Has anyone else reached the top of the nhs list whilst finishing a private ivf cycle?

[RhinoCat]

Help! Advice needed.

Just mid FET of our only embryo from our first cycle. I’ve started medication and day ten scan on drugs is 20th January.

We’ve paid for two cycles privately up front . (Which runs out with a live birth) Does anyone know if we can pause the private to take our nhs turn?

How long can you pause the private?

Although if our FET works we won’t need any of it (🙏🏻🎉).......but the problem is we have to communicate our acceptance into nhs or defer for up to three months before our FET CYCLE is complete.

Anyone been in this situation or could help guide my 🔥 brain?

All / any advice welcome 🙏🏻

Many thanks,

Rhinocat x

[ttcemmie]

Hi RhinoCat. Our NHS approval came through (we "reached the top of the list") when I was going through private IVF (and I was sharing my eggs, so definitely would not have pulled out) in February 2019. I assume you can pause the private route (unless it's Access Fertility - they have their own rules), but we only had 6 months after acceptance by NHS to use the NHS route. Crazily, after getting pregnant from the private IVF, I had a missed miscarriage in July, and then we had to start IVF again in August as that was the last month of eligibility under NHS! However, we could have let it lapse and reapplied, but there's no guarantee and it had taken us over a year to get to this point, so felt rushed in to it. It has been stressful going down both routes, but as everything takes so long and there's no guarantees, I wanted to. I'm not sure if there's any advice to be had in this message, but wanted to let you know that we had 6 months to use the NHS IVF after acceptance.

[RhinoCat in reply to ttcemmie]

Thanks!

Yes we are access fertility . I did ask our consultant ( who is our nhs and private clinic dr) could we take a break between private the cycles and he said yes within reason and said within two years I think ?!?!?

Just didn’t think we’d get called until June so thought we would have been through our two cycles. Although probably better to have a private option as our third?

Might ring and see about appointments etc there might not be any until March and then I’ll know if this FET has worked.

I don’t even want to think about it until this FET is over as it’s hard to stay positive if I’m already thinking about next cycle if that makes sense!

the ever pickled brain of the ivfers eh 🙈

[ttcemmie in reply to RhinoCat]

Big decisions and choices to be made constantly! I would probably just let NHS run its course hoping you don't need it and are pregnant before then! We didn't even make the NHS appointment until the July (got a lucky cancellation within a week). Don't know what it's like in your area and if you need to make an appointment now, but yes; take one for a few months' time. I'm also with Access Fertility (yet to start a cycle through them). In our contract, there are stipulations such as they can remove us (but might not) if we leave more than a 6 month gap between cycles, and that if we start a cycle then withdraw from it, then that cycle will count towards our cycles.

Also, actually, just seeing this clause:

"5. Other IVF Treatment

Save in respect of medical treatment which is necessary to prevent serious injury or preserve

life, the Participant shall not, whilst participating in the Programme, undergo any IVF, FET or other treatment or procedure outside the Programme which could adversely affect the probability of the Participant becoming pregnant (Unauthorised Treatment) unless Access Fertility and the Clinic have both provided prior written consent. Any such participation in an Unauthorised Treatment shall entitle Access Fertility to immediately terminate this agreement

and remove the Participant from the Programme."

That sounds worrying.

Do you have a contract you can peruse?

[RhinoCat in reply to ttcemmie]

Not sure I have? Will have a look. I guess I can find out then defer nhs , use second private and we might not need the nhs. Who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️ how will access fertility know? If we just ‘take a break’ ? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[ttcemmie in reply to RhinoCat]

Hahaha. Well played. Good point. I wish I had told less truth to the NHS; wouldn't have had to wait as long. Should have said we had been trying two years after only a year as it took like another year and half to get to IVF!

[ttcemmie in reply to ttcemmie]

Access Fertility is a legal contract, though, so my only worry would be with not telling them is if they found out... I wouldn't want to get in to any legal trouble. I'm quite a risk adverse person, though.

If you're on a refund programme it would most probably make you ineligible to a refund too.

[RhinoCat in reply to ttcemmie]

Not on refund programme. I’m defo not gonna worry about things that aren’t definite, that’s a waste of time and energy .

I’ll make a few calls. I’m entitled to nhs ✅

Have paid for two full cycles privately ✅

Just have to find the right way to use both.

I’m sure I’m not the only person who has ever been in this pickle.

🤞🏻 someone who has can confirm what I think I can swing

😎

Rhinocat x

[RhinoCat in reply to ttcemmie]

Access fertility are willing to give a refund for unused money for the second cycle if we want to leave our programme and go nhs 💥

Whoop 🙌

[ttcemmie in reply to RhinoCat]

Nice!

[HPLondon]

Not sure but our last NHS round was revoked because we went private!

