IVF at NUH--feedback pls

[soulasylum]

@Nia: Fortunately yes! My first try

. My husband and I tried for 1.5 years. Lost both of my tubes due to ectopic pregnancy and Salpingitis afterwards. That's when we knew that the only way to get pregnant is via IVF. It took me a while (3 years) to decide to go through with it. The needles, the synthetic hormones, the frequent clinical visits, all that made me unsure whether I should try. I finally mustered some courage earlier this year and decided to go for it

.

 

[bluenosebear]

But I always felt that if too much +ve thinking, I would not get what my want.
Like I always thought that I woudl be pregnant after like trying for a few months. & a few months became 3 years....................
Though is not long, but I felt that why I need to go through so much. Accupuncture, TCM, clomid, IUI, IVF......
The $ spent, the time & all the disappointments.
Maybe if I just wait & miracle would happen?
Or I'm just too stress up for trying.
The happy thing is that I able to have implantation for that short while. Get to enjoy the moment of seeing the heartbeat.
+ve thoughts, +ve thoughts.................

 

[vi4n]

Su, earlier last month i need to get a nice dress for a wedding, I went to Robinsons and the sales lady gave me size 16!!!! I was like 'For REAL???!!'
But indeed I bought that size. boo hoo.. Sad right?!
Who cares lah. I still feel good and I still can run after my girl at playgym.

Tell you ladies, 1 funny incident. I went to the Explorerkid at AMKHub, and there is the spiral tube slide. and I tried by best to go in and I CAN'T. It so snuggly.
And the staff had a great laugh watching me positioned myself there. I was ok lah, he laughed I also laughed. because really very funny moment. ha ha..

 

[vi4n]

Blue, I used to have such a thought, why others so easily get pregnant and I have to go through so much and so many years and so much money. My own sister can pop a baby after a baby while I only want 1 also can not have.

But God will provide at the right time. Believe in it and hold the thought in your mind and heart.

I got married in 1998 and yeah, my girl is only turning 18months this month. So..

keep being positive ok.

 

[su_yana]

Blue, that's the spirit. That short moment means a lot to ppl like us. I had the same thought too. It shows that our body can work for us.
Use that to keep you going which ok

 

[andreanie]

Blue - pls dont be discourage! positive thoughts all the way ok!

i used to think the same also, thought i can try myself without medical intervention after my ectopic pregnancy in 2008. I took a break from trying for a year after the ectopic incident. It was quite hard to try again actually, cos afraid that another ectopic pregnancy would occur. But then after 3 years, and after a few cycles on Clomid and one cycle of IUI, i figured out, why not just go for IVF and try. Who knows this will work. I have to tell you that when I finally decided to do IVF, my hubby was not really keen cos he's afraid the injections will make my hormones more haywired. But I assured him that if we dont try, we wont know. If it works for us, thats great. If not, then well, we will wait and try again. I learn to have positive thoughts from the beginning, even till the day I got the call from CHR to tell me that I'm pregnant, I must admit, I do not have any feelings at all. I'm confused at that time. Shouldn't I be happy, why am I so relax?? Took me quite a while for the news to sink in cos I guess I'm mentally prepared if this works or it doesn't.

The good thing for u is, you did get pass implantation, you did see the heartbeat. And because of chromosome issues, things doesnt work out for you. But thats unavoidable. You know deep inside that you have a baby already waiting for you in heaven. You should thank your lucky stars for that. I am very sure your little angel is praying for you there in heaven, praying for you and his/her daddy that you both will get him/her a sibling soon. So, positive thoughts my friend. Don't let past dissapointment dampens your spirit.

 

[foreigner]

@ andreani : thanks for ur info....how many times did u try IUI that time before jump to IVF?

 

[foreigner]

@ cool : thanks for ur info cool....yes I did my IUI already, now waiting for 2 weeks....let's see....I hope its positive

Like soul always said, think positive....haha....hope it will strike for the 1st time, i'm 34 already

 

[soulasylum]

@Blue & all the lovely ladies: You see Blue?? There's nothing more I can reply to your last post. Su, Vi and Andreanie have said it all. Although, I can add a little something extra

. Often times we underestimate the power of our optimism, intention and thoughts. Trust in them for once. And see it for yourself. And please do not stress yourself up! Even Science has proven that stress can only do harm to our bodies than good! Stress literally messes up our hormones and stop our bodies from functioning as they should. So.... If you really desire it... Try again. But this time... No pessimism. Positive thoughts and intentions ALL THE WAY!!!

