42 replies to this topic

[JessicaSW]

Hey Everyone,

This is my first post and I will most likely be using the OFC for IVF in the near future. We are dealing with MF. I was just wondering, from other people's exerpience after you got referred to the OFC how long till you got your first appointment, and then after your first appointment how long of a wait till your first IVF cycle?

I've had all preliminary tests done already, so I don't think they would have to re-do anything. If we want to do our IVF cycle right as soon as our next day one is that possible? My work isn't very flexible and I will have to take vacation for the important week (with summer coming there isn't a lot still available) during the IVF so I'm just looking to see possibly how quick this could go.

Thanks in Advance for replies, and good luck to everyone cycling or about to cycle!

[mmorton]

Hi Jessica,

I'm from Kingston also! We had our diagnosis and then we had our 1st appointment with OFC about 6wks later. We did not sign the consent forms that day, but I'm not sure if you can? OFC will want to do another semen analysis as they are way more thorough than here in Kingston. If it's an extremely low count, they will probably want to freeze some for backup. I found OFC was great when dealing with people from Kingston (they try to do everything in one appt for you). The best thing you can do is get your consent signing appt for around Day 3-5 of your cycle as they will want to do an u/s to see your uterus and how many follicles you have. After that, I'm sure you can call in Day 1. Try to remember to get your meds at the consent signing as I found they were a lot more expensive here in Kingston. The only thing that sucks for you, is that Dr. Reid's office is closed from April 30th-September 1st, so you will have to go up to Ottawa for your B/W and U/S's every other day. Good luck to you and let me know if you have any other questions.

[ValleyGirl]

Hi there, we were referred to the OFC and started the testing in January. We had to cancel an reschedule a few due to my husbands Dad getting diagnosed with cancer, but all in all the process can be quick! We were diagnosed with severe male factor on March 28th. We were asked to go back for sperm freezing and consent signing on April 10th, but due to my having to travel for work, we go this Monday. Monday we will freeze a sample, and hub had more bloodwork (karyotype). My period is like a clock and I am due April 28th, so I am hoping to start around that time. Welcome to the forum, it's such a wonderful place to come for knowledge and support

[JessicaSW]

Thanks for the info mmmorton and valleygirl!

Mmmorton - we don't have Dr Reid, we use Dr Finkenzeller. Is the whole clinIc closed, or just Dr Reid not there? I don't know if I could swing going up to Ottawa every other day and work. I might have to take vacation. Did your husband have to see a urologist before being consulted to the OFC? Right now I have amazing drug coverage and I'd really like to do IVF before they change my plan (company I work for is selling).

Thanks again this information has been very helpful!

[Mbar]

JessicaSW - we had our initial appointment at the beginning of October, unless your results are very recent they will ask you to re-do everything even the sperm analysis. We were lucky and all ours were within the last 2-3 months and they didn't require any more. phew!!! We than made an appointment for our consent signing at the beginning of December(they will not do the two appoinmtments together, the first appointment is about your/your DH's 'stories' - from this they will determine any other testing etc that you may need to do. Once these have been done, you will go back for another consultation and hopfully the consent signing all in one....they did these two at the same time for us.

Following, this you wait for AF and call in your day 1 (but will have to do the on-line education before you can call in day 1) they send you the on-line education information about 3 weeks after consent signing. I just missed getting this e-mail by 3 days....AF had already come. So, I had to wait for January to start the process. All in all the process is pretty quick from the consent signing phase. Good-luck.

[Triscuit]

We had an appointment within 2 weeks of our referral - this was in July/August 2011. It took 2 months from the first appointment to when I called in day 1 of my cycle for IVF. In the meantime they repeated all the testing my gynecologist had done and added in some more tests, and then we did the 'way forward/results' meeting and then the consent signing. It depends on your cycle too...mine happened to fall at convenient timing for testing and we called in day 1 very quicly after consent signing. It felt like a long time at the time, but in retrospect, they were quite quick with everything and I don't think it could have gone any faster.

[Jo1984]

I felt the referral was quick! It was going through the motions(ie tests, waiting for cycles to start and end etc etc) that took us the longest to get to the point of IVF. I know a lot of docs will want you to try clomid initially even if its just for a few months.

[JessicaSW]

Thanks for all the helpful info about your experiences!

Jo1984 - When you say they might try Clomid for a few cycles, do you mean on my husband? I've read that sometimes they use it on men, who have MFI. But I haven't seen any cases of this in Canada. I don't know what the benefit of them trying Clomid on me would be since I don't have any issues.

