Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
"From Hope to Happiness" takes you on a moving journey through the lives of people who faced the challenges of infertility and found their path to joy with Dunya IVF. This podcast showcases heartfelt stories of resilience, determination, and ultimate fulfillment as families share how their dreams of parenthood were made possible.
Thank you so much
for joining us.
Yeah.
We're very happy that you will
be sharing your story and
your whole experience.
How about we start just by you
guys telling me a little bit
how this all began? Like,
when you started trying
to conceive,
just a little bit about
the beginning.
Oh, the beginning.
Long time ago now.
About 16 years ago now.
Yeah, it's,
it's been
A long time.
... it's time, yeah.
Like,
how far along would you say
you realized that you were
struggling with issues of
infertility or some sort of
issues regarding conceiving?
I think we started trying and
then we ended up going to the
doctors for about two years.
Mm-hmm.
I the doctors over here
will,
will actually see ya
or do anything.
Okay.
around two years we were
actually trying.
And then how long would you say
it took until you decided that,
"You know what,
we're gonna go down
the IVF route?"
Soon after.
Yeah,
I think more or less
straight away.
Soon, yeah.
I think when we started trying
like for two years and it
kind of didn't happen,
I think that's when we,
we had a chat with each
other and we,
we decided we need to try
a different avenue.
So that's,
that's when
Straight away really.
Yeah,
that's when we looked into IVF.
Straight away.
And
where,
how many rounds?
Where did you start?
How did that all begin?
How did your IVF journey start?
Rounds we've had
three
funded by the NHS
and then we paid privately
through the NHS, so that's five.
And then we decided to look
elsewhere and ended up at Dunya
and had
... two rounds there.
So
went through few.
You
went through, through a lot.
Yeah.
Yeah,
a lot
...
And it's definitely a very hard
and challenging time with
failed rounds
and
Very.
A very emotional,
stressful time.
Very stressful
How did, how was that?
Yeah, how was that for you guys?
I think, yeah,
I think very stressful, tough,
emotional
but I think we've got a good,
a good enough family and I think
we're quite hard people to not,
not give up.
But I would say definitely
challenging
Very challenging, yeah.
...
emotional as well and
heartbreak and,
but
There's there's some very highs
and there's some
very lows.
Yeah.
... in IVF.
You are listening to the Dunya
IVF Clinic Podcast,
from Hope to Happiness.
To learn more about IVF
treatments, visit our website,
www.dunyaivf.com,
and download our ebook,
A Complete Guide to Assisted
Reproduction.
Well, actually let's,
let's talk a little bit about
what it felt like or how
it was for you guys
having to go abroad for
something like this.
I think we was left no option,
really. I think we'd,
we'd done everything over here.
We had,
we had some positive
results over here,
but nothing materialized really.
So we just felt
Yeah.
needed to do something else.
Right, yeah, and also I think,
I think for anyone going abroad,
it can be a little bit
daunting leaving UK but..
We did a lot of research,
didn't we?
Yeah.
A lot.
Once,
once we were over there, to be fair,
it just run like clockwork.
And you know, fair play to,
fair play to Dunya. Like,
like Amy said,
we did us research so we knew
that Dunya were one of the top
IVF clinics in Europe, so that,
that was good enough for
us kind of thing.
Yeah. I mean, yeah,
it's definitely hard to have to
go through all this and kind
of have to transfer
all of
Yeah.
to a new country.
But to be fair,
Dunya made that quite,
quite easy for us over here.
It was all done through
a WhatsApp with Inna,
our coordinator.
Yeah.
who was fantastic all
the way through.
She was there from
the beginning.
She's still there now.
We still get the odd message and
we, we message her as well,
don't we?
Yeah,
we've always kept...
We send her pictures.
...
we've
yeah,
they're brilliant coordinators.
That's wonderful. Yeah,
it's really important to have
something like a support
system and structure
Yeah, they were there,
there all the time,
weren't they? If we,
if I needed a question answering
Yeah.
... anything really.
I I think you've just,
you've just kind of said it,
the support system
to me personally,
even though it was in
another country,
I felt a lot more supported from
Cyprus, if I'm being honest.
And the, the staff,
the country, the clinic,
absolutely amazing.
Yeah.
From start,
from start to finish.
We wish we'd have
done it sooner.
Yeah.
So that kind of leads me
into my next question,
which is how or what would you
say was, felt different,
like of between the health
system in the UK and doing this
all now in Cyprus? Like,
what were the main differences
or what did you feel
was different?
It were more relaxed.
You know, everybody says, "Oh,
go on holiday,
it might happen." So we decided
that is why, we thought, "Oh,
we'll go on holiday,
be more relaxed." And we did
do a holiday as well.
We were there at the beginning
for 21 days the first time,
so we made a holiday
out of it as well.
The clinic didn't feel like
a hospital. I know the,
the clinical side was obviously
for the, for reasons.
