Currently having IVF in Brno, age 42, support please!

[Florencehill]

Hello, first time posting here. Be good to hear from others who have done/are doing the same. Finding it a bit stressful.

Arrived in Czech Republic, 5 days ago. Chose this clinic due to cheapness and a nurse's recommendation. So far find them lacking in customer service. No opportunity to ask questions, and even then very rushed. Iexpected more, even though its low budget. Having IVF with own eggs and my boyfriends sperm. Its our second cycle, first was on NHS in UK. Ended in 2 good blastocysts leading to, one misscarriage and other blastocyst didnt survive thawing.

Yesterday had egg retrieval and was shocked to yield 16 eggs! (only got 4 in first IVF cycle). My boyfriend had a melt down in hospital as PGS pricing hadn't been explained to him before and he thought we would have to pay for all 16 eggs to be tested (£5700 in theory). His outburst and subsequent low mood really affected my recovery as I couldn't relax. He wouldn't be reassured... So now typically he is fast asleep and I have insomnia. I got 2 hours sleep and its now 5.30am.

Since arriving here I have gone from bout of acute diorreah to current constipation. I could open a chemist with all the medication in my hotel room.

I am feeling a bit lonely. I havent met a single person here to chat to in English. No English TV channel.

Today I will find out how many eggs have fertilised.

I went into this having been told via online consultation that at 42, 90% of my eggs would be statistically chromosomaly abnormal and result in miscarriage. I gave donor egg serious consideration, even filled out the application form but im the end decided I might regret not giving my own (geriatric!) eggs one more go and hopefully if, more like when, none of them create a live birth, I will readily accept a donor egg cycle.

It's dawn here. My hotel overlooks a beautiful square with scupture and daily fruit and veg market. Since arriving we've been playing 'spot the natural female redheads' as I would like my future donor to share my hair colour. (Head count about 10 so far!)

I'd be thrilled to hear from anyone having IVF here at the moment or anyone with experience of having it abroad. If so, where? How do you rate the clinic?

Also would like to hear from people who have used donor eggs. How did it feel knowing that it was not your own genes? How did you plan what to tell your child?

Thanks for reading.

[LizzieBW]

Hi FlorenceHill,

I am unable to offer perspective or advice from the abroad/DE situations but I didn't want to read & run.

I'm sorry you're feeling alone at the moment. The really great thing about this community is you have access to so many women who will genuinely know how you feel. I'm sure some of the lovely ladies who've shared a similar experience will stop by today.

16 eggs is amazing - go you!! P.s I felt like I was reading a novel at parts of your post where you described where you are. If you're not already, maybe you should consider being an author whilst you're away, something to keep your mind occupied 🥰

Very best of luck & hoping for your bfp 🤞 xx

[Florencehill in reply to LizzieBW]

Hi LizzieBW, thanks so much for taking the time to reply and being my first ever response on here. I look forward to more...And your compliment on my writing was touching. My sister has had a few articles in print and my boyfriend has the untapped gift too, so maybe I will have a dabble and buy myself a little journal today. Who knows, maybe my offspring will read it one day, with wide eyes about how and where they were conceived : in a lab where some of the nurses wear 70's mini skirts, white socks pulled up to their knees and sandals. Think Thelma from Scooby do with a face mask. I kid you not.

[Hidden]

Good Morning, I'm so sorry that you are feeling lonely, it is a difficult enough time as it is without any additional stress.

I wanted to message as I also have my treatment in Brno and will be there again end of Sept,it's a lovely little town. I'm a bit worried that I won't be allowed to fly there by end of Sept with the situation at the moment. I've been there 5 times so far and only found 1 apartment where we could get Netflix but now I watch it on my phone when I go. It's a nice place to have a wander round and sit outside the cafes in Freedom square watching the world go by. I'm 43 in Aug and I have gone down the DE route was told after my first abandoned cycle that it was only option. I have been happy with the clinic to date, they have always been accomodating when I have suggested additional drugs to my treatment plan.so I'm sorry to hear your having a different experience, feel free to PM me anytime.

