IVF at NUH--feedback pls

rainy, yup i hav been taking a break since my last ivf in jul. My hub wants us to try naturally for the time being. I start to go jogging regularly too as exercising help blood circulation which also aid in fertility.
Actually i m also thinking of seeking 2nd opinion. But wat prof analyse on my case is logical so i bet other fertility doc will hav the same conclusion too. Better dun throw $ down the drain to hear the same answer too.
 


serene, so yr health is the main factor? i hv been seeing tcm for several yrs of my geenral health. tcm said i dun hv enuff 'qi' but generally, my menses came reguarly, went tests at pte gynae b4, all results r gd except that my case is more of male factor. i'm wondering whether blood circulation contributes also. i rarely exercise but i c my colleague n other frens, they dont exercise also get preganant easily. tink differ case by case bah.

i find no harm seeking another 2nd opinion. like mel, she went for 2nd opinion after her failed ivf & she got to know other probs leh.
 
Serene-Gd to start exercise.
I also wants to start swimming. Think with the exercise & relax enough who knows.
I was quite traumatise by last round, so I also think I would take the opportunity to really relax now.
I kept telling myself, I need to exercise, I hope will help.
 
Exercise is good but must find something convenient so we won't give ourselves excuses. Hahaha... I bike on my stationary bike every afternoon. Last time, I used to jog but now no time so ladies, y not buy a treadmill or bike to exercise at Hm? Just a thought...
 
I am also quite scared and apprehensive to go on this Ivf journey... Been thinking about it last night. Sigh.
 
Yes, prof is not in favour with herbs taken during ivf.
I guess it's also individual choice. There are sistas in kk that took tcm during ivf.
 
I told him I m considering Ivf due to my conditions and 2-failed so iuis this yr and he was agreeable to it. He didn't give any suggestions other than asking if my rheumatologist was ok with it. So I should think that he concurred with my suggestion...

I am just scared of side effects like possible ovarian cancer in the future... I know it's a little far fetch but I can't help but worry. But I guess if we go for regular screening, eat healthily and exercise regularly, then it should be ok right? Sorry if I sound a little wushu washy... It's really a big step for me...

Thanks ladies for your advise on Tcm. I will stop taking the herbs once I start down regulation.
 
Thanks Su!
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But wow... it costs a limb! I'm wondering if it's even worth it... Su, may I also know how long did the scan take? Will I get to see my baby clearer, or in 3D?? If it's in that case, I guess I could swallow that bill...
 
Tub- I like ur bike cycling method, I think less tiring yet can exercise.  Threadmill I duno... My bro finally got rid of his! Troublesome cos it takes up space. He gave away free cos someone willing to come and take it away! If throw he also no strength to carry and dunno where to dispose off! Haha.

Rainy- one side of my tubes blocked. Not major blockage but it wasn't cleared during laproscopy cos it was at neck of uterus and Fallopian tube, too risky may damage it. I have always think itvwas the ivf that caused my endo and the endo caused the endometriotic tissues stucked to the tube. Cos prior ivf I was ok even when I checked at my previous private gynae. Anyway it's also my body and luck. People ivf ok, I ivf got this and that and worse not detected until I seek alternative checks.
 
Soul, the cost include scan blood test.
I don't remember doing other thing that lead to that amunt.
You will see your baby clearer coz their machine is bigger and better.
You can't see in 3d. That you can only do it at 3rd trim.
The scan will check on the growth of all body parts, like head, limbs, hands. If you think not worth it, not sure if it's ok not to do. Maybe you can call up n emquirw the price again. I may quote you wrongly.
 
Just to share, my Dad just passed me a Chinese book - direct translation is 'Rich People are wolf character, Poor people are sheep character'. It talks about the difference between the rich and the poor in terms of mentality etc and the reason why poor people are poor. It's not the Rich Dad Poor Dad investment kind of book. I'm gonna be 'stucked' reading for the week and to return when he comes back from holi end of next week. This was meant to inspire me to get back to work woh. Actually I would like to too.

Can I ask, for those who work and ivf, how do u go abt? I mean how do u get to be able to go for AM scans, ER, OR without letting colleagues know yet can be excused from whatever meetings, etc? Pls advice. Tks.
 
