Private recurrent miscarriage tests and treatment.

[Sassymum21]

Has anyone gone completely private for their tests and treatment for recurrent miscarriages? If you have I would really like to know how much approx you spent in total.
I know the initial consultation is around £180 but dont know where the costs end for the all tests and treatment.
If you dont feel comfortable disclosing how much you spent on the thread please private message me.
I have had fairly ropey NHS treatment for my miscarriages and would really like to try private but I dont have any private health insurance so willl have to self fund.

[farfallarocks]

sassy I am seeing Mr Raj Rai privately at St Mary's in London.

His initial consultation is £200.
The tests for HD and I (blood tests) have been £800
Ultrasound will be £200
Not sure about the follow up but its less than £200

My insurance has covered the consultations and the ultrasounds.
I can't tell you if it has been worth it yet as I don't get the results until 3rd November but it has certainly made me feel better to be doing something and not standing still. I manage to see him after 10 days, blood tests the week later. The results take 3 weeks because of how they do one of the tests so I think the time lines are pretty good.


Good luck

[Sassymum21]

Thank you Farfallarocks. That amount is much less than I had anticipated and i'm really glad to know that I could get the ball rolling so soon and on only one credit card :) I know what you mean about doing something. I feel I really need to focus on keeping going and trying to be positive. The losses, the lack of control and just the absolute horror of the experiences sometimes threathen to engulf and just getting on with it and trying to engage with it as something that might be helped gives me a better sense of purpose. After my recent experiences at my local hospital I'd like to try somewhere else and thanks to your info I can start to take the first steps. Best of luck with your tests. hopefully we will meet again soon on a pregenancy thread! Thanks again for answering my question.

[farfallarocks]

Yes agreed, see you in pregnancy shortly, best of luck with it :)

[Dozer]

Hi sassymum, the hospitals should all be able to send a price list by test. There are usually small extra charges for things like phlebotomy. The most expensive tests are the "karyotyping" ones for you and your partner (about £800 I think), but these are "standard" in the nhs.

I spent about £1500 in total, at st mary's, this excluded the karyotyping ones (which we had done on the nhs) but included an hsg done by a specialist doctor and three appointments with mr rai. Ultrasound by a doctor would have been an additional £350 or so I think.

It is fine to have some done by the nhs and some private.

[Dozer]

Know exactly how you feel, for me it was hugely helpful going somewhere that felt was good. Local (big london) hospital were dismissive.

Be aware that some of the more contraversial tests (eg "natural killer cells") cost a lot. They don't do these at st mary's.

[farfallarocks]

dozer just wanted to say thank you for the st marys tip, as you can see I am seeing them at the moment and so far I am extremely impressed with them and Raj Rai (who is also just the loveliest man which makes a difference when feeling fragile!)

FYI we have done karotyping privately and it was £250 each so around £500.

[Coconutfeet]

I've been seeing Mr Shehata privately in Harley St and the costs are very similar to those mentioned above. I saw the Recurrent miscarriage clinic at my local hospital and they ran some tests and told me everything had come back normal and to just keep trying. I had heard that he was happy to use any test results you already had, but when I took the results to Mr Shehata he basically said that they were incomplete and I had to have them all done again. I guess it just depends on how good your local hospital is on this issue. Thiose tests were around £800, plus the consultation. The results showed a whole range of problems. The good news is that I'm now pregnant and things seem to be going well so far and he is very confident. I'm sure I would have just continued to miscarry if I hadn't had the treatment.

I chose him because after reading around the subject I had a feeling that I might have a problem with killer cells and he specialises in this. He sees you every couple of weeks once you are pregnant and, although it's expensive, I've found the constants scans very reassuring. He hands you back to the NHS at around 16 weeks. I reckon we've spent around £3000 in total.

