Meds for IVF

adaisybug · January 2011

Sorry to be a PW today, but we are trying to get our ducks in a row and figure out how much IVF will cost.

We have not had our IVF consult yet, but I am starting to wonder about meds. I know it is different for each person, but was curious about ballpark figures and different meds you were on. My RE did give up an IVF overview sheet, which listed some meds.

We just got our "Pharmacy Benefits" package from the insurance company, and while it says we have no "drug therapy coverage", I am guessing if the meds are listed in the benefits book, they are covered. I am just wondering what meds you were on (names) and doses.

Thanks for your help ladies. I am just trying to get all of this sorted in my mind. Tongue Tied

STL34 · January 2011

My RE ballparks meds at between $3,000 and $5,000 per cycle. Mine would have been a little higher (at least the second cycle) because he had me on HGH, but I did get a few donated meds.

For my first cycle, I took 300 ius of Gonal-F/Follistim daily (I bought Gonal-F but was given some Follistim through meds donations), I was on half a vial of HGH the first three days and then every other day during stims, I used two vials of menopur, I used a two-week kit of the generic lupron (started out on 10 ius daily but dropped down to 5 ius before starting stims), dexamethasone (I can't remember the dose, but one pill a day), I started out on estrace (2 pills a day) and then added Provera (1 pill a day) instead of doing BCPs, and an Ovidrel trigger shot. On/after ET, I started baby aspirin, Lovenox, PIO and Endometrin (1 supp 2Xs a day).

For my second cycle, I took 300 ius of Gonal-F/Follistim daily (some donated and some purchased), I was on half a vial of HGH the first three days and then every other day during stims, I used two vials of Luveris, and a bunch of Ganirelix (several days I used a half dose and some I was told to use a full dose), estrogen suppositories, dexamethasone (1 pill per day), I again started out on estrace (2 pills per day) and then added Prover (1 pill per day) instead of doing BCPs, I started Lovenox with stims this time around, and an Ovidrel trigger shot. On/after ET, I started baby aspirin, PIO and Endometrin (1 supp 2Xs a day).

I also did intralilpid infusions during each cycle.

ETA - I was able to get my insurance to cover the 2 week lupron kit (I paid a $10 copay for this), PIO (I paid $55 copy for this) and Lovenox (I paid a $30 copay for this). Also, the oral meds, dexamethasone, estrace and provera were covered under standard prescription copays. There were a couple of other things (like endometrin) listed in my insurance meds list, but I could not get coverage for it.

Mrs. Mo · January 2011

I was on Lupron ( started at 10iu a day then lowered to 5iu when I started to stimm), Gonal-F ( 75iu a night), Repronex ( 75iu a night) and also had to purchase: 2 pills of vallium ( for ET), some antibiotic powder for ER, 6 pills of doxycycline, 6 pills of a steroid, baby asperine, 10 estrogen patches and PIO ( 1 mL a night for 17 days).

My medical and drug benefits are seperate. Even though I don't have that great IF medical coverage, the drug coverage I had last year ( it changed this year Sad ) was really good. I ended up paying about $200 OOP for all the meds. Too bad my IF coverage wasn't that great but whateves.

MrsLoos · January 2011

My RE told us to plan on around $3500 for meds. I'm am very lucky and have some insurance coverage for meds, but OOP mine would have been a little higher than that, probably around $4500.

Here is a list of the drugs I needed this cycle:

Lupron 20U for 10 days and 10U for 12 days ($129 OOP from Freedom Fertility and I had to refill once)

Follistim 300IU for 3 days and 150IU for 6 days (insurance covered this so not sure what OOP would have been)

Menopur 150IU for 6 days ($90/75IU vial from Freedom Fertility)

I triggered with Pregnyl, insurance also covered this so not sure what OOP would be.

I was also on BCP's, Norethindrone, & Doxycyline but insurance covered all these 100%

Progesterone suppositories -I'll continue these through the first tri if this works!

HTH!

adaisybug · January 2011

Thanks ladies...that does give me a heads up of to what to look out for on our benefits.

I am still in shock of the lack of IF coverage on insurance, but yet they cover 100% elective abortions Angry

STL34 · January 2011

Also, if you are OOP, shop around on prices. Freedom is the best that I have found for Gonal-F, Luveris and Ovidrel (there may be a few other drugs, I just haven't used them yet). Many other pharmacies have better prices on others. The Apothecary Shop and Walgreen's Speciality Pharmacy had better prices on Follistim, Menopur, Ganirelix, PIO (this depends partly on kind), endometrin and Lupron (it would have been $99 OOP at either of the foregoing) than Freedom.

Most of the normal drugs, dexamthesone, antibiotics (I didn't list it above, but I used a Z Pak for each cycle), BCPs, estrace, provera, etc. I got at my local pharmacy.

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