Beware! Don't Do What I Did!!!

[Guest guest]

Dearest Ladies,

I am so stupid, I can't believe I let this happen, when I know

better. I'm the first one to tell people to go to the best. Brief

review--had c-section for placenta previa in Aug 98, breast fed so

didn't ovulate again till Dec. 99, but then just had some pain, tiny

brown spotting, but no period. Same thing the following month in

Jan.2000. Saline u/s suggested some adhesions, operative hysteroscopy

in March 2000 removed mild scarring at top of cervix, otherwise uterus

wide open and clear. Hormones for a month with good withdrawal bleed.

Period or withdrawal bleed every month since then. This past year have

done several cycles for FET, either failed or cancelled due to thin

lining, barely 7mm most months, no triple pattern. I spoke with an RE

in CA about surrogacy (we are in Ohio) and he suggested I get another

look inside my uterus, that something may have been missed that I wasn't

getting good linings. So I went to a new RE here in Ohio last month,

looked him up on that Health Grades site and he seemed to have

credentials as long as your arm, certified in RE, microsurgery, vascular

surgery, hysteroscopic surgery, and on and on. So I went to him and he

agreed to do a hysteroscopy and see if all looked normal in there, would

snip away (scissors) any scar tissue if present. Had that done last

month (under anesthesia) and afterwards he told dh and me that he had

found two small areas of polyps clusters, one on anterior wall and one

on posterior wall of uterus, which he removed. Otherwise all was fine,

no scar tissue seen at all. He gave me some pictures---I could probably

try to scan and send to group--actually I think we should all try to do

this. So I figured good, maybe we have our answer to the lining

problems. I asked in the recovery room if he was putting me on

antibiotics and hormones, he said no. I am very perimenopausal and

estrogen-depleted, so I just kept using the estrogen patches I had,

small dose but at least something. I had a follow-up appt 2 weeks

later, and we discussed how we would do a month of hormones (estrace

2mg) and then a mock cycle and see how my lining does. During the

conversation he made the statement, " I cleaned things out really good in

there. " My heart nearly stopped. He kept talking and I didn't question

it, thinking surely he was just referring to the polyp removal. Then he

mentioned that the pathology showed benign polyps and a proliferative

endometrium. More red flags--how and why did my proliferative

endometrium end up in the pathology lab?! Then I got home and looked at

my bill--it listed hysteroscopy, polypectomy, and D & C!!! Dear Lord, I

nearly died. But still was hoping that it was some standard used, and

that surely he just sent a little tiny piece of endometrial biopsy for

path exam. By the time of that follow up visit I had already started on

my usual monthly 10 days of adding the Provera (Prometrium actually)

along with the estrogen patch. I stopped the progesterone as usual,

last week, and nothing, not even a drop. I always, always get a

withdrawal bleed within 2 to 3 days of stopping the Provera, and bleed

bright red for a few days. Not super heavy, but average. My basal temp

is very low, so I know that I have no progesterone left in my body and

should definitely be bleeding long since. Nothing. I called the office

today and he wasn't in. The nurse got my chart and looked up what I had

done. She said, yes he did do a D & C, and the uterine

curettings/scrapings were sent to pathology and it was proliferative

endometrium. I am sick. I feel that that will be the last of any

endometrium I ever see. I feel that he most certainly knows better than

this, and that he did it on purpose, but have no idea why. Did I say

something to insult him going under the anesthesia, does he think I

should have come to him first instead of as a second opinion? Or is he

stupid enough (despite the credentials) to think that if he got rid of

every bit of lining we would be starting fresh now? I think that if

what he did was not harmful, that I would have gotten a withdrawal

bleed. At least a spot. I know I was on a small dose of estrogen with

that patch (.1mg estradiol patch) but I have been on that before and

still got a good withdrawal bleed after stopping the Provera. This makes

me think he scraped away everything. And for no reason. No abnormal

bleeding, no retained placenta, nothing. He did the worst thing you can

do for a woman with a thin lining. I asked for him to call me, and

faxed them a request for my records, specifically operative report and

pathology report.

I am so angry, but also at myself for being so stupid. I have a

critically ill daughter and it is very difficult for me to go out of

town for treatment, plus I am so afraid to fly. But now I have made

everything worse. I suppose there is a chance this is reversible, but I

never should have let it happen in the first place. I am always so

horrified when people go to a doctor who is not the absolute best for

their particular problem (I am an RN), and yet here I went to a Dr. who

is not on the " A " list.

Please pay attention and don't let anyone touch you unless he is

the best. I dont care how nice he is. Too many times it will be a case

of " long on personality, short on knowledge and skills. " Look at Dr.

Valle, he obviously isn't Mr. Personality, but personality isn't going

to get Gwen her baby, skill is.

So what should I do now? Start some high dose hormones and see

what happens, get an ultrasound, but where and who? What a mess.

