# Newbie to IUI, thinking of going abroad



## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

Hi, I'm new to all this so could really do with advice for those of you who have already been there.  Basically our situation is I have a DD who is 8 from a previous marriage and DH has 2 teenagers but then had a vasectomy.  He had a failed reversal years ago and then 2 years ago we paid for him to have it reversed again using mirco surgery and this also failed   

We were led to believe by his surgeon that I would be a good candidate for IUI as I had already had one pregnancy plus as we will have to self fund it is the only option we could afford.

I have seen people mention a clinic in Valencia which is sounds a good option as my parents live near there, but I am not sure of the process.  Is this much cheaper than using a clinic in the UK? Also I believe it is a stimulated IUI in which case does anyone know if this is all done out there or if they use a clinic here?

I'm sure I will have more questions thanks to anyone who can help


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi Magpie, 

First off, have a good read around the regional sections here. There's lots of advice on them. 

I'm planning iui abroad in a couple of weeks. I picked a clinic in Denmark, the Copenhagen Fertility Centre. They had prices online and I knew I could get flights there. I'm having unmedicated first of all, if that doesn't work they'll move me onto medicated. I think they can sort out prescriptions for the drugs for you to fill here, but I think that will vary much from country to country. 

Financially, it depends on the clinic. My place charge £280 per cycle, which is so cheap compared to the UK! Adding flights on will be between 60 and 300, then there will be a hotel room, at around 70. Still all cheaper than UK treatment. The main problem forme is not being able to book flights in advance. I have to do ovulation tests and when I get a positive, jump on a plane and go, regardless of flight prices! 

I think it's a bit different for stimulated though. I know that you can do some of the scans in the UK to check follicle size, but I believe they may be as dear as the abroad treatment. Someone else can hopefully help out more. 

All I can say is read around a lot and look at your options. I hope you find a clinic that works for you!


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## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

Hi IncyWincy, that's a great price at Denmark I did see their prices online but they seemed too cheap to believe and I assumed there must be hidden costs! Does that price include the donor sperm?  Is there any reason why not to go straight to stimulated AI thismay a stupid question but I'm a bit naive about it all and Ijust assumed you had a better chance that way!!


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Yeah the price includes the donor sperm, the insemination, and if you're over there early enough, one scan to check progress of eggs a couple of days before. I'm hoping to get that scan just before insem to double check the egg is in the right place. 

I know what you mean about hidden costs, I had to quadruple check that it was all for real! Someone on the regional board here confirmed it for me, as did the doctor online. 

I think I'm not doing medicated as I have no known fertility issues, except the lack of available sperm! The dr said my cycle length and ovulation pattern indicate I should be suitable for unmedicated treatment. You seem to be in a similar position, but I think each clinic just does things differently.


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## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

Thanks Incy I emailed Maigaard in Denmark yesterday and they have answered some of questions which is great and quickly which is nice.  Some of the English was a bit dodgy lol but I understood what she meant.  Def going to Denmark now as their prices are so much cheaper than Spain even taking into account hotels, plus we would like a blue eyed & blood hair donor so the same as OH.  I guess I need to ring them to discuss whether to be medicated or not.  I have had no issues getting pregnant before but that was 9 years ago, guess things can change!  Did you test yourself for ovulation before contacting them I didn't even think about this


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

I started using the ovulation predictor kits but mostly because I was desperate to start doing something and I couldn't start treatment straight away for a few reasons. And also I have a bit of an obsessive streak at times!

If you've got the timeframe, it would be useful to do it at least once, just to get the hang of it.  Sometimes reading the sticks can be a bit tricky until you get used to it - although if you use the digital ones it's more simple.

I also take my temperature every morning which seems to confirm that I am ovulating, as OPKs only indicate it's likely to happen soon and don't confirm it's actually taken place.

I looked into clinics in Arhus, it looks lovely over there, but flights are tricky for me, so Copenhagen it is!  I am looking forward to a little mini-break there, that would be nice!  Might as well make the most of it, will be my only foreign holiday this year.

Do you know when you are thinking of going over?  I wanted to start in March but put off until May and then put off until June, but I am definitely going in June now.


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## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

I can get a flight from Stansted which is easy enough for me, we get debating when to go.  We would like to get go soon but we are getting married in October so really we have to wait until afterwards - if we lucky that it works then my dress won't fit!!  Also I have run out of holiday this room so we talked about January but it kills me to wait that long just because of holiday


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Can you not do it using sick leave?  I know technically we're entitled to have time on medical grounds for fertility treatment, though personally I'm using some holiday time myself.  Only because my boss is really unpredictable and is always looking for reasons to make redundancies and I could imagine me taking medical leave for a prospective pregnancy might make her earmark me next for redunancy.

