"Typical" Expectations of Follistim

[JennyAh]

I just completed my first round of Follistim with timed intercourse. Day 3 of the two week wait.

I could really use a few good replies on how Follistim worked for you. My biggest challenge is that I am 43 years old. My RE did say I did beautifully on it as I matured 5 follies and there were a few more borderline that may or maynot mature by the time I did my trigger shot. So I know I at least know I have five.

[JennyAh]

Congratulations on your son! You are so very blessed! :)  I went through the Clomid once too, but with my being so "young," my RE thought we should bring in the big guns. If/when the time comes to consider IVF (which we talked about), at that time I'll use a donor egg. The chances of pregnancy are so much higher than using my own. Until then, we'll try this for a few more months if necessary.

Don't feel bad about the insurance. I have BCBS and they do not cover any infertility treatments either. Nothing beyond diagnosis. However, I did get a very big surprise! I was really sweating how I was going to pay $4000 for the Follistim (I was on a large dose). When I called my pharmacy, the pharmacist was laughing at me. It only cost me a $20 co-payment! You could have heard my jaw hit the ground a mile away! I never thought my insurance would cover it because the Clomid wasn't covered (on too high a dose ~ 250mg a day ~insurance said no).

My RE charges $2000 per month for ovulation monitoring, which was another thing I had to sweat paying. I was on the phone with my insurance company (bless their hearts!), they told me not to pay it because that only consists of bloodwork and ultrasounds, which are payable by them! Wow~  The only thing they didn't cover, and I was delighted to pay it, was the $70 for the Novarel (my trigger shot).

I've learned this entire infertility business is just that ~ a business. It doesn't hurt to call your health insurance and talk to the nice people in customer service. They were so helpful to me. As it turned out, I didn't need all the Follistim the RE thought I needed. I have enough if needed for next month as I still have a few left over cartridges. I'm praying I won't be needing them.

[kyang401]

Good luck! I hope you get that BFP! I also did follistim w/ timed intercourse last July and got my BFP! My son is now 10 weeks old. It was my first cycle after 1 round of clomid and 1 round of letrozole w/ monitoring failed. I did not respond to neither pills at all. I had to pick up a secondary ins from BCBS cus my ins thru work does not cover infertility treatments. I lucked out and had to only pay 2 months of my secondary ins and then cancelled it after BFP and RE discharged me to my OB.