@Vi: You're able to laugh at yourself and not be affected by how you look. I say.... There's nothing more to fret on my dear!!! You're doing just awesome!

 

[su_yana]

Just to share, I did like 4-5 times of iui under diff gynaecologist.
Why try so many times?
Did 2 times under first gynae - cLoimd and gonal f.
Took a long break. Went to CARE, ivf n iui specialist.
Did 2/3 with them n dr suggested ivf.
At that time no govt grant n over there it's expensive to do it. So took another long break.
Then went to Nuh for ivf

 

[soulasylum]

@Nia: High five!!!

And oh.... 34 is still very young my dear...

 

[foreigner]

@ Vi : thats so lucky you get pregnant of first attempt ya....how long you've been trying naturally? Before IVF any other treatment that u tried?
and yes I agree, XS means Xtra Super Size....hahahah.....

 

[andreanie]

@Nia - I only did IUI and was on Clomid once and it failed. It cost me about $500 plus, so to try another time, would mean another $500 plus. So we rather go for the next step.. IVF. Since not much cash involve and mostly govt grant.
Tried IVF once, mine was on low dosage for gonal-f as my body responded well, need to pay abt $1000 in cash. And now 22 weeks preggy.

 

[vi4n]

Soul, I must accept my own body lah, if not who will. ha ha..

Nia, I'm blessed. ha ha..

1998 till 2010, you do the math. I did try 3 times IUI then the following month IVF consultation and voila... Thank God.

Before that just try and try and try naturally and with drinking awful chinese herbs.

 

[vi4n]

Andreanie, my IUI was $700 each time. Haiz.. and 3 times mean $2.1K and that's the cash portion i paid for my IVF.
But again.. who wanna jump to IVF if can try other non-invasive method?

 

[bluenosebear]

Thanks for all the nice & encouragment words from all the lovely sistas.
I was quite down these few days.
It was raining & suddenly has sunshine, I walk out of my workplace & try to find rainbow, but don't have lah.
Only from my mind, haha (pple must be thinking why this woman doing at the corridor, staring at the sky)
Vi-U are funny loh.
I salute to U that at least U try to go thr & k laugh w the staff.

 

[soulasylum]

@Vi: True that sista!!! Hahaha!!

@Blue: You're most welcome my darling

! Bear hug!!!

 

[foreigner]

@ soul : haha....tq dear....its border line already....
I just want to know whether I can get pregnant or not, since my 2 elder sister also can't get pregnant, n they don't have any problem like mine also. Its just how come the sperm don't want to meet my egg ler....hahaha....thats all it takes rite?

 

[foreigner]

@ andreani : maybe I will follow ur step if this time fail, and straight away to IVF before wasting money.... But I'm afraid of self injection....

but to think after that can get pregnant its really worth it yeah....
So cheap you only pay $1000 to do IVF? Is it only for singapore citizenship? And was ur IUI price including injection and scan? Mine was about $600 plus exclude injection, scan, blood test, etc...

 

[soulasylum]

@Nia: What border line??? Nonsense! LOL! As long as you're forever 21 at heart, who cares what your "real" age is???

I'm 21 forever... YES! You heard me! Hahahahaha!

That's true Nia! That is all it takes to make a baby

. Pardon me for saying this, I assume your hubby checks out as well? As in, all fine with his swimmers?

 

[vi4n]

Blue, you must see me in person and you will see my bright face all the time. ha ha..

I saw a rainbow once when I was very down and walking to Marina Bay Sand. It was such a wonderful sight.

Nia, apparently it is not. ha ha..

 

[foreigner]

@ vi : salute for you.....never give up trying after many years of marriage.... I hope I can get pregnant this time, I really want to feel how being pregnant n have baby....its really beautiful rite???

 

[foreigner]

@ soul : yes my hubby did check also.....and only slighly low count....thats all....the rest is good. Prof said its ok, not major problem, n can try IUI first....
What about you? Any problem from you or ur hubby?

 

[foreigner]

@ soul : yes I always think still forever 21 coz I like forever 21 clothing.....hahaha....which is sometime cutting can't fit....hahahaha

 

[soulasylum]

@Nia: Good for you! Forever 21 all the way then!

My hubby has low count, low motility and low morphology. But then again, it'll only take ONE tiny sperm among millions. The issue lies mainly with me, I have the ingredient, and the oven... But I don't have the MIXER aka the bridge (fallopian tubes)!! LOL! So my poor hubby's swimmers will always swim to a dead end.... Poor things...

