# Where to go for my first cycle??



## citronella (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi all

I'm new to all of this but have been reading the boards for a while.  I've posted my situation on the newbie thread but in nutshell, I'm 40 (41 next week!), my AMH is 2, my most recent FSH is 7.7, previous month it was 12.6, last scan showed 6 follicles and I've been told by all the clinics I've spoken to that I have low ovarian reserve.

I live in London and work near all the clinics in the W1 area so it has to be one of those.  I will be opting for ICSI with donor sperm.  I have narrowed it down to two clinics, for different reasons: the ARGC and the London Women's Clinic.  I have my first consultation with the ARGC Monday week, and have already had my consultation with London Women's Clinic.  I am under no illusion that the success rate for my age and stats are low - all the clinics I've spoken to have given me a 10% chance (per cycle) or have recommended donor eggs.

ARGC - this is my first choice, purely for the success rates which are 35% for my age group!  But the downside is the costs - realistically I will pay for up to two cycles, but statistically I reckon I need 3 or more.  I am prepared for the intensive monitoring etc.

London Womens Clinic - has a 3 cycle package that would cost about the same as 1 cycle at the ARGC so this is the main reason for choosing them. I figure as it's a numbers game, I've got three chances, and then if it fails, I will take those learnings and go to the ARGC for cycle no. 4.  However, the London Women's Clinic has such low success rates (8%!) for my age group and having met with them, they seemed too unfussed.

I would appreciate some opinions and advice, and if anyone was successful with similar stats to mine at this age and how many goes it took?

I am keen to start during my next monthly cycle, which would be around early April as I don't think I can delay it any longer.


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## Twinkletoes42 (Aug 29, 2016)

Dear Citronella

It really is a tough decision I know . I'm 42 nearly 43 and underwent my first cycle of ivf last August which failed . It really is a numbers game as far as I can see . My amh is 11.1 . They got 9 eggs 7 where mature , 5 fertilised . Only 2 survived to blastocysts by day 5 but they were not great quality so ended up with BFN . I paid private and went to  a CARE clinic . Treatment and staff were extremely professional but still BFN and they have great success rate ... but the age factor is the issue I guess . I am undergoing a second round of ivf not at the same clinic ( as the ivf/ ICSI at my nearest clinic is half the price !!!! Self funded NHS treatment not private !!!! ) 
Funnily enough my first attempt the consultant didn't tell me self funded NHS was an option .... as they were making a lot of money out of us !!! 
I saw a different consultant and I have to say his explanation kind of helped me decide what to do ... I think when you're over 40 around 80% of your eggs are chromosamally damaged and will not end in a live birth often miscarriages very early on . So I thought ok .... if they get 10 eggs from me then there's a probability that 2 would be ok ( using the percentage of 80 % damaged) .... well unfortunately ivf treatment I guess doesn't work like that .... it is only probability which is NEVR certain . .. the consultant put it like this ... imagine your ovaries as a soup bowl containing croutons ( being the eggs) at egg collection imagine scooping up some of those croutons in a ladel .... that ladel will might have 1 healthy egg / 2 or none...... it really is a game of chance when it comes to age and egg quality ... 

So I'll tell you what I'm doing .... going for more cycles of IVF because it's like buying a lottery scratch card ... whilst clinics can have too doctors, technologies, embryologists ...... they do not influence your egg quality .... 
and hence nor do they influence probability... you could be that lucky 40+ person undergoing ivf or not .... I hope all the above makes sense ...,so I'd go for more cycles !!!

I am trying to improve my egg quality by taking 75mg DHEA and ubiquinol (co enzyme Q10) for the past 4 months . I don't know how effective it is as many different studies say different things but I thought I'd try . 

Wishing you the best of luck with your decision it's tough but you'll make the right one for you 


Kate 
X


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## kittykat76 (Jan 17, 2016)

I moved from lwc as didnt feel they were personalised enough, they are great for ds/de options but I knew I had immune issues and the consultant just didn't seem to know much about treatments and they seem to have a one size fits all approach and at our age (I'm 41) we need something tailored. I moved to the Zita West Clinic and they are amazing, I can't say anything bad about them. They use Care London for the embryology side and care have links with a few ds sites ( I am using ds also) It is a game of numbers, I produce lots of eggs but hardly any are normal so do PGS so I know what goes back is good quality.


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## citronella (Jan 22, 2017)

Thanks for your replies and your experiences ladies!  I've decided I will go with the ARGC pending my consultation with them this Monday (they may tell me something I don't want to hear!).  I just can't ignore the success rates and I think at this age it's both about the numbers and the personalised approach.  

Kittykat - I agree with you about LWC. my consultant seemed very general and of a 'we shall see' attitude and whilst their clinic environment is welcoming and everything felt nice, I just didn't fully feel comfortable with them.  

Twinkletoes - I don't think I'll get as many eggs as you did based on my blood tests and scan results   but I'm hopeful there is a good egg in me somewhere and I'm hoping she will come out before I'm skint!  I've been on an egg health drive since early Feb - a good diet, reduced alcohol (challenging!) and just started acupuncture and about to start taking the recommended supplements.


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## Altai (Aug 18, 2013)

I'd have gone (actually I did) for more ivf cycles. You've got to be very lucky for ivf to work first/second time.
Argc are very expensive, you could easily get couple/few cycles elsewhere for the price of 1 in argc. 
Also, you are young enough to be successful with oe. I'd have killed to be 41 when I first started  but being over 40 you r likely need several IVFs.

Best of luck with your decision
A.


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