Things to know before starting fertility treatments. 2 years ago I had an ectopic pregnancy which resulted in the loss of my right tube. You can read about my ectopic pregnancy here: Ectopic Pregnancy. I am still unsure as to why I was referred to a fertility specialist after my ectopic. Fertility was never an issue for me.
I can only assume that it was to help fast track me to pregnancy after my surgery. But, here we are 2 years later, still stuck on what seems to be a never ending hamster wheel of what ifs, maybes and unexplained issues.
I feel that if I was better prepared for the world of fertility clinics and treatment it wouldn’t have taken such a toll on my mental health. Here are 3 things to know before starting fertility treatments:
1 – Find a doctor that you feel genuinely cares about your situation.
Going through fertility treatments is one of the most emotional and personal experiences you will ever face. I went in thinking that my doctor had my best interests at heart and that he cared about my case. Fast forward to a year and a half later and he couldn’t even remember if he’d met my husband. The same husband that was with me at 80% of the appointments. And there were many appointments. SO SO SO MANY.
I wasn’t expecting him to remember my husband on a first name basis but at least acknowledge that you have met the guy. To say that this doctor just saw me as a credit card is an understatement. The longer I spent under his care the bigger my bill got with no end in sight. I am still convinced he never looked at my file. I didn’t come to him with fertility issues I came to him due to having a blocked tube. Sadly, I will never know if all the unnecessary medication he prescribed has contributed to my ongoing issues, but I can’t help but think that it is now part of the problem.
After the comment about my husband I knew that this doctor would never be able to help me. Nor do I think he wanted to. I immediately switched and I am so happy with the care I am getting from my new RE. They both practice in the same clinic which can be awkward for some. But in my case the initial doctor didn’t seem to be interested in me at all which made the transition easy. If you’d like to know who my doctor is now, please message me.
I urge you to listen to your gut and switch doctors as soon as you feel something doesn’t sit right. The difference between having a doctor that cares and one that doesn’t is night and day.
2 – Nothing is guaranteed
2 years ago, when I walked into a fertility clinic, I genuinely thought they would do some tests. Rule out any issue and I would have a plan to get pregnant. This is so not the case!
They did do some tests and by some, I mean so many that there are ones I can’t even pronounce. But, to this day I still don’t have a plan or any guarantee that I will ever have another baby. It’s a very hard pill to swallow. You can drop 20k on a round of IVF without any guarantee that it will work.
I have personally found that I have had to educate myself and ask a million questions to try and make sure I have the best possibility for my treatments to work. When I first started with treatments, I had no idea what questions to ask, what supplements I should take and how to support my body. I have done extensive research, adopted a healthier fertility friendly lifestyle, implemented supplements to help me with better egg quality, I am seeing a fertility acupuncturist on a weekly basis. I now feel like I am on the right track and have a better chance of achieving my goal.
This book is the best book to help you on your journey. I wish I had known about it at the start of my journey. Please consider buying it, it is an absolute game changer.
3 – Time flies
Time literally passes by in an instant when you are on your trying to conceive journey. One month turns into 6 which suddenly turns into a year and before you know it 2 years have gone by and you feel like the entire world around you has changed. Friends and family members have had 1 or 2 babies while you are still on the cycle wagon.
I wish I knew how time consuming and unpredictable this fertility journey is when I started. It also doesn’t help that a woman’s fertility is linked to age. And for some of us time is literally running out.
Be patient, understand this this is a very involved journey and unfortunately sometimes it takes a lot longer than anticipated. Don’t put your life on hold. Do things that make you happy, book that trip, set those goals and most importantly show yourself grace.
I hope that these tips help you navigate your own journey and that these things to know before starting fertility treatments are helpful.
Thanks for stopping what you were doing and dropping by !
