Hello Again All!

[Mel_B1981]

Hi All,

I know I haven't bee around for ages - a hell of a lot has happened...and unfortunately, IVF was placed on the backburner AGAIN and therefore I've had nothing to report.

BUT...I now do!!!! Thanks to some wonderful facebookers on a IVF support group I am part of I have found the light at the end of the tunnel and what were crushed dreams to have a child are slowly and surely being restored.

We have been desperately trying to save for IVF - Monash IVF quoted us fees of over $11,000. Every single time I could see us getting there (IE there was $8,000 - $9,000 saved in our bank account) something would happen - the last thing I reported here was my cat, Mayhem falling sick. Over $1,000 went to try to save her life, only for her to be PTS in the end despite all hard efforts. Since then - my husband decided now was the ideal time to take his car 4WDriving and blow it up - the cost so far of repairs on that one is at approx $2,000...and it's not even back on the road yet!!! Then of course there was the big Christmas budget blow out....we stuffed up majorly there.....and now our account is way back down at Almost $0.

The cycle of getting soooooo close then ******** all money gone is just horrible. Before Christmas, I told my husband that I give up all hope - we'll never have a baby and I'm just gonna have to get used to that fact.

BUT....now....well.....now......I think we may be doing IVF VERY soon

After mentioning these issues we've been having on the facebook group a couple of people piped up and asked "why so expensive?" for our treatment. Explanations where given and it was suggested we contact a couple of IVF clinics in Sydney - Westmead Fertility and RPA Fertility as they use the public hospital system rather than the private hospital system.

After much discussion with both, we have determined that RPA Fertility would be the better alternative for us. We'll be commutting too and from Sydney for a while.....and because of the cost (the quoted "upfront" cost is $1,335) we have the money to start TOMORROW when we get paid!!!!

So, effectively we're back to square one.

RPA Fertility have told me to get a referral from my GP and contact Monash IVF to get copies of the bloodwork and ultrasound results. Once we have all of this they've given me a number to call to organise the first appointment with one of their specialists to get the paperwork signed, and the ball rolling.....we could be doing our first cycle VERY soon!

So happy right now!!!

[onthefly]

Great news!

[myturn]

good luck.... but I wondered... there are cheaper options in victoria as well.... I pay 7500 with MIVF, but most of it comes back to me via medicare, and you can pay half upfront and the other half later....

I was at the womens for some other appointments to, and they said they are much cheaper than the private options as well.....

obviouslt just ignore me if you are already set and ready to go, but sounds to me like there would be even more cost if you had to travel to sydney as well??? and maybe there are other options here.... unless of course you are now in syd, and the fact your location says neerim vic is wrong

I hope it goes well for you xx

[Mel_B1981]

good luck.... but I wondered... there are cheaper options in victoria as well.... I pay 7500 with MIVF, but most of it comes back to me via medicare, and you can pay half upfront and the other half later....

We were quoted $11,000 from Monash IVF with approx $7,000 - $8,000 out of pocket once medicare rebates were recieved. The payment structure was approx half due when you pick up meds, and then the balance due on embryo implantation day.

If there are cheaper options in Vic, I haven't been able to find them,....and would love to hear about them cause I'm REALLY not looking forward to the travel :-(

[nothing2lose]

Is that with ICSI and PGD Rislani?

[Mel_B1981]

Is that with ICSI and PGD Rislani?

ICSI yes... not sure what PGD is?

[myturn]

I'm not doing ICSI - so that explains the cost difference.
Surely someone on here has some experience of a lower cost in melb though.

PGD = preimplantation genetic diagnosis (I had to look it up in the jargon thread one time cause i was confused too!!)

[Mel_B1981]

No one at Monash IVF has suggested PGD to us on any of our appointments yet... so not at all sure what it looks at or whether or not we need it.

[nothing2lose]

PGD is used when you are at risk of chromosomal disorders.

I think what you have been quoted at Monash is still pretty high. I may be wrong but I don't think ICSI makes it that more expensive.

Just wondering how you will do a cycle interstate with all of the lead up scans and reviews??? Wouldn't accommodation and travel make it more expensive???

Is there a waiting list??

[Pholi]

How wonderful to have found a way to try again sooneer!

