LolaInLove's Infertility Journey

[LolaInLove]

TESTES UPDATE: (that was really fun to write, by the way) So, the appt went well this morning. Poor R, he had a good sense of humor about the whole thing. But the doc said that he is optimistic that we can conceive naturally because he has gotten me pregnant a few times before. R has to do another SA and have an ultrasound next Thursday, so we'll have a better idea of what is going on then, but the doc said he couldn't feel a varicocele. He said if there is one, usually it feels like a "bag of worms." Eeeewwwww, right? Anyway, he said it very well could be the tights and dancebelt, so he really wants him to make efforts to go commando or wear boxers only and use cool packs and such as much as possible. He said counts can fluctuate also, something about "stress patterns" with sperm production, but overall, R said he was upbeat about our chances and actually said that he and his wife had the same problem, and there was no identifiable issue, just that he had low count for a while. So YAY for the optimistic thumbs up from the doctor! Of course, we'll know more after the u/s and SA, but I'm feeling optimistic. He said we shouldn't necessarily assume we'll need IVF and that most likely, we will conceive at some point since we have before.

I have a feeling that during the ballet season, life is just hard on those poor fellas down there.....they have to be all wrapped up for long periods of time under 3+ layers of clothing. Not to mention that R is like most ballet dancers and must watch what he eats (read: can't have man-muffin tops and the like) so he doesn't eat very much, and in the past, hasn't eaten well, although that is changing. Poor guy, if left to his own devices, he will not eat all day until dinner. Can you imagine your DH doing that? I am always like, what guy doesn't eat all day? Well, ballet dancers, that's who. Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed that the off season (now until early September) is lucky for us.

It is kind of nice to think we may be able to do this the old fashioned way and not do IVF, although I was kinda excited about the prospect of a trip to CR and all. We can just go on our own someday and have fun though.

[zanacal]

That sounds so optimistic Lola, I so hope to hear of a BFP from you over the next few months - you can have all my babydust

[auroara78]

I am so excited over this update, and really hope DR's advice about letting his balls "relax" will help you concieve naturally! Whoo hooo!!!

[Hobbermittens]

That is awesome news, Lola! I hope the time he has off will let the balls heal, and send a baby your way!

[michaela]

I am so happy to read this update Lola!!!! What great news that they didn't see anything right off the bat and that they were so optimistic for you! Yay!!!!!!!!!


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[LolaInLove]

Thanks everyone! He had an ultrasound this morning (which I dubbed the "nutscan") and of course, they wouldn't tell him anything as it was at an u/s place and not the doc's office. He's got another SA on Thursday and then another appt with the doc in a week and a half or so. I guess we'll have more of a verdict then.

In the meantime, I am going in to my doc tomorrow as I've had a lot of bleeding and super bad pain. I'm afraid I have a fibroid or a cyst or something. I had to take painkillers since then! I've stopped bleeding, but something was definitely not right on Saturday. I had two hours of terrible pain and then that night I passed some clotty stuff, but no bleeding last night or today so far. I've read on WebMD that sometimes growths can get their blood supply cut off somehow and they kind of twist up and then break off (sorry, that is gross), so I have a small inkling that I might have experienced that, but the LAST thing I need now is something wrong with my freakin' system, right????

[auroara78]

I hear you on that, Lola!!

Can't wait to find out the results of the "nutscan"!!

[Princess of Pink]

Nutscan Love it!! I can just see your DH's balls sitting on a beach somewhere sipping a vitamin cocktail and relaxing!

[LolaInLove]

So, my appt went fine, she saw nothing in there but a nice lining and an ovary ripe with an egg. All we could figure was that it was a tiny cyst that killed itself off and came out. There was no matter from it left though, which she said was odd. Anyway, all looked fine, so I am going with that.

My doc pulled the "nutscan" off of the med center's lab site and told me he had a "mild and active varicocele" and she explained that it meant that there was a good bloodline in it so it may be heating up his balls too much as blood is 98.6 degrees and balls need to be cooler than that (which is why they are external and hang off the body, of course). It could also be blocking his sperm tube. He's doing an SA right now as I write, actually, so all will be interpreted and diagnosed as a whole at his appt on May 11.

Also, my doc said that I should NOT think I need to do IVF. She said they should be able to figure out what is wrong and get him back to normal and then we may need to do IUI if anything. It might be that he has too many bunk ones ("licorice sperm" as atomic put it) so they need to just wash those suckers out and put a small handful of the good ones up in my uterus and have them bypass the treacherous vag so we help things along.

I guess we'll see, but still, it comes back to $......varicocele surgery is like $8,000. IUI is like $2,000 where we are. All out of pocket. May be cheaper to still go to Czech and make some twins!!!!!

[michaela]

Everything sounds good so far!!!