Episode #004: Working with a Fertility Specialist: When to Start, What the Process is Like, and What Your Doctor is Thinking (with Dr. Creighton Likes, III, MD)

Written By Lindsay Blair

This week I have the pleasure of interviewing my infertility doctor, Dr. Creighton E. Likes, III, MS, MD. Dr. Likes is a double-board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and the Medical Director of the Fertility Center of the Carolinas where he has been practicing reproductive medicine for 12 years. Dr. Likes completed medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, completed OB/Gyn Residency in Greenville, SC, and completed his REI Fellowship at Duke University. Dr. Likes is passionate about providing hope and support to individuals and couples who desire grow their families.

In this episode, Dr. Likes shares what the process of working with an infertility specialist is like, what you expect, and when individuals and couples should consider seeing a specialist. He tells us what his thought process is like when working with a new patient and what he does when he has been working with a patient for a while who has not yet had success. Dr. Likes and I talk candidly about what it looks like to have difficult conversations with your doctor, when or how to ask for a second opinion, what to do next when a treatment cycle is unsuccessful, and how patients can find emotional support for the roller coaster journey of infertility.

Dr. Likes shared so much wisdom and hope, but I think my favorite thing he said was, “Any patient is allowed to feel what they feel and it is completely valid and understandable. This process is both emotional and physical. Having rapport with your physician and knowing that you can open up and express your feelings is really important. ” Thank you for being here, friend. I hope this episode sparks courage and ignites hope for you in the week ahead.

Connect with Dr. Likes:

Additional Resources and Support:

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Lindsay Blair

Lindsay Blair is a certified Trauma Specialist, Birth and Bereavement Doula, Fertility Coach and creator of Catalyst for Courage. Lindsay understands how difficult the journeys of infertility, pregnancy loss, and pregnancy after loss can be because she’s lived them. Through her own journey of healing, Lindsay is now passionate about empowering individuals and couples to transform their suffering into a catalyst for courage no matter where they are in their fertility journey. Lindsay combines her backgrounds in trauma recovery, miscarriage and loss support, and holistic fertility coaching to support fertility from a mind-body perspective. Her approach is science-driven, evidence-based, and holistic. The journey to parenthood can be filled with many challenges, but Lindsay helps individuals and couples navigate the challenges in a way that makes them feel empowered, courageous, strong, and supported. Her coaching practice weaves together lifestyle changes, mindset shifts, and education that teaches women to understand their bodies and take their health and fertility into their own hands.

https://catalystforcourage.com/about-lindsay
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Episode #005- Navigating Infertility + Loss from the Male Perspective and How to Support a Grieving Dad (with my husband David Blair)
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Episode #003: The Trauma of Infertility and Pregnancy Loss: What It Is, How to Heal, and How to Support Someone Experiencing It (with Licensed Professional Counselor Molly Dalva)