Twenty-six, paying out of pocket, watching every penny

My prescriber and I have a plan that gets reviewed every six months, and having it be revisable rather than fixed suits my life.

Gwion, answering your question directly rather than going round the houses.

Something that helped was writing down why I started, because at eighteen months I could not remember what my reasoning had been.

Replying to Gwion rather than to anybody above, because I want to answer what was actually asked.

What helped was one friend who knows everything, which took me eight months to arrange and has been worth all of it.

My experience is that this has been straightforward medically and complicated in every other respect.

I found the social side hardest. Everybody eating and drinking constantly and no interest in why I was not.

The fertility conversation was one I had early because I wanted the information rather than because I have any plans.

Not a solution, just company.

What I underestimated was how much of this is admin, and how badly my chaotic twenties are suited to admin.

The cost conversation with my prescriber produced two options I had not known about, and I had put off asking for a year.

What surprised me was how much of the material is aimed at people twice my age, and how little of it fits my actual week.

Something practical: I set my life up so that this is cheap and simple, because my situation changes every few months.