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11-29-2012 at 10:03 PM
TrixieGirl...
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TrixieGirl82 is not online. Last active: 06-14-2013, 9:47 PMNewbie

Meds

OMG!!! Found out today that my out of pocket cost for my IVF meds will be $5,756  Whats normal for others that have to pay oop?  They told me the follistim on its own is 3,500! Still in shock I was expecting about $3,000 total.  Baseline ultrasound and bloodwork tomorrow.  Prayers please-this will be our only shot, we wont be able to afford another round :(  And to top it off my husbands insurance rep says "well don't you already have a child?"  My husband has a child from his previous marriage-I love him as though he were my own-but I still want to have a child-in addition that is really none of her f%*^ing buisness.  What a day! Thinking about all of my other IVF and FET buddies-wishing everyone the best of luck. Goodnight!

TTC naturally since Nov 2010. Diagnosed with PCOS in June of 2012 Started seeing a RE June 2012 HSG showed a block left tube Hubby's SA showed a slightly low count everything else ok Three rounds of Clomid/IUI-all three rounds IUI were cancelled because follicles never matured. Starting injections for IVF Dec. 1st. Praying for the Christmas gift of a lifetime!!! 11/30 Baseline U/S and bloodwork-everything looks great! 12/1 Start Stims 12/11 ER 16R 7M 7F 12/16 ET 12/26 Beta #1 364 12/28 Beta #2 758 12/31 Beta #3 2249 12/31 Ultrasound showed...TWINS!!!!!! 2/4 Ultrasound showed one baby with HR of 174 and one angel baby. We are heartbroken. It's a girl! Due Sept. 4th  BabyFruit Ticker  
11-29-2012 at 10:05 PM
WindyCity3...
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WindyCity33 is online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 7:25 PMBronze

We're fortunate that a large chuunk of our meds were covered by insurance (since we hit our very high deductible early in the year). When meds were delievered they came with a receipt that showed retail price without insurance and it was somewhere in the $5k range.

 

ETA: There are various places to go and find some meds cheaper. My brain is mush right now and I can't think of any of the sites but they're out there. I have a friend who ordered from Europe and was able to save quite a bit on injectibles. Might be worth the investigation.


The Best Darn BLOG on the bump...I kid, but seriously!
Unmedicated and medicated IUI's: all fail IVF #1: Dec 2012 26r/16m/15f 12/9: 5dt of 2 beautiful blasts and 5 frosties TWINS! 3/9: 15w4d Baby A PProm 3/9-3/22: Hoping and Praying like never before. Bedrest and pure hell 3/22: Baby A cord prolapse 3/25: 2 baby boys born sleeping Currently: Doing my best to pick up the pieces and find hope.
http://i49.tinypic.com/16hthtv.png
< img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/263g0ex.jpg"/ > 
11-29-2012 at 10:14 PM
Laurakat81
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Louisiana
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Laurakat81 is not online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 1:51 PMGold
Mine was about $4k for 10 vials of Menopur (was told I'd need 8, had to buy in groups of 5 and only used 4) and 1800 units of Gonal-F, plus the Lupron, dexamethasone, 4 progesterone vials, e2v/progesterone supps and the hCG trigger.
11-29-2012 at 10:27 PM
Crystal120...
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Crystal120410 is not online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 6:23 PMBronze
My initial order for IVF was 6k then a week later I had to refill my injectables for another 4k. Yes I am 100 percent out of pocket.

Married 9-10-11
Together 6 years before marriage
Me 26 DH 28
TTC since 9/2011
Dx endo 2007 Sx laparoscopy
End bcp 9/2011
Dx annovulatory, DOR, Low AMH
Hysteroscopy due to polyp 2-1-12
IUI#1-3 Cancelled due to low response
IUI#4 BFFN
IVF#1 8/30 Beta#1 256, 8/31 Beta#2 482 BFP!! M/C 5w3d
FET#1 Cancelled due to uterine fluid and thin lining
FET#1.2Cancelled due to abnormal bleeding
Hysteroscopy 12/28/12 All clear
FET#1.3 2/2013 Cancelled
FET #1.4 3/19 BFFN
Semi natural cycle 5/13 BFN
IVF&FET June 2013
Good Luck to All!!
Crystal
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11-29-2012 at 10:45 PM
twistsandt...
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twistsandturnsto2 is not online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 7:18 PMSilver

Wow! My total was right around the $3,000-$3,100 mark for all my meds for the entire cycle. My order of Follistim consisted of 5 boxes of 600 unit vials and I have been told that it will get me through to ER.

