It's been quite awhile since I've updated about our TTC. I was getting pretty discouraged and in trying to maintain my composure, it seemed too difficult to really talk about it.
As an update, I'll condense the past few weeks into this post and try to keep it short.
June 21, we went to see a reproductive endocrinologist. I chose a clinic about 1 1/2 hours away from us. They have an AMAZING reputation, put an emphasis on patient care and education and really their statistics are a huge selling point. One of their best attributes is that they offer financing and discount options as well as a "Shared Risk" program for IVF. Basically, if you need IVF and qualify, you are guaranteed one of two options: 1) you take home a baby or 2) after 6 fresh IVF cycles and no success (ie a baby to take home) you get your money back. No catches. Anyway, I went into the visit with the RE armed with copies of my gyno history as well as Dh's SA results and some questions. I handed over my packet of copies and answered the doc's initial questions. You know the normal patient history questions. Then while he was looking at my printed history, I outlined our TTC journey. Almost immediately, the doc noticed DH's SA results and stopped me to ask about them. Then he went on to say that although we were told that Dh's numbers were "fine," a "little low, but fine" they really aren't.
That SA was done back in October. We've been marching along trying on our own with the assumption that things looked ok on my end and things were "fine" on Dh's end. I was a tad PO'd. Granted Dr. M is NOT a fertility specialist, but he's done enough preliminary fertility workups with patients to know what are and are not good SA results. Needless to say, the SA was to be repeated.
The Doc went on to explain that based on my history, our answers to his questions and Dh's SA, that he would most likely be recommending IVF for us. Of course we need to pass pre-screening and he wanted Dh to see a urologist and to repeat the SA, but that with the numbers we are showing, IUI wouldn't work and he didn't want to waste our time or money traveling any further down a dead-end road.
July 13, we went back down for pre-screening tests. Specifically, CD3 bloodwork and ultrasound for me, and Dh's SA. While we were down there we both had blood drawn for infectious disease panels (specifically Hep B, Hep C, HIV and for me a CBC panel and something else I can't remember at the moment.)
Next week, I return for a Mock Embryo Transfer and to meet with the IVF coordinator to go over our bloodwork, SA and MET, as well as talk about next steps.
To be honest, I am not completely sure how I feel about it. I'm not emotional about it. I didn't cry, I'm not bemoaning the fact that we may need IVF, I'm not even overly numb about it.
On one hand, I am excited to have a path to travel. On the other, it now becomes a financial discussion.
Dh is with me on this "not sure how we feel" boat. On one hand he is upset because he now feels that it's "his fault" we haven't been successful, but on the other he's glad to maybe have a diagnosis. He feels that a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility" is unacceptable and would not be comfortable moving forward with IVF unless there is a definitive reason to.
So, one more test for me and a conversation next week and I'll have more of an answer as to what we're thinking about doing.
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