PCOS Club!

[courtw]

here in the USA we have to pay for everything! atleast i did cause my insurance says that its a choice to have children not a necessity. so i have had to pay for every penny of meds which the injections that thank god worked were 345$ for 2.5 days worth. i took it for 14 days. but it was worth every penney and i pray all the time god blesses me with a healthy baby in 8 months

 

[MariaF]

Court, what's your tax rate in the US? We pay 40% here

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

thats not true about the US for everyone. it depends on your insurance company and doctor you go to...in the us tax percentages are devided into 2 different types of taxes...federal, and state...and it is done in a sort of class system as well...so like hubby and i make 5000 a year so we pay less taxes than someone who makes 150,000 or more...i would say we pay around 20% total between the 2...if you have chilren you end up getting most of it back anyway...or like hubby and i we are armed forces so we get alot of tax breaks. With Military insurance the only cost we will have to take on is the actual procedure its self, they cover the office visits, drugs, and doctors fees, just not the Actual IVF or IUI fee. and it will be even cheaper if we go through a military IVF/iui hospital. we can get an IVF cycle done at a military facility for as little as 500$. i have had 5 visits with my FS...485$ each, plus an HSG, and my metformin. i have paid 0$ out of pocket...BUT our insurance is AMAZING...one of the many benifits of the armed forces. we dont even have copays on our prescriptions if we go to the military pharmacy, and if they dont cover it our highest cost is 9$ makes me VERY thankful when i see women spending upward of 20,000 on IVF/IUI treatments

 

[wantanerd]

I am happy for military insurance as well. I have spent a total of 20$ out of pocket for fertility treatments because I had to use a mail order pharmacy to get my HCG shot. I know I have spent thousands of dollars for fertility testing and I did not pay a cent for it. I do pay out of pocket for metformin as it is only 9$ for three months at target and they are smaller and easier to take than the metformin I got from the military pharmacy.

What military facility does ivf for 500$? I have seen places in Lackland AFB, Walter Reed, and Hickam in Hawii will do them for 8,000. Where do I need to travel for IVF for 500$????

 

[Dolphin22]

You ladies are lucky! We've got pretty good insurance coverage but after 4 years it's added up with our out of pocket expense. My HCG trigger shot isn't covered so that's $104 every month just for 1 shot and the rest of my meds are at least covered a bit so we usually end up spending $500/mo. when it's all said and done so after 4 years, ouch, but not as ouch as $20,000 IVF we're going to have to try next if all these IUI's don't work. As if the mental and physical stress of infertility isn't enough, let's pile on some financial with it too. Bummer!

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

I am happy for military insurance as well. I have spent a total of 20$ out of pocket for fertility treatments because I had to use a mail order pharmacy to get my HCG shot. I know I have spent thousands of dollars for fertility testing and I did not pay a cent for it. I do pay out of pocket for metformin as it is only 9$ for three months at target and they are smaller and easier to take than the metformin I got from the military pharmacy.

What military facility does ivf for 500$? I have seen places in Lackland AFB, Walter Reed, and Hickam in Hawii will do them for 8,000. Where do I need to travel for IVF for 500$????

If you try long enough and apply for the grant program the army post in Hawaii will do it for that low IF you qualify. It is pretty hard to get it that low but it does happen. We know a couple who got pregnant for under 800 there last year./

 

[wantanerd]

Now all I need to do is get my hubby stationed in Hawaii!

 

[MariaF]

Now all I need to do is get my hubby stationed in Hawaii!

Now that would be an added bonus

Can you pick your next location or is it completely out of your hands?

 

[angel4eva]

I've just been looking in more detail about hirsutism, im pretty sure I could diagnose myself, just need a doctor to confirm rather then just say ''you've alot of symptoms of it''. I have hair growth in exactly the same places face, chest, stomach, upper thighs as a man would, and i HATE myself at times. I just rang somewhere up about laser treatment, and your talking of up to a £1,000 and thats just for the face! and even then its not guaranteed. I just cant afford this.

I have regular periods, but I'm now confused as to whether you can ovulate even though you have regular periods?

I'm no longer considered overweight, im 5ft 7, and in the past 9 months have lost 3 1/2 stone and am down to 12 stone.

Right now, im just confused about life.

Im sorry for sounding so negative.

 

[IslandGrl]

Hi ladies,

Wondering if u could help me. I'm pretty sure I have PCOS but I haven't had the full work up yet. So far the only indication is that my lh:fsh is 4:1 (which was taken on cycle day 10 of a 40 day cycle that time). I have regular periods (30-34 days), I'm not overweight, no acne, etc... I ovulate from charting and positive OPK's and I recently had a miscarriage which I think was due to low progesterone. I do spot before my period for 5-7 days, again a sign of low prog. Does this sound like PCOS? Can I ovulate even with such a high ratio? Thanks for your help.

 

[wantanerd]

Now all I need to do is get my hubby stationed in Hawaii!

Now that would be an added bonus

Can you pick your next location or is it completely out of your hands?

We can give a list of where we would like to go and starting in December when he puts on his next rank, he can start applying for jobs at different bases to see if he gets one. There is a chance he could get Hawaii if he were to stay with the squadron he is with now, but I think he wants to change to a different type of communications squadron. He is under my orders to apply for anything in Europe, Hawaii, and FL.