No doubt that it only takes an egg and a sperm to make a baby. But those are just the main ingredients. Different people need different things I guess (quality of the sperms and eggs, a healthier womb... more positive thoughts!!! I can't stress on that more than I already have! Haha!). But since Prof said that both of you are fine, just be patient and see how this will turn out okay?? Happy and positive thoughts my dear...

I know I know... I sound like a broken record... But then again... POSITIVE THOUGHTS!!! LOL!

 

[jamp_jamp]

Blue, agree with all the ladies, we have to stay +ve+ve+ve+ve+ve I used to be very -ve, have that thought of yours too, that if I'm too confident or hopeful of something, the reverse will happen.

I learned from my believe that this thinking is WRONG and could be self fulfilling.

Soul is right, we must be +ve and have good thoughts.

This discussion reminds me of the quote my precious son left for us a week before his passing 'Believe and it'll happen'!!! Heart aching badly now but wanna share with u all.

 

[soulasylum]

@Jamp: Your boy had God given wisdom my dear... How wonderfully innocent and full of truths the words of children can be

. Hang on to those wise words

! And walk toward the light!

 

[jamp_jamp]

Yep, Soul, we were deeply touched by those words.

 

[bluenosebear]

Jamp- I'm also deeply touch by yr boy's words.
Bear hugs to U

 

[foreigner]

@ soul : thank you for ur Positive encouragement to all of us...I feel so relax rite now....it really helps
@ jamp : deeply touch by ur boy's words too....hugs hugs....

 

[soulasylum]

You're most welcome Nia

.

 

[sgtwist]

Hi, im new here.
would like to know from your experiences, which hospital is better, KK or NUH for ICSI/IVF?

 

[jamp_jamp]

Thanks for all your hugs, ladies

 

[soulasylum]

@SGTwist: Hi there

! I can't tell you which hospital is better for IVF/ICSI, but I personally am very satisfied with NUH. I was under Prof PC Wong, and his team. Not a single negative feedback I can give, although that sounds like an exaggeration. Maybe I was just lucky? I find Prof Wong is very professional and capable, while his team of nurses is very friendly and efficient. But that is just MY personal experience. You can also read past threads or comments from the other lovely ladies here!

All the best to you and lots of baby dust!!

 

[andreanie]

@Nia - I just want to share with u.. My hubby and I are normal, we can conceived naturally. Only time is the factor for us. Been married for 6 years, trying for 4 years and like ive mentioned before, got pregnant but was ectopic. Hence I cannot wait anymore trying on our own and decide to go for IVF. First my gynae was a lil hesitant cos theres nothing wrong with us and according to him, we are still young (was 30 when i started ivf this year) but with our assurance and determination, we told him that we want to go through it as we have waited for quite a while.
I was also not so confident to inject myself at first and my hub said he will inject for me. But on the first day of suprefact injection, the CHR nurse will be teaching you and she ask who is gng to inject? My hub said I will be injecting myself! But I glad I did! Cos when I injected myself, I know where and when I want to inject. Its not even painful! Actually doesn't even feel a thing. And by 2 days, I'm a pro! Lol!
So anything is possible!

regards to my IUI, I don't have any injections at all. Dr Chew just gave me Clomid pills so that the eggs matures. So I guess thats why only $500 which includes scans. I would say, dont waste your money on IUI if it fails the first time. If you are already ready for IVF, just insists with your gynae that you're ready and you want to go through IVF. And yes, i paid cash $1000 for IVF is after govt subsidy and medisave.

 

[shijiaxin]

Hi soulasylum
thanks for sharing... u give me a peace of mind as i will be under Prof PC wong too..
however can i check are their service fast? Also will Pro Wong do a good check and follow up for every injection or medicine given?

i heard that those injection and medicine will cause a lot hormone in the body and lead to Thyroid which is a worry to me now...

Hi Andreanie...
I think i got the exact same situtation as you... i been trying for 4 years too and i got twice ectopic.. i went to see Dr Charles Lim and after 4 cycles.. he referred me to do IVF.. which is why i am with Prof Wong...

but i doubt i be like u to have so much subsidy... although I am being referred, but it is private specialist referred to Govent specialist... so i dont entitle this benefit

 

[bluenosebear]

SGtwist-Halo.
I'm also under Prof Wong. I agreed with Soul, I'm happy with the service, both Prof & the CHR team of nurses.
Shi-regarding the subsidy, if under Prof no matter referred from where, it would be consider as self-paying.
Once U start yr stimulation med, the scans would be more often & these would be done by Prof. prof would see yr blood test result & CHR nurses would call U, if there is a need to increase or decrease the dose of med.

