# Fertility costs



## Toni..... (Apr 25, 2006)

Hi 

After being told that there was nothing wrong and that we just were not getting the timing right  I have no syptoms and my periods are regular.I was told that my testosterone levels are high and that my oestrogen levels are low. I'm not 100% sure what this means as I sort of blanked the doctor out when he told me some thing was wrong and plus I didn't know what the right questions were to ask him. He did say that the best route would be for me to take Clomid but he can not prescribe it as it can only now be prescribed through a fertlity clinic. I've been referred to a Gyne, which is going to take about 3 months to get an appointment and then hopefully he will then refer me to the clinic and I'm not sure what the wait will be to see soemone at a clinic. 
I have has blood tests and a scan through my doctor but when calling a private clinic I was told they would want to do these again themselves.  Does anyone have any idea what the private costs are for blood test, scans, clomid?


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## Sam2995 (Apr 26, 2005)

Toni,

A monitored cycle at my previous clinic, which includes all the scans necessary for a clomid cycle, costs about £400-450. Of course costs do vary from clinic to clinic.

We have spent every spare penny we have on the our fertility treatment and having previous spent 2 years having treatment on the NHS (which I found very stressful because of the waiting times, lack of funding, and short time with the doctor) I have found it money worth spending.  But I have to warn you that costs do seem to keep mounting up and it is very very expensive.  I have also found that since I have been having private treatment my GP has become very unhelpful and doesn't want to do anything for me (ie when I had a miscarriage recently he refused to refer me for a scan.

Sam


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## Toni..... (Apr 25, 2006)

Hi Sam

Thanks for your reply. £400-£450 isn't as bad as I thought. I've wanted this for such a long time that I now feel so impatient and do not think I can stand to wait for the NHS.  Obviously I'm tempted to wait and see what the gyne says in 3 months and take it from there but I'm then worried that the wait to get to the fertility clinic will be a long one and I don't think I have it in me to wait.
How long was your wait on the NHS before you was initally seen?
I'm still very confused about what my blood test actually tell me?  I don't even know if my hormone levels indicate that I'm not ovulating?  My doctor really didn't explain things too well.


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Toni,

Where about do you live? I would suggest you get hold a copy of the HFEA guide ( Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority). This is full of information about drugs, treatments and clinics,

e-mail is [email protected]    www.hfea.gov.uk

I am under UCH for private treatment as the NHS hospital I was referred to there is a 3 year waiting list.

Hope this is of some help.

Angel wings


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## Toni..... (Apr 25, 2006)

Hi

I live just outside of London at Heathrow Airport, which really does come under London but it depends who you talk to! The west end is just up the road from here. 

What hospital were you referred to? 3 years is such a long time. Was it 3 years to just be seen or was that actually for treatmant? 

Thanks for the info
Toni


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Toni,

My GP comes under Barnet so I have been referred to Kings College hospital in south london but i wasn't prepared to wait that long, also it is not guaranteed I will be offered IVF, only I MAY be offered treatment. You do have the option to self fund with a doctors letter of referral which basically means you have to pay but not as much as if it was private. I chose to go to UCH as they have an excellent reputation, good results and state of the art embryology lab, Kings stats are not all that and I can only afford one go at IVF privately.
It all depends where you live and which postcode you come under, when I complained to my GP to refer me somewhere else, he said he couldn't as Barnet's contract is with Kings and his hands were tied.

Angel wings


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## ♡ C ♡ (Dec 7, 2005)

i've jsut rang my PCT to see what I'm entitled too on the NHS and they won't tell me!!! they need a letter from the GP or something.  Dosen't help when i'm trying to price things up etc to what we might need to save.
Toni I'm waiting to start monitering cycle (wating for my AF not the NHS) and then on to Clomid but i keep thinking about going private. I know it can't make the AF come any faster but think the care would be better.  It would mean us using all our money we are both in poorly paid jobs but think it might be worht it


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## Sam2995 (Apr 26, 2005)

I think my wait for an NHS appointment was initially 3 months which I didn't think was too bad at the time.  The problems actually started after this because every time I needed an appointment I would always have trouble getting one and would have a long wait which I found frustrating.  I think it was partly the bad way my clinic was run.  Rather than send me away with a plan of treatment outlined and a new appointment for the future, they would send me away with the treatment (which for me was clomid but unmonitored) then when it didn't work I would have to phone for an appointment and do the waiting bit all over again for them to decide what to do with me next.  So I started seeing my NHS consultant privately whilst still keeping my NHS appointments (this way I was able to keep things moving a bit quicker).  It was only when I was referred for IVF that I went totally private.

Sam


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