Create Fertility - Experiences

[Sunflower360]

Hi 👋

I was hoping for people's experiences and thoughts on Create Fertility? I am considering them, so any thoughts would be much appreciated.

I am currently going through a short protocol with high stims with another clinic, baseline scan showed 4-5 follicles (expected that as I have low AMH/low ovarian reserves) but through my high stimulation am only showing 1, maybe 2 follicles that are growing...so cycle is not looking great.

So I wanted to consider Create as they specialise in natural modified and mild IVF, but would appreciate feedback on people's experiences as we would be going in multi cycle with my low AFC/AMH and want to ensure it's the best decision in those circumstances.

Thanks!

@Doxy21 when I had my nurse consultation they advised the call was the same day in the afternoon regarding stims to take

Oh no! I hope you’re ok xx

Was really excited about the positive @Doxy21 but have had brown spotting since what I think was implantation...6 days now although test is positive, albeit faint. So it is a waiting game now, blood tests will tell me if HCG is increasing or not. I'm trying to think of it as it being no loss in the grand scheme of things as natural modified would only have collected one (at a push 2 eggs) so it's like a transfer of an embryo that is not clear at the moment what it wants to do! If we do end up still needing the IVF it would mean the cycles would go into Christmas, I was hoping to have it done before then, but then anything could delay things. On a plus though Create have been really good, called me back and were very supportive with advice on the situation, which was reassuring for when/if we do need the IVF. If it does end up being a chemical I can start IVF on the next AF they confirmed following another Drs consultation

Oh that sounds really good. Fingers crossed for the hcg rise!

Thanks @Doxy21 If anything it does prove you only need one egg... if this doesn't work though gives me hope for the natural modified IVF cycles, as that picks the naturally selected egg for that month. Hope your cycle can get started, keep us posted

Thanks. I’m just feeling really anxious. I can’t afford time and money wise to not go ahead and haven’t heard from them so i guess it hinges on my scan tomorrow 🤷🏽‍♀️ actually that’s a lie, I heard from them about an unrelated matter as I filled one of the forms in wrong haha

Hi all,

Been watching this thread for a few days. Some stats re about me: 2.16p/mol AMH approx 3 months ago, FSH was 4.79 IU/L aged 43 and no real ailments.

I havent had a great lifestyle - very busy job and an excessive lifestyle i.e. restaurants and wine multiple times a day.

I met my partner late in life and thus finally plucked up the courage to go to CREATE St Pauls last week.. As expected (and I was afraid of) my AFC showed 1 follicle and 1 small one. The following day I had my consult... Who basically said I had about a 5% chance and that donor egg would have a better chance. I still wanted to proceed or see... So she has recommended Natural Modified 3 cycle (After I have my smear, Hep B/C etc).

After a few days of huge anxiety and regret of why I kept putting this off I have over the last few days furiously read and hoped that maybe my awful lifestyle is a cause and if I reverse it I may stand a chance.

Just wanted to share that on this group and wondered if anyone had similar numbers in terms of age/AFC/AMH and knew of any success. I was hoping CREATE would give me a but more guidance on supplements and so on so forth but they havent really so I have stocked up myself

That's interesting. I am 43, low AFC and they quoted me £8,145+ £2,100 for the support package (it says without CR1 - not sure what that means). The medicines is a lot more...

Utrogestan 200 mg 3 £105
Ovitrelle 250 mcg 6 £270
Gonal F 300 iu 9 £1,170
Cetrotide 0.25 mg 15 £562.50
Antibiotics 27 £54
Medication total £2,161.50

@reen80 Hi 👋 I do think they may have slightly different prices, perhaps based on the area? Maybe London prices, etc, would be more than the north, perhaps with costs being higher? I am only guessing that as I noticed it was not a price list on the website...

How are your cycles going?

@reen80 without CR1 is without the blood tests for rubella etc, so screening before starting IVF. I only know that as I queried it and got money off for those as my NHS results were admissable as they were recent

Mine was 8145 plus 2100 support plus 3200 ICSI and 2161.50 for all med meds for all 3 cycles - I see you are at St Paul’s too @reen80 so same costs. I think @Sunflower360 pays same for meds as hers is £700 per cycle. Supplement wise most clinics just say folic acid, vit d. I also take omega 3 and coq10.

Hi @reen80 just checking your on the supplements of the book ‘it starts with an egg’?

Hello! I’ve just had a transfer today. I was on a three collection package, and it was an embryo created on the first one. Fingers crossed 🤞

Good luck @Woodcottage1 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽

Hello @Woodcottage1 , all the best with the transfer! How have you found Create and what are your circumstances?

