# Private DE treatment... Where to go? Please help



## Manders1975 (Jul 24, 2013)

Hi everyone
I am desperately hoping that someone on here can give me some feedback on their personal experiences with DE TX at any Clinic, here or abroad?
I am looking to go the private route and need to choose a clinic (I hope) with high success rates for DE...
BUT JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START!!!

I am 37, and have several years ago had 3 x failed IVF cycles in Aberdeen on the NHS (with my ex husband). On 2 x of those cycles I contracted serious infections, seeing me hospitalised and loosing both my Fallopian tubes. It seems I got the infections from the egg collection stage and I'm just too scared to put myself and my DF through the worry with my health.  Therefore, I am happy to try again but only with DE so I miss out the invasive procedure of egg collection.
We have to pay privately now and my friend suggested using CREATE HEALTH clinic, London who have twinned up with PEDIOS, Cyprus. She has twins born through CREATE and says Dr. geeta there has high success rates but my friend didn't need DE, unlike me.
Sorry for blabbering on and hopefully a few of you will read my post and can help me PLEASSEEE x

Any other recommendations will be gratefully received too xxx
Manders


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

i cycled in Spain then CRM London and then in Serum, Athens (and may go back).  If you are wanting to cycle in the UK it is the  waiting times that are longer - abroad is sometimes cheaper bit not always but donors are available without waiting long.  I had a few appts at Create but you don't need a middle clinic you could just approach Pedios yoursel as they all take a cut.
I would recommend Serum in Athens Peny is great, and there is a thread on  here for it.

Good luck


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## Jacobsmum (Feb 23, 2013)

Hi Manders

It sounds like you had a really rough time with treatment - I am sorry about that. 

I waited just over a year for DE treatment in Glasgow with GCRM in 2009-10. I think the wait is less now (lots of places have brought their waiting lists down since donor compensation was increased). I would recommend them. They also have links with a clinic in Spain, but one thing to bear in mind is what information you would have access to for a child, and what information a child would have access to at 18. In some countries it is completely anonymous.

But there are so many factors: success rates (not easy to compare like with like even in the UK - HFEA statistics are good, but other countries don't have the same legislative situation, and clinics might know eg pregnancy rates, but not live births - depends if people let them know etc); travel/ ease of access to clinic for treatment - you need fewer visits for DD than if you are cycling, but do you have to take weeks off/ visit that clinic/ travel a difficult journey etc and waiting times being just three. Only you know which factors are more/less important or stressful for you.

Lot of people have good things to say about overseas clinics - Serum for investigations etc seems to have lots of fans. Always remember you can visit more than one - consultations are much cheaper than treatment cycles - and you can get a feel for the clinic and how it would be for you when you are there.

Good luck!
Jacob's mum x


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## Manders1975 (Jul 24, 2013)

Ladies thank you so much for your replies   and sorry for taking so long to write back.
I've been reading a lot about SERUM in Athens. Penny seems to be very involved with both her donors and her DE recipients.  I think I'm going to make a call but just discovered she takes a well deserved break for the whole of Aug... Typical me... LOL  
I have the funds at the moment to go private and I'm in the pleasant position of being self employed so, time off work to travel etc isn't too much of an issue.
Personally, I'd quite like donor anonymity I think so again the laws in Greece may suit my feelings.  As I understand, Penny keeps detailed info on donors although we don't get to know the 'unrequired' stuff.

I'm aware from previous IVFs that I had to get lots f scans etc during tx but I guess for DE you don't have to have as much, although I would welcome the investigations b4 starting tx incase I have other issues aswell as my endo   

Thanks again girls, I actually feel like I'm getting somewhere again  

PS --Jacobs mum... What a lovely bi-og xxx


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## Izzybear (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi, sorry you've had a rough time so far


I cycled with Bourne Hall and Care @ 2 different clinics and feel they missed a lot of my issues.  I looked into DE with Care but their attitude really put me off going ahead


I got in touch with Penny who seemed so positive, I went over for hysto which led to a huge septum removal that the UK kept telling me wasn't an issue!  She listened to all my concerns and suggested things to try differently, I felt it was a partnership approach (whereas in Care I felt they pushed costly options based on their business rather than my circumstances)


3 months later we went back for a donor cycle, resulting in our first successful pregnancy.


Re the travel/timing/monitoring issue, I found this to be my most relaxing cycle.  I had a lining scan arranged privately in the UK during the donor stims and this was all I needed because the donor was having all the monitoring re follie growth.  I estimated the EC/ET dates and booked flights/accomodation and luckily all worked out fine


After the BFP I was in constant contact with Penny via email re meds, symptoms, issues and the communication was far better than ringing a UK clinic.  Penny and her team normally came back within the hour, even on New Years Eve!  I would recommend them every time


Good luck x


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## Manders1975 (Jul 24, 2013)

Morning Izzy
Thank you for your post  

I see you had a hysto... Did Penny recommend that for you, did she recommend having investigations b4 tx? 
How did it go having that in Greece?

