Infertility investigations/IVF in Scotland - thread 3

[itsmschanandlerbong]

A thread for those of us undergoing infertility investigations or treatment in Scotland.

Thread 1 - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/3742246-infertility-investigations-ivf-in-scotland

Thread 2 - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4138992-Infertility-investigations-IVF-in-Scotland-thread-2

Sorry you're having all this stress @Scirocco. I really hope you are OK and being looked after.

Wow. Definitely should have gone into private practice!

Thanks @Comiston34 that's useful to know

Thanks guys, it really helps to be able to come here...

@scirocco Sorry to hear this, thinking of you.

@Scirocco sorry to hear things have been tough, it sounds like low blood pressure but guess it’s good EPAS are being careful.

@ally99101 that does seem very expensive, Was this cost similar to what was quoted on your consent appointment letter? I’m a clinician and can’t imaging charging anyone £250 to write a prescription!!

@Scottishrunner crazy isn't it!

So the £1600 was the quote from GCRM, we haven't actually heard from the drugs company yet with a final price but expecting that this week as GCRM said aiming to have drugs end of this week. I'm expecting though if GCRM have quoted £1600 that it will be fairly similar when the drugs company call for payment. I might be pleasantly surprised and find that it's less (just hope it's not more!!!)

I managed to get the prescription details from GCRM today so may do a bit of shopping around for prices tomorrow

2 x Menopur Multi 1200iu
1 x Menopur Multi 600 iu
18 Fyremadel
1 Suprecur
30 Norethisterone

However from what little pricing details I've managed to get from Google today, the above does seem to be coming to around that. The cheapest I could get to was about £1450 and that was a price list for CRGW fertility which actually says at the bottom they use Stork for their medication

@Scirocco Is there anything they can do to bring your blood pressure back up? (other than stressing you out!)

@ally99101 I've always kjust gone through Stork to be honest, even though they might not be the cheapest option. I've found GCRM have a really bad habit of only putting through prescriptions at the very last minute, and Stork and fast and efficient, and if it wasn't for Stork bending over backwards I'd have missed the start of cycles. GCRM over-order on your Menapur (in case you need to stim for longer) and several other things I've found as well which increases your costs. I've never had a cycle that's cost as much as you're being quoted though! Interesting you say you're on a low stim protocol as 225 of Menapur is more than I took on a long cycle (and I have a normal AMH). I'm assuming you've also got cyclogest or similar as well (or are you a planned freeze all?). I've found GCRM make mistakes on the callendar sometimes - often they will put in your meds up until a scan/bloods appointment, and then update the calendar depending on your results (which is why you might not see all your menapur doses as how many days you stim will depend on how your body responds). I'd be interested though if you find somewhere that makes the private prescription cost worth it.

@ally99101 Just to say GCRM put through prescriptions to Stork about 2pm (they wont do prescriptions later in the day, so if you miss that cut off Stork wont get it until the next afternoon). Stork normally phone pretty quick, but if you phone them they can confirm if GCRM have actually sent the prescription (for my current cycle GCRM said they had, but they hadn't). You sometimes need to hound GCRM to get your prescription moving along.

Thanks @2mumlife, that's made me feel better actually, as yes I'm looking at my treatment calendar and so far I think I have 1800 menopur in there so I was wondering what the other 1200 was for, I did figure it was in case I need to take it for longer but I wasnt sure with this being my first go at IVF. Same with the fyremadel, they've ordered 18 but only 10 in my calendar. I said to my wife last night I bet we end up with a few hundred £ worth of unused medication as it does seem like a lot more than I might need. I guess I'd rather have too much than too little right enough!

We're doing a freeze all due to high OHSS risk so that's everything on my prescription.

I'll let you know how I get on with ordering, I emailed a few places last night for quotes but to be honest unless the saving is significant I will probably just go with stork as well for ease of not having to get the prescription and then source everything myself. With it being my first go as well it's probably wise to just accept what might end up a bit more expensive but less hassle/stress!

Hi Ladies, I have been watching this thread for a while and have found that the information you share is very useful - also lovely to see that you support each other 💕
I am wondering if anyone can help me understand the process.
We are TTC for almost 2 years and have attended monklands for initial testing - have consultant appointment next week- I assume to review all the results of bloods/scans. We have uncovered a male factor so far.
If you are referred for IVF what is the process from there is it another long wait to have another consultation in Glasgow? Do you need to have all the tests repeated or do they pick up based on tests already done?
Also does anyone know if you can go ahead with private treatment while on nhs wait list ? (I am 38 and feeling the time pressure)
Any info greatly appreciated!

