What to do with old IVF stuff?

Keephope2012

I was going through my old IVF stuff today and it was really tough to look at all of it. I'm so thrilled to be pregnant but it still just reminds me of how much we had to go through to get here and how hard it was .... Anyways, I was just wondering what everyone has done with syringes, meds, ect. Left over from past IVf cycles? I have meds that I would like to see if my REs office will take as a donation but I'm not sure if they do that. I do realize we may need some stuff in the future but was also looking at expiration dates.

kz's_girlygirl

I'm keeping things until they get close to expiration and then donating them.  I have lots of meds leftover, because i stockpiled during previous cycles (for IVF/IUI nothing was covered for us, but intercourse cycles were covered, so I ordered all refills every time, and we did an intercourse cycle before IVF so I would have a 'fresh' batch.)

I am terrified to get rid of things Even though things are going well, I feel almost superstitious about getting rid of the fridge full of meds. 

My clinic doesn't take donations, but there is a message board and a FB page that the clinic runs so patients can connect with each other that way to make arrangements for individual donations. 

jezebel57

I donated my stim meds to my RE. I still have the syringes though because I don't know what on earth to do with them. I even have my sharps containers because I don't know where I can dispose . I would have loved to donate to OOP program but read on resolve website that its not legal ??

kz's_girlygirl

@jezebel57- It's not technically legal to take or dispense medicine that wasn't prescribed to you or by you, so I guess there is that. That is why my clinic doesn't take donations.  I think the main issue though is people selling prescription meds which is definitely not legal (and often leaves a paper trail). 

I could be totally wrong though.

jeannaqueena

I received and donated back to the OOP meds program, we would never have been able to afford IVF twice.  I don't think its "legal",but really the cops have way more important things to focus on. I think the MAIN thing is not to sell them, I did pay for shipping and a lot of women will ship it for free for the recipient to avoid this possible issue.  Anyway, my RE even gives donated meds away and blacks out the names on it!  Even tho its not legal.  

I received what would have cost me over $6k of follistim from a woman who's insurance covered it!  Think how crazy it would have been if she just threw it away!  This little boy wouldn't be here if some rules were fudged.  I look at it like speeding, we all do it and most of the time dont get caught!  Haha!

Jez-As for the sharps container you should ask your RE what to do with it.  I had a small container and they said to duck tape it closed and just throw it away.  I threw one away at the office b/c I had brought it in thinking they had to toss it for me.  I am sure every state is going to be a little different.  

afsalinas

I donated my meds to the OOP meds program and a personal friend. I took my sharps container to be emptied at my RE's office. I'm going to hold on to my sharps container and syringes since they don't expire and we plan on going back to our frosties for siblings. You could try taking your sharps container and/or leftover syringes to a pharmacy to dispose of.

sueann911

My RE office won't take the meds either. But, as a recipient of meds through the bumps OOP program, I can't recommend it enough. We would never have been able to afford our last injects cycle without the donation. That cycle was out BFP Cycle. Donating the meds is a very nice and very appreciated gesture.

jezebel57

i was so nervous after reading that its not legal to dispense meds to someone not prescribed to that i decided i just wasn't comfortable with shipping to someone i really didn't know.  i decided to give them back to my RE because they will give to those not covered by insurance, this is how i got my meds during our IUI's which were not covered because we had a different insurance then and were completely OOP.  i felt like i was helping other patients and also felt more comfortable with my RE being the middle man.  that being said, i completely agree that without people who donate to the OOP program, many people wouldn't be able to complete cycles.

jezebel57

kz's_girlygirl said:

I'm keeping things until they get close to expiration and then donating them.  I have lots of meds leftover, because i stockpiled during previous cycles (for IVF/IUI nothing was covered for us, but intercourse cycles were covered, so I ordered all refills every time, and we did an intercourse cycle before IVF so I would have a 'fresh' batch.)

I am terrified to get rid of things Even though things are going well, I feel almost superstitious about getting rid of the fridge full of meds. 

My clinic doesn't take donations, but there is a message board and a FB page that the clinic runs so patients can connect with each other that way to make arrangements for individual donations. 

i was nervous to get rid of mine as well and waited until 12 weeks.  the only reason i gave them up then is because i wanted them to go to someone before they expired! 

zazu13

I have both donated and received through OOP meds. I have zero guilt about it. I know that the law is there to prevent bad things from happening, but it was the difference between us being able to keep trying and not. I have a few meds left from our successful cycle that I will donate with those that I'm still taking once we are in our 2nd tri and off all meds.

After our first 3 fresh cycles, had way more syringes/gauze/alcohol swabs than I could ever need. Last summer I donated them to a friend who is a nurse and went to Guatemala on a humanitarian effort to a clinic there. She was ecstatic.

As for throwing away sharps, I have both taken them to my clinic and secured the container with duct tape and thrown them away in our regular trash. Check with your local waste managment to see if it's allowed.