Thanks so much 🙏

Hi @Sunflower360 they have been fine. They seem nice. I prefer cyprus as they throw everything at it. I paid for a 3 rounds of collection, due to age. It’s taken me 2 years to get though it, and latterly I’ve been on prostap for my endo. I’ve had to explain I want steroids and blood thinners, whilst in cyprus they just put you on everything. I’ve got 3 embryos to try, I’m pragmatic that it might not work. I didn’t want to test as I don’t like the embryos being discarded when they are fragmented. Im hopeful but we will see. This will be my last lot of ivf. In cyprus 3/4 years ago I did two rounds and one worked, my daughter.

@reen80 supplement wise for the last 4 months (since I had an abandoned and failed NHS IVF cycle in April where 4 eggs were collected, 2 were mature but non fertilised properly, so no transfer) I have been taking the following:

• Proceive tablets, which are the base for pre natal supplements (folic acid, etc), was taking Pregnacare before but read better reviews for this one (think it's just personal preference really). Be mindful that these 'all inclusive' supplements have a small dose of everything as I discovered when I thought COQ10 was included, and actually it was the tiniest amount

• 3000 IU vitamin D

• 600mg CoQ10

• 1000 IU Omega-3

• 600g Vitamin C

It does take about 3 months for your body to take in the supplements. Something to do with your eggs developing in your ovaries before they mature, so sooner you start supplements the better.

Diet wise... eggs, chicken, full fat dairy/Skyr yoghurt, nuts, seeds (chia/sunflower/pumpkin), wholemeal foods, avocados, berries, houmous, olive oil, spinach, kale, asparagus, plenty of water, reduce/stop alcohol and generally less refined carbs.

Now I have done most of the above but you can't stop enjoying things, so I had the odd takeaway and occasional glass of wine (the wine I stopped each time I was due to ovulate when trying naturally and starting IVF)...I have not had a glass of wine now since just before we starting trying in this last cycle gone and I have had a positive test result so of course not had any alcohol for a number of weeks. I was not planning on having wine in the coming months anyway as the IVF was meant to be back to back ... but of course, that is on hold whilst I see how things go.

Oh, and I have also been doing acupuncture and reflexology.

Whether any of the above made any difference to TTC, I do not know. But I went from no fertilised eggs through IVF in April to now currently in early pregnancy. Even if this pregnancy was not to stick, it is good to know it is possible as I felt quite hopeless after that first full cycle of IVF through the NHS. I do feel perhaps the supplements, diet and holisitc treatments helped but that is just my personal view, mainly as I'm comparing the result from April to now. I am continuing the supplements (except I've switched the pre natal to a pregancy one for now) and diet, mainly so I'm ready and prepared if we needed to go straight into IVF should this pregnancy not work out.

I think the reason that Create are unlikely to give specific advice on supplements/diet bar from the standard (folic acid, pre natal supplement, healthy lifestyle etc) is because it is hard to attribute what works and what doesn't, each person is different and inevitably fertility is so unique to each person so it is trial and error.

Sorry for the long-winded answer. I hope this helps. I just know what it was like at the start of our journey, which we're still on. The more info you can get, the better so you can make decisions that work for you.

@reen80 your meds look like they are for 3 cycles though, I was saying £700 meds for one cycle, so works out the same. There are some helpful groups on Facebook for lots of advice on supplements/lifestyle etc. (search DOR).
@Woodcottage1 good luck with your transfer!
@Sunflower360 @Doxy21 hipe you’re both doing OK x

@reen80 also try not to worry too much about AMH/AFC, it does only take one egg. I had 2 main follicles in the NHS round and was on max 450 IU stims. Hence deciding to go with Create as I figured if I'm only going to produce one maybe 2 eggs per cycle what is the point of high stims... also after my NHS cycle the NHS doctor gave us less than 10% chance of concieving naturally, again only takes one egg

All the best with it @Woodcottage1 and completely get what you mean about embryos and testing, does make me nervous that they get discarded when not 'suitable' when the research on testing is still on going....

@HopefulElle all good at the momrnt thanks! Will you be re starting your IVF cycle soon?

@Sunflower360 yes just waiting for my period, thought it had arrived early last week but turned out to be just an hour or so of spotting, so still waiting for it to show up (due tomorrow)..

Hi @HopefulElle started my stims today and need to take the cetrotide with me to my appointment on Friday. How are things going for you? For those who have done it before - how long was it between starting stims or starting cetrotide to trigger and collection? I think I have follicles of 10mm, 8mm and 5mm today.

Hi @Doxy21, still waiting to start my second cycle, hopefully not much longer! I think I stimmed for 4 or 5 days. They were hoping to push me a bit longer to try to get 2 follicles ready for collection, but then blood test showed by LH was surging rapidly and they were concerned I was going to ovulate the lead. Triggered that night and had egg collection the next morning x