# Anyone tried Edinburgh Assisted Conception Unit?



## evolutio

Hello,

Has anyone tried Edinburgh Assisted Conception Unit? If so, can you tell me what you thought and what the outcomes were?

Also, whether you have tried GCRM and whether you have had any hiccups with them.

I'm having to reconsider treatment with GCRM as have had a  disconcerting event with them.

Thanks


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## -Susan-

Hi,
I had ICSI with PGD there, so a slightly different experience than straightforward ICSI, but on the whole I was happy with my treatment there. The staff are friendly and the main consultant, Dr Thong, is very professional and knows his stuff. My treatment didn't work but PGD is a lottery, I was unlucky that my embryos that were free of the condition we're trying to prevent passing on were among the weakest embryos on day 3 (and were consequentially poorer on day 5), so who knows we may have had a successful treatment if we hadn't had PGD. I gather the ERI are around the national average success wise for IVF and ICSI, with IIRC slightly better rates for over 35's. The only thing that annoyed me was the embryologist came in on transfer day and said 'good news, you're getting getting two transferred' - the only reason I was allowed two is because they weren't likely to stick, so not good news at all! Apart from that insensitivity I was happy. Best of luck for whatever you decide to do x


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## bombsh3ll

Hi evolutio,

I have to say I did not have a good experience at all at ERI (self funded ICSI). We were on a waiting list for over a year despite self funding and only got seen then following repeated phone calls pestering them. 

Appointments very inflexible and inconvenient with a lot of waiting around, had to take weeks off work. Lots of pregnant women smoking right outside clinic windows. Pressurized to have SET despite prior failure with 3 perfect blasts transferred.  Dr initially tried to persuade me to start cycle with a suspected hydrosalpinx, which has very negative effects on success rates and NICE guidelines recommend this is dealt with prior to undergoing IVF. One-size fits all treatment protocol with no tailoring to individual needs - despite being 32 with AMH of 28 and tubal infertility I was started off on a dose of menopur which would have been appropriate for a perimenopausal 40 year old. Consequently I developed painful OHSS and the cycle was cancelled with no EC/ET. They only refunded half our money so I had effectively paid £2.5k for the privilege of being made really ill.

With my first cycle in Cyprus I had used Cetrotide to switch off my own ovaries and had asked to use this again at RIE as it had worked well for me. It is a safer and more modern drug than Buserelin, protective against OHSS and shortens the duration of injections and appointments by weeks, however I was told I could not get this at RIE and would have to have Buserelin.

At the follow up appointment (we only got a follow up appointment after a written letter of complaint having initially been sent away in agony with ovaries the size of grapefruits and no follow up), the consultant admitted Cetrotide would have been more clinically appropriate for me than Buserelin but is not used there in order to avoid procedure days falling on a weekend as Buserelin allows them to schedule EC and ET for weekdays only.

IVF is expensive, and we felt at the RIE we were paying private prices and getting NHS treatment. I had chosen to cycle there being my local hospital as I thought it would be economical and convenient- it was neither. 

I do not want to frighten anyone but just wanted to share my experience as I would not have gone there in hindsight.

B xxx


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## KANANI

Hi evolutio!

Are you due the ICSI any time soon in Edinburgh?
I will start the injections with my September cycle so we will have the treatment in October. My friend has had IVF last year and gave birth to a baby girl- she had very good experience and cannot say anything bad about the Unit. 
I am having frequent visits at the hospital as I am on tamoxifen as well and all staff are very friendly. The nurses are very helpful.
The only annoying thing, asbombsh3ll mentoned,  - SMOKING PREGNANT WOMEN outside! That should be forbidden!


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## ellej74

Hi we have had 2 cycles so far at eri. 1 self funded bfn  and 1 nhs bfp...but chemical pregnancy  . The treatment was exactly the same whether nhs or funded. Overall the staff are lovely although had a very difficult appointment when chemical pregnancy was diagnosed....generally the treatment we have received has been good with good follow up. We will be back at end of year for a 3rd cycle including endometrial scratch. I dont have experience of other clinics but I know eri are very busy and have good success rates. Also for us , the location has made it less stressful and easier than adding in additional travel. I think you doing right thing asking questions and getting opinions but it canbe very personal choice and I would go with where you feel comfortable xx take care


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