Feb/Mar 08 Cycle Buddies

[IrishHope]

Insurance has so far been the most frustrating part of this...

I live in Massachusetts but my company's insurance has a $15k lifetime maximum so we'll get one cycle of IVF and a little leftover for future...

I guess it's better than nothing but to have a disease and then be "restricted" by insurance just seems unfair when others live so unhealthy and if they have 2, 3, 4 heart attacks they get 100% covered...

ughhhh...

[LB]

Good morning everyone! Wow this thread is active!

So much for my relaxing long weekend ... I got the flu and had a fever on and off all weekend with the worst headache for 48 hours straight - I literally told DH to shoot me and put me out of my misery! I couldn't leave the couch! Thankfully I am feeling better today, just in time to come back to work!

We are in DE, but my husband's firm is based out of Mass so our insurance is through Blue Cross of Mass and we are covered for 6 IVF cycles. Even with the morphology and ASA issues for DH, we have not been able to get them to cover ICSI or AH for either cycle. Oh well, they cover everything else so we can't really complain. If we went through DE insurance, nothing would be covered.

I am trying reflexology tonight. I had always heard how great it was, but someone told me they also heard people have used it in conjunction with infertility issues so I decided to give it try. I did acupuncture last cyle, and might again but it's pretty pricey so I will wait until closer to stim/ER time.

As far as worst parts go, I didn't make it to ER or 2ww last time, but I thought ER was the worst. I didn't have hormone rages, and the shots didn't bother me, unless you count the time I shot myself in the wrong part of the thight and got the muscle and could barely walk the next day! Needless to say, I stuck to my stomach from then on - plenty more flesh there!

[IrishHope]

so are we all Feb/March IVF cyclers? I feel like we are...yeaaaahhh!

Is anyone eating almonds or hear about eating pineapple to thicken your uterine lining? I'm trying to limit caffeine and alcohol as well...geez they don't leave you with many coping mechanisms do they?

[itsgottawork]

Hi Everyone!
I apologize for this being a long one in advance. I'll be away for a few days though and wanted to checkin before I left.
I finally got things scheduled and will go in for bloodwork on 2/8 and hopefully start Lupron 2/9. I'll be starting stims 2/19 and last time I did that for about 10 days so if I do the same this time I'll be having ER 3/1 and ET 3/4.
JustJenis - it looks like I won't make the end of Feb unless I don't go as long on stims. What are your dates looking like?
IrishHope - I haven't heard of the almonds but my dr says there have been no medical studies of eating pineapple during IVF. That said, I told him this cycle I was going to be trying that anyway. We just bought a HUGE container of almonds too so that is good news. (In other news, I'll be doing 3 injections for stims too! The Lupron, and Menopur in the morning and 150 units of Gonal-F in the evening I only had 2 last time and hope 3 is a charm for both of us!)
LB - We have Blue Cross Blue Shield in MA as well and they have covered ICSI for us. The only things I haven't heard of them covering are the cost to freeze any embryos and the cost of DH banking in preparation for the cycles. It is confusing when the same insurance company states different things. I guess it has to do with the company plan maybe?
I am glad to hear you are feeling better. It stinks to be sick on your time off! I hope this weekend is a better one for you!
Cathann - congrats on your official start. I don't know anything about b/w results. I would think your results were good since you are on your way. Good luck with your meeting on Monday!
Kbat - I think we must be neighbors! Are you going to a MA clinic or RI one? I really hope this is the cycle for you!
Jenjen220 - good luck with AF! I hope she comes soon for you and that you can do the March cycle! It is definitely promising that the dr will work with you to keep you on schedule!
Jill - I am happy that I am not the only one calculating when I find out about the BFP! April is good, it will put you around 2 months as a mom-to-be on Mother's Day! I know I am jumping the gun but I like to plan out when I can tell people and so hope I have news for Mother's Day.
Joanie74 - What your phlebotomist said is horrible. I think they don't realize what they are saying but that is just insensitive and it is a good thing she isn't working there any more. It is shocking what they say some times. I was going in for my 3rd beta just before Christmas. I was praying it would be all the way down to zero then as I already knew it failed. She thought I was coming in for the 3rd positive one. We were talking about how crazy it is before the holidays and I said I will be happy not to come back there for a while. She said "At least you are coming back for good news. Another strong beta, right?" I know she wouldn't know my circumstance but still. I totally lost it and started crying. She felt awful too. The funny thing is, she is really nice. She just made the wrong assumption. No doubt my reaction will make her think twice the next time she thinks to say something like that. It was my birthday week too and I was surprised how many nurses kept wishing me a happy birthday when they did know what was going on. One actually was saying it was her birthday week too as if I wanted to be all happy talking about birthdays after we finished up talking about chemical pregnancy. That annoys me still, even as I type this.
Tryingforanother - Hopefully other posts have minimized your concerns about the risks associated with ICSI. My doctor also told me there were no additional risks with ICSI vs without. There are so many of us on this thread that are dealing with male factor issues and I think it is also reassuring that the different doctors all over the place are recommending the same treatment.
Indie_rad - I think we are waiting for 3m this time before we tell people too. I guess that will be another waiting period for us. It never ends! I don't know how to deal with the 2ww. We are planning a family weekend for my mom's big birthday right in the middle of the wait so I suppose that will help too. I don't think much helps as no matter what, I am still only thinking about the test.
RunnerKate - Have you come up with any additional books to read? I too haven't been able to bring myself to buy books on the subject. I just scour the internet for information. I'm on my second cycle and still don't think I am able to say we are infertile actually. Do you think I am in denial?
Mrs. G - It looks like you might be the first of us to go through a transfer this cycle. Are you still on schedule for 2/20?
I don't think I have missed anyone. I look forward to reading about how everyone is doing when I get back from my last hurrah before the injections start in a couple of weeks.
Have a great week!

