We are starting IVF next month abroad and have to decide whether to spend the whole time of the stimulation abroad or start medication here and travel for the collection only. Those of you who chose to start the stimulation at home, where do you buy the injections? My clinic wants to send me a prescription but I don't understand how and where I can buy the hormone injections. Our patient coordinator is on holiday and I am impatient to wait until her return.
I would also like to read your experiences with going for IVF abroad. How did you manage with travelling and why did you chose abroad? Is it more cost effective? Are the statistics better? We were in contact with another clinic in London and couldn't decide for a long time which to choose. I guess I just want to hear other people's stories to give me a peace of mind.
Many thanks for your time and baby dust to you all.
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Also make sure you have research fully all that is involved in treatment abroad see our website fertilitynetworkuk.org -home page -learn about fertility - scroll to Fertility Factsheets and select Treatment Overseas for further information .Good luck for the future
Thank you, JA-fnuk, this is a very useful website, indeed. I did a lot of research and have been in contact with a number of clinics from different countries but I still find it hard to chose (although it seems that we have decided on one after all).
It is not as complicated as it seems but it's not the simplest thing either. I had a cycle abroad. They sent me a prescription for an online pharmacy in UK and I ordered the medication. That was simple enough. Usually the clinic will direct you to a pharmacy.
In here you might find advice about shopping around and tha a specific supermarket pharmacy has the more affordable prices. This wasn't my experience but I would still recommend enquiring in other pharmacies too.
I had to go for a baseline scan between day1-3 of my cycle to get the OK for starting injections.
That was tricky, to find somewhere to go for the scan because I live in Scotland and the choice is from limited to non existent.
The usual ultrasound places when pregnant ladies have their private scans had limited appointments for fertility scans and I had to travel 50 miles to find a place on the right time. And I live in Glasgow the biggest place I Scotland.
Anyway after this I started injections and travelled abroad on day 4 of injections. I was at my clinic for the actual monitoring. There was a small risk that I travelled before I confirmed my ovaries were responding however it was a nightmare to get another private scan.
I booked my flights as soon as I was told I could start injections. So 3-4 days in advance.
Once I was there I actually enjoyed that part as I was able to focus completely on this, no worrying about work, asking time off for scans etc, trying to focus on work and carry on as normal.
Once I knew I was able to have a transfer I booked the return flight a couple of days after. They said I could have left the same afternoon after transfer. Overall 2 weeks stay.
Success rates were higher there but for me it still failed.
Dear Tnthketnf, thank you so much for your detailed reply. My clinic says I could do all the scans and injections at home and I need to be there only for the days of retrieval and transfer. That means that I would travel on day 10 or 12, depending on follicle growth. Of course, we could choose to be there for the whole process and maybe that would be easier mentally. I can't decide.I am sorry for your failed transfer. I hope you will get your beautiful baby soon.
Apart from this time I have always been in Spain for the whole process this time I am getting a scan and injection here then a week after starting meds I’m heading accross for one month xxx
They can convert your prescription into a UK prescription then you can get your meds via just a normal pharmacy like ASDA.
My periods are quite irregular so I was on the pill, then began stimulation drugs in the UK.
The clinic said to be in Cape town for my first scan on Day 9 (day 1 being the day of withdrawal bleed after stopping pill - although for me I guessed it a bit as didn't have a withdrawal bleed really).
Egg collection was then planned to be on Day 12-14 ( it possibly ended up being day 15 for me as I had some slow growers).
Hope that helps. It does take a bit of juggling doing it abroad, but is definitely possible if you can be a bit flexible with when you travel. There are obviously some unknowns such as when Day 1 happens and how many days they need to stimulate you for.
Hi Flora, thanks so much for you reply and sharing your experience. I think we will do the same now, travel for the second scan and collection. Did you find the wait and the needed flexibility stressful? Thank you for sending me the details for the online pharmacy. It is very useful.
My egg collection trip was pretty straightforward, and a huge change from my previous UK cycle where I'd had daily blood tests and scans! Felt strange that it was quite hands off, but my results were the same as the London clinic. We had a really lovely holiday and I didn't feel stressed at all, the only stress was the initial planning, I had a spreadsheet with all the dates and we booked an airline that offered free cancellations/changes.
I've just travelled for a FET which also went smoothly although there was a stress when I got there for the first scan as a great big follicle showed up on the scan 😱
I had taken an injection to downregulate my system a week or two earlier so there shouldn't have been any, and if I had ovulated then that would be a wasted trip and no FET.
They rushed a blood test and found I thankfully hadn't ovulated but that definitely made me think if I traveled for treatment again I'd be a bit more careful and ask what scans and blood tests I can do before travel to give me reassurance all is well before undertaking a 15 hour journey!!
I'm going through the exact same thing! A part of me wants to be home, but then another part of me wants to be "protected" by the clinic at all times. I think I'm leaning towards the latter.
Hi Anim88, yes, this is exactly how I feel. I want to be close to the clinic, just in case. However, we have now decided to do the simulation and the two scans (or maybe only the first one) here and travel for the collection only.
sorry for the late reply! It's been a minute since I've been on here. I think that's a great idea, and I might consider it as well. Do stims at home with some supervision from my gyno and then travel for collection. How far along are you in the process? Hope all is well!
Hello. We are doing ivf abroad I have found that it is much cheaper than the uk and much more communication. Our clinic is in Spain we chose this destination as it is an easier flight from aberdeen. I get pretty much all of my tests done in spain and come home with medication. If I need a test here I go to a local private clinic. Any prescriptions that I have to get here I pay to have them translated at the private clinic xxx
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