My fertility clinic sucks. So angry.

b_girl · Posted: Dec 15, 2011 11:49 am Post subject: My fertility clinic sucks. So angry.

My husband and I have been trying for a long time to conceive a baby... we were referred to a clinic last year - submitted our patient consent forms in May 2010. They called almost immediately and booked our consultation appointment... the earliest they could get us in was July 2010. We did a month of testing (throughout August) after which they booked our follow up appointment... for November 2010.

Our follow up was a whole 5 minutes where they told us I have a potential blockage that can be removed with surgery... or we could do IVF. We decided we'd try the surgery first and if that didn't help things along then we'd do IVF. We were told I'd be able to go in for surgery in January and someone would call me to book an appt.

I'm running against a clock - my mom started menopause at 32 so I'm high risk for that as well. I turn 32 in September.

Nobody called me, so I called them 3 weeks ago. I was told that they were waiting on the surgery schedule to be released so they'd call me in a couple weeks. Of course they didn't. I just got off the phone with them and the SOONEST they can get me in for surgery is April 26.

So that means that after surgery we'll try naturally for a few months before turning to IVF... but unfortunately that will put us past my 32nd birthday.

If these people just booked our appointments earlier then this wouldn't be a problem... waiting 2 months before a consultation, then 3 months for a follow-up, then 5 months before surgery is absolutely unreasonable. Goodness knows how long they'll make us wait once we decided to follow-through with IVF too. Of course it's impossible to get a hold of the doctor too, you have a choice of calling or emailing them and you can only contact either the nurse or receptionist.

I can't begin to describe how frustrating this is and how upset I am about all of this. We're not really sure what to do... but are considering finding a new clinic. None seem to have really good reviews online though.

I'm so angry right now...

~ vent off ~

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

I would agree with the shopping around, if you can find a place that will treat it differently. Is what you are trying to get done considered an "elective" type surgery or one of necessity? If it is "elective" it makes some sense it is being treated the way it is with you being on the Canadian system, from the way I understand it works.

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

Skip the surgery and go IVF. A) the surgery is not guaranteed to be successful B) the potential blockage is potentially very effective birth control in the future.

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

Skip the surgery and go IVF. A) the surgery is not guaranteed to be successful B) the potential blockage is potentially very effective birth control in the future.

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

Good luck.

I've had a series of instances of borderline incompetent medical treatment over the past few years.

I hope you find a decent clinic and things work out.

b_girl · Posted: Dec 16, 2011 6:17 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone!

jryoung, that's very true... except IVF is so expensive and there's obviously no guarantee that it will work.

The surgery is actually covered by OHIP (provincial/government health coverage) which is great, so we don't have to pay for it... My problem isn't so much with the wait time for the surgery, but the fact that we've had to wait for EVERYTHING with this clinic and it's impossible to actually talk to someone to ask questions. Like, we had to wait 2 months for a consultation, 2.5 months for a follow-up and 5 months for surgery... don't know how long the wait would be for IVF. Had they only took on as many patients as they could handle, then even with a 5 month wait for surgery, I still would have had the surgery by now and we'd be good to go...

We talked more last night and we're going to hunt for a new clinic this weekend, call them and find out if they'll be able to get our files from our current clinic so we don't need to start over, then see whether they can speed up the process for us. I think I found one that might work, it's a bit farther away but will be worth it in the end if they can pull through for us!

jason_ssr · Posted: Dec 16, 2011 3:35 pm Post subject:

I would get a second opinion.

And having just gone through this i have a little bit of advice. When my wife and I had our first child, we werent really "trying" actively, we just decided to stop preventing and let nature take its course. It did. Summer before this past summer we decided to do the same thing. No luck. After a few unsuccessful months we went to the doc to see if there were any reasons. Same answer, it could possibly be a blockage, or hormone issue. They also fed my wife alot of info about monitoring ovulation, and timing your attempts and whatnot. So I was whipped with 9 months of "no, we have to wait 2 days" and all the other BS advice. We decided to go IVF and began the process (its covered for us, but only after a handful of cheaper methods are exhausted). I got frustrated with the whole thing and told my wife that before we go down this path I want to try my method. I decided to attack it with quantity rather than quality (opposite of what the docs say). My wife was reluctant but I got the green light 24/7. 2 months later we were pregnant and are due in Feb. We are both 37. Sometimes it just takes time, so dont give up on the natural thing. Wear him out, then do it again!