PGD is only for when one or both of you have a known genetic disorder that they are looking for - ie, Cystic fibrosis or muscular distrophy. Then they take a few cells from each embryo before freezing them , and test them, and only transfer ones that will not develop the condition you're trying to avoid. I presume you and partner will have had the standard blood tests to look for the range of common things, and answered questions regarding any genetic diseases in your family, and came up clear. This is why PGD probably was never discussed. If you did need it, it adds a heap of extra expense to the process, too. Legally, they're not allowed to offer it for gender selection purposes for family balancing, only if there's a sex-linked genetic disorder present.

Just for comparison's sake, our up front cost at Hollywood Fertility Centre in Perth for ICSI was just over $7000, but we got just over $5000 of that back from Medicare. Oh, and a few hundred from HBF. Thanks, HBF, after 30 years of paying up to $100 a month. that doesn't incluse the cost of the FS appointments and the testing we had leading up to the decision to go for ICSI, which was around $3000, of which we got about $200 back from medicare. But you've obviously done all of that already.

Have you tried contacting other melbourne clinics to get prices? Like others, I think you should consider the potential extra cost of travel (especially for last minute air tickets) , and the extra stresses involved with travelling during IVF.

[~ Mylitta ~]

I think what you have been quoted at Monash is still pretty high. I may be wrong but I don't think ICSI makes it that more expensive.

Our second cycle with Monash IVF was an ICSI cycle. They decided to do it that way rather than the standard pop-the-sperm-in-with-the-eggs-and-let-them-do-their-thing (lol!) as it didn't cost any extra and they apparently usually have a higher fertilisation rate. Strangely for us our fertilisation rate was higher with the more "natural" way than with ICSI (63% vs. 52%).

[Mel_B1981]

PGD is used when you are at risk of chromosomal disorders.

I think what you have been quoted at Monash is still pretty high. I may be wrong but I don't think ICSI makes it that more expensive.

Just wondering how you will do a cycle interstate with all of the lead up scans and reviews??? Wouldn't accommodation and travel make it more expensive???

Is there a waiting list??

Ahhh that's probably why no one has mentioned PGD to us - the only reason we're using IVF is due to hubby having a vasectomy during his previous marriage. It's too late for a reversal, so IVF is the only option.

The costs from Monash IVF includes everything we would be charged for, including anaestioligist (can never remember proper spelling for that one so I hope you understand what I mean! LOL), hospital bed charges etc. The only thing not covered in that cost is Specialist appointments with our chosen doctor.

I spoke in length with RPA y/day and they said it should be relatively easy - some stuff will not require us going interstate for it it can be done here in Victoria and results sent to them. They recommend we stay in Sydney for the hormone treatment period cause they'd only be able to give 36 hours notice of when egg harvest would be occuring.

Apparently they do interstate patients all the time and working out the logistics is relatively easy... hotel costs aren't something we've even factored in as we have family in Sydney we could stay with and a friend has offered assistance with transportation while there to avoid public transport / hire car.

I will look into MIVF tho - I was unaware they even existed - everyone I've spoken to to date has told me Monash IVF is the only option if you are Victorian...

[myturn]

I am with MIVF, but there is also city fertility, and as I said my understanding is the women's hospital does it too.

[Mel_B1981]

Thanks all - I'll look into the Victorian options before jumping. If I can avoid the travel it would be great, it's one of those things where no matter where we go it's going to involve travel being we are from country Victoria....but if I can stay in Victoria it would be preferrable!

[nothing2lose]

I am with MIVF. The Women's is run by MiVF too, but it is cheaper because it is public.

The main differences are continuity of care (as far as I can tell). You have a different specialist each time - whoever is on 'duty', rather than use your own FS. At least, that's my understanding. Oh, and of course, the waiting list.

[Mel_B1981]

I am with MIVF. The Women's is run by MiVF too, but it is cheaper because it is public.

The main differences are continuity of care (as far as I can tell). You have a different specialist each time - whoever is on 'duty', rather than use your own FS. At least, that's my understanding. Oh, and of course, the waiting list.

I don't mind going public if it means we can achieve our goals of trying IVF.

I'm just getting really depressed as we get so close to having the money there and then something happens and it all disappears.....not to mention the fact that I don't want to be much older than I am now.

[nothing2lose]

I would ring Reproductive Services at the Women's and have a chat about the public system here in Vic.

[myturn]

is IVF the only option? or can they reverse the vasectomy???