Funding advice after first failed NHS cycle

[LillieF]

Hi Everyone, sorry been a bit quiet on here after my first failed IVF cycle. Been to our debrief appointment a week ago armed with lots of questions, and the advice from consultant is they wouldn't change a thing about the cycle as responded very well and advised to start again straight away. Only concern was embryo quality but she said no science or medication will help that. She told us that the clinic had finance available and signed us up straight away. Unfortunately when talking to the finance department they don't and never have done credit and apologised for the "new" consultant who told us this. Unfortunately I've now had to cancel this cycle as we don't have the money at the moment. Not going to lie.... I'm gutted. Felt like another punch to this already horrible situation.

Feeling really angry about the CCG, how is it fair that if I lived 15 miles up the road I'd get my 2nd round free with the NHS!?!

Anyway I've done what all us ladies do so well.... Sucked it up and started thinking of different options.

So I've seen about "Access to fertility" has anyone used this before with a clinic? I'm intrigued about what their criteria is for giving you the money back and being accepted on the scheme? Doesn't really say a lot on the website just says you will be assessed by a doctor.

I'm going to have to try and get a loan and borrow from all sources to pay for my next cycle, so this "guaranteed baby or money back" does seem an attractive option.

I'm not going to lie I'm so scared about how I'll react if round two isn't successful. Xx

[liz1985]

Hi Honey...

Sorry to hear about your failed IVF cycle, i also had a failed NHS funded cycle at beginning of this year ..I completely understand what you are saying about the unfairness of the 'post code lottery'! It really is a lot of money and adds financial pressure to what is already a stressful time! Me and my other half looked into the guaranteed baby or money back offer, but decided it was too much money to afford in one lump some as with our private clinic would have been around £8000! We discovered that with our hospital we had ivf with before one cycle was £3288 so decided to try our luck with them one last time! I am due to start my second cycle next month so fingers crossed...fingers crossed you get your funding and your little miracle xxxx

[LillieF in reply to liz1985]

Oh good luck fingers crossed for you! I would have defiantly preferred to go to the same clinic as actually really liked the nurses and really convenient to get too. Yeah there is a massive jump in price with the guaranteed route, but we'd have to borrow the money either way so trying to explore all avenues. To stay at the same clinic would cost £5,000 for us, and to go to the guaranteed would be £8,000 for two cycles. So hard to know what to do. X

[ZessB]

So sorry to hear you had a failed IVF cycle. I am so frustrated by that IVF lottery here, it's so unfair. I am in the North East where I get 3 fully funded cycles but was due to move last month and we had to delay our move as our first cycle was unsuccessful and the region we would like to move to only funds one cycle-how bad is that!

For egg quality, I have heard CoQ10 helps so it may be worth a try. As for the funding of your next cycle, do you know anyone living in that place 15 miles away? If so, could you not get a couple of bills sent to there for a few months and tell the clinic that's your new address? It may be a little far fetched but why not?

I also think a line or two to your local MP about these unfair funding discrepancies between regions is worthwhile and can make a big difference as they may bring it up at next parliamentary session.

Best of luck with whatever you do next xx

[MommaBear16]

Hi Lillie I'm sorry to read about your last cycle. I completely agree with you that the CCG funding is unfair. We live in the North East and are lucky to get 3 NHS rounds but I don't understand why some women only get one or get none, it's not right. Did your consultant say anything about DHEA? I've read that this can help increase egg quantity/quality which in turn could improve embryo quality(?) but I suppose it depends on your circumstances. However you proceed next I wanted to wish you the very best of luck with your next round x x x

[Hidden]

I am so sorry to hear about your failed cycle! I am currently on CD8 of my one and only NHS funded cycle, and it has definitely been on my mind, wondering what we would do if it failed, as we would have to wait a while before we could afford to do a self funded cycle too. At this stage I am still hoping we won't be faced with that dilemma. I hope that the answer becomes clear to you soon!

[liz1985]

Hi Honey...

Yes i see what you are saying prob worth the extra money if you are borrowing anyway...we were quite lucky as when our cycle began we had already started saving as i figured that if it was successful we would need baby stuff which is expensive and if it wasnt would need to self-fund so we already had half the money saved by the time it finally failed...so only took us a couple of month to save the extra so decided that we would just pay rather than borrow but just hope this one works as dont know what we will do if it doesnt! good luck honey lots of baby dust to us all xxx

[Lamb82]

Hi Lillie. We are doing this access Fertility at the moment. We only got one NHS go as well. We then did one funded cycle and got our BFP but sadly miscarried 😥. Our full cycle and cost £6k so we weighed everything up and decided whilst it would cost more it would give us 3 goes. Yes it will cost us more if we get our baby on go one, but hell we have our baby so who cares!! If it takes cycle 2 or 3 we are saving. It has also taken the pressure off each cycle which is worth a lot as well. Xx