Another horror story. I feel like I could write a book titled, " How to

Get Ashermans Again After Being Cured of It. "

Hugs to all, Terri

[Guest guest]

Dear Terri,

I am so sorry to hear your story after what you have been through already. But, before you jump to too many conclusions wait until you talk to this man and let him give you his side of the story. Let him explain to you what he found and what he did. Ask for details and what his impressions were and what his rationale was. The fact that you haven't had a withdrawal bleed isn't necessarily saying that your Ashermans is back or that you have no more endometrium, your hormones may be wacked out for other reasons. Or maybe your endometrium is still healing. Did he place you on any HIGH dose estrogen therapy after the surgery? Talk to him about this.

If it's true he gave you a D & C then you should see an A list doctor asap. And I hate to say this, but you may have a lawsuit here with real malpractice. You may not be interested in a lawsuit and I don't blame you, but if you are, then take things slow and carefully. A lot of this is jumping the gun. Try to collect as much info as possible and don't give him much info and don't threaten him and don't say anything about malpractice. Ask him why he would do a D & C on someone who already had a thin lining and someone who had Ashermans in the past and someone who didn't have any scar tissue in her uterus. In why in God's name did he do a D & C when he was in your uterus with a hysteroscope and he saw no scarring? Write everything he says down. And give him no indication that you will be seeing anyone else or that you are considering sueing him.

What an abolute incompetant jerk!!!!!!!!!!! If this is true, then I completely agree with your reaction and your anger. But, right now, try to stay calm and think through your next steps carefully. I understand that you have a fear of flying, but you may need to swallow this fear and do it. Next, who is the nearest A list doctor to you? Dr. Valle? Now, as far as your daughter, that is a biggie. I am sorry to hear that she is ill. Is it something that is chronic and no one else can help out with? She is the most important thing and the highest priority of course. So, if you can't leave her , then you will have to find another doctor that is more qualified who is near you. We will do our best to find someone in Ohio. Hey maybe Dr. Valle will know someone Gwen?

Anyway, if this guy did an D & C on you because that is what he thinks is the best way to treat Ashermans then he is completely incompetent and wrong. He may of done this procedure for extra money and he didn't know any better. The point is to find out his motivation and write it down. Then see someone else, either Dr. Valle or someone else in the area that we can find.

Again, I am sorry to hear you bad news. I can't belive this has happened to you. Did he say anything about a D & C beforehand? Didn't you say he would use scissors? What was he thinking!!!!!!!!??????????

Collect as much info as you can and I hope that things aren't as bad as they appear. I hope your withdrawal bleed just skipped this time and that you resume a normal flow soon. Take care and keep us informed,

[Guest guest]

Dear Terri,

I am so sorry to hear your story after what you have been through already. But, before you jump to too many conclusions wait until you talk to this man and let him give you his side of the story. Let him explain to you what he found and what he did. Ask for details and what his impressions were and what his rationale was. The fact that you haven't had a withdrawal bleed isn't necessarily saying that your Ashermans is back or that you have no more endometrium, your hormones may be wacked out for other reasons. Or maybe your endometrium is still healing. Did he place you on any HIGH dose estrogen therapy after the surgery? Talk to him about this.

If it's true he gave you a D & C then you should see an A list doctor asap. And I hate to say this, but you may have a lawsuit here with real malpractice. You may not be interested in a lawsuit and I don't blame you, but if you are, then take things slow and carefully. A lot of this is jumping the gun. Try to collect as much info as possible and don't give him much info and don't threaten him and don't say anything about malpractice. Ask him why he would do a D & C on someone who already had a thin lining and someone who had Ashermans in the past and someone who didn't have any scar tissue in her uterus. In why in God's name did he do a D & C when he was in your uterus with a hysteroscope and he saw no scarring? Write everything he says down. And give him no indication that you will be seeing anyone else or that you are considering sueing him.

What an abolute incompetant jerk!!!!!!!!!!! If this is true, then I completely agree with your reaction and your anger. But, right now, try to stay calm and think through your next steps carefully. I understand that you have a fear of flying, but you may need to swallow this fear and do it. Next, who is the nearest A list doctor to you? Dr. Valle? Now, as far as your daughter, that is a biggie. I am sorry to hear that she is ill. Is it something that is chronic and no one else can help out with? She is the most important thing and the highest priority of course. So, if you can't leave her , then you will have to find another doctor that is more qualified who is near you. We will do our best to find someone in Ohio. Hey maybe Dr. Valle will know someone Gwen?

Anyway, if this guy did an D & C on you because that is what he thinks is the best way to treat Ashermans then he is completely incompetent and wrong. He may of done this procedure for extra money and he didn't know any better. The point is to find out his motivation and write it down. Then see someone else, either Dr. Valle or someone else in the area that we can find.

Again, I am sorry to hear you bad news. I can't belive this has happened to you. Did he say anything about a D & C beforehand? Didn't you say he would use scissors? What was he thinking!!!!!!!!??????????

Collect as much info as you can and I hope that things aren't as bad as they appear. I hope your withdrawal bleed just skipped this time and that you resume a normal flow soon. Take care and keep us informed,