May IUI

mockingjay1

That's awesome news, @Ilky! I'm so glad the cyst isn't keeping the other two from growing or making you ovulate sooner. I'm sorry it's causing you pain. 

Ilky

@kristimh80 I can't wait to hear your positive news! I'm so hoping this is the month. We haven't discussed what we are going to do if this last IUI doesnt also work, but I'm not sure about going through IVF, since its way more invasive than IUI and plus our insurance doesn't cover a dime. My current RE charges about $25-30K for it

kristimh80

@ilky Ditto!! Good vibes this month for us! Same here with insurance, they don't pay for anything of this unless its my beta test because it's not considered "fertility". We have talked about taking a cycle off or a mental break, but I always wonder "what if" that was the month! But this cycle alone was $2500 with meds and dr visits, so at times I wonder...if I had only saved that for IVF! lol But I'd prefer a less invasive route too. 

Ilky

@kristimh80 I just called my insurance and was told that the pregnancy test is covered! huh! nobody told me that and I've been paying that out of pocket. $120 per blood test. Thank you for letting me know. Now at least I can save couple hundred dollars out of thousands I have paid lol 

kristimh80

@Ilky Yay!! Anything helps! My insurance says they'll cover the "why" and "pregnancy related" stuff, but that's it. I've considered getting my own insurance that maybe would cover.

J1006

 I'm not a fan of insurance companies right now. Originally they covered my April IUI, now I need to pay OOP for it. However, they covered my follicle ultrasound and blood work. They also covered my letrozole, but not my triggger shot. Apparently they cover any fertility testing to diagnose an issue.  They will cover "treatments" for these issues, however will not cover any "direct attempts to achieve pregnancy or increase chances of achieving pregnancy."  At this point if they cover anything I'm just chalking it up as a win. 

Labluver2

We dont have ivf coverage either so we are doing 6 IUIs if Dr allows and we prob won't move onto Ivf. Our insurance pays for the monitor cycles us and bw but not the actual iui.good luck ladies praying we all get BFP's

Ilky

I heard some people travel to other states or even countries (such as Germany) to get IVF done since the procedure is so much more affordable in those places. I guess traveling costs will eventually add up, but thats an option to consider. I live in southern california and all the good doctors are uber expensive. There should be laws in place that require employers to offer this coverage. It's not fair that we are going through this disease and heartbreaks and on top of that pay thousands of dollars, which we could save for our child's future. 

kristimh80

I agree @Ilky, its not like we all asked for these issues. I think there was maybe 1 place here in Dallas that insurance would help a little with, but their reviews were horrible and scared me, so we decided it was worth paying for a good doctor. 

sunnynat2015

Hi - Hope you all don't mind if I join a little late. I just went for CD 12 testing. I need to go back in 3 days for more testing. I have 2 follies on both side but the biggest was only 11mm. Doing a letrozole and trigger cycle.

kristimh80

Welcome @lisaj99424 ! Hopefully your next scan is a good one and you can trigger soon! 

Labluver2

@kristimh80 I am thankful that pay for something. The other place I went they wouldn't cover anything it was 1300 plus 380 for the I ui out of pocket thats not including any of the meds.  I dont understand how one place can charge and another not its the same insurance. I found out about this place thru a friend who also used them and had the same insurance as me. I'm so glad BC the only thing we pay out of pocket is the I ui itself we even found out that are meds are partically covered. 

I'm just praying IUI works for us BC we just can't afford to move on to IVF. 

kristimh80

@Labluver2 I know, insurance is crazy! The only meds they'd cover was Femara because it was for breast cancer. Sucks because of course my body only responds to follistim, it couldn't like the cheap stuff so made for more appointments lol Oh well, guess in the end it's really priceless if it works  Same here, we can't afford to move directly into IVF, but considered a small loan if that's needed but really hoping it's not. 

Labluver2

@kristimh80 my insurance doesn't cover the follistim just Gonal-F so thats what we went with hopefully by body responds to it but I'll do what I need to do as you said it will priceless in the end if we get our BFP. On the Femera do you get tired. It wipes me out I have to take it at night BC it makes me very groggy. Other than that I get hot flashes but no other side effects from it and it didnt thin my lining  and seems to be working. I can't wait to see what the fsh shots do Im hoping for 3 or 4 good follies this round. Last time I had 2 

kristimh80

@Labluver2 When I took Femara, I usually took it at night, my doctor said it could cause you to be sleepy. It did give me hot flashes galore, my DH thought I was a mess! lol They say Gonal-f is just like Follistim, I didn't really have any side effects on it honestly. It was such an easy medicine to be on. FX for your follies! When do you start your injections?

