Sydney IVF - anyone been there?

[slyder]

What Dusty and Sarah said.

Can I also add that based on the info you've provided (duration of TTC, no sperm issues and you are now ovulating) I'd seriously consider to continue trying as you are for at least another 6 months. Don't go down the IVF route unless you have to. Just because it's been over 12 months doesn't mean all hope is lost. In fact I'd say in your situation you've got a lot of hope.

[Lou Lou]

Sarah - thanks for your help. A week or 10 days in Sydney would be fine with work but 3 or 4 weeks would be a lot harder so it's good to know there are possibilities I can work around. I have ordered the SIVF info pack so I'll have a look at that with DH when it arrives.

Dusty - I am currently with Dr Miller at the QLD Fertility Group. He is very good but I'm just worried about the rigid timetable with IVF there. One of my colleagues had to go on the pill again for 6 weeks to get her cycles in line with their egg collection times. I'm not sure I could deal with that. Thanks for the info about other clinics too. I'll definitely be looking into other options with DH before we decide.

Slyder - I should have mentioned my time limit in my first post, sorry. I have bad arthritis and have been allowed 12 months off my tablets (not baby friendly ones) to TTC. I am now approaching cycle 13 which I guess is why I'm getting a feeling it more this cycle thank others. I think if I didn't have the arthritis then I'd be ok with another 6 or 12 months. My choices are therefore:

1. Give up on TTC (nooooo!!!)
2. Go back on BCPs for a year (so I can start my arthritis tablets) and try again later (I am 34 and not keen on this option)
3. Carry on doing everything I can to get UTD and hope I don't cause my body more damage simply exisiting on steroids alone

My spotting has stopped today but I still have AF cramps. I just feel very confused.

Thank you to everyone for helping me out - it's good to hear about your experiences and I really appreciate the time you've taken to reply to me

[slyder]

No worries Lou, I see where you're coming from. Good luck with whatever you both choose

[barney]

hi lou we also go through sivf but we do our in newcastle as its a bit closer for us as we travel 4.5hours every time we go and i have to agree its totally worth the travel and everything else they are just wonderful and i would recomend
good luk to you

[Possums]

hi..we go through SIVF too, also in Newcastle (we leave three hours from there, and travel down). They've been very good and caring.

[Lou Lou]

Smithy - thanks for the feedback, they do seem like a really good IVF centre from what I've read and what people have said here on BB. I'm waiting for the DVD to arrive so hopefully we'll gain more of an understanding of the process once we've watched it.

Possums - thanks also for the info, so far it's a thumbs up for SIVF .

Update - I rang SIVF earlier and they said I can have the monitoring done in Cairns and the egg collection etc. done down there so that will probably work out well. I am going to make an appointment with my FS to discuss this asap. Hopefully he won't be offended - I just don't want to have to go on the pill again for 6 weeks to bring my cycle in line with their surgery days (impatient!).

Also, I got my progesterone results back today - they were 93 which is the highest I've ever had (plus I had it done 5DPO, CD20 so I was expecting a lower result) so at least I know the clomid is making me O. I am still spotting (4 days now) which clearly isn't normal (well I don't think it is).

Thanks again to everyone for your help

[Nixon]

Hey Lou,

Did you make a decision about going with SIVF?

I am with Sydney IVF with Dr Lok. It is my first round and so far so good. I have found them to be:
? efficient without being cold
? available and approachable ? both Dr Lok and the nurses at the clinic

I have found that they are not too over the top with information??..to try to explain that better??. I have felt overwhelmed by the whole thing ? I never expected to have to take this path in order to conceive and I have since come to embrace it.

In terms of the nurses and Dr Lok not being OTT on the info - I mean that it seems to me that they are not trying to tell you every single thing in one session. Obviously they tell you what you need to know, but they are very welcoming to phone calls to ask a question or double check on dosage etc.

I have found all the staff to have a sense of humour, patience, genuine concern for my well-being and state of mind. I haven?t met with the counsellors for a full session there yet, but at our initial meeting (when I kind of lost the plot a bit) on of the counsellors came in to just say hi and introduce herself. She was lovely and I think just knowing that she is there is a comfort.

In terms of cost we just decided to go with what our GP thought would be the best chance for us to overcome our obstacles ? we were initially referred to IVF Australia for sperm tests and subsequently referred to SIVF after the results were in (anti-sperm antibodies @ 100% binding).

So far Dr Lok has been pretty accurate with predicting when things are going to happen ? down to the day I got my period after starting Lucrin. My timeline went and is continuing as follows:

09/07/2008 ? 25/07/2008 ? on the Pill
23/07/08 ? started Lucrin
01/08/2008 ? start FSH

04/08/2008 ? BT
06/08/2008 ? BT & US
08/08/2008 ? BT & US

Approx dates:

11/8/08 ? egg collection


I wish you all the best and I?m not sure how well you know Sydney, but if you need any recommendations on things to do and see in Sydney when you are here for collection/transfer ? let me know. I?d be happy to oblige.