# Anyone at IVFW not local?



## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

Hi there, we are considering clinics and are really keen on IVFW, I spoke to Lorraine on the phone today and she was so friendly   I felt like after all the phonecalls and investigations we have done, I finally found "the one"! The only thing is, I work up north and am worried about how to get down to cardiff for scans. Lorraine mentioned I could get scans done locally and sent through. Does anyone have any experience of this? If so where do you get them done and how much does it cost?

Thanks & good luck to all!
Marie x x x


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## SerenBach (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi Marie - DH and I are waiting to start our first ICSI treatment at IVF Wales. We live locally so I can't help you but I didn't want to read and run!

The staff are lovely at the clinic. We have been going since Oct 2007 and they have been fantastic with us, very friendly and approachable. I hope someone can give you some advice. Good luck


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## miriam7 (Aug 8, 2007)

marieclare   .. i cant help either as i live locally ...but welcome to the board im sure someone will come along with an answer soon...


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## ANDI68 (Aug 17, 2007)

Hi Mariclare,

Welcome!

I think Cat doesn't live locally and she has just had her second tx at IVF Wales but I think she's away on hols at the moment.

Hope she can help when she returns.

Are you self funding? 

Andi  x


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## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

Hello everyone and thanks for the replies 

Yep Andi we will have to pay ourselves because my DP has 2 children already.

Part of the reason for choosing Cardiff is I am from s.wales originally, I only moved up here a couple of years ago. Because of the costs we've been looking into eggshare and IVFW is the best clinic I've talked to. I can't really put my finger on why, it just felt different when I talked to them. We could do eggshare at another clinic closer to home but it would be pricier too because everywhere else seems to charge the full whack for the ICSI surcharge or a discount at most. When I spoke to the nurse today she said even ICSI is free for egg sharers at IVFW. 

I thought about the distance thing but then figured we could stay with my mum & dad who live near.. for the days around DP's SSR and also inbetween the EC and ET. 

But I've been reading through your chat threads (hope you don't mind  ) and it sounds like you guys do get called into the clinic quite a bit. 

I don't really want anyone at work knowing what we are doing if at all possible... so I'm trying to figure out how I could get random days off... with little notice... to get down to Cardiff if I get called up for a scan or something.   Its tempting to think bugger it and book two weeks off just as if I am going on holiday. Would this work do you think? Would that be long enough to see me through the scan / EC phase?

How does everyone else deal with work / excuses / time off?

Also one other thing I hope you don't mind me asking... I have seen info about the open evenings, do you have to go on one of these before you can start treatment? 

Sorry for all the questions I just have loads popping into my head all at once!

Thanks
Marie
xxx


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## ANDI68 (Aug 17, 2007)

Hi Marie,

I think thery're quite strict on the open evening attendance as one of the girls is battling to get off hers as she has already done one for IUI but I don't know how she's got one with it.

As far as the scans are concerned, it think it depends on what drug protocol you will be doing there.  The long protocol you will get a baseline scan around 14 days after starting, you will start on CD 21, then a stimms scan a week later then another stimms scan about 3 - 4 days after that, then EC a few days later.  If you do the short protocol I believe the scans are more frequent over a shorter period of time.  For instance I am doing a short antagonist protocol and should be starting next week, well I have to go to clinic on CD 1 - 2 for a scan so if it falls on the Sunday I can't give my employer any notice for time off ...  

You will need time off after EC and ET, I would say at least til the end of the that week if not longer.

I changed jobs to cope with the tx and appts better, I work more flexible hours now.


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

hiya and welcome to ivf wales madness lol

im not local as such i live in pembrokeshire but i do travel to cardiff for all my scans


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## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

Thanks for all your replies, we are still not 100% sure what to do, but we have booked a consultation with Janet Evans for 19th June so at least we have something concrete set up. 

I am still trying to find info online about local scans. I contacted the Care centre near where we live but they would charge £130 per scan where Cardiff would do them for free for an egg sharer  

Due to price its really only Cardiff or Nuture in Nottingham that are in the running so I guess we will have to travel a bit whichever we go for... 
Good luck to all you ladies, thanks for your help with all the info. 

Marie
xxx


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

wow £130 a scan

i would probably travel with costs like that, you would need normally 3 scans in total (maybe 4 depending of things ) then onto ec

baseline and then 2/3 follie scans, day 7 and day 11 so once you know when you are stimming you will know when your scans are

good luck with your appointment


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

have you managed to sort anything hun?


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## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

Hi Kara, 

No not yet... its like I'm asking for something totally unheard of!! i sent off loads of enquiries to private scanning companies.. you know those places which offer 3d and 4d scans for pregnant ladies - haven't heard anything back yet. Also I tried bupa and nuffield.. nothing. The only one thats come back to me is a lady from BMI healthcare. They have a few hospitals in the area who do ultrasound but she couldn't tell me anything about costs or availability as it has to be run by the hospital director who is away at the moment?!?! 

If it comes to it I will go to cardiff for the scans. Driving doesn't bother me - I do the trip quite a bit to see my mum & dad anyway. Its just I would need a whole day off each time & I'm not sure how to get around it with work. 

Anyway we'll figure something out I'm sure. How soon do you think we would be starting treatment if we are seeing Mrs Evans on 19th?

Marie
xxx


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## Moth (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi Marie

We're self funding due to my age and it's my first ivf - We had our first consultation/bloods/scan on the 8 May, Open Evening last week on the 21 May and our TIC appt will probably be in June - am waiting to hear on Tues about the date. I guess once all those appts are over with, depending on the protocol, and when af is, it should be as soon as can be arranged? Are you eligible for a funded cycle?

Good luck.

Moth x


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

marie you should be able to start soon after i would have thought but you will need some bloods done first hiv, hep and rubella

i suggest annual leave or sick for ec on if you want that time off and maybe a dental appointment for one scan and doctors for the other, depends if you wana lie or of course annual leave or tell the truth
how easy is it for you to get time off work?


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## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

Hi Moth, whats a TIC appointment? We aren't eligible for any nhs funding because dp has 2 loverly DSs from his former marriage.

Kara thanks for the suggestions about time off. When you put it like that it doesn't sound too bad - only 2 scans really to account for because I will want to book holiday for the ec. Getting time off shouldn't be a massive issue, I think the difficult thing will be not knowing what the scan dates / ec date will be until quite close to the time. The bottom line is this is more important than anything else so we will have to think of a way. Dentist & docs does sound a good idea. 

I finally had a positive email back about scans today. The company is in Manchester and they will do a package of three scans for £200 on dates directed by my clinic.  Yay!


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## kara76 (Dec 14, 2004)

all in all you will get 3 scans before ec(if all goes to plan), its quite easy to work out once you start down reg and have you baseline scan date, i could help you will this

when they book your tx you will be pencilled in for ec and your scans are worked around this

3 scans for £200 is great and hey if that saves you time and petrol, its all good


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## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

thats great thanks for the offer of help I appreciate that as I get confused very easily  .

Will let you know when i have more info .

good luck to everyone!
Marie
xxxx


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## Moth (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi Marie

Great news about your scan deal!

A TIC is a Treatment, Information & Counselling appt and i think it's the appt following your initial consultation. I assume it's where they discuss what treatment you'll have, treatment dates and sign consent forms etc. I'm not that sure myself to be honest  as i've yet to have mine 

Take care

Moth x


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## marieclare (May 10, 2008)

Hi Moth, aha! that makes sense. I'll be interested to hear what yours involved, hope the date is nice and soon for you. 

Marie
xxx


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