His website is here if you're interested.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[Louise187]

Hi lovely people
I need some advice or help I’m at wits end ,
So started trying in 2018 and wasn’t getting pregnant so had basic bloods done and everything was fine , I knew the problem was with me as my partner has children already

Late 2018 I was referred to gyni and they booked me in for a laparoscopy to check tubes etc I then was very lucky I concieved I was discharged from gyni I then misscarried
Then got pregnant with a chemical pregnancy went back to my gp to refer me back to gyni he was not convinced I had a problem as can get pregnant
I then waited two months for an appointment
Which was due on the 31-12 I then got discharged as was pregnant again
But have since lost baby number three and booked in for a D&C in Bolton on Tuesday
My worry is the time I have recently turned 40 and feel I don’t have time
I was at the gp yesterday as the hospital said I needed to go back and to be referred to a specialist
I’m worried how long the wait is etc ... I have had one long journey and still not got my dream
I know I have to stay positive but was writing this to see if anybody is northwest based who can recommend a private place as feel I’m going to be pushed back in the system
Any help would be grateful
And costs please
Xxx

[anotherypasswordtoremember]

Hi, afraid I don't have anything local but can give you the costs I paid for my private appointments. I went to a private clinic attached to an NHS hospital that takes NHS referrals as well as private patients.

Initial consultation: £175 (half hour chat, internal scan)
Tests: £590. One of the tests I asked for was £400 but I'm glad I did because it was for lupus anticoagulant which it turns out I actually have and was the likely reason for my miscarriage.
Get results over phone: £90 for the call

Not cheap but I'm glad I did it. I knew something wasn't right. I'm pregnant now and on clexane which would hopefully prevent further sadnesses. Chances of me carrying to birth without the clexane is roughly 20%

[Louise187]

Aww thanks so much , I’m recovering at home now after my d&c I am lucky to have specialist on the 9/2 at wrightington which is quite local , I had the option for st marys in Manchester but it was for July I just feel I couldn’t wait that long .. I’m keeping positive as I have been pregnant just hope it’s something they can give me to cure my misscarriages I don’t think I can go through this pain especially with my age . I am so worried as all this started when I was 37 just turned 40 so hopefully I will get there
I spoke to many people in the hospital and the nurses said 40 is the new 30
I am trying .. look after yourself and thanks for replying to me it gives me hope xxx

[anotherypasswordtoremember]

I have heard of lots of women recently talking about the PRISM and PROMISE trials. There's information on the miscarriage association website so could be good to read up before your appointment. I've been hearing really positive things on these board about both.

I am really very sorry for your loses. I hope you can take it easy for a bit. I have absolutely everything crossed for your future pregnancies x

[Louise187]

Thankyou so much xxx

[mala1986]

HI Ladies,
Louise187 I'm just down the road from you -Chorley. In a very similar situation.
Had an ectopic in 2017 and we struggled to conceive after that and so we were referred by the GP to have had some tests done early last year in Wrightington Hospital, fertility fusion clinic. (they were amazing)
Had loads of blood test and HyCoSy, no issues were found and we were offered 2 rounds of IVF ,which then we were refused as my partner has a child. I decided to try acupuncture and got pregnant after 3 sessions. Ended up with 2 miscarriages last year. Last one in November and have been referred to a miscarriage clinic in Preston Hospital, my appointment is this Monday 10th Feb It is frustrating having to wait weeks for the appointments. Hope all goes well for you, fingers crossed xx

[anotherypasswordtoremember]

Oh @mala1986, I am sorry to hear about the rocky journey. That's really crappy.

I've heard of a lot of women being put on Clexane following multiple miscarriages. It's what I'm on now. If you get offered it the drug is available on the nhs. Injections are a bit crap but after what you've been through they'd be a breeze!

[mala1986]

@anotherypasswordtoremember Thank you for you post.
Yes it hasn't been easy, miscarriage at 10 weeks with vacuum aspiration treatment and another one at 5.5 week but natural.
Let's hope I'll get some tests done and something prescribed. Injections don't bother me.
Wishing you health and all the best for the remainder of your pregnancy xx

[Louise187]