What sort of protocol are you on? Who are you going through to get your meds? 


Me: 34, DH: 30 :: TCC since 2/11
SA: Perfect! CD3 b/w=Elevated Prolactin? HSG = Blocked Right Tube
April- Femara 2.5mg + Trigger + IUI = BFN
May- Femara 5mg = CX - No Response on Left = BFN
June- Femara 7.5mg + Trigger + IUI = BFN
August- Lap & Hysteroscopy = Blocked & Partially Blocked Tubes
Scar Tissue Removed, Left Tube Partially Open
September- Femara 5mg = CX - No Response on Left = BFN
October- 100mg Clomid + Trigger + TI = BFN
IVF # 1: Stims 11/30 ER 12/12/12! (10R, 10M, 8F, 2T, 6 Frosties)
Beta #1- 176 c/p @ 4w4d
FET #1 February 26th
Lost 4 Frosties to Thaw, Transferred 2 = BFFN
IVF # 2 Stims 5/10 ER 5/21 (15R, 13M, 13F, 2T, 7F- 6d3 & 1d5)
Beta # 1- 15 c/p
One More FET Left, Please Let This Be It!



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~~SAIF/PAIF Welcome~~ 
11-30-2012 at 1:55 AM
2MamazInSe...
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I think Walgreens has a program my clinic signed me up for which knocked down my donor's meds from $5k to around $3K (I'm using an egg donor and had to pay for her meds out of pocket). Different pharmacies have different prices too...one had Follistim at $4k the other was less than $3. Shop around, it made a difference.

[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/263g0ex.jpg[/p> Together 7 years and legally married in 2013!
Me: 42 (Excited to carry!) DW: 44
June 2012: First RE appt.due to age + plan to use DS
Sept 2012: Both fallopian tubes removed due to blockage
Dec 2012: Donor Egg/Donor Sperm IVF Cycle - BFP! EDD 8/29/13
Mar 15 2013: Missed miscarriage at 15w4d(discovered at 16w1d via home Doppler).
Mar 22 2013: D&E. Tests showed death due to (fluke) blood clot in umbilical cord. :(
May 24 2013: Hysterscopy to remove uterine adhesion post D&E.
We have three frosties. FET on July 18, 2013!
We live in Seattle and used SRM for our Donor Egg IVF cycle.
Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers 

11-30-2012 at 6:11 AM
pbj1975
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Joined on 11-13-2007
Poughkeepsie, NY
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pbj1975 is not online. Last active: 06-03-2013, 8:49 PMBronze
I'm in denial about how much the drugs cost. We had to buy more menopur. We needed 12, but had to buy 15 as they come in boxes of 5. 1,700!!!!!! The best part? We only used 4 of them. I triggered after using the 4.

And how completely inappropriate of that insurance rep! Some people!!!

Photobucket From the dirt to the moon! PAIF and SAIF welcome  
11-30-2012 at 7:11 AM
kflynn81
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Oak Lawn
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kflynn81 is not online. Last active: 06-17-2013, 8:43 PMBronze

We have the most awful insurance when it comes to routine things but for some reason, and I'm ever so grateful, the IF coverage is awesome. We meet the deductible and then pay 80% with a $1,000 max out of pocket. Well.....the deductible AND the max OOP were both met last year in March after my first shipment of Menopur. My last box of IVF meds, the delivery service told me its so important to be home because there were $7800 worth of medications in there....HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER!!!! Plus, the new meds I'm going to be adding in this cycle cost $3800 alone!!! WTF!!! Why are these things so expensive, its crazy!!!

What a jerk for that insurance rep to say something like that to you too....some people are real a**hats

 

Good luck with your cycle!!

