Raising money for more IVF

[Sarah30]

Hello

We're looking at starting IVF again from scratch as I have no frozen embryos left so we''re going to be facing a bill of almost £4000 for 1 go. I can't afford to consider egg sharing as I don't know what the quality of my eggs will be like and want to give ourselves the best possible chance with as many eggs as possible.

Has anyone managed to raise the funding for IVF through donations or sponsorship or anything like that?

If you have, I'd love to hear how you did it as we have no savings and my husband lost a big contact in his job recently so spare money is non existant for the forseeable future and time is passing by, we don't want to miss the boat!!

Any help would be so much appreciated.

Thanks
Sarah x

[Mitzy]

Hi Sarah,

We are in the same boat as you, and I am trying to raise some money, any which way I can. One thing I am considering is IVF abroad as its so much cheaper, over here it would cost me approx £5000 a go, as I was on maximum dosage of gonal f.

Its so difficult when your body clock is ticking away, I might be ok for 1 more year.

Good luck on trying to raise the cash, I hope you are succesful.

[AuntyPebbles]

hi sarah,
im so sorry to hear your problem i feel so bad i wish i could help, i am blessed i live in USA and my last cycle cost over $11,000 without meds but my DH insurance covers us for three attempts
i dont know what id do if they didnt, i have all these meds left from my cycle too and cant bring myself to throw them away i keep hoping i will meet someone who could use them ... i truly hope you will find a way or some angel of good fortune will surprise you .... i find it crazy that we have to go through all the financial stuff for medical treatment when noone else with any other condition has to do it.
sorry i couldnt be any help but wanted to add my support for your cause.....maybe one of us will win the lotto then we can help each other....you never know

god willing you will find a way

love hugz debz

[Dory]

Hi

I'm so sorry that you first attempts didn't work and you didn't have any embryos left. I hope you can work a way out to do it again.

I don't want to add to your suffering but the idea that it is cheaper abroad is a myth. I am english and am living in USA for a few years. We went through one attempt of IVF which cost us about $11,500 inc meds. So if you convert that to pounds your looking around £6,500. Plus you would have to take into account your travelling expenses and board.

I'm sorry to tell you this but we came here with the ellusion that it would be cheaper but were very much surprised when we added it all up.

Luckily because of the reason we are here we had our first attempt paid for, and were very lucky to have 25 eggs retrived and 15 fertilised.

Unfortunately the first attempt didn't work and we are now in our second attempt with FET i am in my 2WW.

Again i wish all the luck in the world with raising the money.

Rachel

[AuntyPebbles]

hi Dory,
wow you really have been through a lot to get to where you are i will keep you in my prayers and everything crossed you get your BFP this time

when do you test?

hugz debz

[Dory]

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers Debz.

My prayers are with you too, I hope all goes well for you and i'm wishing you lots of sticky baby dust.

My test date is June 1st.

Rachel xx

[DebraP]

By 'abroad' I think Mitzy is referring to Barcelona and Kiev, of which there's a fair amount of experience on the board. There are other clinics which are cheaper than the UK but I don't remember anyone coming back and telling us they got a BFP.

Have a look at the Donor forum and look for the threads to do with overseas clinics as several people who went to the two mentioned above, went for donor eggs which they happen to specialise in - but they also offer regular IVF.

Good luck
Debra.

[souris]

Hi Sarah,

I had my first IVF/ICSI done abroad, in Azerbaijan. DH and I were living there at the time so we did not travel there just for the IVF. The whole cycle costed us $ 3000, meds, blood test, EC, ET, scans etc... The clinic is very nice, more modern that the one we are now!! My doc spoke enough english to give us all the necessary explanations.
I have to say it was a lot more stressful, because of the language and also because of the different way of doing things.
I did got a BFN... but one of my friend went there 3 months after me, and gave birth to twins this year on valentines day!!
As far as the costs, you have to fly there ( the return flight from Paris with Azerbaijan airline is about $600 if i remember well), stay somewhere (you can find an appartment from about $40 a day) and food etc, which is cheap.
However, i would not recommend it as you cannot contact the doc before getting there, if you dont now anyone living there, you might find it difficult. But what i wanted to say is that there are good clinics that offers lower prices, mainly because salaries are lower. My doctor was turkish, and they have a really good reputation.

I will now have 3rd cycle in France, and i am very lucky because IVF are reimbursed by the French NHS, otherwise, i would not be able to continue with IVF.
I hope you will find a way to fund your cycle. After my failed first cycle i was really desparate and I thought about starting a web site telling my story to raise enough money for a cycle!! Who knows, it might work!!

Good luck and take care
souris#xxx

[CarolynB]

Sarah & Other Ladies

This is a non-medical suggestion but I have been raising some money by selling stuff on e-bay. Have not been so good as to fund a UK cycle but it has at least helped me cover the costs of all the meds, travel to clinic etc. Also really helps pass the time away. We have sold loads of old junk out of our attic which I would never have thought people would buy. Would you believe it - somebody bought my 1st wedding dress and without even seeing a photo. Young Aussie girl who had decided to get married at v short notice. Dh was happy as was not keeping old dress. I was happy as it paid for a puregon pen cartridge! Have been selling all my student books. Even if I only get a few quid, it all helps. We are now going to sell more of our books - books in the library or chance of a little one - no choice at all.

I saw another lady say that she had done a car boot to raise some cash so am setting aside stuff that I cannot get rid of on e-bay and going to do that with my sister-in-law.

Makes you feel like you are doing something to help.

Just a thought. Good Luck to you & everyone else.
Love Carolyn xxx

[AuntyPebbles]

carolyn Thats a great idea,
i also heard of a lady who got everyone she knows to save up cans she took them to the recycle center i dont know how much you get per can but she got twins just from doing that....im sure people will help

best wishes Debz

[AuntyPebbles]

hi guys,
hope things are looking better for you, i wanted to say there is someone in the IVF board giving away meds if any of you are interested i know that can mean a lot when it copmes to expense...may be useful

good luck all