About 3 weeks to go until we commence cycle 2 of IVF. Unfortunately, we had no frosties (frozen embryos) from last cycle, so we are starting from scratch this time again. That means more $$ and EPU all over again. At least this time we are doing a flare cycle and not a down regulated one (which means 4-6 weeks as opposed to 6-10 weeks). We are excited, and still hopeful that we may get our much longed for second child, yet.
I have my script here, and as soon as AF starts (first week Feb hopefully); we are away. Bit nervous, but mostly excited. Will ring up and pay the big bucks soon so that we can have the script filled and the medications is then here ready to go when my period starts.
Need to call nurses day 1 of cycle, and I think start synarel right away. Will find out I suppose! The good part about starting so early is that we will hit the medicare safety net immediately, and subsequent cycles (not to mention any other medical costs for the year) will then be far cheaper. So the earlier the better really.
Just adding some interesting research from as recently as October last year (about when I underwent the acupuncture for last cycle actually!) - new research says its NOT a good idea. Who bloody knows anymore! Read the article here.
Showing posts with label medicare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicare. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Monday, October 15, 2007
Bugger.
We got Josh's sperm analysis results back today, expecting no dramas and instead were told motility improved, but morphology low (so not many sperm the right shape). Our Fertility Specialist (FS) has recommended we use ICSI in our cycle. This is IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection and is demonstrated in the below video. To watch the video (if you've not used youtube before, am looking at you Mum); press play, then pause again, and wait til the red line is filled then hit play again. This will stop it from stop starting as it loads.
In the needle you can just see a little black sperm swimming up and down the length of the needle. Stupid thing swims the wrong way after they pierce into the egg, but eventually swims out and the needle is removed.
This is good in some ways, it means fertilisation is likely, since they will be forced together, rather than waiting for them to decide if they can be arsed doing it themselves or not. It costs a little more, $377 more upfront, but only $75 more overall after medicare rebate. The ICSI procedure has only very, very recently been added to the medicare schedule for rebate so thats great for us.
Its good to know now, and be prepared and have this in place to deal with it - but it has wobbled me a little.. like something else to overcome... Just a bit depressing.
Anyhoo, heres the video:
In the needle you can just see a little black sperm swimming up and down the length of the needle. Stupid thing swims the wrong way after they pierce into the egg, but eventually swims out and the needle is removed.
This is good in some ways, it means fertilisation is likely, since they will be forced together, rather than waiting for them to decide if they can be arsed doing it themselves or not. It costs a little more, $377 more upfront, but only $75 more overall after medicare rebate. The ICSI procedure has only very, very recently been added to the medicare schedule for rebate so thats great for us.
Its good to know now, and be prepared and have this in place to deal with it - but it has wobbled me a little.. like something else to overcome... Just a bit depressing.
Anyhoo, heres the video:
Monday, September 10, 2007
Extra info
I made the appt to see a Dr at MIVF and then realised she was not the Sunshine (closest) clinic Dr. I rang MIVF this morning though, and asked does it have to be that clinics Dr or can I see Dr Foster at her rooms but still do all my bloods and scans at sunshine?
Yes! Dr is irrelevant. Thats good because the Dr at Sunshine is only there Wed arvo and because of small mans school hours, afternoons are not suitable. So I would have had to see him elsewhere at other times anyway.
Also realised that to get to that clinic, its not TOO bad in terms of traffic because I only go as far down the Calder as Sydenham then turn off, and it doesn't get hectic really, until from and after the Sydenham on ramp (as far as I can recall anyway). And if I tried it once and found it was busy, I could always go the back way thereafter, which would be just an extra 10 mins or so. Not so bad after all...
I emailed Ballarat IVF today also, and asked if IVF is required, how do the payment options all work, and I am going to call MIVF accounts later and ask the same. Am hoping one or both, allow you to pay just the gap fee upfront, and bill medicare directly for their share. This would mean the difference between needing to find $3000 (which we can currently do by mid November); and $5000 which would not be possible til Jan/Feb next year.
We will try something before the years end (from Nov) - whether that is IVF or IUI is yet to be seen. Because we already have a child, our safety net for medicare is far lower, at $520 of which we already have $120 toward, and given I am still to see a GP for referrals and have these 2 specialist appointments, we are obviously going to be close to it anyway, so might as well start now. Oh correction, I think we are now on 1029 safety net coz we dont get family tax A anymore, only B. Bugger! Thats 500 less we get back! Oh well. Otherwise, costs are as I imagined, although next weeks appointment just to see the Dr is $170-. Yowsers!
Yes! Dr is irrelevant. Thats good because the Dr at Sunshine is only there Wed arvo and because of small mans school hours, afternoons are not suitable. So I would have had to see him elsewhere at other times anyway.
Also realised that to get to that clinic, its not TOO bad in terms of traffic because I only go as far down the Calder as Sydenham then turn off, and it doesn't get hectic really, until from and after the Sydenham on ramp (as far as I can recall anyway). And if I tried it once and found it was busy, I could always go the back way thereafter, which would be just an extra 10 mins or so. Not so bad after all...
I emailed Ballarat IVF today also, and asked if IVF is required, how do the payment options all work, and I am going to call MIVF accounts later and ask the same. Am hoping one or both, allow you to pay just the gap fee upfront, and bill medicare directly for their share. This would mean the difference between needing to find $3000 (which we can currently do by mid November); and $5000 which would not be possible til Jan/Feb next year.
We will try something before the years end (from Nov) - whether that is IVF or IUI is yet to be seen. Because we already have a child, our safety net for medicare is far lower, at $520 of which we already have $120 toward, and given I am still to see a GP for referrals and have these 2 specialist appointments, we are obviously going to be close to it anyway, so might as well start now. Oh correction, I think we are now on 1029 safety net coz we dont get family tax A anymore, only B. Bugger! Thats 500 less we get back! Oh well. Otherwise, costs are as I imagined, although next weeks appointment just to see the Dr is $170-. Yowsers!
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