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

I agree with jason. That's a good alternative method...plus it's more fun.

b_girl · Posted: Dec 17, 2011 11:43 am Post subject:

jason_ssr, thanks... we have tried that 'method'... my first method sounds like it was similar to your wifes... and after a few months we gave up on that and did the 24/7 rule... the clinic we've been going through did an entire month of testing, so it was hormone tests, follicle size... the works. They checked my husband out too and he's 100% ok. (you should have seen how big his smile was when they told him that, haha)

I just got a voicemail from my doctor... they have an opening for January 5!! So I'll be booking that on Monday and we're back on track Smile

Of course... in the meantime we'll keep trying, just in case.

b_girl · Posted: Dec 19, 2011 8:11 am Post subject:

Surgery is officially booked for January 5!! YAY!!!!

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

b_girl, nice!

Sometimes it's persistence that is the best approach. Other times ya just gotta take your business elsewhere.

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Cool! Best of luck...be sure to post an update.

b_girl · Posted: Dec 19, 2011 12:21 pm Post subject:

Thanks! I'll definitely post an update once I've got one Very Happy

jason_ssr · Posted: Dec 19, 2011 12:33 pm Post subject:

yes, keep trying, we had to do the same and had to get our consult scheduled 2 months in advance. We became pregnant one week before our first fertility consult. We were happy to cancel!

jjaszkow · Posted: Dec 19, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject:

b_girl, good luck!

b_girl · Posted: Dec 20, 2011 5:53 am Post subject:

jjaszkow, thanks.
jason_ssr, so far we haven't been that lucky... did the consult, a months worth of testing (had to go almost every day), etc... just happy that my surgery is in 2 weeks so hopefully that'll help.

Fingers crossed that we'll finally be successful in the next couple of months! Otherwise, it's IVF time.

jason_ssr · Posted: Dec 20, 2011 7:55 am Post subject:

Great news! best of luck and dont forget to share the good news!

b_girl · Posted: Dec 20, 2011 8:23 am Post subject:

will do

b_girl · Posted: Jan 23, 2012 6:38 am Post subject:

Update: So, they ended up postponing my surgery until Jan 19... so I had it last Thursday... they found a small blockage (endometriosis) and removed it. I wasn't in too much pain afterwards, really... but the pain killers helped for sure Smile

(on two different kinds). It was more awkward than anything because my stomach muscles didn't work right afterwards, so doing things like sitting up or getting out of bed were near impossible.

They cut a hole in my belly button and a small incision lower down, both of which are covered in some sort of tape now (instead of stitches I guess) that I need to leave on until Friday.

The pain itself is much better today - I had to take myself off one of the pain killers yesterday so I can feel it more, but it's bearable.

I was supposed to have a follow up appointment in 2 weeks but the dr is fully booked, so I have an appt in April (can't believe how long that is)... BUT, the dr had given me his direct email address after the surgery so I emailed him with a list of questions, including when we can start trying again.

Fingers crossed that this will do the trick!

Now I just need to make it through the day at work - I probably shouldn't have come in, but I did...

goofyboy · Posted: Jan 23, 2012 7:59 am Post subject:

good luck!! Remeber to enjoy the process a little. Very Happy

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Glad to hear things went well. Definitely take care of yourself and don't push it too soon.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

Nice that things turned out well, but I can't believe OHIP covers this.

b_girl · Posted: Jan 23, 2012 11:26 am Post subject:

I'm not actually... technically speaking, my tube could have been blocked for any number of reasons (including infection), it just so happens that in my case it wasn't anything serious. Also, if a tube is partially blocked and sperm can get through to fertilize the egg, the egg can't always pass through the partial-blockage and make it's way into the uterus... which would lead to an ectopic pregnancy... which in itself is somewhat devastating. So I think the fact that they do cover it is their way to help prevent even worse things from happening.

Regardless though, I'm glad they do cover it Smile