# Anyone in Cambridgeshire?



## drnick (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi, my wife and I are starting this what feels like perilous journey, and were wondering if there were any other people in Cambridgeshire (we're just south of Cambridge) that are finding out where to start?  We've been duly told by the NHS exceptions board that we're not eligible for funding for IUI or anything else as we have no proof of fertility issues and haven't been TTC for 3 years (bloody ridiculous situation).  So, we're looking at Bourn Hall, and also London since I work there and I'll be the one having the baby.  What we would ideally have liked was an unknown sperm donor and the ability to do-the-do at home, but it appears that's only available in the States or on the telly lol.  I was wondering if anyone's had any dealings with Bourn Hall and how they felt they were treated, given the fact that you're in a same sex relationship?  I've had some fairly rubbish email interactions with them so far, and feel I'm being given the hard sell (for instance, the woman said "Of course, if you're 36, then the only option is IVF" - WTF?  Does something odd happen on your 36th birthday to render you infertile?).

Would be great to chat to anyone going through this.  It all seems so bloody complicated and frustrating at the mo (and am getting very bored with taking my temperature every morning!)

Cheers,
Nick


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## Cazne (Jul 19, 2009)

Hi Nick,

I live in Cambridgeshire and we are at Bourn Hall - we are not same sex though so I can't hep you on that front.  I have found Bourn to be excellent.  We have had 3 goes of IVF (ICSI) (didn't work sadly) and are just about to start our fourth (and probably final) attempt.  '36' is the magic age when your fertility drops off at a rate of knots, I have just had my 36th birthday and I know for a fact that my ovarian reserve is low (I recently had an AMH test).  However, it does seems a bit final to say that IVF is your only option if you don't have any other problems.  Have you been to an open day? It is very informative.  The only thing I would say about BH is that they seem to be operating at capacity which means they are always frantically busy and they don't always get back to you when they say they are going to.  I only tried email once and didn't get a response - I'd say calling them is better.

Wishing you and your wife lots of luck with this - it is really hard at times but worth it I hope   

Feel free to ask any questions about BH.


Cazne xxx


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## drnick (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi Cazne,

Thanks for your reply!  Yes, we're going to their next open day in November to find out what the score is (and I'm 35, so realise we need to get a move on!).  Do they have a range of consultants, or do you just get allocated to one?  

Cheers,
Nick


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## Cazne (Jul 19, 2009)

Hi Nick,

They have three consultants at Bourn - you get allocated one who is responsible for your case, but you may get others doing actual procedures.  With each of our cycles we have had a different consultant each time responsible for our case - I think it is their policy to rotate after an unsuccesful cycle.  Hopefully this won't apply to you and your first attempt will be successful!

Cazne x


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## nismat (Mar 7, 2005)

Hi Nick, I used Bourn Hall Colchester (actually at the time, it was an independent clinic, Isis, just in the process of being taken over by Bourn Hall Cambridge). I know that Bourn Hall Cambridge have a reputation for pushing all their clients towards quite medicated procedures; presumably because the majority of their clientele is heterosexual couples with known fertility problems, and using medication increases overall success rates. They don't take account of the fact that lesbians don't necessarily need to boost their fertility and that they may simply need access to sperm! 
IVF definitely isn't the automatic starting point; however, with IUI, they won't do unmedicated cycles, nor will they use just Clomid/Femara - they jump straight in with injectible FSH. You need to go in to the process from quite a knowledgeable point of view; consultants will always take the view that they know best because of their experience treating so many couples (I'm not just talking about BH here of course). There often isn't much room allowed for individual variance! Wherever you end up going, I would very much recommend that you have the full gamut of fertility tests run, including AMH (which is often not included as standard). As Cazne said, it is an indicator of ovarian reserve, especially useful when used in conjunction with FSH and oestradiol levels. Without having any of these results, there is no way that a clinic, or indeed you, can judge what level of treatment you should start at. You may be pleasantly surprised that you are "young" in fertility terms compared to your actual age, or may discover that you do indeed need to head straight for IVF. And if so, the test results can also indicate how well your are likely to respond to fertility drugs, indicating what sort of dosage may be best.
Hope that helps,
Tamsin


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## drnick (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi Tamsin,

Thanks for the info, that's really useful, and I think confirms what I thought about BH's policy towards medicated IUIs.  We'll go to the open day in November anyway, but I think we'll seriously start looking at the London places too.  We're going to the alternative families thing in October, so hopefully should pick up some more info there.  I'll push for all the tests you've suggested, thanks for that!  I don't really want to have to be exposed to loads of medication as I have a fairly strong family history of breast cancer, and I don't want to risk upping my chances of that, whatever the outcome.  I just feel that BH might steamroller us into something we don't feel comfortable with, so want to go armed with all the research.

Cazne, it's interesting that they rotate after an unsuccessful cycle - makes you think that it's not all terribly scientific and comes down to luck after all!  Ho hum.

Anyway ladies, thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!

Nick
x


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