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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Original poster

Did you do a private IVF cycle to speed things up?

31 replies

thislittlebird · 12/10/2021 19:46

What the title says really, did you do a private cycle, and did you regret it or were happy you did it? I’m thinking we should go ahead with one private round (and we’re allowed to in our ccg) if they can fit us in before Christmas. Looking for some experiences I suppose, if it works it’s worth it, but I’m worried it’ll fail. I know we won’t know until we try, of course!

OP posts:
CycleGirl20 · 12/10/2021 20:31

Just wanted to say hi again. We were on a thread together but I dropped off for a bit as I was thinking about infertility too much. We're going private. I don't know if it will work but we can afford a cycle or two. IVF seems like it might be a numbers/tries game for many, so why not get this one out of the way and who knows, maybe we're lucky.

Lotsofqs · 12/10/2021 20:38

Hi,
I hope this helps, we were trying to be referred during covid, it took a really long time just for the referal from the gp (for obvious pandemic reasons),and then we joined the gynaecology triage waiting list that was rediculously long, I could have cried! I phoned care fertility clinic and registered private, we got a consultation appointment within 2 weeks which cost just over £100. We then went private for all our tests (blood test, semen analysis and scan for me) then had a follow up appointment where they confirmed we were eligible for nhs and transferred back to nhs funded care. It then took 2 months for us to start injections. So we had nhs funded treatment, and I just paid £700 for the private consultation and tests.
I went private in desperation, but had I known that by going private with my clinic they would assess if I was eligible for nhs treatment and transfer me back to nhs I would have gone down that route so much earlier!
So maybe see if you can book a consultation and ask them in that consultation whether they would refer you to the nhs .... from my experience care fertility clinics do, and they are dotted all over the country.
Good luck! X

Original poster
thislittlebird · 12/10/2021 20:55

@Lotsofqs thanks for sharing. I actually am on the nhs waiting list but it’s not going to be until 2022. Our private clinic did write us a letter of support because the nhs had sent us packing, wrongly. I’m not sure if they’d transfer our funding to care and if it would speed things up. The private clinic we’re with said we can do a cycle in November/December but the nhs round is likely to be jan/February, unless it’s delayed. It’s not that long, but it also is, it’s just so frustrating to wait because of my age.

@CycleGirl20 hey, hope you’re ok! What’s your plan now, starting private soon?

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unknownscot · 12/10/2021 20:56

We went private during 2020 as the wait due to Covid increased our NHS wait.
We had two private rounds and now on our first NHS x

CycleGirl20 · 12/10/2021 21:02

I have a scan on Friday and then hopefully we can start in November. I'm hoping my higher amh (4.68ng/m) and high follicle count goes in our favour as it's certainly cheaper to keep transfering than do multiple collections!

Lotsofqs · 12/10/2021 21:06

I completely understand, im 40 and was so frustrated with waiting times. For me, making that private phone call felt like I was taking control of the situation (if that makes sense), and it was a surprise that they would refer me back to the nhs. So I think go with your gut .... our nhs cycle didn't work (although i have read so many positive stories about it working first time, so stay positive!). We're just waiting for our next consultation to go private and look at our options for the next cycle

Original poster
thislittlebird · 12/10/2021 21:38

@Lotsofqs how old were you at the time? I’m 38 and will be 39 in May. Anxious about getting older while we wait, it’s frustrating.

@unknownscot yeah, we could do what you’ve done and have one or two rounds before our nhs one. Did you have to tell them you were delaying it at all?

@CycleGirl20 basically I could start late November private OR I can wait until January (???) for NHS. 8 weeks isn’t much difference but it’s hard to know if it will be 8 weeks. Fingers crossed it’ll work for you, I’m in a similar high follicle count boat, but we have male factor. It’s a hard call.

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Lotsofqs · 12/10/2021 21:46

@thislittlebird 39 when we were going through our referalls, 40 for my first cycle ... very nearly 41 and keeping my fingers crossed 😊

Lotsofqs · 12/10/2021 22:11

I would add though, i got all caught up with others ages and success when I started on the ivf journey, but i can't stress enough that everyone is so different and your clinic will tailor your treatment and drugs to you, your amh and antal follicle count x

Lotsofqs · 12/10/2021 22:13

(We had male factor as well as a low amh and antra follicle on my side)

Holskey · 12/10/2021 23:55

Do you just get one round on the NHS? If so, I think go private.

You've said it'll be worth it if it works, but if it doesn't work you'll use your NHS attempt anyway. You'll only be financially worse off if it works first time because you won't get to use you NHS entitlement, and you probably won't care!

