Hello again!
I just wanted to summarize the total amount we spent on IVF at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan.
Our total hospital cost comes to NT$107,247 which is approximately US$3,426 (based on today's FX: 1 NTD = 0.033 USD) or CA$3,937 (today's FX: 1 NTD = 0.04 CAD). Note: this does not include any travelling, food and accomodation costs).
The airfare cost CA$1,450*2 = CA$2,900.
Travelling by public transit is rather cheap when compared to Toronto (approximately 1/6th the cost of public transportation in Toronto). Taxi fares are rather cheap too (we had to take the taxi after ER and ET). We did not incur any accomodation costs as we stayed with DH parents. Food is very affordable in Taipei as well. The major expense were the drug and procedure (ER & ET) cost. The doctor consultations and ultrasounds are very cheap, approximately CA$15 per visit.
Overall, I had a perfect IVF cycle but just didn't get pregnant...haha...may be better luck next time?! :) I am thinking of my dad now who is capable of laughing at life's worst situations. He has such a positive personality, never failing to get up when he stumbles and falls. I think I am starting to live life as he does. Enjoying life's every moment because we never know when God will call. We live only once. Not sure if there is an after life and reincarnation. If there is, we don't know if we will be born again as humans. There are so many life forms on earth and the universe is so vast and infinite. Hard to believe there is no life beyond our galaxy! So let's not let life beat us down. We need to savor life's every moment and do the things that makes us happy (as long as it is moral and ethical).
Cheers!
Showing posts with label cost of IVF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cost of IVF. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 07, 2014
Monday, September 08, 2014
Day 13 - Egg Retrieval (ER)
The ER was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. and I had to arrive at 7:30 a.m. My mother-in-law accompanied me to the hospital. We took the subway (MRT) there. My husband was to arrive later at the 6F IVF lab to deliver the specimen at exactly 8:30 a.m. The operation rooms are on the 7th Floor. I arrived on time at the reception and as soon as the paperwork was completed, I was whisked in to change into the hospital gowns and I was assigned a locker number to stow away my stuffs. After changing, I waited for around 5-8 minutes before a lady appeared and guided me to the operation room. In the operation room, they prepared me and asked few questions, mainly the time of my trigger shots, if I had any allergies to anesthesia, if this was my first ER procedure, when was the last time I had an operation. A nurse also inserted an IV into my hand and it was pretty painful initially but the pain subsided after a while. I never saw Dr. Lee come into the room because I passed out before he came in.
When I woke up, my lower right abdomen was in pain however ignoring the pain, I asked the nurse who was wheeling me out to the recovery area the number eggs retrieved. She said 9 eggs in total retrieved. I was expecting 8 eggs!! Now where did that bonus egg come from?! Anyway, I was pretty happy. After a few minutes, I told her that my right side is hurting and she had to call the doctor. As per the nurse, there was another ER procedure being done and it will take a while for the doctor to come and she cannot give me any pain medication unless the doctor advises. Alright, by the time a doctor arrived after an hour, my pain had subsided so I told him I didn't require any pain meds. I don't recognize this doctor but he told me that there were more eggs retrieved from my right ovary hence more pain there.
I rested there for around 2 hours as the anesthesia wore off. My husband and mom-in-law waiting for me outside was wondering what was going on and paged the nurse desk for me. The nurse asked if I felt good enough to leave and I said I was fine. After that my husband came in and escorted me out. While I was in the operation room, my husband had delivered his specimen, paid the bill and picked up the medications. We had to take the medications to the IVF lab on the 6F where the doctor's assistant gave us instructions on taking the meds and application of Crinone. I also had to make a stop at the injection room to inject 2 vials PIO (progesterone in oil) as Crinone could not be used immediately that day. I was expecting the PIO to hurt as much as Menopur but surprisingly it didn't hurt one bit =)
Oh I forget to mention that while I was in the recovery room, Dr. Lee had spoken with my husband and mom-in-law and advised that 9 eggs were retrieved. He mentioned again about the possibility of a 3-day and 5-day embryo transfer (ET).
