Are these causes to doubt the clinic?

[ironlady]

Sorry to be livid in my very first post, but I am really angry after just getting off the phone with the pharmacy.

I'm 42, on a flare cycle. We tried to do a flare cycle 3 months ago and had to cut it off after 2 days due to blood pressure issues and severe emotional reaction (Lupron?). Then the next month a cyst and last month no cyst, oh sorry the cyst is still there and the estradiol numbers are too high. Finally this month the numbers are okay. (The clinic does not share the numbers with me...one of the things I wanted to ask. Seems like everyone on this board has numbers out the wazoo..is it normal for a clinic not to give you the specific numbers for blood tests and suchlike?)

Anyway, long story short (hopefully) started with the injectables on Monday. No problem. Last night (second day) I looked over my stock of vials and boxes and found that I didn't have enough Menopur to last until the next appointment (Friday). I called the clinic and left a message (it was already 6 pm). They didn't call back. Today I call them and they say, "Oh, it's your responsibility to refill medications." Yes, I realize that I have a responsibility, but it would be SO much easier to exercise that responsibilty if YOU took the time and effort to figure out what I will be taking and TELL me. All I have on the sheet is four days with "450 [Follistim]/150 [Menopur] and 0.05 cc Lupron written in; everything after that is blank, and in fact I don't even have any inkling what the projected or possible retrieval date might be.

So, okay, they kindly call in the refill for me. The pharmacist calls me back (they need a credit card, of course! ) and he's really professional and asks a lot of questions -- after which we discover that I don't have enough Follistim either ("They probably just called in a standard order" -- is it me, or would other people expect the clinic to CHECK since I am not a standard order, I am an individual patient who's paying them a considerable sum of money?) AND that I shouldn't even be using the Lupron from 3 months ago, it's expired and he'll send me a new one, it's only $5 anyway.

What the -- ??? I'm sorry, but is he really telling me that this clinic didn't even have their act together enough to check my chart and figure out that I'm taking expired drugs and that the Lupron won't flare (as per the pharmacist)?

I haven't been overemotional so far this cycle -- until this. (Maybe the old Lupron really is a dud?) Am I overreacting and the clinic is just being average and normal and I'm just paranoid, or are they really not doing their job? I was beginning to wonder after last month's "Oh, I'm sure the doctor would say that we should..." Personally I prefer to have the doctor say it himself. Especially since I'm 42 and I don't have that many months left to mess around with (my mother went into menopause at 39).

Grrrr. We have fantastic insurance...I have to wonder if at my age and with my history (no tubes, Stage IV endo, only one ovary) the clinic is just along to earn the money. If I get pg fine with them but...??

[sdmtb]

Hi - I don't blame you for your frustration. This is such a stressful time, and these issues don't help any. I would suggest you bring this to the attention of the office manager. Most clinics have someone who runs the show. If they want to retain your business, he/she will make things happen for you. Sometimes the clinics only order enough meds to get you through a short period of time (until your next appt) to reduce the burden on your wallet. If you have coverage, or if this is not an issue for you, let them know up front. I completely agree that they should have foreseen that you were going to need more than the norm. As for the numbers, if you ask and they flat out decline to tell you, I would ask to speak to the doctor and get the rationale. Maybe they are worried that patients will make too much of the numbers and stress out unnecessarily. Regardless, they are your results, and if you want them, you should be able to get them. I hope that you can find some peace in this time, whether it is at your current office or elsewhere. It is so hard to relax as it is, and you need full support of everyone involved - especially your caregivers. I wish you the best of luck in your cycle!

[tanu2007]

Hi ironlady,
just curious to know where ure clinic is located?
some nurses are very rude.
this time i got done at the same clinic i did 3 years back. ofcourse no problem with the Dr.It is always the nurse you are in contact with is different.The nurse i was dealing with this time was kind of a rude compared to last time which was sweet in talking.Their way of talking just bothers you,but i guess they know we are in need of them.so they don;t care. just relax and try to do your part. hope it helps

[ironlady]

tanu: I'm in upstate New York in the US.

I know what you mean about the nurse thing...although most of them are quite nice at my particular clinic, you do get the impression that the Dr. is mostly brought out to get clients in the door. Have hardly seen him since starting, although to be fair most of our cycles have been cancelled for one reason or another. The waiting room looks like a law office (leather, plush upholstery, gas fire, weird New Age music in the background...) personally I'd rather sit on a hard wooden chair and have them check my meds for me every time, but oh well...

sdmtb: we do have full (and I mean FULL!) insurance coverage (I'm worried some other woman might follow me and hit me over the head to take my identity just for my insurance!) and they are quite aware of it. I'm not sure what the problem is, although the pharmacy's statement that "they probably just sent in their standard order" makes sense. I just feel lucky my DH is detail-oriented and had me count last night. Would be really angry if we had lost the cycle because of no one realizing there were not enough drugs.

[snemo]

Really, I think it's up to the clinic and the IVF nurses to give you all the support and knowledge that you require for the treatment to be successful. I go to Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, and they are pretty good but I still get some advice from nurses that I don't feel is very supportive. I do however think that they should give you all your test result information in some form or another. It's your medical records and you should have full control over it.
Sorry to hear about your experiences. I hope things get better.

Snemo

[Bellyache]

Hi and I am so sorry that you are unhappy with your clinic. Just getting to the stage where we need IVF is stressful enough without the added stress of dealing with an office that makes you unhappy. Since you have great benies maybe you might think about going somewhere else.
I have been to some horrible REs and 2 great ones. It does make a difference in everything by the way they treat you! You should feel comfortable, welcome, and they should be very kind to you. Also, YES, they should be telling you your numbers without you having to ask. IMO.
Maybe I am just spoiled with my RE. I do not know, but they tell me everything. I feel like I am part of their family and actually enjoy going to see them. They make everyone feel so welcome and cared for. They are the kindest people I have ever met, and I think that is how it should be.
I do not have to worry about counting meds, either. They always make sure I have plenty of meds (if not a little more than I need).
I understand what you mean about running out of time. My issue is not so much with age (I am 32), but with my endo. I need to get a radical hysterectomy soon so my endometriosis does destroy my intestines (I had it pretty bad in there). I got a cyst from last cycle's injections. I am doing the full lupron shut down and they are hoping that takes care of my cyst too, but if it is still there on the 30th my RE is going to aspirate it. We are still doing the IVF in May regardless.
This is just something for you to think about. If you are truely unhappy and you do not feel like you are getting the medical care you should be getting then you really might want to think of finding a new dr. Maybe, you could make an appt to talk to your dr about all of this as well. He/She might get the nurses to be more on top of things as I am sure they would not want to lose you. I do hope everything goes great for you and you get your BFP real soon!
Hugs,
Jenny