 


Anniversary
Me(31): Some sort of endocrine malfunction that even the major Chicago hospitals can't diagnose. Yay me!!
I also have Factor V Leiden...yay me again!
DH (31): Borderline low morph, but not considered a problem
"Baby dancing" with no protection or BCP since July 2009
IF testing started March 2011
Endocrinology related tests from October 2011-February 2012
March 2012--Clomid --No response-Straight to injects!
April & May 2012-- IUI#1 & #2 = BFN
July 2012- IVF#1 cancelled
September 2012-IVF#1.2--BFN
November 2012- IVF #2 --BFN
January 2013- IVF #3-- BFFN
February 2013--June 2013 Back to the Endocrinologist for more diagnostic testing
IVF #4 --June 2013
PAIF/SAIF encouraged...give me some hope!!
For detailed cycle info. see right side of blog... Kate's IF Blog
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11-30-2012 at 7:39 AM
lisa41982
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Joined on 10-29-2007
Columbus, OH
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lisa41982 is not online. Last active: 04-02-2013, 6:20 PMNewbie

I'm not sure if there is a savings program for follistim, but I know that there is one for Gonal-F for both people who have insurance and people who are OOP.

http://www.fertilitylifelines.com/payingfortreatment/selfpaysavings.jsp

It would require asking your doctor if you can switch, but it might be worth it to ask? 


Dx PCOS 2006 - on Metformin
Dx Hypothyroid 2009 - on Synthroid
TTC since 12/2009
DH - Low Sperm Count

IVF with ICSI Cycle #1 - October/November- 10/11 Begin Lupron, 10/20 Begin 300iu Gonal-F, Trigger 10/31, ER 11/2, 12 retrieved, 11 mature, 6 fertilized, ET 11/5 - 2 Grade 1 8 cells, 2 frozen blasts (5BA, 3BB), Beta #1 @ 8dp3dt: 7, Beta #2 @ 11dp3dt: 2 :(

IVF with ICSI Cycle #2 - January - 12/30 Begin Lupron, 1/8 Begin 300iu Gonal-F, ER 1/20, 13 retrieved, 11 mature, 6 fertilized, ET 1/25 - 2 blasts (grades 4BA, 1)

Everyone Welcome

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11-30-2012 at 7:56 AM
Freeman212...
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Joined on 09-22-2010
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Freeman2121 is not online. Last active: 04-03-2013, 3:39 PMNewbie
There was someone who posted on here awhile ago the different med prices at different pharmacies for comparison. I will try and find it for you. I don't know why there is such a difference from one place to the next?

TTC since 2006 3 Fertility Clinics Test, Pills & Injectables....oh my. Numerous failed IUI's 7 or 8 or more? IVF #1 June 2012 ~ praying this is the only one ER 6/13/12 - 13 ret, 7 fertilized, 7 progressing, ET 6/15/12, BFN & No freeze babies. Onto IVF #2 in October 2012. No, wait, body not cooperating. IVF #2 in November 2012 IVF #2 Began Provera in Sept to make me start. Never started. I O'd on my own??? 2 weeks of BCPs. Period. Baseline & Labs 10/25 Stims started 10/26 ~ 225 Follistim in the am. 150 Bravelle & 5 Lupron in pm. Trigger 11/4, ER 11/6, ET 11/9 - 2 great embies. 3 Freezebabies. Beta 11/23/2012 BFN. Now what??? I don't know if I can keep going? Daisypath Anniversary tickers I know the Lord would put a strong desire in my heart if it wasn't meant to be. - Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV) - . - ~Everyone Welcome~ 
11-30-2012 at 8:13 AM
RoadToFert...
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Joined on 08-05-2012
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RoadToFertility is not online. Last active: 06-16-2013, 5:49 PMNewbie

TrixieGirl82:
OMG!!! Found out today that my out of pocket cost for my IVF meds will be $5,756  Whats normal for others that have to pay oop?  They told me the follistim on its own is 3,500! Still in shock I was expecting about $3,000 total.  Baseline ultrasound and bloodwork tomorrow.  Prayers please-this will be our only shot, we wont be able to afford another round :(  And to top it off my husbands insurance rep says "well don't you already have a child?"  My husband has a child from his previous marriage-I love him as though he were my own-but I still want to have a child-in addition that is really none of her f%*^ing buisness.  What a day! Thinking about all of my other IVF and FET buddies-wishing everyone the best of luck. Goodnight!

Wow, how insensitive of that rep to say something like that! Seriously..so rude. Good luck with everything!


