A poll, a sigh, a complaint, whatever else.

[geminigirl]

[Poll #945178]


I realize, we're really lucky to have any coverage regarding fertility issues from our insurance company. And I'm grateful for whatever we have. That doesn't make it less frustrating to deal with. No one seems to know whether or not Clomid is covered by the fertility drug benefit, or the regular pharmacy benefit. And then, on top of that, the insurance apparently won't cover any monitoring unless the drug is prescribed by a reproductive endocrinologist. But not any RE on the plan, no...of course not. Only an RE from the one very specific practice affiliated with the separate fertility benefit. Which, of course, happens not to be the doctor that Dr. P refers people to, and who no one seems to know from Adam. So, do I let Dr P prescribe it, not do the ultrasounds and hope it works, do I see if he knows any of the doctors at the particular practice I have to go to, do I do something else that I won't write about that involves letting Dr P prescribe the clomid, and so on and so on? Decisions, decisions. I don't have to make any for another few weeks, but we'll see.


The cat knocked over the lamp last night. I don't know how he did it, and nothing broke, though somehow the shade came off. (I don't know where the finnial is.) What's even more baffling, is that Cayne slept through it. The lamp was on his side of the bed. I woke up when I heard the crash though.

Can't kick this headache. Yesterday it felt like a sinus headache, today it feels more like a migraine, but without some of the other migraine stuff (light sensitivity, for example.) A bit bummed cause a friend had to cancel his work-trip to Orlando, so I won't get to see him for dinner this week.

Cayne is (and by extention, so am I) stressing a bit over the timeline of immigration stuff. We know we can claim back time that was spent in Canada-I have reciepts from the last two trips we took, which gives us about four weeks of time, but it's much harder, I suppose, to document the time that we spent when we drove up there. Though since we tend to use credit cards when we're there, rather than cash, perhaps that's sufficient documentation. We spent about ten days at the end of 2004, and about a week in August 2004. I'm sure there was other time that Cayne was there that he could claim back.

Must go find copies of labwork before endocrinologist appointment on Wednesday. Please hope she looks at my symptoms and numbers and says "let's try something" and not "sorry we can't help you." I would really like to try and treat the seemingly-sluggish thyroid, finally. I've only been asking for years.

Comments

[kellfire.livejournal.com]

Fun poll!

Oh yea...speaking of business trips, I'll be in Orlando from 3/29 (very late) til 4/6. :)

[geminigirl]

The poll topic came up on Saturday night while I was getting ready for bed. He learned from his sister, when she was too wasted to roll it herself. I learned in my high school cafeteria, using butter and waxed paper that came with bagels that we used to eat with bad coffee in the mornings.

Let me know if you would like to get together for dinner or something while you're here.

[mskathy.livejournal.com]

I learned in my high school cafeteria, using butter and waxed paper that came with bagels that we used to eat with bad coffee in the mornings.

Your HS served coffee?!

[cmariewt.livejournal.com]

Hahah I was amazed also!

What's sad is that the only unbelievable part of that paragraph was the fact that the high school served coffee, not that she learned to roll a joint in the cafeteria!

[geminigirl]

You all would probably be shocked if I told you that for many years (including my sophomore year at school) there was a space for students to smoke cigarettes on campus, too.

[geminigirl]

Only in the morning. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, bagels, muffins, that sort of stuff.

We had an "open campus" and no study halls. What that meant is that if you didn't have class, you didn't have to be on campus, and if you chose to stay, you had a few places to go-the cafeteria, the outer library (a lounge area, with tables and couches and stuff,) the front lawn of the school, or the commons (a big hallway with benches and tv, that connected one side of the school to the other. And our homeroom was after second period. That meant that if you didn't have a first or second period class, and you didn't drive or get a ride, you had to have some place to hang out in the morning, so a lot of people had breakfast in the cafeteria in the morning. My sister didn't have a first period class for her junior year, and I had gym every other day in grade 11 and 12, so I had a free period for first period those two years.

The joint rolling, however, happened when gym was cancelled for some reason, when I was in grade ten. I was actually rather pleased, for some reason that I was eventually skilled enough to roll, in a moving car, in the dark, without looking, and still roll tight and fat.

[mskathy.livejournal.com]

was this a public school?

The joint rolling, however, happened when gym was cancelled for some reason, when I was in grade ten. I was actually rather pleased, for some reason that I was eventually skilled enough to roll, in a moving car, in the dark, without looking, and still roll tight and fat.

I admit it, this is a side of you I never would have guessed! I am amused. :)

[geminigirl]

Which is the part you wouldn't have guessed?

And yes, it was a public school. This one. A few of my teachers are still around, and a few people who graduated around the same time I did are currently teaching/working there.

[n5red.livejournal.com]

He's an ALIEN! And you are trying to help him reproduce! Quick, call Scully!

[geminigirl]

Yes, I am.

