ABC Infertility

[Bubblegum89]

Looking at potential IVF options and to stay with our current fertility clinic, we’re looking in the region of about £6k for IVF including medication. I have come across ABC in London a few times and I’ve also seen women on ttc/infertility fb groups talking about having their IVF done there.

I understand it’s known as “shoebox” IVF which is why it only costs £2500 including meds, scans etc. Which is amazing to be honest when you don’t have thousands and thousands to spare like we don’t. I was just wondering if anyone on here was considering going, is currently or has been through IVF with them and if they’re worth it? I feel like it may be a “too good to be true” situation but if it’s not, it would really be a step in the right direction for us money-wise

@BrownHoney

Thank you. Yeh we always knew it would make things harder for us and knew we would go down the IVF route. but it was back when we first started trying they said it was unexplained before the cancer and that's why we had IVF on the NHS thankfully which gave us our little boy.
Just always have been hopeful we would somehow get pregnant naturally, wanted to get that feeling of being surprised, oy my period is late , am I'm pregnant (silly I know)

But yes very frustrating if you don't know what the issue is and the fact there is only a small window to get pregnant.

Just read you made a mistake with your injection. have you had any reply? Im sure everything will be ok and keeping everything crossed for you x

@MiggieR thank you, I've thrown myself straight back into my fitness sessions and concentrating on being as prepared as I can again, this is helping to take my mind off the wait again. Spotting started today so hopefully my withdrawal bleed which means I start again on the next period 🙂

@misty20 that's fab news, I'm so happy for you that you will get to start when you wanted to, good luck!

@BrownHoney I'm sorry I've no advice other than to say don't beat yourself up about it, it's easily done mixing up day 1 and 2. I hope they answer you soon. I understand your frustration re communication, we had the same issues early on. Have they given you a Co ordinator mobile number? If not ask them for it, they are much better at answering and getting back to you as it cuts out the call centre xx

@BrownHoney

Hi how are you? was all ok with you taking the bemfola a day early?

@misty20 Everything was fine with taking the bemfola a day early thanks for asking. I’ve started on the cetrotide today - quite itchy that one! I have scan on Monday so lets see how it goes. How old is your little boy? I also have a son, he was conceived naturally just a month before starting ivf - he will be 3 soon. How are you feeling as your ivf will kick off in September I believe, which is round the corner?

@Kelbell86 How is everything at your end? I went for my scan and like you, was waiting an hour as they were running behind. Hope all’s going well for you?

@BrownHoney
ah that's brilliant! so glad all was ok and keeping fingers crossed for you.
My little boy was 3 in April. nice age gaps I think.
getting excited now! they called to arrange my medication delivery today so that comes next Tuesday and then fingers crossed all starts 1st September.

I can't remember if you said, are you at the harley street clinic?

It is exciting when it starts! Hope it all goes well for you. I only had my initial appointment at Harley street and I think egg collection is at St Paul’s- but all my scans and appointments are in Oxford as that’s closer to me. I had a scan this morning - 24 mature follicles on one ovary and 8 mature follicles on the other. They are really concerned about OHSS now and are reducing my bemfola from 100 to 87.5. Iv also been advised that I might have to have frozen transfer in 3 months rather than fresh transfer bcoz of the risk of OHSS. Egg collection will be Thursday or Friday. Feeling so incredibly nervous. I knew something was up because Iv been having a lot of aches and tenderness in my sides and back. Hoping for the best now.

@BrownHoney
Ah I see, ill be at create st pauls for the collection and transfer too.

oh no that's frustrating that you may have to wait. hoping its all ok in the end.
have you had any side effects with the injections at all? do they hurt? i hated the injections last time so dreading them again

@BrownHoney all good this end thanks, just finished my withdrawal bleed so now just waiting on AF again to start stims again! I can't wait to get going again.
Sounds like you have amazing numbers, I bet you are thrilled? Shame about the ohss though, I really hope you don't end up with it and you get to do a fresh 🤞🏻

@misty20 the bemfola doesn't hurt at all and I didn't feel any side effects other than bloating, the cetrotide was a little stingy/itchy straight after injecting but seemed to wear off quite quick. I just started to feel quite tired after about 10 days injecting and heavy in the lower tum but no other side effects really. I made sure I drank tons of water and I knew if I needed to up it as I would feel the start of a headache. Hope they are better for you this time around 😊 xx

@Kelbell86
That's good to know. I'm sure ill be fine and overthinking as usual. Ill have to make sure i drinks lots of water too as I always struggle with that.
Thank you!
what step are you at now?
Also when you had the medication delivered, did they give you a smaller time slot on the day?

