Just hanging in there...

I wish I could stop

-          googling about hcg and progesterone levels

-          getting obsessive about 0.2 deg drop in temperatures

-          thinking why there are no symptoms yet

-          getting anxious each time I go to the bathroom

The last one is the most difficult because of my previous ectopic pregnancy. I started spotting around 5 weeks and they detected it at 6.5 weeks. I’m so scared to pee now! I didn’t POAS today…thought I will give a break and try tomorrow. The only symptom I am having is mild cramping on and off and sore breasts on and off…my temp dipped a little today which scares me but I am trying not to obsess too much about it. Maybe I should just stop temping for a while. Next beta is on Monday! Thank you so much for all your wishes yesterday!! It really means a lot to me.

A second line!

I just don’t know how to begin this post! We are right now on break cycle before our scheduled IVF start in May and I am 13 DPO today. We were scheduled for our IVF class today at 9.30 am. I woke up and saw that my temperatures were still high so I tested and guess what...I got a second faint line!!! I really couldn’t believe my eyes!! We were gearing up for IVF and we have already submitted our financial consents and insurance agreements! 

We did try this cycle around ovulation just to give our best before IVF but we never had any hope after all those failed clomid/femara and IUI cycles since my ectopic pregnancy in 2010. This BFP gives me a lot of hope and am very happy this day and this moment. I am grateful for everything. We don’t know what is in store for us. It will take at least a week to see where the embryo has implanted. With a history of ectopic I have a recurrence rate of 15%....

We arrived at our RE’s office this morning for our IVF class. Before going to the class I met my RE and told him about the BFP. He was so very happy to hear it! He said I need to do blood & ultrasound. He knew it was too early for an ultrasound (I am 13 DPO!) but he just wanted to see my endo lining. The ultrasound shows that I ovulated from my right side (which is the side with the open tube!) and the lining looks good.  I gave my blood and I just got my beta…its 68!! My fingers are tightly crossed for a good uterine pregnancy!!

I couldn’t have gotten this far without you ladies and your support! You are the first ones to know apart from my hubby and my RE J

IVF Financials

I got a call from my RE’s IVF clinic and they gave a list of things to do before we officially start our IVF cycle. We have got a bunch of papers to sign and heap load of tests and blood work to be done and then based on that we will get our ‘ok’ to go ahead. They also sent us an itemized cost list so that we know how much we need load our pockets with the big bucks.

Here is what I got from them:

Medications (Lupron, Follistim, Progesterone etc….)	$3000-$7000
Venipuncture	$15 / per blood draw)
Ultrasounds	$230

Blood Work only (this is just estimated cost)	$2750
Anesthesia	$700
Retrieval Fee	$2530
Laboratory Fee	$4140
Embryo Transfer	$1410
Facility Fee	$1260
Total:	$12090

ICSI (less than or equal to 10 oocytes)	$2100
ICSI (greater than 10 oocytes)	$2400

Cryopreservation of Embryos (due at Start of cycle)	$1155
Storage of Embryos (due beginning of year two)	$225/ quarter
Sperm MESA	$250
Sperm TESA	$800

Assuming:

1.       We don’t go for ICSI (we never know!)

2.       We don’t do Sperm MESA and TESA (again, we never know!)

3.       Estimated medication cost is $5000 (I took an average)

4.       Venipuncture (7 blood draws?) - $105

5.       Ultrasounds (4..?) ~ $1000

The total is now $12090 + $5000 + $105 + $1000 = $18195….!!!!!! And this amount excludes cryopreservation which is another $1155

Is this the normal price tag for IVF? All this while I thought the medication costs were part of the IVF cycle costs. Well now that isn’t the case here. The medication costs totally come from a different bucket! Is this the case with all IVF centers?? I really appreciate if someone could provide any feedback…