# egg sharing at bourne hall



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi is anyone doing egg sharing at bourne hall am just waiting to be refered there by my gp to have the tests done to see if we can egg share really hope we can so we can help someone else with there dream for a baby and also help with costs for us


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

hi, yeah we are going to bourne hall. I am having my hormone test done there at end of month to see if we will be accepted. am so nervous and worried. really hope it can happen. good luck x


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi,

We're hoping to egg share at Bourn Hall too. Have got our eligibility assessment 11/03/10 (my day two hormones have already been checked and were fine).

We're excited too... all the waiting around is killing us already!

Good luck to you both!  x


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

thanks ruby roo   

can I ask, did you have to take anything extra to make sure you had enough zinc etc? 

I'm so worried they will turn around and say I don't have enough.


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi girls will be lovely if we can all go through it at the same time wish you both all the luck in the world i have just had my day 2 hormone results back and my fsh level was 8 and lh level was 2 do you know if thats bad x x x


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi guys,

I really hope we all get through soon! It would be lovely to do it all together    

SJay - Haven't had my zinc checked as yet (not aware if it will be...) but I've gone to town the last 2 or 3 weeks making sure DH and I get at least our 5 a day, if not more! I realised how obsessed I am with it yesterday when I found myself weighing out the correct serving size for each of our veg!!! We both take multivit supplements and omega 3 too as well as 2 litres of water and a big mug of hot chocolate every night made with milk. We're doing everything we can to boost our vitamin/mineral intake naturally without having to rely totally on supplements, but it's nice to have the added boost. By the way, sorry to be nosy but are you paying for your hormones to be checked at Bourn? I had mine done with my GP (free of charge and a lot closer to home!).


Nikki - not an expert on hormones (yet!) but I think anything below 9 is considered good (and necessary for most clinics). My FSH was 8.4 and LH 6.7. Bourn were happy with this. I'm slightly concerned that 8.4 is a little to close to 9 for my liking! Apparently it can change slightly from month to month depending on various things. Hopefully this was just a bad month!

Have either of you got the paperwork through yet about giving consent for your eggs to be used by someone else and writing the 'goodwill message' and 'personal statement' to be available for anybody born from your eggs? I'm really struggling to figure out what to say!

Hope you're both having a good day. I've just got home from work and am already planning how many grams of peas, sweetcorn and broccoli I'll need to prepare for dinner for us tonight... 

x x x


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

i am still in the early stages have only just been reffered from my doc so have not really done anything yet just waiting to hear what happens next after refferal i dont really know what happens next. i think i will be struggling aswell with knowing what to say on the paperwork. you have made me aware that maybe i should be taking more vitamins etc hope you enjoy your broccoli for dinner x x x


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi Nikki,

Your next stage will be where I'm at    Once your hormones are checked and ok'd you can book your eligibility appointment. I emailed my results through to them and booked my elibibility assessment myself with them the same day. I've hardly had my GP involved in any of it so far, and it all seems to be going quicker than expected. Once you've booked the eligibility assessment they'll send through all the consent forms etc. Assuming all goes well at the assessment, you'll then need to go back for a counselling session and some bloodwork. Bourn have said they'll try and arrange this for 22/03, the same day we're due to see the andrologist (we're having ICSI). Be nice to have so much sorted by the end of next month! Just hope it doesn't all grind to an awful halt!

Anyway, guess what I'm saying is don't wait around for your GP to arrange it...get onto Bourn yourself...they're really nice to talk to


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

oh right ok so would i ring my gp to book my hormone blood test or bourn hall. yeah that will be nice for you to know that it could be sorted by the end of march. do you take folic acid to. yeah we are having icsi aswell.


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

i will only be going to bourn for day two test if i come on on a friday again!! otherwise my doctors have agreed to do all tests before tretment for me   

I am taking pregnacare original coz it says you can take them before being pregnant and during. gives me everything i might be missing in my daily diet. 

