20 - What we learned at the IVF work-up

What we learned at the IVF work-up:

-CCRM deserves to hold the title of #1 fertility clinic in the US. While not all the testing was exactly pleasurable, the day felt more like a day at the spa than a day of infertility testing. The staff was very professional and compassionate - we felt very cared for.

-Check to see if your insurance company will cover any of the testing. Since our insurance is not that great in most cases, we just assumed that they wouldn't cover a dime of the process. We were wrong - they covered 80%. This saved us about $2,000.

-Do not waste your time getting checked for communicable diseases with your regular doctor/obgyn. CCRM requires that these tests are completed on site.

-Don't stress about the shots...I am a big baby when it comes to shots and medical procedures in general, and I found the first set of shots to be painless (and I gave one to myself in the office). The shots that everyone talks about is the second set of shots that are required just prior to implantation (and then continuing for a couple of weeks minimum). These are the inter muscular shots. However, there is another option to these shots - vaginal suppositories...messy, but not a inter muscular shot.

-If they don't offer you a break during the days testing and ask you if you are okay to "push through", tell them that you would like a break. This break (for us) kept the day stress-free.

Now it's just the wait game until our July 1st phone appointment.