DFW TExas Doctor--awesome-Farmer

patti plummer · 10-24-2003, 02:18 AM

Whoever put Dr. FArmer up on the doctor boards--THANKS THANKS THANKS
I went to him this week and finally after numerous Drs I found someone that knew about PCOS and put me on GLUC !!!
So whoever you are GOD bless you. He asked me who referred me and I told him a soulcyster!!
Patti

oohmercyme · 10-24-2003, 02:38 AM

WOOHOOOOOO Patti Pea!!! Hope ya got a computer by the toilet so we can IM all about met!!

Susannah · 10-24-2003, 07:52 PM

Hi Patti!

It was me who put Dr. Farmer on the recommendations. Isn't he great! I live in Allen, TX, and work in North Dallas, so it was a bit of a drive to get to him, but he was definitely worth it. I'd found his name after extensive searching on the internet, I finally found a post on I think it was obgyn.net about him.

I was in such a state by the time I got to him. I went off the pill in 2001, and my period never returned (except for one 6-month constant bleed once). I started TTC in mid-2001, and of course no luck. I kept hoping my period would come back on it's own, but no luck. I didn't have an ob/gyn because I really didn't like my old one.

So, March of this year I go to a new ob/gyn, for fertility stuff and to get a long overdue pap smear. So, she ran all the tests, and she says they are normal, let's just try Clomid (tried it, didn't work). Also, I had cervical dysplasia, so I had to have a procedure for that. So, while I'm waiting for my cervix to heal, I get a copy of my tests and go to a reproductive endocrinologist because I'm not happy with my ob/gyn's "unexplained anovulation" diagnosis. The RE takes one look at my tests and says "your testosterone is 3X what it should be, you have PCOS". He then recommends this whole elaborate regimen to get me PG, which includes Clomid, ultrasound to check on the follicle, injectable to get me to release an egg, a post-coital sperm analysis, and a dye test if I'm not successful in getting PG. So, I think this could work. Well, then I catch mono (!), and so I have any more time on my hands waiting for that to go away before I try to get PG. So, I research this stuff he wanted to put me on. It increases your risk for cancer (not what I need since I'd just had severe cervical dysplasia which is pre-cancer). So, I go to my regular doc asking him what we can do to take care of a high testosterone level. He says, first, let's re-test it to make sure it really is high. This test it comes back low-normal! Ugh! So, I got no help from him. In the meantime, I've started bleeding 2 weeks after the surgery for the dysplasia, and it hasn't stopped in about 10 weeks. So, I call up the ob/gyn and tell her, and she orders a transvaginal ultrasound, to make sure there's no fibroid or something. The ultrasound shows up as normal. I ask her also if there were any ovarian cysts, since I knew they'd taken a look at them while doing the ultrasound. She said no, ovaries were normal.

So, here I was, TOTALLY confused. So, I decide to see a regular endocrinologist. This time my LH/FSH is about 2.2, which is really getting to be where it might be PCOS. The endo thinks, so, too, but won't give me Met, since my fasting glucose and insulin are normal. Plus, he starts getting side-tracked because I have high albumin (always have, I've researched it, and it's actually a good thing from what I've found).

So, finally I found Dr. Farmer. What a relief! First thing he did when I saw him was do another ultrasound. I told him I'd already had one, but he said let's try again, sometimes they miss things. I had about 10 cysts on each ovary, and he showed them to me on the screen. He put me on Met, 1500 mg per day. I'm really having problems working up to the 1500, though, everytime I go beyond 500 mg in a day, I start getting those dreaded side effects (vomiting and diarrhea). He told me to let him know if the side effects are too bad, he can switch me to Actos or Avandia.

It was so great to finally see a doctor who actually seemed to know what he was doing and cared about you! I'm so glad that you had the same experience!

Private message me if you want to. It would be nice to know someone in the same city going through some of the same things.

Susannah

CSUgirl3574 · 11-08-2003, 03:09 AM

Exactly where is Dr. Farmer located? I have an awesome doctor right now but she is a pediatrician endocrinologist and I am turning 21 next month and she wants me to move to another doctor and I am trying to find one. I live in Mansfield (south of Arlington) so if you could give me any info on this doctor I'd really appreciate it!
~Meghan

patti plummer · 11-08-2003, 03:18 AM

He has a website listed on the Doctor page 3
He is in Bedford on 183.
If you can not find his website let me know and I will send it to you.
Patti

andra · 12-06-2003, 12:12 AM

Hi everyone,

Is he fat friendly? I am having a hard time with my RE right now.

Thanks,

Susannah · 12-06-2003, 01:03 AM

Andra,

I can't say for sure, since I don't have the overweight symptom of PCOS. He's very, very nice, though, so I would think he's not going to make you feel self-conscious about your weight. His theory is that the IR comes from the cells just not uptaking insulin like they should anymore, and that's what causes the PCOS. He'll definitely like it that you're on the South Beach Diet. He recommended a low carb diet for me, and even though the South Beach isn't low carb, it's got the same concepts behind it of not spiking your blood sugar.

I read your post about the other RE not wanting to have to be there to "find your ovaries" everytime. I think that's horrible of the doctor. I know you at least won't have that concern with Dr. Farmer. He did my ultrasound all by himself, and took his time with me, then took quite a bit of time explaining PCOS with me. I didn't feel rushed at all, which was really great. I hate in some doctor's offices where it seems they are impatient with you and just want to get on to the next patient, I assume just to maximize the amount of money they make. Or, other doctors offices where the nurse does ALL the work, and the doctor spends like 1 minute with you. Dr. Farmer didn't seem that way at all.

I'd call the office first and get a few questions answered, like will they do injectables for you even though you are at a certain BMI. Then, go if you get the answers you like. There's no point in wasting money.

Susannah

andra · 12-09-2003, 04:19 PM

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that I have an appointment with Dr. Farmer on the 22nd. I am going to go ahead with this cycle with the RE from hell because we did not want to wait a cycle. When I called they said they do not have a weight limit for ttc so hopefully he will be just the doc I am looking for. I will keep you updated.

Thanks again for the reference,

OneHotMama · 03-06-2004, 06:25 AM

I happen to stumble across this post and must say i'm shocked. He also put me on Glucophage . He sat down with me and talked for awhile, and he is very freindly. BUT, when i called him 2 months after being on it, and still having a period that was heavy, clotty, painful, the only person i got to talk to was his nurse. she told me this was normal, not to worry about it, ect...
so 3 more weeks go buy, I'm still heavily bleeding (I had to carry a towel around to sit on, it was that bad) and she once again tells me, it's normal, it's normal. She did set me up for an appointment in 2 weeks. Well , 3 days later, still massively bleeding, i call and have to beg to talk to Dr. Farmer. The told me he would call back (this was at 2pm that day), but by 4 he still hadn't called back. I called again and his nurse had told me he had already left for the day. she told me if i was that worried go to the ER. By 9pm that night, i was litteraly in the bath tub because nothing could contain the bleeding. I called his after hours number and a nurse called me back. she told me, go to the er, if it will make you feel better, but this is all normal. she offered to make me an appointment for the next morning, but I was so pissed because i was never even able to speak to my DR. and I felt like they were not taking me serious.

All I know is heavy bleeding for 3 months straight is not normal.
I wish you the best of luck with him, but beaware that he's not the most reliable person if something is seriously wrong with you. His nurse handles everything but the sitting down and talking to you part. (oh, he also did my sonogram)

goodluck, and take care