[RhinoCat in reply to HPLondon]

Our dr told us you can only have nhs if you’ve had no more than two private cycles. Hence why we paid for two cycles only . I also asked how would they know? He looked at me funny 😄 think I found a loop hole! They can’t share private notes without my permission 😎👌🏻

[ttcemmie in reply to RhinoCat]

👍👍👍

[HPLondon in reply to ttcemmie]

Interesting, we were told if we went private we’d lose our final NHS round! Maybe it depends on where you live (like everything else NHS IVF related!). It was a gamble but we got our BFP with private so worth it for us (fingers crossed it all goes to plan!). Best of luck with your FET x

[RhinoCat in reply to HPLondon]

I haven’t had any nhs anything’s so think it’ll be grand .

Sure , maybe I won’t even need it 😃🤩 💪🏻🙈🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💫💫🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻😀

[RhinoCat in reply to HPLondon]

Ps how many rounds were you allowed? We only get one?????

[ttcemmie in reply to RhinoCat]

I know you're not asking me, but I'm answering anyway! We only got one NHS round, but we were allowed to have up to two private rounds beforehand if we had wanted. My area is really strict. Criteria: under 35, no smoking, no previous children (even adopted), certain BMI and only one round.

[HPLondon in reply to ttcemmie]

We got three, but 9/10 month wait time in between each collection and fairly shoddy treatment/very off the shelf. I’m sure there are some brill NHS clinics out there (and it works for lots of people) but ours was not one of them as we had a few specific issues that needed specialist consultants.

[RhinoCat in reply to HPLondon]

🥺 3? 😮 not only is pay unfair in uk .... clearly ivf treatment is horrifically unfair ? One versus three ? But if it was pathetic , I guess ya wouldn’t want it. I’ve only heard of people getting the bfp from nhs funded or private. Something not quite right eh! Our private clinic has top dogs from several clinics and two countries. The sad thing is the nhs clinic is quiet, no queues etc and private is rammed so it all feels a bit rushed even tho it’s top dollar. Here’s hoping our private clinic come up with the goods 🤰 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻💫💫💫💫💫💫🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[KiboXX in reply to RhinoCat]

Try living in Cambridgeshire. Currently zero funding for IVF! Crazy.

I have a friend one county over from me who got one round funded, we were at the same clinic at the same time and treatment was no better private vs NHS.

[Italy300618 in reply to KiboXX]

Zero funding? Not even one round of ivf? That is so awful xx

[KiboXX in reply to Italy300618]

Yep zero! The two counties next to us, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire have funding but not Cambs. I know, it’s awful 😢

[RhinoCat in reply to ttcemmie]

Thanks 👌🏻Yeah that’s close to my experience too. (Age diff I think ) I might try and put off nhs turn and do 2nd private first as it’s our hard earned cash at risk . ( all the while hoping I won’t get to that nhs turn) Defo a bit of research to do. I’ll have to add that to my diary of tick boxes for tomorrow. ✅

Such fun 😂

[HPLondon in reply to RhinoCat]

Good luck with it all!

[Joy35 in reply to RhinoCat]

Hi Rhinocat,

Did the doctor give you any answers on how they would know? We’re very lucky in Scotland as we get three rounds on the NHS. However if you go private you lose it all. We are on a six month waiting list too even be seen for IVF. Feels like forever after almost 3 years!!

I’d love to do a round of private while waiting but scared to lose the three NHS rounds.

If I thought they wouldn’t be able too tell I’d love too have a private round while waiting.

Thanks

Joy

[RhinoCat in reply to Joy35]

3 rounds .... 3 rounds ..... I’d say, just wait and enjoy this dream situation and save for a fourth whilst you wait and hope you never need it. 😘then you’ve money for a holiday or whatever 😎🎉

When I asked the dr how would they know, he said you would tell them, I said, would I 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂

We only get one on nhs, even though it takes average of 2/3 times for it to work. Our go doesn’t even cover fresh and all frozen that our able to be made. I’ve waited 11 months for my nhs turn from referral to letter. 6 months is not bad 💐

[Joy35 in reply to RhinoCat]

Thanks Rhinocat.

Sometimes you need a reminder how lucky you are. It seems really unfair that different parts of the U.K. give different benefits. I hope you never need the NHS round. Best of luck xx

[RhinoCat in reply to Joy35]

Hold that! Breaking news! NI have just agreed to fund three cycles of ivf?!?!?! Wow! Fingers crossed this means me then I can get a refund from our second private turn 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[Joy35 in reply to RhinoCat]

Wow that’s great news. That has actually really cheered me up tonight. I’m delighted for you. This whole process is stressful enough without the money stress on top of everything else xxx

[RhinoCat in reply to Joy35]

Not sure I’ll meet the criteria as it hasn’t been sorted out yet. So I might defer my go with the nhs in the hope that it’s all sorted and we do get 3 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[EmGLA]

I haven’t been in this situation I’m NHS funded. I would advise you not to mention the private treatment to the NHS. In Scotland at least going private means you aren’t eligible for NHS treatment.

Xx

[RhinoCat in reply to EmGLA]

It’s gonna be weird because dr X at private clinic is our dr at the nhs clinic. How weird he must feel when people zip it 🤐 🤣👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[EmGLA in reply to RhinoCat]

Haha totally! i really hope this is your time!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