A Start of a Plan?

We have the start of a plan from our second RE and more information to digest! After a month and a half of testing, we still are an enigma as to WHY nothing has worked.  The big question is why our embryos did not grow beyond day 3.  The primary focus has been on DH.  My clomid test was a success (apparently my ovaries just LOVE clomid!).  And out of all of the testing that DH did, which included semen analysis, blood testing, urine testing, and an MRI, the results were either normal or were as expected.

So what do we do now?  We had a phone consult with the doctor this afternoon.  I'm so glad he saved us the gas and time to drive to the clinic by letting us do it over conference call!  The goal is to get DH's count, morphology, and testosterone into normal range - or at least higher/better.  The plan is to start him on HCG shots (in the ass!), 3 times per week for as long as it takes to get pregnant (ha! - not me!).  After one month, we'll test his testosterone levels.  After 3 months, his semen and testosterone will be tested again. 

The doctor did some research and found a case in Chicago where they found out that the woman had a rare chromosomal issue with her eggs after doing IVF twice and no embryos surviving past Day 3.  That story did not give me much hope as it sounds so eerily familiar.  I pray that isn't our problem.  So, we are going to do genetic testing - specifically karyotype testing.  Because if there is a chromosomal issue with my eggs, then whatever we do for DH isn't going to make much of a difference.  I say rule it out.  Insurance will probably pay for it, but it will apply to my annual infertility limit - which I'm sure we're running low on by now. 

We're also going to re-test the one unexpected blood test result for DH.  The IGF1 (Insulin Growth Factor)number was 81 where normal is between 113 to 297.  If this had been a problem since puberty, my husband would be a shorty.  But at 6'2", he is definitely not considered short.  We're going to retest this hormone just in case the low number was a fluke or if there was a lab issue, but also because DH is in his 4th week of NO smoking!  That may have an impact on this number.  The doctor was so proud after hearing of DH quitting smoking - almost ecstatic!  So, we're hoping that this IGF1 number improves - otherwise, we may have to look deeper at DH's endocrinoloy and DNA - even beyond that for infertility, but for his general health.  yikes.

The doctor indicated that we could take the next 2 and 1/2  months of being smoke-free to see if non-smoking alone improved our situation.  If it didn't, we could then start the HCG for the next 3 months.  That would put us at waiting 6 months before finding out if we should do IVF again.  We weren't fans of that plan.  I've been waiting over 4 years to have a kid.  Please don't make me wait another 1/2 year.  We also are not getting any younger.  So we're going to do both at the same time, and hope for the best. 

Again, we have a lot to digest.  Not sure when we will be doing or starting all of this, but I hope soon.  The nurse will be calling in the next few days to set everything up.  It feels good to at least have some sort of plan.