I know how you feel about waiting, I've been waiting for a while now until the timing was right.  The summer isn't actually my ideal time to start trying, I would have preferred to by trying between Jan and July but it didn't work out that way this year.  And I don't want to wait until January next year after having waited so long already!

At least you have your wedding to take up some of the waiting time!  When I started planning my wedding it didn't seem like a big deal initially but as we got closer to the date most of my waking moments were filled with the wedding organisation, to the point of obsession.  And I'm not a white dress & church kind of girl, but just making sure everything was going to go well was thought-consuming.


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## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

I know I kept thinking we had loads of time and now it is 4 months on Wednesday   I think I'll be going into full on panic mode soon  so I don't think the stress would make it a good time to try.  We talked about it last night and both don't want to wait until January so I think we might go in November and like you say possibly use a couple of sick days.

Did your clinic ask for blood test results and if so did you get them done at your doctors?


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## Pixies (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi girls we had 3 IUI tx done in Budapest Hungary. They were amazing I cannot recommend them highly enough. Little cheaper than Denmark. Dr Kovacs there speaks word perfect English and very helpful. 
Kaali Institute its called.

We had 2 natural and 1 stimmed cycle.
Don't worry they are not cheap because they "cheap" they just earn less than we do. Medication costs about £30 in total - so much for rip off Britain. Their pessaries are so much better, unfortunately I had to switch to uk ones when I run out.

I had to have bloods done there as the ones they took on NHS all clotted. Why am I not surprised 
With IUI you would need about 10 day stay tops. On my second cycle I was there for 6 days only. They have beautiful summer and open pools to kill the time  

Flight can be the most expensive, because of short notice. Plus all my cycles fell on bank holidays and Easter.

Good luck!


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Magpie, I needed a clear smear test and proof of rubella immunity, both of which my gp did. Withy smear I had the chlamydia screen. I also needed hiv and hep be tests, which I went to my local sexual health clinic for. I got them to do all the blood tests to cover myself. With the hep b one, I only found out the day before that it had to be a special type to do with antibodies. I'll find out properly when I'm not on my phone. 

I haven't sent over the results yet but I told them on email and they said that was okay. 

Pixies, how come you needed to stay so long in Budapest? I'm planning to go over to Copenhagen as soon as I get my LH surge, be inseminated and come straight home. I've heard of others doing that too.


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## 7november (May 18, 2011)

hi ladies..
I am another happy psatient of Dr Kovacs in Kaali institute in Budapoest. For IUI  we only stayed for top 5 days. Dr Kovacs is really good and if requested can gice you late appt in afternoon, so you fly the same day and then may be stay there for 4 days.
If I remember correctly they charge less than £150, but this does not include donor sperm. I am sure it wont be too expensive... 
Magpie.. if you have time to decide on when to go.. choose a quieter month and you can save on both flights and accomodation as well.


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Magpie, the test the clinic needed from me regarding Hep B was an 'ANTI-HBc test for core antigens'.  I don't know if all clinics will need this or not.  However, if yours does and you're getting your HepB test from a clinic in this country be sure to ask them for this as they don't do it automatically, they do another HepB test which is just for surface antigens.  Do check with the clinic you've chosen though, because my Sexual Health clinic charged me £50 for this test.

7november - why did you stay for 4 days after the IUI?  Do they scan you or something?


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## 7november (May 18, 2011)

Hi, incy.. I had to stay 4 days in total, first day they do the scan, if you are ready trigger shot that night and iui after 36-40 hours but always give extra day in case you are not ready for trigger shot same day..


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Ah right, I don't think I am having a trigger shot, just waiting for my LH surge.  If the natural route doesn't work they're going to look at medicated and triggers after that.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the egg pops on time!


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## 7november (May 18, 2011)

good luck..


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## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

Incy have you decided if you going this month? Good Luck if you do


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

I am! It seems slightly surreal, I suddenly feel very unprepared for it! I will be going next week, assuming ovulation turns up on time.


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## Magpie27 (May 26, 2012)

Good luck Incy  , I'm look forward to hearing how it went for you and how felt about it all


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## BECKY7 (Feb 2, 2011)

Hi ladies 
We found out today my DP got no sperm  and we gutted but we happy to have donor in Denmark cos my DP is blond with blue eye. I was wonder if any of you lovely ladies could tell me how they go about for IUI even I will be 41 in 2 week time but I alway ovualate every month  so I should be ok.
Thank you as I am so shock and confused as I can't not have any babies in my life.
Becky7 xx


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