IVF consult set

katib77 · June 2013

So my RE's office can't get me in for a consult with my RE until July 29th which is kind of OK with me since we said we'd want to do IVF in Sept or October but I'm curious for those that moved on to IVF what additional testing or things you had to do before moving on? How many of you had to have a saline u/s (I forget what it's called SHG?). Did all of you have a mock transfer done? Anything else?

I am supposed to be getting a initial consult call from my nurse today so I'll find out a little more, but would love to have an idea of what to check on. My HSG was done summer of 2010 when we hit the one year mark so now that's 3 years old, but we've had infectious diseases testing done a second time last fall since they need those to be 18 months or newer. We're a month away from our fourth TTC anniversary that will be falling on the day of the consult. Ugh. Wish I could just fast forward to the ER date!

twistsandturnsto2 · June 2013

Congrats on getting the ball rolling, I wish none of us had to, but I hope this goes very well for you!

As for testing before my cycle, I had a hysteroscopy about 6 months prior to IVF, so I didn't need that or a saline sono before beginning my cycle. The only thing I did do was get a flu shot and an HIV test. And maybe a new CD3 bw, but I'm not sure. That being said almost all my IF testing was within a year or so of my IVF cycle so that could have been a factor.

As far as mock transfers, some docs don't do them, I had it on my paperwork and they never did it. I don't have any cervical issues either and had done IUIs with them, so maybe they didn't feel it was needed in my case. The cath is very similar to the IUI cath so if you do have to do it, it's usually no biggie and I've seen some ladies say that it gets done at one of the routine appts. HTH!!!

ETA: I wouldn't think a new HSG would be required since IVF bypasses all of that.

mfarmer0811 · June 2013

Hi there!! I'm glad you are getting the ball rolling for IVF! Once you start everything, it really goes by pretty quickly, you just have to take it one day at a time.

I went straight from and HSG, to a LAP, to IVF, so I don't know if your RE will want a repeat of HSG or not. They may since it's been over 3 years. Are you seeing a new RE? If so, I would be prepared to have a lot of the testing done again, but this is just my thinking, I don't know for sure.

I had a mock transfer at my baseline appointment before I started stims. It was very simple, she just wanted to measure my cervix to my uterus.

Good luck with everything!!

katib77 · June 2013

mfarmer0811:
I went straight from and HSG, to a LAP, to IVF, so I don't know if your RE will want a repeat of HSG or not. They may since it's been over 3 years. Are you seeing a new RE? If so, I would be prepared to have a lot of the testing done again, but this is just my thinking, I don't know for sure.
I had a mock transfer at my baseline appointment before I started stims. It was very simple, she just wanted to measure my cervix to my uterus.
Good luck with everything!!

I've been with the same REs office, just because we were originally OOP everything was spread out with several 8 month treatment breaks (see siggy). But thank you for explaining what they did for mock transfer because I never really knew what people meant by that. Since I've had five IUIs now, I've got no problem with them just sticking a cath up my cootch for measurement. I always thought a mock transfer was more involved.

katib77 · June 2013

Wow. Nurse called sooner than I expected! She said that since DH has not had a full S/A since March 2012 (just IUIs since then and those don't have morph) that he'll need to do another in July or August. No prob.

And that I will need to have a saline sono (That will be scheduled after next AF to be done cd5-10) as well as have AMH test redone since it's been a few years now since they did that one. (Some reason I thought this was drawn at each of my baselines, but she said that no they only did it when I did first initial testing...interesting. Can't wait to see what it is now that I'm AMA. Damn durning 35!). She said mock transfer can be done at any of the monitoring once we get started, most likely on cd3 of the cycle.

