Visit with the Lady Doctor

I had my annual exam a few weeks ago.  I've been putting it off because I want to go to a new doctor, but have been scared to actually pick a new one.  If you've been reading a while, I didn't have a great experience with him last year.  I've gotten all sorts of recommendations, but can't make up my mind.  My wonky period last time though forced me to go.  (Did I even mention that?  My cycle was 40 days long.  Period was 2 weeks late, it's never late).

So I made an appointment and went armed with my post-it note so I wouldn't forget the three things I wanted to discuss.

1. Wacked out period last month.  
2. Check hormone levels 
3. Drugs for cramps

First thing, he came into the room and talked to me before I stripped down for the exam.  He asked me how "Aunt Flo" was.  Really, he said "Aunt Flo".  I hate that term, especially when a doctor uses it.  I guess he's trying to be relatable and make the patient feel comfortable.  I'm the girl who will talk about her cervical mucous with strangers, I don't need him to sugarcoat anything or dance around the topic.  Anyway.  I told him of my concerns about my long cycle the month before and asked if I needed to be concerned about it.  He didn't seem to be too worried about it.  I then mentioned how I didn't respond well to the IVF cycles which led the doctors to believe that I had decreased ovarian reserve or premature ovarian failure.  In my mind, that plus a longer, unpredictable cycle got crazy thoughts of early menopause going through my head.  He agreed to check my hormones.

I then asked if he could give me a prescription for my bad cramps.  My old RE gave me A.na.prox and L.or.tab.  When I asked for the Lo.r.tab he looked surprised and asked if they were really that bad.  I said, yes, they are.  I've mentioned this to him before.  He then asked if I had ever had a laparoscopy to see if I had endometriosis.  I haven't, and I mentioned to him that the only symptom I had was cramps, and none of the others.  He replied, "well, infertility is a symptom".  That's when he really pissed me off.  Maybe I'm being too sensitive, but it really got to me.  I told him that our main issue in getting pregnant was my husband.  My ovaries were the second, less serious issue.  Doctors have looked at every nook and cranny of my body for the past two years, I'm pretty sure if I had endometriosis, they would have found it.

Now I realize, you can have endometriosis without having symptoms, and a laparoscopy is really the only way to definitively diagnose it.  BUT - this doctor is not an expert in fertility matters.  He's the one who put me on clomid without suggesting that my husband should also get checked out.  He's the one who pooh-poohed my concerns when I told him I suspected I have a luteal phase defect ("those don't really exist", he said).  Actually, I do have one.  This is the doctor who told me last year that he would see me when I'm pregnant after I had just told him about our failed IVF attempt.  

So now I definitely have to get a new doctor.  Lucky me, I have another year to do it.