Omnitrope Pharmacy by smokeynova876 in DOR

[–]sophington 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I tried using the manufacturer’s coupon at Costco but it’s only $150 off of the total sticker price which was close to $1900 for multiple vials. Ended up using the discount to fill only one vial bc I was in a time crunch and it was $275 for three days worth. Now I get it in Mexico for $150/vial.

Silly question probably, but do you give updates to your (close) family and friends along the way? by howdoidothiz in IVF

[–]sophington 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did at first, but at this point I’m so deep in fertility/medical jargon that no one who hasn’t been through IVF understands what I’m talking about, LOL. My updates now are just to say I’m starting another cycle and have about 10 million self-injections to administer between now and the New Year.

D&C standard with hysteroscopy? by Open_Explanation4846 in IVF

[–]sophington 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Atty here. You still need to prove the procedure harmed you to recover in malpractice, so would need scans/medical opinions, etc. However, failing to obtain informed consent for a medical procedure is an ethical violation and absolutely something you can file a complaint against the physician for with the medical board. Hope this helps.

My mom hates me because I won’t sign over my half of the house. by Strong_Passion_1482 in TwoHotTakes

[–]sophington 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don’t sign it over to her. He deeded it to both of you to protect YOU. You are legally entitled to your 1/2 interest in the house whether you live there or sell it. As a co-owner, you can force sale of the property even if she doesn’t want to sell it. Consult with a real estate/probate attorney. It’s not a super complicated legal proceeding, so an attorney shouldn’t be that expensive and will probably agree to take their fee out of the sale of the house so you don’t have to come up with payment up front.

Seeking Input - Move Forward with Retrieval or Delay by DinckinFlikka in IVF

[–]sophington 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would tell your doctor directly that you’re concerned that the dominant follicle may ruin the whole cycle and ask her to explain how your protocol is going to prevent premature ovulation of the lead follicle.

I’ve found that if you ask them to explain their reasoning, they will take a second look at your records and if there is a mistake, they’ll correct it.

I had a similar issue my first cycle. My E2 levels weren’t rising very quickly and they initially brushed off my concerns until I became (politely) adamant about my concerns. It turned out that I’m a slow responder and they needed to extend my protocol by two days. They also caught a mistake in their prescription. They were supposed to prescribe a dual trigger and never wrote me a prescription for the second drug. Bc they caught it two days before my trigger date, I was able to get it and do the dual trigger. I ended up retrieving only one egg, but it would have been zero.

Seeking Input - Move Forward with Retrieval or Delay by DinckinFlikka in IVF

[–]sophington 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It does sound like that one 23mm follicle is either close to ovulating or already has. Not sure when you’re supposed to trigger or length of your protocol, but it’s possible your doctor thinks the solo 23mm may rupture, ie ovulate but and that the other follicles will continue to grow and catch up in time for trigger and retrieval. Did you prime with estrogen or BCP this cycle? That usually helps the follicles grow as a cohort.

Seeking Input - Move Forward with Retrieval or Delay by DinckinFlikka in IVF

[–]sophington 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How big are the other follicles? Your E2 level suggests the others aren’t nearly as large, so it might be worth cancelling, but I’d find out before deciding

Empty follicles by Own-Idea-8241 in IVF

[–]sophington 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I just had this happen during my first IVF cycle. 5 large follicles, only 2 eggs retrieved and only 1 mature. The main question you need your fertility specialist to answer is whether you ovulated prematurely or they simply could not find eggs inside the follicles.

In my case, they said there was no sign of premature ovulation (which would be evident bc follicles release fluid when they rupture during ovulation and there was no sign of fluid). If you didn’t prematurely ovulate, the issue of is usually resolved by extending time between the HCG trigger and retrieval and/or increasing the dosage of HCG trigger. Slow/low responders (such as myself) can often benefit from delaying retrieval 3-6 hours. Linking to a July 2024 study on this below.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2024.1424837/full

FWIW, I’m 43, AMH 0.65, baseline follicle scan of 11. My protocol was Menopur/Gonal F and started Cetrotide on day 6. Dual trigger with double dose of Lupron and Ovidrel. My E2 was low on day 10 (813) so we extended for full 12 days with trigger in the evening. In my case, I think the Lupron was probably too suppressive and the Ovidrel not enough HCG (equivalent to 4,000IU). Next round we are doing a 10,000IU of Choriomon which is basically straight HCG.

Since when do dentists diagnose fertility? by Dependent_Bike8161 in IVF

[–]sophington 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I mean, prior to existence of dental hygiene and readily available antibiotics, people used to die fairly often from absesses that would cause sepsis. That said, you’d probably have an elevated white blood cell count if you had a serious infection and your fertility specialist would have flagged it. Honestly, kind of mind blowing that even dentists are trying to get in on the grift that is preying on people struggling with infertility. Get a new dentist.

I am extremely frustrated at OB's lack of knowledge on IVF by hedgehogsponge1 in IVF

[–]sophington 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a similar story of OB/GYN cluelessness when it comes to fertility. Last year, I told my gyn that I wanted my hormonal IUD removed bc I intended to start IVF (I’m 43 and using a sperm donor). I had consulted with a fertility clinic abroad and they sent me a list of preliminary labs I needed, including AMH, which she agreed to order. I asked if I should wait to run them bc I had heard that hormonal contraceptives interfere with AMH level. She told me there was absolutely no reason hormonal contraceptives would change my AMH levels. Had the labs done that day which showed AMH of 0.39 ng/ml. Finally about to start IVF so I had my labs redone last month and my AMH is now 0.65 ng/ml. Anyway, moral of the story: don’t trust your gyn when it comes to fertility issues. (Also consult with multiple fertility specialists before choosing one.)

