]

Interesting misconception that you have of India. I think you will find they have moved on. Perhaps you should read a little more widely.

Hmmm, maybe if you paid attention when you read my post, you would see that I used the words 'preconception' and 'prejudice' in my opinion of India. I am entitled to my opinion, as you are to yours.

Anyway, back to the point of this thread.......

I am even more shocked that the waiting list for self-funded treatment is longer than that of the NHS. How did that happen??

 

[Steph63]

I think the reason the self-funded waiting list is longer is because the RFC stopped treating self-funding patients for a period of time and were only treating NHS patients, AFAIK this was in an attempt to reduce the waiting list, but hence the self-funding list just stayed static and continued to grow.

Personally, I would not hesitate to go abroad for treatment if I had the money and was happy with the research I had done on the clinic, which you clearly are doing with the clinic in Norway. I think it is very hard for people outside Northern Ireland to understand how limited we are in our treatment options, and no offence is meant to you ladies reading this who are from outside NI, but we literally have the RFC which in my own experience is shite or Origin, which I can't comment on as I haven't personally experienced it, but which now has a long waiting list too. If we were on the mainland, we would have loads of private clinics to chose from, which may be a bit of a drive, but still alot more easily accessible than they are for us. AFAIK, also on the mainland you can choose which NHS clinic to have your treatment at, again we don't have that option. This whole infertility journey makes me feel like I have no control over my own life or body and the fact we have no choice in where to have treatment compounds this.

Anyway, didn't mean to go off on such a tangent, but basically if you and DH are happy with the contact you have had from the clinic and you are in a good enough position financially to do this, I would go for it. I wish you all the luck in the world if you go.

 

[Mrs R]

Thanks Steph. You took the words right out of my mouth (and said it better than I could)

I feel as if I have no control over my life anymore, I'm hanging on a doctor's every word, and because he decided I had to wait 3 months to see him again with no treatment, my life has been on hold. I want to take back some control and this is the only way I can see how.

We have an app. at the end of this month where it will be determined if I'm suitable for FSH injections. If we don't get them, we're planning to go to Norway asap. I'm not waiting anymore

 

[Steph63]

I don't even know when my next review apt with the Prof is, but we have the same consultant, and he has told me one thing and you another, there is no consistency even with the same blooming Dr! I can't remember if I told you this before or not, but just in case, when he told you he wouldn't give you the injections because of your weight, I had seem him just a couple of weeks before and he had extended my treatment for another six months and I am a hell of a bit bigger than you are. It's a bloody joke.

This "journey" is hard enough and anything it is within your power to do to help take control or make yourself feel better, I would do. If you don't, you'll always be wondering what if?? And if it helps, I'm always here for a chat, pm me or if you want I'll PM you my mobile no. and you can ring or text anytime you need to talk or just vent.

Do let me know how you get on after your appointment, I'll be thinking of you x

 

[Mrs R]

You're a sweetheart Steph. I'm having a shitty day and I've still got 3 and a half weeks left til my appointment. The whole 'no treatment til I shift some weight' thing is really getting to me aswell. I've never had an issue with my weight, but I definately do now!

Another thing that's getting to me is that DH is having some reservations about IVF, as we've been doing alot of research and there is some worrying info coming out of it, like IVF babies being premature, more at risk of health problems etc. I would go to Norway in the morning if I could, but he is keen to try the injections first as it's more natural. I completely see his point but I'm just not feeling very logical at the minute! lol

Now that I've found another option, I just want to drive right in. This is driving me up the wall today.....

You seem to be on the same treatment for a long time Steph, what were his reasons for that?