# HI looking for some advice



## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Hi ladies 

I'm looking into egg sharing at the lwc in Cardiff, I wondered what tests are needed before booking my first appointment ie, std tests or fertility mot??

I'm 28 and as I'm single will need to use donor sperm, would I need to pay for the sperm? As they reckon with egg sharing you get free round of ivf. I also would love to help a lady to have a baby.

I have tried at home insemination with frozen sperm
But it's such a headache to try and order sperm in time for ovulation, especially as my cycles varies by -+5 days or more.

Thanks ladies


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## bevvy82 (Jan 15, 2015)

Hi hun,

You need to have s few different tests done, some need to be done by the clinic but you can try and ask your GP if the can do some of the tests for you (Hep B core, Hep B antibodies, Hep C, HIV)

The clinic will want you to have an AMH test done to see what your ovarian reserves are
Like and see if you would be suitable for sharing.

I think you would still have to pay for sperm but if you join the egg sharing forum, there are ladies that can answer that for sure and there is prob others using the clinic you will be who can tell you the process as all clinics seem to be different.

Good luck with your journey and hopefully see you on the egg share forum xxx
Hi ladies

I'm looking into egg sharing at the lwc in Cardiff, I wondered what tests are needed before booking my first appointment ie, std tests or fertility mot??

I'm 28 and as I'm single will need to use donor sperm, would I need to pay for the sperm? As they reckon with egg sharing you get free round of ivf. I also would love to help a lady to have a baby.

I have tried at home insemination with frozen sperm
But it's such a headache to try and order sperm in time for ovulation, especially as my cycles varies by -+5 days or more.

Thanks ladies 
[/quote]


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

broodychick has loads of info on this as she did egg sharing successfully, hopefully she sees this if not drop her a pm x


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

Check out CRGW if you haven't already, they're based in cardiff but have a new clinic in Bristol too which will be closer to you! 

I'm egg sharing with them and they're great. I haven't gone along to lwc but usually they will tell you at the initial consult what tests you need to have (I was given a long list on paper) and then it was up to me to have them done myself or with them. As long as I had the results before continuing that was fine

Good luck!


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Thanks ladies  

Pollita, how are you doing? Will def the clinic out, are you paying for donor sperm there? And what costs did you have to pay? Also did you pay for your tests or have it done on the NHS?

Sorry for all the questions


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

My consultation was free
My amh test was £80 (can't get it on the nhs)
My donor tests were £500 - some can be done on the nhs but the ones that can't are quite expensive and I found I wouldn't have saved much money having them done separately 
Donor sperm is £495 per treatment so quite cheap compared to Cryos!

I'm due for egg collection next week if it all goes to plan - will find out tomorrow! x


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Wow very cheap   I'm now saving for the donor sperm and test?  Is it worth me booking a consultation or wait until I have saved up the money? Very keen to get started

Good luck hope the egg collection goes well, let me know how you get on  

I've just done my 3rd try with cryos but I'm not holding out for a bfp, can't seem to order at the right time


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

Will do! Thanks 

I'd say go now. I had my intial consult may 2014, tests in June 2014, got added to the donor list in July 2014, picked in October 2014, treatment planning in November 2014 and should have started injections January 2015 with EC February 2015. Unfortunately the recipient backed out last Christmas so I had to start again and wait for a new match which didn't happen until April this year, started injections in July and EC August. Some people get matched a lot quicker but it took me and a few others 3 months each time. It depends in your height build and colouring and who is looking for a donor x


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Omg you've been waiting ages   

When you went for your consultation,  did you have to have your tests not long after so you can be added to the donor list?

I really like the look of crgw and their iui is very cheap. Can I ask where do they get their sperm from?

Hope you won htave to wait too long for ivf, hope you get good news today    

Xx


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

I could have had my tests done the same day as my consultation, but they wanted me to wait for my amh results to come back first as if your amh is too low you can't egg share, and then you would have spent £500 on tests for nothing!

My only regret is not signing up sooner to be honest 

They have their own sperm bank with about 20-30 donors on the list (it's all available on their website) or you can buy from external banks and have it shipped in (but they no longer allow Cryos)


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Gosh I better hope my amh is not low! I'm gonna chat with my mum about it as she now knows about cryos yay! £500 is a lot of monet to lose. I like their iui prices as well it's cheaper then most clinics. 

I wonder why they don't accept cryos? Makes you wonder about the quality of sperm.

What information goes on the egg donor list, I'm worried no one will want mine due to lack of education 

Xx


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

They used to accept Cryos but in the last 2 years they have stopped. They told me it was a combination of admin problems and sperm quality but I'd take it with a pinch of salt. 

I'm not sure what the egg recipients are told about the donors, but I was told my sperm donors height, weight, eye and hair colour and occupation so I suppose it would be similar to that 

Get in touch, the consult is free and they scan you too so you have nothing to lose x


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Thanks so much Pollita, let me know how you get on with egg collection


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

After having a good chat with my mother, and she agreed about egg sharing,  I rang CRGW and have a  consultation booked 17th august!   which my mum will be coming with me .

