~~theworms~~

STL34

How much testing did you do with Dr. B?  I have a telephone consult with him scheduled for next Wednesday.  The nurse told me that we would still have enought time to do testing and come up with a plan before I start IVF #3 in May.  I'm so anxious.

I asked him a few questions on his board and he sounded concerned that I was having so much immune related treatment without testing to see what the treatment was doing.  It sounded like he would look into this for me!  It has been difficult getting my RE to consider some of these things and my rhuematologist doesn't know anything about fertility.  She can tell me what is safe or safer to take during pregnancy, but that is about it.

I know your consult was in person, but what do you think I should expect from a telephone consult?

Thanks!!

theworms

just a warning, you always wait to see him so don't be surprised if your call isn't on time. 

he really takes his time with patients so i would expect him to go through your history and then lay out a plan for testing and any tweaks to cycle.

for me we went over my records, i talked about my m/c and bleeds and he talked about what he thought was causing my loses, tests i needed to have done and how he wanted to check things off to get to the cause.

he is really intelligent and a little quirky.

the immune testing cost me about 700 oop and we are having the DS tested as well which will be about 500.

for it was so worth meeting with him.  i need to feel like i have covered all my bases. 

i had done intralipids with my last 2 cycles (FET, bfn and IVF, BFP.  i didn't do it last april with IVF BFP).  all my immune testing came back normal so no more intralipids.

theworms

STL34:

How much testing did you do with Dr. B?  I have a telephone consult with him scheduled for next Wednesday.  The nurse told me that we would still have enought time to do testing and come up with a plan before I start IVF #3 in May.  I'm so anxious.

when do you start your meds?

my immune testing took 3 weeks for results.  i'm assuming you can rush it though.

as i mentioned i did his immune work up.  all my other testing was done with the hema and my RE (they worked together)

STL34

Thanks so much, worms!!  I really appreciate your information!

I have immune issues.  But, I am on Humira for my arthritis, Lovenox for clotting issues and I have done intralipids with both cycles.  The concern is that this a lot of treatment and no one has checked to see how it is doing. 

I start Lupron on May 12 and stims areound May 23-24.  However, I have been on Lovenox and Estrace for almost two weeks.  And, I take Humira year round.  One of the other questions I asked when I set up the appointment was whether I could keep taking my Humira before testing and she said he would tell me.  She also said that it wouldn't be a problem to get everything done with my timeline.  But, I take Humira again tonight and it takes a month for Humira to leave your blood stream.  So, if he needs it out of my system to do the testing, I won't be able to do it (and will have spent $650 for the consult for nothing).  I would guess he will at least do the testing with the Humira in my system to see if my TNF-alpha levels are too low.  The problem with some of the other testing is that Humira can affect those tests and if he has me stop it for this cycle, those tests may be off.  But, at least I would know whether being on Humira was causing problems.

theworms

you should have testing back in time.

i would post on his message board about the humira and test results.

i can't wait to hear what he says cutie.  i hope it brings you to your sticky BFP

STL34

Thanks!!

I posted a message.  Hopefully he will respond soon since I do my injection tonight!