Hamilton Fertility Clinic Closing?

Eirenay · 08-01-2008, 08:11 PM

I know there are a few Hamilton Cysters here, and I thought you all might find this interesting.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/412579

I hope that they at least replace it with a private clinic, to just close it and send us to Burlington or Oakville would be awful (especially since DH and I are living green without a vehicle).

one-hit_wonder · 08-03-2008, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eirenay

I know there are a few Hamilton Cysters here, and I thought you all might find this interesting.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/412579

I hope that they at least replace it with a private clinic, to just close it and send us to Burlington or Oakville would be awful (especially since DH and I are living green without a vehicle).

Oh my gosh, I think I'm gonna scream!

The reason we moved to Hamilton was so that I'd be within walking distance of an IF clinic!

Seriously, if I have to wait yet another year for treatment at a new clinic (which I've had to do twice already), I will give up TTC.

I thought there was another IF clinic in Hamilton, though: the Hamilton Assisted Reproductive Technologies???

Thanks for posting - I wouldn't have known about this otherwise.

(Kudos to you for living green, by the way - it's what I'm trying to do, too! - too bad that my DH lives to

)

Eirenay · 08-04-2008, 12:10 AM

lol Dh lives to drive too, but is "growing".

I don't know if there is another clinic but I do know that the Mac one is "the" one to go to.

Was in getting bloodwork today (chase that follie) and I asked the nurse about it. Basically they don't know, it all comes down to the new vision for the hospital and budgets.

Grrr. Sigh. Here's hoping this cycle is successful so that I don't have to stress if they close.

Have you started your IVF cycle yet?

one-hit_wonder · 08-04-2008, 02:33 AM

No, but pretty soon: I will go in for CD3 bloodwork, etc., in a few weeks.

I was hoping to wait an extra cycle, though, for a variety of reasons (one being that I'm not 100% sure that I even want to go through with it). So now I'm not sure what to do.

I do have a lead on a doctor in Toronto (friend of a friend, so I would likely get in right away), but the jaunt there for monitoring would be (yet another) headache.

How's your cycle going? You have a dominant follie?

Eirenay · 08-04-2008, 07:18 PM

Yeah just one, and unfortunately it's on the ovary that is covered with endo. I am not optimistic, but the clinic doesn't seem to be worried. My guess is that I will be doing IUI on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. I'm ready to be in the 2ww, this round of puregon has been brutal on my body.

IVF is a big investment, both financially and emotionally, so my advice is keep thinking on it and don't rush until you're absolutely sure. And it can't hurt to consult with the Toronto even just to see if they offer you options.

one-hit_wonder · 08-17-2008, 06:29 PM

Today's CD1 for me, but I can't find the clinic's phone number, and the web site is down. Not a good sign, I'm thinking.

Btw: How was your cycle, Eirenay?

Eirenay · 08-17-2008, 07:04 PM

I'm in the interminable 2ww. Tested today (10piui) and got a negative, but it is still early. Going to test again on Wednesday. Have to do beta on thursday either way. So we'll see. At this point DH and I are thinking we'll be moving onto round 3 in September.

Their phone number is 5215080 if that helps you out!

one-hit_wonder · 08-18-2008, 03:21 PM

Oh, good luck!

I'm booked for CD3 bloodwork and u/s tomorrow! So I guess the clinic hasn't closed down, after all!

(Yet.)

Eirenay · 08-22-2008, 12:33 PM

Well it's official. The front of the newspaper announced that the clinic is closing and will be replaced with an urgent care clinic scheduled to open Fall 2009.

Figures, I went for my CD3 bloodwork this morning and didn't read the newspaper until after the appointment. Grrr. So I'm going to ask about it on Wednesday when I go back for an ultrasound.

DH and I are hoping we can continue until the end of the year, but we need to know what their cutoff is going to be.

Or even better, this cycle will work and then it won't matter for a couple of years! Here's hoping!

one-hit_wonder · 08-23-2008, 05:53 PM

The nurse I talked to said that the clinic was likely staying open, but that it would just be privately run. So this bites. If my IVF doesn't work, and I want FET done, I wonder if I'll have enough time. I have to move next year, and if I am not pg and decide to continue TTC, it'll take at least 6-10 months to get into a clinic where I'm from, plus I won't be able to hold down a job in the meantime, since it's so far away from my job.

Ack, I have to think positive (literally).

Apparently we're getting official letters in the mail next week, so hopefully things will be more concrete then. Communication about this has been terrible. If I had known that they were talking about closing the clinic for a year and a half already, I would have moved to Burlington instead of Hamilton.

Also, so sorry for the BFN, Eirenay.

Eirenay · 08-23-2008, 06:33 PM

Thanks one-hit.

What is suprefact? Is it a BCP?

It would be great if they would just convert to private and we could stay on. The newspaper today said that the clinic in Burlington has a 6-8 month wait list already, so how much longer would it be if they had to take on Hamilton clients? The paper said CRC has 1800 patients! What really bugs me is that it only costs HHS 350,000 to run the clinic, that's a piddly amount in their multi-million dollar budget.

In a way I'm glad I found out about the clinic closing at the beginning of my cycle. If I was in the middle/end of my puregon shots I would be a wreck, they just make me so emotional.

one-hit_wonder · 08-26-2008, 01:54 AM

Yeah, apparently it won't just be run privately, though, so I guess the nurse was also misinformed.

Maybe I should get on a wait list at another clinic, just in case.

Suprefact is the suppressant. I think it's the equivalent of Lupron? It's apparently used primarily as a cancer drug, which I find disconcerting.

Loopy_44 · 08-29-2008, 11:31 PM

Hi - I'm not on this board often ( I tend to frequent IVF.ca) - but just wanted to say hi. One hit...I too go to CRC, and looks like we are on the exact same schedule. I start superfact on Sept 12, start puregon (175 units) on Sept 12, and then Ultrasound on the 17th....so I'm sure we'll unknowingly cross paths in the waiting room!
Good luck to you

Eirenay · 08-30-2008, 10:51 AM

Welcome Loopy!

So I went for my CD 10 u/s and bloodwork yesterday. I have 5 (yes that's right 5) follies. I've never had so many. The nurse said depending on what the u/s says on Sunday they may trigger me before all can mature as they won't do IUI if there are more than 3 mature follies. We will see.

Got my letter about the clinic as well. The nurse said they are encouraging people to call MUMC and let them know how they feel. One husband said he was going to call because he didn't like the idea that the hospital will be starting their yearly children's hospital campaign in the spring, and how can they expect people to give money to their children's facility if they don't want to help people have children?
The nurse said Karnis and the other doctors are looking for facilities to open up as a private clinic (probably Hamilton or Burlington). It's just going to take some time. Wahoo!

Loopy_44 · 08-30-2008, 12:29 PM

Thanks Eirenay...
I didn't get my letter yet, I thought I would have got it by Friday...Hopefully by Tuesday.

I'm sure not happy about the clinic closing..especially about how we found out, but I really hope that they can at least open it up as a private clinic - but do you think that will result in increased costs?
I'm really trying not to stress about it too much cause I'm in the midst of my first cycle - but it's pretty hard not too.

Loopy