I consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent person. I am always very aware of my health and try to be proactive about it. I google everything, even medication I'm prescribed so I know all I can about it.
So when we started ttc'ing, it just made sense that I would chart to get to know my cycles better. I had an IUD before (the copper version) so my cycles theoretically hadn't had any unnatural disruption to them for about four years. The first month I charted, my luteal phase was only 6 days. Uh oh. I thought maybe it was just because I was beginning charting and didn't really know what I was doing. Month after month went by and I became an expert at reading my body's signs. Never was my luteal phase longer than 11 days. Usually it was more like 9 days.
After a year went by, it was time for my annual appointment again. I printed out all of my charts and armed myself to go to the doc and ask if I had a luteal phase defect. When I went to see him, he really wasn't interested in the charts and when I told him I thought I had a luteal phase defect/progesterone issue he just brushed it aside. He had never seen a patient with it and apparently it's rare so he didn't think I had it. Whatever, that kind of pissed me off. He did agree to give me clomid, which can help with low progesterone.
We tried clomid for one month and it didn't work. I decided to not take it again until Eric got tested, because it was pointless for me to take drugs if we weren't even sure that I was the problem.
We all know by now that Eric is part of the problem. And now that I've been seeing the RE and have been taking the progesterone supplements, my cycle is the longest it has ever been. I would have started my period 3 or 4 days ago normally. I feel like I'm about to start, but it's taking its sweet time.
I took my temp this morning out of curiosity and it's the highest it has ever been. That along with the lengthened luteal phase pretty much confirms to me that I have a luteal phase defect. Hence the title, my ob/gyn can suck it! I was right and I should have put my foot down and pressed the issue. But I guess it's good that I went to the RE, they are the experts after all.
I know that I don't have a medical degree, but I can't stand doctors that don't listen to their patietens. They can't fathom that someone would actually be informed about their body. They're just used to handing out birth control, measuring pregnant women's bellies and birthing babies and they expect everyone to nod and smile, go along and not cause any trouble. It pisses me off that I'm not heard when I'm paying them good money (or I should say my insurance is).
3 comments:
Good for you for being so prepared and figuring out what was wrong. That sucks that the dr didn't pay attention to you, but thankfully your with your RE now who sounds really good.
I had the EXACT same problem, and the EXACT same experience. Except, when I went to the RE, he immediately said that my BMI was too low. Sure enough, gaining 10% of my weight back moved up my ovulation by 5 days, and lengthened my LP. My OB, on the other hand, ignored my concerns entirely.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Hi from ICLW!
Re: Your OB sucking it :)
You were way ahead of the game and totally knew what you were doing and talking about. I hate that some doctors think all patients are just imbeciles.
I'm the same way... even though I'm obviously not a doctor, I have 30 years experience with my body and research the crap out of everything. My only downfall is that I'm not assertive enough and in the moment tend to feel like the doctor knows better, even when in some cases they really don't.
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