After spending 2 hours of my time and $173 that I will never get back, I am ready to go for this cycle. I have my Clomid (I'll be taking 100 mg for 5 nights starting tomorrow), my HCG to trigger, and progesterone gel for after the IUI.
I was prepared to spend the money, but not the time. . . . at least not as much as I spent. I arrived determined to exercise some patience and brought along documents to review for my deposition this afternoon. By one hour past my appointment time, I had reviewed all my documents and was growing increasingly frustrated. I waited yet another 10 minutes after (politely) asking the receptionist how much longer my wait would be, and then waited 15 minutes with no pants (and no BlackBerry!) in the exam room once I was called back. All this for a 5-minute u/s with a nurse practitioner.
I am really at a loss about what to do to minimize my waits. I've asked to be booked for the first appointment of the day, asked what the busier days are, and have even considered changing clinics. It is absolutely ridiculous for me to spend two hours at the doctor's office to accomplish 10 minutes' worth of appointment! (The other five minutes was my teaching appointment with the nurse.) I can't help but think that something must be wrong with the system which this clinic has in place.
I am the first to admit that I'm not a patient person by nature, but this is about more than my inconvenience. Even if it doesn't interfere with the amount of work I get done (and the associated number of hours I bill)--because, in theory, I could work late or on weekends to make up the time--people are going to start speculating if I keep having long appointments during the work day.
I work in a small office: six full-time lawyers and about twice as many support staff. It's bad enough I'm having to go through this. Having everyone in the office talking about it would just add insult to injury. (I've already had people asking whether MM and I want children and speculating about our plans in that regard since before we got married!)
I can't imagine I am the only one of this clinic's patients who thinks that over an hour of waiting for an u/s is excessive. Surely other patients have full-time jobs? Else how do they pay for treatments?
Anyone have any suggestions? Is it this bad everywhere?
Anyway. . . . I have mixed feelings about starting the Clomid tomorrow. Nervous about possible side effects; resentful at having to take it at all; but also hopeful that it will help me get pregnant.
I think that's a ridiculous about of time to wait. My clinic always scheduled u/s very early in the mornings, and I would park in the free 15 minute parking spots, because they'd have us in and out super quickly. Other than asking for the earliest possible appointment, though I don't know that I have any good suggestions. Just a lot of sympathy, because that would really upset me to have that much of a wait.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the Clomid. I was really resentful of having to take it and hated that it meant that I was "really" infertile and had to have help to conceive. Here's hoping this is the only cycle you'll need to take it.
that is crazy! asking for the first appointment of the day seems like a good solution so they can't be backed up. my RE has there own u/s tech in the mornings. i am always in and out in 15 minutes or less, which is a relief since i'm there pretty much every day from day 10 until the follicle is over 18.5mm. the tough part for me is that i have to drive 45min each way for a quick u/s.
ReplyDeletegood luck with this cycle. i hope you have no side effects with the clomid. i didn't. i took it at the same time each night before bed.
Totally ridiculous. The first appt of the day is a great idea. Sounds like the clinic doesnt schedule appts right or have enough docs on staff to allow for emergency appts. Anyway, I understand it happens once in a while, but it sounds like it is happening to you a lot.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck!!! Hopefully one month is all it will take :-)
Is there an office manager, or anyone you feel you have a rapport with? If you approach it as just curiosity/concern--hell, even say your work is giving you grief about the time off!--maybe they'll be inclined to try to help you work out the best solution for all involved. My RE's office was ridiculously efficient, but I definitely would have been too impatient/busy/generally irritated had it been otherwise.
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