OOP for Injects - pricing?

jszy10

Hey ladies!!  

I was curious if those of you that are OOP could share with me how much you spend for your injects? 

I know that injects will be our next step, and my insurance doesn't cover them, so I'm just trying to get  handle on what its going to set us back.

I applied for 2 discount programs, and was accepted into one that gives me 50% off (still waiting to hear from the 2nd), so I'm super excited about that!!  I know that every pharmacy is different, but this will at least give me a range of what to expect.

Thanks so much!

lilasalle

I have a friend who has gone through the injection sessions, and we had discussed it. I know that her and her husband spent around $1500 to $1725 for one month (this included ultrasounds, blood tests, injections, etc.) I'm not sure if this is the average price or not, but I figured it would give you an idea!

Good Luck!

ky29

I've done Follistim + triggers.  The follistim is about $250ish for a 300iu vial.  The trigger is about $120.  They call in the order to a pharmacy in Cali, and then they ship it to me.  I've heard that getting drugs from a local pharmacy can be crazy expensive.

jszy10

Thanks Ladies!

For the program I was approved for, I have to use specific approved pharmacies...so I guess I will compare those prices to the site you mentioned (freedom).  I'd be worried about getting my meds in time if they are being shipped!?  How long does it take?  Is the process of ordering easy?

ky29

Like Naria said, they do overnight shipping.  So the day my dr calls in the order, the pharmacy confirms with me that night, and it arrives as early as the next day!

jszy10

@nariadreaming -- I was approved for DesignRx First Steps Program (50% off Follistim, Ganirelix and Pregnyl prescriptions) AND the EMD Serono Compassionate Care Program (50% Gonal-F, Cetrotide, and Ovidrel).

Good to know about the pharmacy in NJ...Rosemont Pharmacy is the one my RE suggests (they are 5 minutes from my RE's office).  I could always call and compare prices right!?

jszy10

Awesome, thanks @ky29 -- good to know!

jszy10

Thanks SO much ladies!!  @nariadreaming, I appreciate the insight!!

I am SO scared about the idea of self-injecting...so this is going to be a big step for me \.  DH is scared to death of needles, so there's no way he'll be helping lol

rox825

@jszy10 You can ask your dr for a script for topical lidocaine/generic emla cream. It will numb the skin to at least take the pain fear out of the equation, and it helped me a lot the first few times that I had to inject before I got the hang of it.

jaytee16

I'm in Canada so I don't know how the prices compare.  I was on Lupron which ran me $250 BUT lasted me two cycles.  My stim was Puregon and that's costing me $770 for a 600iu vial.  I managed to use just one vial one cycle, but the second cycle I had to buy a half vial on top of that, which was $385.  My trigger shots cost $100.  

I was terrified of doing injects but it honestly was not that bad.  I just tried to keep reminding myself why I'm doing this.  Don't hesitate, and try not to think too long, the anticipation is the worst, just get it ready and go!  Good luck!

Pintobean39

How do you appt for these discounts?

I'm on Gonal f. I start injections for my second cycle Monday. I spent all morning figuring out cost since we are OPP too. I use freedom and the Gonal is approx $1 per IU regardless of which size you get. I figured out your best deal is to buy the 300iu pens because you get more overfill. I have 150 iu extra from last cycle that was overfill. I will be placing an order Monday to start off and I figured it will cost me about 1k but I have 400 iu of Gonal already. I'm also starting off on 125 iu a day and I'm guess I'm going to have 9 days of injections so I may need to only order 1 more pen at $300.

ETA: I wasn't finished posted early.

So all and all 1 cycle not counting what meds I have between Gonal, garanelix, trigger and progesterone cost me about $1600 per cycle just for the meds.

jszy10

Thanks for the suggestion @rox825!  I may even actually have a tube of lidocaine from a back issue I had awhile back!  Good idea!!

I watched a video on youtube where a chick was doing her first injection...and she literally tried like 100 times before she finally stuck it in.  It took her like 10 minutes lol.  I feel like that will be me!

jszy10

Pintobean39 -- I didn't even notice your question at first!!

My RE's office told me about them, but there is also information on their website about the programs.

Here in the link to information about the 2 programs I applied for -- https://www.mainlinefertility.com/financial-information/reduced-drug-program/

jszy10

calindi

Hey, everyone is different!  There is a reason why some people love working in the medical field and some people never could...I never could!

Pintobean39

@jszy10 personally I was terrified of the shots. The Gonal didn't hurt at all, I barely felt it. I make my husband give them to me because he's a MD and I just don't want to. The shot that hurts like a MF was that Ganirelix, my husband apologized the whole time he was trying to give it to me.

I'm NOT a medical person and it freaks me out but I can say I had to take shots for years for my Ménière's a couple days a week and I eventually just started doing it myself. They were in my legs, the fertility shots in my stomach are much better. I agree with @calindi it's what they do to you that's much worse than the injection itself.

rox825

jszy10 said:

Thanks for the suggestion @rox825!  I may even actually have a tube of lidocaine from a back issue I had awhile back!  Good idea!!

I watched a video on youtube where a chick was doing her first injection...and she literally tried like 100 times before she finally stuck it in.  It took her like 10 minutes lol.  I feel like that will be me!

That was me the first time too, then I felt like I was going to throw up after I did it, lol.  It got better

Twinkie0612

NariaDreaming said:

jszy10 said:

Thanks Ladies!

For the program I was approved for, I have to use specific approved pharmacies...so I guess I will compare those prices to the site you mentioned (freedom).  I'd be worried about getting my meds in time if they are being shipped!?  How long does it take?  Is the process of ordering easy?

Are you using DesignRX First Steps? If so Alexander Twin Pharmacy in NJ has the best prices I've found with the program. 

They ship Fedex Overnight. I've never had issues getting my meds in time- even when we had to re-order TWICE mid-cycle. 

This.  I did some price shopping and Alexander Twin had the best OOP prices on follistim and they are DesignRX pharmacy.  I had a First Steps discount for IVF #3 and had no issue using them.

jszy10

Thanks SO much ladies!!!!