Going back for a second round of IVF has been a very different experience. We went in with a different mindset – there wasn’t a sense of desperation and we were going to take it as it comes with no expectations as we’d already been so lucky with our first transfer and pregnancy. We knew what to expect with each stage and the process as a whole. This time though, I was consumed with guilt and all these thoughts that came with it. We have already been so blessed with our little miracle baby, and now we’re going back to the IVF clinic in a waiting room of women longing to become mothers, whilst personally knowing a number of couples who have been trying themselves for months or even years. I’m now that mother in the waiting room who already has her precious baby. The one I used to look at and think ‘if only you knew just how lucky you are’.
Is it too soon for us to go back and try again? Is that selfish of us? What if we have success while others are still trying? How could we deserve this and be so happy in the midst of others heartache? On the other hand, how would we handle a negative result? What if our first transfer was a fluke and we go through all our remaining embryos with no luck? How much would that cost us? What if our baby boy is never able to be a big brother? Would I be able to cope physically and emotionally going through another egg collection?
The IVF process really is a numbers game, and not just financially. It’s a game of chance. We had already met one of our six embryos, making our five frozen babies much more real. We hope and pray that bub #2 will be one of our remaining five.
Starting medications
After our initial appointment to discuss next steps and have bloods taken, I was to start taking Primulot to induce a period. I took Primulot twice a day for five days, then began the waiting game. Five days later my period came. This is considered ‘Day 1.’ On Day 5 I started Progynova, the same dose as I’d previously been on, 2 x 2 tablets a day. On Day 10 I had a scan and all appeared good with my lining. On Day 11 I commenced progesterone pessaries and injections. Medicine has advanced in the two year’s it’s been since my last IVF round. This time I’m taking Utrogestan pessaries, which are small like a fingernail compared to the bullet shaped pessaries I was taking previously, and there is no need to lay down for 30 minutes after it’s been inserted. How amazing is that!
I take pessaries 3 x daily to ensure endometrial lining stays at optimal thickness and Prolutex 25mg injections, an additional form of progesterone, daily (initially it was every second day but blood tests revealed my progesterone levels weren’t high enough).
The big transfer took place on Day 16. This all happened so much quicker than we were prepared for and ever expected. I guess there was more trial and error to see how my body would react to meds in our first round. This time my pregnancy blood test will be 10 days post transfer, slightly earlier than the dreaded 2WW.
Side effects of these meds are nothing new for me – tired, bloated, night sweats, weight gain, acne. It’s just something you learn to live with. It almost becomes part of your lifestyle as you can be on meds for such long time.
Breakdown of cost
This time around, we decided to track the cost of our cycle. I wanted to know what we would realistically be up for at each frozen cycle. As I’ve said before, so many people are unaware of the costs associated with just one round of IVF and in this case a frozen cycle (which is considered much cheaper). It’s not just the embryo transfer, but the tests, medications, scans. We knew a FET would be approx. $3,000 but you need to factor in meds and everything else which will usually double or triple the cost. I was also taking daily progesterone injections which is a costly drug compared to some of my other meds.
Costs will differ for each individual based on medications needed. Here is a breakdown of our FET cycle cost:
- initial appointment (as repeat patient) $130
- additional appointment $80
- upfront cost to be paid when meeting with Patient Liaison Administrator (PLA) before commencing any meds $3,306
- cost of FET procedure $402
- meds that I’m to take up until pregnancy blood test $901.31
- cost per week following pregnancy blood test during 2WW and first 12 weeks (technically 13 weeks as it includes the whole of week 12) of pregnancy if positive:
Utrogestan pessaries $46
Prolutex injections $156.04
Progynova $9.8
total $211.84 per week X 12 full weeks = $2,753.92 (4 x progynova, 3 x pessaries, 1 x injection daily)
Potential total cost if positive $7,573.23
Potential total cost if negative $5,242.99
The likelihood of an emby that sticks on our first transfer for the second time round is probably unlikely, however we are still currently PUPO while we wait for results.
Road To Mummy 