Part 3: PCOS - Testing, Pricing, Health
**Thank you for following our journey! If you're new to the blog, check out Part 1 and Part 2 so that you're up to speed on where we're at!**
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." - Romans 12:12
Now that you're up to speed, here we go...
After sending in our Health History packet, we waited for a phone call from the nurse. As I stated before, the doctor ("Fertility Specialist") reviews the packet and comes up with an initial game plan for testing. I had all of my in depth prior blood tests done in June 2017 with Doctor #3 to verify PCOS. The call finally came - I was nervous and excited. I was excited because I knew that if this whole infertility treatment process didn't work out for us, I'd at least have answers as to why we were having issues conceiving and why I was constantly feeling crummy due to the PCOS symptoms. The nurse informed me that I needed to make an appointment to go over the plan for testing and to speak with the Business Office regarding pricing for everything.
Here's where shit gets real. I stated in my prior posts that our insurance company does not cover any infertility testing or treatment - huge, huge bummer. But oh well. With that, I want to be 100% real when it comes to pricing. I was unable to find accurate pricing information when I did my own research and I know that, unfortunately, there will be another person in my shoes some day searching the internet for this information. This pricing is based on the CentraCare Reproductive Medicine Program in Minnesota as of 2018.
Infertility Testing - Pricing
Due to having my previous blood work being nearly a year old, the Fertility Specialist requested that I do all of the blood work again so that he had accurate information and to re-verify PCOS. Being the frugal person that I am, I asked if they could code that as PCOS since they were technically doing the blood work again to verify that. Unfortunately, they said no. The estimate from the Business Office for all testing for my spouse and I came to $1786.75 (paid out of pocket). Yikes. As you'll see below, the final totals are quite a bit more than expected as the sheet the Business Office provided me did not include facility fees and other "hidden" costs.
Here's a list of all the testing that I personally had to have done, along with the pricing:
Blood work - ($992.70)
-Thyroid stimulating hormone ($48.00)
-Prolactin ($55.25)
-Follicle stimulating hormone ($53.00)
-Lutenizing hormone ($52.75)
-Estradiol ($79.75)
-Testosterone ($73.75)
-Testosterone Free ($72.50)
-Rubella titer ($41.00)
-17 OH Progesterone ($77.50)
-DHEAS ($63.50)
-HgPAC ($27.75)
After doing all of the blood work, the next step was to meet with the Fertility Specialist to discuss results and have a couple more pre-screening tests done that they require for everyone going through their Reproductive Medicine Program. When I met the Fertility Specialist, I instantly had a good feeling. I felt like there was legit hope and I left the appointment feeling excited. The Fertility Specialist flat out said "You've been trying for almost 2 years, you should be pregnant by now. I have no doubts in my mind that we can make this happen." He told me to stop doing my own research on the internet because every person is different and it would only add more stress, which I didn't need. While speaking with the Fertility Specialist, I learned that his "go-to" guy (i.e. the person he consults with regarding plans for all of his clients) is the first specialist that I scheduled an appointment with that required a BMI of 30 before even meeting with clients. This guy is very well known and has incredible success rates.
Additional Tests
-Physician consult ($278.50)
-Chlamydia/Gonorrhea ($100 each)
-Wet prep ($171.75)
My husband only had to have one test done. The paperwork provided to me indicated that it would cost $150, but after facility fees it came to around $180.
Husband's Test
-Male factor evaluation ($153.50) - came to $180 something
There is one final test that I have to do before we can meet with the doctor to go over a treatment plan. I was originally scheduled to do a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is a radiology procedure where iodine dye is utilized to see whether or not the fallopian tubes are open or blocked. I was reading through the flyer they gave me and noticed that it mentioned that people with a shellfish allergy should not do the HSG test due to the potential for an allergic reaction. Of course, I'm allergic to shellfish. I told the Fertility Specialist this and he decided to have me do the Femvue test instead. This is a different test to evaluate the fallopian tubes. When the Business Office called to tell me that I was being switched to the Femvue test, they said something along the lines of "Well, the cost for this test is $1029.50 but you'll be saving money since the facility fee for HSG would have been over $1000 anyways." Umm... what? Yes, the HSG test would have been over $1300 vs the $347.25 estimate that they provided. Again, "hidden" costs that they don't provide up front. Finding this out was a little frustrating, but oh well. I have not scheduled this test yet as it needs to be done at a specific time during a cycle.
Additional Test
-Femvue ($1029.50)
Additional Test
-Femvue ($1029.50)
The Results
All testing is done except the Femvue test. The results? I have PCOS. Not a shocker, but still frustrating. My husband's results came back normal. The Fertility Specialist noted that I have a relatively mild case of PCOS and added that it can't get any worse (thank goodness). Although a PCOS diagnosis is frustrating and scary, I know I'm blessed. It could be worse. I only have a few symptoms, whereas some people have a whole list of symptoms that require several medications to "treat" or help.
The good news? Yes, believe it or not, there's good news. My blood work drastically improved from last year!! The Fertility Specialist gave me major kudos when pointing this out and said "keep it up!" - I 100% owe that to my Beachbody on Demand subscription. The convenience of working out in my own home has kept me accountable; I haven't skipped a single workout. I still struggle with nutrition, but that's a work in progress and I'm slowly making small changes. I was so excited about this news that I decided to become a Beachbody Coach. I want to help other women who are trying to lose weight with PCOS or to be healthier overall. It's not easy. It requires hard work. Losing weight with PCOS is extremely challenging due to insulin resistance and other issues. But... it is what it is. It could be worse. I am going to make the best of this situation and keep moving forward. I started a health/fitness bootcamp for other women with PCOS where we keep each other accountable, log workouts, log shakes, share tips/tricks, trade recipes, etc. Would you like to be added? Shoot me a message at fitwife.fairlife@gmail.com and we'll chat!
**Other Tests**
The tests I listed above are ones that our Fertility Specialist required us to have done based on our Health History packet and my history with PCOS. A few of them are required for everyone and are considered "pre-screening" tests.
Here is a list of other tests that were included on our informational sheet, along with pricing:
-Progesterone ($59.50)
-SHBG ($62.00)
-Fasting glucose ($11.25)
-C-Peptide ($59.25)
-AMH ($37.00)
-Lipid profile ($38.25)
-Hepatitis B ($29.50)
-Hepatitis C ($40.75)
-Sonohysterogram ($718.75)
Reality Check - Emotions
So, now what? I can tell you that the emotions associated with this journey are insane. Some days are extremely overwhelming. Some days I feel like a total failure because I can't just have kids like a lot of women around me. Some days I feel so frustrated and defeated that I'd rather lay in bed all day. It's tough, it's really really tough. Some days are full of tears and others are calm. But... at the end of each day, I know that this will all work itself out. I know that I'm married to my best friend and I love him more each day. I know it won't get any easier, but if this process does work out... it will be worth it. Until then, we'll count the blessings in our lives and move forward. I refuse to let "infertility" define me or us. Infertility is so common, but it's not something that's openly talked about. It's not information that people offer up in a conversation. It's embarrassing (to an extent), frustrating, overwhelming,.. I could keep coming up with words. It's a rollercoaster journey, but it's ours.
xoxo,
Comments
Post a Comment