It were
Yeah,
It wasn't like hospital.
For me as well, I,
I didn't, we didn't feel like a
number, if that makes sense.
Yeah.
It were like,
it were tailored,
it were tailored to us.
We made, we got made,
felt very welcome.
Yeah, definitely.
Rather than in the UK,
it's especially,
including the funder, you,
for me,
you just feel a bit
like a number.
Even though they're doing
an amazing job, the,
the Cyprus experience just
felt a bit different.
Same with myself.
I was always poorly.
Yeah.
And ill.
But after egg retrieval
over in the UK,
the same day,
I was in the swimming
pool over in Cyprus.
And they put,
they do put you to sleep as
well in Cyprus. Over here,
they don't.
Oh, okay. Interesting.
Yeah,
it's not a nice experience
awake.
Okay. I didn't know that.
I thought it was
a
No. No.
Okay.
There was,
I think there was one time
I actually paid,
I think it was the last time,
I actually paid to
be put to sleep.
Okay.
It is an option,
but they don't really like
to do it over here.
Okay.
All right.
Wow, so yeah,
so that's definitely
a lot
A lot harder.
... on mentally,
physically
Yeah, knowing,
knowing that you have to do
that again, it's, it's,
it's horrible to be fair.
It's not nice to think.
In total you would say it was,
man, how many rounds? Like,
I think you
Well, we had in, in Dunya, at,
at Dunya, we had one round, but,
Oh.
we, we came back again.
So we had one round that
we had embryos,
so the second time we came and
had a frozen embryo transfer.
So altogether I'd say,
how
many? Seven.
Seven.
Seven.
Yeah.
So five, yeah.
I think six.
Yeah,
so that's kind of what
I wanted to ask you.
What kind of treatments
were you undergoing?
What kind of fertility
treatments?
So it was just retrieval
then IVF,
was it with
as you said,
the last one was frozen embryo?
Yeah.
And the previous ones?
A mixture of both.
Egg retrieval,
The the first time,
when we come over for 21 days,
that was from start to finish
on the first one.
And then obviously
the second one
we had the embryos
We came over for 10 days then.
10 days, yeah.
So, I mean,
after all those years and all
of those rounds, I mean,
what is it that you felt changed
on your final round of IVF?
What is it that made
a difference?
I don't know.
I,
I'm a
Yeah, I mean, it's,
I'm a big believer of
being, being positive and,
you know, I, I don't,
I just wouldn't say this
regarding Dunya if it,
if it did work or it didn't,
but yeah, it were just, it,
for me,
it just felt totally
Yeah.
... going,
going to Cyprus and going to
Dunya and Inna, Dr. Berk,
all the medical staff, it,
yeah, I, I
it played a big part.
A lot more relaxed.
Yeah, relaxed, yeah.
And this was how many years ago?
Two
two?
Two.
Two.
Two.
Two.
Well, I'm just trying... Yeah.
The first time
we came over
we had to wait to come
back 'cause of COVID,
so we had to wait three years to
go actually have the frozen
embryo transfer.
Your initial trip was
in 2020 and then
you waited.
Yeah.
Yeah.
... until around 2022?
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then COVID hit.
We went
were just about to come
over as well.
Yeah.
So you didn't, so you,
you didn't change anything
like diet,
exercise, or...
Everything. Everything,
we changed everything, drinking,
you name it.
on your final,
on your final round?
We, we still did.
We
Yes. Yeah.
... doctor, eating healthy,
looking after ourselves really,
vitamins,
you know, we,
we honestly tried to give
it a best shot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so then eventually
the transfer worked?
Right.
And where are you now?
Tell us a little bit
about the success,
the positivity in the story.
Yeah,
Yeah.
we,
we've got a beautiful
two-year-old boy
now and
Yeah.
...
he's
Just two.
He's amazing.
Yeah.
He's,
he's absolutely amazing
in
Yeah.
... you know,
in
We're very lucky people.
I
Very.
...
I think when we look back now
for all the hard times, it's,
it's been worth it and, and,
and it's paid off and,
and we've still got two
embryos at Dunya,
As well.
we're planning on revisiting
that awfully soon as well so,
but yeah,
it's just been an amazing
journey. It really has.
It's been incredible.
What's his name?
Avery David.
Very pretty, beautiful.
He's lovely.
So, yeah,
so this really ended up being,
like,
I mean,
a very
Hard, yeah.
Yeah.
A hard path, but..
Very hard.
It's not an it's not an easy or
nice thing to go through.
Yeah.
It's horrible to be fair.
What would you say are,
are like is the hardest
part of all of it?
Is it the physical part?
What,
what would you say was
the most challenging?
Physical, mentally as well.
Yeah.
It's
on us both. It,
it does affect you, it does.
