So after a few days of falling temperatures, and a handful of negative HPTs, AF showed up yesterday. I've come to expect her, I was prepared.
But...
It was the first time that H really seemed disappointed. I believe that he thinks (just like everyone else) that it will just happen. This month opened his eyes to the fact that we are going to have to make this happen, it's not just going to happen on it's own. When I told him AF was here, he just kept wandering around shaking his head saying "Really?...Really?!" It was cute and frustrating all at the same time.
Later in the day, we got into an argument about what we should do for this next cycle.
I think we should stick with Lulu. Although I do complain about her, she does seem to be doing what is appropriate and what I ask of her, even if I'm a little frustrated with her sometimes. I believe that she is by-the-book because she knows know other way. She wants me on clo.mid, a CD13 US, an in office HCG trigger, and a CD14 IUI. To be honest, we have yet to do it exactly that way. This cycle I can make that work though. I can get Friday, Nov. 18 off work in the afternoon, then I can go in on Saturday the 19th for an IUI. I have taken the entire following week off work so I can relax afterwards. I have already called the office and am waiting on a call back to schedule the appointment. Watch and see, I bet she has taken that weekend and week off too.
H however, wants to go to local Dr. Creepy this month. Dr. Creepy will prescribe clom.id, but does not do any monitoring or a trigger, but rather waits for the LH surge and then does the IUI 24 hours later. He is simply an OB/GYN and therefore is cheaper for the IUI which is out of pocket for us. I feel like this would be a repeat of last cycle and we know how that one turned out. I feel like I need to try something different each time, rather than repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results (that's the definition of insanity...right?) However, he is convenient and I think we will save this for December simply for this convenience if November doesn't work for us.
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On a separate, but related note:
I've gotten several comments/e-mails from you guys about why I don't get a second/third opinion. Honestly, I'm just not ready for it, but here are my other excuses.
Lulu is already an hours drive away, there is no one else in my city or that city.
El Paso, TX is the next closest city, it is about 80 miles directly south, and there is a Dr. there that I have heard is pretty good, but hard to get into and I've heard he is kind of an ass. Also, I would have to go back to my regular OB/GYN or Dr. Creepy to get a referral to Dr. El Paso. I'm not ready to go back to Dr. Creepy, and I don't want to go to my regular Doc to tell him that I went behind his back and have been having IUIs. I could go around the system and get the PA that works at my practice to make a referral, but I don't really feel comfortable doing that, nor do I believe that insurance would honor that referral.
I could also potentially go to Albuquerque (which someone on here suggested, and I really appreciate the information) but that is about 215 miles north of here.
I know everyone can appreciate how hard it is to get out of work for repeated Dr's appointments, but it is really hard for me to take off last minute and for extended periods of time. I see patients and I supervise students so if I take an afternoon off, 25-30 people need to be rescheduled. If I take a full day off it's double. I'm typically booked full out about 3-4 weeks. We don't have enough places to put those rescheduled people. Also, it's hard for me to take Fridays off because I work in remote office an hour in the opposite direction of Lulu's office, which makes it a 2 hour trip to get to her office if I leave in the middle of the day. Plus, we are only there one day a week so there really is no place else to put those people. I lose sales and the office loses money and because I work on commission, I miss out on money. The fact that we may have to pay out of pocket for IVF eventually makes me want to miss out on these appointments and commission even less.
This coming appointment time on Friday the 18th, I'm lucky that Boss Lady can cover for me and no one needs to be rescheduled. I did have to tell her I'm on my period and that I will be taking crazy clomi.d pills again though (really it wasn't that bad).
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Side note: I'm not in a woah is me/feel sorry for me type of place this month about any of the above information. Shit happens/it's not my time/it just didn't work, I know.
Your opinions on Lulu vs. Dr. Creepy and repeating the same things over again would be greatly appreciated though.
I say stick with Lulu. Monitoring is a better option in my opinion. Plus, my RE ALWAYS says you have to try IUI 3-4 times before stepping up to something else. So, go ahead, repeat the same thing over and over. I promise....ur not insane. :) xo
ReplyDeleteI can totally understand why you haven't gotten a second opinion. Here in CT you can't spit without hitting a doctor, my clinic is about an hour away (if I don't hit the crazy traffic), but if I needed to, I could take a short drive to Mass., or RI...or take a train to NYC if I was that nutty. Texas is sooo big, you just don't have that many options within driving distance. The only thing you could do is get a second opinion through the mail, basically sending all your information and US pics to a doctor out of state and see if you get any answers. Some doctors are willing to work with your local doctor up until the actual procedure (local doc does all US checks and blood tests, other doc does IUI or IVF). It is hard enough going through IF and using ART without hours of travel and tons of time taken off. It really sucks.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably go with the plan you've laid out above- Lulu this month, with the option of Dr. Creepy next month out of convenience. I can totally relate to not being ready to 'go there' yet. Regardless of where the doctor is, it is important to really be ready for all that it may entail.
ReplyDeleteGood luck next month! Did the clomid give you a predictable cycle? That would be my only worry, with either Dr. My doctor seems to think clomid might lengthen my cycle. Letrozole pushed me up a day.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you can take this all in stride!
When we did our IUI's there wasn't any monitoring and I felt like that was always a super shot in the dark, and of course they didn't work. I like that Lulu at least monitors your cycles. Good luck deciding, go with your gut.
ReplyDeleteTotally go with your gut. I love your attitude! You're so forward thinking and positive.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on not wanting to repeat the same thing over and over... I always feel that if it didn't work once, then it's unlikely to work the next time. And there's something refreshing and re-invigorating about trying something new... which is good for morale. It's hard when cost and distance come into it though.. I understand why you're reluctant to go for another opinion... I've stuck with the same FS and feel that he knows my story now and I don't have to go over things again and again. I always like things 'by the book' and plenty of monitoring is reassuring too :) Thinking of you in making your decision xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou really live in Nowhere, eh! If the timings works so well going with Lulu this month and you can have the afternoon you need off without major drama I'd say go for it. Then you can think about changing something if you like to try something else.
ReplyDeleteI would say stick for now, just because you now have a medical history with Lulu. I've been thinking about changing IVF clinics but then I would have to go through the next cycle with a doctor who doesn't know how I reacted to all the drugs so far, etc etc. Also, the monitoring is always worth it I think.
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