Did you have to take a COVID test to be allowed in? X

[Florencehill in reply to Hidden]

Hi Clairnix, great to hear from you, especially since we have Brno, age and DE factor in common. I wonder if we are patients at the same clinic. I will PM you...

I'm enjoying Brno too. Its my first time here. Thanks for the Netflix tip!

I was due to have my treatment in March but Covid delayed it. I didnt need to have a test no to enter country, or the clinic. Me and boyfriend just had to fill out questionnaires about any symptoms and where we had visited recently. Did one before left UK, and updated one before egg collection (which I call Harvest Festival!) Its been a frustrating delay as you also appreciate. I shared your anxiety about the timing of my trip. I decided to seize the first opportunity to travel, before any potential spikes would scupper my window of opportunity. Is September the earliest you can go?

My boyfriend has just left to do some sightseeing so I will welcome the time alone to catch up on sleep. I can log into online portal in an hour to see how many eggs have fertilised...

[Hidden in reply to Florencehill]

Hello, I responded to your PM first before reading this message.

How was the news regarding your eggs?

I was due to go in March as well but got chance, I booked end of Sept a few months ago thinking it would be more straight forward to fly then but emailed clinic today to see if they can bring it forward, which they can so just waiting for my period now and can start meds x

[Florencehill in reply to Hidden]

Update: 14/16 eggs fertilised.

Loneliness factor: 3/10 (largely due to great support here and boyfriend feeling better)

Decided to concentrate on the now instead of D/E.

Really grateful for the ongoing support on this site.

[Hidden in reply to Florencehill]

Morning, wow that's a great result re.fertilised eggs, good start x

Glad that your boyfriend is feeling better and hope that he enjoyed his sightseeing. I must admit it has been the support of the ladies on this forum that has got me through.

[alockie]

I am sorry to know you are feeling alone and it would be great if your clinic can support you. A few friends of mine underwent IVF PGS NGS in Gdansk Poland, and were happy with the support they got from the clinic and their docs. Stay positive and take care.

[Florencehill in reply to alockie]

Hi alockie, thanks for the tips and encouragement. Makes a big difference.

[jengi]

So sorry you are feeling lonely. I hope today has been a better day for you. How many eggs fertilised? I made the hardest decision ever to move to donor eggs. We went abroad to Greece. In hindsight I wish I’d stayed in the UK. I now realise I rushed into the decision. The language and culture barrier has caused us a few issues and there are many things I don’t like about they way they work. I don’t think any clinic is perfect but best to go with a good recommendation from someone who’s had a positive experience. So far we’ve spent just under £14k for initial appointment, blood tests, full donor package & 2 transfers. Plus another £2,500 on flight, accommodation, airport car parking, hire cars, spending money etc. The full donor package resulted in 6 excellent quality embryos. Just had 2 transferred last week. It’s not cheap. Hopefully you will be successful with your own eggs but if you have any specific questions please feel free to private message me. Best of luck, keep positive Xx

[Florencehill]

Hi Jengi, great to hear from you and gain insight into DE in Greece. Tbh that is never far from my mind, and I was considering Greece/Cyprus myself. The latter from a successful recommendation of friend of friend who had tandem cycle and just had a baby aged 46.( She had been ttc since age 42) Sorry to hear about your location regrets and expenditure. Such an outlay... thank god you have 6 blastocysts to use. How are you coping with 2WW? Wishing you a great outcome. Thanks for the offer to PM. I am really happy with the support I am getting here and feel much less lonely and even hopeful now. Smiley (sleep deprived) face!

[Hope76]

Congratulations on 16 eggs, am 44 & most I have ever managed aged 39 was 8. My recent baseline scan only picked up 6 antra-follicles & every time seems to be less & less eggs. This is my last go with my own eggs I feel as just can’t afford more. Currently with UK clinic & wondering what your new Clinic have done differently to increase your egg count ? Was it the drugs ? Am currently on gonal f 300iu, despite asking for higher dose am told this is maximum they offer.

