XP: The unexplainable is explained!

heathergirl67

I went in for a mid-cycle u/s today and everything looks good. Even though I'm only a week into my cycle the injectibles made me grow two huge follicles, so I triggered tonight and go in for my IUI on Thursday morning. But that's not the exciting part...

My RE goes over my husband's Kruger SA results. Apparently he has 0% morphology, so our only viable option for getting KU is IVF with ICSI. We decided to complete this IUI cycle because, hey, why not? I cannot tell you how relieved I am to finally know what the problem is! It's like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I HATED always wondering "why?" Unexplained infertility was the bane of my existence. At least now I know what we are dealing with.

My husband took it harder than I expected. I think he was disappointed in himself, he felt like he was letting me down somehow. I tried to be as supportive and reassuring as possible. He seemed to get over it pretty quickly, haha.

On Thursday I'm going to ask our RE about whether or not DH should go to an appointment with a urologist who specializes in infertility. I know that vericoceles can cause damage to morphology, so it seems like it would be worth checking whether DH has one. If he does and it can be fixed, then there's a chance that we could get KU naturally. If not, then it's on to IVF with ICSI. Either way I'm very excited.

One thing I am kind of annoyed about: My doctor got the results in May of this year but didn't talk to me (or DH) about it until today. We thought we got the results online, so we didn't ask our RE. It turns out that they released everything except the abnormal results. I am irritated because if we had been told in a timely manner we wouldn't have wasted hundreds of dollars, not to mention three months time, on unnecessary IUIs and doctor's appointments. I wonder if I should question him about this? And if I do, how should I approach him about this? Curious? Confrontational? I don't think he'd give me a refund, so I'm not sure if there's a point to mentioning it...

Anyway, thanks for reading my mini-novel. This is still the best bad news I've gotten in quite a while. I feel like I have a direction now! Yay!

wither16

That's great that you have some answers!  It does suck that sometimes you are GLAD to find something is wrong and it's not in your head! LOL

For what it's worth, we ended up going to a Uro for my DH, we figured if it was something that could be corrected on his end, it would save us about $2000 for the ICSI (we have to go IVF anyways due to my issues).  Of course, our Uro's response was, " great news!  There are no probelms to fix.  Bad news, we have no problems to fix so we don't know what's causing it"

Geeeeee, thanks.... but hey, at least we tried.  We both felt pretty good about taking that extra step.  Good luck with everything!!!

Edwina.McDunnough

I am very glad you have an answer! Regarding your dr's methods I would leave immediately and cycle elsewhere. Withholding this information is wasteful both financially and emotionally. Standard practice at every clinic that I have been to is not to proceed at all with any therapy without a "checklist" completed, and SA is one of the first things on the list. Even my GYN wanted to run one to prevent any wasted effort.

Personally, and you may behave otherwise, I would 1. get my records immediately/STAT (make sure they are complete) 2. resolve the matter/confront him. There is no way I would support his practices by going through any further treatment. If you have any lawyer friends I would consult them first. You ask 'why not go through w/IUI?" and I think that you have little chance of success and you'd be giving him $ that he did not earn, that's why not. If you support him you're just making it worse for every other couple going to him that is getting the same treatment.

This makes me so angry !!! 

Mitzi Bishi

Edwina.McDunnough:

Personally, and you may behave otherwise, I would 1. get my records immediately/STAT (make sure they are complete) 2. resolve the matter/confront him. There is no way I would support his practices by going through any further treatment. If you have any lawyer friends I would consult them first. You ask 'why not go through w/IUI?" and I think that you have little chance of success and you'd be giving him $ that he did not earn, that's why not. If you support him you're just making it worse for every other couple going to him that is getting the same treatment.

This makes me so angry !!! 

All of this!

I can't fathom wasting so much time, energy, and money over a very crucial detail. That is total negligence on the doctor's end. Think of yourself as a customer with the most important things ever: your health and the chance to build a family.  

Both the variococle and IVF-ICSI aren't fail proof, but it's good you have a step in the right direction. I hope it all works out for you and that another doctor is able to help you in a more responsible way. Sorry that you have to join the IVF-ICSI club it's humbling to get help and then find out you're at the very end of choices. I know those feelings all too well. 

Mrkyrain

Hi hon.  I'm glad you have some answers and are feeling like there may be a solution moving forward.  In my opinion, that's usually how unexplained IF goes.  You're unexplained until BAM! something shows up.  Unfortunately, I agree with others.  I would find a new RE.  Not telling you about the SA for 4 months is ridiculous and sounds quite shady to me.  If it was me, I might have a conversation with the doctor.  It would give me some closure to hear what he has to say (excuse) and to tell him/her exactly why I leaving.  I would do this not with the intention of changing my mind and/or continuing on with this clinic but to, as I said, get closure and also to hopefully prevent this from happening to others.  Good luck!

heathergirl67

Thanks for the support everyone. My insemination tomorrow is the only thing I'll be doing with this practice ever again. The problem is that they're an extension of my regular healthcare, so I really don't see getting my money back from an insurance company. And I certainly don't want it applied to an IVF through them. Also, we were paying the same price as we would at every other clinic, even including my insurance "discount"! I'll be asking for a referral to a urologist that specializes in infertility tomorrow. If we end up doing IVF with ICSI we will NOT be doing it at that clinic. I've done a ton of research and we'll be going to the #2 place in San Diego (according to the results from the mandatory reports to the CDC). I will definitely ask him about why they let me waste my time and money with two IUI's when they knew my husband had 0% morphology. But I'm not hopeful I'll get any money back.

P.S. My husband had had a SA done about six months before that and it came up normal. But it was just a regular SA. It wasn't until his crazy low numbers at the first IUI that we decided to go for the further Kruger testing. Thinking back, the RE didn't even suggest that! The nurse did! He seemed unworried that my (previously thought to be just fine) husband had a count of 5 million post-wash.

Toni79

First - I'm glad to hear that you have some answers!  I am also unexplained IF, and it really sucks.  I jsut want to know what is wrong so we can either fix it, move to other options, or at minimum have some closure.

Second - I agree with previous posters and your previous post.  Before any protocol (IUI or IVF) is done, a good RE will sit down with you and review all the test results of both partner's, and then suggest to you what steps should be taken.  He obviously didn't look at your resuts or your chart before he ordered IUI!!!  Even if you don't get your money back, you deserve answers.  I'd suggest setting up a sit down appt with him.  If you are concerned about how to ask, I would probably say "Since DH's SA showed 0% morphology, help me understand why you suggested IUI?  Maybe I am confused, but I don't understnad how that would be sucessful?". 

Edwina.McDunnough

HUGS. I'm glad you have a plan and more hugs to your H. I am sorry the news is so hard on him.