Married for 3 years to the love of my life! TTC for over a year. Started seeing RE in April 2012. Lap in July revealed endo covering left ovary and part of my bowels. This will require extensive surgery by a specialist. RE wants us to have babies first because surgery could compromise my ability to carry. Started first round of IVF in August. Ten follies retrieved, eight fertilized, two frosties. IVF #1= C/P *Frozen Embie Transfer scheduled for end of Nov/Dec. Going to transfer 2 frosties if all goes according to plan*
FET # 1 [12/18]: Transferred two "beautiful" embies.
Beta # 1: 126 [BFP!]
Beta # 2: 546
Beta #3: 1618!!
Beta # 4 - 4954!!!!!! Ultrasound 1/18 - Two heartbeats at 121 and 136. Fraternal twins! Um, is this really happening?!
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." Psalm 28:7

Our Road to Fertility (My blog)

 Pregnancy Ticker
 
11-30-2012 at 8:49 AM
asilwhite
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asilwhite is not online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 5:12 PMSilver
lisa41982:

I'm not sure if there is a savings program for follistim, but I know that there is one for Gonal-F for both people who have insurance and people who are OOP.

http://www.fertilitylifelines.com/payingfortreatment/selfpaysavings.jsp

It would require asking your doctor if you can switch, but it might be worth it to ask? 

This - I know Gonal-F is generally cheaper than Follistim. On Free.dom.Fer.tility pharmacy the Gonal-F for 900iu is $836 and for Follistim it's closer to $1300, so big price difference when OOP. Ask your RE if you can switch. 


October BMB June Siggy Challenge: Photobombs


TTC #1 since May 2011 | Me: 28, DH: 28 | DX: MFI
BFP #1 - April 15, 2012 (CP on April 17)
IUIs #1 - #3 (August - October '12) = BFFN
IVF #1.1 (Nov/Dec '12): Cancelled due to 18mm cyst - UGH
IVF #1.2 (Dec/Jan '12/'13): 5dt of 1 "perfect" 1AA blast on 1/26 (2 frosties) = BFP!!!
EDD October 14, 2013
Everyone welcome!
My Blog

Can't wait to meet our little boy!!  BabyFruit Ticker 
11-30-2012 at 9:14 AM
destinyr61...
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destinyr61309 is not online. Last active: 06-13-2013, 2:52 PMNewbie

I hope it's okay that I post here, but I just thought I'd share my med prices. 

I went through Wal.greens Specialty, which cost an extra few bucks to enroll in their discount program... 
I paid:
$169 for Lupron 
$762 for a 900 iu vial of Follistim (was told I'd need a refill but I didn't)
$624 for 8 vials of Menopur (I already had a few)
$60 for HCG trigger 
$10 (copay) for PIO

 Wal.greens is the cheapest for Follistim, at least when I was looking in Sept/Oct 

Good luck! 



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Married 2009
DH cancer diagnosis/surgery 06/09
MESA 09/09 before chemo/rad. 5 vials frozen
Met with RE 08/29/12 eval sono = 15 follies on the right, "at least" 12 follies on the left
IVF w/ ICSI tentatively scheduled for January
Call from nurse, because of a cancellation IVF starts in OCTOBER!!!
Stims should start 10/20, ER estimated 10/29 Start BCPs 9/15, Lupron 10/7
10/20 Lupron (5), Menopur (75), Follistim (125)
Estrogen through the roof, after trying different tactics to lower it, RE decided to coast for 3 days
Final monitoring appointment: 27 follies on right, 19 on left
ER 11/1 21R, 19M, 10F
ET 11/6 2 beautiful blasts. 3 frozen
11/13 +HPT! 11/16 Beta #1: 183; 11/20 Beta #2:832
U/S 12/5 TWINS Two heartbeats!
U/S 12/19 Lost Baby B, Baby A has a beautiful heartbeat at 169
**Everyone Welcome!**
 
11-30-2012 at 9:45 AM
ctnl81
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ctnl81 is not online. Last active: 06-01-2013, 11:13 AMNewbie

We have a $2500 lifetime max on infertility drugs and ended up paying another $2500 out of pocket (and I don't have my PIO yet, either!) for our first round.  So it was right around $5000.  But I think part of the problem was that the insurance specialty pharmacy charged us more than another one would for the OOP stuff - if we have to do a second round we'll be completely OOP for meds by then, so we're definitely going to look elsewhere.




married 7/21/07; ttc since 2/2011
me 31, minor endo; him 32, minor MFI
laparoscopy 5/12; uterine septum corrected
failed IUIs 6/12, 8/12, 9/12
IVF #1 - started stimming 11/24, ER on 12/4, ET on 12/9, beta at 11dp5dt - 417! BFFP!



