Infertility, IVF, IUI and more...: Saving Follistim Overages

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Saving Follistim Overages

I made a video on how I've been saving the overages in the Follistim cartridges. I started off with 2 600 units vials and 7 300 unit vials.
I did 600 units out of the 600 unit cartridges
I did 375 units out of each 375 unit cartridge

I have 78cc of overages saved which equals 647.4 units. At $524 for a 600 unit vial that is $565.15 worth of medicine!

Each syringe mark is 8.3 units (on a .5ml insulin syringe)
A full syringe is 416 units

I hope this helps someone else save some money!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Pre IVF TTC Timeline

IVF Timeline

IVF #1

6/19/13-RE Consult

6/25/13-HSG

8/20/13- IVF Consult

8/21/13- Financial Consult

10/1/13- Hysteroscopy

10/2/13-Start BCP

10/9/13- TESE

10/11/13-Transfer frozen vials and test

10/14/13-Okay to start IVF

10/25/13- Chart Review, Med List

11/11-13- Order Meds

11/19/13- Meds Arrive

11/20/13-Start Lupron (10 units) and Dexamethasone (.75mg)

11/24/13-Last BCP

11/25/13- Lower Lupron to 5 units

11/27/13-Baseline Ultrasound and Estrogen Level, Last day of Lupron

11/28/13-Start Ganirelex (125mcg), Start Period

12/2/13 -Start Follistim (600 units), Start Folic Acid

12/4/13-Start Menopur (half vial), Lower Follistim to 375 units

12/9/13-Follicle check and estrogen level check. E2@ 134, 6 follicles only 2 of measurable size. Continue meds until Wednesday
12/11/13-Follicle check and estrogen level check. Still only 2 follicles in the range they need to be. Cycle canceled.

-----------------

IVF #2

1/09/14- Take 50mg Provera to start period

1/15/14- Start Birth Control Pill

1/23/14- Start Lupron and Dexamethasone

1/26/14- Last Birth Control Pill

1/27/14- Lower Lupron to 5units

1/30/14- Stop Lupron, Start Ganirlex 125mcg, baseline ultrasound and E2, Cyst Found, E2 @ 162, aspiration scheduled for 1/31/14

1/31/14- Cyst aspirated

2/1/14- E2 level 26

2/2/14- Start period, start E2V injections

2/9/14-Start E2V Suppository 2mg

2/10/14-Start Follistim 600 units, Start Folic Acid 1mg

2/12/14- Lower Follistim to 375 units, Start Menopur 1/2 vial daily

2/14/14- Ultrasound- 5-6 follicles on the right, no med change

2/17/14-Ultrasound- 12 follicles above 10mm, E2 @ 1402, Continue same meds, add antiobiotic, re-check on Wednesday

2/19/14-Ultrasound-14 follicles above 10mm, E2@ 1293, Last Follistim and Menopur shots

2/20/14- Last Ganirelex shot, start antibiotic suppository, HCG 10,000 unit trigger shot at 9pm

2/22/14- Egg retrieval-9 retrieved. Begin Progesterone in Oil (PIO) shot 50mg per day.

2/23/14- Fertilization report: 9 retrieved. 7 mature, 1 broken, 4 fertilized normally, 2 had incomplete fertilization. Bottom line: 6 in culture

2/25/14: Day 3 report: 3 arrested (stopped growing), 1 8cell, 1 6cell, 1 3cell, remaining one never fertilized. 3 total left in culture

2/27/14: Day 5 report: no growth since day 3, giving the remaining 3 until day 6

2/28/14: Remaining 3 embryos arrested. Stop all meds, start tapering off dexamethasone

3/6/14: period began

Post IVF

3/5/14- Semen analysis, 1 MILLION sperm, 75% motility.

IUI#1

5/18/14- Started Clomid, 100mg for 5 days

5/27/14-3 mature follicles, lining at 12mm, HCG trigger shot

5/28/14- IUI, 2.5 million post wash

6/9/14- BFN, new cycle start

IUI #2

6/13/14- ultrasound

6/19/14-ultrasound

6/22/14- + OPK

6/23/14-ultrasound, 2,500mg HCG

6/24/14-IUI, very low motility

Suprise BFP

9/1/14- Positive pregnancy tests. Beta 25, progesterone 10.9

9/2/14-50mg progesterone in oil, 200mg endometrium

9/3/14- Beta 9, Progesterone 18.8

9/6/14-Started period. Miscarriage@ 4w6d