I may call them in the next few days then as GCRM said doctor signing off the script early last week but still haven't heard from stork. I don't start nothesterone until the 27th so still have some time but good to know thanks!

@ally99101 I have a 600iui box of menapur I never touched sitting in my fridge, plus an assortment of other bits (I've got left over Letrozole from IUI, some gonal-f, an ovitrelle...lol!). Stork are very good and will let you take off things from prescription - so when I was doing IUI's for example there were cycles when I told them to take off a gonal-f pen for example if I already had a full extra one in the fridge. But for your first IVF cycle I'd just take everything they send as you wont know for sure what you need. Stork normally phone the same day as they get prescription, very occasionally the next day. If they haven't phoned, GCRM haven't sent it.

@Hopewishprayer welcome! If you've had all tests, then at your consultant appointment at Monklands you should then be referred to GRI. Pre covid it was about a 3 month waiting list. When we were seen at GRI, we then had to repeat a sperm analysis and blood tests, although I've heard others didn't need to do this. Then you'll be seen by a consultant at GRI (well telephone appointment at the moment) and will be added to the waiting list from there. The waiting list is around 7 months, but then it takes a few months when you reach the top for various appointments. I was added to the waiting list in July and started stims in May, it might be quicker though with Covid not restricting things as much now. You can go private and if it doesn't work you will still be able to use your NHS cycles. There is a really helpful group for people going through IVF in Glasgow on Facebook.

@itsmschanandlerbong thank you for the info 😊 the timings you mention , these are NHS? Hoping private route may be faster, thinking if progress with private option while on NHS wait list and if not successful then will have moved up through nhs wait list during that time

@ally99101 - GCRM told me they had sent my prescription to Stork on 4th of June - I called GCRM on 11th of June as I hadn't heard from Stork. I called Stork on 14th of June and they advised that they had just received the prescription on 12th June so make sure you do chase them up if you haven't heard. Stork did next day delivery and it arrived this morning.

They haven't over ordered me on stims as I had x10 bemfola left over from 1st cycle and they advised that if I needed more they could supply at my scans. Last cycle was cancelled so I'm half expecting this one to be cancelled too!

@Hopewishprayer - private options in Scotland are GCRM which is about 6 months from consultation to treatment and GRI Self funded which is probably the same. There is not a lot of choice in Scotland currently.

Just woke up after lunch and a nap from egg collection this morning - we got 8 embryos. We can’t donate, sadly, so we need to wait and see now how many are mature and how many fertilise - getting a phone call tomorrow morning. At least we don’t have to pay extra to keep them all! We have donation a try and it couldn’t be, I believe they could have given me stronger stims but with my AMH it wasn’t expected to respond that slow! Fingers crossed for a few embryos on day 5!

@GemmTryTTC 8 eggs is still a really good result! Fingers crossed for your fertilisation report tomorrow

That is great news about your 8 @GemmTryTTC. Hope you are feeling OK afterwards?

@2mumlife thanks a lot!
@florafoxtrot I’m feeling ok, had a good cry just straight after waking up (drugs+built up stress and emotion, I didn’t even fully know why I was crying 😂 poor nurses!), a bit crampy and tired, otherwise all good to be fair! I thought I’d feel worse.

Oh I bet that is so so normal to have had a cry. Glad you're not feeling too bad though. What time were you in at?

Will you hear about fertilisation tomorrow?

@florafoxtrot we arrived at 7:20, were second in line to get the retrieval. Got in to do the procedure around 8:25/8:30 and was back in the room about 10-15 mins later. We left the GCRM around 10. The lab should call us tomorrow morning with info about how many mature + fertilised. I’m already mentally planning for none making it at the end, but we will see!!

Goodness it's crazy how quickly they do it isn't it?

Everything crossed for good news tomorrow

That's fantastic, well done @GemmTryTTC! Keeping everything crossed for you that a good number fertilise tomorrow!

So I took a FRER last night and got a very, very faint positive. I had been drinking water all day so my urine would've been diluted. That was with one of those early result ones. I stupidly bought the wrong type of FRER on Sunday and used a rapid result one first thing this morning. Still a very faint positive, just the same as last nights test. Im hoping it's because the rapid results one isn't as sensitive. According to what I've read online, the early results one is 10mui and the rapid result is 100mui sensitivity? So anyway I went out and bought another pack of FRER, early results this time and planning on testing tomorrow which is test day anyway. I've basically caused myself extra anxiety and money by testing early, with no reliable result until tomorrow anyway 🤦‍♀️

@itsmschanandlerbong sounds like positive news! To be honest I would have done the same as you, so I can understand your anxiety! I will reserve any other congratulations until official test day, but I really send you lots of positive vibes! 🤞