Great Endo in Austin, TX!!

NerdyGirl · 04-16-2008, 02:44 PM

Hey ladies. Just wanted to share that I have the most wonderful, knowledgeable Endo and I highly recommend her.

Melanie Spindler, MD at Austin Diagnostic Clinic

She really takes the time to talk to you and is very proactive about preventing some of the more serious conditions that we are susceptible to as PCOS-ers: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke.

mahjab · 05-24-2008, 04:25 PM

I made an appt with her....will let you all know how it goes. it's not for another month though.

NerdyGirl · 05-26-2008, 07:43 PM

I hope you like her!

She upped my met and scheduled me with the dietician to help work on losing weight. I think she's friendly and explains her reasoning. If you're TTC, she'll tell you her philosophy on preventing gestational diabetes and managing PCOS during pg.

Good luck.

Arpee · 06-09-2008, 06:16 PM

I'm new to Austin and found the Texas Fertility Center. I now see Dr Lisa Hansard. She's an upbeat, straight shooter. Very professional yet friendly. I like her. I'm currently going through a Follistim cycle with her.

mahjab · 06-24-2008, 11:26 PM

I saw Dr. Spindler!

I liked her. Other doctors have told me I don't have PCOS or if I do it's not something to worry about because I'm not overweight and my period is regular and all that. Dr. Spindler told me that if you have some of the symptoms, then you do have PCOS. Yes, she told me about gestational diabetes and also made me an appt with a dietician. I got my blood drawn and we'll see if I can take Met or not.

NerdyGirl · 07-14-2008, 08:07 PM

mahjab~ I'm so glad you liked her! I saw Neelu Kohli as my dietician through that office and she was also very nice and informative. By following her recommendations, I've lost about 15lbs (even without exercising, bad me!).

freckles21 · 07-14-2008, 09:04 PM

Hey Nerdygirl, I hope this isn't too person. But, why are you waiting so long before doing IVF. I am also waiting a year to do IVF and know it is going to be my option (blocked tubes and PCOS) good reasons to skip the other stuff... But, I have had a real problem having anyone take me serious right now about TTC - when I say I don't really want to be pregnant for another year - yet I have these problems - and I want to be in the best place possible before the IVF. They say stay on the pill, we'll do surgery later, etc... I was just wondering what your situation was and how your doctor is advising you... Thanks!!

NerdyGirl · 07-15-2008, 12:21 PM

freckles21~ Not too personal at all. I want to be able to pay cash for my IVF, no credit cards, no loans, etc. My DH has had multiple surgeries recently and we have a lot of co-pays/deductibles that will be due (approx. 5000$) in the next two months. We also have some debt from a few years ago that we're paying off. Once we can clear that out, we'll be saving just for IVF. We have tried 6 IUI's (with one BFP), but DH's male factor has recently become too severe for any more and we'd rather just save that money for something more likely to result in a healthy baby. It may be sooner depending on how our finances work out, but it's the latest and it helps me to focus! Good luck to you.

freckles21 · 07-16-2008, 11:08 AM

NerdyGirl- well, that sounds really responsible and a good stage you are setting to bring a little one into the world. The expenses are incredible for IVF. Good luck paying it all off... I am glad it focuses you. I'm sorry for your loss and unsuccessful IUI attempts. My neighbor is going through that now and it is heartbreaking.

So, that makes me anxious about waiting a year. I need a ticker to help count down as if IVF is something exciting rather than just something anxiety provoking...

NerdyGirl · 07-16-2008, 03:13 PM

It is def something exciting and you should make it a "fun" countdown, lol, if that's possible. The reason we're being so careful about the money is that we'd like DH to be a SAHD for a few years. I make more and have better benefits, plus my DH is fantastic with children. Otherwise, it would be IVF next cycle for me.... DH is the responsible one, not me. I think knowing we've done everything possible except IVF also keeps it stress-free and lets us feel good about having tried. Have you done any other treatments? I see you have blocked tubes, is it both?

