1977 replies to this topic

[rollergirl]

Another year gone...and another year to with new opportunities....

[Stellabella28]

2014- Our worst year, the year we found out our chances of conceiving naturally are slim. Everyone in our lives became pregnant and brought babies home. Alot of tears, heartache and what ifs.      2015! The year we get up, brush ourselves off and move forward! We WILL have our family! Hoping I can drop the 30lbs by summer and we can move forward with IVF!

[Bibbs]

Hey Guys,

 

Moving over here and now following this thread. Thanks Rollergirl for starting. I love how active the VFC clinic chat is.

 

2014 had lots of ups and downs for us too, Stellabella, but I'm really trying to remember the positives because I was starting to get really down.

 

Here's to a new year of possibilities.

[Bibbs]

Omg! ENF was right, I don't have to wait around to start.

 

Just got a call from the clinic and I can start IVF stuff in February with that cycle (my period should come around the 1-3rd of February). She's going to talk to Dr H to sort out my protocol and then call me back in a few days. Holy shit guys, this is happening? I'm both really excited (I might barf, but not really) and now kind of scared. How do I make sure I don't get my hopes up too high?

[pearljam1997]

Yay new thread!! I'm going to jump in here and hope 2015 is our year. 2014 was a year I hope to forget full of so much loss and heartbreak, not just for myself but so many others.

Bibbs I'm not sure keeping your hopes down is even possible. Despite a really bad first cycle I still hopedon't with 2 and 3. We're even hopeful for number 4 BUT VFC sounds like an amazing place so that helps.

I hope everyone here gets their baby. I'll do my best to cheer you all on and offer a shoulder when needed.

[Stellabella28]

Has anyone ever heard of or done a local ivf/vfc meet up?

[lulu85]

Hello Ladies! I've been reading through this forum a lot in the past few months and learnt a lot through all you guys experience and comments. We are going to start our first IVF cycle at VFC pretty soon (I don't have many dates yet, just taking the pill for now). I actually never thought I'd write here but oh well I never thought I'd feel this way or have so many questions and doubts.

 

I don't have my protocol yet, might be because they want to talk about it at our orientation consult. I will have a phone consult with Dr H on the 23rd (he is suggesting ICSI which we found out today and totally surprised us) and our orientation will be on Jan 29th along with the SHG procedure. Did they give you the protocol before your orientation or that day?. I also didn't know about that procedure.

 

Anyway, my main question is about the injections and whether buying them at the clinic or on the internet (our plan doesn't cover fertility drugs). I wanted to know if you have bought any on the internet and what was your experience or if you know of somebody that has. I have mixed feelings. On one hand it is safer at the clinic (and you have to if you choose the premier plan) but if we choose standard plan and get them on the internet we might end up saving thousands I've read? I don't know, is it worth the risk of not getting them on time or any complication? do you really save that much? what does the majority of people do?I guess some people have plans that cover meds. I don't know it's all so difficult specially not knowing the protocol and how much we'd spend at the clinic.

 

Sorry for all the questions. It is coming up really fast and at the same time I'm excited, I have more questions everyday. I guess it'll be really good to talk to Dr H on Friday and once we decide these things I think I'll feel that at least the decisions about money are made.

 

Thanks all for being there, it has been a great help for me even thought I didn't write. I appreciate your experience/input

[TLN82]

lulu---with my own experience going through 3 IVF's, I personally wouldnt be comfortable ordering online. As you go through your protocol you may find you have to pick up meds after each US (depending what they see) and since it is so expensive you wouldnt want to order too much and if you needed an extra day or two of meds then you wouldnt have it in time. I dont know about saving thousands....maybe but gonal-f is bananas expensive irregardless and I would be concerned if it was cheap!!
Also, I dont want to give you the wrong information but I would phone Health Canada and see about getting prescription meds shipped to you from outside Canada....you wouldnt want them to be seized at the border (my DH does something like this for the government but he is not here for me to ask him the details!)

Other gals may have a different perspective but that's just mine!

Good luck!

