Moving to Sydney

Hi to all you experts,

I am moving to Sydney from Melbourne in 3 weeks and if I get a negative on this cycle (8 sleeps) I am going to have to transfer my eggies from MIVF. I don't want to waste time so I will be booking it straight away - my doctor said he has referrals for both SIVF and IVF Australia.

Can anyone tell me which one will be more kind to our bank account?

Has anyone been to both and got a recommendation?

You can check out the costs on the websites for both clinics (google them, they are easy to find). Looks like IVF Australia is the cheaper one - by a long way!

BW

Yep, IVF Australia is far kinder on the pocket...SIVF is the most expensive clinic in Sydney by quite a bit.

I'm with IVF Australia, we didn't even consider SIVF because of the costs involved.

Im with westmead fertility centre and the costs are alot lower than alot of other clinics I have read about on this forum.. Goodluck hopefully you wont have to worry and get a BFP this cycle. C ya

I second Westmead FC and with two very reasons ... plus they are the kindest of all on the bank balance - them and RPA public clinic. I know of lots of success stories at both.

Though I am hoping you won't need them at the moment goodluck;)

Wow thanks guys, I will tell my doctor and also have a look into Westmead. Cross my fingers I won't need it but at the moment I am trying to be logical. Thanks to all of you and a GIANT good luck to you.

Congrats to you Baby-amore!

Hi Mstickles, I hope the move goes well and you enjoy Sydney. I lived in Melbourne for a couple of years and I loved it!! The thing I missed the most was the good weather that Sydney has though. I hope you enjoy it.

I can't sing my FS's praises enough, he is just fantastic. Really confident, understanding, easy going and just instills in you a feeling that everything will be ok with him in charge. His name is Ric Porter and he's at IVF Australia Chatswood. He has rooms at St Leonards near the station. We were very happy with him and his team - It worked first time for us!! He's now going to be my ob. My acupuncturist thinks he's the best at IVF Australia so it's not just me!

Good luck with your journey, I hope you get your BFP soon!!!!

Hi Sammi Jane!
Sorry to crash this post but thought I would just say that Ric Porter is my Dr too and I also think he is great!!
What treatment have you done?
Also, can I ask you where you get acupuncture done? I am looking into doing that too.
Thanks
SAM :)

Sammy, I can answer the acupuncture question!

Both Sammi Jane and I go to the Rozelle Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Centre. We both see Leah Buhajiar there. They specialise in infertility and miscarriage prevention. While I'm still not pregnant, I've found that the acupuncture treatments have done wonders for my state of mind, my anxiety and other health conditions - very much worth it. So worth it that I drove over an hour each way every week just for those acupuncture appointments!

BW

I go to Fertility First in Hurstville (Dr Anne Clark). I used to live in Melb, and FF are cheaper than Monash IVF (better diagnostically as well - in my experience), but not sure about other clinics in Sydney.

Hurstville is ages away from where we live though... have thought about changing clinics. Chatswood is heaps closer. I should check out their website and see if they are cheaper there. Might be worth changing clinics...

Where will you be looking at living in Sydney? That might influence your decision. All the best with the move! :)

It hasn't been mentioned yet - My clinic is Next Generation Fertility at Parramatta. We were going to have to drive around an hour for any of the clinics, and what made us choose this one (apart from the doctor that my GP wanted to refer us to being the director) was the fact that the clinic doesn't charge extra for ICSI - something which we knew we needed. It tipped the price scales in our favour, even though other clinics looked cheaper, once you added the extra ICSI expense, we did better off at NGF.

BW

A little off topic... but confused about the convo I just had...

[[I just called IVF Australia and asked them about the cost of natural IVF through them... lol... they told me it was the same as conventional IVF because "the only diff is the drugs and they only cost around $100"... huh?! I'm sure the drugs cost more than that!! And preparation etc. is heaps less than conventional IVF... maybe I should stick with the clinic where I am at at the moment! I seriously don't think that's right... oh well, I suppose I would find out more detail if I made an appointment rather than spoke to them over the phone.]]

Yes, BW, ICSI makes a diff. I just worked out after the Medicare safety net is reached, the price of IVF with ICSI is about the same at Fertility First and IVF Australia. Fertility First "hide" ICSI in their standard costs, I think - their pre-safety net costs are more expensive than IVF Australia, but when you factor in ICSI with IVF Australia, the cost is essentially the same as FF. So, no big diff between the two clinics when it comes to cost.

Sammy,

I had IVF with Ric and he's now my ob too. What about you?? Isn't he just the best???? I am SO happy with him. I just know that he knows what he's doing and I trust him completely.

BW has given you our acupuncturist details. She's great, I really enjoy it. Good luck.

