Trying to find strength...confessions of an army wife.

[LekkerSlaap]

Ok I think I belong in this section. DH and I have been married 4 years in October, and still have yet to get prego. Last summer I finally was able to see a fertility specialist, and I had my HSG(I think that's what it is). My heart broke that day when it showed on the screen that my tubes were "closed". So after the quack putting me off for 2 months(LONG STORY) I FINALLY had the surgery that apparantly has no name where he pushed liquid through my tubes to push them open. He said it was successful, and then since my DH was deploying we froze his guys so that I might have IUI procedures done. ONLY to find out that he wouldn't even consider doing the IUI for several months unless I go on what he referred to as a trio of injections (which I wasn't given the name of directly). Then I receive a phone call from I think it was called freedom pharmacy telling me that they need the address and my debit/credit card number so they can ship me my injections. Before I gave up the information I asked since my insurance doesn't pay for the meds how much it's going to cost and I nearly died. 1500 A MONTH! And he wanted me on them for no less than 3 months!!!! Not to mention I would have to drive all the way from Knoxville TN to Syracuse NY at the time to have the IUI done. I decided that I no longer wanted to see this Dr since I felt that I hadn't been treated so well with all the lack of information and him putting off my surgery for 2 months knowing my DH was deploying (which only left me 2 days to TTC before he left).

I decided to have hope that in March when he came home for his rest and relaxation that we would have a good chance of conceiving. NO LUCK. I'm really having baby fever and since he'll be home soon I have my heart set on trying. But since I haven't had a follow up on my tubes I'm not exactly sure what's going on since the surgery. I'm doing ovulation strips at the moment and I am just praying that everything falls into place when he gets home. But I'm truly and deeply scared to even get my hopes up. I don't know how much longer I can handle being let down. And if you've stuck with me I apologize for the novel. But I'm in desprate need of any advice.

 

[Jennifer01]

Sorry I don't have any advice, except to encourage you to seek out a new doctor. I think doctors that go into fertility as a specialty should have to take a sensitivity training course first! I have heard several other people talk about their fs that doesn't really seem willing or able to see the patient as a person, just a case. I would still try natural as much as possible while waiting to see a new doctor. Sorry I can't be more help, fingers crossed for you!

 

[LekkerSlaap]

I agree 100%. At the first visit he seemed as if he truly cared about me. But as the weeks went by it was as if I wasn't anything except a paycheck. To have the HSG I had to wait until my next AF and then call them, that happened pretty quick. But the surgery I had to wait for another AF and when I called the nurse didn't tell me he was going on vacation. I called back a few days later only to find out that they couldn't get me in since he was leaving for vacation, call back next month...once again same thing, called, was told they will call me back, called back a few days later and was told once again he was going out of the country try again next month. >.< SERIOUSLY~ lol

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

hi LS! fellow army wife here! first of all second of all sounds like your doc is quacky and you need a new one...im assuming you have tricare? are you prime? prime coverage should allow you to do an IUI cycle for 400$ including drugs. you should also not be jumping into IUI so fast! besides the tube issues they should have checked all your hormones, they should be making sure you ovulate with bloodwork etc. ALL the testing (again with prime coverage) is FREE with tricare. the only test i have paid for so far have been my husbands semen analysis, and i had it done at an outside hospital because the first time through was so bad on the installation...the doctors office is not trying to tell me i have to pay for an ultrasound...tricare is fighting to PAY for the ultrasound for me because it is designed to prevent cyst rupture as a part of clomid therapy.

and one more thing! so glad deployment is almost over! thats something to about!

 

[LekkerSlaap]

He suggested the IUI since DH was deploying. And they did not offer for my insurance to take care of ANYTHING other than the HSG and the surgery. He said that everything about me was doing great. Although he hasn't tested me for ANYTHING since the surgery. And it's been almost a year. Yes I do have tricare prime. How did you get them to put you on clomid? Yes I am stoked that deployment is over! I would try to get into another FS but I don't want to wait til December to start trying. So the plan is now, trying everything possible and then if I'm not prego by March once we PCS to Cali then once we get there I'll seek out a new FS.