I'm now googling how to get there by public transport  as neither of us drives


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

Fantastic news Cortney! Are you going to Bristol or Cardiff? Can help you with getting to Cardiff but I'm afraid I haven't been to the other one yet


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Will be going to the Cardiff one as they only at Bristol Thursday's and mum can only make Monday. That would be great if you could direct me there xx


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

OK well you can either get the train to Cardiff, Bridgend or Pontyclun. Cardiff and Bridgend you will need to get a bus up to Talbot Green (I think it's about 45-60 minutes on the bus!) From Bridgend the bus is 404 in the direction of Pontypridd. From Cardiff, the bus is 122 in the direction of Tonypandy. Both bus stops are pretty close to the train station, just around the corner. The bus stop for CRGW is right outside the door to the building, you can't miss it. 

If you get the train to Pontyclun you will need to change at Cardiff or Bridgend anyway, but from Pontyclun station you can get a taxi straight to the clinic - it's only 3 miles so about £7 in a taxi and no hanging around!


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Wow thanks pollita, I will be getting a train to Cardiff so will get the 122 bus. Thanks so much for your help. Is there anything I need to bring to the appointment?


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

No, nothing really! They will run through your previous pregnancy attempts, your general health and family medical history (nothing too in depth, just if anyone has suffered some certain illness or birth defects). Then you have a transvaginal scan and your AMH test done, then you wait until they call you with your AMH test results! Simple as that  You'll like it there.I'll be sure to let you know if I'm due to be there that day so I can say hello


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Wow thanks😀 that be nice to see you there   I am a bit nervous, but I'm sure I'd be fine once Id get there. I don't really want to waste anymore money with Cryos as I can never seem to time it right. I done one insem on weds morning, then weds night and thurs morning as it was last day before the tank ran out. I know it be bfn as no pos opk. Have you heard if you've still got ur egg collection next week? Also did you tell them about your attempts with Cryos?


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Pollita hope all goes well if egg collection is still on for tomorrow   I would love to know how you get on. Also I read your ivf diary to help me get an idea of the journey ahead of me.  I thought it's amazing your going through this by yourself,I'm so glad I now have my mother. Have you decided how your going to tell her?

I'm hoping I won't have to wait so long until egg collection, my mum and I was chatting tabout the fact hat they only transfer one embryo, did I read right on CRGW that you can sign a waiver to have 2 embryos? As I know twins are riskier but twins do run in my family and I'm a twin myself and I wonder how I'd get through life without her. I also would love tto have wins, I'm also thinking that it would increase chances of pregnancy.

Do you live far from CRGW? I live in Somerset, do you know it?


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

Hello! I live in South Wales, about an hour from CRGW though so the other direction to you. I was down in Somerset last week though for a wedding! Lovely place  

My EC won't be tomorrow, they will be scanning me (hopefully for the last time!) to find out if I'm ready for it. If I am then it'll probably be Wednesday morning. Very nervous but more excited now that I know how close I came to not trying at all!

I'll only tell my mum if and when I'm pregnant (and at a reasonable point following a scan, maybe 8 or 12 weeks). I've come close to telling her a few times but I know that I would lose my brave streak and succumb to my family's views if I told them and they had a negative response. I'd love to have her support, but at the same time it's so much better and easier not having anyone to try to change my mind!

As for how many embryos, the clinic try hard to avoid multiple pregnancies. I may be wrong, but I think they have a duty of care to reduce the number of multiple pregnancies they create or assist in creating in line with HFEA or NICE regulations. What they told me is that they will only transfer one if I get a good graded blastocyst, however if I end up having to have a 2 or 3 day transfer or my blasts are a lower grade I can opt for two instead by signing a waiver. I would love twins (hey, get it all in one go!) but I don't want to risk a more problematic pregnancy, and being a single parent it'll be even more difficult with two babies on my own rather than one, although I have lots of family members who I know will rally around I can't bring myself to deliberately have two by counting on their support. There will be times where I have to cope alone. My best case scenario is a singleton pregnancy and maybe one or two in the freezer to use in a year or two for a sibling  

Only a week until your consult! I bet you are getting excited


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## Cortneywils (Aug 6, 2012)

Wow your not too far from where I live really. I guess your mum will see how determined you was to have this baby....also brave to go it alone... I bet your excited getting another step closer  

I'm very excited about it, I'm now wondering if they will scan me and do amh test as when I rang them I asked for an appointment for egg sharing, should I of said consultation rather than appt, the receptionist said she'd send me information through the post....wonder what it'll say?


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

I believe the consults are the same for either to be honest, so you should be scanned and AMH tested anyway (you do have to pay for your AMH test incase they didnt tell you, it's £80)

Good luck!


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