Mel, I am working. But i don't think I can give you advise. My work place is very near to NUH and my company's working hour is quite flexible. You can be late. As long as you got result, it's OK. I also told my boss and my close colleagues about my TTCing. So it's no problem for me.
 
Hi ladies, how many packets of immunocal do we take a day during stim? Btw, stim is the gonal f jab right? Sorry ah I m v blur... Also, what do u take after et? And when do we take lots of water? During stim or after et?
 
Mel, I am teaching so I do it during the hols. I'll just tell them womans problem. During term time, I'll take mc for scans but I may hv a big problem if I need to take 2 weeks if HL. Maybe tell them earlier I need to do some op...
 
Tub, i'm in teaching line too.
Are you in the morning session? Quite difficult to get time off to go for scan. So my cycles were during the hold except for one. So had to tell vp I need to Be in late.
My hl was term time for one cycle n told then women issue
 
Su, mine is full day lor... So cannot scan in morning and report in the pm. I guess hv to use the woman's issue reason but RO sure unhappy lor... 2 weeks is a long time.
 
Tks Cool, tub and Su for sharing. But Su, when u say women's problem, go in later, then what happ to ur class? Also, it's not one time scan but a few scans wouldn't it be strange to ur VP that u need to go see Dr/checkup so often? Some more we can really plan in advance except at week level only.

Do u know what is the earliest time one can be scanned? Last time for me nurse say wat time then I go wat time. But I'm wondering if can go as the first patient regardless of appt? Then after that can quickily go to office.
 
For my first attempt, I was frank with my VP. She is a lady so somehow she understand. I tol her in advance there are times I will come in late. So I just need someone to cover my first hour lesson. I normally try to leave fast.
Prof normally does scanning like before 8. Just be there early. GO to CHR to take blood, go for scan then you can go off. So far Prof is always early.
Then i told her that i will be away for 2 weeks. She was ok too. I also told my RO. So they knew.

2nd attempt I had tried to do in June hols. But you know we can control our body. My HL fell on June hols but spilled over till first week of school after it reopens. That I did nto tell sch since it is not affecting anything.

My 3rd cycle last Dec, everything fell during hols and i was thankful. My body cooperated with me
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Even blood test was before christmas, so it is hols
 
Tks Su. I just discussed w my hubby. He said unless my jobs has no concern on P&L impact on the co, I won't be able to do ivf. Only govt sector will embrace family planning activities. The kind of job I do/like, I won't have time for ivf. I'm torn... He wants us to prep for a couple of months more to give our best shot. That means I will have to wait and continue not working longer...
 
Mel, since hubby is supportive of you not working for time being, just relax and enjoy yourself. Work at your friend's shop for time being to pass time.

For me, I'll prob resign when we confirm going for 2nd cycle.

Heard from my colleague, the only one besides my boss who knew of me going for ivf that my team of staff are speculating reason I went on long hospitalisation leave. I will not tell them as they are a bunch of young gals, will not understand but gossip even more :p
 
Jamp- Tks. My hubby will just let me not work as long as he can... I'm afraid I cant integrate into working world if I continue stay hm cos by the time I fin my third fresh (based on starting only a a couple of mths' time)I would have been away from work for 2 years! OMG! It's scary! Yes, I've asked my friend about working in her shop and she said only next mth. My Husb doesn't fully understand that my self esteemed is affected... On the other hand I want to fulfill my greater responsibility towards him/family so that I have no regrets in future. So now is all in God's hands...

Agree w u. Young gals won't understand our pain let alone leaving work for ivf. Long HL = sick; no empathy still gossip. Terrible. I hate gossips and can't understand why those people cannot put themselves in others'' shoes.
Meanwhile u just cont to rest, bu and acupuncture before ur 2nd try. For all u know u strike naturally then no need long HL le We all jia you tog!
 
mel, i wish i can stay @ hm n don't work like u. quite sick of the working world. but i hv a car to finance & my husb is only child in family. so financially wise, i can't do that.
 