[TLN82]

update---just asked DH and no you are not technically allowed to purchase meds outside the country and bring them in...even with a prescription. So heads up!

Good luck...again!

[openheart]

Does anyone know what the procedure is when you have a fresh IVF cycle but then elect to freeze all the embryos and do an FET later? What's the minimum you have to wait before you can have the FET?

[rollergirl]

lulu85....I would be wary ordering off of the internet unless they can guarantee your drugs when you need them...cause once you are in a cycle the last thing you want to be worrying about when they will be in....on the other hand you might be able to save a lot of money...and one thing is that you will be able to write off IVF as a medical expense at the end of the year so make sure you save your receipts cause you might be audited at some point....good luck with everything and welcome!!

[rollergirl]

Stellebella...there has been a local ivf meet up done before....one just has to take the initiative to put it out there and organize it....

[lebast]

openheart - I think it's 2 months minimum between fresh IVF to FET. Although, I think Dr. H often recommends 3 months to achieve optimal health. 

[pearljam1997]

I've done lots of research on ordering meds online and decided against it. Yes you can save hundreds of dollars if all goes well. The down side is sometimes it gets held up at customs and then you don't get them in time and with already spending thousands on ivf and it being so stressful it's just not worth all the risk. You also have no idea what temperatures those meds were at and so on.

[lulu85]

Thanks to you all! Wow there was a lot I didn't know.

TLN82- thanks for the info on first hand. Not being allowed makes easier what to choose plus I had no idea the meds could vary once you start the cycle, very good to have in mind and another good reason to buy them here and be on the safe side.

 

rollergirl- thanks to you too! and yes I will save the receipts!

 

Thanks for the welcome, I actually feel better after writing here, we'll see how our journey goes with IVF (did't go well with IUI) I'll keep you posted and definitely help other people with our experience!  

[lulu85]

Thanks pearljam, I didn't see you post!yeah definitely not doing it,I read a few things but didn't know about all that

[na2012]

Not being allowed? I know 2 people who ordered online and everything was ok, I am confused! I know they saved a lot of $. Both cycled at VFC.

VFC does have an IVF group that meets once a month, Jen Vining (who's awesome) (the clinical counsellor) puts it on monthly, you can ask VFC about it or they have a poster with info and contact #'s in the office

[TLN82]

Na2012--yes I know ppl who have done it as well. The system isn't perfect therefore yes there is a chance that it gets through customs (probably happens more often than not!) but if it does get flagged they technically could refuse it. I believe the inspectors can release meds based on a case to case basis so wouldn't be a guarantee.

[Bibbs]

Hey Guys,

 

Got a quick email from Dr H asking me to take Coenzyme Q10 -- is that something I can buy anywhere, or do I ahve to get from them as part of the premium plan? (I'm assuming anywhere, but want to be cautious! lol) There's a GNC near me that probably has it.

[Bibbs]

Hey Lulu,

 

I know the desire to try and cut costs! Its all very expensive. One way to thnk about it is if you do the premier plan, and need a second cycle, you are saving $2K on the procedures that you wouldn't otherwise. So, imho, you'd need to save $1K per meds each of the two cycles to break even. I don't know how doable that would be, to be honest. On your third cycle, you'd save another $2k, which works out to $1,300 you'd need to save in each cycle of meds to break even. So you'd need to be able to save that AND more to make it worth while. If you think you could save $1,450 on meds for example, that sounds like a lot, but really its only saving $150 over doing the premium plan and to me that's not worth the anxiety. not sure if that makes sense! But that's how I justified it.

Also, if its reassuring, VFC is definitely on the cheaper end. My first clinic in Vancouver first made it hard to find pricing on their site (imho), one cycle was $7K, or $8,500 if you needed ICSI, which we do. There is no premium plans or discounts with multiple cycles. For me, I'm saving $2,500 right off the bat, though it means taking the ferry which is going to make for looong days.

 

I know we're talking big numbers either way, so maybe its not reassuring. I do understand the anxiety though, as we have no coverage at all. We've just been saving like mad, so the first one won't be as hard a hit.