JaeJayStark

Right now, I am starting to plan for IVF if this IUI doesn't work. It's looking like my meds will be Follistim and Ganirelix. This will be $6-7K out of pocket but might be cheaper with my insurance coverage. Some of the meds are more expensive WITH insurance and make more sense to go with another pharmacy OOP. I can't believe through all this stress, I have to shop around for drugs. 

kristimh80

@JaeJayStark Keeping positive vibes that this is the big month for you!!! I know, my doctor only sends me to Avella for meds, so I'm always scared of trying anyone else since usually they are always here on time and reliable. I never know to shop for extra insurance or pharmarcies. Let me know if you come across any thing.

JaeJayStark

@Kristmh80 I sure will! Thank you!

Labluver2

@kristimh80 I started the femera Tuesday so I take that for 5 days then start the injections Sunday night they want me to take at bedtime Sunday and Monday then I go in Tuesday for ultrasound and blood work. I guess then they will decide if I need to keep doing it then. 

mockingjay1

FX adding the injectables works well for you @Labluver2. 

@JaeJayStark - I really hope this is your cycle and IVF isn't needed! 

I posted in the TWW thread, but I got a BFN this morning, so I'm not holding out much hope this cycle. I will take 2 more days of my progesterone and I'm sure a period will follow a day or two after that. 

I am going to make a list of questions for my doctor for this 3rd IUI. I wonder if we should do more than just femara? We've only done femara 5mg and I get 1 follicle. I'm very nervous to have more than 2 follicles though (I worked in  NICU before we moved here and have taken care of my fair share of multiples). I also know I want closer monitoring, especially to make sure I ovulate. Our clinic isn't great, so we'll likely go out of state if we do IVF. 

Question for you guys: Does your doctor perform your IUI or does a nurse?

kristimh80

@dmo1371 FX for you!! I'd definetly ask for other things you can do. Even with a 5mg Femara & Follistim combo cycle, I'd only get 1 main follicle and maybe 1-2 small ones. On Follistim alone, I got 4, but even if you have 3-4 follicles it doesn't mean they'll all implant or do anything, just increases your chances My doctor does my IUI's, nurse only does my ultrasounds / bloodwork.

mockingjay1

Thanks for the info @kristimh80. I haven't seen my doctor since my follow up after my initial lab work and shg in March. He's wished me luck over the phone after both my IUIs, but a nurse is the one who actually does it which I thought was kind of strange. 

Labluver2

@dmo1371 def ask if there is more that you can do . last cycle I had 2 mature follies both over 20 at time of trigger. This cycle they added injectable I'm hoping it will give then a boost and I'll get 3 or 4 this time. I was told its just to increase my chances and I OK with multiples BC I would love 2 children but I'm just praying that I can have one. A nurse did my IUI which I thought was strange. 

JaeJayStark

@dmo1371, sorry to hear about the BFN. You are on 13dpiui? Any sign of AF? My nurse does my IUI. Thank you for the well wishes!

*TW*
I agree with @kristimh80 that if you have more follicles it increases your chances and it's uncommon that they all implant. I have had multiple follies each EXCEPT the time I got pregnant. Go figure. 

greenhillgirl

Good luck to everyone who is waiting for results and I'm sorry to those of you who have been disappointed this cycle. I'm going nuts waiting for my period to start so I can call my RE to start my first IUI cycle. Now I feel like waiting for AF is the new 2WW. And of course its late and I know I'm not pregnant. I've had 7 days of PMS, cramps, and bloating and it hurts to walk at work today my boobs are so sore. I just want my period to start so I can feel better. I start acupuncture tonight and that will be totally new for me. I hope the lady doesn't think I'm an idiot for coming since I haven't even started my period yet. I hope its relaxing!

mockingjay1

@JaeJayStark - I worked in the NICU before we moved here, so I think my experience with multiples makes me nervous. I definitely understand more follicles = greater chance of pregnancy. 

Yes, I am 13dpiui. No sign of AF yet, but I didn't get it last time until I stopped the progesterone. 

Hope you get AF soon @greenhillgirl.

J1006

@dmo1371 typically the nurse practitioner that works with my doctor does my ultrasounds and IUI. However this round my doctor performed the IUI since it was the NPs day off.  I know the NP is fully trained, however I just have a better feeling knowing my doctor was the one who did it this time. 

kristimh80

@greenhillgirl Welcome and best of luck to you!! Hopefully AF shows soon and you can be on your way with your new IUI journey

Labluver2

Yesterday my husband calls me and said that the insurance messed up my meds. They told him they were covered if we did mail order so the Dr called got them approved and they were to call us yesterday for us to pay for the script and we would have it Sat. They call him yesterday told my husband it wasn't covered and it was 1200. My husband calls the insurance and they said its covered if you use the mail order thru us. They never told him that. So after 2 hours of screaming at them and lots of un needed stress he got them to cover it and it was like 80 for the gonal-f and ovidrel. We would have paid it if it wasn't covered but seriously thats a big difference. This process would be so much less stressful if we didn't have to deal with the insurance company's. 

