Fertility patients can feel lost when told all their labs are normal and everything looks fine. In up to 50% or more cases of unexplained infertility the root cause can be endometriosis. As late as the 1990s when patients couldn’t get pregnant a diagnostic laparoscopy was performed to look inside the pelvis and make sure the anatomy was normal and there was no adhesions or endometriosis. Now that IVF technologies have improved (rapid vitrification/freezing improving) fertility Drs do less surgery and more IVF or egg retrievals. They often claim surgery is invasive. Because adhesions and endometriosis are not typically seen on MRI or ultrasound until they are at an advanced stage many patients are left in the dark until their best fertility years are over. 

Unfortunately while people have well intentioned guidance they may have no idea the psychological and physical stress infertility puts on your body and your relationships. They do not understand the 5am wake ups before work to make it to monitoring. The endless blood tests trying to be optimistic only to get an email or call it failed again. They do not understand the blind optimism and hope you feel each time and then the heartache with each failure. At ESSE, we get it. We’ve heard all these things and Dr G has been through those pains. Our goal is to help guide you through the process and make sure you are in the best hands in all aspects of care. 

While this may be a great option for many families when people make statements like this they have no idea how difficult even adoption is. It is a process. It involves a lot of money unless using the foster system and even then attorneys fees and other hurdles are involved. Your home and finances are all reviewed. The wait can be long or painful if it doesn’t come to the end you want. We understand this. There are options available and agencies to help. There are patient advocates we can connect you with and have beautiful stories, but don’t be made to feel less than for wanting to deal with IVF or try a certain path for your family. 

These comments are frustrating and hurtful when going through the stress of infertility. The stress levels studied are similar to those of a patient going through cancer treatment.  You must be optimistic when doing transfers or during the 2 week wait. Then you must hide all emotion at work or get togethers during each loss. While we love dogs, please don’t equate these concepts or act like they are magic tricks to produce babies. 

While many practices will claim the hormones do not cause weight gain when you do this for years on end this is not true. The combination of hormones, exercise restriction (or being forbidden from exercise), progesterone injections and repetitive stress on your body can cause inflammation and stress. At ESSE, we are convinced, supported by extensive research, of the benefits of a holistic approach to wellbeing. We incorporate methods like acupuncture to enhance the success of your IVF treatment.