ARGH!!!!! *vent*

For whatever sodding reason, I'm not allowed to put this in the LTTTC&ART vent section, so my appologies for that straight up ... maybe it's the same reason for everything else in this sodding TTC journey, I'm just not important enough.

After many, many, MANY trials and tribulations ... and poking and proddings and testings and everything else, we need IVF ....

Ok, can't say I'm happy about it ... certainly not doing a happy dance of joy over the injections and surgery, (ended up in hospital after my Lap&Dye, had a bad reaction to the general and had to be admitted, so NOT looking forward to OPU and ET), but I've come to terms with it.

And we have the added joy of living on King Island, so it's HUGELY expensive to fly on and off this island, we got a patient travel allowance to find out I'm infertile but now we're on our own ... as IVF is not a "medical nessessity" (charming).

Arranging plane travel is a feat in itself, as the weather conditions cancel flights alot, and due to the limited seats on these planes they fill up very quickly so you have to book weeks in advance.

So anyhoo ... I'm trying to phone up the Tassie guy that does the IVF, to make sure that we've done all the tests that need doing (there's a hospital here, it just doesn't do GYN or IVF), and to confirm the appointment so I can book the flights ...

Now please note the word "trying". I have been phoning up his office for an hour and a half and all it's doing is ringing out. I check the website against the yellow pages and it's correct. I phone up my OB/GYN that's been treating me to make sure it's correct ... and it is ... I phone up his "emergency" number and I get the same response ... it rings out. Well that'll be a hell of alot of good in an emergency won't it???? I try the emergency number for an hour and a half and it to rings out .... WTF?!?!?!?! :angry:

I have gone beyond ropeable and into a quiet, white hot fury ... what kind of (insert expletives here) practise is he running when he can't even have a back up receptionist to take calls??? It's not like the man's broke ... he's raking in the moolah hand over fist, the least he could do is have a sodding back up receptionist!!!! Or even an answering machine????

Maybe I should buy the poor so-and-so one ... it's obvious he hasn't got a clue about patient care or professionalism.

So anyhoo .... if you've read this entire rant you've done me a massive favour and I humbly ask for another one ....

Does anyone know of a good IVF clinic in Melbourne??? We know nothing about Melbourne, but it looks like that's where we're heading .... :wall:

Oh Hun... :hug: I am so sorry that you have to go through all of this. Your TTC journey sounds hard enough without all this added stress. Hope you manage to get through to the Dr.
I can't offer any advice for ML Clinics, but I know there are many here who will be able to. Hope you get some answers soon.
xo

Hi Diva,

I'm so sorry to hear of your difficulties, my sweet.

Just wanted to let you know that access to the LTTTC Vent forum is restricted to members with over 50 posts, after which you can apply for access via your 'group subcriptions' option in your user profile. We restrict members with less than 50 posts not because their issues aren't 'important', but mainly to protect the members in there from someone coming in who won't understand their situation and/or will judge them. Not that you would, of course, but I do need to 'know' your situation in order to access your application. It is a private area for a reason, and it would defeat the purpose to allow anyone to post in there without being vetted.

Once you've posted 50 posts, please do apply for access as per the instructions above. I was an LTTTCer myself and do understand the need for a place to just let loose.

Hi Diva,
Sorry you are having such a hard time - its pretty daunting when you first get told your only option is IVF - give it time to sink in - ive done it many times and the emotional rollacoaster is the worst part - you get over the physical pain and the fear of injections etc its the mental/emotional stuff thats the hardest. You will get thru this and you will survive trust me. Why not start with making some enquires with Melbourne IVF clinic i go thru Sydney IVF and i have heard about MIVF and believe its pretty good. Actually the most important thing is finding a doctor that you trust and get on with - its such a big part of the journey - just want to wish you luck.

Rufalina - Thanks for the words of support, it's just one of those days ... I absolutely adore living here, it's just the travel that's a pain, and people that don't run a business the way it should makes an already difficult situation that much harder ....

Sushee - I totally understand, thanks for the explaination ... just having a major case of the "bitter twisties" here (feeling all bitter and twisted), please ignore, I'm sure once I've settled down I'll go back to my sunny dispostion ... feel sorry for my poor DH, he's coming home soon and he'll no doubt cop both barrels ... sometimes I think it's harder on the blokes than it is for us.

Lissie - That I have done, thank you so much for the suggestion. Unlike the Tassie guy, both Melbourne IVF and Monash IVF answered their phones on the second ring and they are both posting us informations packages today. It's nice to see the mainland works ... pity the Tassie guy doesn't, that's really upset me, 'cause I love Tasmania, I've had all my treatment to date done in Tasmania, and the OB/GYN that's been treating me has been totally 100% top notch, I can't praise him highly enough, it's just a pity that the guy he's recommended has let us down so badly.


So besides Monash IVF and Melbourne IVF is there anywhere else we could try??? I'm hearing rumours of perhaps the Royal Women's Hospital also doing IVF ... can anyone confirm this rumour and head me in their direction???

Hi Diva,

I totally understand why you are so frustrated. The people that deal with patients like us sometimes don't fully comprehend the stress and worry that we are going through so not having a receptionist at the desk may not matter to them but it certainly matters to us! Vent away...we are all hearing you girlfriend!!!!

Rara - Thanks sweet ... so sorely tempted to buy a cheap answering machine and sending it to his practice ... just need a cutting note to go with it ....

Perhaps along the line of "Thought you might need this, as it's obvious you don't have a receptionist, and must be too broke to buy one of these yourself" .... ;)

sorry for your frustration there
i go through MIVF and there are great. I see Dr Mc Bain. Very professional and I have had success with them and I am now trying for my 3rd with them. this will be cycle number 6 for me - so yeah I know they are great
there phone is 03 9473 4444. that's the main number and they can then give you numbers for the different docs. have a look at their web site if you want. Friends have also been through kate stern, and Lindon Hale. But all of them are great.
HTH and good luck
they also will post anything that you need and the nurses are very accomidating, ensuring that you only need to go to clinic when necessary - hence not wasting time!
GOOD LUCK
IVF isn't a walk in the past, but it is doeable and its all about your attitude that makes it either a traumatic thing, or something that is not too bad.
The physical part of it is the easy part - its the emotional side that is the hardest

Hi DnD,
You asked in the other thread about Royal Womens. It's not that they run their own clinic as such, but that the other clinics do procedures at Royal Womens.
I see a MIVF doc, (who i really like) and he has been kind enough to do both of my EPUs at Royal Women's as it is cheaper for a bed - and we were having insurance nightmares! He also (mostly) works out of Freemasons, and consults on the Mornington Peninsula as well. Insurance is sorted now, so if i need another procedure done i can do it at either Freemason's or Royal Womens, as the bed fee is covered by insurance.

I would look at both Monash and MIVF, as there are many ladies who use either of them - it's a case of finding what suits you and your DH best.

Good luck. I don't envy you the travel - i thought my 9 hour round trip to my old clinic was bad :redface:
Jo