 
11-30-2012 at 9:47 AM
Maybe Jole...
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Maybe Joleisa is not online. Last active: 05-13-2013, 8:41 PMSilver

My nurse thought I had prescription coverage when she ordered my meds for my first cycle, which came to somewhere around $8,700 from Cigna. Indifferent When I told her we were OOP, she called my prescriptions into Free.dom Fert Ph.armacy and they signed me up for whatever rebate programs they had.  (Small in comparison to the meds, but every bit helps.)  I was also able to order meds as I needed them.  I ordered enough for 8 days of stims and then went from there ordering meds a couple more times later in the cycle.  They have free overnight shipping--only tricky part is Fed Ex doesn't deliver on Sundays, so I had to factor that in. (I also live in an area where there are a few Specialty Pharmacies where I could pick up meds in an emergency--they'd just cost more than Freedom.) Cycle one I ended up with 4 vials of Menopur leftover--not bad.

Not sure how Follistim works, but Gonal-F contains overfill.  My nurse ordered the smaller dosage vials, as they contain a larger proportion of overfill compared to the larger dosage vials. Here is about what I remember:

Gonal-F prefilled 300 iu pen contains 75-85ius overfill--use a needle and McGuyver that liquid gold outta there!

Gonal-F 450 multidose vial contains about 600 ius, so 150 ius overfill

Gonal-F 1050 multidose vial contains about 1200 ius, so 150 ius overfill (thus the 450 vials are more economical, because you'll get more overfill out of them)



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Me: 40, DH: 40 Married since 4/2009, TTC since 10/2010
FSH= 5.4, AFC= 11 Dx: Unexplained w/2% morphology
IUI 1-3: Clomid, Gonal F, Ovidrel + Prometrium = BFN
Acupuncture starting January 2012; IUI 4-5: Gonal F, Ovidrel + Prometrium = BFFN
IVF #1 (Antagonist) w/ICSI & AH: ER 8/7/12--7R/4M/4F; ET 2-8-cells + 1-7-cell embies= BFN
IVF #2 (MDLF)w/ICSI & AH: ER 11/26/12--23R/14M/6F ET 11/29 1 early morula + 2 8-cells; Beta 1 (15dp3dt)= 408; Beta 2 (17dp3dt)= 649 Beta scare :/ ; Beta 3 (19dp3dt)= 1485; 1st u/s 12/28/12= 1 sac with 2 HBs 113bpm EDD= 8/19/13; MIssed MC of identical twin boys D&C @ 8w3d on 1/10/13

PAIF/SAIF welcome!
 
11-30-2012 at 11:40 AM
Trippleb
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Joined on 11-20-2007
South Central PA
7,720 Points
Trippleb is not online. Last active: 06-18-2013, 6:12 PMBronze

My first ivf my meds were close to the 8k range.  They stimmed me with the max amount of meds from the get-go. One thing that would have saved us tons of money was that the nurse had me order eveything in advance of starting the ivf.  We went straight to IVF so I just didn't know any better.     Don't order everything to start with.  Most pharmacy's overnight meds and your'll be able to gage a little bit as you go along on what you will need.

For instance my nurse had me order 8 bottles of PIO.  We never made it transfer.  I've been to three RE since and no other RE that I worked with uses PIO.  Just a huge waste of money.  


TTC #1 since 9/07
Dx MFI, AMA, Endo, AMH .16
Lap 10/09 Removed endometrioma, stage IV endo and adhesions
Lap 2/10 Endometrioma cysts & adhesions returned.
Ivf #1 4/10 Antagonist, ET Cancelled.
IVF #2 2/11 A/ACP+E2V C/P
IVF #3 6/11 Letrozole/Antagonist BFN
IVF #4 11/11 Low stim Antagonist BFN
Lap 3/12 Lap & Selective HSG
Many cycles of Letrozole and LP HCG w/TI and LDN
IVF #5 8/12 Low stim BFN
IUI #1 10/12 BFN
IVF #6 3/13 EPP low stim w/HGH O'd before trigger Cancelled
IVF #6. Clomid w/injectibles coming soon. Cancelled
Now what? S&PAIFW
 
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