Hi all, I hope you're doing well. We have recently had an unsuccessful IVF cycle funded by NHS. Where we live you only get 1 transfer from such cycle + freezing of embryos included. We have two 5 day embryos frozen, so our next step would be to do a self funded FET, the fertility clinic does take self funded customers so we could continue with them. However I'm not very clear on what the process is for this and if it would be better to go to a private clinic to avoid the waiting times. Could you please help me by sharing your experiences?
My only issue with this is the waiting times. we already had to wait 1 full year for starting first treatment (May 23), given it ended as MMC we have to wait a few months to recover, I hope I should be ready around September, however this morning I had to chase the clinic as they never called me back for the review appointment, the next available appointment is not until September. They said until after we speak to the consultant we'd be joining the waiting list for treatment. I don't have any exact timeline, but all I'm hearing is waiting and more waiting :(.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences, sending you loads of hope and good luck your way xx
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HIi Hopewhite. Sorry to hear that your precious embryo decided not to stay. Hopefully one of the frozen ones will be the one. If your periods are regular, then perhaps you could try a natural cycle transfer. If not, then a mild medication transfer would be tried. Your embryos can be transferred to a clinic of choice, so do some homework and find out where. Obviously, I wish you both every success with this, and hope you have plenty of support just now. Diane
Sorry about your experience. We had the same - one round of IVF and one fresh transfer, rest frozen. That ended in an early loss and the clinic was still very delayed from covid so we went private for another round. We had to travel a long way but they were much more flexible and organised, and we got a much better outcome, and no waiting. I did earlier this year try again with my original clinic just for convenience, only this time self-funded, but they still had a long waiting list and were just as chaotic as the first time. Plus no flexibility so no transfers on a weekend, needed to take the pill rather than use your natural periods, no natural FETs etc. It may just be that this clinic is quite poor but I really wish I hadn't gone back as the service has not been the same as private. And it was pretty much the same price, so I felt I got NHS service for private fees. I'd like to move our one frozen embryo over but I haven't looked into the costs etc. If you're lucky enough to live somewhere where there are a few options then maybe look at their stats and treatment options. I really hope you find an option that you're happy with as this process is hard enough x
Hi MrsOrangejuice many thanks for taking the time to share your experience ! It sounds like the disorganisation might be a common theme 😂, to be honest they have been great with service at the clinic , but I do feel sometimes things go into a black hole until I chase up. Also it’s about getting lucky and speaking to the right person. I’ll start investigating on private waiting times, I know one of the doctors also works in 2 other private clinics and I was told the files can be transferred but takes 1 month, so I really need to do pros and cons list. I’m sorry that you had a bad experience, I hope you’re doing well in your journey, sending you loads of hope and good luck your way xx
If it helps, we didn't transfer files, I think I just verbally told them what protocol I'd been on, tests, outcomes etc, and then I had printed copies of my notes if they wanted them (they didn't). My NHS clinic was similarly not bothered about getting the private clinic's notes (probably because they'd lose them 😉)
We did 2 cycles as self-funded on the NHS, as where we are we don't qualify for any free treatment. I am now ready to switch to a private clinic. There is no flexibility on the NHS, and after 2 failed cycles, my consultant is still suggesting to do the same protocol! I asked about milf-IVF, they don't do it. I asked about going to the implantation clinic in Warwick, I can do that but they want nothing to do with it...
Hi Kotick thank you for sharing , I’m sorry that you’ve got a bad experience, I do feel there’s a lot left to trial an error that could be avoided but I guess it all involves cost and time. I do hope you get lucky next time , I’d say go for the Warwick clinic tests hopefully they’ll be able to help you identify what else could be done to help you xx wishing you all the best of luck xx
We went through the NHS hospital, then switched to private. The NHS clinic was also doing private but we decided not to go there. Was told private and NHS patients get the exact same treatment and wait time. This is fair, unless the shoe is on the foot and you're going private, so we ran for the hills to the nearest non NHS clinic which was about 1hr extra drive but certainly worth it. Was able to use my NHS hycosy, bloods etc. and other tests to the new clinic, by requesting my notes and sending to the new clinic. Not all clinics I checked allowed this. One wanted me to start from scratch and pay for all tests again. If you start making contact with them and explain your situation they should advise.
At the private clinic, biggest plus is so far there's always been an appointment available on the day, and only a few days notice to change appointment (yes, you can actually change!).
There were some treatment issues on the NHS, such as the questioning regarding if we were fit to be good parents. I am estranged and the NHS therapist just grilled me on this lack of parental relationship, very upsetting. I looked at a man in unironed scrubs and filthy shoes in and out of the ward there, and I didn't feel comfortable.
I think the outcome may be the same whether NHS or private, depending on the wait time. I'm not having a good time at it, 2 cancelled cycles already and not responding to meds, but this has nothing to do with NHS/private. I really appreciate my consultant, he doesn't make me feel I am on a belt line and actually reads my notes and understands my situation before consulting with us. On the flip side one of the nurses I'm not so happy with and receptionists aren't discrete, so private is not all perfection.
I hope I was able to help with my experience. All the best.
