Today I received a message from a nurse at my doctor's office. After reviewing my husband's latest test results the doctor recommends IUI. Without me realizing it, tears immediately welled in my eyes, and my "assistant" teacher (assistant is in quotes because she is completely my teaching partner, but she leaves 2 days a week at noon) asked me if everything was okay.
How do I answer that?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind in the few seconds that passed since I listened to the message. When the nurse first called me with test results Monday, everything sounded fine. All his levels had increased, some tremendously. And now it seems like all of a sudden we've been bombarded with making a major decision... within the next few days.
I know I need to call the doctor and ask questions. The truth is, my brain cannot function enough to formulate questions.
I know that everyone is different, but can anyone offer me suggestions as to what to ask the doctor that will help me decide whether we do this or not (this is "only" my 2nd month taking Clomid).
Hmm, I am taking Letrozol, basically the same as Clomid. I opted to wait until the 3rd month to do an IUI because there is a greater chance it will work the longer you are on it. For me an IUI is an easy choice. I don't feel like it is super invasive and it isn't physically uncomfortable for me (probably more so for my husband, lol!) in any way. And although our insurance may not even cover it :( it is somewhat affordable (just don't add them up!). I am not sure if it is just the time crunch that is messing with your head or if you haven't yet decided that you were going to do an IUI in the first place but maybe you can ask your Dr. about the pros/cons of waiting another cycle?
ReplyDeleteThe crunch time is definitely a factor! My husband and I are both HORRIBLE decision makers!
DeleteI'm more confused on why all of a sudden (or what seems like all of a sudden to us) she is pro-IUI. When I was first diagnosed in March, she said that we would do 3 months of Clomid, which technically we still are, before moving on to other options. We don't know anything about IUI, other than what I've read online, and that basically just explains the procedure. We have no idea what it costs, how much our chances will improve by doing IUI instead of another month of TI, and the (male) reasons for IUI are not areas of concern for my husband.
I am going to definitely ask my doctor if the chances are better after being on Clomid for 3 months, as well as the pros and cons about doing IUI this cycle vs the next. Thanks so much for your help!!!
At my clinic the cost for an IUI is $425, however I am unclear if that includes the ultrasound and trigger shot that go along with the IUI. It probably doesn't. I should figure that out. You certainly have every right to tell her you want to do the three months with just the drugs as planned before moving on to IUI. That's kind of what I did. My Dr. suggested we do an IUI with the very first month of drugs but also had said the drugs build in your system so there is a much higher chance of conceiving on the third month than the first. Based on that info I said I would prefer to wait until the third month just in case we got a BFP with just the drugs and could avoid an IUI altogether. My Dr. said that that made sense and was a good plan. Like you my husband doesn't have sperm issues (it's me) and so an IUI does not really increase our chances very much. It could be a total waste of money but we need to try before moving on to saving for the next 10 years (I hope I am over estimating!) for IVF! Good luck with the decision.
ReplyDeleteI found out that they do back to back IUIs, for $409 each. I thought it would be around $800, although I have no idea where I got that idea from. My husband thought it was $5000 so he is loving the idea of IUI right now! I filled the trigger shot when I filled the Clomid prescription, so that's money already spent. I will definitely ask if they include ultrasounds with the IUI costs... but I'm pretty sure that would be way too easy if they did. And if I've learned anything over the past year, it's that nothing is easy!!
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