I I think when you're......
when you try and try and you've
had a few rounds and you make
the phone call and it's
a negative, it's,
it's kinda hard to bounce back,
and it,
but again, I would,
I'd advise keep trying and,
you know,
surely eventually it's gotta
work. I would say, but..
We're just one of the lucky
ones, isn't it?
Yeah. Yeah.
Did you feel like this affected
different parts of your life or
relationships with people while
you were going through this?
definitely. Definitely.
Has...
As you were getting the nos,
people are getting yeses and
it's just one of those things
in life you have to
get on with.
You you're happy for people,
completely happy,
but on the other side,
you know,
you just want it to be yourself.
Yeah.
Which is not very nice really,
but
you, it's,
it's a very weird situation.
Yeah.
How you can be happy for
somebody and absolutely gutted
at the same time is...
Yeah. It's... I've, I mean,
I believe it's a natural
response.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
But do you feel that other
relationships were either,
I don't know, maybe like,
tainted or kind of...
You didn't feel like there was
understanding or that other
people might not really truly
understand how hard something
like this is?
yeah. I, I,
I would say I think you're right
there. I think it's,
it's a, it's a hard,
long journey and to...
When you get the nos as well,
it makes it even harder and
it's, I think it's a big strain.
It was definitely a strain
on our relationship.
Luckily we've got a good
support system.
Yeah.
We've got a good family,
but I think,
you
I think that's,
I think you do need that.
... you,
you've gotta stay strong,
but yeah, it's very tough.
Very tough.
I think everybody around
us were
Yeah.
... supportive,
which
we was looking for as well,
really.
Yeah.
What is it that you would say
just really kept you going?
I mean, it's hard,
you're getting, you know,
failed rounds. What is it that,
you know, really makes you say,
"I'm not gonna stop"?
Well we we did have some failed
rounds and we did have
some positives,
so
that may have been different if
we still kept getting
the nos maybe.
I think we are kind
of people as well
We just want a zonical
family really.
Yeah.
I
A zonical team.
We, we... Personally,
we wouldn't have stopped
until we got a child.
Yeah.
I know,
I know eventually you probably
would have to
There comes a time.
... that, that's now.
There comes a time where
you've got to,
but I
I don't
... just the stage.
...
that would have been anytime
soon if it didn't happen.
I think
if it's something
you really want,
I think you just keep going.
You have to.
Yes, and you did.
You made the change,
you went to Cyprus.
Yeah.
And it all ended up working out.
Definitely a wild,
a wild journey,
but with
We had the best journey.
Yeah.
happy story at the end.
Amazing. Yeah.
Yeah.
The best journey we've
ever done to be fair.
Yeah.
Which,
like I
Yeah.
...
we wish we would've
done it earlier.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I guess just wrapping up,
I guess is there anything else
you would like to add?
I,
I mean, me personally,
if anyone is, is thinking of,
you know,
going on this journey and going
to another country,
especially Cyprus, then do it.
And do your feedback
Mm-hmm.
And I think don't be,
don't be kind of scared going to
another country because from
our experience, Dunya, we,
we can't thank enough.
They've they've been incredible
and they will always
have a special,
special place in our hearts.
Definitely, yeah.
... you know,
every single one of their staff,
the center, the country,
how they handled things was
absolutely incredible.
It's very daunting going
going abroad.
I'm not gonna lie about that.
You know,
it's other side of the world,
but
you never know.
It's worth it.
Yeah. And what about,
what would you,
I guess,
what would you advise people who
are in a similar situation with
you who have been trying
for years?
Not just regarding, you know,
which clinic to go to,
but generally the whole,
the whole process.
What would your advice be?
I would say keep...
I would say try and keep
going if you can.
Positivity.
Be positive, yeah.
Keep... Yeah.
And,
and don't be scared to look
at different options
you know,
because
by,
by changing something or
trying a different clinic
Yeah.
... it,
it could be difference of a
negative to a positive,
you know, just,
just that different approach.
Mm-hmm.
Wonderful.
They've just got to keep going.
Yeah.
Yeah. I think, I mean,
I think that's what you really
are showing a very hard,
but
when you persevere
and when
Yeah.
...
are kind of patient with
yourself and show grace to
yourself and you really just
say, "You know what?
I'm just gonna fight it until,
until I can't any more."
Positive. Yeah.
And I think that's a really...
I think it,
it'll give hope to a lot of
other people who are
in the same place.
Put our
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
I think so.
Yeah. Definitely.
Wonderful. Yeah.
Well, it was really,
really nice speaking with you.
Thank you so much for sharing.
No problem.
No problem. Thank you.
It's our pleasure, to be fair.
Definitely.
Thank you so much.
And we're very happy that you've
created this beautiful
family and that
your dream came true,
which is what it's all
about in the end.
Oh,
definitely.
Definitely.
So, thank you so,
so much for speaking with us.
No worries.
No problem. Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah And we wish you
all the best.
Thank you.
Thank you. See you later.
Okay. Bye.