IsabelHerna · 13/10/2021 11:01

I will have to agree with a pp, if you get just one round on NHS, go private. Otherwise, ask both clinics if they will use the data from another clinic (some clinics prefer not to).

Original poster
thislittlebird · 14/10/2021 08:29

@Lotsofqs fingers crossed for you! yeah I feel that. I’m very obsessed with my age tbh, it’s really hard to shake when you see so many people doing ivf but they’re younger. I keep thinking I can’t be 40, I can’t be 40 and still not successful or even trying. We have male factor and I have PCOS probably, with high AMH.

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Original poster
thislittlebird · 14/10/2021 08:30

@Holskey yeah just one nhs round. I am thinking of it a little like that, like my £8k expenditure if we go private is two rounds in total because we have the funded one.

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Musttryharder2021 · 14/10/2021 13:18

I had no option but to go private as single females without a partner are not eligible for treatment on the NHS in England.

The best 7k spent, it was either that or childlessness in my case.

I'm happy with my clinic,not only because I got the desired outcome but in terms of efficiency/admin/general conduct towards me as a 'customer'.

CycleGirl20 · 14/10/2021 16:30

@thislittlebird let us know what you decide!

Original poster
thislittlebird · 15/10/2021 15:00

@Musttryharder2021 I know it’s a hard situation as a single female where no funding is offered but I am really glad to hear you didn’t regret spending the money. Did you just have the one round?

@CycleGirl20 yeah, I’m leaning towards doing a private round right now. Super indecisive about it all still but I’m getting down seeing what feels like everyone bar me make progress.

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CycleGirl20 · 15/10/2021 15:17

If you can afford it, it's probably worth it. I've got my prescription for meds now so looking like all steam ahead. The doctor did tell me I have a small fibroid that's caused a patch of my lining not to form so hopefully any transfers implement on the lovely thick bit she saw next to that!

Original poster
thislittlebird · 15/10/2021 17:42

@CycleGirl20 nice, when do you expect to start?

I think what I’m going to do is check in with Guys in a few weeks and see where they’re at in terms of the wait list and then go ahead if it’s still slow.

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Musttryharder2021 · 15/10/2021 18:02

[quote thislittlebird]@Musttryharder2021 I know it’s a hard situation as a single female where no funding is offered but I am really glad to hear you didn’t regret spending the money. Did you just have the one round?

@CycleGirl20 yeah, I’m leaning towards doing a private round right now. Super indecisive about it all still but I’m getting down seeing what feels like everyone bar me make progress.[/quote]
@thislittlebird

Yes, I was extremely fortunate that I'd ended up only having one fresh round with embryos to freeze (as I'd had a budget limit) but I could have explored payment plans that some clinics offer (I was a bit gung-ho so just went pay as you go...)

CycleGirl20 · 15/10/2021 18:20

@thislittlebird in 10 days I think it'll be on my next AF. We had to fill out a form with various questions including how many embryos we wanted transferred. I don't think they'll do more than 1 with me being 35 but twins would be nice, health risks aside!

Original poster
thislittlebird · 16/10/2021 08:35

@Musttryharder2021 yeah, one of the frustrations for us is the off-plan round we’d have to do. I wanted to do nhs, then get a package from Access or whatever if that failed but it doesn’t really make sense if we’re doing the nhs round after the first private one. I’m glad to hear it worked and you only needed the one cycle!

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Original poster
thislittlebird · 16/10/2021 08:36

@CycleGirl20 yeah I really would settle for one, but twins wouldn’t be bad. I’m just so overwhelmed by not being able to conceive and I can’t imagine having one tbh, they might let me do two because I’m nearer to 39 but I probably would ask (if we even get two 🙃).

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Original poster
thislittlebird · 16/10/2021 08:37

*wouldn’t ask first time, that’s what I mean to say

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Musttryharder2021 · 16/10/2021 10:19

[quote thislittlebird]@CycleGirl20 yeah I really would settle for one, but twins wouldn’t be bad. I’m just so overwhelmed by not being able to conceive and I can’t imagine having one tbh, they might let me do two because I’m nearer to 39 but I probably would ask (if we even get two 🙃).[/quote]
At my clinic, and I was 39 at the time of the treatment, I was given the option to have two embryos implanted (and they knew I was a single female and the embryos were of a high quality). It should be a discussion between you/your partner and the consultant/embryologist. They need to tin the risks by you, but as far I know can't refuse unless there's an obvious medical reason to do so (other than the standard risks of having a multiple pregnancy).