Let's make this a Fertile Friday!

Nurse LLD e-mailed this morning to say "stims are a GO."  So, I ran home and (45 minutes later) had my first stim injection done (hence the post title) and yeah, BABY:]  One down and 19 more to go!  It was my first time mixing 4 vials so I didn't quite get the syringe filled up to the right mark.  I told Nurse LLD and, in her true -tell it like it is fashion- she said "Well, get it right the next time!"  I'm trying!  It did sting but I was pinching myself so hard that I think it was pain from multiple sources.  However, the 30g needle wasn't too bad even though I wouldn't call any needles "good."  In honor of day 1 of stims, I'm going to buy this bag... because I have a bag obsession and because I'm going through IVF, do I need another reason?  If this does work, it will turn into my hospital bag.  If this doesn't work, it will turn into my get away bag! 

P.S.  I think day 5 and day 10 of stims is also reason enough for a gift to self, although we're still on the debt diet so it may have to be something small to go IN the bag.  No problem.   

**Hope to catch up with everyone in blog world this weekend... I've been reading but not commenting as much as I would like.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!**     

PIO- Needles?

Has anyone seen this youtube clip where this girl uses a 25g needle instead of a 22g to do her PIO shot?   She has me convinced that it's fine to use a smaller needle!  It's sad that I'm worried about those shots and I haven't started stims yet!  

Anyone who had the Bravelle/Menopur protocol, what size needle(s) did you use for the injection?  Did you always use your abdomen for an injection site?  Did ice help with any stinging?  Anything else I should know?     

Sorry that this is TMI but Lupron is really interfering with regular-ness in the bathroom.  It's just not happening!  I guess I should be thankful that I'm not having headaches or hot flashes, right?!?  Arrgghhh!
  

IVFmeds... make me proud!

Thanks for the comments and for listening yesterday on a 'down' day.  I hate this for all of us!!!

I called the RE's office today to see if results from the biopsy were back (ruling out inflammation) but it could still be a couple of days.  I have a small cyst but my estradiol is low so that's okay.  The conversation was rather irritating.  I ordered my meds (most of them) from ivfmeds.  I love the good 'ol USA, I really do but I also did some research, read reviews and didn't see anything wrong with these meds except for the inconvenience of the glass vials as mentioned in an earlier post and they do not send syringes/needles.  The actual meds are held to the same high standards and they were significantly cheaper.  In fact, Bravelle and Menopur are not even made in the US!  I don't really understand how it all works as far as costs but PC says the prices are jacked up in the US because drug companies are losing money in countries with price controls and a bunch of other stuff where (sorry PC) I started tuning out.  However, when I was asking the RE's office about filtering needles for the glass vials, these people act like I'm about to take some contaminated, toxic substance!  They act like I'm doomed before the first injection and need to be scolded!  Does this supply look much different than yours?  Geez, I needed to save any money possible and it would be nice if they could cut me some slack!      

IVF Meds=!@%#!

Yesterday afternoon I called the IVF nurse/coordinator to let her know I'm still eager to get things going with IVF but that I've been playing phone tag with the financial clearance person. She said we could go ahead & get the meds ordered. She told me the specifics of what I would need and that I could call pharmacies for prices. And then things started unraveling from there.

I made a stupid mistake when planning & budgeting for everything. I interpreted the information about discounts from the Ferring Heart Program wrong. I thought the FHP discount would put our total for meds around $2500. Imagine my disappointment and disgust when I called the pharmacy & they gave me the total of $4860+$10 program enrollment fee to get the discount (!@%#!). This price is for Bravelle & Menopur, 10 days worth, WITH the discount. In addition to being disappointed & disgusted, I came home feeling defeated because it makes us $2300 short.

I realize one reason these meds are expensive is because pharmaceutical companies have to make a profit and price goes up with less volume. But why does it feel like such a trap? Think of all the unused vials out there that go to waste or are used for injection training purposes because of FDA guidelines. Add that to the "IF sucks because... list!"

Things looked a little brighter when PC reminded me that was just one pharmacy and he would see what he could find out online. By the time he was finished, he had made a spreadsheet of different pharmacies and price comparisons. See exhibit A below.

How sweet is he? How lucky am I? He lifts me up when I need it most and sees the glass half full when I think it's beyond empty! If we are able to use some of the pharmacies he found online, we can get the cost closer to $3000. These meds better stimulate the economy ovaries in a major way!