 

[Clobo]

Hi

Angel4eva im so sorry that you are going through this, whereabouts are you?? UK?? Have you been to a doctor at all yet?? I would go with your list of symptoms and ask them to do some blood tests and a scan to confirm. Focus on some positives, you have done brilliantly losing 3.5 stone, well done thats a huge acheivement, and you are having "regular" cycles ... the doctor can do a cd 21 blood test on progesterone to see if you ovulated. Have you been TTC long?? You could ask to be referred to a specialist and they can give you something like clomid if its appropriate which should help you. Good luck

IslandGirl, Im so sorry to hear of your mc, I recently had one too so i totally feel your pain ... im not totally sure that is PCOS although it does come in all shapes and sizes so it could be ... have they tested your progesterone?? Its a simple blood test usually done about 7 days after you ovulate?? Are your temps very high after ovulation?? If they arent very high then that could suggest low progesterone?? Id get yourself to the doctors and ask for some more tests. Its really good that you have regular cycles though and also you do know now that you can get pregnant ....
xxx

 

[MariaF]

IslandGrl - it does sound like Progesterone defficiency to me. The Lh:FSH ratio is high, but you seem to have regular ovulation which is the most important thing. But low progesterone may prevent implantation and also lead to m/c. You should mention it to your Dr. They should give you progesterone tablets or suppositories which will solve the problem. You'll need to start taking tham a day after ovulation

 

[IslandGrl]

Thanks ladies. Yes, I had my progesterone tested, ironically on the same cycle I fell pregnant. It was 17 which is good I think and my temps remained high. I had a feeling I had a good cycle that month. The 2 months before that my temps. started to drop when my spotting started so I don't think I ovulated "well" that month.

Clobo - Sorry to hear about your m/c. They are so heart wrenching

Maria F - Thanks for your advice.

I'll let you know if I get to the bottom of this. I have a doctor's appt. next week and I'm going to ask for prog. and a referral to a FS.

 

[angel4eva]

Clobo, thank you for your concern.

Yes, a few years prob 2004/05 ago i did miss a couple of periods, and was sent for a scan, confirming small cysts on my ovaries. Also at that time I used to get acne, and was a litt;e over weight. The doctor told me she couldnt confirm I had pco, but showed signs of it.

However a good few years later, my periods are regular and have been since I first went, my hair growth has got considerably worse in all the wrong areas, over the past couple of years, and my hair is very fine with a thinning area on my crown.

At the beginning of the year, i had a few blood tests i think for diabetes, thyroid, and hormones, they all came back fine. I went back again, not happy with the hair problems, Im currently due to see a dermatologist next week, she said they would help she wasnt very helpful and showed no empathy towards me whatsoever. I'm not sure what a dermatologist can really do...

As for ttc we have only just recently started past couple of months, I had false hope mid cycle (got my hopes up it was implantation bleeding, reading further about it thought it may be ovulation bleeding), or though I never have had mid cycle spotting before. My cycle is normally about every 28 days give or take a day or 2, and today is day 28 so if it wasnt implantation bleeding or ovulation bleeding then my concern is what else could be wrong....

I'm just scared of what the future holds. x

I'm not sure

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

must be nice to choose your duty station! we can make requests but unless we reup we dont even get to do that again...and we arent up for contract for another 5 years. but we are going to Germany lol...so no complaints.

 

[Clobo]

Islandgirl, glad you have a plan, yes let us know how it goes!

Angel, aw it's good that they have referred you to a dermatologist, they will be able to much more than a normal GP. As for TTC you've only just started, they say it takes on average 6 months for people with normal cycles so don't worry just yet, make sure you get lots of well timed and look after yourself as those are the two things you can control xxx

 

[wantanerd]

We can request but the Air Force can put us where ever it wants to. Thankfully there is a job listing but there is no guarantee we will get one of those. I would kill to go to Germany! It is where I want to go! We are hoping one day we will get to go overseas. This is only the first assignment we have had and we are in CO for another year at least.

 

[MommyMel]

oh, so thats how it works.... i really hope you get your BFP real soon.....

its such an emotional roller coaster we are on..... any sign of light is amazing !!!!
please keep us posted....

yes, luckily my medical insuranc covered 99% of the procedures so far.... but as for IUI, IVF, ect,,,,,, that we have to pay for cash, its not covered by medical aid,,,,

but, good luck dear,,,,

 

[kermy79]

Im new to this club and have tried to remember all the conversations gone on here but to be honest i think i have forgotten half of it. I just have a few questions about my PCOS, i have the weight gain problem, i also have the excess hair problem, but i have allways been pretty regular on the AF situation. But i am now nearly two months late and am wondering if this could be considered normal, can your cycle change without any warning??...Or is there any chance i could be pregnant??

I have no idea if i ovulate every month or any month for that matter. I also have hydrosalpinges (water in both my tubes) and if i do ovulate then is there any chance that my eggs could make it to my womb to be ovulated without dying or being disformed in anyway??

I have an appointment on the 12th of july and i have been doing a lot of research into both these things and i have found conflicting info all over the place, so i guess im really confused. I only have about a week to wait and ask my fs all this but i dont take to waiting very well.

If ANYONE has any ideas or answers to my questions, it would be grat to hear from you.
Thank you in advance xxxx