IVF Czech

 April 14th

  We arrived in Zlin, Czech Republic on Sunday April 13^th at our hotel Penzion Uno.  We chose to stay here as opposed to the hotel at the clinic, because there was a kitchenette, a couch, and it was fifteen bucks cheaper a night.  Penzion Uno is only a five minute drive and if you don’t have a car I believe the owner will take you to the clinic for your appointments.  The son Martin is the manager and speaks excellent English and is extremely helpful with anything you need.  There is a very good restaurant at the hotel with made to order breakfast. 

 Just a note that some of the following information is geared towards those going through IVF and may be more information than you bargained for.

  

 The clinic name is The Clinic of Reproductive Medicine and Gynecology Zlin.  Click here Our first appointment was Monday morning and I was a little nervous.  Even though I have been through this before it never gets easier.  At this clinic for your first few appointments you will have your blood drawn to check hormone levels and then you have to wait for an hour or leave and come back for the consultation with the doctor.  The clinic was very busy and I had to wait about fifteen minutes to have my blood drawn.  The nurse was very apologetic and personable which relaxed me a little.  I wasn’t at all bothered by having to wait and didn’t feel like fifteen minutes was long.  The nurse blamed in on Monday and laughed.  I guess Monday stinks no matter where you are.  . 

  My doctor’s name is Ondrej Krenek and he is very matter of fact.  He obviously looked over my records and was well informed about my previous IVF history.  I liked that he went over my results with us and planned the protocol based on my past as well as the current blood tests.  I feel as if this cycle is tailored to me as an individual a little more than before.  I never had any blood work in Turkey and some of our concerns were my progesterone levels, so this makes me feel good.  This cycle was a little different from the start compared to my fresh cycle in Istanbul.  For that cycle I started BCP and was on them nonstop for at least two full cycles without stopping to have a period.  Even when I stopped the BCP I never had a period because I also started estrogen before I arrived in Turkey.   For the current IVF cycle I took the birth control for a cycle and had a period.  Then I continued the pills through my next period and stopped a few days before my first appointment and then started my period.  I have to tell you that I was a little confused and unsure about this time because I had not done it that way before.  After speaking with the doctor I now know that it is a more natural way and he even said that Estrogen on fresh cycles is not recommended like it is for a FET. 

 At the moment my protocol is Puregon (which I did in Turkey) and he also had me pick up another folic acid supplement called InoFolic. Even though I am on folic acid and a prenatal vitamin he said that the Inositol in this supplement has been shown to help with egg production.  After clearly explaining and laying out my protocol on a calendar the nurse went over everything with me and gave me my first injection.  My next appointment was not until Friday April April 18^th, so we had three free days in between to explore.  

  Our journey continues in Prague, Pilsner, and my favorite, Cesky Krumlov.  

More to come…

Kelly and John