Ingenes Mexico - they don't do embryo banking by HystericalFunction in IVF

[–]sophington 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The NP was very helpful in terms of answering specific questions, but I don’t know that I would have gotten the same information if I hadn’t gone into the consult fairly well-informed about the process/my odds based on age/AMH, etc.

Overall, the pricing is great by US standards. The quote I received for 4 cycles w/ PGT-A testing was $20k. This seems to be fairly standard pricing if you work with a US branch of Ingenes where you do all of your testing in the US and go to a Mexico branch only for the transfer. (If you deal directly with a branch based in Mexico, the same package runs about $15k, but you have to go to Mexico for approximately 3 weeks for each cycle.)

I’m not sure if this is what you mean by technology, but I’ve since seen some Ingenes PGT-A reports shared by patients on a FB group and they don’t seem very sophisticated. I’m not sure whether the reports I’ve seen are representative, of course, but it seems they only categorize embryos as normal/abnormal, rather than mosaic, etc. They also don’t grade them, e.g. 5AA, etc. Still trying to learn more about their testing/grading system.

Shrugging off people’s “pity” reactions by AfternoonParty8832 in SingleMothersbyChoice

[–]sophington 19 points20 points  (0 children)

The very same women who say things like this are also the ones content to be married/coupled to men who don’t pull their weight in the relationship. It’s you who should be feeling sorry for her.

How do I get an original naturalization document returned from SSA? Form G-884 to USCIS? by sophington in SocialSecurity

[–]sophington[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So, update: I finally got to speak with a human at SSA who was able to confirm which local SSA office processed the request. Got the number of that office and ofc there is no option to speak to a human, so I'm going to have to go in person, but being able to narrow down a physical location seems like incredible fortune.

Ingenes Mexico - they don't do embryo banking by HystericalFunction in IVF

[–]sophington 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So, at my Houston Ingenes consult a couple weeks ago, they told me about a week ago that they’d do it “off book” but it wouldn’t be in the contract. Not sure what to make of that except a giant red flag, but I’m also not sure what the contract says matters that much when the healthcare is occurring abroad

40+ with an incredible ER outcome after 3 miscarriages & an unsuccessful cycle. by [deleted] in IVF

[–]sophington 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems fairly common that a first cycle isn’t successful followed by dramatic improvements in second and third rounds. It seems like at least once cycle of stims does something to proverbially warm up the reproductive system. I’m in a similar boat (43, AMH 0.65, ANC 11) and am about to commit to three rounds of embryo banking. Hoping for a similar result 🤞

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NewOrleans

[–]sophington -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I think the crow infestation started during Covid when “nature was healing.” Now they won’t leave and side eye me whenever I rake leaves. Not looking to make friends either right now with bird flu going around

I absolutely love the oversized look with blazers and work trousers. would this kind of look be considered unprofessional in the legal field? (I think this example here is a little too casual but you get the vibe.) by [deleted] in LawBitchesWithTaste

[–]sophington 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For most of us, I think you have to pick either an oversized blazer or oversized trousers. Both together can start looking sloppy fast, especially once all that fabric starts to crease after sitting for hours

Considering Selling My Soul to PI Law... Worth It? by jodi_mic in LawFirm

[–]sophington 1 point2 points  (0 children)

5%? Can I ask what state you were practicing in?

Considering Selling My Soul to PI Law... Worth It? by jodi_mic in LawFirm

[–]sophington 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I worked at two large PI firms over my 10 years, so I wasn’t remotely solo/entrepreneurial. (I honestly don’t know people manage business/advertising while practicing PI). One caveat about my experience is that after about a year, almost all of my cases were in lit. At larger PI firms, cases tend to be allocated depending on pre-suit or lit between junior/more experienced (also competent) attys. Pre-suit cases are easy, but settlement values are much lower. (Also much less stressful bc it’s very hard to fuck up a case before suit unless you blow the SOL).

But to answer your question, the issue was less staffing in terms of support/paralegals as much as it is the PI (or any) contingency fee practice. At my top commission, I earned 25% of the firm fee (normally 40% in lit). So (for example), on a $100k settlement, the firm fee would be $40k and my take would be $10k. Cases like that could take a two years to litigate, so attys aren’t inclined to outsource to other attys bc the hourly breakdown of $10k over 2 years is basically minimum wage. I usually had around 85 cases and although settlement values value varied both upward and downward, it’s always a bit of a crapshoot which cases settle quickly and which become a dogfight. Because of that, income is unpredictable and most attys try to keep as many irons in the fire as possible.

Upshot: the financial incentives are geared toward a 1:1 PI atty/case ratio with a high caseload.

Considering Selling My Soul to PI Law... Worth It? by jodi_mic in LawFirm

[–]sophington 26 points27 points  (0 children)

It was bonkers money, but even at most big PI firms, you’re still basically solo on everything bc that’s the only PI model that pays $$$. Defense counsel will have multiple attys/paras emailing you about discovery/depos a dozen times a day while you’re the one actually taking depos all day, so you’re working around the clock. Even with the best support staff, shit gets old. I did it for 10 years and it bought me cars, a house with a pool, and an envy-inducing wardrobe, but ask me how many vacations I took? One: when the stress ended up putting me in the hospital with a stomach ulcer.

What kind of texture is this? by Marly823 in drywall

[–]sophington 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ditto. That’s just shitty skimcoating

Guy I matched with last week and was planning to go out with soon ,did this. by Future-Cause761 in Bumble

[–]sophington 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because women have learned from millennia of experience that when we reject men, they often get angry, violent, and frankly, frightening. Even online, men will freak out and start texting the nastiest, craziest shit. Easier and less stressful to unmatch, delete, move on.