Newbie from the U.K

[Allpink]

Hello everyone!:)

i trust that you are all well. I am mum to 3 beautiful girls 16,13,and 11, and a little boy would just complete my family. I started researching a few months ago on the the different options available.

I am looking at going down the IVF/PGD/FET route. Ideally i would like to cycle in the U.K or even do a couple of cycles in the U.K, in order to harvest enough eggs and embryos and then freeze and transfer the Embryos to another country for testing and implantation. Would this even be possible from the U.K?

I fear i may have waited too long as i have just turned 40?:worry: is there anyone who has had success at my age?

Would really appreciate some help, guidance and support.

[atomic sagebrush]

Hi and welcome!!!

IVF at 40 is an uphill journey to be certain. It's not going to be easy and your odds of success may be quite small with your own eggs. Would you consider donor eggs instead??? Your chances of success would be much higher.

[fknonl1ne]

Atomic is right. Uphill though not impossible. Some success stories here. Have you done your Pretesting?

[Allpink]

Hi!!!! And thank you for responding, so excited to be here. No would not be willing to use donor eggs, have not had any pre testing, no idea where to start. I have just been reading through so many posts on this forum, trying to make some understanding of it all.

A little uspset to hear that it will be a struggle, cant believe i have left it so late. i suppose i just presumed that because i have never had any issues conceiving and im regular as clock work, that i would be ok. I also feel so damn fertile, if that makes any sense.

My first point of call was to join this forum, and on Monday i will be phoning HFEA to ask them what quantifies as a family history if genetic diseases, there is a very very slight chance that I could fall under this category and this will enable me to do PGD in the U.K. If not then will ask if it is possible to send embryos abroad for testing and gender selection.

In an ideal world I would like to cycle over here fertilise and freeze, and send embies abroad , let my body recover and then fly out for testing and transfer. Reasons for this are nervous about the fertlity drug effects which has given me an irrational fear of OHSS and to top it off, i am petrified of flying :nails: ( on the rare occasion i have flown, i take diazepam). On a positive note, from what I can gather, success with FET is slightly higher as the body has time to recover from the fertility drugs, please correct me if I'm wrong.


Please can you advise or send me links me on the best clinics in Europe, **** closest and then Genesis. My husband tells me there a some in the Ukraine and even Iran! I have also looked at Dr. Bravermans in NY. Who has the best success rate? And where would you go at my age? Has anyone from the U.K sent embies abroad for testing and transfer? Please could someone kindly explain the testing to me, i am still really confused about 3 day and 5 day.:confused:

[atomic sagebrush]

In the forums below we have our HT forums that you can access - come join our lovely ladies who can answer all your questions there!!

I'm sending you my full supply of 40+ dust! I got my 4th boy at 39!!

[ever hopeful]

I'm no expert but I'm not sure how this would work in the UK as you would need to convince the HFE of the reason you were sending your embryos abroad - obviuosly you can't mention GS as that's illegal but PDG isn't - I guess you could say you have had lots of m/c over past few years and given your age really want to transfer a healthy embryo?? However, with shipping embroys there is obviousy more that can go wrong and given your age you don't really want to risk loosing what could be your healthy baby. I'd therefore suggest you do a full cycle abroad. Personally I'd be very wary about both Iran and Ukraine (political reasons aside!) as would really want to be sure of the lab facilities etc and their experience in GS and testing not just IVF. I went to Genesis twice first time at 44 and got a BFP but sadly had a m/c at 9 weeks (only a FISH tested embie though) and then returned at 45 did a tandem cycle -transferred one fully tested XX of mine and one Fish tested 5 probe and my DD is now 2 so it can certainly happen. Get your pre-testing done adn take it from there. US is proably your best option if you can afford it - much better protocals with older women. Good luck xx

[Allpink]

Thank you for your responses!

have been doing a little more research on this site, feels like ive spent a few days in an abyss, read through some of your journeys, the successes, the failures, a sheer roller coaster ride of emotions. Went through a quite a few tissues!! The information, support and encouragement on this site has blown me away.