@misty20 I was told to have more protein too so i take a protein shake a day as I struggle to have enough protein in a day usually. You probably already know all these things but thought it worth mentioning 😊
Yes, I got given 8am-6pm and then the night before I received a text with a 2 hour window and they have been within that frame both times.
I have had my second batch of meds delivered, these are a higher dose so hopefully all will go to plan this time, just waiting on my AF to show up again which hopefully will be in the next 3ish weeks. I'm all out of kilter with my dates with the stims and withdrawal xx

Hi all. I've had my initial consultation with abc IVF and have booked my treatment consultation. They gave us the ok (I'm not pcos but said it looked multicystic), we just need to undertake a new sperm analysis (£140 with abcivf).

Im so clueless about the procedure and wanted some advice. I've tried researching but just not having any luck.

1. What happens at the treatment consultation

1. How do cycles work.

1. Do you take injections before your next bleed or after? - they advised as I've had my bleed last week. We can start as soon as my next bleed next month in September. Given that we only went for an initial consultation last week.

1. How did the injections make you feel?

1. How did you cope with balancing work and time off?

Wishing you all so much success in your journey

Hi everyone,
Sorry to interrupt any conversations already going. I was just wondering if anyone has done a FET cycle?

I'm on day 12 of progynova tablets. I have endometriosis so I'm guessing this will be normal but just wondered if anyone else started getting bad pelvic cramp using this med?

Thanks, xxx

@misty20 hiya, I agree with @Kelbell86 - bemfola doesn’t hurt at all and cetrotide is a little stingy. I was really itchy in the area I injected with that had broke out in hives in the same area aswell. Nothing major though. Are you feeling nervous about self injecting?

@Nora500 Hi! So at the treatment consultation they will run through everything you’re actually asking here lol. They will tell you how the meds work, what you will take and when you will take it. You will start your injections literally day 2 of your bleed for about a week or more (they scan you every other day almost) and when your follicles looks good they will do the egg withdrawal. This is done under sedation at a clinic in St Paul’s. After that they will fertilise and culture your good eggs and transfer them back into you about 5 days later. Injections are fine! Honestly you get the hang of it and it doesn’t hurt. Can’t help you with the work aspect of things as I’m a teacher and off work which is why we chose to do it now. Hope it goes well for you - keep us updated!

@Hopeful1990 Hi, I can’t help you there right now but I’m in the same boat as you. I just had my egg collection yesterday. I wa supposed to have it on Friday but there were signs of OHSS so it was done on Wednesday. They collected 19 eggs so I have to have a frozen Embryo transfer at a later date. Did they tell you that cramping would be normal considering you have endometriosis? Maybe give them a call/email and see if they can advise you? Hope you feel better soon.

@Kelbell86 ah Yes i remember about eating better etc, Ive been trying to eat more protein and less junk anyway as had to keep my weight down.

Ok thats good to know you get the time slot the night before.

Keeping all crossed for you! we may be IVF buddies :)

@BrownHoney

I couldn't ever inject myself. Hubby did them last time and will again lol.im such a wimp. I cant do anything that inflicts pain on myself. not even wax myself lol.

Have they given you a rough time when you can do a frozen transfer? will you have to have any meds again when doing it?

Forgot to ask @Kelbell86 @BrownHoney

what days of cycle did you both end up having scans?

Im due on a tuesday so day 4 to 6 is Friday to sunday. unless I come on in the afternoon, she said then Wednesday is day 1 pushing day 4 to Saturday. just trying to work out things with work and time off.

@misty20 haha my husband is the opposite - he couldn’t even watch me inject myself!

