Not many women can or will say this (well, unless they are 14 and in HS) but hooray, I got my period. Tomorrow, or actually today starts the first day that I start cooking my eggs.
I will digress only slightly because I am blogging this ONLY because when I went searching for information about egg freezing, I found virtually NO first-hand accounts of what it felt like and what happened during the process. Oh, I am freezing my eggs. I am not freezing embryos...I am freezing my eggs. Unfertilized. You know, the kind you get in the supermarket. This won't cost 2.19 though. Also, I hope to get more than a dozen but 12 will be ok.
So, basically, I am 37 1/2 (birthday was in July) and single. I want kids but I don't think I want to do the kids thing on my own so I thought, well, how can I stop my aging eggs? Bank 'em is the only answer.
At about 7 AM this morning, I will be heading into NYU's Fertility Center and get my Day Two of Period Blood Tests and Sonogram (or is it an ultrasound???). Yes, you get a VAGINAL sono/ultrasound on day 2 of your period. I gather it might be messy but whatever. Not my problemo. So, later in the day, someone from NYU will call me and say, "...we are a go, start taking Gonal F" and provide me with the Day 2 dosage. They could say, we need another month but it's doubtful since I had tons of tests before this point to see if my FSH levels and estradiol levels were good to proceed with egg freezing.
Anyway, so I am heading off to bed because I have to be at NYU in a couple of hours. Then I have to wait for the call. Then, I have to go place an order for the medication (Gonal F Pen, Antagon, HCG trigger shot and an antibiotic) and wait for it to be ready. Then I actually have to start the Gonal F injection that night.
So I don't forget tomorrow to explain this (as I might be all flustered tomorrow), Gonal F is a injection. I will have to self-inject myself (it's cubcutaneous) daily for 2 weeks. More on that later.
Although it is an injection and I hate needles, I am more worried about 1) the pharmacy claiming they couldn't get the meds I need (even though I called and ordered them today) requiring me to scurry around somewhere else to get them and/or 2) the pharmacy claiming I have to pay for the meds; they are about $6,500 without insurance (my insurance is covering the meds but not the procedure (which is $9,000).
Luckily, I have a letter from the insurance carrier so I will bring this with me to the pharmacy.
OK, time for the eggs to get to sleep before they start partying tomorrow.
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8 comments:
How did you get your insurance company to approve the medications? I am also planning to freez my eggs.
I went to the Orientation Session for the Egg freezing the month before my freezing was scheduled. At the session, a folder had been prepared for me with the Billing Coordinator's information along with what my insurance allowed and did not allow. Apparently, when I signed up for the session, they inquired with my insurance carrier what would and would not be covered. I can tell you that normally, egg freezing is never covered under insurance but each carrier is different as to coverage for the medications. Any questions about what my carrier covered and did not cover was answered by the billing department at the Center. When I tried calling my carrier, I always received conflicting information as to what was covered and it was quite frustrating. To call the carrier and inquire about coverage, you need so many codes, including diagnosis and procedure codes. I highly recommend contacting the center you want to use and telling them to call for you.
Thanks for responding. I was unable to get the medications covered ($3000) but at least the procedure is $6500. It will be worth it in the end right? Have you used your frozen eggs yet?
The medications should be much more than 3,000 and the surgery should be much more than 6,500. can I ask where you are having the procedure done and what types of medications you are taking? My medications cost about 10,000 and the surgery was around 10,000.
The medications were ordered through Freedom Pharmacy http://www.freedomfertility.com/
It is relatively reasonable if your insurance do not cover the medication costs. I am taking Lupron, Gonal-F, Menopur.
I'm having my procedure done at http://www.rba-online.com/publish/Egg_Freezing_Fertility_Preservation.php
Excellent practice.
Have you had the procedure yet? Did you receive all your medications? I am curious as to the final bill for medications. I just cannot fathom that it would be $3,000.
I hope all went well and if you have not done the procedure yet, best of luck.
Hi, yes, I completed the procedure. The medication was exactly $3500. I think it cost more when you have insurance coverage.
What specific amounts of medications did you use (if you remember)?
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