After that we caught a taxi home and I went to sleep immediately. My lower abdomen was rather achy the rest of the day so I just rested and rested.
The bill for this visit was NT$30,046 which is equivalent to US$1,005 or CA$1,094. This included the fee for registration, surgery, 2 vials of PIO, 10 sticks of Crinone, anesthesia etc.
We are to call the IVF lab on day 14 to check on the number of fertilized eggs.
When I woke up, my lower right abdomen was in pain however ignoring the pain, I asked the nurse who was wheeling me out to the recovery area the number eggs retrieved. She said 9 eggs in total retrieved. I was expecting 8 eggs!! Now where did that bonus egg come from?! Anyway, I was pretty happy. After a few minutes, I told her that my right side is hurting and she had to call the doctor. As per the nurse, there was another ER procedure being done and it will take a while for the doctor to come and she cannot give me any pain medication unless the doctor advises. Alright, by the time a doctor arrived after an hour, my pain had subsided so I told him I didn't require any pain meds. I don't recognize this doctor but he told me that there were more eggs retrieved from my right ovary hence more pain there.
I rested there for around 2 hours as the anesthesia wore off. My husband and mom-in-law waiting for me outside was wondering what was going on and paged the nurse desk for me. The nurse asked if I felt good enough to leave and I said I was fine. After that my husband came in and escorted me out. While I was in the operation room, my husband had delivered his specimen, paid the bill and picked up the medications. We had to take the medications to the IVF lab on the 6F where the doctor's assistant gave us instructions on taking the meds and application of Crinone. I also had to make a stop at the injection room to inject 2 vials PIO (progesterone in oil) as Crinone could not be used immediately that day. I was expecting the PIO to hurt as much as Menopur but surprisingly it didn't hurt one bit =)
Oh I forget to mention that while I was in the recovery room, Dr. Lee had spoken with my husband and mom-in-law and advised that 9 eggs were retrieved. He mentioned again about the possibility of a 3-day and 5-day embryo transfer (ET).
After that we caught a taxi home and I went to sleep immediately. My lower abdomen was rather achy the rest of the day so I just rested and rested.
The bill for this visit was NT$30,046 which is equivalent to US$1,005 or CA$1,094. This included the fee for registration, surgery, 2 vials of PIO, 10 sticks of Crinone, anesthesia etc.
We are to call the IVF lab on day 14 to check on the number of fertilized eggs.
Wednesday, September 03, 2014
Day 11 - Ultrasound and Consult
In the morning, my mom-in-law helped administer my Ganirelix shot at home. After lunch, we went to take the ultrasound at 2:00 p.m. then consulted Dr. Lee. It all went pretty fast. I have 8 follicles now and Dr. Lee confirmed the trigger (2 vials of Ovidrel) will be tonight at 10:00 p.m. and ER (egg retrieval) at 8:00 a.m. on day 13. Dr. Lee thinks the number of follicles is satisfactory. He mentioned that he didn't want to overstimulate as the patient will be in discomfort if there are more than 10 follicles. Honestly, I didn't feel bloated or have any other side effects due to the stims.
He also said that if the embryo is of good quality and developing very well, then they may let it develop to day 5 blastocyst stage for ET and he will only transfer one embryo otherwise he will opt to transfer 2 embryo at day 3. Hence right now, the tentative ET days are either cycle day 16 or day 18. I was then given some forms to sign and had to go pay the bill, take my blood test (E2 and progesterone) and meet the anesthesiologist to do the evaluation. The good news is that I will not have to take PIO (Progesterone in Oil) shots. The nurse mentioned that the PIO has been replaced by Crinone which is just as effective. The IVF lab will provide further instructions on this after ER. On the way out we picked up the trigger shots from the injection pick up counter and went home.
