Infertility Myth #3

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“THE DOCTOR ALWAYS KNOWS BEST” MYTH

This is the myth that I feel the strongest about. Because I am the biggest beleiver in trusting your gut and doing what you beleive it. Now, let me start my saying that my step father, step sister, and brother in law are all doctors, plus my mother is a nurse, so I come from a medical family. So I love doctors and I am so happy that we have them and all the medical technologies that we have today, however that does not mean that you do not have the right to ask questions and demand answears. Just becasue you are going to a fertility specalist does not mean that you check your opnion and your brain at the door.

Think of your relationship with your doctor as a business deal- you are paying them to provide a service, get you pregnant, and if they are failing to do so in the best manner possible for you and your partner then you have every right to speak up. If a restaurant got your order wrong would you just sit by and think "oh well" NO, you would send it back! You are spending a lot of money to go through fertility treatments you have every right to get what you paid for.

Now, it is important to have an honest, trusting relationship with your physician. If you have such a relationship, he or she will not object to your asking questions. It is in everyone’s interest for you to be fully informed about the treatments that are available to you. What seems appropriate to your physician as a next step in treatment, may or may not be right for you either physically, financially, emotionally, or spiritually.

If something does not feel right or you just want to have more information you should ask and feel comfortable asking a question. Also, if you feel the need seek a second opnion, if you had cancer wouldn't you get a second opnion, I WOULD! So treating infertility is no different.

I once met a girl who was dealing with infertility and she was told by her OBGYN to take Clomid from days 3-7 of her cycle and have sex on days 12-15- and she did it, no questions asked, and she had three failed failed Clomid cycles.

I cannot even begain to tell you how many things are wrong with this, I think my mouth hit the ground when the girl was telling me this story. First off, Clomid is a powerful drug, you need to be monoitored with ultrasounds and be seen by the doctor. Secondly this girl had no idea if and when she was ovulating, she may have been ovulating early or later, which would mean intercourse could have been timed incorrectly. Also, if the Clomid dose she was on was not working that her dosage needed to be changed to maxamize her results.

This poor girl was clueless, she didn't know any better, she felt her doctor knew best and she should just do as she said. Ladies, be informed! The internet is a great option to research things, there are message boards, like thebump.com that have women who are going through fertility treatments. Now any info that you get on the internet please ask your doctor before you do something that is not healthly for you, but at least use it to get some basic info.

So ladies and gentlemen, get involved, this is your body, this is your fight to have a baby, be proactive, take an interest in yourself. Read books about infertility, reaserach it on the internet, talk to your doctor, go on message boards and discuss with others that are going through this journey with you. Just speak up! Ask questions and do not ever feel guilty for fighting for what you want, a BABY!