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

I was diagnosed with pcos, and haven't gotten preggo after 4 cycles of metformin, so clomid is the next step for me. I was asked if I would try for 2 more months with out but pressed to go ahead and start because my hubbs deploys next year after our move to Germany. We don't want to do iui without him here (his family would never believe I didn't cheat on him no matter what we told them ) so we will do an iui cycle right before he leaves if we aren't preggo by DD.

 

[Armywife84]

Hi there!

Well you're very lucky that his deployment is almost over. I'm still waiting to find out when mine deploys, it's only a matter of time. BTW how much was it to have them frozen? I also didn't know that if you have prime, they'll pay for so much of your IUI...Something I need to look into.

Before you had your HSG of where they check to make sure your tubes aren't blocked, they make you do blood work to check, and then you get an ultrasound done to check for PCOS. Then after you get tested, your husband then goes for the sperm analysis. Mine did 2, it's usually the best of 3.

I have Standard, because I didn't feel like messing with military doctors when it came to conceiving. So far I've only paid for about $100 of all my standard tests and his SA we got done on base. We're currently trying naturally and looking into IVF with the deployment $.

The FS will only put you on Clomid if your estrogen levels are lower than normal, you don't ovulate at all, or you have PCOS. All Clomid is, is an ovulation enhancer..it makes sure you ovulate. It doesn't mean you'll get pregnant taking it. TriCare does cover it, says so on their site.

 

[LekkerSlaap]

See I was told completely differently on the clomid. As far as the IUI we paid I think 160 every time he had his sperm frozen. And they do not pay for the IUI at all. It's all out of pocket is what I was told and that was quoted to me anywhere between 250-500 every time they did the procedure. They never did the ultrasound it was just blood work and the HSG and then whatever the surgery was to "open" my tubes. Since then they have called that one time to tell me that they were going to call in the injections prescriptions and told me to take each of them daily for a few months. And then I got a phone call from the pharm and nearly died from shock.

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

sorry to have confused...tricare DOES NOT pay anything toward IUI procedure. if you are doing an assisted cycle (this is what we are doing) they WILL pay for the drugs. the 400$ is the discounted price here are fort gordon at my off post office for the entire IUI procedure without sperm freezing. i can see the way i typed it earlier makes it look like tricare pays on IUI and it doesnt....SORRY!!

 

[Mrs. Bear]

Hi LekkerSlaap - I'm also an Army wife and in the same boat ttc during a deployment with frozen sperm. No luck so far but we did just try over R&R so maybe we will get lucky.

I am also on Standard - like Armywife84 I didn't want to mess with military doctors. Tricare won't cover IUI or IVF but they cover all the testing. If you do IUI you would have to pay for that, but the rest should be covered. Even with Standard the costs for ultrasounds and bloodwork are minimal and you have more options. They should also cover clomid and femera if your Dr wants to prescribe those. Most will start there before going to the stronger meds.

I don't know what the rules are as to how you would switch from prime if you wanted to, but there are probably several clinics in your area that would accept Tricare. Most major universities have some sort of program. If you go to sart.org it will give you IVF success rates so you can get at least get an idea of the quality of the clinic. There are probably tons in CA too.

You definitely need to switch from your current Dr ASAP. I have no idea what injections he would have had you on before agreeing to do any IUIs.

 

[Armywife84]

See I was told completely differently on the clomid. As far as the IUI we paid I think 160 every time he had his sperm frozen. And they do not pay for the IUI at all. It's all out of pocket is what I was told and that was quoted to me anywhere between 250-500 every time they did the procedure. They never did the ultrasound it was just blood work and the HSG and then whatever the surgery was to "open" my tubes. Since then they have called that one time to tell me that they were going to call in the injections prescriptions and told me to take each of them daily for a few months. And then I got a phone call from the pharm and nearly died from shock.