I've been told about the form and writing the letters, but thats it so far.


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Afternoon girls      I'm working nights this week, so have been asleep most of the day. Now just waiting for DH to come home from work in an hour or so... haven't seen him since half ten last night  

Nikki - As you've already had your day two hormones checked you can either ask your GP for a copy (which I did) and send them to Bourn yourself, or get your GP to send them. Depends if you want to wait for them to sort it out. Once Bourn have got a copy, you should be able to book your eligibility assessment. But that all does depend on if you've got your appointment with the Andrologist lined up for your other half. Bourn were a bit reluctant to book our eligibility assessment until we knew from the Andrologist whether he could collect sperm from my DH. We told them that we'd still go ahead with egg sharing, even if we had to use donor sperm, so they agreed to get the ball rolling for us. Don't know if you've got your Andrologist appointment yet, but the one at Bourn only works part time, and from what I can tell there is a 6 week wait for appointments with him...

Sjay - I see you're in Norfolk too... I'm not looking foward to all the driving back and forth to Cambridge! It'll be worth it though, I've heard lots of really nice things said about them (and horror stories about other places!).

I'm taking Sanatagon Mother-to-Be, which has the omega 3 as well as the multivits. I really don't get on with fish, but I'm determined to eat it. We bought some fresh salmon yesterday and cooked it up all nicely. Had the first two mouthfuls...not too bad. Had a third and nearly threw up all over my plate...lovely! I just cannot stomach the taste of fish! I'm ok with white fish (cod/haddock etc) but anything remotely smelly just turns my stomach in nots    I remember my mum telling me that you have to try something like 15 times before your body will like it...not sure if that was just her way of getting me to eat my food as a child, or if it's true!! I haven't given up yet, and will persevere with finding a way to keep fish down!


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

hi ruby roo

hahaha my mum says the same thing to me! i hate mushrooms, cant stand them!!! fish is lovely! although i do find salmon very strong at times.

yeah we're not looking forward to travellng that far but you're right it will be worth it!

the one thing i am most worried about is the expense. we can only afford to do this once. and at the moment dont even have this lot of money.


----------



## galprincess (Nov 12, 2007)

Hi ladies

I am currently pregnant as a result of egg sharing at BH if you have any questions,concerns etc feel free to PM i wish you all the best of luck it is an amazing thing to do

Tam


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi tam congratulations really pleased for you was it your first try. are they reallly nice there have heard lots of nice things


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi ruby roo sorry i have not got back to you hope everything is going well for you. i spoke to vourn i have to have another day 2 hormonne test done as last one was two long ago. am just waiting now to know have been on my period for three weeks do not know whats happening there so do not even know when i will be on next and when to book it for wich is a pain. thats a sahme the andriologist(not sure i spelt that correctly) only works part time what does he do then we are having icsi aswell x


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi Nikki,

sorry to hear your news    Hope it all sorts itself out soon. We've got to have an andrologist as we're having surgical sperm retrieval...not sure if he gets involved if your man can make the deposit himself...  

Thanks Tam for the support! I may well well be picking your brains when I get a bit further in! You must be soooo excited!

x x


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi ruby oh right ok thankyou . let me know how you get on when you go foy tour appointment


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

hi nikki. we are also waiting to see the andrologist. horrible waiting isn't it?!!


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi girls how are you hope you are all ok . feeling annoyed today i spoke to my gp weeks ago and they agreed i could have my fsh day 2 hormone test done with them. so i rang up to book it today and they told me i could not have it done there and they do not know why i thought i could.  when i explained i had spoken to the doctor personally during my last appointment they said the doctor can not remember this and you can still not have it done here they were so rude to me. do you ever feel like people should just symphasise with you a little bit and understad how you may already be feeling at this time all i was asking for is one blood test i am now going to bourn on monday for it at the price of £100 at least i get to have it done and know that the whole process can  start. sorry for all my moaning just nice to speak to people who know what you are going through


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

oh my goodness!!!   that is so horrible of them!!!! there shouldn't be any reason why they wont do it. mine did. I would go to the practice manager and complain about it!!  

