Jen - I totally agree with you - I felt that the programme did cover a few issues, but in a sort of "don't worry, if it isn't successful first time round it will be on the second treatment!" - well, let's face it that is NOT reality for a lot of us.
I had high hopes that the programme would finally show people the truth of IVF and how hard it is for the couples going through it. Unfortunately I don't think they did
There was one thing that I was really pleased they said and that was that babies born to IVF couples are definitely more precious.
Anyway maybe as the series goes on more issues will be covered
I couldn't agree more, by the end of the programme I wanted to through something at the TV.
Okay, it showed something of the heartbreak involved but it glossed over the details & we were left with the impresssion that if it doesn't work the first time all you need to do is have another go & you'll succeed.
Hopefully in future episodes it will show what we know to be the reality of IVF.
I am so glad that Jen has posted as I feel exactly the same!!! I am hoping that in future episodes they do show at least one couple whom have tried many many times, and also try to display across the desperation, total devisation, and emotional heartache that people feel. I also have to rant that they have so far only shown people who have had treatment on the NHS?!!! Hello??? Not all of us have been that lucky, and although I had my 1st tmt on the NHS, the following were all self funded, so we have spent nigh on 15k, perhaps they could also give an indication to how much a cycle costs so people can appreciate the sacrifices that a couple may need to make to achieve their dream.
That said, I am grateful for any show that raises awareness of IVF, and helps in some way to educate people on the issue.
Rant over!!!
Sue
xxxxx
Me 41 DP 40 3 xIVF,2 x FET all neg, 4th IVF +ve !!!! Twins!!Evie Lara 6lb 5 and Alexander Jack 6lb 9 38wks + 2 days
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Sue, hope the pregnancy is going well...........I agree with you re NHS thing.
It has been nearly a year since our last failed tmt(all self funded-6k so far) and we have been waiting patiently to find out if we will get the free NHS go promised by the goverenment from 01/04/05-not looking good as our local trust have not sorted anything out yet and because of my age(35) looks like we will have to fund our next treatment again.
Dont get me wrong, re the couples on the tv show-IT IS NOT THERE FAULT-anyone offered NHS tmt would say yes..its the whole postcode lottery thing that makes me mad...
Also, we have been told under the new government suggestion of everyone getting 1 free go that there are strict guidlines, ie under 40, no previous children for either partner, ttc for 2 years etc.etc........so imagine how upset I was(no children at all) to see someone with a precious baby already to get not 1 but 2 free goes!!! Please, I dont want to offend anyone and I was really please for them-I stress, it is not their fault....its just the whole postcode lottery SUCKS!!!!
Had my rant, so will say goodbye for now and hope everyones dreams come true
Hi Ladies,
Not been posting much lately but had to put my twopence worth in on this.
I suppose they take the couples who are willing to be filmed, and if it works out for them, Great, regardless of the 'true' picture we all hate. I have seen posts on here from the TV asking for couples, and I imagine uptake is relatively small (fantastic if you do it!) but small...they can't show all the different hurdles if those couples just happened to not have them.
That saying, why do they downplay it ? I know no-one can understand how awful the whole thing really is, but at least include everything! they didn't even show that during stims you do 2 jabs a day. the daily scans and blood tests,Down-reg is obviously just too boring to mention - in fact I think they showed more about the blokes than what the women were going through - the video diaries need to be much more gory!! All we saw were a couple of fairly smiley women sailing through it, even the ones who got a neg first time were just subdued, then YAY we're going again....nothing on the days/weeks/months of tears and saving like crazy! And true to the instant gratification culture, the 2ww went past in a flash, with no mention of CYCLOGEST!!!!!!!.
Everyone assumes IVF is just like a regular cycle, we just take a few drugs, and I think this programme perpetuated that. It made it seem like 2 weeks and your sorted not the 6-7 long weeks out of your life a long protocol takes.
There was also no mention of the risks that we face, and i know OHSS doesnt affect everybody its still a risk and life threatening,
Sorry to go on ladies, but i was pleased their was a programme on tv about IVF but i have to say i was very disappointed but will continue to watch and probably get upset !! I think the next programme will be more about surrogacy and ivf and im sure we'll be able to air our views about that one aswell.
Ali x
Dh 39, Me 34, Wonderful DS age 12yrs,
concieved naturally 1992 ,
Ectopic 1994
Ist IVF 1997 -tive
Fet 1999 -tive
Fet Oct 2003 -tive
IVF Dec04/Jan05 Egg-Share -tive OHSS
IVF May/June 05 Egg share +++++++20/06/05
finally managed to get my sister to record it for me, sounds like it would have just wound me up. Just came back from a medical assessment (because of my depression 1.5 years which got me fired from work) from the unemployment office. Good news I have made progress and can now go for 15 hours a week if I can find something not stressful, I just need to get out of the house while waiting for our treatment to start. Not fit enough for a rehabilitation programme though.