Arpee · 07-16-2008, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NerdyGirl

Arpee~ That's interesting that you like Dr Hansard. She was my RE for over a year and I had a different experience than you, unfortunately. I really hope you have a much better experience than I did!

Hey NerdyGirl,
Sorry for the late response...I noticed you removed the details of your original message. Any particular reason for that? Like maybe are there staff lurking around these boards maybe???

Anyhow, when I was looking for an RE, I searched the internet for reviews and got 1+ and 0-. Also, I wanted a woman RE and at that point, it was her and the new lady doctor at the same clinic. So I opted for the "older" one.

Just like I mentioned earlier, I like it that she is a straight shooter. Perhaps because I am so myself. They've been good at calling my stats to me, so that aspect is not a problem, either.

Your post and some recent experiences though gave me some things to think about:
1. When she saw that my cysts have shrunk already, she said that we were ready for the next Clomid cycle. Wrong...we were ready for our next Follistim cycle. (I realized doctors don't typically review the charts before they see you.) (My blog details it more.)

2. She told me to use my leftover Follistim (from my 1st cycle) for my 2nd cycle without warning me about the 28-30 days allowed time in the refrigerator once the vial has been used. Good thing I called them today to ask about it. I should have not even used it for the 2nd cycle. The "good news" is that the med seems to be still working (at least until the 3rd Follistim day monitor) even if they have "expired". Will see tomorrow if that "good news" continued up to the 6th Follistim day - although I use a new vial tonight that my husband will be picking up from her clinic later today.

3. She made a "deal" with me when we cancelled our 1st cycle (due to OHSS symptoms starting to show) that she will shoulder 600IU of my meds. Now that I am following up, her staff got back to me that what she said was that she was going to shoulder half of my meds - 300 IU. $300 worth - not too big of a deal. But that may be an indication that they do not track what they are promising their patients too well.

So you did 5 clomid and 6IUI cycles with her? Anyway, if things do not really work out with her, I may consider going to a male RE. Being of advanced maternal age and 2 miscarriages, it is possible I will be needing a perinatologist. So I like it the idea that they will be the one who will continue to care for you until you give birth - instead of being passed on to a next doctor, the perinatologist.

Thanks for the info! And I wish you health as you and your DH prepare for your next IVF cycle!

freckles21 · 07-17-2008, 10:41 AM

Hey NerdyGirl - that is wonderful that her hubby with be a SAHD. I love it! My husband out earns and out benefits me - although I out degree him - so I think I will be the one at home although the details of how much I am at home has yet to be fine tuned.

Anyways, I have yet to try any treatments or even try to get pregnant. I have been on BC for the last 14 years. My fertility doctor wants me off the pill to see what my body will do. I have relatively minor PCOS symptoms - so I guess I am lucky - EXCEPT i do not get my period or ovulate, have PCO, and bad acne when I have gone off the pill. I actually have PCO on the pill too - I don't understand how that is possible if follicles are supposed to shrink. ANyways, I really haven't been off the pill for more than 5 five months before I had terrible acne and decided just to go back on since I didn't want to get pregnant and doctors were lazy when it came to treating me with any other method. So, I am on day 8 of being off the pill - on no other medication except prenatals and omega-3. I don't even feel like counting my fertility days - what is the point? I am terrified of the acne but realized my stress can only make the situation worse... I am having surgery to remove both tubes next Thursday - well at least that is what they predict they will be doing - if they can save them they might! And, I am crossing my figures that nothing worse happens. But, it doesn't seem like tubal recostruction is all that successful. So, based on that surgery we will know for sure... But, the likely fallout is IVF next septemeber. I am moving to Miami for a year, without my new hubby, married in May, for work - so I do not want to do IVF by myself. And, if we were so lucky to get pregnant, I think he wants to be every part of that miracle. In some ways, I feel lucky that we can avoid some of the other processes, if they would have never worked because of my tubes.

I hope you have a good day.

