[jencat]

Oh, such a common question (with no short answer..).

I felt at the time that I was under the care of an RE that I was getting the best care possible (it sure COST like I should be getting the best care!). BUT as I told in the first post on the thread, I was just one of the cattle going through the door.... and I should have done a better job of keeping them on task, asking questions, and insisting certain things happen. It was way too easy for them, due to my age, to just say 'it must have been a chromosomal problem, let's just try again'

SO I started asking around after I started this thread, and found a place that would do some of the immulogical testing....I have friends and relatives who had gone to this OB who specialises in difficult cases. His name is Dr. Phillip Marcus. He LOVES a challenge. He is NOT an RE, but he has a really good record that I have seen just from the people I know. The only person (out of 4) who couldn't get PG with him had a bicornate uterus, so she had to adopt. Marcus' clinic does the testing! as a STANDARD PRACTICE! (I mean really, how hard is it to do blood tests??) He also does exploratory laproscopic surgery to check on the condition of the organs, and take out any endometriosis he finds. He feels very strongly that endo is the culprit in alot of IF cases.

So I had the surgery, and started on the thyroid meds (which also help keep the endo from growing back!) Then we started talking about my history.

Now. When we first started TTC, the 2nd and 3rd month, my period was a day or two late (I am SUPER regular) and my boobs grew, I had cramping in my uterus, then boom, my period. Now this happened again the cycle before we did IVF (we were doing super ov. IUI), and the nurse called me w/ the PG test results and said 'I waited and waited, but the number never got over 13'. I confronted the RE about it (thinking it was a PG) and he told me I was just experiencing a hormonal surge, and the symptoms didn't mean anything and he dismissed the 13 as nothing. He also told me the same thing had happened the month before... that I had a registered number, but it wasn't 20, so no one mentioned it.

Dr. Marcus was amazed that the RE was so nonchalant about it. He considered those chemical PGs, and that it indicates there was possibly an issue with implantation. So that added another 4 'miscarriages' to the list of the other 2 that we had from both IVF.

SO, long story... DR. Marcus concluded that IVF would show more definitive results, but he was OK with IUI as well, since we may have treated what was causing the implantation issues. My gut was screaming for IUI, so that what it is. My health insurance covers the drugs, so its ALOT cheaper, too. I also see IUI as a sort of productive break from IVF....He oversees IVF with another clinic, so that is also an option with the same clinic.

He also told me something interesting... he has found he has better results when he provides weekly u/s for his patients. he thinks it may have something to do with relieving the stress of waiting. I know some of you have that luxury, but I didn't at my RE. Attitude and stress relief helps!! do some yoga!

I wish you all well. I will let you know what happens with my IUI.

Thanks for all the input.