Bet they didn't mention that - nevrvouse breakdown after failed attempts and getting sacked...........dh having to reduce work days to look after me when I was too scared to go out or drive.......
TV docs just want to reinforce popular opinion, the journalist who did it probably has 5 kids and a posh house in Surrey
JulieT
POF+autoimmune+dh antibodies,5.05 DIVF IM M/c 7.5 wks, DIVF+TESE at ISIDA - son 08/06
FET ISIDA: 12.07.07 m/c 8 wks b.ovum, 17 Dec 2007- BFP triplets OMG!!!
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Just wanted to to say Jen I agree with you 100% that is the very thing that bothers me the most that people think (deep down) it is NO BIG DEAL
Gotta go at work - catch up later
Julie
Me 32 DH 37 ttc 2years
Male Factor
First ICSI October 04 - cycle abandoned high risk of OHSS
ICSI April/May 05 -ve
ICSI Sep/Oct 05 +ve result 12th October
DD born June 2006
ICSI Oct/Nov08 -ve
As this thread is geting longer and more heated forgot to mention earlier....maybe they could also show how difficult it is to juggle a job along side IVF when you have no control over dates etc etc etc. I hope the ITV researcher reads this and does a second series!!!
Sue xxx
PS Hi Sarah, thanks and yes so far so good but am still petrified of something going wrong, got another scan next Wed at 9 wks, so starting to get panicked already!! Hope you get some news on the NHS funding soon. It is so hit and miss, I thought they were changing the rules, but maybe that hasnt filtered through yet!!
There are now three threads on this show, but this seemed the best place to post my reply.
It was very strange watching the program last night as it was all the hospital where I have EC &ET. And the doctor they were showing doesn't noramlly do NHS he is overall in charge but usually only gets his hands dirty for private patients.
I also wanted to nkow how someone who lives in Morcambe gets NHS funding for Leeds wehn I live 10 miles away and don't qualify not that I wanted to be on a waiting list, I'm too old.
As you have all said it did miss alot out and there was no mention on grading of embryos were any good enough for freezing etc.
Also the commentator was going on about only retrieving six eggs so they didn't stand much of a chance alot of people only produce 6 eggs. I produced 9 but they left the small ones behind so only got 5 but even so I still ended up with 3 top grade embryos, they should say its not the quantlity but the quality that counts. Listen to me ranting away, i will watch the rest of the series but they do need to go into more detail.
Sue you are right about the job thing........I started treatment off doing a degree and working part time mainly in shops after a major career change I suppose I was lucky to be even doing that.......but still managed to get fired twice because my IVF schedule was inconveniencing them!!
They also forgot about the laparoscopies, hysteroscopies, as Alison mentioned the nasty pessaries or better still the 2ml Gestone injections, the heparin, the metformin, the wait to be seen by a clinic, the waits for af's to get started, the knicker checking, the boob checking, the severe depression, the arguements with DH when you get so down that you feel he doesn't understand, the disagreements with family giving unsolicited advice, getting daily trains to London, avoiding people, your entire life, holidays and jobs centred around your next cycle...........etc!!
Or maybe they left it out to make it seem nice and cute and furry so we would not all be locked up for being nut jobs!!
Right I am going to stop now........it just does upset me........cause only you guys understand as you have been there! That is why we chose to tell noone and why the few we did had a 'hows is going, and by the way what are you doing on Saturday night attitude' and only by showing the warts and all version will people begin to understand.
Ive watched the show, read the posts, and I am feeling the same way as most of you guys.
I feel that they didn't actually show half of what actually was happening.
I haven't actually started my treatmnet yet, due to start in may, and i am having IUI notIVF so slightly different but I have been ttc for nearly 4yrs, and just that is emotional, I have seriosly bawled my eyes out over this and the girls there just had a few tears.
They also didn't show how it affects taking time off work and telling other people.
I feel that it wasn't honest enough.
I will still be watching next series, guess I am curious!!
IUI using donor in 2005
1st IVF cancelled OHSS 2006
2nd IVF 4 eggs all failed to fertilise 2009
3rd IVF successful 2010 pregnant Miscarried early
FET negative 2011
ADOPTED DAUGHTER 2014
Not all of us have been that lucky, and although I had my 1st tmt on the NHS, the following were all self funded, so we have spent nigh on 15k, perhaps they could also give an indication to how much a cycle costs so people can appreciate the sacrifices that a couple may need to make to achieve their dream.