# Which clinic for my lovely friend?



## Baxy (Mar 19, 2005)

Hi guys

Was just wondering if you can help my lovely friend.

Brief history:
She's 41, he's 38.TTCing for 2 years with no joy.  
Have had all the first lot of tests, she's ok (FSH 7.5) he has a very low sperm count, about 1%?  Hospital said they can't do anything else for them because of her age  

So..... she has started to look around for private clinics, basically the 2 that stick in her mind and keep coming back to her are The Lister and The ARGC.  Her cons at the NHS hospital recommended the Lister and looking at the HFEA stats they look pretty good    But then she keeps thinking the ARGC is the place to go?  I think she thinks she probably only has one shot at IVF so really wants it to be her best one IYKWIM?

What do you girls think? Is there anywhere else that you would recommend, just to make the dilemma even worse   ?

My friend is truly wonderful, a nanny, sunday school teacher and toddler group leader, but no baby of her own to take with her  

Any advice you can give will be gratefully received.


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

I haven't been to the Lister so can't compare, I was at the Bridge and am now at ARGC and would highly recommend it, I do think I definitely wasted money on my last attempt at my previous clinic. At ARGC you are very closely monitored and hence their highest success rates in the country- but it does come at a cost, although in the long run if you conceive it is cheaper in the long run than cycles else where.  

Perhaps if they went for a initial consultation to both they could then make their mind up. I think the Lister has open days.

Good Luck


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## VEC (May 29, 2007)

Hi there

I went to ARGC for my first two ICSI cycles.  Have no experience of any other UK clinics, so can't compare, but although we were unsuccessful, the ARGC was just brilliant in my view.  Anything they could do, they did.  At times you are kept waiting for HOURS for a scan or to see a doctor, so the two weeks or so of stimming does become a fairly fulltime job.  However, I really do trust the ARGC and all its doctors and lovely nurses.  I was particularly impressed that when we decided to have another go, the ARGC clearly adapted the treatment to take into account how I had reacted the first time around.

ARGC is without a doubt a lot more expensive.  However, bera in mind the fact that this is partly because you need to be there at least once a day for blood tests (more like twice a day in the second week of stimming), whereas some other clinics just give you the drugs at the beginning of treatment, and tell you to come back in ten days.  As I quickly overreacted to stimming, I was glad I was being so closely monitored by ARGC.

The reason we are no longer patients at the ARGC is because our first two cycles show that egg donorship is the way to go fro us.  So now we are in Spain at IM, saving desperately.  Your friend cuold also consider going overseas, as it does cost a little less.

Good luck to your friend.  Am happy for her to PM me with any queries about ARGC.

VEC X


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## INCONCEIVABLE (May 1, 2007)

The ARGC is v. expensive... and I think the LIster is probably just as good only less costly... I paid 8 k for a basic cycle at the ARGC... Am not impressed retrospectively that they went ahead with my lining being 5.7...I felt I had to try it bcs they have such a reputation as miracle makers and I needed a miracle...  I think they throw everything at you and it works for some people and for some it doesn't .  Personal attention is excellent, but the cost is massive and I don't think it's justified entirely...


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