That night I didn't have to go to the hospital for the trigger shots as my mom-in-law helped with that and it didn't hurt one bit. I am getting a bit tired of the shots and was very happy that it is the last of them. Now I'm just waiting for the ovum pick up on day 13. I'm praying for the best.
The bill for this visit was NT$3,112 which is approximately US$104 or CA$113, inclusive of the fee for registration, consult, triggers shots and blood tests.
He also said that if the embryo is of good quality and developing very well, then they may let it develop to day 5 blastocyst stage for ET and he will only transfer one embryo otherwise he will opt to transfer 2 embryo at day 3. Hence right now, the tentative ET days are either cycle day 16 or day 18. I was then given some forms to sign and had to go pay the bill, take my blood test (E2 and progesterone) and meet the anesthesiologist to do the evaluation. The good news is that I will not have to take PIO (Progesterone in Oil) shots. The nurse mentioned that the PIO has been replaced by Crinone which is just as effective. The IVF lab will provide further instructions on this after ER. On the way out we picked up the trigger shots from the injection pick up counter and went home.
That night I didn't have to go to the hospital for the trigger shots as my mom-in-law helped with that and it didn't hurt one bit. I am getting a bit tired of the shots and was very happy that it is the last of them. Now I'm just waiting for the ovum pick up on day 13. I'm praying for the best.
The bill for this visit was NT$3,112 which is approximately US$104 or CA$113, inclusive of the fee for registration, consult, triggers shots and blood tests.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Day 2 - Consultation with Dr. Robert KK Lee at Mackay Memorial Hospital
On our way to Mackay Memorial Hospital, we boarded the wrong bus and ended up a little late for the appointment. The appointment was at 9:00 am, we reached at 9:15 am and I saw my registered/appointment number "2" displayed outside clinic room 2. This is the room Dr. Robert KK Lee occupies for his practice. The exact location in the hospital is 2F Peace Building, Department of Ob/Gyn, Clinic Room 2.
As I approached the door to knock, the nurse happened to come out of the door and asked me my registered/appointment number. After I let her know she asked me to wait and went to the room next door. The display outside then changed to number "3" and a lady went in. After about 5 minutes the nurse returned to clinic room 2 and after about 10 minutes she came out of the room and called me in (without displaying number "2" outside) to the waiting area inside the room while the lady for appointment #3 was consulting Dr. Lee. As I was waiting, I overheard Dr. Lee congratulate the lady and her husband on their successful IVF. He told them "Congratulations, you are pregnant!". I couldn't help but feel happy for them!! At least it gives me some hope that may be I too will be pregnant soon! =)
When the lady left, I was called and I asked if my husband could come in. They gave me permission and I called my husband in. He asked me details pertaining to my cycle and pulled out my chart/history on his computer. He asked me when the first day of the last and current cycle was and the date I took the last birth control pill. He then gave me a follicle monitoring sheet (誘導排卵監測單) and instructed me to do a baseline ultrasound immediately at the ultrasound lab down the hall and bring the results back to the nurse once done.
Once outside the ultrasound lab, I had to knock and go in to get a number as well as give the follicle monitoring sheet to the service desk. We had to wait 40 minutes for my turn. I went in as soon as my number was displayed outside the lab. Once inside, I had to wait for about 3 minutes before the technician showed up and asked me my name to confirm she has the right patient's follicle monitoring sheet. The ultrasound itself was pretty fast. The process was with minimal discomfort. I went in expecting it to be another uncomfortable process as per prior experience but came out relieved and very impressed. Was it the technician or the equipment that made the difference? I think it was both. The technician was very skilled in my opinion. The equipment looked new and did not make any noise. This was a stark contrast to my experiences in Toronto at different labs for trans-vaginal ultrasounds and with Dr. Woo at IVF Canada for my IUI follicle monitoring. I figured at Mackay Memorial Hospital, they utilize the latest technology and equipment available. Trust me, I am extremely impressed.