[RunnerKate]

Oh how I wish I could go back and not tell anyone about IVF. I was so open about us TTC....people asked how it was going and then I couldn't take it back and I am not good at lying. So, I started telling those that I am not close to that "it is going to take a while and please don't ask about it." This has been hard, but most people are good about it. I also never bring it up with people that I don't want to discuss it with that know about it. It is kind of an unspoken rule.

As for books, I am reading:
--What to Expect When You're Experiencing Infertility: How to Cope with the Emotional Crisis and Survive
--A Spiritual Path to Overcoming Infertility

Questions:
--How many days of bedrest for ER and ET?
--Do you take off work the day that you get the pregnancy test?

For our IUI, the test was on Sunday, so I wasn't at work, but I was a wreck even the next day, crying at my desk all morning.

K

[cornybaby]

Ok ladies...I hope you don't mind if I hop in. I was on the Jan/Feb thread, but AF came really late so I ended up way behind the rest of the wonderful ladies on that thread and I'm feeling a little lonely. My timing may be more in line with all of you fabulous gals. Anyway, in a nutshell, here's my story...this is my 2nd IVF - first BFN was Nov '07. I was a poor responder (5 follies, 3 fertilized and transferred on day 3) so this time I am on sort of a modified microdose lupron protocol. I'm on BCP now, I start lupron on 1/28 and my tentative ER is 2/18. Hoping for enough good embies to get me to a 5 day transfer...

[kbat]

My nurse is driving me CRAZY!!! One of the reason I considered not doing this final one was because of the nurses and the inflexibility of the nurses.

I got a call from a pharmacy that I never deal w/. So I called my nurse and asked why the meds were faxed over to the "wrong" pharmacy. Of course I got the answering machine, so I also just wanted her to make sure that they ordered me Gonal-F and not Follistom. My insurance no longer covers Follistom as of 6/30/07. But the last cycle she ordered me Follistom instead of Gonal-F and the pharmacy had to call the doctor's office to get this corrected. And when I got my instructions for last cycle I was told to take Follistom even though it was supposed to be Gonal-F (same drug--different companies who make it). So, I figured that I would just put a reminder that I was taking Gonal-F just in case the put down the Follistom again. Well she left me this whole long message about how I have to take Gonal-F b/c follistom is not covered by my insurance, etc. No kidding--that's what my message said. She has done this before where I leave a message and she totally misunderstands what I said. Either she just doesn't get it or she doesn't even listens to the whole message. I get more "stressed" out dealing w/ these people than I do just taking the shots, got through the procedure.... They were pretty much the reason I considered not going for this final one, but in the end figure a little bit of a chance and dealing w/ the incompentant nurse is better than not at all. My husband is an attorney and if he treated his clients this way or if he just didn't seem to "get" it w/ the clients he probably wouldn't have any. But he says they have you over a barrel.....There aren' a lot of people who do this where I live so we are "stuck."

Sorry about the long post and thanks for letting me vent.

[kbat]

P.S. I see lots of Mass people out there. I am w/ Reproductive Science Center. I go to their office in Providence, but I go for the actual procedure in Lexington, MA. Right now, our insurance is also BCBS of MA even though my husband works in Providence, but we aren't sure if it'll change if my husband switches jobs. His current company has BCBS of MA and they allow us 6 cycles. BCBS RI I would have to pay 20% and they cover 80%, but don't know if there's a limit. I was w/ Women and Infants, but decided to switch to RSC. I really like the doctor, but I am not crazy about my nurse and the inflexibility of the clinic. Women and Infants had their issues too, but in the end, don't think RSC is any better except for the doctor.

