HELP - Hamilton cysters!

one-hit_wonder · 05-27-2008, 08:56 PM

I'm a patient at the Centre for Reproductive Care.
My dh's deposit for my IUI is tomorrow morning at 7:30. The slip of paper I got from the nurse says that he's supposed to bring his sample to the Gamete Biology Lab.
Where is this? It's not at the clinic itself?
Can he produce his 'sample' there? I didn't get a sterile container!

Eirenay · 05-28-2008, 12:05 AM

The lab is right there. You, or DH check in with the reception desk. If you do not have a container, he can do it there (he needs to be there 15 minutes earlier than appointment) in one of their private rooms.

I'm assuming that your IUI procedure is an hour after that?

Usually for IUI, they book a time for the sperm washing, and then have the wife come in an hour later for the actual procedure.

Who's your doc? Dr. karnis?

one-hit_wonder · 05-28-2008, 12:14 AM

You are a lifesaver!!!!

I go in 2 hours after he makes his deposit.

I wonder why their written directions are so confusing? It says to go to the Gamete Biology Lab, but it doesn't give directions. When I googled it, it said that this lab is at 1200 Main St. W. (which is part of McMaster). So that's why I don't know whether dh needs to go to the regular clinic or to 1200 Main.

Argh!

Yes, Dr. Karnis is my doctor. I'm happy with what she's done for me. I've also talked to Dr. Hughes quite a bit, and I think he's great, too.

Oh, gosh, I just saw your siggie - I am so sorry about your m/c.

Eirenay · 05-28-2008, 12:23 AM

I don't know. My guess is that they just gave you a standard form, since the CRC is a part of Mac. But they have the lab right there. If you stand in front of the reception window, it is through the door on the right, whereas we go in the door on the left to go to the u/s and to see the doc.

Good luck tomorrow. What dose of Puregon did they put you on to start?

I go back on Friday to make sure my body has properly expelled the miscarriage and to find out when we can try round two.

one-hit_wonder · 05-28-2008, 01:03 AM

I did 20 days of Puregon. I started at 33, then moved to 50, and then to 66. None of us thought that my body wouldn't want to respond to the drugs, since I do ovulate on my own. We also weren't anticipating that I'd need the trigger. But I guess with PCOS, anything goes. I'm just so thrilled that the timing of everything worked out - I'm due to leave for Vancouver in a few days, so I was cutting it really close with the timing for this cycle.

Good luck for your upcoming appointment. I imagine our paths will cross in the doctor's office at some point, even if we don't realize it.

one-hit_wonder · 05-28-2008, 02:06 PM

Eire: You were absolutely right, and thanks again! Unfortunately, I didn't tell dh, since we had already agreed that he'd try the regular clinic, first, so I figured he was already going to the right place, so why bother. Well, he decided at the last minute to go to the other clinic. So he was half an hour late by the time it was all figured out. But at least it all worked out.

The insemination itself was fine. The bad part was that dh's sperm were not good. It keeps going downhill every time he gives a sample, in fact, and the results are always unbelievably sporadic. He had 17 mill swimmers to begin with. After the wash, the lab was expecting 8.5 mill, but he was down to 1 mill, and there were a few other issues that I don't recall. The doctor reassured me that "it only takes one," but she said that she thought I should book an appointment to talk to Dr. K before the next inject/IUI cycle (if I need it), since in her opinion I might be wasting my money on this kind of treatment if we don't address the mf.

TTC is so nuts.

Eirenay · 05-28-2008, 02:59 PM

Eekk. Yeah they really don't like sperm count that low. They told us, the lowest they like is 5 million. Luckily DH was well above that (I think he was 86 million pre-wash, 24 million post-wash). While Dr. Karnis is my doc, Dr. Faghih did the IUI insemination, and she was surprised that I was on such a low dose of Puregon. I started at 33 and worked up to 60 ish. When we went in regarding the miscarriage, Dr, Faghih was the doc on duty and she made a point to make a note in my chart that I should start at a higher dose of Puregon. Turns out the minimum dose is 50 and most women start at 75.

Did they give any suggestions as to why your MF is getting worse?

Just make sure you BD lots over the next couple of days! It might help.

one-hit_wonder · 05-28-2008, 03:16 PM

Boy, our TTC history and treatments sound so much alike.

She said 5 mill (minimum) to me, too, so 1 mill is depressing.

She asked if dh had been sick, or if he smokes (no on both counts). He is overweight, but he's been working very hard to get it off (he does about 70 min of cardio every day). And he doesn't eat well or take vitamins, but I've been working on his diet, and I guess I'll have to nag him more to take vitamins.

I also had Dr. F for the insemination, and have seen her a few other times - she's also great. I really like this clinic's doctors - I never feel like they're hurrying me out the door.

Any reason why they didn't ask me to do a progesterone check? I've never had that done.

Nice chatting with you!

Eirenay · 05-28-2008, 06:24 PM

I don't think they do progesterone checks, because I've never had one either.

Have you and DH considered IUI with donor sperm?

I know that DH's sperm has improved (motility not count) because he has been laying off the carbs, taking a multi-vit every day, and limiting his coffee/caffeine to two cups in the morning.

One thing I noticed about the 2ww, was how much I enjoyed not having to get poked for bloodwork every other day/every day. It was a welcome break!

one-hit_wonder · 05-28-2008, 08:07 PM

I guess I'll have to ask why they don't do progesterone checks.

I will enjoy not getting poked for the next 2 weeks! My arms really hurt from all the needles. The bruises and welts are unbelievable.

We've never brought up the idea of donor sperm because we had no idea that his mf would be so bad. I am 99% sure that he won't go for the idea (and I don't know what I think, because I really wanted to have a baby with a genetic link to us both). I'm wondering what Dr. K will suggest. Dh has agreed to take vitamins, and he's already started exercising every day, so that should help (I hope). We weren't planning to do IVF (even if the injects/IUI didn't work), so if that's the recommendation we get, I don't know what we'll do.

This is all such a stressful state of affairs, isn't it?

I hope your appointment on Friday goes well.