# Which clinic is the best for over 40's? Please help.



## MS Apple (Mar 5, 2013)

Hi ladies.

I am booked to start my IVF treatment in December at the BCRM and have a feeling it's not where I should go.

My signature tells my story, but I am a very healthy fit woman and never take any pain meds, eat only organic whole foods, pretty hippy really or alternative in my outlook...  

The specialist in Bristol suggested IVF - " not getting younger" but I have good reserve of eggs and no issues with sperm. I am now 41.

So, my concern is I know that every body is very different and every case unique. I want to go to a clinic that will treat my body as such and not follow a protocol of one size fits all... 

It seems now at the BCRM I will only see Nurses... And it sounds like they don't do tests for progesterone and for auto immune etc etc...

Which clinics will look more closely at this, as I have been ploughing through here and it seems that many places offer more tests and monitor more closely.

We are paying for this and like you all, want to go where the treatment is more tailor made... If possible.

Where, in your opinion or experience should I go. 

I am hugely reluctant to have IVF and scared of pumping my body full of drugs, I want them to at least be the right ones...  I know the journey is tough but any helpful advice would be great.

Lister in London? 

Thanks for reading... 

X


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## MS Apple (Mar 5, 2013)

Sorry, I should add that I am struggling to work out the success rates!

BCRM only lists clinical pregnancy, and Lister lists Live births, how do I know which is "better" overall?

If we had to pay 1000 more for a small percentage increase in success I do feel it would be worth it...

Sorry to sound so basic but I'm new to all of this and feel is am drowning somewhat this weekend.

Thanks  

X


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## Lil Elvis (Dec 31, 2009)

Hi,

It is really normal to only see nurses - it was the same at my clinic, but they had a conference every afternoon where the doctors reviewed all the scan results etc and they then made the decisions as to any necessary changes in protocol. Pretty much everywhere would use similar protocols initially in proceeding with treatment and, sadly, it doesn't always work first time because there is no real way of knowing how someone will respond. On paper I should have done brilliantly, but my eggs just aren't interested in the drugs so we only got a single egg from 20 follicles. Immune testing is too late for this cycle as the 2nd set take several weeks to get back, though some clinics will prescribe empirically. Some older women do find that they have success with milder stimulation IVF (lower dosage of drugs and fewer eggs, but possibly better quality) whilst others use array CGH testing on the embryos to determine which have normal chromosomes. The best place to determine success rates for clinics is likely to be the HFEA site, though for over 40s I would definitely be looking at live birth rates as, sadly, many pregnancies will lead to miscarriage due to the higher incidence of abnormalities. 

I know that you have already been through more than anyone should have to bear, and that all I am doing is to likely increase your list of things to consider, but please try to stay positive about treading this path to your family. 

Caroline


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## CHOCOCHINE (Mar 11, 2013)

I AM ALSO STRUGGLING TO know what to do. I am happy with the care at bath fertility centre, if i go in January it will be my third cycle, i think as it is probably my last go they want to increase my medication to maximum menopur. but i am worried because i don't think anyone over 42 as had a live birth. i did get pregnant with them and like the care from nurses but  i am worried having spent over £15000.00 now that i should be with lister, create or serum.
any thoughts ladies?


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## mamochka (May 23, 2013)

Hello dear, sorry for your losses, you must be a very strong woman by now! I can only recommend ARGC in London, there you will get very intensive personalized care, although without any frills and niceties. Some women find it very intesive, some DHs find it completely disorganized but after all they have the best results in UK so worth considering. I don't know how it will be for you travelwise though. Let me know if any questions.xx


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## Polargirl1 (Jun 28, 2013)

Hi,
I am also starting to look around for the best clinic for over 40s.
I had originally been looking at local clinics as live in Nottinghamshire and thought this would be the most convenient but am now looking further afield.
I see Serum are very popular but I can't see any statistics on their site. Also ARGC look very good and seem to have the best results in the UK but I have seen posts where people say they are very expensive- having looked at their prices on the website they look reasonable (possibly even cheaper than the Nottingham clinics??) Am I missing something??
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks x