Arpee - Doctors are so confusing... I am glad that you have friends going to the same doctors. It is terribly annoying that they do not read your medical file prior to your visit. I am part of a system that they could access everything online before my visit from all the doctors at the university that I have seen for the last 9 years - nah! They just want me to sit there and tell them everything and then waste my time flipping through my file... ANd what frustrates me more - I bet they don't look at my file again until I re-appear. I mean, don't they want to study the case, and consult and make sure they are doing the right thing... Why don't fertility specialists do more consultation with each other?? I'm going to go read your blog now.

NerdyGirl · 07-17-2008, 01:49 PM

freckles21~ Hopefully your surgery goes well. You're a newlywed, congrats!! Miami for a year sounds fun, but I agree about the IVF alone. We had the option of doing a frozen cycle at one point, but it's a relatively stressful process going through fertility treatments and I wanted my DH around while it was happening. Best wishes to you on Thursday.

Arpee · 07-17-2008, 04:45 PM

Hello Ladies, Glad to have you visit my blog. Just posted today's monitor results - so far, so good...

Anyway, I'm really hoping this cycle works so we are "done" with it and never have to contend with another cycle, other techniques or even changing doctors. If we ever have to change doctors, will most probably stay in town but not in the same clinic (just does not feel right to me). Will probably check out Dr Youngkin if ever...

NerdyGirl - I am engineer but I stay at home right now TTC. So, I call myself a domestic engineer

. Anyhow, I've got a "respectable" amount of technical writing under my belt and it does reflect in my blog, huh? Wanted it to be more funny or more entertaining but I guess I wasn't built for that

bowlwoman · 07-20-2008, 02:19 PM

I have to chime in on the TFC vs Dr. Youngkin issue. I posted this some of this story on the other Austin OB thread, but I think it has relevance on this thread too.

I went to TFC in February 2005 from a referral from my old GYN at Women Partners in Health (she's since moved out of state, so no reason to state her name). I saw Dr. Vaughn, and neither DH or I were very impressed with him. My GYN had been seeing me for several years, and we had been trying to get pregnant. She ordered an u/s to "check" for PCOS, and I just happened to have the one cycle that I ovulated in about 3 years during that u/s. So, they ruled out PCOS because I was ovulating. She did the standard fertility workup, and found that my progesterone was low and my estrogen was high. So, I had a hormonal imbalance and she sent me to TFC.

Dr. Vaughn met with us, and told me that based on my records from WPinH that I had a hormonal imbalance based on me being overweight. That's it. Nothing else. He didn't do any tests, didn't look at other factors like my overall family medical history, my appearance, etc. He said that I needed to go on BCP to regulate my hormones, I needed to lose 40 pounds, and then, and only then, would he start me on Clomid.

I started seeing a new Family Practitioner in April 2005, and she diagnosed me with PCOS right off the bat from medical history and my appearance (where I carry my weight, hair growth/loss, hormone profile from the GYN tests, etc). Her blood tests and putting me on Met confirmed the diagnosis.

I started seeing Dr. Youngkin in November 2005 on my old FP's recommendation, and at his office we finally saw the string of pearls cysts on my ovaries during an u/s. I talked to him about starting Clomid, and we elected to wait until after the beginning of the year (DH's benefits started covering infertility then) and for me to try to lose 5% of my weight. I had an appointment on Feb 28, 2006 to talk to him about starting Clomid, and I got my BFP for DD#1 on Feb 24 from Avandamet alone.

The moral of the story is that I went for 3 long years not being properly diagnosed, and I feel Dr. Vaughn at TFC was part of that. I don't know if I would have had a different experience if I had seen a different doctor at TFC, but if nothing else, the attitude I got at TFC and Dr. Vaughn regarding my weight put me off of them entirely. My FP who diagnosed me thought that putting me on BCP when I was TRYING to get pregnant and needing infertility treatment was the dumbest thing she had heard of. She was also not happy that a fertility clinic/reproductive endo office missed the PCOS diagnosis when I exhibit pretty much all the clinical symptoms.

Just my $.02. I've been with Dr. Youngkin for almost 3 years now, and it's been a good experience.