We've not been to bourne yet. let me know what it's like  

take care 

xxx


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

firstly sorry about spelling mistakes  

okay so me and derick have been talking alot about what route we are going to go down - sergical sperm retrieval or donated sperm. well we have come to desision!!!  

we are going to use donated sperm. derick has got a few health problems so we want to be safe and not pass anything on, plus he's a whimp and is scared of the "operation"  

i have already had my day 2 test done and all is fine. they are happy to book us in in april to talk through things and do some other tests on me!!!!!!! 


so excited!!!!!!  

just need to lose some weight now!   and save a bit more money.


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

ah thats brilliant news sjay hopefully that will come round really quick. yes i will have a ose around bourn and let you know whatits loke i am abit excited about seeing it even if it is costing me £100 ha ha. i just want thse test results so i can find out if we can do egg sharing scheme or need to save more pennys


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

hey nikki, how did it go? what's it like?

we are bookd in for 4th may to see doc for 2hrs, then counceller then more tests on me. this will cost us £150. then they want £1000 to find a doner for us and start treatment.  

only problem is might have problem getting the £1000 now. was hoping to get a chunk of it from tax rebate, but just been told will prob get that back in tax each month!


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi sjay
how are you i went to bourn it was such a relaxing place so calming and everyone was so friendly i was only there for 20 mins had blood taken and then went but i think you will be really happy when you go there. 
i came away wanting to just start it more than ever though. then went on to buy baby clothes for sisters baby cause came home from hospital today. was looking at the clothes wondering if we will ever be getting them for ourselves roll on the 4th of may bet you cant wait. that is a big chunck of money to find for you bless you . i think ours will be going on the credit card bit by bit lol. i am now waiting to hear if we will be eccepted for the egg sharing scheme are you doing egg sharing if you get accepted for that the most you have to pay is £600 big differance isant it x x x


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

hey nikki, glad it all went well for you   how long till you get the results? 
yeah we are really excited just hoping it all works!! yeah we are egg sharing. we got told will be £1k for doner sperm. where did you get £600 from?


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

yeah bet you cant wait said a couple of weeks till doc writes to me hae you already been accepted for egg sharing or do they tell you at consultation i have not booked consultation yet . oh we are not having donar sperm unless when my husband has his tests it omes back that we may need it but as far as i know we dont we just have to pay £600 for blood tests consultation and sperm test etc x x i wonder if i should maybe book my consltation or just wait for results first will they advise me when to book my consultation x


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

they told me i had to wait for test results to come back before they would book us in for consultation. yeah we've already been accepted.


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

sjay = thats brill you have been accepted
tam= how are you doing how you feeling
ruby roo= how are you have you had your appointment yet


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi guys, 

sorry it's been so long, we've been in the middle of moving house so haven't been online. Finally in, but no broadband sorted yet!

We went to Bourn on Thursday, and it was lovely    Everyone there was so nice and it didn't feel at all like a 'hospital' as such! We had our initial consultation about egg sharing and have been 'provisionally approved' as long as all my blood tests go ok. I wasn't expecting an internal exam and ultrasound, but he said as I was there we may as well do it! I could hear DH giggling behind the curtain as I was getting undressed. He's seen me naked a million times so it was strange to get undressed behind a curtain from him! I was supposed to be having my bloods and counselling session next monday when DH sees the andrologist, but they've cancelled him AGAIN!!!      Apparently he's still off sick (for at least the last 6 weeks now) and no one seems to know when he'll be back. I can't really have my tests done before we see him as they only last 6 months I think.

Nikki - sorry to hear about your troubles with the GP. Every penny counts at the moment! Have you had your results back from Bourn yet?