Hey BW!!
Thanks for replying....I have an acupuncture appt with the same place! I could only get one on May 3rd because it is a first appt and it will be 1.5 hours. I am so excited!
SAM :)

Jinx Sammi Jane....I was replying at the same time as you!
I am so happy for you that you got pregnant on your first IVF! That is really awesome.
I am seeing Ric because I have PCOS and don't ovulate. I started Clomid at 50mg, then went to 100mg and still no ovulation. I started Provera again yesterday and will try 150mg Clomid and fingers crossed for some ovary action!
If Clomid doesn't work he said that I would have a laproscopy and then go to the clinic (at the moment I see him at St Leonards) and start injections.
SAM :)

Sammy, have fun at acupuncture, I hope it helps you. Good luck in getting some ovary action - I hope you get your BFP soon!!! At least you know you're in good hands.

Trust me, Sam, it will be worth it! Where abouts do you live? I'm at Windsor and it only takes me just over an hour... it's hard to imagine anywhere further away that could still be called Sydney.

I just checked the calendar and realised that May 3rd is a Thursday, so I've got an appointment that day, too. It will be either 5 or 5:30... how about that for a coincidence!

BW

Hey BW!
That is such a coincidence! My appt is at 11am. I am not sure who I am seeing though.
I live in Russell Lea which is about 5 minutes from Rozelle so I am really luck to be that close.
Does your DH go to?
SAM :)

Ack! I misread - the first appointment is 1.5 hours, but the subsequent appointments are 1 hour. I thought you were talking about how long it would take to drive there! :redface:

I've got DH to go a few times, I'm hoping that we can get him in for a few appointments around the time of his varicocele repair - more likely to get a good result that way.

BW

This stuff is really good, THANKS - we are going to be living in Balmain cause we thought being close to everything would compensate a little bit for the fact that we are going to be lonely :cry: and we only want to take 1 car which my DH will be driving to work in Regents Park, so I am a bit limited to where I go. I am aiming to get a job in town or close to home.

Which one would be the easiest from Balmain with no wheels? Chatswood looked pretty close but I don't know how hard it is to get around Sydney without a car?

My acupunturist has given me a referal for the Rozelle place and I am already booked in -May 9th - my acupuncurist could not stop raving about them.

Sammi88 - you must live close to Balmain too - how long does it take to get to Dr Ric?

Hi Mstickles, I live right near Balmain, in Drummoyne, just down the road. You'll love Balmain, it's a great suburb. Getting to Chatswood by public transport wouldn't be easy, although you'll also be going to St Leonards which is where Ric's rooms are. It would be a bus and then a train... driving would be much easier!!

You're nice and close to the acupuncturist though - that will be easy for you.

Good luck with the move, when do you go?

Sammi - I am leaving in 2 weeks - maybe I will bring my car?? It is such a bomb though and I know you guys have much stricter rego rules than we do and the poor little thing wouldn't pass the test. I know where Drummoyne is - you are very close - we could swim to eachother! I am excited to be so close to water and just a little walk to some amazing views. AND this is terrible, but nearly everyone i know is prego or has little ones, and although I am going to miss my friends and family a lot I think it will be good for us to get away from people who only talk about kids and pregnancies for a while.

Mstickles, you're right we do have stricter rego rules... so not sure about your car. You could drive it up, drive it till rego runs out and then sell it/give it away!? How long have you got left on your rego?

We could swim to each other! not that we would!!! You'll love Balmain, it's beautiful. It's great to live in Sydney where you can actually see the beauty it has to offer.

2 weeks? WOW, not long! I really hope you enjoy your time in Sydney. Good luck with the move.

Thanks Sammi - and congratulations on your pregnancy, I hope it all goes smoothly.

Thanks Clare, I hope you're not far behind me!!

Hi Clare,
I drive to Ric when I see him and it takes me about 20 minutes depending on the traffic. I see him at St Leonards which is closer to me than Chatswood....only be one suburb though (hehe)
Good luck with the move and keep in touch!
SAM :)

Hey Sam,

Thanks - that is quick - maybe I will take my car, I have 2 more sleeps now. I have been been feeling so good the whole way through until now. I guess its closer to reality now and I'm anxious about how I will react if I AF does come - thank goodness I have the big move to distract me! I'll tell you how I go on this thread on Thursday.

Hope the Provera is going well and does what it’s meant to!

Hey Clare,
Good Luck with everything...I have everything crossed for you!!
Definitely keep us posted.
SAM :)

Hey - I got a positive yesterday - can't really believe it. Good luck to you Sam - I hope it happens for you soon - thanks for all your help,

XXXXXX

Congratulations Clare!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

OMG, that's so exciting!! I'm very happy for you. No IVF needed!! So, you guys did it naturally then?

You must be over the moon, enjoy it ! And good luck with the move...

No - I did IVF - like you it was our first time though - we are sooooooooo lucky.

Thank you!

OH MY GOODNESS!!

That is so exciting!! :dance:

I am so so happy for you!!!

BIG HUGS

SAM :)