Laparoscopic Myomectomy, HRTs and OPU under Dr. Rashmi Yogish at Nova Bangalore

It was May’15 when I met Dr. Rashmi Yogish (Clinical Director & Consultant, Nova IVI Fertility Clinic, Koramangala, Bangalore). After reading my entire infertility history, she suggested that removing the Subserosal Fibroid might make a difference. It didn’t sound like a hunch as she backed it up with logic and explanation.

At that point in my life, I could have possibly said a “Yes” to “Anything” but Dr. Rashmi sounded like “she knows her stuff really well” and that gave me a lot of confidence. My DH agreed to go ahead with the surgery ONLY after understanding all the pros and cons, logics, scientific facts, etc.

In June’15, I underwent Laparoscopic Myomectomy for the removal of my not-so-big Subserosal Fibroid at Malathi Manipal, Jayanagar (one of the other few hospitals Dr. Rashmi is associated with). The surgery went well with not much of pain but looking at my sutures was a disturbing sight. I was on a month-long rest.

The action started after I got my July periods. I was on HRT-1 (1^st month of Hormone Replacement Treatment) for the month of July’15. Basically, taking Tablet Progynova 2mg and Tablet Meprate 10mg for specified number of days. Accidentally, I skipped a dose and got untimely periods. Anyhow, HRT-1 restarted after the bleeding got over. Then Aug’15, HRT-2 followed. At the end of each HRT, there were specific blood tests to be done on few specific days only.

During HRT-2, on a specific day of the cycle, a Mock Embryo Transfer (Mock ET) was performed. Things were smooth and went as expected. My Oocyte Pick-Up (OPU) was planned in the cycle following HRT-2.

Choosing and Transporting the Donor Sperm from Bank to Hospital

To simplify things for us and follow the guidelines for themselves, Manipal Hospital (MHB) gave us contact details of a Donor Sperm Bank in Jayanagar (operated in Bangalore, but had nation-wide samples). After speaking to the Bank, we discovered that things shown in the Bollywood Hindi Movie “Vicky Donor” was not fake, if not 100% true. People have huge demands for Donors for both the gametes.

I visited them alone, assuming that it would be little discomforting for DH to go along and ask for Donor Sperms. They had a list of donors and asked me to pick a donor on the basis of their Blood Group, Height, Weight, Complexion of Skin, Eyes and Hair, Build and Education. I selected the sample of my DH’s Blood Group. They had several huge cans (bigger than milk cans used to collect cow milk in the barns) filled with Liquid Nitrogen and Frozen Donor Gametes. Thankfully, the sample I chose were readily available and all they required was a letter from the Doctor stating the reason for purchase and of course, the money. Since our Transfer Date was after more than a month and to be used for ICSI, I told the Bank to block the sample for me. I made a junior doctor at MHB speak to the Sperm Bank to authenticate my request.

The day my ICSI date was finalized (3-Day transfer on 1^st Aug’14), 5 days prior to that I collected the sample (handed over to me in a mini flask with vials submerged in Liquid Nitrogen, hanging inside attached to a strong thread,) along with the Authentication Report (Semen Analysis, HIV, HCV, HBSAG and VDRL reports) and gave it to MHB's Lab for fertilization process. Transportation had to be done delicately; the flask had to be kept 90 degrees perpendicular to the ground. Although I had placed the flask on the co-driver's seat (seat-belt tightly fastened), driving alone with the flask was difficult.

"Ayurvedic" medication for DH was our next step

By the end of Mar'13, we both were physically and mentally tired so we decided to take Dr. Vasan's prescribed medicines and expect a miracle to happen; and also buy time to find a good, knowledgeable and experienced ayurvedic doctor.

For that, we then visited Patanjali Chikitsalaya. Patanjali Chikitsalaya (Clinic) is of Baba Ramdev fame. We had heard a lot about the success of Ayurvedic Treatments done in his Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar Campus (Bhagirathi Nagar, Bhupatwala, Haridwar, Uttarakhand).  

We met Dr. Sowmya (Brigade MM Complex, K R Road, Yediyur, Jayanagar 7th Block, Bangalore) in July' 13. She read all reports and understood the harm done.  She explained the scope of treatment and asked us to be patient as Ayurvedic Treatment is a time consuming thing.
Here’s a copy of her prescription :-

Part I of medicines were tablets and Part II were powdered medicines to be mixed together and consumed with hot milk. All the medicines were available in their own Divya Pharmacy, just next door. She asked my DH to consume the medicines for at least one month, then repeat the SA Test and come back for review along with the report.

Mission "Make a baby" begins

My Darling Husband (DH) and I planned to make a baby so we initiated the process in Dec' 11. We read and did research about the "fertile days" concept and marked it on a calendar and did the needful on the specified days.

The concept of "fertile days" is 3 days before and after your Ovulation Day (OD) as healthy sperms can survive upto 72 hours inside the uterus. Since one can't be totally sure about your OD, the formula becomes 4-OD, 2-OD, OD, OD+2, OD+4. Yes, your DH has to do a lot of work in that one week. Another way to predict your OD is by using an Ovulation Prediction Kit (OPK) easily available in the market. It is similar to a Home Pregnancy Test (HPT), a drop or few of urine is enough. Basically, OPK measures the level of the Leutinising Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), LH levels are highest on OD. Third way is to keep a track on your Body Basal Temperature (BBT). Since I could never follow this procedure, I left it. All these methods can't predict your OD in advance, so if you miss the fertile window this month, aim for the next month.

Well, my DH and I tried for a few months using the calendar method but couldn't succeed. So we visited a gynaecologist (Dr. Joshitha Naik, Lady Hospital, Jayanagar, Bangalore) in June’ 12 just to understand if we were heading in the right direction or not. She got my basic tests done (CBC, TSH, FSH, LH, PRL, Creatinine, Lipid Profile and a pelvis scan). I got diagnosed with Hypertension and Hypothroidism, rest everything looked fine so she prescribed a folic acid supplement, BP tablets, Thyronorm 25 and baby Aspirin 75mg. She also suggested the use of OPK for better prediction of OD.

Three months went by, and our attempts failed, leaving us a little perplexed. We visited the gynaecologist again in Sep’ 12 and voiced our concern. This time she suggested a Semen Analysis (SA) of my husband. The report wasn’t good, Severe Oligospermia is what she concluded (as the value was 2 million sperm/mL). We were asked to consult an urologist and if not cured, only an artifical way could help us make a baby.