I read up on Clomid, plus a combination of what my gyno said. Depending upon your gyno/FS and what infertility you're facing they may or may not start you out with Clomid. If it's a female factor or combo of both then most likely. But if it's male factor only, then no. Unexplained, they probably will just to give it a shot.

The ultrasound is just to check for PCOS. I would be pushing to get that done.

I'm also confused about the injections. Hormone injections? I know when you go thru IVF you need injections, but I didn't think you needed them during IUI.

Haven't had IUI because my husband's aren't the best swimmers so we're just going straight for IVF.

Hopefully you can switch doctors soon.

Mrs Mabrey- I had heard a rumor if you were on Prime Tricare they would pay for the drugs on the IUI and at 4 certain bases D.C, San Antonino, Hawaii, and the one in NY they'll do a discounted IVF. But I hear the waiting list is a year long on that and I'm not sure if I want a military doctor doing my IVF. Unfortunately, we don't live near any of those bases so after travel, hotel, food expenses it would be about the same if we paid for it out of our pocket minus the year waiting list.

 

[LekkerSlaap]

I'm on Prime and when I called Tricare they told me they do not cover ANYTHING. And we are stationed at Drum in NY. Although in March we'll be moving to Irwin, CA. I wish it were true. I haven't even seen a military DR other than for them to give me my referral. I never do. I'm always sent off post to other dr's.

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

if you read on tricares website there is an entire section on those facilities you listed. it is not technically "covered" under tricare...but it is a "discounted" price because you are a military member or dependant. from what i have found out they will do an IVF cycle for around 3-4 thousand, when it is normally 6-7 thousand. we have decided that when we re up if we havent gotten pregnant yet we will request one of those stations for the discount because i dont see any savings if i have to pay to stay at that location for a month long cycle...that would be expensive! ill see if i can find the info and copy and paste it...

 

[MrS. MaBrEy]

here you go.

Infertility Treatment

TRICARE may cover the following types of infertility testing and treatment.

Diagnostic services to identify physical illnesses or injuries to the reproductive system are covered for both men and women. Infertility treatments, corrective treatments and surgeries for women are also covered. However, correction of male infertility may be cost shared, which is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Therapies covered by TRICARE include hormonal treatment, corrective surgery, antibiotics, administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or radiation therapy depending on the cause. These therapies are covered for both sexes.

TRICARE also provides medically necessary appropriate medical care for erectile dysfunction due to organic, vice psychological or psychiatric, causes.

Exclusions:

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) for women (see note below)
Reversal of surgical sterilization is not covered for either sex.

A note about IVF: While TRICARE does not cover IVF, there are four military treatment facilities (MTFs) where IVF medical training programs are conducted. Beneficiaries who participate in these programs will be responsible for all MTF costs.

Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio
Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu
Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Naval Medical Center in San Diego


and this is the link:https://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/jsp/Medical/IsItCovered.do?kw=Infertility+Treatment&topic=Women

 

[Armywife84]

My mistake San Diego Naval Base, I was still 3 out of 4 right.

I would ask your gyno/FS about when you're going to get your ultrasound to check for PCOS then I would ask him what is the diagnosis. That is assuming your DH had the SA already..then I would ask him about Clomid if your infertility is unexplained or if you may have PCOS. We all know those idiots at TriCare don't know jack shit when you call them..

For those beneficiaries who do have unexplained or PCOS, Tricare does cover for them to get on Clomid. My friend who's also an army wife has PCOS and is on Metformin and getting on Clomid which Tricare Prime covers.

Seriously, if you find yourself going in circles with Tricare, we all go thru it, then I would just switch to Standard and see whatever FS/gyno you please.

I'm battling TriCare with my husband about going to the urologist, which TriCare will also cover. He got referred but we haven't heard back from TriCare and apparently the referral had been put into the wrong urologist who only does vasectomies!!! So now he's going round with them about getting referred to another urologist who can may be help with our male infertility. It's decent insurance, but it can be a pain in the ass!!