Odd question about semen analysis

[Miss_Awesome]

Today, my DH finally(!!!) went and got his semen analysis done after getting the referral last week. It felt like forever, which is why today when everything seemed so strange, I wanted to ask if anyone else's DH or OH had an issue like this.

So, I went with him to a testing place here in our city and the staff was really rude. We figured, no big deal we weren't there to make friends. Then, they called him back and gave him the same kind of cup people taking a urine test use. The girl told him to go into the bathroom which he insists (I didn't go back) smelled like "the old man who walked out of there had been pooping." Lovely.

He said not only was the smell horrific, but the bathroom was disgusting--hadn't been cleaned in a long time, I guess. When he was done, he put the cup into a brown bag they'd given him. Sidenote, the cup only had his name and birthday on it. We thought they should have put this information plus the time the test was taken, the date, ANYTHING extra to let them know this "sample" was important.

He walked out of the bathroom and a woman told him to put it "in the basket" which had several other brown bags and a sign that said "Urine Samples Here." He was not given a receipt of any kind or even a copy of the referral form that said he was having a S/A done. I've used this same company(?) before at three other locations for hiring process drug tests and a blood pregnancy test. Each time I've been, it was pleasant, thorough, and they double and triple checked my name/DOB/current date etc.

We were just wanting to know if this was standard some places? It was a far cry from even the most unpleasant sounding exam rooms littered with porn for the man and a staff who are discreet and professional.

Thanks!

 

[ChartsNHearts]

I have not had experience of this myself, so my advice is just based on what I have read, but I believe that sperm starts to deteriorate within an hour, and I think that usually when sperm samples are taken the sperm is processed quite quickly after a sample is given.

So, if they just stuck your husband's sample in a general box full of urine samples (i.e. not even refrigerated or anything) then I can't see how the sample would be useable or any results from it particularly useful once they had got around to doing the testing?

Are you sure that they realised he was there to give a sperm sample and not just a urine sample?!

I would give them (or the person who referred you to them) a call to ask about the normal procedure as it might help to clear things up and to put your mind at rest.

 

[Miss_Awesome]

I have not had experience of this myself, so my advice is just based on what I have read, but I believe that sperm starts to deteriorate within an hour, and I think that usually when sperm samples are taken the sperm is processed quite quickly after a sample is given.

So, if they just stuck your husband's sample in a general box full of urine samples (i.e. not even refrigerated or anything) then I can't see how the sample would be useable or any results from it particularly useful once they had got around to doing the testing?

Are you sure that they realised he was there to give a sperm sample and not just a urine sample?!

I would give them (or the person who referred you to them) a call to ask about the normal procedure as it might help to clear things up and to put your mind at rest.

Thanks for your reply! It's actually him who was freaking out about it and I told him I could ask on here. From everything else he's read, the experience is supposed to be cheesy (led into an exam-looking room with bad porn, etc), but not dirty! Then, there must have been a serious breakdown of communication if they had him do the wrong thing. He was called back at one minute before they were slated to close so we're hoping the sample was taken ASAP, but who knows?

He called immediately after we left the parking lot (I told him to if he was going to be this worried about what had just happened) and left a message because the two awful people working the front desk had quit answering for the night. I hope they called him back, but they didn't even give him any proof that he'd been there.

If he has to do it again, we're going to go to the local sperm bank where this is all they do. Hopefully, it'll be a better process. Thanks again for replying to this!

 

[Dazed125]

When my OH provided a sample the pot had his name, dob, date and time of sample, he produced the sample away from the clinic but it had to be with them within 30 minutes.

Just putting the sample in a basket with no time or anything doesn't sound right but I hope it is just us worrying and it's all fine for you

Good luck
Xx

 

[Dazed125]

Oh I forgot to say, we didn't get any receipt or anything but the sample results found there way to the doctor with minimal fuss , did they say how long it would take?

 

[PinkPeony]

Yeah that sounds strange to me. Our experience has been the type of thing with a special porn room like how you 'd expect. He can also produce at home and just get it to them in the hour. There's a whole separate office dedicated to the sperm samples with a lady at a desk who takes a lot of care to label everything and go through paperwork. Pretty sure the lab is in the back.

I'm so glad to hear your DH is finally getting tested but that sucks that he had such a bad experience!

 

[Miss_Awesome]

When my OH provided a sample the pot had his name, dob, date and time of sample, he produced the sample away from the clinic but it had to be with them within 30 minutes.

Just putting the sample in a basket with no time or anything doesn't sound right but I hope it is just us worrying and it's all fine for you

Good luck
Xx

He suggested we do it at home and bring it in, but I was paranoid it wouldn't get to the right place in time and would liquify or who knows what. There's a place ran by this same company just across the street from us, but the one in town claiming to handle semen samples is nearly 40 minutes away. I wanted to make sure it'd get there, but it would have almost been better if we had done it at home. Thanks for your reply though! I'm happy to know other people found this strange. He said he felt like some kind of sex offender having to do that in such a dirty place. Pretty sure the next will have to be done at home and taken somewhere else, lol

 

[Miss_Awesome]

Yeah that sounds strange to me. Our experience has been the type of thing with a special porn room like how you 'd expect. He can also produce at home and just get it to them in the hour. There's a whole separate office dedicated to the sperm samples with a lady at a desk who takes a lot of care to label everything and go through paperwork. Pretty sure the lab is in the back.

I'm so glad to hear your DH is finally getting tested but that sucks that he had such a bad experience!

None of what happened yesterday felt right. Looks like we'll need to track down a place like the one you describe. I figured they'd have a separate desk to take a sample like that and even their website (which we didn't check before going) has a whole procedure to follow in regards to giving a semen sample. They didn't follow any of them and they didn't go over it with him. I want to go down there and kick the receptionist who was incredibly rude and yell at her that I waited over a YEAR for him to get this test and she went and eff-ed it up!

 

[gnome86]

uk based. lab in local hospital. OH produced sample at home and was in lab within 20 mins. Results to doc within 5-7 days, in our case 4 xxx

 

[Bluenpinkmom]

I am so sorry you had to go through this mess ... generally, semen is treated on a time sensitive priority and mixing up of urine samples and semen samples sounded strange to me.. but if i were you I would request for a second prescription to repeat the test elsewhere.. because where i got my DH checked, it had a neat collection room with porn ofcourse and it was not a washroom... not to scare you but what if the urine sample gets mixed up? who knows how can it effect the semen sample? just my opinion... but i wish you all the best for the results..