Newbie

[Strawberry17]

UPDATE

My husband phoned up the urology department yesterday and by complete fluke they’d just had a cancellation for this Friday! I’m so relieved we don’t have to wait two months for him to see someone. It lifted my mood yesterday and it was the first day since we found out we needed ivf that I’ve not been in a depressed mood all day. I guess we have to take the positives where we can hey xx

I’m new to all this as we found out 8 days ago we will need to undergo ivf. It turns out my husband has a severely low sperm count with really low mobility. Our GP said my husband needs to see the urologist and we’ve just got the referral letter through and the next available appointment 10th September.

Does anyone know if we have to see the urologist and then he’ll refer us for ivf, or can we get referred now? I’m trying not to cry at the thought of waiting another 2 months before we can get referred.

We also took a second sperm sample to the nhs hospital last Thursday which we haven’t heard back on yet (the first sample was done privately as we paid to have ourselves tested to put my mind at rest - which obviously it hasn’t as we discovered it is extremely unlikely we will conceive naturally).

Thanks in advance x

[Hidden]

Can you get your GP to refer you to fertility clinic so you can get checked out while you are doing the urology at the same time?

Welcome to the forum!

Xxx

[Strawberry17 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I’m not sure. The GP is closed now so I’ll try and call in the morning and find out. I thought she said he might have to see the urologist first but it was the day after we found out we had fertility issues so I was all over the place and can’t remember what she said. xx

[Hidden in reply to Strawberry17]

That is understandable. Don't worry maybe just ask them tomorrow. Because hopefully you can get your referral for fertility at the same time

Maybe someone on here can share some personal experience with you if they have the same problem to help.

💕💕

[SLord992]

👋 My husband and I are going through a very similar thing. He had had two sperm tests, with similar results to your husband. Both on NHS three months apart. At that stage the doctor ‘referred’ us to see if we’d be accepted for NHS funding. Referral was lost and we only found out 3 months later. Anyway to cut a long story short, we’ve been accepted for NHS IVF but it still a long way off. Still more tests to do to rule out other conditions etc. Hoping to start treatment around September/October time. Approx 10 months after initial referral.

I would chase up everything, test results, referrals the lot. It may seem like you’re pestering the doctors, but it will be worth it and reduce your wait time between referral and treatment 😊 Hope this helps x

[SLord992 in reply to SLord992]

I would also recommend this book: amazon.co.uk/How-Make-Love-...

For your husband to read. My husband is not a big reader, but he said the book was really informative but funny at the same time.

[LanaTerene]

Hello, there. Hope you're in good health, too. IVF is an exciting procedure. I really hope it works out for you! My prayers are with you. Keep the faith. Just don't lose your patience with it.

[Kyell2]

Hi, I’m so sorry you have had this news, we did the same as you and paid to have a fertility check to reassure ourselves and it ended up doing quite the opposite.

We were referred to a urologist straight away too. The reason they do this is so that they can establish the reason for the low sperm count. It could just be a blockage but the fact that he has sperm in his sample is good news (im sure it doesn’t feel it) as it means he is producing sperm.

Lots of ladies on here have managed to improve sperm volume and quality by giving their OH supplements so hopefully some of them can advise.

xx

[Marylyn]

Your hubby may have a varicocele which can be surgically repaired or be low in a vital vitamin b12 & zinc which can affect fertility ( sperm quality in Men ) or cause miscarriages in women.I suggest both of you be tested ,if below 500 supplements are required.Low sperm count can be boosted to 100 million if suppliments taken.I teach fertility awareness I had a client been to IVF tried hormones without success.Tested for vit b12 & D She used methyl b12 spray, 4 mths later a pregnancy achieved.Drs are not aware as there is no education given on vitamin deficiencies worldwide.I would supplement with other vitamins C & minerals but no folic acid ,take folate instead as our bodies can utilise it .Good luck.A great reference book “Could it be B12 ? “By Sally Pacholok.

[Jonesjp]

Hi hunny, I can’t answer your question as we’re in a different situation but wanted to welcome you to the forum, you will find lots of wonderful ladies that will be able to help, however one thing I have learnt is that IVF and the whole infertility journey requires an awful lot of patience (not something I have lol!) and everything takes far longer than we’d like, sadly when you get your head around that bit it makes it ever so slightly less frustrating x x x

[HPLondon]

We had a similar thing. Husband has retrograde ejaculation and was referred to urologist for investigations. It took months (and it didn’t help us) and we thought we were already referred to fertility clinic. We weren’t and we lost a better part of a year. All I can say is chase them as often as you can to refer you! NHS are great in many ways but urgency is not one of them, you do have to get very forceful (or we did anyway). You’ve got the sperm results, that should be enough to get referred. Chase, chase, chase!! Never assume they are doing what they should be...

[HPLondon in reply to HPLondon]

Ps good luck with it all - and things never look as bad as they do when you first get bad news. You will get there xx

[Binky1983]

I would ask if your gp can refer you to the fertility clinic now as well to get ivf. I know areas do it differently and waiting times vary but hopefully this way both referrals come in around the same time. Good luck! X

[precioce]

Something to consider is the amount of time you have been trying and if you will qualify for fertility referral right now. May be one of the reasons your GP went for the Urologist route. Best of luck xx

[Strawberry17 in reply to precioce]

Thank you. They said we don’t have to wait 12 months as we can prove my husband has severely low sperm count. So that’s something at least x

[precioce in reply to Strawberry17]

That's great. In our area they make you wait 2 years from when you started trying regardless of whether you have private tests done to prove you have a problem. Such a postcode lottery. Glad it is looking positive for you though.xx

[Strawberry17]

Thanks everyone. Your responses have not only been really helpful but have made me feel less along on this journey. I even cried when I read some of them last night. I managed to speak to our gp surgery this morning and apparently the letter of referral has already been sent to the fertility clinic so that’s good news. I’m now waiting for the fertility clinic to call me back so I can get a rough estimation of how long it will be before we see a consultant. I’m only 9 days in since we found out we need ivf and I’m exhausted with all the waiting already. I don’t know others have done it for years. I really don’t know I’m capable of going through this for that long. It’s a terrifying thought. Anyway I’m waffling now but thank you to all of you xx

[Cinderella5]

Hey, my hubby has a very low sperm count too and the GP referred us straight to a fertility clinic. We didnt have to see a urologist but Im guessing this is to try to find out the reason why but I dont see why you cant be referred to the fertility clinic at the same time, would defo ask GP about this or maybe he's waiting on results of your second sample. Always worth an ask though!xx