Considering fertility options - private health care?

CreditCrunchie

I get quite depressed when reading all the tips to be honest as we already do all that. I take Sanatogen mum to be vitamins and have a smoothie with chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax, and loads of fruit/ veg daily. OH takes Zinc and is on enforced cool showers and loose boxers bless him Been temping and doing opk's since month 3 and we've tried every position going, holding it in for 20 mins (sorry tmi!), both exercise (not overly) and minimise alcohol, coffee, and tobacco etc.

Had a complete meltdown with it all 3 months ago and now try to just "relax" every month, so it's not like I'm obsessive over it.

I used the forums and ttc threads etc when I first started but now I just find them depressing so tend to keep things to myself.

time2deal wrote: »

When you are struggling it always feels like 'everyone else' conceives at the drop of a hat. But if you have the courage to mention it normally you'll find a few kindred souls.

Have you had a look at the trying to conceive threads? They can give lots of advice about timing things, helping mens health, improving cervical fluid etc. All of which might sound minor, but it all helps. You only need it to work once after all! However, if you are ovulating fine and have always had a normal cycle you need to warm up your partner to the idea that it could be an issue from his side. Fertility is 50/50 and men are notoriously hard to motivate to take vitamins, reduce sugar, stop wearing tight undies, stop putting laptop on lap etc.

NHS will do tests for you, but again it takes time as they may ask you to try for 2 years before helping. Depends on your GP sometimes. If you go private, initial tests are not terribly expensive (compared to IVF) so you could mix between private and public to get the right mix of speed and cost-effectiveness.

CreditCrunchie

Thank you all very much by the way, and Northern that's so awesome Brought tears to my eyes x

time2deal

pinkshoes wrote: »

What's wrong with the NHS?

As you're under 40, then most areas will offer free IVF/testing for at least 1 cycle.

There's nothing wrong with the NHS, in fact I'm carrying around an NHS IVF baby in my belly right now, but it can take a loooong time. When you are TTC it can feel like the world is passing you by, and the delays can be frustrating and stressful.

For example, at 33 CC probably has to be trying (or.. ahem.. say she has been trying) for 2 years.

Then a referral to a gynae (6 weeks in my area), who may well request a range of tests (3 months to schedule and get results and book a follow up with Gynae). Maybe 6 months of Clomid, further tests, then finally a referral to IVF, with another 6 week waiting period. I think it's prudent to plan for at least 12 months between seeing your GP and starting IVF.

CreditCrunchie

Nothing wrong with NHS by the way, didn't mean to imply that. I earn too much to get things for free though so there will be charges either way.

sacha28

I think everyone is jumping the gun a bit regarding IVF etc, there haven't even been tests yet!!

OP we tried ttc for 12 months before going to our GP. First of all I had to have blood tests done at certain points of my cycle so it could be proven that I was ovulating correctly, then I had an ultrasound scan to see if there was anything preventing things from happening (like cysts on my ovaries). Once they had done all of the non-invasive procedures on me that they could, my OH was booked in for a sperm test (the week before this we found out that I was, very unexpectedly, pregnant so he didn't have to do this). It is a long arduous process but, other than getting these things done a few days quicker than they would at the GP, I don't really see why you feel it necessary to go private. My tests were all completed within 3 months (there was nothing that could be done about the timing of the ovulation blood tests!!).

I can't comment on private health insurance and what they cover as I have never felt it necessary and have faith in our NHS:D

Northern78

CreditCrunchie wrote: »

Thank you all very much by the way, and Northern that's so awesome Brought tears to my eyes x

Fingers crossed you have some good news of your own soon Just remember, this baby making lark is meant to be fun so relax, enjoy it, have some fun and maybe mother nature will move on to picking on someone else instead!

sacha28

And I know how heartbreaking it is to watch people get pregnant when ttc. When we had been trying for 9 months a very good friend of mine announced her and her dh were going ttc. That was the beginning of December. By the middle of January she told me (very early on as we were due to go out for a very drunken night) she was pregnant. I was happy for her but devestated that she appeared to be a 'one hit wonder'. In the same week my closest friend (who wasn't even trying!!) told me she was 12 weeks pregnant but had held off saying as she didn't want to upset me. Our 2 kiddies are now nearly 7 months apart

time2deal

CreditCrunchie wrote: »

Nothing wrong with NHS by the way, didn't mean to imply that. I earn too much to get things for free though so there will be charges either way.

NHS is free for us all. All my NHS tests and treatment were free. The NHS is a wonder of the world - I never cease to be amazed and grateful for the ability to walk in, be treated, and walk out without parting with a single penny. There are delays and imperfections, but it is a wonderful thing overall.

And I also earn a lot!! It does allow me to move certain things forward faster, like some tests, but overall the NHS has been brilliant for me. And as I said - it has worked. Baby due in October.

CreditCrunchie

Congratulations to all of you expecting, your stories are inspiring Since ttc 2 friends hve announced they are expecting, and 2 more that they are having/ have had an abortion. very hard to cope with as we haven't told anyone we're trying (thank goodness as could not cope with people feeling sorry for us).

Only reason i was considering private was because i assumed nhs would charge for tests/ treatment and it would be easier to pay a set monthly amount into private than have to pay big bills up front to nhs. If this isn't the case then there's no problem.

Now I feel daft lol

angeltreats

I have BUPA through work and they would have paid for investigative tests (but not any required treatment). I believe it varies depending on the package you have though.

We were quite lucky though in that my GP is very good and sent us for testing before we'd been trying for a year. I had blood tests and an ultrasound that were all normal, but then the problem was found to be male factor (super low sperm count) probably caused by a varicocele. The fertility specialist said it was ICSI or nothing and we were supposed to go on the IVF waiting list (which in our area isn't really a wait at all, it's pretty much immediate). I've heard that lots of specialists don't bother doing varicocele repair but the urologist my husband saw thought it was a good idea even if we were having IVF as it might increase the chances, and went ahead with it - three months later I was pregnant naturally. So we "tried" for 18 months in total which included all the testing and my husband's op.

Definitely check out the TTC threads here - the ladies are a great support and it's so helpful to be able to discuss these things with people who are going through similar issues or who have in the past and can explain things and reassure you.

Wishing you the very very best of luck

Edit: Just saw your post above. IVF funding very much depends on where you live, but the testing is free.