Thursday, July 24, 2008

But what does that MEAN?!


We got K's test results yesterday, after him calling the office probably a 1/2 dozen times and leaving messages, Dr.Johnny Chang (ohhhh snap, I put him on blast!) decided to just write down a simple statement to be relaid to my husband. The helpy helper at the desk said " your motility is low, and the Doctor wants to retest you in October" October?!......*insert sound of crickets here*. OK, aaaaand? What exactly does that mean there cupcake? Of course she has no clue. She works at the desk, she isn't supposed to have to explain to INFERTILITY PATIENTS what their test results mean! Thats the fraking(that was for you K) Doctors job! So my dear sweet husband, being the ever calm man that he is, politely asked that Dr.Johnny Chang(ohhhhh!) call him and clarify what exactly "low motility" meant, where do we go from here? Is there anything we/he should or shouldn't be doing? Y'know all those questions that the DOCTOR should answer. And so we wait....and we wait.....and oh sweet baby jeebus we wait some more! No call from Dr.Johnny Chang. That creep. Next time I choose a Doctor to help us get started in dealing with infertility, I am NOT going to listen to my husbands reasoning "hes got such a cool name!!" Next time, I'm going with the old guy, the guy thats been looking at testicles and sperm for at least 20 years. No more cool names.
I mean, we didn't get counts or anything! I'm bothered by this. This is our fertility that this man has taken so lightly as to pass the info on to his stupid secretary! What the fuck?! I hear the term low motility and I think slow swimmers, or they are chasing their tales, or they need there swimmys to make the trip. But apparently low motility could mean a bunch of things. So I'm trying to do reasearch on my own, though I have NO clue where to start, or what to look for.

Approximate chance for getting pregnant with one month of various treatments
Female age under 35, 2 years of trying to conceive


Type of Treatment

Total Motile Sperm Count (in millions)

less than

1

1-5

5-10

10-20

> 20

Intercourse

(Trying on your own)

.2%

1%

2%

2.5%

3%

Intrauterine Insemination - IUI

.4%

2%

4%

5%

7%

Stimulated IUI

(Ovarian stimulation of female)

.5%

2.5%

7%

8%

10%

IVF with ICSI:
(at our center)

(IVF pregnancy rates vary between clinics)

60%

60%

60%

60%

60%


Well, thats all very interesting and might be mildly helpful IF we had a sperm count. But we don't.

sperm motility -- the ability of the sperm to move and swim. OK.......

When they do a semen analysis, they are supposed look at several factors, including the sperm count (the number of sperm in each milliliter of seminal fluid), the volume of semen, the percent of sperm that are motile (moving), and the sperm morphology (whether they look normal). A more careful analysis includes a description of specific motility characteristics such as speed, straight-line swimming or "hyperactivity" (a wildly gyrating swim pattern).


We weren't made privy to ANY of this type of information!! I'd like to know. Don't we have the right?

These factors will be noted by most andrology labs, which specialize in fertility evaluation. Unfortunately, many people seeking answers to fertility problems are directed to the major "we do everything" laboratories, which rarely provide the degree of information we need to accurately assess your fertility potential.

Well.....I guess thats our issue? We need to go someplace else? Different Doctor...No more Johnny Chang? Should we just skip all this re testing in October bullshit? Should I bother with my new OB? Or should we just make a bee line to the most highly recommended specialist?

Anyone reading this, who has been there done that...any info, experience, ANYTHING would be so appreciated.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I feel like you just wrote my story!!!I am 32 my husband is 34 have been trying for over a year and was told just yesterday about having a high sperm count but a low motility. With no answers to what the f that means!!! I just had a HSG last week and should hear about that soon. If you have crazy cramps the test isn't bad. The speculum is worse than the test. But if you are one of"those' that just sails through your period take extra pain killers.
Well it sucks that we both have to go through this but nice to know Im not the only one.