Egg Donation in Greece

[panda1454]

HI Frances

Hi
After many failed IVF attempts with a very reputable clinic in Sydney over 6 years I decided it was time to look into international egg donation as I had low overian reserve and was not getting many eggs to do ICSI.
This was a very daunting decision but I really want a baby.
After much research I decided on Greece and Embryoland with Dr Nikos Kanakas. This was the best decision I have ever made in this process. Dr Kanakas is an amazing caring and talented doctor. From my first enquiry which I did directly with the clinic to the transfer day I totally felt he only had my best interests at heart. He is amazing and I would definitely recommend him to anyone going over. They have a hotel right next door so you don’t have to worry about moving around.

I had two embryos transferred as this was the best thing for me personally. On the day of transfer we saw the two tiny embryos on the screen and watched as they moved and embedded into my lining. This was the most amazing moment and something that was not shown to me when we did a transfer in Australia. My husband and I were amazed…
If you have any questions I am more than happy to try and answer them. Dr Nikos and the Embryoland team really make you feel important and looked after. I feel very blessed to have discovered Dr Nikos.

We are now 9wks pregnant with Twins.

Another option for you.

Good luck.

[Dette]

Hey Vixjc,

is it tomorrow u have yr scan?
Good luck, I hope (both?) yr bubba/s r doing great!
I'm sure it will be a great relief 2 know all is well

Let us know the outcome, 1,2,or possibly even 3??????

My ivf was cancelled at the 11th hr, little embro stopped growing. Heart breaking & such a waste. Looks like Greece here we come in October hopefully. I just need to find a bag of money & off we go xx

[Vixjc]

Aw Dette - that sucks. I know you'd prepared for it, but it still really sucks. How is DH with it?

I actually had my scan today cos I had a little bleed , freaked out and didn't want to wait till Thursday. So I have one little munchkin on board with a nice little heart beat I hope the next six weeks passes REALLY quickly - I want to make it to trimester two, but it seemes so very far away!

I tell you what - if I see any bags of dosh lying around - I'll let you know

[francesthecat]

Hi Vixjc,

Yay congrats such good news on your scan.Must have been so upsetting when you had that bleed.

Ive been dealing with the serum Clinic they seem really good. So I think Greece here we go in September hope to do a cruise on the way there.

[Dette]

Hey Vixjc,

that would have been terrifying having a bleed after all you've been through! Did the doc seem concerned?

I'm glad to hear though, that your little bub is healthy & happy in his new home. I can certainly understand your need to hurry to the second trimester. Let's just hope the time passes quickly with no more scares. (Take it easy on mummy bub, u can stress her out later, when yr a teenager)


Hey Francesthecat,

im talking with serum too & hoping to go over late September, early October. We could possibly be there at the same time!!!! That would be awesome.
Im just trying to get all the medical details etc that they require, fresh blood tests, sperm analysis & all my previous ivf try's. Lots & lots of paperwork.

vixjc, how far in advance did you organise flights, accom, etc?

[Vixjc]

Ultrasound Doc wasn't at all concerned! Even before he started the scan he said bleeds were really common at this stage ... ok, maybe they are but its still bloody terrifying!! He was great about it though and admitted that its impossible not to worry, but to try not to. Ok... sure! Of course, its been lily white knickers since the scan - typical!

Panda - I didn't absorb properly before, congrats on the twins! That's awesome! I've heard such lovely thinngs about Embryoland, I'm so glad it's really worked for you!

[Vixjc]

Dette - sorry forgot to respond about flights etc ... DH and I booked around the same time even though he flew out a month earlier than me. I can't really remember when we booked but I think it was maybe early February? When I was in Greece I changed my flight home and had no trouble getting a seat ... I'm a planner though - I do like to plan early and thoroughly!

As for accomodation, because I stayed in one of Penny's apartments I just asked her about it and confirmed it in one of the early emails with her - probably also in Feb.

[francesthecat]

Hi Dette,

I'm starting my plans now, that would be ace if we were there at the same time lol.

Im looking at flights and things now. They have already advised me that they have donors that they think will suit us.

So now looking at a cruise in the way there, and stop off in Dubai in they way home.

[panda1454]

HI Vixjc

Thank you so much.

Congratulations to you

It must have been really scary with the bleed great to hear everything is okay and hearing the heart beat is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. I totally agree waiting to get to 12wks is so hard. I'm having an Ultrasound at 10 weeks so hopefully to restore my faith that everything is travelling okay.

Ill keep everything crossed that the time passes quickly for you with no further hiccups....

[Kathcraig]

Hi Vixjc, your pregnancy is very exciting. Can you tell me which greek clinic you used, did you have three embryos returned, were they blasts?
Finally the progesterone you are using? Is it morning and night crinon or 3 x day utrogestan
Do they also recomend100g baby aspirin and clexane .20 injections daily?
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
I head back to greece on Tuesday for our second try
Regards Kathy


Have a Great Day

[Vixjc]

Hi KathCraig

The Greek Clinic I used for this cycle was Serum IVF - they were awesome. (Last november I used Genesis - not so awesome for me but I know of others whose experience wasn't quite like mine - I've also heard Embryoland is good but haven't been there myself).

I had three embryos returned, all were excellent quality 5 day blastocysts.

The progesterone is 2 x untrogestan, 4 times daily (breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime). However I have now run out of the utrogestan I brought back and am using "Oripro" progesterone pessaries as prescribed by my Australian FS. I am on Clexane and Baby aspirin. My full protocol is as follows:
1 x oestrogen patch changed twice weekly
Breakfast: 4 x progynova (Cyclacur), 1 x folate, 1 x baby aspirin, 2 x prednisolone, 1 x clexane, 2 x progesterone
Lunch: 4 x progynova, 2 x progesterone
Dinner: 4 x progynova, 2 x progesterone
Bed: 4 x progynova vaginally, 2 x progesterone.