Best of luck with the next stage 🤞🏼

[Florencehill in reply to Hope76]

Hi Hope 76.

I wish I could impart knowlege on how come this yeild has been so much higher but unfortunately I'm in the dark. The first round never explained my drug protocol they decided, only that they had given me the lowest dose of stims due to my high AMH of about 21 (currently 13.7) if memory serves me. Me and my partner missed about three days of meds too because their admin didnt fill out my booklet with the day to start next drug so I carried on oblivious, and perhaps carelessly but I didnt know I needed to make notes when the schedule and drug demo was done. I assumed everything was in the booklet. Also, the trigger injection was really hard to use and some of it dribbled out. Hard to know if it was a significant ammount and although I dialed the nursing team to ask if I needed to repeat it, they just told me not to worry... but I did. And I subsequently realised I had taken it 12 hours too early. (Im sure the anesthesist must have been peeved to have had to come in on a saturday especially to accommodate my late egg collection) So you see it was likely mine and my boyfriends doing that only 4 eggs were collected. One other important difference though is that I couldnt get prescribed down regulation drugs this time because of my history of migraines. The solution was to skip that phase and begin treatment stim drugs on 3rd day of period.

There were a lot of eggs on my chart at my last scan prior to egg collection though and I expected more than 4.

The drugs Im using this time are different too. (can list tomorrow if you want?)

I feel for you. Its hard to make head nor tale of IVF drugs when you have no medical training. You have to put your faith in the experts. I know you say money is tight, but have you ever had a private consultation with a fertility expert?

Just realised I have waffled on. This round of IVF I took 150iu... So sorry. Thats not encouraging for you, but we have unfortunately got different prognosis. I wish I could be of more help. Maybe some of the other members can step in? Im a bit inexperienced. Try starting a thread and see. Keep me posted. Sending you all best wishes. Where are you up to on this round? Thanks for keeping your fingers crossed for me Hope76. X

[Hidden]

Hi Florence. Thank you for sharing your experience. I loved reading your posts. No advice but just wanted to say you are not alone. We are here all for you whenever you need us xx

[Florencehill in reply to Hidden]

Hello Mimisami. Thanks for the support. Good to make contact with you and hear that you are enjoying my posts! Funny that you are the second person to say this. Maybe I should start blogging about IVF abroad. It certainly has its moments. Right now I am struggling with sleeping. (5th day with 2-3 hours max. Tonight failed to even snooze so far. Not sure if its full on insomnia. Tonight I tried a Czech herbal sleeping pill (pill not tablet: that caused confusion with the nice girl on hotel reception who thought I wanted to know if I could buy an electronic tablet/device for sleeping, without a prescription! ). The much anticipated Barney pill didn't work, even with the two large red wines that I washed it down with (cue gasps from horrified IVF purists who would kurb any alcohol cravings even though their embryos are unaffected, peacefully developing in a lab. Have some sympathy I say! I rarely drink, even amongst my big-drinking best friends, preferring to be tea-total so I can drive home whenever my bed calls. Or so I can escape from my best friend's overszised dogs who wont stop mauling me and depositing slober on my clothing/hands. Here in Brno, clutching on tightly on the roller-coaster of IVF, heavily invested, desperate times call for desperate measures- quite literally!)

Back to bed now. This was my short distraction technique from laying awake trying to sleep. Pray my friend that it works...

[Hidden in reply to Florencehill]

Ohhh ivf friend! I hope it did the trick x lovely to hear from you. I hope you get good news soon from clinic xxxx

[Florencehill in reply to Hidden]

I managed about 3 hours from 5-7 I think so not a complete failure! X

[Florencehill]

UPDATE:

Ahoj! Thats 'Hi!' in Czech. Sounds like (Land) Ahoy, but you put the weight on the Ah.

