Dr Awesome pt 2

So yesterday, 26 hours after my original email to Dr Awesome, he called me back. What a guy! He called me on Easter! We spoke for about 25 minutes. Here are his thoughts (I think…I was very nervous and hungry, so it was a little hard to make complete sense of our conversation). First of all, I sort of got the impression that he thought I should stay w/ the current practice, although he never said that. But when I explained how unhappy I was there, and how I think Dr. H is so nice and that I will be happier with her…even though I would trade niceness for medical brilliance…he was supportive and said that he thought she was brilliant. But honestly…I don’t think he knows her. I think at that point he was trying to calm me down. Either way…here are some other points we discussed:

 

Hysteroscopy (recommended by Dr. H)-he feels it is completely not necessary. Since I recently had a saline sonogram…he feels it is invasive and uncomfortable and will show nothing. I’m not sure how I’m going to deal with this. I don’t know if I can tell Dr. H that I don’t trust her medical opinion and don’t want this test…plus it would delay everything for a month. I'm ready to get this party started.

 

Natural Killer Cells/Leukocyte Antibody Tests (recommended by Dr K)-he is not a huge fan of these tests. He has prescribed them at a patient’s demand and over several months, found that the way the lab standardized “normal” for these tests had changed. So he feels that they are too new, controversial, and there is not enough knowledge about them. Plus, no "real " evidence from studies, etc.As well as expensive and treatment is difficult to obtain. He does admit to know that there are women out there who swear by these tests and the treatment.

 

Lining-he feels that some time needs to go into making my lining perfect by some different methods than what is being prescribed. He feels that his old practice was doing some very interesting things to improve patients’ lining such as transvaginal Viagra or some pill which I can’t remember the name of, which is used to treat diabetes. My lining has always been thick enough, but the three parts they look for have been “fuzzy,” and always one mark away from being perfect. Not sure what to do about this…

 

Endometrial Function Test-prescribed by Dr. K. When I brought this test up to Dr. H, she said that a biopsy would not be necessary b/c I had already had my babies, but in talking to Dr Awesome, I think maybe she was thinking of a plain biopsy instead of this test. This test is where two samples of the lining are taken at different times in the cycle and sent to the only lab that does this test at Yale. They are measured to make sure they are reading the correct cycle day. This is a very painful and expensive test. Now…here’s the deal with this…if the samples are not measuring correctly, the treatment is a month of birth control pills. That’s it!! Pretty simple, huh? And you know what else? The only successful pregnancy I have ever had was proceeded by a down cycle with a month of birth control pills. Huh? 1+1=2?? Maybe!! Dr Awesome said given the invasiveness and cost of this test, he would never recommend it, but would just assume there was a problem and give the patient a low dose, monophasic birth control pill for a month. Could it be this simple?

 

So…now, I have this issue. I have to let whichever doctor I go to, know that I am talking with Dr Awesome and that I want to follow his advice. They need to be open to that. I do not think that I can talk Dr H out of the hysteroscopy, and I’m not sure she would be open to treating me for a biopsy she does not support. But I don’t know how happy the people at Dr Awesome’s old clinic would be to have his input. And frankly, I think they would be very happy to see me leave. They have volunteered more than once to help me transfer my embryos. Fuckers. A quandary, huh? I would like to start birth control pills this upcoming cycle, but I don’t have my consultation w/ Dr H until April 14, and I think that would put me at day 45 (if I don’t get my period before then). Hmmm…what to do? It’s a little annoying to think that the solution could be that simple, but also…exciting!

 

Anyone have any thoughts? I’d love to hear from people who have had multiple losses when not on birth control, but had a successful pregnancy after a month of pills. Anyone?

 

Oh...and one other thing, he commended me on my detective work w/ regards to finding him. And said that he would be happy to help me in the future. He would do whatever he could remotely. And that I was a good patient because I did my research and wanted to be educated, etc! Seriously...can we clone this guy? He's leaving the USA to go work in Ireland at the Sims Institute. Any Irish ladies out there? You are lucky to be getting such a great doctor!!!

Comments

[Heidi]

I don't really have any info to help you make a decision, but I again wanted to commend you on finding Dr. Awesome again and getting some answers!! (and I'll hope that your getting pg after a cycle of the pill theory holds...I'm on my cycle after the pill cycle now!)

[jesspond]

I don't have anything that wouldn't be total assvice, BUT to say that I'd just go wherever you can get them to do what you want!! :)

That's what I like in a doc...the willingness to just do what I want! haha

No, but really.

[Pep]

I would ask Dr. H what she thinks she'll learn from a hysteroscopy that the saline sonogram didn't reveal then make the decision on how to go forward based on her answer. And I honestly don't see why you have to tell the other doctors that you even talked to Dr. Awesome. Just tell them what you want to do. You don't even have to get the BCPs through your RE because any gyno can order them.

I guess I'm just crotchety today. ;-)

[Antigone]

That's what I need to find: a doctor whose competence I trust and whose personality is at least tolerable.

I'm seeing three different doctors now and they all disagree on what tests and treatment I should have.