funding icsi/I'm far too impatient for this!!

[pteradactyl]

Hi guys. I'm probably going to launch into a far too personal question here so if people don't want to answer I completely understand!!!
We need ICSI and due to being luckily blessed with a daughter from a previous relationship we don't qualify for nhs funding (which i think is a joke as we need icsi for male factor primarily, but thats another debate I wont get into lol). Anyway, the point is we have to self fund. So....how the heck do you guys fund it privately? Do you save it all? Save and borrow? Borrow entirely?
I really want to save it all. I don't like the idea of of the worst happens having a massive debt and just heartache to show for it. Having said that, I am probably the world's most impatient person and saving it all will probably take us 18 months and I can't bear that thought either!!! What the heck do people do while saving?! I feel like I can't even take my mind off it with nice holidays etc cos I want to do it sooner rather than later. Got plenty of years for holidays but a limited time for ICSI etc. Phew. So...if anyone doesn't mind sharing their experiences on funding and how you coped with waiting for it I would really appreciate it

[Christmascheerful]

Not myself personally but my dis had successful IVF early 2015 third cycle also didn't qualify on nhs
She saved around 6k but we all know it doesn't go far...Our fantastic parents then gifted her around 5k she also got some help from in laws but not sure how much which was massively fantastic and such a help

However when more was needed it was a credit card that was used

All the best op

[Christmascheerful]

Dear sister should say**

[Blueroses99]

There was a similar thread a couple of months ago that you might want to look up.

You may also consider going abroad where prices are much more competitive so you could get started sooner. Reprofit (Czech republic), Serum (Athens) and IVF Spain are some of those that I frequently see recommended on these boards by successful patients.

I saved up and had some help from MIL.

Good luck xx

[Blueroses99]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/2744586-paying-for-ivf

Here it is...

[pteradactyl]

Thanks for these replies. i will check out that thread too. My parents have said they will try to help out which is fantastic but would prefer to do it ourselves really x

[pteradactyl]

We did consider abroad but I wouldn't want to do it with dd around and equally wouldn't want to leave her for 2/3 weeks so decided against it. Plus I am a very nervous flier so thought it would probably be stressful but it's still worth bearing in mind so I will check those places out too x

[Blueroses99]

Fair enough, going abroad isn't for everyone, though there is a huge different in prices which might be tempting! I've not done it myself, but I don't think that it needs much time away as scans can be done locally etc and just the treatment is abroad. I'm sure someone will be able to tell you more.

Egg sharing is something else that you could consider to reduce the fees.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Hi. Df has 3kids in 20's so lost my NHS funding. Very unfair as me with problem but that's life

Basically we did a mixture of saving. Overtime. Loans and credit cards.

And yes horrible paying back a loan when fails :(

But time wasn't on my side

U.K. Cycles can be £6/7k with icsi

We did two in uk tho without icsi as df sperm fine. Lost faith in clinic as both failed and none left to freeze

Spent a year kicking our wounds ,saving and looked abroad.

Def cheaper abroad - we chose Madrid and flew in daily in and out so you wouldn't need to leave dd alone for weeks

Think only time we stayed over was for ec for cycle 3 and that was one night as they ec early am and flights wouldn't work out timewise

Did all scans locally who then emailed results to madrid who then contacted me (have own personally translater) via phone and email and once foilicles looking good flew over following day and then ec day after that and came home

Flew back 5days later to et

Sadly that cycle failed but had 6 frozen (as had stringer side of drugs and they also did icsi as standard) so did 4 a fet who also failed but 5 another fet is now 29w bubs kicking away in my tummy

Again with a fet. Scan locally on day 12/13 and they emailed clinic and had private blood tests locally for hormones

when lining ok flew over week later and fet day 20 of cycles

Over all ivf It's not cheap but abroad is def cheaper and I wish we did that on cycle one instead I wasting £12k in uk

Spent £27k and finally preg on 5th private ivf

[pteradactyl]

Wow blondes you have been through a lot. Really pleased you finally have a wriggly bump! Was abroad cheaper even with flights etc? The costs I have found for ivf and icsi abroad are usually around 4k. I can get it done an hour away for around 5k with no faffing around with flights etc so I feel like it would barely be any differnce pricewise, unless I am missing something?
Nice to be able to bob there and back though, thats a bonus and perhaps worth looking into so thanks for sharing. Do you mind me asking which clinic it was at?

[Blueroses99]

£5k sounds cheap for ICSI. Also check costs of meds and extra scans/add ons and include them in the total! My drugs were £1200 each cycle (UK), I've heard others can be more, some less. I also paid extra for IMSI (magnified ICSI) as it's even better for selecting good sperm when MFI.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Agree icis for £5k sounds very cheap. Are you sure that not basic ivf /icsi without the drugs and scans etc on top

Drugs for me think we're £140 a day times 12 so £1680 by theirselves in uk

Tho again drugs much cheaper abroad so brought from chemist near clinic

I used ivi Madrid

[Bibs2014]

That my thread that was linked to upthread. We ended up using a 0% credit card. However £9k later and our cycle failed. Have one frozen embryo so praying that works as can't afford another cycle.

[bananafish81]

ICSI is about £5k at my clinic, but that's only the cycle itself. That doesn't include

• meds (anything from £600-2000)
• blood tests
• extended culture to blastocyst
• embryo freezing if any leftover

So a £5k cycle is actually more like a £7-9k cycle

Important to understand what is and isn't included