Going private - any advice?

[Macksie]

We are a bit stuck between waiting for the NHS and the pain of being bounced from one department to another or just biting the bullet and going private.

DH had TC which caused him to have dry ejaculate so the treatment we'll probably need is ICSI with surgical sperm retrieval or worst case IVF with sperm donor.

Any clinic recommendation (we're hertfordshire based so London is an option) or any advice on what to look for when selecting a clinic will be appreciated???

[LucyMum]

Hiya Macksie

Hmmmm, difficult one - I would say it depends on your age (I seem to remember you being a little younger than me) and also how sick you are of waiting for the NHS.

We've gone down the private route but are now deliberating whether to go back to the NHS to try and get a procedure done that would cost us £4.5K, and that is before IVF. The trouble is for me is that the NHS route, as you say, takes time, and that's one thing I haven't got at 38.

I haven't any experience of the London clinics, only the Southampton ones, but I'm positive someone will be along soon who has

[alleycat]

Macksie I have heard the Lister in London are pretty much at the forefront, but Muddles has personal experience of them...my clinic got me the result I wanted but in an extremely haphazard fashion so I wouldn't recommend them - CRM London. All the clinics should publish recent & past success rates so make sure you research those - ultimately the success rate is the most important factor isn't it xxx

[fifigee]

Think about stress levels . I get stressed dealing with trains and tubes so instead of picking a London clinic I went for a quiet place with great results that I could drive to on the motorway . 25 min journey . its the Woking Nuffield . I live in the Windsor area and it would probably take you a bit longer but its worth it . Free parking , no worries and great nurses and just lovely there and as I said they have fantastic results . Good luck xxx

[Bexycat]

Macksie,

As your OH has a reason for infertility then you should be entitled to NHS funding (I think for three cycles in Herts!). Go to your GP and ask for a referral to your preferred clinic, your private clinic can then sort NHS funding for you VERY easily. It took 2 weeks to get our one cycle approved as the IVF clinics fast track it.

Were at the Oxford Institute of Reproductive Sciences. I picked them because they are a research institute and also have above average national results. Been very impressed so far. I remember there was a website which compared % success rates ... possibly to-hatch.co.uk?

Agree with Fifi about stress levels, time and tubes etc in London - you'll need to be at your clinic around 7 times in one cycle.

Good luck!

[Macksie]

Thanks for the advice ladies

We were referred to bourne hall clinic in Cambridge before so it may be worth us going back to them although some healthcare professionals have commented to us that they are very by the book. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

Bexy you say the GP can refer us straight to a clinic? What about all the blood tests and screening which is normally done for a referral? Would the clinic do that?

I think as we need surgical sperm extraction it will need to be done by a fertility clinic anyway. Bourne hall wouldn't do it before dh's treatment because he was on blood thinners which he still is so that's what put us off them. But I'm sure he can stop warfarin temporarily now to enable the procedure to go ahead?

What a minefield!!!

[Bexycat]

Hey chick,

As you have a reason for infertility (i.e. your OH's sperm analysis being zero) then I dunno what other bloods and screening you'd need? You can both get your HIV, Hep, chlamydia (you only) and rubella (you only) done at your GP and take it with you. Your GP can also arrange day 21 and day 3 bloods for you as the clinic will need this and then thats it really... it'll take a good few months after your initial referral and appt anyway so there is plenty of time. The IVF clinic will run an ultrascan routinely for you.

Get going with the referral and the rest should fall into place. Good luck!

B

[Macksie]

Thanks for the advice its given me a bit more of an insight I guess because we were referred by gynae before they did all the screening which is basically all the bloods you mention etc I just didn't realise the GP was empowerd enough to do this for us........I guess we'll find out next week it will be really good if he is as it'll save us a lot of frustration.

I think we need to be initially referred to a clinic for surgical sperm extraction but we are going to need the input from his vascular consultant as he is still having to take warfarin which he will need to stop if they need to do any procedure like that :-/

[LucyMum]

Hiya Macksie

Think about stress levels . I get stressed dealing with trains and tubes so instead of picking a London clinic I went for a quiet place with great results that I could drive to on the motorway

I agree with this - I've done this too because organising the family and getting to London would have been too stressful.

Some clinics need GP referrals, others don't; they don't mind doing it at all if it's private but I would have thought you'd be entitled to an NHS referral.