After the ultrasound, the nurse gave me back the follicle monitoring sheet and I took it to the nurse at Dr. Lee's clinic. My name was called after around 15 minutes. Once inside, I had to wait at the waiting area again. Just thought it worth mentioning here that the waiting area and the doctor's desk is separated by a curtain. When I initially consulted Dr. Lee in November 2013, I felt odd because I think after having lived in North America for more than a decade, I am so used to being "private". I mentioned it to my husband but he shrugged it off saying this is what makes the system so efficient. True, I observed that in just a matter of 3 hours that day, the doctor saw more than 30 patients. Everything is operationally efficient and orderly. There is no wasting of either the patient's time or the doctor's. Back in Toronto, I have to wait at least 2.5-3 hours before I can see my family doctor, which is a real pain. In order to see a specialist, the patient has to first get a referral from the family doctor. The family doctor's office then contacts the specialist's office, who then gets back to the family doctor with the date and time. Once the family doctor's office get the appointment date and time, the patient will be advised. Sometimes it can take months to get an appointment with a specialist. My father had to wait for than a month to consult an eye specialist for his cataract surgery. In Taiwan, there is no such issue. Anyone can see any specialist any time by booking an appointment. All appointments across the country goes by the number system. Public Healthcare in Canada is awesome and free for all Canadians but it sucks at wait times for crucial health issues.
When it was finally my turn, Dr. Lee advised that he is prescribing 225 iu of Gonal-F for day 2 to day 5 (total 4 days of stims) and I am to go back to see him on day 6. I was instructed to do another ultrasound to check follicle growth before the appointment on day 6 and to always have the follicle monitoring sheet at hand so that it is more convenient for both parties and less time-consuming vs. if they have to pull out their records all the time. I am following protocol 4 for this workup.
I was instructed to pay the bill and pick up the injections first and return to the clinic for the doctor's assistant who will show us how to administer the Gonal-F shot. After we paid the bill and picked up the injections from the pharmacy on the ground floor, I went back to the clinic and sought Dr. Lee's assistant who provided us with two forms to sign, date and return to her on day 6 (Aug 29). The first form was patient's basic information. The 2nd form was the agreement to undergo ART procedure at Mackay Memorial Hospital under the care of Dr. Robert KK Lee. We also gave her a copy of our marriage certificate, passports and driver's license along with HIV and Syphilis test records. She showed me how to prime the Gonal-F pen and administer the shot myself. I must say it was pretty difficult to give myself the shot the first time! Just the sight of the needle made me feel a bit dizzy! It wasn't so bad after the needle inserted into the skin, like a slight pinch.
That concluded our day 2 visit. The total cost of this visit was NT$15,308 which is approximately US$512 or CA$558. This includes the fee for registration, consultation, ultrasound, pharmacist and Gonal-F injections for 4 days. So far so good, fingers still crossed. Baby dust to all! =)
As I approached the door to knock, the nurse happened to come out of the door and asked me my registered/appointment number. After I let her know she asked me to wait and went to the room next door. The display outside then changed to number "3" and a lady went in. After about 5 minutes the nurse returned to clinic room 2 and after about 10 minutes she came out of the room and called me in (without displaying number "2" outside) to the waiting area inside the room while the lady for appointment #3 was consulting Dr. Lee. As I was waiting, I overheard Dr. Lee congratulate the lady and her husband on their successful IVF. He told them "Congratulations, you are pregnant!". I couldn't help but feel happy for them!! At least it gives me some hope that may be I too will be pregnant soon! =)
When the lady left, I was called and I asked if my husband could come in. They gave me permission and I called my husband in. He asked me details pertaining to my cycle and pulled out my chart/history on his computer. He asked me when the first day of the last and current cycle was and the date I took the last birth control pill. He then gave me a follicle monitoring sheet (誘導排卵監測單) and instructed me to do a baseline ultrasound immediately at the ultrasound lab down the hall and bring the results back to the nurse once done.
