# Over 40 & DR said very few if any eggs.Any advice re IVF?



## mackster (Oct 11, 2009)

Hi there,

My best mates wife was told before she turned 40 (a matter of months)that she shouldn't bother with IVF,as she probably didn't have any eggs left.
She is now 41 and obv too old for the NHS IVF,lives in Brixton and her husbands sperm is fine.
Should she try to ask the funding dept for one go,as she was put off before the deadline?
Any advice from any over 40's in South London?

How much is treatment ,and how does she go about getting the ball moving otherwise?

Thanks guys xxx


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## Mish3434 (Dec 14, 2004)

Hiya,  Has your friends wife actually had any blood tests done? Without tests its a bit of a random statement, I have a friend with 3 children all conceived from age 39 to 43 naturally!

Shelley x


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## heavenly (Sep 7, 2011)

mackster said:


> Hi there,
> 
> My best mates wife was told before she turned 40 (a matter of months)that she shouldn't bother with IVF,as she probably didn't have any eggs left.
> She is now 41 and obv too old for the NHS IVF,lives in Brixton and her husbands sperm is fine.
> ...


Yes, as said above. Has she had any tests as her age doesn't mean there is no hope. I would get her GP to refer her to a Fertility Specialist, if she hasn't already. Good luck.


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## Ellie.st (Mar 11, 2005)

Hello
I can only agree with what the others have said - has she had tests done?  If not, she needs to have them as otherwise it is impossible to know what her egg reserve is or how she is likely to respond to treatment. (See my profile!). I agree that she should see her GP and ask to be referred to a fertility specialist.  I can't advise re appealing for funding but if you do a search on this site,  you will find info about appealing to the local PCT (or whatever they are called now - can't keep up with all the changes  ). If she hasn't had any tests, I would have thought that being fobbed off without them meaning that she missed the funding cut-off point would be a good reason for appealing.  We had to self-fund because of my age but my GP was still able to refer us to the local NHS fertility clinic for tests (free) and we then self-funded our actual IVF treatment.  Costs of treatment vary depending on clinic and the type of treatment you need, but probably about £5,000 per cycle on average, more (sometimes much more) if you choose one of the more expensive clinics and/or need special treatment.

Wishing her and her DH good luck.

Ellie


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## mackster (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks guys,

Yes,sorry for being so vague.I had my best mate peering over my shoulder as I wrote.He is desperate to have kids and his wife has only just agreed to pursue IVF again.
They initially both had tests before she was 40.The doctor waited over 4 months to give out the results and then said she probably had a low egg rate.He said she shouldn't bother doing IVF-so she was turned off whole idea.
They didn't give her any alternatives such as donor egg or monitor any of her actual cycles.
So yes she has had bloods etc done but not alot more.

Ill get her to log on here herself and do some research.

Thanks fo your replies x


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## heavenly (Sep 7, 2011)

mackster said:


> Thanks guys,
> 
> Yes,sorry for being so vague.I had my best mate peering over my shoulder as I wrote.He is desperate to have kids and his wife has only just agreed to pursue IVF again.
> They initially both had tests before she was 40.The doctor waited over 4 months to give out the results and then said she probably had a low egg rate.He said she shouldn't bother doing IVF-so she was turned off whole idea.
> ...


Sorry they didn't get a lot of help from the GP, I had one like that, said because of my age - she didn't think i should bother going to a specialist and having extra tests, as at my age, would cost me a lot of money and wouldn't be any point.  Surely that is for me to decide!!

I asked her to refer me to a fertility specialist, which she did. Where I got a lot of information and options. Good luck.


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## mackster (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks Heavenley xx


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## Jessica May (Jul 31, 2004)

I have just been through 2 funded ICSI cycles (jan & feb 2012) and turned 40 on Friday. I was told that I probs would not get funding due to my age but also because I have a low egg reserve....I was very lucky and managed to get the funding. I was told that I may only get to use 1 of my funded cycles as the NHS will not let you use any funded cycles once you reach 40 (its ok as long as you start it by your 40th birthday and then you can continue with that cycle) I would have missed out by a couple of days but my 1st ICSI was cancelled just before EC so I was able to use my last go.
If your friend was being told that she has a low egg reserve then the PCT  could also turn them down for funding just because of this.
I live just outside london so dont come under the same funding.
I wish your friends luck and hope the PCT will help them x


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## mackster (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks for your reply Jessica May...all the very best xx


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