Another vote for Guys and St Thomases. No doubt biased by the fact that we were successful on our first cycle, but I found they ran to time, so no long waits for blood tests or scans and have a very simple and clear pricing structure.

Also, I'm not sure if it is still running, but I can't recommend the Bridge's MindBody course highly enough. You didn't have to be a patient at the Bridge to do it. It brought together, on a weekly basis, a group of women doing IVF and worked through various techniques (breathing exercises, yoga, mindfulness, a little bit of cognitive behavioural therapy etc) for dealing with the stress of infertility. I'm still in touch with all the girls I met through it and their support was really important to me.

http://www.bridgemind-body.co.uk/

Good Luck!

When we couldn't conceive and the NHS washed their hands of us, I went to Zita West's clinic. She put me in touch with the Lister and we had successful ICSI.

I agree about choosing location carefully. If you have IVF. I was living in Balham and working in the City. I didn't especially want my employers to know what I was doing. For a couple of weeks, I had 8am appointments at the hospital every other day before heading into work. They thought I was having some extensive dental treatment!!

A note to Magdalen -
Thank you so much for your kind words which are greatly reassuring. Most of what you said has been validated by my friends and family whom I discussed this with, after reading Marmite's comments (which I think were extremely insensitive but I'll give her the benefit of doubt in that perhaps, she didn't read my post entirely).

I have decided to park such fearful thoughts for the moment and just enjoy my beautiful twins who are currently healthy and happy. Should, God forbid, they have any health scares later in life, I'll deal with it appropriately at the time.

Thank you once again for your thoughtfulness and for your time.

x

Hi there
I would recommend
CRM London
Park Lorne
111 Park Road
London
UK
NW8 7JL
Tel: 0207 616 6767
www.ivfcliniclondon.com

They are so friendly and caring - not the cheapest but just brilliant.
Good luck
x

We used the Bridge Centre, and were very pleased with the service - friendly, open and helpful. I am sorry that others have not had the same experience. The nurses in particular were always on call and unstintingly kind (great when I called from Geneva airport in floods of tears having just started bleeding......) and the consultant seemed to know his stuff. They kept trying different ideas when the first couple of cycles did not work and in the end we were blessed with our second daughter. In terms of your depression, they used to offer a counselling service as well (I am not sure if they still do - our daughter is now 4) which might be worth looking at.

Our first daughter was conceived through IVF at the clinic at St Georges which has since closed, and we had an unsuccessful cycle at Hammersmith, but decided to move as it was just too far away - I agree with the earlier post that if at all possible you need something close to work/home as you will be making regular visits, albeit thankfully not twice a day for us! Good luck with the process

Hi Just for my 2 cents - i started my ICSI with Chelsea and switched to Guy's ACU. I would recommend Guys ACU highly but ackowledge I have also heard good things about AGRC and Lister. After struggling at C&W, I saw Robert Winston (founder of IVF in UK) on TV saying there were only a few clinics he would recommend - so I emailed him and he put me in touch with a guy connected with Guy's ACU and ended up there and it worked. Twins now and very happy. But my time with ICSI/IVF started about 8 years ago and things move swiftly in this space so good to get input from current patients!
Good luck to you.

Thanks, I was wondering about location too, I'm in Balham and work from home but it would be better to not have to travel too far so Lister would be good for that. Having said that I've found that I'm actually not getting much work done due to depression. I wondered if anyone else has been depressed as a result? My GP has given me some antidepressants- amitriptyline which are supposed to be safer than other more modern anti-d's should I manage to get pregnant. I am still worrying though as I would prefer to be off them but at the moment really need the extra help and I think if we do go ahead with IVF my stress levels are only going to get worse!
Thanks for the info about success rates, will make sure I check the hfea results.

Hi

Just wanted to throw another thought into the pot - not sure whether you are working but location can be key. I chose the Lister as it was relatively close to my office and it's also possible to drive (park in Battersea Park). This may sound trivial but IVF is very time consuming - frequently I would go for a scan or blood test and end up being there for 2 hours by the time I had waited for scan/had scan/seen nurse/collected prescription etc. This is extremely stressful if you have just "popped out of the office" and end up being gone for 3 hours. I know the ARGC (as previous poster mentioned) often ask for you to have two blood tests a day. I know some people just take the whole time off but that isn't always good either as means you concentrate entirely on the IVF and I found it better to be distracted with work!
I have been going to Lister for five years (I do have a two year old out of it!) and whilst it does feel like a "machine" at times, and the waiting room has a very depressing feel to it I have been very impressed with the individuals who work there (there has been very little staff turnover) and they offer free counselling etc too.
Good luck!

We used the Chelsea and Westminster assisted conception unit. They are cheaper than private clinics as some patients nhs and some private and not out to make money. We had three rounds; one miscarriage,twins and a failed cycle. We looked at switching clinics but decided to stay where we were. It's very stressful and I decided I couldn't cope with the ARGC. Be very careful when you look at clinics "success" rates. One I looked at had a 70% success rate on their website but the hfea website said it was less than 50%. They test so early that you are pregnant but like all pregnancies a high number very sadly end in miscarriage. The hfea shows live births. A clinic with a set amount is helpful so you know how much you will pay. Ivf is expensive but so are kids. Ivf is generally Less than a term of private school fees!!

swayam2003 - I just wanted to put a note to say that unless there has been a specific research study into the use of steroids during IVF and the subsequent health / development of an infant, I personally think that it is not that helpful for any health professional to suggest that there may be long term consequences. Perhaps there is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest this but that would still rely on someone somewhere collecting data on problems with newborns born to mothers who had taken the steroids in pregnancy, including exact doses, number of days taken, particular type of steroid, the exact concern of the newborn and if that concern / condition / problem in facts links to something else such as a genetic condition.

