Progesterone takes the CAKE (IUI cost does too)

 

I need to take a minute to tell you how much I HATE taking progesterone!  Not only do I despise taking medications every day, but I truly despise having to insert something VAGINALLY TWICE A DAY!  It’s the same scenario every morning and night—insert vaginal suppository and PRAY it doesn’t leak everywhere.  It is seriously the messiest medication ever!  If you ever used yeast medication vaginally, you’ll understand my pain, but at least there is an end in sight with a yeast medication—I’ll be on progesterone until at least March 2^nd (if I’m not pregnant) or until the end of my first trimester (which would be sometime in April/May).  At minimum, 2 weeks!  Being tired is truly offensive as well.  I feel like I never get enough sleep.  I could sleep for days on this stuff!  Progesterone can mimic early pregnancy symptoms, so it can be quite confusing trying to differentiate between pregnancy and the most horrible drug ever created (not really).

 

If the physical side effects weren’t enough, let me indulge on the emotional side effects.  I feel like a lunatic. I know my sweet husband agrees!  Not only does it make me feel weepy sometimes, but I lose my composure over the stupidest stuff.  If someone looks at me the wrong way, I want to cry.  It’s pretty terrible and I feel pretty unpredictable at the moment.

 

I’m starting to feel like this IUI didn’t work.  I know I should keep my hopes up, but I don’t know if I’m just feeling hormonal, or if I truly know it didn’t work this go-around.  It’s frustrating having to deal with all these emotions.  And I feel like it’s unfair that I can’t get pregnant naturally.  I feel like I’ve already had so many “fun” pregnancy things taken away from me because of my miscarriage and now I’ll have even more “fun” things taken away. 

 

Something simple like telling my husband I’m pregnant—I can’t make this fun.  I’ll never be able to surprise him with balloons or a cute involved announcement, because as soon as I find out I’m pregnant, there will be blood draw, after blood draw to make sure my numbers are going up appropriately.  It’ll be holding my breath and praying that nothing happens again.  I’ve become a bit unsatisfied when it comes to the whole pregnancy deal.   I’ll have spent so much time and money trying to achieve something that comes so easily for others.   I’m just simply discouraged.  Progesterone, I HATE YOU!

 

If anyone is curious on around the cost of an average IUI for me, here it is:

(I’m lucky enough to have an insurance company that at least pays for some stuff, but not all.)

Medications:
                Letrozole- $10/month
                Metformin-Free at Publix/month
                HCG Injection- $76/month
                Progesterone- $20/month
                Total: $106
Office Visit:
                Midcycle ultrasound- $50
                Follow-up ultrasound- $50
                Total: $100
IUI Procedure:
                IUI procedure (includes office visit, sperm washing, and actual procedure)-$310
                Total: $310

Total for a monthly cycle:  $516 (this does not include additional office visits)

Price to even get to do my first month of IUI (includes initial office visit-50, first semen analysis-100, HSG-700) - $850

Total for my very first cycle of IUI- $1366

That’s a lot of money and that doesn’t include the cost if I have to have surgery for my uterine abnormality. Generally I’ll be just paying the $516 amount monthly, but that depends on if my medications are switched or not.  I think that amount is pretty inexpensive compared to what we could be paying for something like IVF, but it’s still a frustrating concept.  Some women get pregnant for free, have their pregnancy care paid for, plus their child’s healthcare—I’m sitting here having to pay someone to get me pregnant and then I’ll have to turn around and pay for all of my prenatal care and labor/delivery costs, plus my child’s healthcare.

 

Fingers, toes and nose crossed that my IUI worked this time.  PRAYERS are greatly appreciated!