[IrishHope]

my girlfriend used RSC and liked them very much...BUT although I am about to embark on the real stress/interaction with the nurses once I start the meds I feel your frustration w/ teh nurses...some are very nice and some are not...however, sometimes the nice ones "forget" things like calling the pharmacy for all my meds! I just realize I will need to keep track of everything and follow up by each day if I don't get what I think I should by early afternoon...patience is key to all of this which is not easy!

Cornybaby - did they say why you were a poor responder? I see you have endometriosis as well and I've read we can respond less...makes me nervous but nothign I can do but wait and see once I start...

[kbat]

Thanks--I just have to keep my eyes on the prize. No matter what happens I just have to tell myself that this is my 6th and final IVF treatment (most BCBS MA will cover). I think that the nurses up at Lexington are a little better. They seem more on the ball than my nurse does and more pleasant. There's a couple of nurse that I get who I really like and allows me to ask away. Once a patient say hi to this nurse w/ a big smile and a how are you doing. This nurse mumbled something back never smiled and didn't look too happy--don't know if she's not a morning person or maybe she doesn't like her job. I always feel like it's an inconvenience. Don't know which is worse (or better) great doctor not so good nurse or wonderful nurses and not so great doctor. Wish I could have my current doc at my old clinic. Take the best from both clinics to make at least one of my cycles go smoothly--it's stressful enough w/o people adding to it. Oh well, guess there's not much else to do about it.

Hey Cornybaby--I think we were on another thread together. Welcome

[IrishHope]

RunnerKate - I think there are varying opinions on what to take off for E/R and E/T...if you trust your doctor follow his lead...although it can never hurt to rest for a day or if things fall on a Friday take it easy all weekend...

as for the "CALL" w/ pregnancy results - I think it is an individual choice. I probably will go to work - it will keep me some what distracted vs. walking aimlessly around my house watchign the clock...the call comes in teh afternoon I believe so if it's not what we want to hear I plan on shutting my door and heading home "sick"...

kbat - don't let a nurse make you feel like an "inconvenience" - I already had that happen which on top of everything else stinks! At the end of the day I don't care what I have to do - I just want my questions answered and my results given timely and professionally...I am not going to let some cranky RN intimidate me...luckily there are more nice/understanding ones vs. grouchy hags!

Stay positive! be your best advocate!! Stay the course and we will reach the goal...baby, baby, baby!!

[cornybaby]

Irish...no, they can't really tell me why I responded poorly. It's all such a guessing game. It may be that they just suppressed me too much. It may be diminished ovarian reserve. To be honest I don't think it has anything to do with the endo. I have never heard that endo causes poor response. My doc even said he didn't think the endo was a factor in our fertility problems. Especially since I just had the lap in May and had it lasered away. I know someone who had 10 follies on her first try, they switched up her protocol and got 29 follies the second time. I really believe it has a lot more to do with the drugs and being overly suppressed than it does anything else. I'm sure age and FSH play a factor as well. I may be grasping at straws, but I'm trying to stay positive that my new protocol will do the trick!

kbat - we did cycle together last time! Glad to see you trying one more time. I can't imagine if you hadn't and all of the what-if's...With all you've been through this has just got to be your time...it's just gotta be. Stay positive!

[JustJenis]

I was wondering.. When are y'all going to stop drinking? When you start the injections? Have you already?

I LOVE my weekend margaritas and just need to know when to stop.

*HUGS*
Jenis

[Mrs. G]

Hi guys!! I mean Ladies!!! Welcome to our happy lil home. Full of raging hormones, nervous jitters and a whole lot of support

Being a first timer I have to say I often wonder what the WORST part of all the drugs, procedure, retrieval, transfer?? I mean it's alot and being in the medical field the shots and what not don't bother me. The raging hormones, well that scares hubby. But just curious from those that have done all this before.. What's the part you think is the WORST?

*HUGS*
Jenis

I would say honestly the worst is recovering from the retrieval. I had 18 eggs removed from mine, that day and the next day was fine but my goodness the day after that was horrible.. I was crampy and in so much discomfort. I couldn't walk up the stairs or anything..I was glad it fell on the weekend and I took a few days after the weekend off work to be on bedrest.

How is everyone?? Im so excited that January is almost over!! Today is the last day for my birth control pill, AF should be here within the next couple of days and that means I get to start my FET cycle!!! I am sooo thrilled! I can't wait to actually get it started because it will be here so quickly after that. I live my life in 2 week intervals, I know its sad but that's what this TTC thing does to ya.

My transfer day is 2/20 I saw a couple people close to me, anyone else???

[Mrs. G]

I was wondering.. When are y'all going to stop drinking? When you start the injections? Have you already?

I LOVE my weekend margaritas and just need to know when to stop.

*HUGS*
Jenis

Im done drinking anything with alcohol or caffeine. Im going to pump in all the good stuff that I can to prepare my body for this.