Baby Steps

I bit the bullet today and scheduled an initial consult with my RE (the RE who did my surgery and helped me through 1-1/2 miscarriages). We're going to see if we can stick with her, recognizing her limitations but also the leverage we have with her and her staff.

I set up an initial consult with her since we never had one with her. I just ended up in her care after my previous RE left the clinic and trusted her with my surgery and that's where it was left off. I sort of feel like let's start over with all this and see where that gets us. Yes, I have lots of information and opinions but we also want to know her take.

I think I mentioned before, but the plan that was laid out for us by more then one RE was:

1. Have surgery to remove fibroid
2. After healing (3 months), try on our own for three cycles or so
3. If not pg then move onto Clomid/IUI for three cycles
4. If not pg then consider moving onto IVF (possibly with ICSI -- though with the SPA test his sperm performed really well so this shouldn't be an issue)

We were going to do a trial of Clomid/IUI in July '04 but then got pg and had the firsst m/c. Then we started TTC again after my surgery and retained tissue experience in Feb '05 only to get pg the third cycle and then lose that one as well. It's like we never get to go to the next step. Sharing it with you guys just reminds me of the feeling I had with each loss that maybe God was trying to tell me something -- it's so hard to know that though.

My appointment is scheduled for February 14th - Valentine's Day. I know that's a bit of a downer but at the same time it fits in really perfectly with my cycle -- so if we don't get pg this cycle (and chances are we won't based on our past lack of success) then AF is due right about then and there will be time to either get right into a Clomid cycle or do the HCG or both. There's a chance we might change the appt so to not ruin v-day but for now that's where it stands.

I also just set up a time to review my medical records so I can pick out the sections that I need for my files, which can supplements the ones I already have so I can transfer the files to my RE's new clinic.

One step at a time, right?

What do you think we should do?

It just struck me that I've never asked your opinion of what you think we should do for 2006 in our pursuit of having a child. I don't have a plan right now at all and I'm really wondering what other people think when they read about our situation.

Do you think we will get pregnant again on our own? (it's been 5 cycles since we started trying again -- though the past two cycles I haven't been trying trying just not preventing. It's also been over a year since my myo)

Should we try an IUI? With Clomid or not? (what about the excess estrogen and The Infertility Cure mentioning that it tends not to mix well with liver qi stagnation -- I wonder if I still have that...)

Should we go straight to IVF? (even though this offends our sensibilities and makes it all seem so desperate and only heightens the stress of the situation)

Should I consult a new RE or stick with the one I've ended up with who isn't up on progesterone supplementation? Should we consult with someone outside of our area in another state -- preferably a larger metropolitan area?

What do you think? Please share. Thanks.