First Step to Taiwan IVF (Part 4) : Activities after the Consultation

continued from...  First Step to Taiwan IVF (Part 3) : The Consultation

After my consultation with Dr. Robert Lee Kuo-Kuang, Ms. Tsai led us to the adjacent room to check if we understood what Dr. Lee has just said and to answer questions that we may still have.  She handed me papers I need to present for Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) blood test, hubby’s Semenanalysis and claim of Gynera from the Pharmacy.  I was also handed my bill.

Since there is a cashier at the second floor near the walkalator going down the ground floor, I opted to pay my bill first so I need not come up again.  My total bill was NT$3,432.00 which to our surprise is not expensive.  This is about P5,388.24.  Breakdown of my bill is as follows:

		NT$	Php
Registration		150.00	235.50
Doctor's Fee		263.00	412.91
Medicine (pills)		120.00	188.40
Ultrasound		567.00	890.19
Basic examination		74.00	116.18
Semenalysis		1,365.00	2,143.05
AMH		840.00	1,318.80
Pharmacy Service		53.00	83.21
		-----------	-------------

Total

3,432.00

5,388.24

After paying we proceeded to the ground floor for the blood test.  Though there was a queue in the Blood Extraction Section, they are very efficient and the wait was not long.  Next, we proceeded to the Pharmacy, presented the paper to claim and it was already ready, neatly put inside a paper pouch.  

Overall, my “First Step to Taiwan IVF” experience is not bad.  I have a very good impression of Mackay Memorial Hospital as well as KT Star Service Apartment.  The hospital is very efficient, no long wait for the procedures!  The service apartment feels like a home in a hotel!   With this, I am so looking forward to my workup.  After all, successful or not, my one month stay in Taiwan will be my longest vacation ever.

For detailed blog about each activity after the consultation with Dr. Robert Lee Kuo-Kuang you may click on the following blogs by Deborah:

IVF Consultation Part 3 : Infertility Treatment Consent Form
IVF Consultation Part 4 : Blood Test
IVF Consultation Part 6 : Getting the Medicine
IVF Consultation Part 7 : Payment

First Step to Taiwan IVF (Part 3) : The Consultation with with Dr. Robert Lee Kuo- Kuang

continued from...  First Step to Taiwan IVF (Part 2) : Medical History Interview

After a quick lunch, we returned to Mackay Memorial Hospital’s Second Floor where Dr. Robert Lee Kuo-Kuang holds clinic.  A list of the day’s patients’ names is posted outside his door so you will know more or less when your turn is going to be.  I was called in after more than an hour wait.  My companion has to stay outside first. 

Inside the clinic of Dr. Lee I was met by Ms. Tsai again.  She asked me some more questions regarding my previous workup like which medicines have I used.  She showed me a board containing all the medicines being used in pregnancy workup.  I tried to point, as far as I can remember, the medicines I have used.

Again, I have to wait for a couple of patients to finish their consultation before it was my turn with Dr. Lee.  My mom was called in then.  Ms. Tsai gave Dr. Lee her notes on my earlier interview.  She also handed Dr. Lee the film of my HSG and Dr. Lee examined it.

Dr. Lee speaks fluent English hence uses the language during our discussion.  

Dr. Lee explained that since I have had a successful IVF pregnancy before, it would likely be easy for me to get pregnant again.  However due to my age, which was 40, he will be doing Assisted Hatching (AH).  He slightly explained in layman’s term what Assisted Hatching is.  As explained, this procedure involves the opening of the embryo’s shell by making the outer layer crooked.  This helps implantation of the embryos into the uterus thus increasing the chances of successful IVF.

Dr. Lee asked me to take the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test, which is a blood test to determine ovarian follicle reserve.  By the way, it takes 2 weeks to get the result of AMH hence you will receive an email from Ms.Vanessa Lin on your result via email.  Aside from this, Dr. Lee also requested me to have an ultrasound of my uterus and ovary.

I went to the Ultrasound Room located at the same area at the far end of the Doctors’ Clinics Section.  There was no queue hence it was immediately my turn.  After the procedure, I was asked to wait outside for the result.  In a few minutes I was handed the result.  I went back to Dr. Lee’s clinic, handed it to her nurse and waited outside to be called again.

When I returned to Dr. Lee’s clinic, I was asked to lie down, as Dr. Lee needs to do basic examination.  He also measured, at the same time, how deep my uterus is from my vagina.  This measurement will be used as his guide during embryo transfer.

Pending my AMH result, he explained that I would likely follow protocol 3.  Well, he was almost sure, as he didn’t give me any other instruction in case my AMH is not less than 1.5 ng/mL.  

Dr. Lee instructed me to start taking birth control pills on the 5^th day of the cycle before actual IVF month for 21 days.  He asked if I want to take the medicine home or to just purchase it in Manila.  I said it is all right to take it from their pharmacy thus prescribed to me Gynera.   My next cycle's period should come one or two days after the last pill.  With this, I can book my flight to Taiwan a month before the IVF cycle.  Dr. Lee also gave me an idea more or less when my husband should be there on the IVF cycle.  Hubby also needs to do semen analysis before the actual IVF procedure.

To be continued… First Step to Taiwan IVF (Part 4) : Activities after the Consultation

To read more about the consultation, you may refer to this blog by Deborah : IVF Consultation Part 2 : Consultation with Dr. Robert Lee Kuo-Kuang

KT Star Service Apartment

KT Star is located at Nong An St. (農安街) (B) a kilometer away from the hospital.  Although you can take the bus at NT$15, the ride will be too short so it is better to just walk.  The building is very accessible to the food street Shuang Cheng St. (雙城街) (D). Please refer to the map below to see where the location of KT Star is from Mackay Memorial Hospital.

Mackay Memorial Hospital Vicinity Map 

We met with an agent and he showed us the different room sizes such as 16 ping, 25 ping and 35 ping.  Ping is equivalent to a square foot.  All rooms has a small kitchen and has a washing machine with dryer.  Kitchen appliances and utensils such as refrigerator, electric kettle, pots and pans are provided.  

KT Star is accredited by Mackay Memorial Hospital hence they give special rates to patients of Mackay.  Also, rates given are for minimum stay of 21 days exclusive of water and electricity bill.  Do not worry about the cost of the utilities as it is far cheaper than in Manila.   The building is relatively new, from the lobby to the rooms they all look new, modern and nicely interior designed.  All rooms including the lobby has wifi internet access 24/7!

16 ping is a studio unit with 1 bathroom.  This costs NT$1,100/day.  The room that was showed to us is the same room I stayed in when I went back.

25 ping is a 2 bedroom unit with 1 bathroom.  The bedrooms are one big and one small with a queen size bed and a single bed respectively.  This unit costs NT$2,200/day, double that of a 16 ping.

35 ping is a 2 bedroom unit also with 1 bathroom.  The difference with a 25 ping unit is that the rooms are 2 big rooms that has a queen size bed in each room.  The unit costs NT$2,600/day.

For a month's stay you are entitled to free room clean up of up to four (4) times, hence you divide the number of days you are staying by five (5) so your room gets cleaned up every six (6) days.  Clean up includes cleaning of floor, changing sheets, refill of body wash, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste.  In between the 6 days general cleaning, you may clean the room on your own, you need not buy cleaning materials as you can ask the admin for broom and dust pan.  

There are common areas that you and your staying in companion can use for free such as the swimming pool at the roof deck and gym.  There is a videoke room for rent.

It is a very pleasant place to stay.  Feels like a hotel yet feels like a home or it is like a home in a hotel.