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## purrsister (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi
  
I had my first baby after several rounds of IVF at CARE Nottingham (I come from Nottingham actually).  Immune issues were discovered after two unsuccessful cycles etc plus a failed thaw.  So I got a BFP (and a baby) on the first go with treatment for immune probs - under Dr George Ndukwe, but I think he works with Zita West in London now.  I always found the staff very helpful and efficient.  We decided to try for another baby (having no frosties), so had a treatment at Life Clinic, Athens with Dr Dimitri Papanikolaou.  We chose that clinic because costs were cheaper and the doctor has a lot of expertise, especially with immune problems but also generally in IVF because he worked at ARGC and also with Prof. Craft at LFC (London).  I am very lucky that the cycle was successful and we now have our second child.

I think it is important to have trust in the clinic and especially the doctor you go to.  You can usually have a phone consultation if the clinic is overseas or a long distance.

I wish you the best of luck wherever you go.

Purrs xx


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## MS Apple (Mar 5, 2013)

Not met them yet but have a meeting on Friday with the consultant at the Lister, I feel in my gut that I need to be somewhere that will tailor make the drugs for me and look at other things like immunology etc. 

THe NHS clinics and hospitals in my experience over the years with other things medical are slightly more restricted and the BRCM wouldn't even look at Thyroid or immunology things... 

The live birth rate in over 40's at the BCRM in 2011 was 13.8% and at the Lister was 15.9% - not much more really, but for me, spending an extra 1k and getting 2% more is worth it, even if its miles from home etc.

Will report back on how it goes....

Woke up feeling good about this choice so that's gotta be a good start right!?

Xx


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## CHOCOCHINE (Mar 11, 2013)

Goodluck with your choice, please let us know how you get on. I am looking into lister, create and serum as well as bath.  serum do sound cheaper and good. create are opening a satilite clinic close to me in bristol for scans.


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## Cay23 (Jan 12, 2011)

Hi ladies, I'm 41 in March (don't quite believe it though!), with an FSH of 10, an AMH of 3.30 and an average AFC of 6, and have just had a cycle at the Lister under the consultant Jaya Parikh. Although the cycle didn't work out for me this time (with only 1 mature egg), I did feel like the treatment protocol was personalised to me. We have recently had our follow-up/planning meeting and Jaya has tweaked the protocol based on my previous cycle for next time, so it really is individualised. Once you've seen the consultant (whom I chose off their website), and begin cycling, you do mainly see the sonographers and nurses but your results each scan/bloods are checked over by a doctor to make sure nothing needs changing. At the moment I feel confident that the Lister will get me my baby.  

Good luck in your choices xx


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## MS Apple (Mar 5, 2013)

My appointment with the Lister was really good. I saw Mr Tolba and he was sympathetic, funny, very reassuring and extremely good at explaining everything in great detail... From the processes to the reasons why things are the way they are.

Ladies, if you are reading this, I would say this. From my NHS appointment in Bristol compared to the Lister, the Lister, for me, is night and day. The lister wins my self funding payments. 

I now feel that I am truly in the best hands. They were honest and truthful, understanding and precise. He took over an hour with me, and my situation to him is a very simple one. So I would imagine with others it would be the same. 

He asked me to do more tests via my NHS doctor - "we all pay taxes" - and was very likeable and real. Not sterile and I really felt as though he wants me to succeed and have a live birth...

He has spent his long career dealing with ladies with endo too.

So there you have it.

I wish you the best, and if you want more info on the lister in London, fire away. 



Xxx


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## MS Apple (Mar 5, 2013)

I should add this...

The BCRM were to start my IVF in December. The Lister highlighted two things that were not noted with the BCRM, that to me may just make the difference to whether I get pregnant or not.