Aww ladies I hope you all get sorted .. I feel I don’t have time and it’s so hard seeing all these famous people on social media getting pregnant
My trouble started when I was 36 now time has come I got pregnant at 39 then lost baby at 11 weeks said baby stopped at 8 w
Then got pregnant again but turned out to be chemical at 5w
Then pregnant again on 22/12 but found out baby stalled ag 5-6w then opted for d&c
I am resus negative so now got the ani d jab
This is the first time I was given it
I just hope I get answers before I feel it’s too late
Life is so cruel but I remember keep positive
Good luck to all you ladies too
We will get our dream one day xxx

[mala1986]

Hi ladies, I had my appointment today
I was asked to give blood to test me for: lupus anticoagulant, thrombophilia, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. I’ve got to wait up to 4 weeks for results. Then depending on weather they are positive I’ll get treatment ( blood thinners) but if they negative I’m fine to proceed with pregnancy as normal and I’ll be having fortnightly scans and be under observation. So now just have to wait and see. We are waiting before we start ttc again as we went to Mexico last month ( Zika virus risk area) so just going to take it easy for a while.
Good luck to everyone xx

[anotherypasswordtoremember]

Hi @mala1986, it's positive for lupus anticoagulant so thought I'd let you know what happened for me.
I'm on Clexane now (type of blood thinner), 40mg once a day injection.
I was meant to go for preconception counseling BUT I actually got my blood test results the day I got my positive pregnancy result, so I skipped that step. It took about 4 days to get my prescription so I went on aspirin (75mg) until I could start the injections.
As you're not currently pregnant, you could pop yourself on aspirin now if you felt like it, whilst you await the results.
Fingers crossed.
I miscarried my first lady year and I'm 9 weeks now and last week saw a heartbeat.
#clexanebaby!

[mala1986]

@anotherypasswordtoremember thank you for your post hun! I discussed that with my Dr but i'm afraid thats not an option for me as I have severe allergy to aspirin and penicilyn and few other meds. So she said we will just have to wait for the results and decide then. As you had your tests private, how long did you wait for your results??
Ohh thats brillaint hun 😊 it's lovely to have that reassurance!
All the best xx

[Ilpryor]

Hi, I know this message thread is really old, but I was wondering if anyone had experienced being quoted £3,200 for investigation for recurring miscarriage? I’m based in east Cheshire, have already paid £200 for a consultation & feel totally at a loss with this quote. It seems impossible to find out alternative estimates from other clinics-although I have seen one from another Manchester clinic that had a £5000 cost attached to the investigations. Can anyone advise if this seems far too expensive?

[VenusStarr]

Hi @Ilpryor I am sorry you're experiencing recurrent losses ❤️ I've had 4 and am now seeing Dr Shehata at the CRP Clinic in Surrey. He looks specifically at immune issues and I've been diagnosed with aggressive nk cells and following an immune protocol now. No pregnancy yet.
My initial tests were about £2.5k which is expensive but he was very thorough. I've previously had scans and a hysteroscopy via the nhs but know if I'd needed these that would be really costly.

I'd check and compare what the clinics are looking to test you for and their experience at dealing with recurrent losses. We were being pushed down the ivf route (and still might do ivf as we struggle to concieve) but it won't help our losses unless I get the right treatment.

I travel about 6 hours each way to see my clinic but it has a very good success rate and we'd exhausted the nhs route.

Best wishes x

[Ilpryor]

Hi @VenusStarr thanks for responding and sorry to hear about your losses - I really wish you all the best! I really wasnt impressed by the consultation which I think has led to me questioning if this is the right price/clinic. The doc is seemingly the main doc in the area though - quite reputable (been on BBC discussing endometriosis - which he specialises in.). The consultation lasted only about 25 mins and he basically just asked a load of generic questions that I could have filled out pre-consultation - it would have been a 20 min appointment if I hadnt asked questions. There was nothing personal about it. He then forwarded a list of investigations - no accompanying explanations. The whole thing was just very generic and I dont know if that's normal? there's also no transparency on costing (I asked about potential future treatment costs and the receptionist just said she couldn't provide as it depends on diagnosis). I suppose I just expected more from a private clinic and I'm questioning, should I be shopping around until I'm happy? How many more £200 consultations should I have until I'm happy with the doctor? Of course, the time ticking away is always in the background.... :(