And if there ever is a child, there will be deelyboppers. Probably in one of the first baby pictures.

[ladygreyy.livejournal.com]

Are you one of those "every symptom under the sun for thyroid but numbers are within normal range" types?

[geminigirl]

Yes. Although they're kind of borderline-high enough to warrant a second look, but not high enough for anyone to say "let's treat it." And so, with borderline numbers, a family history, thyroid symptoms and hopefully, pregnancy in the near future, it's worth a conversation. And while I'm usually not pushy about it, this time, I may be. I'd rather try it, and see if I feel better than wait.

[ladygreyy.livejournal.com]

With how much a thyroid problem can affect getting AND staying pregnant, with your history, they'd be negligent to NOT treat it.

[geminigirl]

And that's exactly why I have an appointment on Wednesday with the NP at the endocrinology practice that Dr P recommended. His comment was, "You know, I'd hate to see you work this hard at getting pregnant, and do all the right things, and then see you lose the baby because of the thyroid." He seems to think treating it is a good idea.

[ladygreyy.livejournal.com]

Excellent. I'll keep my fingers crossed. It amazes me how many people refuse to treat the symptoms.

[geminigirl]

Thanks. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[mskathy.livejournal.com]

I hope the recommended DR turns out great. My endo always put more value into how I explained I felt than how bloodwork looked. I appreciated that about him a great deal. I hope you find the same.

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Good luck.

[firegrrl.livejournal.com]

The Clomid itself isn't too badly-priced, even if you have to pay for it. It was $7 or $8 per pill, which is a lot, but when you think about it, you only take 5 pills per month, and you don't have to buy the full 3 months worth at once. We just picked it up cycle by cycle instead of all at once, and it took us only 2 months of trying once I was on it. We weren't monitored on it, but it still worked for us. I really hope it works for you soon. My fingers are crossed.

[geminigirl]

If it falls under the fertility benefit we're going to buy it out of pocket, I think. Our fertility benefit is split into a drug benefit, and a treatment benefit (which doesnt include diagnostics, those are covered under our regular benefits) and I'd rather save the drug benefit for the costlier drugs, if we go that far. The concern is about monitoring-they won't cover monitoring, like ultrasounds or bloodwork if my regular ob/gyn does it, which may become more essential because I'm at higher than average risk of OHSS (hyperstimulation) because of the ovarian cysts.

I'm glad to know you weren't monitored on it. That makes me feel a little better about the option of not monitoring.

[fairion.livejournal.com]

The ultrasounds are really important on getting the timing right. With the froggy we had to pay for everything out of pocket. This time around we have some coverage for the diagnostic stuff but none for "treatment". We will see what actually that means as life boils down.

[geminigirl]

Diagnostics are covered by our regular insurance. Treatment and drugs each have their own separate categories (and separate limits.) I'm inclined to pay for clomid out of pocket though-it's cheap, and I'd rather leave the money for the possibility of needing other drugs. If we're not doing IUI or trigger injections, I'm less concerned with the monitoring-we just have to have sex regularly. If we are doing IUI or trigger injections, then I'm more concerned with the monitoring. I'd rather not have to change doctors at this point to someone I don't know, but, if that's what I have to do, and the doctor I trust says to do that, then we'll do that; I'd call and make an appointment now, but I think I'd prefer to wait to see if Dr P knows or recommends anyone at the one RE practice I can do everything at if necessary.

[cmariewt.livejournal.com]

I really, really hope that she has options for you two. It's tough to see a couple with so much love, unable to conceive. I could just imagine how frustrating it would be to BE that couple.

[geminigirl]

Thank you. We're still at a point where we have lot of options-we're very early on in the intervention stage. It's a lot of figuring out what doctors to see, and what the best way to go is, right now.

We're trying. And we're laughing about it when we can, and we'll have a family no matter how we create it.

[xxladyjxx.livejournal.com]

Hey there,
The monitoring is very important when you are on Clomid, I think, especially since timing is of the essence and that timing is usually confirmed by u/s and blood work. I am not sure if you've been on Clomid before (having a brief memory lapse) but generally you go in for an u/s and blood work on the third day of your cycle and you take it CD 5-9 based on what the tests reveal. I also think u/s is important because if for some crazy reason it makes your ovaries kick out many eggs there is an increased chance of multiples (10%, approximately) I know it seems I am very "pro-monitoring", but we spend 1200 dollars a month for sperm so I would never do an unmonitored cycle, anyway. I do know that Clomid generally costs about 50 bucks a month. Clomid is often prescribed by OB/GYNs so it may be covered under your regular Rx benefit. I would call your insurance right quick and demand answers. I am also very grateful for my insurance because it is amazing but I've had to deal with the same stuff, not knowing exactly what is covered, which drugs are mail away, etc... it is frustrating. I did one Clomid cycle and my co-pay was 5 bucks. How many mg are they going to put you on? Good luck and keep us posted.
XO,
J.