Now, although I haven't started any IVF yet, I feel that my "gut" feel was correct...  

So for me, it's worth the travel and the extra small cost. My cycle will be 1k more than the BCRM.

Seek your gut feel and see where it takes you as sometimes that's the best way!

That works for me.  

Xx


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## CupcakeUK (Nov 11, 2013)

Wishing you the very best of luck...I really hope it all goes well for you.  Fingers crossed!


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## DarlingGirl (Oct 16, 2012)

Polargirl1 said:


> Hi,
> I am also starting to look around for the best clinic for over 40s.
> I had originally been looking at local clinics as live in Nottinghamshire and thought this would be the most convenient but am now looking further afield.
> I see Serum are very popular but I can't see any statistics on their site. Also ARGC look very good and seem to have the best results in the UK but I have seen posts where people say they are very expensive- having looked at their prices on the website they look reasonable (possibly even cheaper than the Nottingham clinics??) Am I missing something??
> ...


By the time you add bloods, scans, hysto (which everyone seems to have) drugs, etc, etc your bill at ARGC will be around the £12k mark. I know their published results are good, but they don't get my recommendation. I found it very unfriendly and unorganised.

Serum, I can't recommend highly enough!


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## dbk (May 18, 2012)

Hi

Just to add to what others have said. I have been at Lister and ARGC _ also had consultation with CRM. All I can say is if you are over 40 go to ARGC it is the best. I had a very bad experience with Lister but I do know that some people really like them it is just that they were the wrong clinic for me. I wasted time and money partly because of my attitude that i did not want to pump my body with all the medication and be so closely monitored. In the end after so many bfn' s i went to argc and as you can see they worked their magic for me.  

The way i felt if that i was ready to invest everything into having a baby and did not want to waste any more time. In terms of cost I actually spent same amount with lister as I did with argc despite all the monitoring...if you want to know more feel free to pm me. 

good luck


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## dbk (May 18, 2012)

pa as the above post says serum is good too but depends on whether you want to travel. Penny is amazing and she too gets excellent results...


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## silkie (Dec 9, 2013)

I'm new to all of this - i've had all the tests 44 - age related and LSP (OH) but now stuck on what to do - southampton fertility say use donor eggs but its up to a years wait - what is / where is SERUM?

I;ve looked on ARGC website and friend had a wee girl with them first treatment but nothing about women of my age or donor - have sent them an email no reply as yet

We are southampton based and running out of time. 

Can anyone offer any advice?


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## silkie (Dec 9, 2013)

HI all 

Im 44 1/2 
nothing ever happened naturally - getting older

been reading about Serum but concerned about travelling and getting everything to fit in - am teacher so try to do it to link with school hols but not sure this will work - 

i read the other day about a clinic in london but dont' think it was the Lister - anyone any ideas of any other clinic (not ARG)

also - anyone currently with Serum - would like to have a chat to find out what its really like if poss - any help appreciated

need to decide asap

hope to hear from you


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## purrsister (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi Silkie

If you look at my signature below and previous posts you can see we went to Athens (Life Clinic) because there was no wait for donor eggs and the doctor had the expertise and success rates.  Going somewhere like Athens is fine if you are fairly near to an airport and can get reasonably priced flights.  You need somewhere local in the UK where you can get ultrasound scans and blood tests done during the early part of the treatment cycle prior to travelling out to the clinic abroad (I used a ThisIsMy clinic in Leeds).  I'd had several cycles in the UK so knew what to expect.  It's hard to be exact on the timing during a cycle so a clinic can give you an idea of when the embryo transfer will take place but it's liable to change depending on many factors.  Drugs tend to be cheaper abroad and also online pharmacies here will dispense from an overseas private prescription.  If you go to a clinic here you get most things sorted out by them but if you decide to go abroad you can get lots of information/advice from this website.

Hope this helps.  I know the donor egg thing takes some getting your head around too.  Good Luck.

Purrs xx


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