Money & Med Update
Yesterday, finding out we will be doing injections an extra 2 days, I wanted to calculate our estimated additional costs. Without more meds, we still have about $2000 we will pay for this cycle. I think I will need more of 2 meds—Follistim & Menopur. We had 4 Follistim cartridges of 300iu, which gave us 1200iu. We, so far, have used 975iu leaving 225iu. If we stay with 225iu for the remaining Stim phase, that will be (not counting today’s dose, which will be the last of our original order) we will have 6 days of shots, so we will need 1350iu. When calculating the cost per 300iu cartridge, it comes to about $307.80 (based on what we paid) and we will need 5 cartridges, so $1539 for the Follistim needed. The Menopur, we will need 2 more vials, which are $87.90 per vial, so $175.80 for Menopur. This brings our total for additional meds to $1714.80, which will deplete what we have set aside. I emailed my nurse about ordering more, and am waiting to hear, but I really need to order today to have Follistim for tomorrow. I’m hoping this is all we will have to order in addition to our original med order, but there’s no telling! **got the Follistim ordered, which was another $930!
General…
I honestly do not understand how people can go through IVF being silent and telling no one, while also acting normal. I am having a hard time focusing on work or anything other than IVF! I’m trying to remember to hydrate and snack on salty things. I’m exhausted. Plus the uncertainty of next week with my job and needing to do stuff with my car. It’s just insane. With the additional money for meds and my car needing some maintenance, that added stress sucks. I’m just wanting to do whatever I can to make sure my body cooperates. I’m sure it will be worse once we transfer our embryo!
Other than that and some bloating, I’m doing okay so far. I’m very tired, but I will check if that’s normal for me or not. When I get home, I use the heating pad off and on until shot time. I got a mastectomy recovery pillow on Etsy to help protect myself from our dogs during all this. This is the BEST thing ever. The dogs are adjusting to it pretty well. They love to snuggle and give kisses, so barriers are not their friend.
Injection Method/Process
So researching a bunch, I compiled a list of tips and tricks. So we have been doing those things. I will probably do a post separate from this to share those, but I wanted to share quickly in case anyone needs that now.
1. Ice the area. I’ve been doing this by putting the ice pack in the waist of my pants and icing until we start prepping. It helps to “numb” the area. So far what I’ve noticed/experienced is the Follistim, if it stings or anything, is minimal and the Menopur stings/burns quite a bit.
2. Prep—it was suggested that you mix the Menopur & let it set for 10 minutes, which makes it burn less. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’m not willing to test the alternative. So we prep the Menopur, which is the mixing, pulling the med, and attaching the needle.
3. Then we do the Follistim injection and then Menopur. It was suggested to think of the tummy area as a clock (with the belly button being the center) and split it into quadrants. So 12-3 would be Quadrant 1, 3-6 Quadrant 2, 6-9 Quadrant 3, and 9-12 Quadrant 4. Since we are supposed to do UNDER the belly button, we are now doing Q2 and Q3. Each injection, we are writing down the exact injection time and where it was injected, using the clock time & quadrant. We try to inject in different areas and move it around to help with healing & pain.
4. After we clean up, I use the heating pad for a while. This was a tip, too. It apparently helps spread the meds in your body and helps with pain. Again, I don’t want to test the alternative, but I know that the heating pad feels SO GOOD! It’s becoming my best friend.
Stim Day 6–April 21
Today I felt pretty normal, except for being exhausted. I’ve now freaked on Austin for no reason a couple times and my brain fog/pregnancy brain is BAD tonight! I have these glasses that have a light and magnifier that I use when cross stitching, I know…I’m 80. I lost my pen that I use to mark off the stitches I’ve done on the pattern. Austin was trying to help and turned the flashlight on his phone. After a while, I gave up. I told him he could stop looking and I’d find it later. I kept seeing light shining, and TWICE I said with a LOT of attitude, “Okay, you can turn off the light now!” It was the light on my head. That was helping me see my cross stitch. Yep…..
Shots tonight were nothing new. You can REALLY see the bruising now. We are getting pretty good at this thing! Tomorrow, we may try something new. By the time we do the Menopur shot, the numbness from icing the area is gone. That one is painful. So I may try icing between the injections to see if that helps any. I put an ice pack in my pants, I shouldn’t be able to feel anything. Lol!
Ryan’s Ramblings 