just to share. i've a female boss who appears to be very caring but my sales colleague has also told me that as she's a sales person, she knows sales talk. may talk pleasing words but actions & thoughts wise, not sure. previosuly when i was gg to pte gynae for some checkups, she thot i was doing ivf n strongly encouraged me to do. even said that her SIL's fren succeeded & could share her experience with me. well, @ that time i thot she was really geniune. however these few mths, certain things happen & it changed my impression of her. she's very temperamental boss & god knows what my sales collegaue & I hv done to 'offend' her recently, she actually deleted & blocked us from her fb! is soemthing like the chinese saying which says 'die without knowing the reason'. soemtimes she's nice to us but soemtimes is otherwise if she has family prob or facing stress from big bosses.
scary to work under female bosses & if i really go for ivf, i don't think i will let her know as i doubt she will keep it a secret from another colleague who is her best fren
 
Rainy- when I was working I oso 'complain' to hubby that I dun wan to work but when dun work for too long, it's really boring. No bb no work no achievements.

Yah, I just feel no matter how close cols, one never knows. Tell boss but boss will oso tell his/her big boss and blah blah. Females sure talk/gossip but men they dun understand and dun like staff on maternity/HL. My close fren who's preg now said her male boss became a different person after learning abt her pregnancy. Even the cols could see the diff. Welcome to the private sector lor.
 
that's e way in pte sector. 2 yrs only in pte n i'm sick of it. lucky now i'm only part-time. can 'switch off' n dun care after work for half-day
 
jamp-i thot that PT jobs will hv lesser responsibility & stress & impt is the flexible working days & time. to me, stat board life is definitely better than pte but doing a full-time job can be very 'sian' n everyday doing the same monotonous work. so i switch to PT to experience diff jobscope but now i actually realise that hving a few PT jobs can be more tiring than 1 full-time job
 
hi mel, when you seek for 2nd opinion, how did prof ng discovered you have block tube and endo? You mean he ordered some test for you to do again? now i start to worry if I have other issue underlying. I did hsg almost 2 years back and tubes are okay.

hi rainy, both my hub n mi fertility report show everything okay. My case is unexplained infertility issue as I pregnant and give birth b4.
Tcm doc always mention our womb must hav good blood circulation in order for follicles to mature and emmbies to implant. Exercising help in blood circulation therefore is good for fertility. Swimming and jogging is a good form of execrising as it exercises our entire body.
 
Hi Serene, it wasn't Prof Ng. I went KK scan and saw Dr as well as in SGH. Both hospitals had same result. As it was only 2 mths after failed fresh, and previously I never had such 'discomfort' (symptoms of ovarian cysts) only after treatment at NUH. So in the end, I did laproscopy w SGH Dr. Then after that he told me one side tube was blocked cannot unblock due to risks and endo cyst same side, confirmed and removed. It was 1cm plus so it cannot be there for a long time. The other cyst not found so I guess it's normal follicular cyst that comes and go w menses. Since then I always go ultrasound in Sgh to chk even if Dr said ok I still want to check and check.

Prof Wong did not recommend me to do hysteroscopy. I'm not sure if cos I've had laparoscopy and no mention of finding fibroids or it didn't occur to him for my case. Anyway I plan to ask both Drs when I see them. I think fibroids usu u will have irregular or heavy menses and some sort of symptoms. If u feel uneasy, best is seek 2nd opinion or even 3rd. It's not just abt bb it's also for ur own health.
 
Rainy, i see...I think u shld con't part-timing if you gonna embark on ivf, for the flexible hours; but on the other hand, stat board quite pro family planning, rite?

I can get time off easily cos I'm with co for a long time, had slogged and worked long hours for past years.

Come to think of it I dun blame my boss for dropping me hints that she couldnt afford my frequent hosp leave in future. She is looking into expanding her business quickly. I have to be fair to her as well, she has already given me grace when tradgedy struck last year.
 
Hi ladies, does Nuh hv a sop or timetable for Ivf? Can anyone enlighten me how many bloodtests before and after er, et and before suppression and stim and for what purposes?
 
Jamp- I think pte sector is all abt P&L. Boss also will hv pressure from his/her boss. No matter how nice our bosses are, everyone is measured by results. To me leaving w a good record is impt cos i still need my boss's good words for future job references.

