Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Well, that was... uh......

Today was consult day, the much anticipated and worried-about day of visiting a fertility clinic and going "hey, can you put a baby in me?"

The morning started early, with P peering around our door at 6:10 and waiting until I looked at him before he went back to bed. I tried to do that myself, but I guess my body finally got over the coffee withdrawal (mostly) and my mind woke right up. I showered and dressed and took the time to not only make my oats and tea, but do some morning yoga and stretches. It was pleasant.

The kids got up and we got them ready for the day, then my parents arrived. My mother stayed with A while my father followed me to P's school, where I left the grandfather and grandson playing on the swings until it was time for class.

I rushed off to the clinic where I met Nik, who was dutifully filling out paperwork.

Again.

They had him give them information on the phone, AND had us both fill out 9 page patient histories online. But there's always more paperwork, isn't there?

The room was nice, furnished beautifully with a fountain even. Obviously they aren't hurting for money. There was only one other client there and we didn't speak. So no big, crowded room of angry women like I'd been dreading, just one normal woman waiting to be called back.

So we sit and chat and fill things out, and finally, right at the time our appointment is supposed to be over, we're called back. We go to a small office and find... posters for birth control. Oh, and an add for stomach surgery on the desk. Nothing about IUI or varicoceles or ultrasounds, or anything that would be useful to us. But whatever.

So then the doctor comes in.

After a quick greeting, he asks "what are your wishes?"

I guess we looked confused because he finished for us, "you want to get pregnant."

Um, yeah. Yeah we do.

So then we rattle off our history: TTC'd starting from honeymoon 5.5 years ago, discovered problems on Nik's side 5 years ago, have only used protection for like 1 out of the past 5.5 years, have two sons through adoption, am nursing the younger son, have been lactating for 2 years thanks to domperidone and have not had a menstrual cycle since I started lactating. Nik has low testosterone, I was suspected of having PCOS, and definitely have lactational amenorrhea. We want to find out if it's even possible to conceive.

So he finds out that Nik had had a semenalysis done there 5 years back and he runs off to get the results. Nik and I wait and chat while he's gone. I joke that it's like a date: just us, no kids, doing something all grown up and adult. We both joked that we could have watched a movie in the waiting room giving how long we were out there. It was nice to be able to spend time with just him.

The doctor comes back in with Nik's old results.

And he diagnoses Nik.... with five year old results.

Tells us we need IVF, but "might be able to get away with a few IUIs".

Says Nik has a blockage and that the DNA is probably all weird. Tells him he needs to eat more organic foods and exercise, which we do now but didn't then. He also tells us we need juice. A special, yuppy juice. Yeah, he said yuppy.

Of course he tells me I need to stop breast feeding ASAP, then come in for an ultrasound on my uterus to make sure it's okay after all that breast feeding.

Also, Nik mentioned the low testosterone and without even checking his old data, let alone requesting new data, he pulls out his pad and writes a prescription for Clomid.

Hwah?

Before he dismisses us I ask about a varicocele. Could that be causing the issue? And, um, well I still don't really know how he answered. It was more of a "we'll need to do IVF anyway so it doesn't matter if he has one or not."

Again, hwah?

So finally the doctor heads off with recommendations that Nik get another semenalysis and that I stop breast feeding, gots to stop that breast feeding, and then he has a nurse come and sell us juice.

25 fluid ounces for $50.

I kid you not.

Seriously, we went in for a consult on fertility possibilities and the guy sold us a $50 bottle of juice.

Aaaaanyway, Nik's all signed up for another semenalysis and we'll see how that goes. Really, what we want right now is A) another semenalysis and B) a check for a varicocele. So we got one of those. And some yummy juice. I guess. I'll never drink it myself because it's only for Nik, to create super sperm for IVF I guess.

Hopefully we'll have some answers on the semenalysis in a couple weeks and then we can proceed from there, wherever we may go. And I think it might be to another clinic. Or an acupuncturist. Or perhaps that lovely naturopath who specializes in infertility that I found online. We'll see.

Either way... that better be some damn good juice, omg!

*****

As a side note, after this I just barely had time to rush home and grab A, stop my mother from pulling up all my little corn ("But it looks just like a weed!"), re plant my poor little corn, rush over to P's preschool, and sit my butt down for a nice Mother's Day brunch. Though there wasn't much sitting given that A wanted to run and scream and be chased. Not that I mind all that much :) I love my silly little boys!

6 comments:

ChaosMandy said...

That all seems a bit weird... Why would he give you fertility meds if it seems like you aren't the problem...

Are you going to wean (And yes, I'm nosey *L*)? It seems a little premature for that, but then I'm not a doctor.

Megan said...

He prescribed the Clomid to Nik, to make his body produce more testosterone. Said it couldn't hurt to just go ahead and start taking it. Seriously, he didn't ask for any tests or anything, just was like "here's the prescription, take half a pill a day."

As for weaning, I'm planning to do so around his 2nd birthday probably, though we'll see. Right now he's only got one long nursing session a day (right when he first wakes up in the morning) and otherwise it's mostly comfort nursing, a couple sucks here, a minute on the breast there, that sort of thing. Many days he won't nurse at all after like 3 or 4 pm, until the following morning. So he may wean on his own. I'm definitely not cutting him off cold turkey when he really wants to do it unless I absolutely have to!

Micka said...

Wow that was a weird visit. Please tell me you guys will go and get a second opinion.
I love it that You are back to blogging so often now. I love reading about you and your family. And reading helps me know what to pray for you about.
Thanks for sharing

Mean Mama said...

The clomid is for him? So when does he start? Before the test? When you want to start TTC? What is the reputation of this place -- besides being able to produce twins a lot? Second opinion? Juice?

Shelley Marie D said...

I'm going to facebook message you my comment.

Tom said...

Sounds like a sketchy doctor who rushed you out the door after selling you overpriced juice! I'd never go back there again.