Hi Queg thank you very much for taking the time to share this , it’s very helpful to hear from others to understand the advantages/disadvantages and also to try to piece together all the little bits I’d not even think of. They did mention there’s a waiting list so I suppose it would be like you explain that is made of all patients. I’m conscious the outcome will be whatever luck brings , but it would be nice to feel you can at least schedule things a bit quicker. I’m so sorry that you’re having a hard time with the treatment, it’s a true rollercoaster! Just be kind to yourself , and try to do nice things to keep your spirits up, hopefully you’re in good hands and the doctors will be able to bespoke something that works for your body. Wishing you all the best of luck in your journey xx
The NHS for us took ages. We did one round. Fresh transfer didn't take then the frozen embryo that we got resulted in our daughter. All in all this took around a year and a half not including pregnancy. The frozen transfer was quicker and is included in a cycle.
We have just finished our private treatment with 2 different clinics and as long as you go to a good one ( we choose ABC first for cost and they were awful) then the wait time is significantly less. We went to a fully private one in the end and from the consultation to actually starting, the wait time was around 3 weeks. I'm now 30 weeks pregnant.
Hi Tilly many thanks for sharing this and congratulations on your pregnancy xx NHS took 1 year for us to start treatment and it’s one my greatest regrets not having gone private to begin with, your experience of 3 weeks sounds amazing ! Wishing you all the best of luck in your pregnancy xx I may dm to ask you a few questions.
Good morning, I am really so sorry to hear that your embryo didn't stay. I know how incredibly heartbreaking is, I just had my first fresh transfer which was unsuccessful and I feel devastated.
Just wanted to share my experience as well in case it may be of help.
We had an NHS funded cycle and resulted in 1 fresh embryo to be transfered and we have one frozen. Our experience with the clinic wasn't very good and we decided to do the FET at a different clinic, still NHS, but self-funded. We don't want to take our chances with the current clinic as we want to give the best chances.
The FET can be done at any clinic of your choice, but there are some fees included (from what the embryologist from the new clinic told us): admin fee at the current clinic for preparing the docs for the new clinic; admin fee at the new clinic; and courier fee for transporting the embryo. Not sure though how much these are.
Hope this helps a bit.
Good luck and wish you from all my heart that your FET will succeed!
hi Cridog, I’m so sorry about your failed transfer, make sure to be kind to yourself xx I know it’s heartbreaking and disappointing, but we can only keep trying our best , hopefully we’re getting closer to achieving our dream xx sending you loads of hope and good luck !
Thank you for sharing your experience, there’s quite a lot to think ! I feel like I need to put all of this on balance xx
Oh gosh I'm so sorry your transfer didn't take Ive been through that and it brings you so low. Just don't give up! I did one NHS funded cycle and transfer and one self funded cycle and transfer. I stayed with my NHS clinic, we were lucky because there was no waiting list so we immediately started the next round. Although not sure if our experience was impacted by my low AMH and ER so I could have been expedited. When I researched other clinics they all said I would need to have all the fertility tests done again because mine had expired. So we'd be starting from scratch and we didn't have time and didn't want to spend hundreds of tests we already knew the answer to. At the clinic I started with once you've done the first fertility tests you don't have to retest for 2 years.
Hi LittleBlueOwl thank you for taking the time to share this, that’s so lucky that there wasn’t a waiting list ! I’m afraid I’ve already been told there will be one, I’m still recovering so I don’t expect to be ready until September but it would be nice to feel I can be on a the waiting list whilst I cannot do much else , thank you for sharing your insights I need to piece all of this together and start investigating about the private options to make a decision. I hope you’re doing well in your journey, sending you loads of good luck xx
I have to say that we paid private and stayed with the same NHS clinic purely because as per chance we had met a co-ordinator who worked part time for NHS and the closest private clinic to us and we were not impressed. Oddly because our first cycle was NHS funded we got sent to a fertility clinic further from us.
We didnt face any waiting time going from NHS to private in the same clinic, but we did notice a change of attitude. With the NHS funded cycles (we had one fresh and one frozen), there are standard procedures followed by the funding. Whereas with our private cycles, it seemed as if the options and opportunities opened up. And we liked the fact that we paid per cycle, regardless of how many apppointments there were. Also as there were apsects of my treatment that would have been NHS funded (e.g removal of polyps), I could have them done on the NHS in the same hospital as part of my treatment without having to join the queue after being in a private clinic unless I also wanted to pay for those.
Hi Megrumpy many thanks for sharing your experience, it’s interesting what you mentioned about the change in attitude and options! I wish they had offered us more options like the embryo testing, even if we had to pay for it , it might have prevented us from a heartbreak ! I did like that the FET treatment charge it’s a total cost including consultations , medicines etc so I guess like you say it does have some advantages to stay with them ! I hope you’re doing well in your journey, wishing you all the best of luck !
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Ive been through that and it brings you so low. Just don't give up! I did one NHS funded cycle and transfer and one self funded cycle and transfer. I stayed with my NHS clinic, we were lucky because there was no waiting list so we immediately started the next round. Although not sure if our experience was impacted by my low AMH and ER so I could have been expedited. When I researched other clinics they all said I would need to have all the fertility tests done again because mine had expired. So we'd be starting from scratch and we didn't have time and didn't want to spend hundreds of tests we already knew the answer to. At the clinic I started with once you've done the first fertility tests you don't have to retest for 2 years. 
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