Well, ABC said 8-10 weeks before transfer so my body can heal and hormones can go back to normal but at the clinic the doctor said it would be after next period? I asked him straight away about it and he said there was no need to wait 8-10 weeks??? We have a zoom consultation next week to arrange the fet so I’ll see what they say then. All I know so far is I have to take the progesterone pessaries

@Hopeful1990 sorry I haven't had a FET so can't help there, good luck for it though 🍀

@misty20 ah it would be fab to have a cycle buddy! When are you due to start again? I can't remember if you said Sept?
Hopefully won't be too long now.
Last time my scans were Day 4 (Mon) ,6,8,11(Mon) and 13. I know they said they like the first scan to be CD4-6 😊

@BrownHoney
haha! good on you for being able to do it yourself.
oh hopefully you can on next period! Don't see why you would need to wait 8 to 10 weeks.

@Kelbell86
Period is due 1st September so would start the injections day 2. they are being delivered next Tuesday. so may end up being roughly same time :)
ahh you had quite a few scans then. she did say that, just depends if my period does start on the Tuesday early then will be Friday with it being day 4. just if it comes a day late goes on to the weekend so wasn't sure what happens and if they will scan on the weekend

Hi ladies..

Went to my final monitoring scan today ready for my first fet cycle. We had a freeze all cycle 2 months ago after I developed ohss and had to stay in hospital. Feels very overwhelming that we've finally got this far. We will be having our embryo transfer on Thursday next week.

I was told today that due to covid they won't be doing a blood test after the two week wait, but instead I'll do a urine test. I'm presuming this is one that I will be told to do at home, has anyone else had their pregnancy test day yet during covid? Just wondering if I had understand what the nurse said correctly and that I'll be testing myself at home.

Thanks in advance :)

@Hopeful1990 I had my beta blood test last week at Harley street, they said I could do it at home if I preferred but would need to do it 2 days later.

I have just been in hospital with OHSS after having a fresh transfer. Did you find it was quite difficult to contact them about it during office hours? When I called on Monday (in between going to a&e and being admitted to a ward) I was told I had to wait to speak to a nurse between 4-5pm! I was quite desperate to speak to someone but they didn’t really seem bothered and just told me to drink water.

Hi...

Thanks for your reply about the pregnancy test. I guess I will find out for sure what the plan is on Thursday when I go for my transfer.

So sorry to hear you're suffering with ohss, its really horrible isn't it? I spent 4 days in hospital in the end. I was admitted to the hospital on a weekend so my husband phoned the nurse on the clinics out of hours phone. After that I had daily phone calls from both the nurse and the consultant every day I was in hospital. We are using the clinic in Bristol. Its a shame to hear you feel they didn't care about it. I have found the best way to contact someone at our clinic is by email. Their phone lines seem to get crazy busy, but I always get a reply either by email or phone if I send them a message.

I hope you feel better really soon!

@Hopeful1990 it’s crazy how it differs so much between locations. I’ve had a call back once when I’ve requested it on Monday, but since then they haven’t phoned to see to how I was doing which I was quite surprised about. I only came out of hospital Thursday night and the NHS have been phoning me daily since I got home!

Best of luck for your transfer on Thursday, hope this week flys by for you and the 2ww goes quickly too!

Hey everyone. I've been a bit absent!
@Hopeful1990 did you have your transfer today? Hope all went OK. I could be wrong as we aren't at the stage yet so not too sure but thought they were still doing the blood test.

Hi @Ro198 that doesn't sound good they didn't help you much after finding out you getting ohss. How are you now and have they been any better?

I got my medication delivered Tuesday 🎉 excited to start next week.. Does anyone know if you can do excercise classes while doing these injections and can you have a glass of wine 🙈 can't remember if you aren't meant to avoid certain things when the the meds.

@misty20

Hey everyone. I've been a bit absent! *@Hopeful1990* did you have your transfer today? Hope all went OK. I could be wrong as we aren't at the stage yet so not too sure but thought they were still doing the blood test.

Hi @Ro198 that doesn't sound good they didn't help you much after finding out you getting ohss. How are you now and have they been any better?

I got my medication delivered Tuesday 🎉 excited to start next week.. Does anyone know if you can do excercise classes while doing these injections and can you have a glass of wine 🙈 can't remember if you aren't meant to avoid certain things when the the meds.

Are meant to avoid not aren't 🤦🏽‍♀️