RESOLVE Support Group

[Anonymous]

Has anyone ever attended a RESOLVE infertility support group? Why or why not? What worked, what didn't?

I'm thinking about starting one that focuses on outreach to women living in/around downtown DC. It looks like the only ones in the DC area are in the suburbs.

If you were to attend a support group, what would you want to get out of it? What would make you want to attend?

[Anonymous]

I attended one and it was truly a lifesaver. It kept me going some days. I think it is a great idea to join one/run one if you can. Hopefully your experience will be like mine

[Anonymous]

I went and thought it sucked. Ppl were so blah

[Anonymous]

22:38, was it that the attendees didn't have similar stories? What would have made it better?

[Anonymous]

There is absolutely a meeting in DC! Monthly.

I went to a couple and it was very nice to be understood.

What was even more helpful, is that from the larger group, a few of us formed a smaller support group, we meet weekly (most weeks) and THIS has really been a lifesaver. Since I have this I no longer attend the monthly meetings but they were definitely worth it.

Definitely go out and get support. It's helped me move forward faster, and with a little more strength.

Also, the information we exchange in my small group about doctors, procedures, protocols, decisions on how many embryos, when to move on to the next method, supplements, ways to deal with family, is invaluable. The fertility industry is not a friendly one, doctors are short on sharing knowledge ("trust me") and my support group is my bulwark in approaching it as my own advocate.

[Anonymous]

My RESOLVE group was the best thing I did during my battle with infertility. The women in that group understood. We could cry and be angry and laugh and share our worst fears and funniest suspicions. There were some women who came for a meeting or two (we met monthly) and then achieved pregnancy. That hurt, and it bonded those of us still struggling. When our second IVF was successful, my friends there were truly happy for me, as I was for them. Our group has disbanded -- some of us had babies, some haven't, some have moved on to adoption or DE. We still informally meet up for coffee or lunch.

As PP said, it's a wonderful opportunity to exchange info about doctors, protocols, etc.

[Anonymous]

I went to one in Alexandria a couple of times and thought it was worth it. It was good to be with people in the same boat. But once you process things and get to the "next" phase it feels "done" and you move on. (For example, everyone was contemplating local ART options and I had moved on to an out of town clinic and it did not seem like a good fit anymore.) So in general it is good for a specific amount of time.

[Anonymous]

I went to a support group in Alexandria too. It was helpful (mine was for couples and I think it helped our marriage that DH went). but it was also tricky because people were in different stages of their journeys and some clearly had a better chance of success than others (ie the younger women dealing only with male factor vs the women with high FSH and multiple failed cycles). I also really liked the monthly group at Heal from Within - you don't have to go to Lisa Eaves for accupuncture to go to her support group. That group attracts a larger group of women and meets near the Tentleytown metro.