fertilityiq.com has very detailed provider and clinic reviews, at least in my region.
2 Likes
These are great!!!
1 Like
Well Done!!!
1 Like
After much dithering with Human it sounds like we are keeping the Monday appointment.
Also did all the admin today for the Friday consult. (Patient Portal, billing info, medical history, download test data, educational videos (wat he’d while prepping snacks for an outdoor concert tomorrow).
I will accept 
s to represent applause and gold stars.
One step at a time.
Also, oddly reassured after filling out med history, like yes, tested this that and the other, ruled all this stuff out we know what’s fine, we know what’s broke and we should be able to work around it. Right? Right? 
19 Likes
3 Likes
First consult! This is the clinic with solid metrics, close to home, used by friends.
We liked the doc very much! She was warm and personable and positive, but also factual and informative, and very open to using our main doc/insurance and their tests and prescriptions as much as possible. Sounds like they’ve had some good experiences with Kaiser before. Should hear from an office person about pricing.
Sounds like a 6mo time line after starting if all goes well. Probably start next cycle (Early Oct).
Apparently PCOS is really good for getting a lot of eggs, but this also causes extra hormones and side effects (yaaay 
) or even ovarian hyper stimulation which can land you in hospital? 
Being on metformin apparently helps with that but still daunting.
I’m tempted to try to schedule this around work, but also know I shouldn’t. It will never be a good time to be bloated/in pain/raging b*tch for a week or two. Or be out that long. But this is medical and needs to happen even if it’s not covered by insurance. So. I’ll just tell my manager/teams that shit is going down and he will need to cope.
15 Likes
I’m really glad to hear you liked the doctor ans it felt like a good fit! it continues to go smoothly
1 Like
Yay for a positive doc experience!
I don’t have experience with PCOS, but I had ovarian hyperstimulation after my retrieval a few years ago. Apparently 10% of egg retrievals come with OHSS. The “mild” and “moderate” versions are uncomfortable but not dangerous and mine resolved within about 36 hours. Hopefully your docs can help / you can ask about reducing likelihood (and letting you know what symptoms mean you should call for help). If I remember correctly, certain trigger protocols are more likely to cause it.
7 Likes
2nd consult ($800, 45 min away in traffic).
Not like, terrible bad, but left a slightly negative impression on both of us. Doc was competent but pushy, basically demanding I change some med dosage and do tests (and not like “I’d want you to adjust X for Y result and also as next steps we would need these tests because Z” but like “this is what we do”)… like lady we haven’t decided to use your clinic yet calm down please. Also we spent half the appointment just reading / going through our exact test results. After they were 30 min late to start. Didn’t seem fazed by working with Kaiser but also recommended a doctor in their network for a not-directly-IVF purpose. 
But generally a similar treatment protocol recommendation and the numbers were comparable so might as well do the place 15 mins away in traffic, that has been responsive and organized. And also is independent, not part of a different health system than mine…
10 Likes
Have first ultrasound tomorrow AM. (Included in consult)
Need encouragement to send list of tests to Kaiser doc. What if she says no? Or worse, thinks I’m too demanding?
10 Likes
Then she shouldn’t be in healthcare if she thinks that’s demanding 
we don’t get points for being easy patients. Be kind, sure, but making them guess your medical needs is a disservice to you both. Seriously. It’s GOOD to self advocate. It means they don’t lose you between the cracks then feel guilty down the line.
6 Likes
Did the thing while whining inside. 
Just going for nonzero days and incremental progress. And maybe we’ll be ready to start next month 
First time were considering dropping 20k on something in one go since college 
8 Likes
They said no. I was angry and tried a polite appeal. Prob still no, though. Oh well, if I know by tomorrow I can do tests directly with the clinic?
But I am sad and need a hug.
9 Likes
That sucks and is a bit bullshit.
3 Likes
Update on my progress. I saw a specialist GP for a long consult to lay out my options. Basically I need to write up my own plan before I get a +ve and lose my ability to plan and concentrate. I also need Ponder fully onboard and educated.
I will have a mixed care system of my own GP, with weekly/ twice weekly check-ins booked as soon as I get a +ve PLUS standard private OB, might pick a different one this time; medication + IV schedule laid out and their agreement; either home IV or a GP who can administer it (or better yet, their nurse - need to check my own GP and then the alternative recommended GP); a doula or 2 selected in advance; signing up for hypnobirthing course or similar; trauma counselling and maybe EMDR.
I think thats everything. Its a bloody long list. I might start working on making it legible next week. Basically maternity care is very minimal and standardised and overworked regardless if I go private OB (who have own midwives) or public midwife/OB system and I will absolutely fall through the giant crack again if I do it without adding a GP to my maternity team for the first half.
I dont even know if we’re going to try for another but the process seems to be somewhat healing for me. AKA I’m starting to feel properly MAD that this happened and the FEELINGS mean I am now safe to feel them.
7 Likes
Ultrasound today, and got blood drawn cause Kaiser is being poopyheads and the tests that need repeated were in the $100-200 range total so whatever. “All” I need to do now is transfer records and call on Day 1.
Post appointment treat: space themed tea for luck.
I may be growing a follicle this month and I don’t know how I feel about it. Well. I know I don’t want to take the risk of getting pregnant again before surgery and miscarrying again, setting myself back another 6 mo. But a part of me feels like that’s… cowardly? This is a stupid sentiment, right?
13 Likes
Not cowardly! Stupid sentiment! But very understandable feeling.
7 Likes
The amount of “hhhrrrrngggghhh but what if THIS is SUPPOSED to be MY MONTH?!” that I endured while prepping for and doing IVF was really self-annoying. Spoiler alert from more than a year later: no, none of them were ever my month. Not before, during, or since.
9 Likes
SirB and I are unanimous in our desire to get us both fixed so we never, ever have to think about that ever again. The worst. Worst mental game. Ever.
6 Likes
That was my plan until it took us QUITE a bit of trouble to make the cuckoo and also I had to deliver at a Catholic hospital. I did find that I reached a mental place where I no longer do that to myself, surprisingly enough - I had all sorts of mind management strategies in mind and I haven’t needed them.
1 Like