 

[shijiaxin]

Hi bluenosebear and soulasylum,

Mind sharing with me under Prof Wong, how much have you sent for the first IVF? Are we entitled for the grants?

 

[bluenosebear]

Shi- I spend about $1000+ abit in cash, this depend on how much med U use during stimulation stage.
If U are singaporean, U are entitle to the gov grant $3000 & can use medisave $6000 for 1st time IVF.

 

[andreanie]

@Shijia - I think you will still get subsidy from the govt and can use your medisave. I am a private patient too. I go to Dr Chew (Prof's right hand man) straight, not from any referral. As long as you do your IVF at NUH/KKH/SGH you will get the govt subsidy and can use medisave. Hope this info helps.

 

[shijiaxin]

YES it helps!!!

hope my test and medicine will be less and short

 

[soulasylum]

@Shi: Hello Shi

. I'm a private patient too... Subsidized patients will not get to choose their doctors, they will be served by available doctors at the time of appointment. The total costs for my procedure, excluding preliminary tests (blood work, ultrasound scan, semen analysis) and insurance was SGD9012.25. Singapore Citizens are entitled to a Government Grant of SGD3000 for 3 cycles (only fresh cycles and only for the transfer of up to 2 embryos). We can also use our Medisave up to 3 cycles, for the amount of SGD6000, 5000, and 4000 respectively. I might get the numbers wrong.

Insurance costs SGD291.04 for the transfer of 2 embryos.

Total for my preliminary tests was about SGD880.

Gonal F which they use during the stimulation stage was by far the most expensive. How much Gonal F a woman needs is depending on how well her body responds to it. The better response, the lesser $$$ it costs.

As for the waiting time, it varies. The earlier your appointment is, say around 8am, the faster you'll be served. The clinic does get quite packed... The longest I have waited was an hour.

For follow ups on the medication, the CHR nurses will usually collaborate with you on that. I believe Prof Wong only determine the dosage, and the rest is handled by the CHR nurses. They will advise you accordingly. They are very efficient, and professional. So, no worries there

.

As for the effects of the meds on your Thyroid, I'm not too sure. I was only told that Gonal F might cause OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome), for those who respond too well to that medication. High intake of protein will usually help reduce the symptoms. But I can assure you that nothing drastic happened to me during IVF except for the 17 week old baby I have in my belly

.

I hope this information is sufficient enough for you

. Don't hesitate to ask further if you have more yeah?

Lunch time!!! Enjoy your lunch ladies and have a blessed afternoon!

 

[soulasylum]

Oh yeah! And there's another cost you should consider... The freezing of your embabies (embryos). SGD535 per year. You can opt for that if you have "extra" embryos for future cycles.

 

[coolcool]

Soul, your explanation is complete and perfect. Nothing to add on.

Dear all, I went for review session with Prof Wong this morning. I asked if there any reason for the failure this time. Prof said he doesn't know the reason since my embryos are good and they are compacting when transferred and my womb also no problem. So he said he doesn't know what happened inside later and if they know the reason they will try to fix it for sure. He decided long medicated protocol for me again for next FET. This protocol takes about 1 and half month. So I am thinking when to start taking medication.

 

[coolcool]

SG twist, if you want to start your IVF earlier and want shorter waiting time (during IVF), NUH is your choice. I heard that the new patients can only start their fresh cycle in April in KKH and their waiting time can be long (can be up to 4 hr). This is for your general consideration.

 

[soulasylum]

@Cool: Hey cool

! I'm always glad to help

.

Don't worry too much about your recent outcome

. Most importantly, look ahead and prepare yourself for the next cycle. One thing I have realized after having gone through IVF, is that, trust in your doctor and his/her team is very important. They are humans too like us

. And how well they can work on us also depends very much on our faith in them

. This is what I believe

. Don't rush into your next cycle... take your time, and relax yourself

. Haste makes waste

. When you feel most ready, go for it!

 

[vi4n]

Ya Soul, your explanation was so complete that I had nothing to contribute. ha haha...

CoolCool, wish you all the best...

 

[soulasylum]

@Vi: Awwww Vi... So sorry... The next time I'll leave blanks for you to fill in okay??? Hahahahahaha! ;p Hey... How old is your precious little girl now? Has she already started baby talk?

 

[vi4n]

Soul, she is turning 18 month on this 18 Dec.

Yes.. baby talk, animal talk, alien talk.. ha ha..

 

[soulasylum]

Hahahaha! They're so cute when they do that!!!

I bet she's already running everywhere around the house!