A lot of her clients seem to have hysto's... But, I'm personally a little apprehensive about having it on the basis of it being a surgical procedure (as simple as it may seem) I tend to get infections quite easily.  And from past experience, they've not been easy to deal with and indeed I've been gravely ill, not responding to I'VE drugs. Eeeek  
I'm not scared of needles or such like, and take meds etc with a pinch of salt... but will try to avoid invasive procedures if I can due to my past experiences.
I suppose I could discuss my concerns with Penny  

I'd be keen to have investigations undertaken.  My tx's to date have been very... Here take this... Do that... Without any real change between cycles. I just accepted whatever I was told to do but was flabbergasted when I got sick a second time, after being told the chances of it happening again was 1,0000's to 1!!!!

A really BIG congratulations of your baby girl bump... How exciting    you lucky girl xxxx


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## Izzybear (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi, I had a hysto & lap in UK and at the time they saw the septum/bicornuate but said it wasn't a problem.  During every tx they either said it was a septum or a fibroid but wouldn't do anything about it.  ETs were quite painful but they said that was just me

I sent this on the information form to Penny and she said she would aquascan first but to be prepared to need a hysto based on what I told her.  When we first went out for consult, she did an aquascan and said that the septum was big and as a result when the water was introduced my uterus didnt expand at all so she felt there was no room for growth, i had the hysto the next day

I'd had the immunes tested at Care already so she worked on those results but I do know of people having immunes tests arranged by Penny.  The only things I hadn't done previously was the hidden C menstrual blood test so I sent a sample before I flew out as appt was about day12 and had hidden C and 1in7 (I think) tests - both came back clear.  I also didnt test for KIR, not by choice, I only read about it after

I cant link it but if you read the thread started by Agate all about Serum there is a section about hysto.  It is daunting going abroad for an invasive procedure admittedly but everything went exactly as described and I was glad I had read it first so knew what to expect.  The hospital was really good.  After the op you go back to see Penny with a dvd of what happened (I couldn't watch at the time but DH was amazed)  She said that the cons who did it (who is also one of her EC guys) said the septum was massive and ideally should have been a lap op.

Afterwards you are given antibiotics to take to avoid infection and HRT I think to build lining and reduce scar tissue.  I didn't have either of these for lap/hysto in UK.  I hope that helps but remember not everyone needs a hysto, you might not.....

I've also sent you a PM x


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## Coolish (Jul 10, 2012)

Hey Manders - I had an awful experience of IUI in the UK and eventually went over to Spain for DE. Clinics are lovely in Spain, but I was sunsuccessful there and I think they'd reached the end of the road with me and couldn't suggest anything else. So, I did a lot of research and spoke to ladies here on FF that had been to Serum. I contacted them and over a telephone consultation with Penny I just felt she highlighted things that other clinics had poo-pooed. Anyway I did the hidden c test and was positive so we took the ABs. I went over for a consultation in March and had a hysto - this was due to my background and the positive hidden c infection - not everyone has a hysto. I'm glad I did because after speaking with Penny and seeing the DVD of the op, I knew nothing had ever stood a chance of implanting in my uterus! We went back in April for ET and I'm pregnant for the first time ever. 

Dates were pretty easy to work out. I needed one lining scan on day 9 and the next day Penny updated me on the donor scan and progress and told me the date I need to be in Athens for the ET - this was 5 days notice. We'd left sperm to test and freeze when we'd been over for the hysto so we didn't need to be there for EC. 

I have to say it was the most relaxed ET I had ever had. The staff at Serum are so lovely, caring and efficient and I went away with all the drungs and information that I needed. I felt like I was treated as an individual. My protocol was idividual to me too and not part of a conveyor belt system. 

Like you said, Serum are on holiday through August, but you could use that time to join some of the Serum threads on here and gather some more information and get a plan together  Good luck xx


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## Manders1975 (Jul 24, 2013)

IZZY -- thanks again for your invaluable info.  I also got your PM and have taken notes LOL

I've downloaded the initial consult sheet for Serum, ordered my old tx notes from my previous clinic (£50 charge lol)!!! And am going to my GP on Tuesday to get my HIV, HEPC, HEPBURN, SYPHALIS AND THIROID bloods done.  DP has also made arrangements to go to his GP next week.  So, hopefully that's the ball rolling!
Obviously can't do much when Penny is on her well deserved break, but I can at least prepare all the necessary stuff and arm myself with info and questions to ask.
Thanks to you all keeping me right  

JULES -- it's lovely to hear of success stories and gives the likes of me a great deal of hope  
Thank you for your post and encouragement and its good to hear that Penny offers a more personal approach.. All our needs are different and this sometimes encountered 'conveyor belt' standard just isn't right for everyone.
I defo like the sound of saving the menstrual hidden c etc tests done... Never heard of that up here b4.
Hopefully, the one good thing I'll have is my lining, apparently my last clinic said it was like a 'king size mattress' teehee.

All-in-all I definitely feel more confident in going for tx abroad now, so thanks to your posts .
Fingers and toes crossed ladies


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