I'm amazed and gratified that this blog still gets people coming by even when there is absolutely nothing happening I am so, so very glad I connected with all of you, it may just rank among the most positive things that have happened to me in the past two years---thank you so much for being there!!
Now for a pent-up rant--- the NYU Fertility Center has not been making me too happy. I called the last time my period rolled around to schedule a HSG, only to find out that my doctor (Dr L,the purported genius at the HSG) would be on vacation for the next 10 days. Its not the first time I've heard that either. So, I'm sitting this cycle out. I'm still not over the fact that he does not think anti-thyroid antibodies even might be a contributing factor to miscarriage and does not even want to treat with synthyroid (!!!!!!!). If I get started on my opinion of this, I may go on for a while. I pray I have the sense not to tell him how I really feel, that would be a very bad move.
The general lack of attention of detail in this practice pisses me off. Lots of little things, but one thing stands out- at my original consult, when they were counting my antral follicles, I committed to memory what numbers he came up with, but since I could not remember which ovary had how many, I asked for my medical records from that visit. My numbers were 14 and 4. Instead of writing down the numbers the doctor had called out, the nurse decided to use adjectives (very good and normal, respectively). When I read this, my jaw fell open.Good and normal?!!!? That could mean just about anything. I'm a scientist, I know how important it is to note the details, and I know that it is something important in the medical community as well. Dr. Garzo's practice would have done no such thing. They have done multiple antral follicle counts for me and at each count, the numbers are recorded into a form meant for this purpose.Their record keeping overall was far superior, this is a far more meticulous practice. When you think about why, say, an IVF cycle succeeds or fails, its mostly biology of the patient and the suitability of that particular cycle design for that patient, but a small but significant portion is about how the staff and doctor handle the little details. I cannot say how many times I've seen an experiment fail or work based on one tiny detail - the devil IS very much in the bloody details!
Somebody asked me what I miss most about San Diego- the diplomatic answer was - the beaches, but the real answer is, I miss my RE. I miss my lovely, compassionate, infinitely smarter nurse.
As to where things stand: I'm revving up for an IUI (no meds), for the first good (based on fertility signs) cycle I see in 2012.About Plan A, the quest to do this with a real live man and not a catheter inserted by a gloved hand- its not going too well. I dated quite a bit, thanks to Eharmony, but nothing came out of it. I've had an on again-off again flirtation at work, with somebody who is a lot of fun but with absolutely no relationship potential. I spoke to (and am still speaking with) a couple of eligible Indian boys, who I'm supposed to meet in October. One of them irritates me when we talk on the phone, but he is a nice guy and my parents love him. Sigh. The other I like and have fun talking to, but I have a feeling I'd want him as a friend but would not have chemistry when we met up. Even if we do 'like' each other, this process is very difficult. Unless I fall head over heels, committing is going to be very hard. It takes time to build a relationship, and its much harder if you are in different geographical locations.
So yeah, astrologer's predictions of marriage notwithstanding, I have a feeling I will be going to be trying to make babies with my dreamboat of a donor, who has helped 4 women produce 5 beautiful, healthy babies. I hope I'm similarly blessed someday.
Now for a pent-up rant--- the NYU Fertility Center has not been making me too happy. I called the last time my period rolled around to schedule a HSG, only to find out that my doctor (Dr L,the purported genius at the HSG) would be on vacation for the next 10 days. Its not the first time I've heard that either. So, I'm sitting this cycle out. I'm still not over the fact that he does not think anti-thyroid antibodies even might be a contributing factor to miscarriage and does not even want to treat with synthyroid (!!!!!!!). If I get started on my opinion of this, I may go on for a while. I pray I have the sense not to tell him how I really feel, that would be a very bad move.
The general lack of attention of detail in this practice pisses me off. Lots of little things, but one thing stands out- at my original consult, when they were counting my antral follicles, I committed to memory what numbers he came up with, but since I could not remember which ovary had how many, I asked for my medical records from that visit. My numbers were 14 and 4. Instead of writing down the numbers the doctor had called out, the nurse decided to use adjectives (very good and normal, respectively). When I read this, my jaw fell open.Good and normal?!!!? That could mean just about anything. I'm a scientist, I know how important it is to note the details, and I know that it is something important in the medical community as well. Dr. Garzo's practice would have done no such thing. They have done multiple antral follicle counts for me and at each count, the numbers are recorded into a form meant for this purpose.Their record keeping overall was far superior, this is a far more meticulous practice. When you think about why, say, an IVF cycle succeeds or fails, its mostly biology of the patient and the suitability of that particular cycle design for that patient, but a small but significant portion is about how the staff and doctor handle the little details. I cannot say how many times I've seen an experiment fail or work based on one tiny detail - the devil IS very much in the bloody details!
Somebody asked me what I miss most about San Diego- the diplomatic answer was - the beaches, but the real answer is, I miss my RE. I miss my lovely, compassionate, infinitely smarter nurse.
As to where things stand: I'm revving up for an IUI (no meds), for the first good (based on fertility signs) cycle I see in 2012.About Plan A, the quest to do this with a real live man and not a catheter inserted by a gloved hand- its not going too well. I dated quite a bit, thanks to Eharmony, but nothing came out of it. I've had an on again-off again flirtation at work, with somebody who is a lot of fun but with absolutely no relationship potential. I spoke to (and am still speaking with) a couple of eligible Indian boys, who I'm supposed to meet in October. One of them irritates me when we talk on the phone, but he is a nice guy and my parents love him. Sigh. The other I like and have fun talking to, but I have a feeling I'd want him as a friend but would not have chemistry when we met up. Even if we do 'like' each other, this process is very difficult. Unless I fall head over heels, committing is going to be very hard. It takes time to build a relationship, and its much harder if you are in different geographical locations.
So yeah, astrologer's predictions of marriage notwithstanding, I have a feeling I will be going to be trying to make babies with my dreamboat of a donor, who has helped 4 women produce 5 beautiful, healthy babies. I hope I'm similarly blessed someday.
Whoa! A rant? Let me pull up a chair. It fries my ass that RE's can be so inconsistent. For the money, you want quantitative not qualitative. Simple. I will pull some luck out for this 2012 IUI and throw some unicorn dust on it. Whatever it takes!
ReplyDeleteYah. Really shocked by the "qualitative" comments on the AFC. That's ridiculous. I understand that the ultrasound was not for a medicated cycle, but I guess I don't see that it makes a difference - you build a more accurate picture over time by, you know, being specific. Scientific, even. I'd bring it up with Dr. L. (when he comes back from his holiday, that is...how annoying). Also, the fact that he won't look at ATA's...that surprises me. My former RE preemptively put me on the lowest dose of synthroid as a result of my high antibodies (T3, T4 and TSH were all normal) and I'm wondering if you ought to go see an endocrinologist, someone who would put you on a low-dose (also, isn't there evidence that going on synthroid now can slow the eventual breakdown of the thyroid?). Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the love-front, NYC is a tough town. It's good that you are putting yourself out there because the truth is that it can happen when least expected, and it can happen quickly (all the tropes I used to roll my eyes at but which are true in certain situations). At the same time, I think that going forward is smart. You are at Point A. You want to be at Point B.