Ah-hoy. I use it to fit in with the locals. At my hotel it's helped me break the ice with the old man who carries the baggage and the young girl on reception who likes to practise her English customer service. She's been a diamond helping me plan a day trip and navigate the pitfall of buying sparkling water for the 3rd time when I just want STILL! Argggh! That telltale pfffffffff signaling that despite my rediculous miming and pfffffffff vocalising in the supermarket with a fellow customer, facing an entire isle of bottled water, I have yet again been fooled by Google Translate and my ignorance of the existence of 'lightly sparking' as opposed to full on fizz. It's water for the indecisive I have concluded, the neither here nor there. Oh and by the way my first mime act was answered in English! Haha! Albeit not native English, by a helpful woman who declared correctly : Oh you want still? You need to look for the blue top". Back at my hotel. Pfffffff! She was misguided. But thanks anyway for confusing me even more and in my lingo)

Back to my IVF, that's also not in my lingo and administered by Scooby Doo nurses (see my first reply on this thread). I'm sleep deprived and now starting to worry I'm losing the plot. 'Barney's' (Canadian brand actually!) over the counter herbal sleeping tablet hasn't worked. I'm starting to worry that lack of sleep will affect the outcome of my ET on Saturday. Anybody care to share their thoughts?

My favourite way to relax is a bath, especially in a swanky hotel bathroom. But I was told by the consultant (?) to stick to showers after egg collection. Googled it and my bathing ban is for weeks... Anyone else been advised this? My first IVF in UK was free of this restriction and my email to the company I hired to help me navigate IVF abroad has gone unanswered for 3 days...

Its day 3 of embryos in lab. Down to 14 from 16. Still a great number. Sounds like: "Day three in the Scooby Doo House" said in Geordie accent. Moa-hst of the embryos are gettin' comfee in the pet-ri dish. Exept for one tha exi-ed through the back dow-ah..." I have lost the plot afer all.

Feeling sleepy.... Only 3.52am. Could this really be sleep? Real sleep? Cue the familiar noise of clanging on the square outside of the fruit and veg vendors starting to set up.

Parting thought, going to try a (safe) Spa Treatment tomorrow at hotel in effort to relax and maybe sleep better...Ahoj masseuse!

To be continued...

[Uklondon786]

How much is it costing you ?

[Florencehill in reply to Uklondon786]

Hi Uklondon786. Cant give you an ecaxt figure, depends on how many eggs we have leftover to freeze and and to do PGT on. I had my baseline scan and bloods in Uk and paid privately. Whole thing much cheaper than any UK clinic. Google IVF in Brno and you can see price lists (think there are three clinics round here) PM me if you want name of clinic Im using. Hope that helps.

[Florencehill]

Update :

Back in the UK. I arrived home a blabbering mess. Too much sleep deprivation and long journey home. Arrived home to find that the North West has the highest spikes of Covid in UK...very concerning. I live near to one of the worst affected councils.

Tried to do a days work after one day off. Referrals at my work had gone through the roof while I was away and my team had a complete restructure. On top of two hours sleep again I couldn't get my head round the new system. By the end of the day I knew I needed time out. Doctor signed me off for two weeks. Sleep is starting to improve. I have a history of severe depression so trying not to panic that I will have a relapse after 7 years in good mental health. Been relaxing and taking light exercise.

Pregnancy test is on Saturday. Had some mild back pain and period like feelings. Also realised I didnt have embryo glue as didnt know it was an add on in this clinic. Feel like a bit of a novice at IVF. When can I get a scan to find out if embryo is developing? Must I go privately for this? I had a MMC at 8 weeks last time but embryo stoped at 6 weeks. Thanks supporters. X

[Hope76 in reply to Florencehill]

Hi welcome home, was it Saturday you had your transfer and did you go for a single or a double? I had a single transfer on Saturday and all appears to have gone smoothly 🤞🏼.

It wasn’t until yesterday I realised I completely forgot to ask about ‘embryo glue’. Last year their policy was to give it with every cycle so I must ask when I next speak to them. I keep telling myself the times I have had it well I tested negative and times I had no glue I got my BFP. So wondering if it makes any difference!