[Lulugirl]

The only drugs you need to buy through the clinic are the injectable fertility drugs, all antibiotics, supplements, pills and hormones you are free to get filled at a pharmacy.  I found costco to be the cheapest for prenatals and CoQ10 and other supplements.  My blue cross insurance covered the antibiotics and estrogen/progesterone (which was incredibly expensive), so we only got injectables in the office.  We did have variation and changes in our protocol at almost every u/s, and we got a couple of "donated" doses, without asking on occasion.  We were lucky and my husbands insurance has a "life time" amount of $3000, so after our many failed rounds of clomid, we had about $2200 of our injectable drugs covered, we just saved the receipts and mailed them in.  We did the premier plan as well.

[lulu85]

Hi Bibbs,thanks so much for your math!yeah we talked last night and it's not worth the risk and stress on top of the stress the ivf already provokes. We,as everyone, expect to have to do only one ivf and have to freeze but a lot of things could go wrong so we'll have to be open to the idea of more. Also us having to do ICSI, you save $500 with the premier plan versus standard so we'll go with it. I looked time ago prices in other clinics and waiting times..we're all very lucky to have Dr H around.

I've seen Co Q10 in all pharmasaves and shoppers and sometimes is on sale depending on the dose you need.

Talking about vitamins and stuff,I'm only taken prenatal multivitamins, I was never told to take anything else,hope that's fine.arrrgg hate it,now I'm questioning everything.

Well also now I don't know what will happen because I received an email with a requisition to retest my thyroid so it got me thinking.I searched a bit and look at my past test results and I'm freaking out thinking that we might not be able to keep with this cycle. My fist thyroid checked was 2.2 and the last one in sept was 3.2 (they didn't say anything though and did IUIs).I know he wants it under 2 so does any of you know if he'd prescribe the thyroid pill and carry on with the cycle or would we have to wait?he'll answer that on friday but I just can't wait,hate making up mi mind about going this month and then kind of last minute...

[Bibbs]

Hey Lulu85,

 

I wouldn't worry too much if you're not taking other pills! I'll jsut be envious. CoQ10 didn't come up until IVF, so it may be the same for you. At the very least, it sounds like something that couldn't hurt, so if you wanted to, you could just start taking it?

I was put on synthoid at my last clinic. I can't remember what my numbers were then, to be honest. I do know they re-ran the test after a time (a month?) to see if it was the right dosage. As frustrating as all of this is, if he thinks you should wait a month or so before doing IVF to sort out your thyroid it may be a good idea. If it improves your odds, its worth waiting (no matter how annoying that would be!). It might also be ok actually, as the meds take a while. I think its often a 6 week process? Maybe a little longer (counting from starting the BCP). If that's the case you could probably start all that AND the thyroid meds and still get in a test to make sure its coming down.

 

If you end up on synthoid just don't take it with your prenatal, the pharmacist said it can hinder the absorption of the folic acid.

 

The only other hting I'm currently on is metformin. He suspected I might be a bit insulin resistent because I'm quite overweight (BMI 40), and have been on a very strict low carb (less than 20 g net a day) diet, coming in at a calorie deficit and after more than 6 months I'm only down 18-19 lbs. He just figured it couldn't hurt. Its only been a week so hard to say if its helped!

[lulu85]

Thanks Bibbs! I'll see what the dr says,I'm quite eager to talk to him. I'll ask him about the Co Q10 too. It'd suck if we have to wait longer but I know is for the best.It's just you think is all good to go but there is always something else there to improve. Good luck with that metformin, hope it works!

[Mammamia]

Hi everyone!

Lost of action here which is so nice to see! I did order meds online with no issues for my second cycle. There are a couple of companies that do it and have great customer service. If you dont have a good feeling about it, dont do it .

Also between ivf and fet, i did my ivf cycle in august 2012 and froze the embryos then returned to victoria in november. Dr. H at the time preferred at least two periods in between.

Good luck to everyone!!