Im am still struggling a little navigating the site, however the picture of the whole process is becoming a little clearer.

My biggest fear i suppose is pumping my body full of drugs, not knowing how my body will react, being in a foreign country, miles away from the comfort of home, with 3 kids in tow, the cost , add in anxiety and a flight in with that.......ok now i need to go lay down!!lol


Action Plan:

1. Try and get PGD done in U.K as there is a chance that i may qualify, some family history of abnormal births, and may come across someone who may allow me a choice of what embryo to put back in (i can dream)
2. Try and get frozen embies sent abroad for testing and transfer, at a clinic with a good success rate.
3. Cycle fully abroad, at a clinic which will give me the best chance in my age group, within a budget.

May be lots of questions and PMs from me over the next few weeks.

Everhopeful which clinic in the US would you suggest? your story has given me so much hope.XX

[ever hopeful]

I'd go to HRC with Dr Potter (his results are excellent and v good for older patients) - for my second cycle I followed his protocal at Genesis (woudln't recommend going this route certainly not for a first cycle). Get your pre-testing done as you will need it wherever you cycle - UK or abroad - and then use this form on this site to arrange a free telephone /skype cconsult with him. x

[Allpink]

Please could you explain what do you mean by following his protocol? Whos protocol? Dr. Potters?

[ever hopeful]

Yes, for my second cycle, I followed Dr's Potters protocal but cycled with Savvas and it nearly went horribly wrong so wouldn't recomebnd doing that!

[baby2016baby]

Hi allpink. Welcome I am also in the UK and swaying blue so we have that in common. I qualify for Pgd in the UK but sadly its for a male dominant condition. What basically this means is after futher investigations the error is on the y genes therfor they will only help me have a girl through this method. Also, of course i have to pay as there currently no free ivf for people with children already. A basic ivf cycle in the uk will cost you £4000/5000 more if pgd is needed i got quoted £7000 all in.

I know this is not probably what you want to hear but I've done alot of reasearch on pgd in UK. Sadly since it was made illegal in 2004/2005 there's not alot you can do here. Some clinics have even refused to do the pre testing as if they know why your doing it they become "uncooperative". Sadly gs in the UK will be impossible to conceive your desired gender as unless its something which only affects girls (of which there are very very few conditions) they will simply screen the embryos and transfer whatever is healthy. Any request you make will be ignored and if anything you risk an opposite just for mentioning it. Not what you want to hear but I have a friend who works on assisted fertility and they can be pretty miffed with people requesting specific genders. What she told me alone made me realise that I'm better going abroad! I won't say more than that but I guess it depend who you get on the day.

The only other thing I can suggest is going through Dr Rainsbury in london. He acts as a middle man for Cyprus or Crete. He can do all your prenatal testing and prescribe drugs etc in the UK but obviously you stop have to go abroad for the egg retrieval and implantation. The cost is about £9000 through it could have changed.

Sorry I've not got better news but I'd rather you stay realistic. I have explored every avenue as I also did not want to be away from home with 3 kids and all the added expense. In the end after weighing things up we are doing a natural sway but i agree with the others if you can afford the usa would be your best bet and some clinics offers a shared risk package where you get some money back if it doesn't work etc

Good luck whatever you deceide to do xxxx

[atomic sagebrush]

The thing is, though, time is not your friend here. You will be wasting precious time (and at 40 even a few months may mean the difference between success and failure) chasing after something that is probably not a viable option for the reasons others have already expanded upon. I believe your best bet is to cut to the chase and cycle abroad with Dr. P for absolute best chances of success. I know it's the most terrifying of options but the clock is very much ticking and it may just be better to dive into the deep end rather than waiting 3-6 months only to be told no in the end. :/

[ever hopeful]

Also, please please don't use Dr Rainsbury - he is just a middle man, won't bring anything to the party apart from costing you a lot more money, which you simply don't need to spend.. Although the process might seem daunting at first, once you start investigating, it really is pretty simple to sort everything out in the UK, pre-testing, scans even meds if needs be and then travel abroad and this forum can provide you all of the advice you need. Good luck x

[Allpink]

TSH 1.80
FT 17.7
FST 7.1
LH 6.3
PROG 2.3
CA125 41
AMH 29.2
right ovary 5small follicles less than 1cm
left ovary 4 small follicles less than 1cm

Not sure what the results indicate, but they asked me to go to the GP because my CA125 is '41'. im really anxious.

