Questions on thrombophilia screening?

[km307]

After two chemicals with donor eggs, my overseas clinic has recommended doing a thrombophilia screening but I am struggling to find anywhere to do this privately I can only find one clinic that charges nearly £800! Has anyone done the privately and can recommend somewhere in Surrey / London?

I’ve been taking clexane and aspirin already for the two chemicals which I understood were related to blood clotting. Has anyone had changes to protocol as a result other than these?

[MammaMia86]

Hello,

I was recommend the same thing and to do a full hematology test, butI live in Spain.

For me after 6 fail implantation transfers, I finally got a BFP.

I my case I have private health insurance but there are places we're you can go and do them. I am not sure about prices in UK or in Spain.

Even though my results weren't text book case I ended up having to go to an immunologist and then is when the doctor review all my results and my case and she prescribed heparin, aspirin and dolquine.

It was all a bit annoying to find where to go and do them, but so far it is the first time I managed to get pregnant.... It is still very early on but seems like the effort was worth it.

Good luck in your journey

[neonpg]

I was really lucky in that the clinic gave me the names of all the tests and suggested I try my GP. I was skeptical but to my surprise my GP was lovely and was able to order 8 of the 11 blood tests I needed, saving me over a grand! Then I got the other three done at my own clinic. I live in Oxford and so I'm very aware every ICB differs in what they can offer, but I'd try your GP in the first instance; you've got nothing to lose by asking.

I posted about thrombophilia screening a few months ago so you can go back and read the responses there, but essentially some of the folks who replied said they skipped the screening and just took baby aspirin, etc, so the choice is really up to you and your individual circumstances. Good luck!

[km307 in reply to neonpg]

Thanks, I can’t seem to see your previous post. As I’m already on aspirin and clexane (and adding in prednisone(?) for next transfer) I’m not sure whether it’s worth the extra when it may not change the protocol. My GP are so slow at doing anything, and I wanted to go for another transfer next month.

I’ve also already had one successful pregnancy without aspirin / clexane, so don’t know if these issues can develop later on or if that means they’re likely to come back clear anyway… So difficult

[neonpg in reply to km307]

The post is my one called 'diagnosis of bad luck' or something like that. In my case I'm throwing everything at it because I've never had a successful pregnancy after 2 years of treatment. But if you've had a baby already it might be that this is something that's less of a priority for you. Also I completely get what you mean about tests creating delays. I did all my tests mid April and it's taken til June to get them all back. Very frustrating!

[Fruitandflowers]

My GP did many of the blood tests that my private clinic requested including blood clotting/sticky blood as I was calling it. It wasn't anything like £800 even at the private clinic though so maybe your clinic is requesting something more. I'd check with your GP, and also your clinic to see what is absolutely necessary. Then maybe look at whether any of the online testing labs offer it as they are often cheaper than the clinics. Did you get your progesterone checked with the two transfers and were you on progesterone support? Definitely something to look into if your clinic isn't already on top of that as that is possibly what worked for us after two early losses/chemicals.

[km307 in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Thanks - I’ve always had my progesterone checked and am in extra lubion for all transfers. I could check with my GP, but I was really keen to transfer again next month and it’s always taken months to get any appts / tests from them… The £800 is the from the only local clinic I’ve found that offer the testing, so maybe I just need to shop around more…

[Nes1005]

Hello

I feel quite passionate about this as I was only diagnosed with sticky blood a few months ago 2.5 years into ivf journey, which makes me question whether some of my embryos were wasted and did sticky blood cause my loss last year, I’ll never know for sure. Anyhow I decided to sort out test myself which is how I got diagnosed, , I saw Dr. Robinson (through my private healthcare) who works out of Guys in London, she is so great and super knowledgeable, she also works in nhs and my GP has now referred me into her nhs clinic for ongoing support. Turns out I have Antipholosphoid syndrome, (the antibodies were found in my blood in two seperate tests) so doctor Robinson wrote a protocol for my current ivf clinic in Cyprus, which basically means taking Clexane and baby aspirin earlier ie, from the start of stims or the start of medication if FET rather than from transfer. She also suggested Hydroxychloroquine which I got my Cypriot clinic to prescribe. Hoping it will make a difference! ❤️

[happypupp]

If you fly to Prague or Brno for a weekend trip, you will find cheaper blood tests with private walk-in testing services. Or some local IVF clinics with a prospect of doing treatment with them.

Although, assuming you are only waiting for a frozen embryo transfer or a fresh cycle, if you are on those meds as prophylactics and without a history of RIF or RMC, maybe you don't need the tests.

[km307]

I’ve just had it confirmed that I can do all the tests through my work health insurance, so that’s a relief 😊

[Micra121]

I asked my GP for this test last week following my 4th miscarriage (all through IVF) and she point blank refused saying it can only be requested by a haematologist (which I question!)

I briefly looked at places to do it privately and came up with similar prices to you. As my last 2 miscarriages I have already been on clexane, baby aspirin & steroids I figured this test maybe isn’t that relevant as I was on the recommended treatment anyway.

Although it’s interesting what the last poster just said about starting from the beginning of the FET rather than later on in the cycle, I may try that.

If you find anywhere that does the test at a more reasonable price please post here and let us know. Thanks.

[Tinkertinkerbell]

I had the THS and ‘mini thrombophilia’ blood test through Care Fertility. Is that the same thing? That was £196 x