Saturday, January 24, 2009

Response from Dr Hilgers!

I got my response yesterday from Dr. Hilgers via email.  I got it about 2pm, but my cell phone was broken.  I went to go get a new phone after I got off work.  I wasn't able to call until about 4:45 so the one of the nurse will call me back on Tuesday.  I'll let everyone know what I find out Tuesday.

So here the response from Dr. Hilgers (with my name replace with Mrs. Blondie): 

Dear Mrs. (Blondie):

 

Thank you very much for your letter received on December 1, 2008 with regard to your case. I have had the opportunity to review your letter along with the enclosed Creighton Model fertility charts and the medical records that you have submitted. (Mrs. Blondie), you are experiencing functionally abnormal cycles, unusual bleeding, premenstrual symptoms, and moderate menstrual cramps. Let me give you the following comments.

 

In reviewing the Creighton Model chart, the following observations are made. It reveals regular mucus cycles, premenstrual spotting, tail-end brown bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, and continuous mucus discharge. These findings are often associated with hormonal dysfunction, ovulation defects, endometriosis, endometrial polyps, chronic inflammation of the cervix, and/or chronic low-grade endometrial infection.

 

I would like to make the following recommendations. (Mrs. Blondie), you should have a thorough hormone evaluation of your menstrual cycle (without medications); a thyroid system dysfunction panel; an ultrasound series to determine whether there is an ovulation-related defect; and a diagnostic laparoscopy, hysteroscopy and selective hysterosalpingogram, dilation and curettage (D&C), and endometrial cultures. These tests will determine if there is underlying hormonal dysfunction, an ovulation-related abnormality, endometriosis or pelvic adhesions, obstruction within the fallopian tubes, low-grade endometrial infection and/or a thyroid condition not diagnosed with standard tests. Your husband should also have a seminal fluid analysis if he has not had one within the past year. We can be of assistance with this if you call. We utilize a home collection device that is used during intercourse and is not contraceptive. Once we have this information, we can put together a reasonable plan of treatment.

 

If this is something you would like to pursue, please contact my nurses directly at 402-390-9175 and they can begin to make those arrangements. It will require 7 to 10 days at the Pope Paul VI Institute to complete the tests.

 

The Pope Paul VI Institute is the home of FertilityCareTM and NaProTECHNOLOGY. We specialize in the interpretation of the Creighton Model FertilityCareTM charts and in finding the underlying causes to a variety of illnesses of the menstrual and fertility cycle. In addition, we offer a set of innovative approaches to treatment, the success of which generally exceeds that of those treatments currently being used for these conditions.

 

Thank you for sending your case to me. I do think that we can be of some assistance to you.

 

Sincerely yours,

 Thomas W. Hilgers, MD

Senior Medical Consultant

Obstetrics, Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine and Surgery

Director

Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction

 

P.S.   Currently, my schedule is such that it will be about three to four months before I can do your laparoscopy. However, the Pope Paul VI Institute has added a new physician who has been trained by me to provide the same medical services. Her name is Catherine E. Keefe, MD. If you would like to schedule your laparoscopy earlier than three to four months from now and have Dr. Keefe provide your care, please inform the nurses when you call and that can be arranged.


9 comments:

  1. Yay! So happy you got your response from Dr. Hilgers!

    That is so cool!

    Sounds like he has a LOT of suggestions. Hope you're not feeling too overwhelmed. Just think...this could be the beginning of the end of IF for you!

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  2. Dr Hilgers is great...Progesterone helped me SO much with many of my problems....I had surgery at this center, centerforendo.com, because by the time I neeeded a 2nd surgery, I couldn't wait for Dr Hilgers....I don't know where you're located, but in PA there's also a doctor called Dr Stegman at Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill...this woman has info about hilgers on her site

    http://allyouwhohope.blogspot.com/2007/12/some-of-ways-i-know-god-is-definitely.html

    so many women do have success with him, i hope you do also

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  3. That is so great that you heard from Dr. Hilgers! Do you think you'll wait for him, or see Dr. Keefe? How exciting! I can't wait to hear about your conversation on Tuesday!

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  4. Have you decided to pursue treatment with Hilgers? I have heard many great things about him. He is always trying something new. I also work with Stegman, if you want more information, you can leave me a comment on my blog and I can get back to you. You are on the road to health and fertility!

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  5. GOD BLESS THAT MEN SENT FROM HEAVEN! IT GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS!!!!!!! Save that letter so when he is a Saint you can have that as a relic! hahahaha No I am not a crazy Catholic. :) hehehehe

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  6. I could have sworn that I commented about this post because when I read it I got goosebumps!

    Anyway I live in Memphis and I know there is a Creighton Doctor in Jackson Tn, and a Creighton Doctor in Jackson MS. If that is any closer to you. http://www.onemoresoul.com/nfpbyst.php Here is a link to doctors in Texas.

    Can I tell you I was so diagnosising my self in his letter! hehehehehe

    This is so exciting! I hope you have had time to process it all.

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  7. OMG!!! I'm ss I haven't been around to check about your letter/response lately, but I'm so glad I came by today! This is so excellent!!!! Are you as psyched about it as I am? Holy cow, look at all of the things he gleaned from your charts- - isn't he unbelievable?!!

    I am so happy for you. I read your other post about checking to get the u/s series locally- if you do that, definately go NaPro for it. NaPro's u/ss are MUCH more in-depth and they have specific things they are looking for and are trained specifically to look for. The labs, too, you may want to consider getting done with a NaPro Dr and sending it to PPVI- solely because their controls are much different than other labs, and they have done more research on progesterone than anyone else in the world.

    I am so excited for you! Is that obvious?!!

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  8. As a physician (Catholic OB/GYN)who worked with Dr. Hilgers, trust me, he won't be canonized anytime soon after his demise, or ever for that matter. If you know other Creighton trained ob/gyns near where you live, you might want to get a second opinion. I read Hilgers letter to you and as far as originality - there isn't any. I read that type of letter that he sent to many women. He takes a shotgun approach by doing a bunch of procedures, knowing full well that most patients don't know the reason for them. But it sure makes for a lot of billing though. Take for example endometrial cultures. This has never been shown to show any association with any type of infertility - ever, yet Hilgers continues to perform this (and bill for it). Not everyone with premenstrual spotting or post menstrual brown bleeding needs all that he has suggested. Before you agree to any of this, pin him down as to the reason for doing all of this - especially the surgery. If he says he doesn't have time to explain it - then you have your answer.

    He does do some innovative things, but the main reason that he is not more well-known is not because he is Catholic or because he bucks the establishment - it's because his research methods are questionable and doesn't give complete informed consent to patients before he treats them. Some patients don't even know they are in a research protocol at all!

    So, will he help you get pregnant? Absolutely. Will his plan be consistent with Church teaching? Absolutely. Is he only doing what is in your best interest? Make sure you get a second opinion.

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  9. I received this exact same letter. I am very torn as to whether or not I should go see him, and go through all these tests again! I just don't know...

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