Also completely forgot that i had an IUD(non hormone releasing) they said that could affect the measurement of the lining.

She put down that i was day 3, she said from the day of the first spot it is classed as day 1, now i am reading that day 1 of cycle is the first day of bright red heavy bleeding so really confused, because for me i get the heavy bright red blood on day 4.

Any advice would be much appreciated. esp on the high CA125.

Thank you

[alee40]

Hello, I have never been on a forum before so it's my first time...... I wasted a year with Dr Rainsbury! 4 cancelled cycles and 1 bfn. His communication was awful, no personalised protocols, just a "one for all and all for one" attitude, I feel I got to the fifth ET stage because of my own changes/ requests etc. I am now researching new clinics who do gender selection..... Does anyone know of any clinics that do it please? Thank you

[Blueplease]

Hello, I have never been on a forum before so it's my first time...... I wasted a year with Dr Rainsbury! 4 cancelled cycles and 1 bfn. His communication was awful, no personalised protocols, just a "one for all and all for one" attitude, I feel I got to the fifth ET stage because of my own changes/ requests etc. I am now researching new clinics who do gender selection..... Does anyone know of any clinics that do it please? Thank you

I'm
Sorry you've gone through this. HRC in California is by far the clinic with the highest success rate. Dr potter is fantastic and certainly adapts his protocols to your pre testing. I'm currently 30 weeks pregnant on my first go and was 38. If you become a dream member on here you can request a phone consult with him although I think there is around a 6 week wait at the minute and will receive $1000 off your treatment.
Good luck


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[Mrsshaw]

How much roughly is one cycle with Dr Potter? Has anyone gone from the U.K. And know how much flights are or whole round trip ? Any help will be great X

[Blueplease]

Prices went up in May slightly but when I cycled at the beginning of the year 1 round was $12200 usd but I got $1000 off through being a dream member in here. Then you have your meds which an range from $2000- $5000 depending on your protocol. The anesatic on day of ER was $450.

Plus flights, accomodation

To have er plus et all in one trip you would need to be out there for around 12 days. My fresh transfer was cancelled which was heartbreaking at the time due to my lining being too thick. I had three of my desired gender so we rabbi for a FET three months later in my own. On top of flights, accomodation for the 4 days I was there, the FET cost $4000 usd I think plus roughly $600 for the Lupron to suppress my cycle.

It certainly adds up but worth it. Good luck


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[Mrsshaw]

Hi blue, wow that does seem a lot. But I know it would be so worth it. Thank you for your help X

[XX Dreams]

Do any of you have experience with Genesis and Dr Savvas Koundouros?

How reliable is the 5- probe FISH testing according to genderselektion?

I really hope you can help......

[ever hopeful]

FISH 5 day testing is very reliable for gender but doesn't increase the chances of pregnancy. In order to do that you need to do full testing - Savvas offers this but it costs more and you can't do a fresh transfer but would need to go back for a FET. For some reason, he's still not as keen on this as FISH (which is odd, as nearly all clinics now offer full testing as standard) Lots of people have used him on here and fair to say his success rates haven't been brilliant - probably around 35%. Thanks to him though I have my gorgeous DD. Good luck xx

[XX Dreams]

Thank you for your help

[ALLPINK1]

Just going through my old post .....Atomic I swear it must have been the dust you sent over lol!!!XX

[atomic sagebrush]

My boy dust is powerful stuff! LOL!! So happy for you!