Once outside the ultrasound lab, I had to knock and go in to get a number as well as give the follicle monitoring sheet to the service desk. We had to wait 40 minutes for my turn. I went in as soon as my number was displayed outside the lab. Once inside, I had to wait for about 3 minutes before the technician showed up and asked me my name to confirm she has the right patient's follicle monitoring sheet. The ultrasound itself was pretty fast. The process was with minimal discomfort. I went in expecting it to be another uncomfortable process as per prior experience but came out relieved and very impressed. Was it the technician or the equipment that made the difference? I think it was both. The technician was very skilled in my opinion. The equipment looked new and did not make any noise. This was a stark contrast to my experiences in Toronto at different labs for trans-vaginal ultrasounds and with Dr. Woo at IVF Canada for my IUI follicle monitoring. I figured at Mackay Memorial Hospital, they utilize the latest technology and equipment available. Trust me, I am extremely impressed.
After the ultrasound, the nurse gave me back the follicle monitoring sheet and I took it to the nurse at Dr. Lee's clinic. My name was called after around 15 minutes. Once inside, I had to wait at the waiting area again. Just thought it worth mentioning here that the waiting area and the doctor's desk is separated by a curtain. When I initially consulted Dr. Lee in November 2013, I felt odd because I think after having lived in North America for more than a decade, I am so used to being "private". I mentioned it to my husband but he shrugged it off saying this is what makes the system so efficient. True, I observed that in just a matter of 3 hours that day, the doctor saw more than 30 patients. Everything is operationally efficient and orderly. There is no wasting of either the patient's time or the doctor's. Back in Toronto, I have to wait at least 2.5-3 hours before I can see my family doctor, which is a real pain. In order to see a specialist, the patient has to first get a referral from the family doctor. The family doctor's office then contacts the specialist's office, who then gets back to the family doctor with the date and time. Once the family doctor's office get the appointment date and time, the patient will be advised. Sometimes it can take months to get an appointment with a specialist. My father had to wait for than a month to consult an eye specialist for his cataract surgery. In Taiwan, there is no such issue. Anyone can see any specialist any time by booking an appointment. All appointments across the country goes by the number system. Public Healthcare in Canada is awesome and free for all Canadians but it sucks at wait times for crucial health issues.
When it was finally my turn, Dr. Lee advised that he is prescribing 225 iu of Gonal-F for day 2 to day 5 (total 4 days of stims) and I am to go back to see him on day 6. I was instructed to do another ultrasound to check follicle growth before the appointment on day 6 and to always have the follicle monitoring sheet at hand so that it is more convenient for both parties and less time-consuming vs. if they have to pull out their records all the time. I am following protocol 4 for this workup.
I was instructed to pay the bill and pick up the injections first and return to the clinic for the doctor's assistant who will show us how to administer the Gonal-F shot. After we paid the bill and picked up the injections from the pharmacy on the ground floor, I went back to the clinic and sought Dr. Lee's assistant who provided us with two forms to sign, date and return to her on day 6 (Aug 29). The first form was patient's basic information. The 2nd form was the agreement to undergo ART procedure at Mackay Memorial Hospital under the care of Dr. Robert KK Lee. We also gave her a copy of our marriage certificate, passports and driver's license along with HIV and Syphilis test records. She showed me how to prime the Gonal-F pen and administer the shot myself. I must say it was pretty difficult to give myself the shot the first time! Just the sight of the needle made me feel a bit dizzy! It wasn't so bad after the needle inserted into the skin, like a slight pinch.
That concluded our day 2 visit. The total cost of this visit was NT$15,308 which is approximately US$512 or CA$558. This includes the fee for registration, consultation, ultrasound, pharmacist and Gonal-F injections for 4 days. So far so good, fingers still crossed. Baby dust to all! =)
Friday, August 22, 2014
Why we chose Dr Robert Kuo-Kuang Lee at Mackay Memorial Hospital for our IVF treatment?