[mmorton]

Hey Jessica,

I'm 98% sure the whole clinic is closed from April 30th-September 1st as even the nurses at OFC have mentioned it and I asked a few times at KGH and they will not monitor during the summer months. I'm so sorry for this bad news. Depending on what time you start work, OFC does do U/S's as early as 7:30. Did KGH say how low your husband's count and motility was? This can determine if they will make you see an urologist at OFC. Good luck to you!!

[JessicaSW]

mmorton - Thanks for the info, looks like I would have to either do the cycle in September or so because of work. I would be able to swing June but I'm not sure if things might move that quickly. All I know at this point (until our appointment on Thursday) is that my husbands 1st count was 2 million, with "very bad" motility, and the second was the same but went to 3 million. Any thoughts on the urologist?

[mmorton]

My husband's count was 1M w/ poor motility in Kingston. When he gave his sample at OFC, they literally only counted 5 and that's when we got referred to the urologist. It turns out my husband has retrogade (sperm comes out in the urine). OFC will likely have you do a sample for a backup freeze, but I think it should be ok with 3M and motility isn't as big of a factor when you are doing ICSI. I just found OFC is much more thorough in their analysis. I really do think you'll be ok though. Let me know how you make out!

[Jo1984]

Jessica,

I had two friends with MF only and they had the woman go on clomid to help increase chances(creating more eggs im guessing therefore upping the chances). Our doctor made us go on clomid
for 6months but my husbands count/motility is only slightly down. I also dont ovulate regularly so this helped me too.

I guess if we were persistant about it we could of just got right into IVF...but I thought if we could make this work then why not try it? Its cheaper and you only need to pop a pill!

My one friend with MF clomid did work for them after 4months.


Just a thought

[JessicaSW]

mmorton - it really sucks that they are closed all summer, I guess maybe if Dr Finkenzeller thinks IVF is our best option (which I'm convinced is) September might be the best bet so I can have all my u/s and bloodwork done here. I do have a friend I could stay with though in Ottawa if I had to.. I will let you know what they say Thurs. I'm glad I've found someone who's gone through all of this from Kingston, you've been more helpful than I could have imagined.

Jo - interesting, I'm not opposed to trying clomid if they think it would work, but I'm pretty impatient so with that said I don't want to waste time and energy on disappointments of it not working... Ya know?

[Mbar]

Hey JessicaSW,

MY DH had low sperm count and motility, I think between 2-3 million at his worst and best. He did see Dr. Roberts and had some kind of surgery. Dr. Roberts is fantasitics always answered all our questions. I was never told to go on clomid and I didn't have any issues, if the sperm motility and numbers are low, I don't think that going on clomid is really going to help as it's not your issues it's your hubbys.

With numbers that low, IUI will NOT be an option for you and you guys will have to go straight to IVF with ICSI.

[Jo1984]

If your impatient dont bother. The chances of it working were only 10% for us. And of course odds were against us and it didn't work(my thinking was if it worked than it saved us a lot of $/stress on my body and that it was only my time I was giving towards clomid which I was ok with). We opt for IVF as well afterwards because the chance of IUI working was only like 10% as well.

[TammyA]

Just a quick question. Is the whole Ottawa Fertility Clinc closed April 30th till the summer? That doesn't really make any sense as we are starting our IVF cycle in the end of April and were told to be in Ottawa for that time. We never got any hint from the staff or our doctor about any closure. If anyone can verify please let us know.

[ValleyGirl]

TammyA, I am starting April 28th, I think the girls were referring to a clinic in Kingston where they were being monitored so as to not travel so often to Ottawa.

[TammyA]

Oh, thanks. I was starting to panic! Best of luck on your up coming cycle.

[ValleyGirl]

You too doll! Baby dust!

[JessicaSW]

Valleygirl is right, mmorton and I live in Kingston and they do satellite monitoring so the patients don't have to stay or make the drive everyday for bloodwork and ultrasounds... Goodluck with your cycle!

[ValleyGirl]

So Jess and Mmorton, will I be going to the clinic each day during the stim process?

[mmorton]

ValleyGirl: You will usually go for bloodwork a few days after your period comes. Your first bloodwork probably won't be until CD5 and then they will begin u/s and b/w every couple of days. As you get closer to the trigger, you may go in everyday for just a couple of days (they don't want to trigger you early, nor do they want the eggs overmature). Hope that helps!!

[ValleyGirl]

sure does, my fountain of info!

[Jo1984]

When I was on stims...the last 7 days I was in 6 of the 7 days for u/s b/w it made for some early mornings. Be prepared

[ValleyGirl]

Perfect! I am an early bird, have to get up at 5 am each day for work . I'm figuring I'll just have to take my "vacation" at that time. Hopefully I come back from vacation with a little something extra;)