And she gave me the number for finances. Called her and she said that they'll give me an amount once the doctor gives me "the plan" but that money left over from what insurance will cover will need to be paid up front. Yeah, thanks - that I knew that. Since our IF coverage is only $3,500 for procedures and $3,500 for meds I asked for a guestimate of cost. She said "$6,000-$7,000" even after the insurance negotiated rates. I thought it'd be more around $4,000-$5,000. Oh well! FX that "the plan" will only be $6,000 and coverage takes care of $3,500 leaving $2,500 for us. Our HSA by Sept. 1st will have $1875 left (it gains $125 per pay check) which leaves $625 of us truly OOP. That we can swing. If the cycle does start even later say after Sept 15 or Oct 1st then that cost just goes down. I did forget to ask if that cost includes the meds, because please - we all know that's almost half the cost. If it's more like $7,000 initial cost we may need to borrow from DH's parents a thousand bucks that we'll be able to pay back within a few months. All I can say is thank god after three long years of being OOP that we have this small amount of coverage.

niffie · June 2013

Yay Kati! It sounds weird to be excited that you are having to do an IVF consult, but I'm glad that you are able to move forward. We had our consult last month, and I'm starting my long lupron protocol tomorrow morning.

My RE requires a sonohysterogram (just the saline one, not the dye and xray one) within one year of IVF, mine was over a year ago, so I had to repeat that last month. At that same visit while they had the speculum in, they did a trial transfer. Basically just stuck the tube up there and watched on ultrasound so that they would be certain that it would go where it needs to go, and easily. I'm glad they did it though, because they have some short ones that the doctor had previously requested they throw away due to them not reaching where they needed to reach, and someone dropped the ball. So, there I was, speculum in place hanging out with my doc while the nurse frantically searched other rooms for the normal size caths... He was none to happy, and I just imagined my embryos being loaded into a catheter that wasn't going to work the best. I would have been furious.

We also had to have our infectious disease panel done. And, if we chose not to do ICSI, DH would have had to do another SA to test for binding proteins and a bunch of other stuff. But we opted out of paying 500 bucks for that testing, and into paying 1,500 for the ICSI.

But that's pretty much it. I hope it all goes smoothly for you. Good luck!

herecomesthesun · June 2013

I have no advice yet but I'm glad you asked because we may be where you are in late August. Good luck, Katib, I hope this is it for you!

rox825 · June 2013

No IVF experience or feedback, just wanted to say how great that you have some coverage, every little bit helps I'm sure! Good luck with your consult.

Twinkie0612 · June 2013

The only thing I had to do was some blood work LH since they didn't have that on file and infectious disease panel. DH also needed an infectious disease panel. I am also scheduled for a hysteroscopy. If it had been a year, I would have needed to repeat CD 3 blood work, but we still have a few months for that.

monimu13 · June 2013

Everyone has pretty much covered it all, just wanted to say good luck with the consult!

lin681 · June 2013

Congrats on your next step!! I start injects for my ivf cycle tomorrow!!
I had to have b/w done for infectious disease. Both DH amd I had to have it done. DH had to do a repeat SA since it was longer than a year since his last.
I had to do a trial transfer along w a sonohysterography. A consult and tons of paperwork!!
GL!!
1 other thing an up to date pap is necessary my RE says within 2 yrs.

rrdiva1 · June 2013

Yaay for moving forward sweetie!

They will do a saline sonogram since tubes aren't needed, they want to make sure no adhesions etc, some clinics will have you do genetic right off bat, or after a few failed. Killer cell, loss panel,clotting etc. Mock transfer etc.

whoberry · June 2013

Congrats on taking the plunge and moving towards IVF. It can be intimidating at first but also very exciting!!

FWIW I think some health savings accounts will let you take more money out than what you have in them. I believe my work account lets me do that, because they will still be getting the money back as they deduct it from my paycheck for the rest of the year. Also I've had two saline sonos (SHGs) and found them both to be pretty uncomfortable. I didn't take any meds and they were over pretty quickly but I just wanted you to be prepared. The first one I had happened unexpectedly while I was in for a monitoring appt. (he saw a polyp on u/s). I didn't even know what a shg was so I was a little surprised that it hurt.

Good luck with everything!

IVF consult set

Re: IVF consult set

IF, 5 losses, 1 son, 1 on the way.

Choose Another Board

Search Boards