Update below...Thanks so much to everyone who agreed to help me kick Dr. Pig’s ass. I’m still so torn about what to do about that situation. I think I would absolutely switch if I knew there was no chance I’d have to see him again, but in my experience at this my fertility center, even though Pig, M.D. is my main doctor, I have seen most of the other doctors, for ultrasounds, an IUI, another did my ER… I just know that at some point during my next cycle, I’ll end up having to deal with him. Like he’ll be the one on duty for my ER or transfer. I can’t figure out if it’s worse to go with him as a known evil, just ignore anything he says that’s not related to my treatment plan and ask a million questions, or to make my complaint, piss him off, and then end up having him be the doctor in charge of something so important (to me, clearly not to him). Plus, I was on a message board for women who go to this clinic and one reported that she had 5 embryos transferred. Not so far from 6, and it wasn't with my doc, so they might ALL be nuts. She may have been a bit older than me, but STILL! 5?? Apparently that's how they get their high success rates. I can't seem to find their rate of multiples. Does anyone know if that info is out there (by clinic)?
I fucking HATE that doctors get to have this much power over you. Yes, they went to med school and put a lot of time in studying and whatnot, but come on!
As for the Pre-cycle Challenge, I’ve been a bit of a loser. I really need to do some more running. I have been walking a lot lately because my plantar fasciitis has been acting up, but I’m going to try to ignore it because the running is just so much better for me! Also, our lakeside vacay is coming up (hurray!!!) and even though I’ll probably never have a bikini-worthy body, I would like to look somewhat decent in a bathing suit. I also want to start swimming. We have a local pool that has a semi decent Yelp review. I just need to get up and get my arse there at 6am. So much easier said than done!
OK. I hereby state that I am going to do my very bestest to get to the pool tomorrow morning. Please come back and visit me and see if I make it! And yell at me if I don't! It will really help to know that I will disappoint my legion of readers if I don’t go.
*******UPDATE - I made it! I went to the pool this morning and swam for about 40 minutes. Thanks for all the encouragement!***********
10 comments:
SWIM SWIM SWIM!
Does that help? I have a doctor that pissed me off to. My question is why don't they have any common sense!?!??!
Grrr.
I will be SORELY disappointed if you don't get in the pool. So there.
As for Pig, MD... i am assuming they are the only clinic around you??? If so... bummer you don't have another option so that Dr. Pig won't ever have the need to look at your nether regions.
I hear you, sister. I've been SO bad about my running. And I haven't yet joined the Y to do some swimming. And I desperately need to--So, I'll get back on the horse if you do. I'll check back in tomorrow, and you should, too (for me). :-)
As for Dr. Pig (nice photo, btw), it's a tough call. I remember when I was going to ditch Dismissivo for Shorty feeling weird about it for the same reasons. Is there a way you could at least consult with someone else to see if the switch would be worthwhile before actually pulling the trigger? Seems like the biggest risk is making the change to someone who completely shares piggy's worldview.
And, I can't believe that someone had 5 transferred! I guess he really wasn't kidding about the 6. That's just crazy. They must end up having to do a lot of selective reduction, no?
I'm sorry you have to go through any of this--it sounds VERY frustrating!
HAHAHAHA! Love your photo. My clinic publishes their own multiples count. Maybe you can ask if your clinic has something like this.
If I were in your shoes, I would request a meeting with Dr. Pig where I'd outline my concerns about the "just transfer them all" strategy. I think there are ways to somewhat mitigate the concern that you are transferring a blastocyst that doesn't develop by using PGD. Is this an option at your clinic?
I'm a IVF rookie, but my RE did discuss their use of PGD at length with us, which they use to keep down the mulitples transfer rate.
Best of luck with it all...and go the the pool! The negative ions in the water will, like, totally soothe you. Tee hee.
Ms. P
Hi Erin! Walking TOTALLY counts, so don't kick yourself about the 28 day challenge. I hope you're able to make it to the pool- lucky! I'm not sure which one you live by, but I used to swim in the community pool in the Inner Richmond and really enjoyed it. I miss swimming and unfortunately, the community pool where I live close to (Pacifica) has crappy hours.
Love the picture.
and GO SWIMMING!!
(did that help).
Try www.sart.org. It lists all sorts of stats for lots of clinics--including multiples. It also lists stats by diagnosis, which can be helpful when you want to know how successful your clinic is in treating people like you.
YAY you made it to the pool!!! You are much better than me. I keep telling myself that tomorrow I will get up at 6 and start running. I have been playing that same tape over in my head for 3 weeeks now. Time to get off my arse and start too. Great job!!!
Hey E, regarding the PGD, my RE said that he would use it in my case because of the higher potential that my egg quality is not too great. My FSH levels are normal, but they are in the upper quartile of normal and I am in my late 30s.
As I understand it, with diminished ovarian reserve/poor egg quality the most frequent result is aneuploidy (sp?), a chromosomally damaged embryo. These embryos either do not develop and never implant or implant briefly, hence a chemical pregnancy. Some implant and start to develop but then the development just stops (miscarriage). PGD can't test for everything that can go wrong, but they can test for the major markers of chromosomal damage.
My RE in Portland sends the blastocysts out to a renowned lab in California (don't know the name) to conduct PGD on patients where aneuploidy is a concern. This is all just very basic and I haven't researched it fully. However, it will be part of our protocol should we decide to move on to IVF.
Of course, my biggest concern was how they shipped the embies. Do they Fedex them? Do they get frequent flyer miles? Random.
Sorry for the long post. Hope it helped jump start some research for you.
Cheers,
Ms. Planner
Hi! I don't think I've commented here before.
I think someone already mentioned SART for success rates by category . . . I am drawn to your blog because I had a doc like yours - and we just switched. I more than empathsize with you. There's nothing worse than a bad relationship with someone who is involved in one of life's most intimate moments. You would think they would understand the importance of bedside manner. Yes, one would think.
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