When our IUI failed, we were disappointed and started researching IVF treatment. As my husband is Taiwanese and Taiwan healthcare is considered one of the best in the world, we started looking up top infertility doctors in Taiwan. The two best doctors are Dr. Robert Kuo-Kuang Lee in Taipei and Dr. Maw-Sheng Lee in Taichung.
Dr. Robert Kuo-Kuang Lee holds his clinic at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei. It's like an all-in-one facility where you can get all the tests done under one roof, including all blood tests, ultrasound, HSG etc. This was unlike in Toronto where we had to take a couple of days going to different diagnostic centers to get all the infertility tests done. Honestly, I marvel at the efficiency in the Taiwanese healthcare system and in everything else they do.
Dr. Maw-Sheng Lee operates his own private practice at Lee Women's Hospital in Taichung. I have never been there but based on online reviews, he is older than Dr Robert KK Lee and isn't very fluent in English. He engages a more aggressive treatment strategy than Dr. Robert KK Lee. His clinic is bustling with women and you will feel more like you are in a bazaar. Cost of treatment is more expensive than at Mackay Memorial Hospital. Taichung is an hour or so by bus from Taipei, which was also a consideration.
Cost-wise, it is a little bit cheaper to have IVF done in Taiwan like may be CAD 2,000-4,000 cheaper than Toronto (cost is anywhere between CAD 12K-15K). The International Services Center (IMSC) at Mackay Memorial Hospital (MMH) quoted an estimated cost of USD 6,000-7,000 largely depending on the cost of the stimulation drugs. I also enquired with National Taiwan University Hospital which is also pretty renowned for infertility treatment and was advised an estimated cost of USD 7,000-7,500.
Accommodation-wise, I had my in-laws in Taipei and bro-in-law in Taichung so either location shouldn't be an issue for us however we are more familiar with Taipei than Taichung.
After careful consideration, we decided to pursue IVF treatment under Dr. Robert KK Lee. He is one of the best in the field in Taiwan and is located in Taipei, where we will feel more at home and the cost is affordable.
"It always seems impossible until it is done" -- Nelson Mandela
Dr. Robert Kuo-Kuang Lee holds his clinic at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei. It's like an all-in-one facility where you can get all the tests done under one roof, including all blood tests, ultrasound, HSG etc. This was unlike in Toronto where we had to take a couple of days going to different diagnostic centers to get all the infertility tests done. Honestly, I marvel at the efficiency in the Taiwanese healthcare system and in everything else they do.
Dr. Maw-Sheng Lee operates his own private practice at Lee Women's Hospital in Taichung. I have never been there but based on online reviews, he is older than Dr Robert KK Lee and isn't very fluent in English. He engages a more aggressive treatment strategy than Dr. Robert KK Lee. His clinic is bustling with women and you will feel more like you are in a bazaar. Cost of treatment is more expensive than at Mackay Memorial Hospital. Taichung is an hour or so by bus from Taipei, which was also a consideration.
Cost-wise, it is a little bit cheaper to have IVF done in Taiwan like may be CAD 2,000-4,000 cheaper than Toronto (cost is anywhere between CAD 12K-15K). The International Services Center (IMSC) at Mackay Memorial Hospital (MMH) quoted an estimated cost of USD 6,000-7,000 largely depending on the cost of the stimulation drugs. I also enquired with National Taiwan University Hospital which is also pretty renowned for infertility treatment and was advised an estimated cost of USD 7,000-7,500.
Accommodation-wise, I had my in-laws in Taipei and bro-in-law in Taichung so either location shouldn't be an issue for us however we are more familiar with Taipei than Taichung.
After careful consideration, we decided to pursue IVF treatment under Dr. Robert KK Lee. He is one of the best in the field in Taiwan and is located in Taipei, where we will feel more at home and the cost is affordable.
"It always seems impossible until it is done" -- Nelson Mandela
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)