Elusive Eggs: May 2016 - IVF #3, Counting is Important

The medicines arrived in 2.5 shipments. 1 from Conception Pharmacy with the Z-packs, Gonal-F, Menopur, and Ovidrel shots during the last weekend in April. 1.5 from Freedom Pharmacy with the Lupron that arrived during the last week. Why do I say 1.5? Well, here's why.

One of my fears in this process is not having a good inventory of the medicines I have on-hand...and then, worst case scenario, realizing this around T minus 5 minutes to injection time. Pause for a moment and imagine the sheer panic of potentially screwing up the whole round due to accidental miscounting. Terrifying for me, and for anyone in the general vicinity were it to happen.

When I unpack my shipments from the pharmacies, I count everything, and compare it with the packing slip and the original prescription on my portal. Most of the time, this is overkill...the pharmacies do a pretty good job of making sure they give you what you need. There is enough competition that they wouldn't stay in business if they regularly messed up shipments to high-strung, fertility-challenged, hormonal women. Still, I don't want to be that one case in 1,000 that they might accidentally screw up. I'm already in a 1-percentile situation with my damn ovaries...I wouldn't be surprised if Murphy is out to get me. So I always check, even though, Lord knows, I am not generally this organized...

Conception Pharmacy's shipment arrived in the big insulated box and was perfect, as it has been during the last two rounds. I added that with what I had leftover from rounds 1 & 2, and I was in great shape with some extra days of medicine which might keep me from having to order expensive refills. Small win!

Freedom Pharmacy's shipment arrived this past Saturday. It was in a much smaller insulated box containing one vial with all the Lupron, orange capped mini-syringes, and paperwork. I counted...then counted again. I pulled out the vial and the prescription and did the math...15 days worth of medicine total, split in 2 doses / day. I should have at least 30 syringes, yet I only have 20. Their invoice is calling 20 syringes 20 days worth. This is not right.

Now this isn't the worst thing I could have found. I did get the right medicine and supplies enough to start taking it on time, but it just goes to show why counting is important. If I had assumed they would send me the right number of syringes, I would have found out as the needles dwindled and my hormones fluctuated, and it might have become more stressful and urgent.

I called Freedom Pharmacy, a Massachusetts based company, and everyone I have spoken with so far has delightful New England accents. This conversation took around 15 minutes, here's more or less what was said:

Lady: "How can I help you?"

Me: "I received my prescription, but it did not come with enough syringes for me to take all the doses. Can you please send more?"

Lady: "So you need a refill?"

Me: "No. I just need the original prescription medicine, which I have, and I need the right number of syringes in order for me to take it.."

::silence::

Me: "I'm afraid someone mis-counted. The invoice says 20 syringes = 20 days worth, but I'm taking 2 shots per day, so I would need at least 30."

Lady: "Hmmm. Well they come in a bag of 20."

Me: "Then should my prescription should come with 2 bags?"

Lady: "Let me connect you with the pharmacist."

::hold music::

Pharmacist: "Hi Kelly, you need a refill on your prescription?"

Me: "No. No refill, just want to get the right number of syringes so I can take the medicine you sent me. I'm taking 20 units, 2 times per day for 15 days, but I only received a pack of 20 syringes."

Pharmacist: "These syringes only come in packs of 20. We usually only give 1 pack."

Me: "So I have heard. How am I supposed to take the extra 10 doses of medicine in this vial without more syringes? Does my prescription not cover all the syringes I need to take the medication? I've been told never to re-use them..."

::silence::

Pharmacist: "Hmmm. I see. Well, I guess we need to send you another pack?"

Me: "That would be great."

Pharmacist: "Now I see that it's written in your prescription from your doctor that you need 2 packs of syringes. We usually only give 1 pack. We'll get that right to you! No charge!"

Me: "Thank you!"

Geez. If I had been in peak hormonal form, this would have been far more frustrating. Thankfully it got sorted out, and I received the extra pack of syringes on Thursday in a pint-sized FedEx box, making my stock for round 3 complete: