# Just turned 48 but want a last try w OE IVF



## FolicAcidIngester (Mar 23, 2012)

Hi everyone, so I've just turned 48 in the past few days, and am on a waiting list for DE IVF here in the UK which I will reach the top of in 2 months. However, I want to give it one last try with my own eggs but want to do this as economically as possible - although, if a clinic had a brilliant reputation, I'd throw money at it. Not that I'm flush but, as we know, this is important. This opening paragraph gives an indication of my state of mind about this - I feel I need to be economical because I want to have enough money to try two DE cycles if i have to. But also want to make a serious attempt at another OE cycle. Tandem is, of course, an option. Aside, in 2015 my amh was 3.5.

The other thing is that I'm a single parent so would prefer not to be doing too much toing and froing but am happy to travel but am not footloose and fancy free!

I was considering creates for mild IVF but believe that can get a lot more expensive than the quotes and I see people have had mixed experiences there. Also maybe TM Cyprus, Serum or Ukraine, etc so if people do respond if they give an idea of the total cost for 1 OE attempt then that would help with figuring out my budget and what's possible realistically. Has Brexit and exchange rates affected costs much, does anyone know?

Also I took prednisilone during my last attempt as my thyroid antibodies are wonky. The clinic providing that cycle didn't recommend them but were happy to prescribe them at my request (they had been recommended during a consultation with the Lister). I hated being on it and was thinking of not taking them with any future attempts but I wondered if this was misguided?

At least two queries, maybe for different threads, but that's where my confusion levels are at the no - it's been a job making the post at all coherent just now
TAI, FAIx


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## Beside_the_seaside (Oct 9, 2012)

Firstly - many congratulations on the birth of your son with own eggs!  I was trying to work out from your signature how old you were when you did that TX: were you aged 44-45 on conception?  I should have thought that success might go in your favour perhaps?

I have just turned 47 (how the    did that happen!) and I have just started a multi-cycle package at Create St Pauls; own eggs as I really struggle with the concept of a sibling having a different genetic heritage from my daughter (i.e. given our family is unchanged - I'm still with her dad.).  

I couldn't really get my head round the logistics of travelling overseas with a nearly 3 year old (as I don't really have anyone she could stay over with in the UK).  However, if I could've done, I definitely would have considered Serum - I'd read many positive reports of their treatments and was impressed by their response to an initial email enquiry.  Serum of preference over the other clinics that you mention - although others may have different opinions I'm sure.

You're so right that costs have increased in real terms as a result of Brexit and pitiful exchange rates like: 1 GBP = 1.17 EUR / 1 EUR = 0.86 GBP.  Nothing for it but to make an enquiry and crunch some numbers for yourself, including flights and hotel stays I guess.

Please do check this with Serum, but from memory, I think the charges I was quoted in May 2016 were €3000 for one IVF with own eggs or €4000 for 2 cycles within 1 year.  This would include the cost of ICSI / IMSI / assisted hatching / blastocyst culture but not for any medication or blood tests.  The cost of medication for an own egg cycle would be around €1000-2000 for a stimulated IVF, €300 for an unstimulated IVF and only about €15 for a Clomid cycle.  If embryos were frozen this would be an additional €1000 per vial of 1-3 embryos including an FET.

If your post is truly reflective of how you are feeling, I would say that it is vitally important to explore the options for your own eggs before taking any further steps towards proceeding with the DE IVF.  You can hardly do these things just on a whim, can you!


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## FolicAcidIngester (Mar 23, 2012)

Hello BTS and thanks for replying. Apologies for the delay, I haven't had a minute these past few days, and am only getting a chance now at 430am. I think you have picked up accurately on how I'm feeling and I agree it's vital that I explore the options for my own eggs. Thank you for the info about Serum, I had had a telephone consult with them a while back and found Penny warm and helpful and they have a good rep on here. 

Interesting that you've gone with create, I'm in a similar boat with travel and not being able to leave my son overnight. If I to go down the Greek route though, I have a very good friend in Athens although my son doesn't know her well. 

Thanks again, FAI x


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## miamiamo (Aug 9, 2015)

FolicAcidIngester said:


> Has Brexit and exchange rates affected costs much, does anyone know?


Brexit has and won't have any influence on ivf costs, clinics calculate costs based on own "principles". Good and best ivf clinics usually treat international patients also from Canada, Australia, Ireland, Russia etc and it is not possible (my personal opinion) change prices couse of Brexit, ruble decline or any other political decision.


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## Beside_the_seaside (Oct 9, 2012)

*Miamiamo *- I'd agree that there should be no reason for a clinic based in continental Europe to change it's prices following Brexit. That is unless any of their own inputs/purchasing costs had increased, which seems pretty unlikely given the strengthening of the Euro.

What I think that *FolicAcidIngester* was saying - and the point I was trying to make - is that from the viewpoint of anyone who is UK-based, who receives their income in £GBP and/or holds their savings in £GBP, the fact that the pound has weakened post-Brexit has increased the cost of IVF treatment overseas.

So for example, say an IVF clinic prices a treatment cycle at EUR 4,000. In July 2015, given a EUR/GBP rate of 0.69708, the effective cost of that IVF treatment would have been £2,788, from the viewpoint of anyone who needed to calculate their personal costs in £GBP. In September 2016, given a EUR/GBP rate of 0.86808, the effective cost of the same IVF treatment is now £3,432; an increase of £684 (or 25%).


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## goldenlocks (Aug 5, 2014)

Hi FolicAcidIngester,

I am similar to you..just 48 and really wanting another OE try but cannot find a clinic that will treat at this age  

I was at Create,but unsuccessful.

Am hoping there will be more replies on here soon


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## Beside_the_seaside (Oct 9, 2012)

*Goldenlocks* - I'm sorry to hear that you were unsuccessful at Create. I'm 47 and trying OE at Create, so found your post both interesting and faintly depressing. May I ask whether you did a single IVF cycle, or one of the multi-cycle packages - e.g. 3 cycles?

I mentioned Serum, Athens above - don't know whether Greece is an option for you? There are posts on FF from women who've got pregnant with OE at 44/45 at Serum. OK, so not 47/48, but not stereo-typically young either. I understand that their oldest live birth lady was 49 - that's been pretty well reported on FF and one of the patient co-ordinators from Serum also told me the same thing directly in an email when I enquired a while ago.

The Lister Hospital would probably treat you if your test parameters looked OK. I did one cycle at the Lister (which very sadly ended in medical termination of pregnancy). They would only cite a very low chance of success at 47 (around 1%), but they've had at least one live birth from conception at 47 (nearly 4.

I get an advert on FF for http://www.thebridgecentre.co.uk/ - which susceptible me, I clicked on and notice that they will treat with DE up to age 55, and will also treat OE "on a case by case basis" over the age of 46.

There is a nice and quite busy thread called "*Over 45 With Own Eggs*" started by *Highlandgirl*. The topic of clinics seems to come up a lot. Would be great if you - and *FolicAcidIngester* - could join us!

Take a look at: http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=347735.0

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