New and need advice

[OrangeG]

had our first call with the specialist today who went through mine and my fiancés test results. They told us that his test showed a very low sperm count however there was viable sperm there which can be used in ivf for us to have a baby that is both ours. This came as a big shock to us however she did say he needs to redo the test as it can fluctuate massively. Anyone been through something similar that can give me any advice?

[Rain415]

Hi, My husband had low count and morphology. He took a supplement called procieve max and that did help his count it went from 11 million to 26 million in about 6 months. He also cut out alcohol and ate a Mediterranean diet. He was referred to a urologist and they found a varicocele that was surgically removed. We did have ICSI/IVF and conceived our son on the third transfer. There are things you can do to help a low sperm count and icsi did work for us. I hope everything goes well for you both, they do usually redo the test anyway as it can fluctuate.

[Poppygarden]

Hello,

Sorry to hear you’ve had a difficult day. Take the time you need to process the day and remember whatever emotions you are both going through, there will be hundreds more in this group going through the same thing, so we completely understand :).

The good news is icsi with ivf is a miracle worker for these situations.

My husband and I are in the same place. He’s repeated the test twice and his best result was the first test. (He did loads to try and improve it, but luck wasn’t on our side)

It only takes one little sperm to make a baby all the best with your journey x

[OrangeG in reply to Poppygarden]

Thank you, he has taken it quite hard and is blaming himself which I didn’t want him to do. I’m quite a positive person so trying to help but I don’t think it helps that he thinks it’s all his fault. Where abouts are you in your journey right now? X

[Poppygarden in reply to OrangeG]

Bless him. Self blame is really common in these situations, both my husband and I have experienced it at separate points IVF is a rollercoaster but thankfully it does get better and at least you have some answers now it a common saying but time really is a healer.

I’ve had a fresh cycle which resulted in 5 day 5 embryos which initially we were thrilled with. Since then I’ve had a chemical and a negative transfer so we have 3 embryos left now. My next consultant appointment is tomorrow so I’ve got everything crossed. Xx

[RedFox23]

Hi Orange,I remember hearing similar news over a year ago. We’d been trying, without any luck, for a few years and found out my husband had 2% sperm motility.

It’s difficult news to hear but there’s so many options for you both.

There’s lots of different supplements that your drs can recommend to improve sperm count and diet changes they can suggest too!

You can look into icsi too where they choose the best sperm and fertilise the eggs. Xxx

[Kitkat10]

My partner had low motility and they tested twice - 3 months apart as the sperm are ‘renewed’ every 3 months so they test two ‘batches’ to get a true result. There is every chance that the next test will be better 🤞 and it’s positive that there are viable sperm present. I would say that sperm issues are easier to treat 🤞

[Missl73]

How low is very low? My husband had less than 1 million. He had treatment for a varicocele and took lots of supplements. Things improved a little but we still needed ICSI to conceive our son and I’m now pregnant with our second baby that way. It’s upsetting news when you first find out but as long as there is some sperm, with help you can have a baby for sure xx

[OrangeG in reply to Missl73]

This is great to hear, congratulations 👏🏻 she didn’t give figures but her words were ‘very very abnormally low’. How did your husband take the news? X

[Missl73 in reply to OrangeG]

He was upset and felt guilty I think that I’d have to go through the physical side of IVF. He didn’t tell anyone or talk to any friends until after we had our son he finally felt he could because we’d been successful I think. We weren’t totally surprised because he had an operation when he was 4 to correct his testicles that hadn’t descended so we knew it could be a possibility. There is a male fertility specialist (private) I highly, highly recommend and honestly have to thank for the fact we were able to have children. Let me know if you want me to DM you his details x

[OrangeG in reply to Missl73]

Yes please that would be great. I think he will be the same and keep it to himself but I don’t want him to think he is to blame x

[Missl73 in reply to OrangeG]

No I know it’s so hard, I kept telling my husband that I wanted to be with him more than I wanted to have children and that no matter what we were in it together. I was also really careful that when I was having a bad time with IVF I vented to my mum or a friend so he didn’t feel worse. Have sent you a message with the doctors name x

[OrangeG in reply to Missl73]

Yeah I said to him that we were in it together but I feel like he is still blaming himself I tried to keep him positive and told him he didn’t need to overload himself with information about it just yet x

[Missl73 in reply to OrangeG]

He’ll just need time to come to terms with it I expect. Seeing the specialist really helped my husband, knowing we had a plan and being told by an expert we had a good chance of being able to have children that were biologically his was what he needed to hear. (What did not help was my mother in law making awful insensitive comments that he was ‘firing blanks’ and that my father in law should donate his sperm to me 🤢) x

[HedgehogMad]

Aw hun it's horrible to receive that news, we have a similar diagnosis and I remember how much of a shock it was even though I thought something must be wrong. My husband struggled a lot with the fact he is the problem but it does get better with time. If it is just a sperm issue you have every chance of success with ICSI. We had our 1st cycle recently and were lucky to make several embryos, fresh transfer failed and having 1st frozen transfer next week.What helped with me is we paid to see an andrologist locally who did some investigations which showed that it was nothing my husband had done, it's just "one of those things" (a developmental issue that probably happened in utero).

My husband cut down on alcohol, took coenzyme Q10, wellman conception and ashwarghanda and his sperm quality and quantity improved considerably over 3 months - I think that probably helped improve our chances with icsi.

Good luck with it all, we are here as a sounding board and please know you are not alone, there are plenty of us in a similar boat xxx

[HollyT7]

We had the same, very low count, funny shapes and no sense of direction. all tests fluctuated from barely anything there to just under average of what they expect. I know that it comes as a massive shock but all that matters is that there is some sperm there, they can pick out the best for you and probably do ICSI. We have been pregnant from all 3 of our fertilised Embryos, our first ended in a chemical but we have a two year old from our first frostie and I’m 32+1 with our second. it’s a rollercoaster of a ride, but you will get there. All the best xx

[HollyT7 in reply to HollyT7]

Just to add, he was taking supplements but it didn’t seem like it made a difference, he also doesn’t drink, smoke and has a healthy lifestyle.

[OrangeG in reply to HollyT7]

Thank you this has all been a massive help and we have spoken a bit more about it today. He has booked his bloods that she told us he would need to have and an additional semen screening. It’s just been a massive hit to hear that we would be highly unlikely to get pregnant without help but holding on to the fact she said there is at least sperm there so we can still have a baby that is both of ours x

[Patient-]

Doc should of advise some supplements then another SA/test get you on a waiting list if there’s not much improvement