I also had an intralipid infusion the day before my transfer, a Pregnyl injection the day of my transfer, then a second pregnyl injection two days after transfer, and a third one 4 days after transfer. With my oestrogen patch/progynova doses - don't let that freak you out, it's just that my lining takes elephant doses of oestrogen before it will grow properly ... Kinda sucks. But now we know the dose that makes it work.

Congratulations for getting straight back on the horse! That's courageous! Wishing you the very best of luck

[Dette]

Hey Kath,

good or luck for your coming trip! Please keep us all posted while u r there. Every time someone has a success (Vixjc, Panda, yay 2 u!) it gives us all hope

& the strange thing is, even the failures help as all of us on this hard journey feel better just knowing someone else understands.

Which clinic r u going 2?

Hey Frances,

im so excited we might be there at the same time!!
I feel so behind in preparation compared 2 u. I'm still waiting on Repromed 2 release all my doc, tests etc & waiting on results of updated bloods, so I can send them off 2 serum.

Thanks 2 Vixjc, I'm slightly organised in getting a doc here 2 coordinate (thanks 4 the tip Vixjc, yr advice has been invaluable!)

Where r u staying?

Also r u coordinating it so your cycle is the same as donor? I'm struggling 2 get my mind around how that happens, as my period can b between 26-28 days not an exact science I'm afraid, arrrrhhhh! Can anyone give me some wisdom on this??????

Vixjc, pls rest up, it sounds like u r a go getter girlfriend! We r all counting down with u & Panda 2 yr second scan, so u can finally exhail. I know if it was me, I'd b chewing my nails 2 the quick.

Xx

[Vixjc]

Hi ladies - just chipping in the point about lining your cycle up with your donor. What Serum did with me is they got me to take the Zolodex injection (it's administered by a doctor and feels a bit like getting microchipped) - I had two injections before I went over. It involves one injection every 28 days that shuts your system down and down regulates you. Effectively it puts you into temporary medicated menopause (I even got little hot flushes!). Then once they know the donor's cycle has started, they ask you to commence the other meds like progynova etc to create your next cycle ... very easy Provided of course your body grows a lining the way it should (mine doesn't but I've worked out how to whip it into shape these days).

I'm so excited for you all! We're getting a nice little crew of ladies on this thread now! And once you're UTD, there is a thread for pregnant by DE which is great too.

AFM, I went country for the weekend to visit my parents - and had another little bleed. I cannot TELL you how much I hate. It was small, and a one off, but still, the LAST thing a pregnant women wants to see is red blood! I just keep reminding myself of what the Doc said - really common at this stage, try not to worry about it (uh-huh - piece of cake!). I didn't want to say anything to my parents (who are so excited about finally perhaps getting their first grandchild), so I exaggerated my queasiness and took myself off to bed. Couldn't wait to get home today - what is it about being at home that feels infinitely better - and felt terrible about being there for a grand total of about 24 hours... Next scan at this stage is not till Tuesday fortnight ... I really want a quiet week at work - ain't gonna happen given the massive fraud case that arrived on my desk mid Friday, but at least a busy week will make time fly? Bleh.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend ladies - and have fun planning the holidays around your trip! I'm already thinking that assuming this pregnancy (I',m calling him Ralph - I've decided its a boy, so I've nicknamed him Ralph because I spend my day feeling like I'm gonna ralph ...) continues and goes well, we'll go over again July next year, rent a house for a few weeks on the island DH's family comes from DH, me and Ralph can have a relaxng few weeks - and at some point I'll whizz back to Athens for an embryo transfer for Ralph#2.

Fingers crossed for all of us!

[Dette]

Vixjc, thank u again 4 yr wealth of knowledge! I'm so pleased 2 hear I don't need 2 worry about trying 2 sync up my cycle, I was thinking I need 2 book flights around the time I would ovulate. Yay, 1 less thing 2 worry about.


U poor girl, a bleed again! as u say, I have heard its normal but other people haven't had 2 travel the long, hard road u have. Come on Ralph, stop stressing mum out (Love the name!)

Xx

[panda1454]

Hi Ladies

I thought I would supply my protocols given to me by Embrylonad as they were not as complicated as above with no injections required. Yeah

I have a very inconsistent cycle so I was very concerned about my cycle lining up. Dr Kanakas prescribed me to take PRIMOLUT 5mgr 1 tabl every 8 hours for 3 days only and stop them. The period will come within 3 - 5 days. I had this confirmed with my Sydney IVF specialist as well.

After the first good day of period which mine was very light but the Dr advise me to start with PROGYNOVA 1 tablet daily for 4 days only.Then increase to two tablets per day until I saw the Dr. Was very worried how the lining was thickening up but Dr was very happy when I arrived.

I then got the utrogeston and started taking that a few days before transfer with the Prognova 3 times a day. I continued this until we confirmed the pregnancy and up until 8 weeks pregnant (calculated from last period) and now have reduced to two a day of both Prognova and utrogeston until week 10. Will be getting an ultrasound and then confirm how to proceed from there.

Personally I prefer to take as little drugs as possible but this wasn't actually a discussion with Dr Kanaks this was the recommended protocols from Embryoland which all appear to have been successful so far.

Definately get all the utrogeston you need in Greece as it is much easier to use than what is available in Australia.

Dr Kanaks from Embryoland is great and would be more than happy to speak to anyone about how it all works if you want.

Good luck everyone my thoughts are with you all.

I'm having my 10 wk scan today so very much hoping my two little babys are travelling okay...

Feel free to ask me any questions about Embryoland or Dr Kanakas they were fantastic...