The Fertility Doctor- A Ray of Sunshine

I heart my fertility doctor. I even granted my mother an "I told you so". Let her have her moment of maternal glory, she was right, I should have been dealing with a fertility doctor.

I got to the office which was actually inside the hospital. I can't say it is the swankiest office but the staff was nice. I notice people of all ages in the room. While I was at the front desk, a woman walked in who looked 48 came in and the receptionist asked how her baby was. So seems like they are having lots of success.

The doctor met me and took me into a room to talk, not an exam room which I appreciated.

Reasons I heart the fertility doctor:

1) she was the first person that admitted she thinks the fibroid was my problem, she said we don't know for sure but it majorly distorted my uterus.

2) she wants me to started getting my progesterone levels tested 7 days post ovulation and if it is low she will give me supplements to help support a pregnancy if indeed I were pregnant. She said there is a small subset of people that do need progesterone supplements. No more arguing this point.

3) she made several comments that given my age (31) she didn't want to jump to drugs or more aggressive treatments- meaning I am young.

4) they have screenings and blood tests between 7 and 8 in the morning so you get same day results so they can take action right away, like progesterone and HCG levels, which works out perfectly since I am impatient. They are open 7 days a week. When I had the first pregnancy I had took a beta test on friday and didn't get results back until Monday and couldn't get the second round results until Tuesday. I was so anxious.

The Plan

1. She told me to start taking one baby aspirin a day. Some minor blood disorders aren't picked up on a panel test and the aspirin will help.
2. She had me give blood for genetic diseases, a screening I didn't have yet
3. I have to schedule another HSG, ugh, as soon as my cycle starts so that we can see if that tube is still blocked post surgery and if the surgery caused scar tissue. Not looking forward to this but at least I know what to expect this time.
4. I will track ovulation and come in to get my progesteron measure, I will also chart to track my luteal phase.
5. Assuming LP and HSG are normal, I will try on my own to get pregnant for three or four cycles.
6. If not pregnant on my own, I will take clomid and be monitored. You go in on CD3 and get an ultrasound, take pills days 3-7, and get monitored a week later, get a trigger shot, and then can either get IUI or given my exceedingly young age (I know I am pushing it) go home and have "timed intercourse" for three days in a row. Then they monitor you after.

I left feeling very hopeful that she thinks I am going to get pregnant on my own and even if I can't she will get me pregnant. She didn't say as much, but she did say most people they do clomid for three months before moving on but because of my history of getting pregnant and age, she would go to six if I didn't want to try more aggressive methods. Also, I don't have fertility coverage through insurance, so we would rather try natural/clomid before tons of money for IUI, IVF.

RE-garding my appointment

Tomorrow is the big day- my first official appointment with the RE. While I don't think it is going to be a typical first fertility doctor appointment (since I haven't been classified as infertile and we don't know if I will have issues getting and staying pregnant now that the fibroid is gone), I do have a bunch of questions.

From what I have read, the hours of a fertility office are critical, because if you are taking a drug that needs monitoring and you ovulate on Sunday, well you are screwed. Also, sometimes they need to monitor you several times a week to look for follicles which means then need long office hours so you can go before or after work.

I also want her take on progesterone to get and sustain pregnancy and how she approaches Clomid. How many times will she give you Clomid before they trying something more serious? Will she make me get another HSG and have my husband tested before giving me the pills? Is she willing to do progesterone draws post ovulation to evaluate my numbers?

Finally, I want to understand better how the relationship works between an RE and your OB. When do you stop seeing the RE and going to OB?

If you have any other suggestions for questions, let me know!

Well that didn't go as planned.

Back from the doctor's office. She came in and looked at the incision and said it looks good.

I mustered up the nerve to confront her on the progesterone issue. She said, studies show that it doesn't do anything. And I said well I have friends that have had 3 miscarriages and then they take it and have healthy babies. She said, and they would have been fine without it. I said my friend was spotting for days and took it and now she is fine and she said and your friend would have been fine and the spotting would have gone away on its own.

I asked can't you budge on this, it makes me so nervous. She didn't budge. So then I mentioned the fertility doctor said people with luteal issues might need it and my LP has been bad since last year. She said I think it is good idea if you set up an appointment with her. She can look into the luteal phase issues.

A minute later she something about clomid. So I should, well should I just forgo trying on my own and go straight to clomid? She smiled and said, I think you need to speak to the fertility doctor. I asked who would be doing my next HSG and she said either one of us can.

I've been dumped. She wasn't pissy. She said if I had trouble getting an appointment call her and she would make a call to get me in right away. She told me what to do to get my file copied. And she was like, "alright my dear, I will see you in 4 weeks." Oh also I said who would be my doctor if I got pregnant (since I was being dumped) and she said the fertility doctor would monitor me for a while.

I set up the fertility appointment for next Thursday morning. I asked the doctor if I would be starting back at square one and she said now they will have your file.

I feel a bit defeated by this. It makes me think I can't do this on my own, that nobody thinks the fibroid was an issue at all and I have even more fertility problems than the mutant fibroid.

I feel like crying (which is out of character for me) and the Noah Wylie commercial with the endangered polar bear didn't help at all.