I think it’s wise your Doctor has signed you off. Normally am working however I was made redundant. I actually feel so much more relaxed not having to think about work this time around 😀

I can’t answer your questions regarding scans, I think earliest they can detect it is 7 weeks.... is there a local Clinic you can ask ?

[Florencehill in reply to Hope76]

Hello Hope76.

Nice to hear from you again. Yes, I too had a single transfer on Saturday, no embryo glue. My blastocyst was 5 days old when transfered. How about you? When were you told to take a pregnancy test? Had any twinges? Might PM you if that's ok?

My NHS UK doctor has already said that I cant order progesterone (I will need more if I test positive I think) and the local NHS clinic where I had my last cycle may or may not scan me, with Covid I imagine I would have to be bleeding before they would see me. No early reassurance scans.

Sorry you were made redundant but also pleased its given you the paid break you need. Fingers crossed for you.

[Hope76]

Here’s hoping our singletons are burrowing in nicely. Mine was only 3 days as we only had 1 good one at least it was top grade 🤞🏼

My test date is 23/08, had some twinges some quite intense but know can be the progesterone so trying not to drive myself mad 😂I literally cannot stop going to pee & am eating like a horse 🙈

So today I found out my second embie which wasn’t as good quality didn’t make it to day 5 🥴. Kinda upsetting but believe it has happened for a reason. I asked the embryologist today if they used embryo glue. She explained it is their policy to use glue with all transfers now. This is good, however I am under no illusion it’s guaranteed to work as I had the glue on my double transfer a year ago and it failed 🙈 But they were both grade 2 so am a bit more hopeful with grade 1🙏🏻It is worth also noting when I had my very first transfer aged 39, my Clinic didn’t use glue at that time and I got my BFP, my miracle son now aged 4.

You absolutely will need more progesterone should you test positive.... your GP can easily prescribe ? My clinic sent a letter to my GP for my medical records & telling them to prescribe it.

Did I read you had PGS testing ? That must help 🤞🏼. My clinic unfortunately doesn’t offer this at least they have never mentioned. I only heard about it on here ..... I have researched it and makes sense than going through so many failed attempts bit late in day me learning bout this now 🙈. Think me & my partner feel this will be our last go for a sibling for our son as it’s taking its toll now x

[Florencehill in reply to Hope76]

Hi Hope76,

Only just realised you had replied. Im losing track! So much support and similar stories.

I dont know if you have seen my newer thread but I started bown spotting last night, and today its turned to dark red/red and heavier.

Yes I had PGS because of my age. Holding out for them really as in my heart of hearts I feel this one didn't work. Coincides exactly with my period due date.

Hoping you're ok... Will look at your recent thread. My OTD is 15th Aug

[Hope76 in reply to Florencehill]

Thinking of you, sent you a private message 😘

[Baypony]

Hey, good to hear you have an embie on board now. 🤞🍀 for you!

Re the progesterone (according to my consultant) it is rather important in IVF pregnancies. I used a private fertility consultant, the clinic (same one as you) wrote a prescription for the brand/amount to take and my consultant then looked it over and wrote a private prescription which I had made up at the private hospital as NHS will not help. Maybe you can try that? I also paid for a private early scan with the same consultant. Really useful if you want reassurance. Look up private hospitals in your area, most have a fertility consultant. As you are paying you will need one consultation to explain what you need then you pay after each appt after that. )Unless i’ve misunderstood your post above about not being able to get progesterone or a scan).

Good luck!

[Florencehill in reply to Baypony]

Hi Baypony,

Thanks for the advice. It was all very confusing in Czech clinic re progesterone. Was given two prescriptions of progesterone but still not enough as I didn't know how much I would need or had been prescribed!

I dont have a private consultant here... Maybe I should look at getting one but broke now after this cycle. I was hoping Czech clinic could send prescription to Fertility2u online who post drugs out. (thats who I used for stim drugs)

But as you know, everything may have changed now as I am bleeding...

Thanks for continued support