Growth hormone | Imamother

amother

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 9:29 am

We just did the study after years of consultation with endocrinologist. Waiting for results.
Has anyone given child growth hormones? I’m so nervous

amother

Nemesia

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 10:00 am

Just started it with one of my kids. But just so you know there is a nationwide backorder of most medications. So be prepared for hours of time with pharmacies and doctors, trying to get a prior authorization put in for something that is in stock! At wits end

amother

Kiwi

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 11:31 am

My son took it for several years. It was highly effective and he had no side effects. He grew over a foot on it and ended up close to 6 feet.

amother

Turquoise

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 12:09 pm

I’m so frustrated! We were following closely with an endocrinologist the past couple of years. She followed his growth closely and took the requisite x bone x rays and she didn’t feel he qualified yet at that time. The last visit we had close to 6 months ago, he fell off his slow growing curve and she felt that further action was warranted. We had the stim test done, he failed. ( results showed a lack in growth hormone.) we had an MRI done and were cleared for him to start growth hormone. Doc set out to have it authorized. Problem Is, insurance is denying him! Multiple appeals were attempted and nothing doing. Help! He is over 13 already

amother

Papaya

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 2:12 pm

My daughter has been on GH for about 6 months. BH it's been working really well and she is (finally) growing. To the poster who mentioned the GH shortage, yes, it's a problem but so far we haven't had any lapse in medications. We did have to change brands last month since the medication my dd takes was completely out of stock. I guess some of this will depend on insurance coverage and which medications your insurance approves.

amother

Moonstone

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 6:18 pm

amother Kiwi wrote:

My son took it for several years. It was highly effective and he had no side effects. He grew over a foot on it and ended up close to 6 feet.

was he GH deficient or just very short (idiopathic short stature)?
I keep hearing so many people using for their kids, wondering how many are actually defiecient

Librarian

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 6:24 pm

My son was GH deficient and used GHRT from age 13 to 16. His predicted height without GHRT was 5'2". With GHRT it was 5'8". He reached 5'9 (he grew 1 inch after stopping the shots which is expected). He had no side effects BH!

amother

Amethyst

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 6:39 pm

When I was young I was taken to the doctor with this issue, now I’m 163 cm and so so happy my parents did not give me growth hormones in the end, otherwise I would feel too short for my husband (around 5”7) and MIL as well as for clothes.
I would wait for your results. If it’s really not severe I wouldn’t worry about it.

amother

Plum

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 7:56 pm

anon23 wrote:

Can I ask how you all handled insurance? Deductibles are so high, and it's so expensive!

We pay nothing. There are "coupons" you can get to cover any costs you have. Ask your pharmacy about it, it's available to everyone.

anon23

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:01 pm

amother Plum wrote:

We pay nothing. There are "coupons" you can get to cover any costs you have. Ask your pharmacy about it, it's available to everyone.

Do you have more details? I couldn't find anything online. With the coupons, it was still a nice few thousand dollars.

amother

Plum

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:02 pm

anon23 wrote:

Do you have more details? I couldn't find anything online. With the coupons, it was still a nice few thousand dollars.

Firstly were you approved for it? Or are you doing it without the proper testing and approval?

This is what we use https://www.goodrx.com/norditropin

You can also look through here https://www.goodrx.com/norditropin

anon23

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:04 pm

amother Plum wrote:

Firstly were you approved for it? Or are you doing it without the proper testing and approval?

I am in the process of testing for it with my endocrinologist in CHOP. But my son is very, very short, and the endo said that he would probably still give it even if he doesn't come back deficient, because it's not always 100% accurate, and his predicted height is 5'4".

amother

Plum

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:05 pm

anon23 wrote:

I edited and posted above but if insurance doesn't cover it then it might cost you more. How are you paying thousands if you didn't start?

amother

Lightblue

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:09 pm

anon23 wrote:

If you don’t have a prescription yet you can’t know what it’s actually going to cost. You’d need to wait to get all the testing done and then your doctor will help fight insurance, you’ll find out what you’re responsible to pay and then you’ll be able to look into discounts and coupons.

anon23

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:13 pm

amother Plum wrote:

I edited and posted above but if insurance doesn't cover it then it might cost you more. How are you paying thousands if you didn't start?

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I actually posted something on a different thread on this topic today and got confused what I posted and what I didn't. I am trying to figure out what insurance plan to go on now in 2024 to get the process started. I have an appt in Jan for the stim test and any plan I go on is $7,500 deductible per child. If he goes on GH, I'm assuming I will have to pay that amount with the first prescription, so I'm wondering how anyone does it! Goodrx is great, we've used it in the past, but it's still not affordable!

anon23

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:14 pm

amother Lightblue wrote:

A deductible is still not negotiable. There's no cheap alternative. I'm kinda just asking how everyone does it - checking to see if there's something I'm missing!

amother

Plum

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:18 pm

anon23 wrote:

A deductible is still not negotiable. There's no cheap alternative. I'm kinda just asking how everyone does it - checking to see if there's something I'm missing!

We don't have a choice, we have private insurance. We used up our deductible and will start again soon. That's how insurance works. But we still covered this completely with coupons even when we had some left.

anon23

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:19 pm

amother Plum wrote:

Meaning you covered the amount after you paid your deductible?

amother

Plum

Wed, Dec 06 2023, 8:22 pm

anon23 wrote:

Meaning you covered the amount after you paid your deductible?

We used it up quickly between everything we have. We have a family cap and didn't take long to use it. But either way pretty sure the coupons can cover the remaining part that insurance doesn't cover.