So if no studies have been done, then of course it is true to say that no one knows the effects of steroids on the newborn but not knowing doesn't automatically mean there will be a problem. It is incredibly difficult to get anything licensed for use in pregnancy, in particular because of the thalidomide disaster. Any product needs to have very large controlled studies and understandably it is hard to recruit pregnant women to trials. I know a little about all of this through some charity work that I do albeit not specifically linked to IVF and what I am trying to say is, try not to worry about the steroids you have taken as I suspect that if even only a handful of people had felt that the use of steroids in their pregnancy had affected their baby, it would be widely reported by now. I have not had IVF myself and have no affiliation to any IVF clinic so this is not a biased view, just objective based on knowing that the ARGC have been around for a long time.

On a side note, a couple of my friends that have had their treatments at ARGC have commented that when they have mentioned Dr Taranissi to other obstetricians, there has been some consistent eye rolling! So perhaps his techniques are not favoured or even a touch of the green eyed monster from other doctors as he does appear to have the largest success rates. Anyway, that is just my take on it, I am not casting any views over the doctor that Marmite mentions. Of course, to the original poster, I hope you have success.

Thanks everyone for the advise, much appreciated.x

Thanks for the feedback, Marmite - after having had my babies through IVF at ARGC, I shall now be paranoid about the effects of steroids based on your findings!

ARGC sounds very similar to Guys assisted conception unit. I was going in every morning and then would get a personal call from my consultant every afternoon to adjust my medication dose.

I had a friend go to the Lister and believe they are very expensive in comparison. Most important thing is finding success rates and bonding with your consultant.

I have been around the block on this one - having one child successfully through IVF and sadly not achieving a second but 11 more treatments. After seeing a few clinics, I would highly recommend Mr Geoffrey Trew - you can see him in Harley Street but he also runs the highly acclaimed Hammersmith unit - who specialise in difficult cases ... He is very good. ARGC are controversial - great success rate but throw the book at you i.e. keen on steroids etc. which may or may not always be needed and the jury is still out on the effects this kind of more controversial approach can have on children later in life. I know this a controversial thing to say but this is the advice I have been given from a number of specialists - albeit ARGC do not prescribe the steroid etc. approach for everyone ... subject to tests etc. Personally I liked Mr Trew for his straightforward and altruistic approach.

Hello

I cannot recommend ARGC highly enough! They have the highest success rate in the country and even though Lister is well reputed, ARGC's success rates are streets ahead. I suggest you do your homework and read up on ARGC vs. other clinics so that when you eventually settle on a clinic, you vest your faith in it wholeheartedly.
I had 4 (failed) rounds of IUI at the Lister which is not the issue because the percentage of success out of IUI is quite low but my husband and I simply didn't connect with the consultant. He never read our case before our very expensive consultation sessions with him and would ask us the most basic questions, the answers of which were glaring at him from our file in his hand!!!!

It takes a hard stomach to muster ARGC (as if IVF isn't brutal enough as it is) because they adopt a personalised but very full on method of treatment. No 2 people's treatments (types of drugs or dosage of drugs administered) will be the same. Around half way through the treatment, you will need to go in for blood tests at 7.30am every day for a couple of weeks, sometimes twice a day (the dosage of drugs you will be asked to administer, will be dependent on how your body reacts to each dose).

Don't be put off by the external facade of ARGC - you'll think you're stuck in a time warp as it's a computer free place that relies on old-school style files/paperwork! Also, it's not very personal in that you're in a large waiting room with all the other patients and consultations (apart from the ones with the doctors) take place in an open room but take solace in knowing that all those other people out there know exactly what you're going through! I used to chat to some of the other girls who were undergoing IVF and I always came away thinking that my situation isn't that bad so it helps you to remain level headed.

I had 1 failed attempt of IVF and my beautiful twin babies were conceived via a frozen embryo round - all at ARGC. The doctors are very clued on and all those who I went on to recommend ARGC to, now have perfect babies (mind you, they are known for their multiple pregnancies !!

Good luck! Please don't lose hope though....I say this from experience. I never thought I'd be pregnant and here I am now...everything we went through to get this far is water under the bridge. I'm certain you'll eventually emerge on the other side, stronger and victorious If you want to have a chat, I can PM you my number - please don't hesitate to contact me as I'm happy to help. Only someone who has gone through the pain of wanting to conceive and then not being able to, can fully empathise with your situation.

x

PS - Please don't be guided by ARGC's price list as advertised. You will no doubt end up spending a fortune as you have to pay for every single blood test. Some of the blood tests (to check for killer blood cells) will be sent to Chicago and those tests cost a cool 900 quid a pop!
My suggestion would be to try to talk to your GP - if you have a lovely, understanding one like I did, you may find that you can get some of the drugs (pessaries, some injections) on prescription which will help to save some money at least! But as I stated earlier in this message, we don't even think about how much it cost us to have our little darlings - to quote Khaled Hosseini from The Kite Runner, "for them, a thousand times over"