Tub- its difficult to ans ur qns. I din think we know nuh's ivf calendar. After we have been 'screened' suitable for ivf we will call up during our day 1-2 menses to make appt for our day 21 injections (long protocol). This is the suppression. Sorry I dunno abt short protocol procedure. The frequency of blood tests and scans is not fixed. Everything depends on your body response to the meds. Generally after 14 days (can be longer) of suppression dr will check if u r well suppressed w blood test and if deemed ok, u will move on to stimulation. Stimulation time the scan is 2-3 times per week, depending on ur response. After ur follicles are of gd size and quantities u will bprepared for Ovulation jab then OR and ER.
 
Mel, you are rite, anyway it's a commercial world, I shouldnt expect boss to operate co like a charitable organisation with me the beneficiary :p.

Are you in sales line?
 
Hi mel, thanks for your reply... I am such a control freak I tell u... Hahaha... Need to know everything and always trying to manage everything. But seems like life is teaching something here when it comes to fertility isnt it?

Anyway, do u know if I can start on the immunocal and egg white b4 day 21?
 
Jamp- Not beneficiary lah, just that u are more 'auto', got conscience.
Nope Jamp, I'm not in sales. If in sales will be gd cos more flexible timing. I oversee certain business operations so I need to be around and to update bosses in meetings and TCs.
Jamp, Prof asked u to do hysteroscopy too? What's his rationale? As for this Dr Fong, I think to be on safe side u see another Dr bah.

Tub- sorry I dunno abt immunocal before jabs. But I guess no harm it's only u need spend more money on it since usu peoplevtake during stimu to prevent OHSS or bloating.
 
Jamp- after reading that link I do have 2nd thots on which hospital for my 3rd fresh... Actually i have been considering prior to this but cos i want to start sooner, i decided on nuh cos if go elsewhere i need to get my hubby to go thru the ivf couselling, Dr consultations all over again and need to Q. Also i didnt want to be a guinea pig cos everytime we start fresh at a new hospital, its a 'new trial'.

That other 'accomplice' Dr mentioned, i rem Blue saw him before and shared her experience before.
 
Mel, Yah, i thought of going to my regular gynae but not sure whether she does hysteroscopy or not. If prof can do for me, i'd hv no worries, think he can be trusted ba. I'm sure prof does such procedures b4, jux that nowadays they hv so many diff div, he just concentrates on ivf.

He wanted me to go for hysteroscopy cos he told us he could feel something at the wall of the uterus during the d & c session.

dr zou also advised best to seek 2nd opinion if my dr says have to go for laproscopy as may damage lining if not done properly.

My regular gynae and even prof himself when I first visited him, said the fibroid they saw shldnt cos any problem.

My worry aft reading that link is that this dr fong may hv his own agenda - hit some kind of quota, who knows, and insists i go for laproscopy even if not necessary?

Yes, I read that Blue saw that 'accomplice' b4...he was the one who did v scan for me twice. All gloom and doom kinda attitude, dun hv good impression of him, not at all sympathetic to an obviously traumatised woman. 'No, it's not a good pregnancy...' with a cup of coffee in his hand, Sick!!! I was so pissed with him and the sonographer who chit-chatted while doing v scan for me I refused to go for another round b4 d & c even when prof tried to persuade me to do so. He finally gave in when hubby told him the real reason behind my refusal to do scan. Think he didnt want to dwell in this unpleasant topic, lest it implicates his colleagues.
 
Mel, that link has nothing to do with prof, why did you say you hv 2nd thoughts on which hosp to use for your 3rd fresh aft reading it?
 


Jamp, no lah, nothing o do with Prof, just that now I read abt the hospital, brought out my initial thots of going to another hospital lor. Cos, honestly, I also wasn't 100% happy cos I feel I was under-diagnosed for the endo cyst issue.
This hysteroscopy is different from laproscopy right? Before I decided on that Dr who did lap for me, I did come across Dr F name. I'm glad I didn't go to him and I dun rem why I didn't. Maybe cos my current gynae sub-specializes in endo and cancers. So both ur prev gynae and Prof saw someth previously already? Then u shd not wait le. Why dun u go back to ur prev gynae? But sometimes I feel private gynae unlike hospital gynaes have a particular specialization which makes them more skilled in that area. But how did Prof 'see' in the first visit? Scan? If is scan, then u go to another hospital to get it scanned before proceeding w any invasive stuff.
 

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