Bababatty

@Ilky I'm so glad the cyst isn't stopping your cycle.  Good luck with your IUIs today and tomorrow!

@LisaJ99424 Welcome!

@dmo1371 I'm so sorry about the BFN!  To chime in and answer your question, only the REs do the IUIs in my practice.  It's a large practice so the RE doing my IUI has never been my primary RE.  I think it depends who's on duty any given day.

@greenhillgirl FX AF shows her face soon!  

@Labluver2 Wow.  That sounds so stressful!  How did that even happen?  You'd think the insurance would know if they were covering it or not, rather than giving different answers every time you call.  So frustrating!  I also find it frustrating to insist you order through their mail-order pharmacy.  Personally I prefer in-person pharmacies for so many reasons, not the least of which is I'm guaranteed my medication will not get lost in the mail, haha.  I'm glad it got straightened out and you were not charged $1200!

AFM 10DPIUI and I started spotting today.  Not entirely unexpected given that I actually ovulated the day before my IUI but I did hope for some kind of miracle.  DH is still holding out hope that it's not AF, but I feel the way I normally do before AF so I'm pretty sure.  I have an appointment with my RE on Wednesday to discuss next steps, but I guess I'll be starting IUI #6--our last one--before then.  

JaeJayStark

Ugh! @Labluver2 I am sorry about that stress! So unnecessary! 

AFM POAS today but neg. It's 10dpiui. Starting to get bummed but hopefully I'll see something soon. DH was being a jerk about it. I thought I saw something and he was snotty back to me about how he didn't know how I could see anything. I told him that his tone was not kind. Then, later, I was all excited that my sweater perfectly matched my shirt. I asked him to look at my sweater and he said I looked like a grandma. I said, "you are awful today!" He said, "you call me old all the time and then when I saw it you get all offended." UGH, why can't he tell when I am feeling sensitive and not a time to joke?

Now my direct report is cussing and calling coworkers effing stupid and how she is tired of the BS. I can't take it! 

JaeJayStark

Annnd DH just texted to apologize. Whew. I feel so much better. 

kristimh80

@Labluver2 @JaeJayStark So sorry you girls have had to endure such unneeded street today!!! @JaeJayStarkeven 10dpo is still very early, so don't get try not to stress to much over it. I POAS stick this morning too, but just a opk and it was positive. Only 7dpiui so I don't trust anything yet. My HCG internet cheapies are crap, a couple days after trigger I tested it and it barely had a 2nd line and I knew HCG was in there from the trigger. Any of you use any cheap ones that are sensitive?

Labluver2

@JaeJayStark ugh husbands lol dont they know what its like emotionally and how sensitive we are. Hello we are on hormone meds I can be Happy one min, crying the next or want to punch someone in the face. I tell him all the time proceed with caution. 

ramzlau

Hey ladies, I have just been lurking and love titting since we weren't medicating first have of the cycle, but I am here cheering you on! 

@kristimh80 I did some research a while back and found a website that showed the tests that picked up the lowest amount of hcg (many of the digitals need more to get a positive). I don't know if I can find the link again, but I remember the CVS cheapies and the Dollar Tree cheapies ranked as the best for the lowest hcg levels. 

@labluver2 and @JaeJayStark the whole process is so stressful, I feel like you should be able to go on vacation the whole process just to avoid stress. Hope your Fridays and long weekends are refreshing! 

@bababatty Sorry about the spotting, it is hard having that when you are going through the process. Are you on progesterone? 

kristimh80

@ramzlau I'll google it! I'm shocked I haven't done that already lol

JaeJayStark

@kristimh80 thanks for saying it's early. I want to think that too! I really only use FRERs now. I feel like it's the most sensitive. That's crazy that it didn't even work well after the trigger?

@Labluver2, yeah I need to tell him to tread lightly. It will only get worse with IVF meds! 

J1006

@kristimh80 I use AccuMed cheapies from Amazon and they are great! I got 25 for $6. My doctor said if I test early and she's knows I will go only use the cheap ones. Not to use a FRER until 14 dpiui so I know for sure that's it's not picking up the trigger shot. 

kristimh80

@JaeJayStark I'm going to try the FRER when a little farther along if OPK's stay positive.

@J1006 I'll check those out! I just bought some more in a different brand since am almost out of opk's and they could be here by tomorrow. I'd wait 14 days, but that's my beta day so wouldn't matter. I like to be prepared before it if possible Up to me though, I'd skip the beta, figure by then I'd know, but DH would make be do them lol

Bababatty

Thanks, @ramzlau. I am on progesterone and my progesterone test came back normal earlier this week. However, I missed a couple of days because I'm bad and forgot--although my RE only gave it to me because I pestered him, so who knows.

I saw on June that you're doing your IUI next week. Exciting!! FX!