I am so glad I found this site and this forum.
My husband and I have been trying for a baby for 2 years now and have been under going some tests, it has come back today that his sperm count is low and his mobility is poor and the morphinology is poor too. The Dr has told us the only way we can have a child is by IVF.
I am so worried and i was feeling as though I was so alone. My head is still spinning with it all and i am finding it hard to take in!
I live in North Wales, UK. The thing that is playing on my mind the most is the cost of it all, does anyone have any idea on the cost?
And will it mean lots of injections of hormones for me? and if so will I have to do it myself?
So many questions still but i will leave it like that for now
Very worried and alone and looking forward to chatting to everyone in here
Welcome to this site. I haven't been here that long but it has been great to have people to talk to.
I have just started my first IVF. I won't deny that you start to worry about so many things. I did 4 IUIs, which I thought would work as so far they have found no problem with myself or my DP.
As far as cost is concerned, has your GP not said whether you can do it on the NHS or not? We could hav done but I couldn't stand the wait, about 1.5 to 2 years. Also my NHS hospital has got terrible success statistics. So we are going to another hospital and self funding. However, as it is not a private clinic I think it is cheaper as they are not profit making. We pay £1800 for the whole IVF process , except the drugs. I am lucky as my GP got me the drugs on prescription so we saved so much money that way.
AS for the injections, it isn't that bad. Most people do them themselves but with an autoinjector so you don't see the needle. i am very squeamish but I manage. It is like a pen and you just push a button.
Good luck and I am sure everything will work out well for you both
Hi Dawn,
welcome to this site! it's a great place to find support as I found out when I fisrt posted 6 months ago a mail with almost the same heading as you. IVF seems daunting when you look into the future and first hear what you have to do but one adapts pretty soon to almost everything, except the emotional ups and downs which you can share with the girls on this site. the injections are not so bad in my experience and your dh can do them. My partner was afraid of needles but he overcame his fear and did the injections - you do a lot of things together and it is worth it. I am sorry I cannot help you with the cost, I don't live in the UK. But I wish you good luck with everything and Ia m sure you will find with the support on this site you will not feel so lonely any more - it certainly helped me and now I am 15 weeks pregnant with twins - hopefully all will be ok with them!
take care
juliana
hello dawn ..welcome to the mad house..i have been posting for about 3yrs.
this site was a god send to me..i had sooooo much support and love from girls on here i even mad good friend who now i speak to on the phone ect.
as for ivf its hard going no point saying its easy..but its worth it..i have a baby boy from ivf..
i was funded for my treatment..ask your dr to see if they will support you.
as for hormones i had syneral spray to shut down my overies then the dreaded injection (thank god for the autoinjector ) that was fab as im a big baby for needles..it took all in all about 4wks of tmt till the egg collection.
i had my tmt at guys in london..they support nhs tmt.
hope all goes well and good luck...keep posting as everyone will understand .
Hello Dawn - welcome. I am not that far behind you, I just had my first IVF treatment, and am now in the midst of the 2ww - this site helps keep me sane! It was probably a bit easier for me, as I'd had 3 goes at IUI before, which was kind of like a practice run for the drugs and things, as well as the process. I was adament I would NEVER do IVF - I had heard so many terrible things about it - cost, pain, invasive procedures, etc. etc. Well, here I am, what can I say. And I guess it's not that bad - talking to other people going through it has kept me sane, and you get to join in all the jokes. Good luck - you'll be right. There's always someone here to ask.
Oh - I forgot to say, my DH gave me all the injections - after the first one it was fine. You realise that needle is REALLY tiny. It's not for everyone - lots of people here do it themselves. I don't think I could - although of course if I had to I would. But it's also been nice to have DH involved in something, like he has something more important to do than have his wicked way with the plastic cup at the end. He then gets to be in charge of telling the nurses how much stuff we've got left and so on. I think that's nice. I gave him an injection once - to see what it was like for him, and so he could see what it was like for me. I think that helped both of us alot - as we both realised it wasn't that bad.
dawn, it is so sad to read your post, but now u have found this site
i hope now u will find the road down ivf a little bit easier, i certainly did.
Yes it is stressful and u keep asking that question "why is life so
unfair", but u will get thru it.
As for the cost, these vary depending where u go, but a lot of hospitals/
clinics will send u an information pack if u phone them.
I could not get funding on the NHS due to my age, but my doctor
did arrange for my blood tests to be done so that did help. A lot
of the cost is the drugs, but reading some of the posts on this site
some of the girls have had understanding doctors, who have be
prepared to help them with drugs, so it might be worth a chat with
your own doctor.
Injections............. I hate needles, but i surprised myself and by the
end of it became a dab hand at it.
Just remember if u have any questions just ask, there is always someone
on here that can help.
take care alisonn
The girls have said some wonderfully positive things, and I agree with them all, I am about to start my second attempt at IVF, so its not nerves this time around, more apprehensive in case it "fails" again........
Anyway, although you need to research into the clinics for costs etc for IVF (I presume you are going private) why not take a look at Marilyn Glenvilles book called Natural Fertility as well. This book really gave me hope in the fact that my dp also has low motility, and just by making some changes to your diet and lifestyle you can actually improve chances of conceiving naturally - he will need to take a vitamin and mineral supplment, cut out smoking, drinking (aarrghh) and take more exercise - oh, you too by the way, and then there are various other things you can do too. By far cheaper than IVF, or, an ideal way to prepare for IVF to give you the best chance of a prenancy.
Good Luck.
1 failed ICSI, 1 failed FET, next treatment starts in May with EC on 1 June 2004, hoping for a 2005 baby!
Thanks all for your support