Well, I got a call back from the doc's office and this time it was the
"other nurse" (aka the one I don't like as well). Basically the conversation was as follows:
N: "Oh AF came? Did you ever get a + on OPK?"
Me:"No , I didn't but as I said my cycle was only 18 DAYS. Shouldn't I be concerned about this? And the heaviness of AF- is this a side effect or something I should worry about?" (Duh!)
N:"No, it's not a s/e and it isn't anything to worry about. Sometimes you just have shorter cycles and sometimes they are just heavier." (Uhh... webmd has abnormal uterine bleeding listed as a s/e. Apparently that is misinformation?)
Me:"Um, okay."
N:"So let's up the dosage on the clomid to 150 and see how you do" (right, because throwing more Clomid at it, is sure to fix the problem)
Me:"Could there be a possibility that Clomid just won't work for me? I was talking with my mom over the weekend and it never worked for her, and our cycles are startlingly similar"
N:"Well, it's possible, but we will just keep trying it. We don't prescribe anything other than clomid at this office. If you want to try something else we would have to refer you on to RE" (WTF!!!??)
Me:"Okay, I guess I will start the clomid today then and see if it works at the higher dosage. One last question- C said last time when you get to 150mg+ Dr W would start monitoring my cycles, like with u/s and b/w. Is that a possibility for this time?"
N: "No, we won't do monitoring until we know you probably aren't going to O or there is some other reason we should monitor you." (Are you a complete idiot?)
Again, WTF??!! Isn't the whole reason I am on f*cking clomid in the first place is that I DON'T O on my OWN?!! WTF and I on drugs for if they think my body is working normally?! And by the simple fact that I am NOT PREGNANT YET, isn't that reason enough to warrant a little piece of mind by a little monitoring? Jeeze, it's not like I am asking for her liver. I just want a couple extra tests run! Stupid, incompetent, unobliging, worthless nurse!! I am beginning to like my doc's office less and less (BTW even though I am not so happy with them now, I will NOT be changing docs {unless I get referred to RE at which point I would go back to him when cleared to} I have been through a LOT with him and these are the first issues I have had with his office- he really is an amazing doc with everything else and has seen me through a lot of tough times) And on top of it all, I am worried that RE isn't even covered by my insurance. The last time I looked into it there wasn't much coverage for IF other than some Rx's and the basic b/w and u/s and a couple other diagnostic tests (like HSG). No procedures. No IUI. No IVF.
So here I am on 150mg of Clomid, unmonitored and unhappy. :( Maybe this time it will work and then I won't have to bother talking to them about all this anymore. I just feel like they are so incompetent and unhelpful. You would think they would WANT me to get preggo since it's just more $$ in their pocket, right? I hate feeling like my questions and concerns go unanswered and overlooked. Ugh! I guess all I can do is trudge (is that even a word?) through another cycle and hope for the best.
8 comments:
So sorry about the nurse. Sometimes they can be so stupid and hurtful. When Shawn and I first started going thru fertility stuff the nurse actually made me cry. I asked her if this one test was really needed and she very rudly told me "Well if you want to have a baby it is" I was bawling when I got off the phone.
Some nursed are great and really understand what it feels like to TTC and some have no freakin clue and are horrible.
Sending you lots of luck with the nurse in the future!
I'm sorry dear. My OB was like that too... just threw clomid at me w/no monitoring. I would highly recommend an RE. Best decision I have made yet. Good luck. Hopefully this will be your C and you wont have to worry about it! (((HUGS)))
Tiffany you have Tricare right?? I looked into what Tricare does and does not cover when my doctor told me I was going to have difficulty getting pregnant and they don't cover IUI and IVF. All they cover are the tests you'll have to get done. Hopefully you won't have to get to that point though. I hope that things start to look up for you.
Girl, it's time to leave that doctor immediately - please consider it seriously. I know that you like him overall, but this isn't his area of expertise and it's insanely stupid (and outright dangerous) to prescribe Clomid without regular monitoring of your cycles. The fact that you had an 18-day cycle this month is proof that something is off.
Please, please don't start a higher dose of Clomid without proper monitoring. You'll just kick yourself later for it.
First, sorry you are so frustrated and yes they should be monitoring you.
Second, I agree with Melissa. OB's have no idea what they are doing regarding infertility. Never, ever, ever go to an OB for infertility stuff. They can't do sh*t and what they do do can be dangerous (Not monitoring someone on 150 of clomid is crazy). I realize that an RE is not covered by your insurance and it's a scary step but it is a step you need to take. Don't put it off. I know from experience how much it sucks that you will have to pay out of pocket for it.
Waiting will only make it worse. I was not aggressive enough and I am paying the price. I kept thinking that lower level interventions (injects/iui) would work for me again and they did not. I spent almost a year putting off IVF. If I had moved faster I might not have had so many failed IVFs. In the log run it;a actually cheaper to do IVF sooner than later.
Find an RE and go for a consultation.
If/Until you make the jump to RE, is there any way you can request to only speak with the sensible rational nurse? It is your right as a patient, and the least you deserve!
You HAVE to go to an RE Tiff! Unmonitored clomid cycles like this at such high doses just aren't safe! OB/GYNs aren't fertility specialists, I don't care how *nice* or *good* the doctor is... they just aren't fertility experts. They cannot provide you with the care you need.
That being said... don't let your insurance hold you back from seeking treatment. Your insurance might not cover INFERTILITY treatment, but I'm willing to bet it will cover treatment for the underlying conditions that cause your infertility like - PCOS... Hypothetically speaking, let's say your doctor tells you "Your not Oing because you have PCOS" This is likely to mean that your IF is related to PCOS. Your doctor prescribes you Clomid... but he's not doing it for "infertility"... he's doing it for "PCOS"... That way, the insurance has to cover it because PCOS is an illness.
Most insurances will cover all the diagnostic testing necessary to determine the cause of infertility and while they won't treat the infertility with IUI or IVF... they will usually treat the disorders associated with IF (Endo, PCOS, LPD, etc.) Don't let your insurance woes stop you from seeking proper treatment! You could be doing more harm than good by staying with your current doctor hun!
{{{HUGS}}}
Thank you all for the comments. I just wanted you all to know, I didn't mean I wasn't going to go to an RE, just that for OB purposes I am unwilling to change docs. If this cycle goes wonky or just doesn't take I am going to have him send me to a RE (thankfully it's right across the street from my current doc). I really appreciate all you comments and support :)
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