Sjay - I didn't realise donor would cost another £1000. Still, I think surgical sperm retrieval works out more expensive with the extra tests and consultations fees on top too. I think we're looking at about £3000 to get us both through, even on the egg share. However, I'm hoping we'll only have to do the surgical sperm retrieval once, so will be a lot cheaper next time round.

Hope you're all happy and well and enjoying the sunshine    

x


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi glad your appointment all went ok ruby roo it is a lovely place no have not heard back yet they said i would in the next few weks did they advise you when to book your consultation for egg sharing. have they still got to pay £3000 even through egg share they told me £600 at most maybe there is extra costs they put on top of that etc hopefully they do not cancel your appointment again how annoying. hope the house move all went ok it is so stressfull moving house


----------



## Ruby Roo (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi Nikki,

If you can use your own sperm then I think the max cost with egg sharing is £600. However, egg sharing won't cover surgical sperm retrieval if you need it. Unfortunately, DH had the snip several years ago in a previous marriage. He had a reversal done a year ago, but it hasn't been successful, so our only chance now is SSR. SSR costs £1500, but there's a consultation fee with the andrologist of about £150 plus a semen analysis which is another £90 I think. He'll also need various blood tests and cystic fibrosis test etc, which is another couple of hundred at least. That brings his side of things up to a little over £2,000. I think my side of things should cost about £600, of which we've already paid £270 for the initial egg share consultation/examination. Further blood tests etc will bring it up to about £600. We've also factored in travel costs as we live on the Norfolk coast, so we're realistically looking at something near £3,000 to get us through the first cycle. But, if we have future attempts on egg sharing it should only cost the £600 then as we would have his sperm stored on ice, ready to use.

We still don't know when our appointment with the andrologist is going to be now. We were hoping to have that, the counselling session and my blood work all done this coming Monday, but now it feels like we're just treading water


----------



## sjay (Feb 5, 2010)

hi rubyroo,

how's the house getting on?? 

Thats alot of money!!!! although i guess its cheaper than just IVF!

hope you get your appointment soon!!!   

xx


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi ruby roo oh its a lot of costs bless you . but i suppose it will all be worth it in the end i really hope you still get to have your appointment this monday waiting is the worst thing isant it you dont feel like you ccan plan anything cause you sort of plan your life round the ivf treatment dont you. i didnt realise you were on the norfolk coast hope your new house is going well. having a mad clean having the girls round tonight for a twilight and curry night lolx


----------



## liz6969 (Sep 27, 2005)

HI ladies,
Hope you don't mind me gatecrashing, but be nice to chat to people going through the same clinc.

I am due to start d/r for eggshare at bourn at the beginning of May. I did eggshare at Isis in Colchester Which gave me my little girl who is now 3. Am hope for a bro/sis for her. We have changed to bourn because it is cheaper for eggshare only costing us £300. 
I had day 2 bloods, And hiv/hepb/c all done for free at gp's. It's a shame that they don't all work of the same page and everyone gets it free.
With the green form I tried to write stuff about my personality family talents things that I might want to no if I was the child. So that if they did want to read it it would be enough for them to feel they new about there blood lines so to speak. I choose not to find out if the recipent was sucessful, still wonder tho. What are your thoughts on that do you want to know if it worked for them.

Also am still thinking about what i will do if I don't get enough eggs. If you only get say 7 they wont let you share so you either pay for the cycle or donate them all and have a free go next time not eggshare.

Hope all your appointments go well.

Take care Liz x


----------



## nikkistar (Jan 19, 2010)

hi liz ah thats lovely that your going to start the egg sharing at borne have only been there once but it looks lovely bet you cant wait to get it under way. i think to be honest i would rather not know if the recepitant was succesfull with the eggs. i think i am going to try to look at it as simply donating to help someone its difficult isant it.i not sure about the eggs depending on how many they get its hard to say money is always an issue though.


----------

