Beta # 3 (I think my RE is trying to kill me)

MelleTX

So, even though Beta #2 was almost a perfect doubling of Beta #1, my RE still wanted me to come back today for another one. Today's Beta was 187. That's a doubling time of 34 hours - good job Melle!

To recap: Beta 1 = 58, Beta 2 = 114, Beta 3 = 187 

However, he wants me to come back Monday for another Beta. Seriously, my veins are shot. It takes a minimum of 3 sticks to find a place to get blood and I am covered in bruises.  

I am really trying not to complain. But this will be $600 in blood tests alone. When I asked why another one on Monday or why we didn't skip today and go back on Monday, the nurse said my RE just wants to make sure it keeps rising.

I know the numbers are on the low-ish side, but they are perfectly normal for being now 10dp5dt.

Plus I have an ultrasound at 5 weeks to check for the gestational sac and another at 6 weeks to check for a heartbeat - each at $375 a pop. These two weeks are going to cost me about half of what my entire pregnancy will be with my OB.

Arghhh. Sorry. I will stop complaining now.  He's my RE and I trust him, but I'm going broke!

 

maggie2324

Great news! I thought the general school of thought was once your beta hits 1000, you don't need any more. It doesn't make sense to do so many betas so often though.

But that is crap about the cost. I would be furious and look for alternatives. Is there a reason insurance isn't helping you with these costs?

DoublePortion

Hmm if your OB ordered the test would it be covered by insurance? Maybe the RE can have the OB do the beta.

MelleTX

maggie2324:

But that is crap about the cost. I would be furious and look for alternatives. Is there a reason insurance isn't helping you with these costs?

I live in Texas. I am self-employed and have private health insurance. Because Texas is not a mandate state, insurance carriers do not offer prenatal coverage unless you are part of a group plan.  I will be 100% OOP for prenatal care and delivery. Sucks.

And of course, I make way too much money to qualify for Medicaid. There really are no options for middle-income pregnant women.  

rosemary&thyme

When did you have your betas?

DoublePortion

Ugh, PHI sucks so bad! My mom has it and has to be knocking on deaths door before she'll use it. 

mnj05

MelleTX:

maggie2324:

But that is crap about the cost. I would be furious and look for alternatives. Is there a reason insurance isn't helping you with these costs?

I live in Texas. I am self-employed and have private health insurance. Because Texas is not a mandate state, insurance carriers do not offer prenatal coverage unless you are part of a group plan.  I will be 100% OOP for prenatal care and delivery. Sucks.

And of course, I make way too much money to qualify for Medicaid. There really are no options for middle-income pregnant women.  

And most groups won't take it anyway because most of their employees won't use it. I live in Texas too and have checked everything, but still OOP!

Sorry about the money, it does suck, but yay for good numbers!!

MelleTX

Yes, when I worked for corporate giant from hell, I worked 80 hours per week, made an average salary but had fantastic health care. 

Now, I work for myself, 30 hours per week for a fantastic salary and crappy private health insurance with no prenatal coverage and a $5000 deductible.

Because I have an open unemployment claim from 2011 with benefits still left, I might be able to game the system and qualify for medicaid, but I need to do more research on it.

Don't get me wrong, I am prepared to pay OOP for pregnancy and delivery (about $6-8k)- otherwise I wouldn't have done IVF. It just sucks sometimes.  

solarflare

Definitely call LabCorp or someplace similar and check their price. My RE gives me their Lab wholesale price on bloodwork since I am OOP, but I have compared prices with LabCorp before and they are not bad. An HCG test might be much cheaper and they would just fax in the results to your RE. I am all about any type of savings for us OOP girls.

maggie2324

Hopefully you don't get a bill for 1 million dollars then.

 https://news.yahoo.com/australian-couple-1-million-hospital-bill-baby-born-080702717.html

I had no idea prenatal care was not standard. I'm so grateful for that coverage now! 

maryoosa

MelleTX:

maggie2324:

But that is crap about the cost. I would be furious and look for alternatives. Is there a reason insurance isn't helping you with these costs?

I live in Texas. I am self-employed and have private health insurance. Because Texas is not a mandate state, insurance carriers do not offer prenatal coverage unless you are part of a group plan.  I will be 100% OOP for prenatal care and delivery. Sucks.

And of course, I make way too much money to qualify for Medicaid. There really are no options for middle-income pregnant women.  

 

 

And yet we think a more socialized health care system would be damaging.  I'm so sorry this is costing you so much.  

MrsNukem

I'm sorry you are going broke from all these tests!  But yay for fantastic betas!

versace1008

my betas werent doubling so I had to go every two days for 2 weeks for a blood test, its draining, and my poor vein, then to top it off you got to pay for it, double whammy! triple whammy for me bec I had a loss so then I had to keep going back until the betas went negative! UGHH!

 

chels38026

MrsNukem:

I'm sorry you are going broke from all these tests!  But yay for fantastic betas!

Ditto to this!

farmerlynda

************ticker warning*****************

 

 

 

I'm going to go against the grain here...  I'm sorry but I think that's ridiculous, especially since you're OOP both for this and your pregnancy!  I wouldn't stop with the nurse's answer, and would ask to speak directly to the RE.  You deserve an explanation directly from the doctor for the extra monitoring. 

This is your money, and you are the consumer of services...  And since you've seen a lot of IVF cycles on here and know that this is above and beyond the standard of care, you have every right to question it and ask for an explanation.  Does he suspect ectopic?  Is there a reason to?  That's the only reason I can think of for 4 betas and 2 u/s.

You can also decide to decline the u/s; I did, postponing it to my OB, and the sky didn't fall down or anything.  If he's concerned about ectopic, then the first u/s should be sufficient to make sure the sac is within the uterus.  I'm not suggesting you decline; I'm not a doctor and obviously have no right to be giving you medical advice.  I'm just pointing out it's always an option, and encouraging you to talk directly to your doctor if you're frustrated about the cost of the monitoring

MelleTX

I decided when I go in on Monday I am going to ask again about the reasoning for the 4th Beta and see if I can decline it. It's more that my veins are shot than the money although the money is a big factor. 

As for the US, I am going to decline the 5 week ultrasound and ask for 1 at 6 weeks when it is more likely to see a heartbeat.  

Truthfully I think they are just used to women having health insurance that covers all this. And if I did, I would probably appreciate all the extra attention.  

kaf7

I live in Canada so fortunately don't have to deal with alot of what you are going through. However, I agree that it is ultimately your choice to do the test on that day or not. I know that we put our trust in our RE's and their decisions, but it is perfectly reasonable to question this step and to explain your reasons and come up with an alternative. You're right that they probably aren't thinking about the physical or financial cost to  you. Also, they can't force you to have the beta - if they do it constitutes battery (at least in Canada it does). Ideally though for your therapeutic relationship moving forward you would come to an arrangement with your RE and clinic rather than just not showing up.

lhcooper

 

*****TICKER WARNING********

 

 

Melle, great news on rising betas! But, I agree with some of the PP's, this amount of monitoring when you are OOP is ridiculous.  In fact I would suggest deferring the first u/s to 7 weeks, when you should definitely see a heartbeat -- at 6 weeks it can be 50-50, and so potentially you'll have to have another one and be worried on top of that. I specifically delayed my 1st u/s for this very reason (also OOP).