Finally made the appointment...

jaxpb · 10-26-2009, 12:03 AM

My husband and I have been ttc since 9/08 with no luck. I finally made an appointment with Dr. Minassian in Reading, PA after reading all of the positive reviews on here. We have an appt. 12/16 so I'm hoping for some good Christmas news
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I was wondering what to expect at a visit like this- I received a bunch of info in the mail and medical histories to fill out. I'm going to bring all of my previous labs and medical records to the visit with me. The last RE I saw was great until she moved her practice to a big university hospital and became too busy for her patients. My husband and I went in May 2009 for the big "yay let's talk about making a baby" visit and after waiting 2.5 hours to be taken into the exam room she brushed everything off and told me to call when I got my period... I haven't had a period since I don't know when. She said to call back and then I could schedule an sonohisterogram (spelling?) which I never did because never got my period... It was a really disappointing visit and I dont' know if I want to go thorugh with that again- leaving some place in tears is never fun.

I'm really not into the idea of the HSG (I don't want a catheter anywhere near my person) but if it's a necessary evil I will do it. I was wondering if they are standard before starting someone on Clomid. In my ideal world he'd start me on clomid (I'm already taking 2000mg of Met). If nothing happens or some kind of blockage is suspected I'd be okay with more invasive procedures.

Just looking for some thoughts on peoples experiences with their first TTC visit- I'm new to the boards and it would be nice to get to know some people who might be at the same point I am
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knighad · 10-26-2009, 12:14 AM

Our first visit was a lengthy one. We went in to his office first and talked about my PCOS (dx from labs and no period). Then he did a full physical exam and an ultrasound. This showed my ovarian cysts. He drew labwork. Then, he started me on metformin 1500/day. After 3 months of this and using provera to start cycles, we tried clomid for three months. When this didn't work, we did the HSG. You don't want to go on to more invasive measures if you aren't sure your tubes are clear. I'm hoping you'll have a much better experience with this RE. GOOD LUCK!!!

AnnieClark · 10-30-2009, 04:38 PM

jaxpb - i have my first RE appoinment on Tuesday, so afterwards I'll let you know how it goes!

WifeyC · 10-31-2009, 09:45 AM

My first appointment was strictly a consultation. My DH and I both went. We both had to complete very comprehensive medical history questionnaires online. These were submitted with loads of time for the RE to become familiar with our history. We conversed with the RE for about an hour or so at our first appointment. There was no bloodwork done, there was no u/s done. We discussed my PCOS. He sort of scolded me for not coming in sooner, as I wasted almost two years of my TTC time by not seeing an RE. We talked about the various treatment steps. I chose to do Clomid with monitored u/s. But I opted out of IUI for the first cycle with the RE. We discussed how many Clomid cycles we would do before moving to injectables. Your DH should discuss any issues with his fertility. If he has had an SA, make sure the RE gets the records. This will help when planning how to treat you. Best of wishes as you meet with the RE. It's the best decision I made for TTC. I'm just sorry it took me so long.

AngelaGrace · 10-31-2009, 11:40 PM

jaxpb -

That's MY RE!
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I love, love, love him (as you may already know if you'd seen me talk about him on other threads.)

My first appt w/ him I was a good 2-2.5 hours there I believe! We talked at length about mine and DH's history. And yes, bring any labs/records you have with you - that'll be helpful. He ordered a SA for DH (in their in-office lab.) He also did a pap & physical exam during that first visit.

Might not be what you want to hear, but I think it's pretty standard for him to order the HSG, sonohist ASAP. Atleast for me, I had them done within a few weeks of seeing him. He did both of those personally for me. (Both of my tubes were blocked and he did my lap surgery, too.) Also, he ordered lots of bloodwork (maybe not for you, depending how up-to-date you most recent labs are.)

The entire staff is awesome, in my opinion. Before you leave, Dr. M's nurse Nancy will explain/remind you when to go for certain bloodwork, tell you when to call to schedule any test, etc. She's great! And you can always call and leave her a voicemail if you get confused or have a question/concern.

I guess I could go on and on... but feel free to ask me any questions! I know if it was all brand-new to me, I'd have a ton of questions!

Oh yeah -- just FYI about parking: you can park just across the street in the free parking garage. Street parking is also free, but the spots in front of the door are 20-min. parking only. But down a little bit further isn't timed spots. The office is on the 2nd floor, allllllll the way down at the end of the hall.

Good Luck!
Angela

jaxpb · 11-07-2009, 02:35 PM

Thanks so much for all of your responses- they've helped me wrap my head around what to expect. I'm excited and nervous about everything- but I'm really hopeful.