First RE Appointment Wrap-Up

Today was my first RE consultation, and it went pretty well!  I left the office feeling hopeful.  The doctor was a bit of a quick-talker, but he instilled a lot of confidence in both my husband and me that we are young, healthy and should really have no issues.  Part of me wants desperately to believe him, but the other part wonders if that's the case, then why aren't we pregnant yet?

His main concern was not actually with my husband, as I had suspected, but with me and the fact that my cycles are long (~35 days), which makes it hard to guess when I'm ovulating.

The plan is to do diagnostic testing and then re-group.  Today, both my husband and me did some bloodwork.  I also had a vaginal ultrasound to check out my uterus and ovaries -- everything looked great, according to the doc, and you could see some follicles as well -- he counted 8-10 of them per ovary.  Lining looked good too.

Next step is for hubby to get a semen analysis, which is scheduled for Monday.  Then I have to get an HSG test (the dreaded dye test...UGH).  Today, being Day 10 of my cycle, was the last day that I could get the test done during this cycle.  Since it was only decided today that I should get the test, it was too late to schedule an appointment, so it's looking like it will happen during my next cycle, at the beginning of December.  I'm fine with that.  I've heard so much about this test, and how painful it is that I'm not looking forward to it.  I'm hoping that I'll get pregnant this cycle, and be able to skip this step altogether.  On the flip side, I'm trying to look at the positive side of this test.  I've heard that sometimes the HSG can actually clear up minor mucus blockages, or at least clear out the passageways, and that some women get pregnant right after this test.  Hey -- whatever works!

When I told the doc that I have been charting, he told me to stop doing that.  It can be hit or miss, and it's just onerous.  I'm glad he said that because I'd basically come to the same conclusion a couple of months ago, and that I needed to stop in order to preserve my sanity during this whole process.  He actually recommended that we just use OPKs, and on the first day that we get a positive test, BD that day and two days after that.  Sounds like a plan to me.  We'll see if it works.

During our visit, the doctor also mentioned that if nothing is majorly wrong, and we wanted to kick start conception, then I could go on Clomid, get a trigger shot to ovulate and either we just kick it ol'school style or they could do IUI.  He said that their success rate is 89% of healthy couples become pregnant within 3 cycles.  That sounds like an usually high success rate.  I don't know.  I guess we have to determine whether or not we're both healthy first.

Anyway, overall, it was a good visit, and I'm feeling more optimistic.  Still hoping that we'll get our BFP, and that I can just be done with this whole business.  Call me pessimistic, but I just have a sinking feeling deep down that we won't get off that scott free.