Hayfever medication ahead of stimulation round-worried!

[Minniemouse88]

Hi all, Hoping someone can help me calm a little ahead of our next IVF round.

My husband and I will be starting ICSI round 2 in a couple of weeks. We've avoided all unnecessary medication in the lead up but on Thursday night last week we were both really suffering with hayfever and took half a piriton tablet each.

In my usual IVF hyper vigilance ways 🙄 I have since read that certain antihistamines can reduce sperm count and quality so I'm panicking. He only took a half and hasn't taken any before or since but have we undone all our good work?

I hope replies to this post helps others too. It just feels like such a minefield sometimes!

Thank you

[Fruitandflowers]

Sperm regeneration usually takes about 2.5-3 months so if you start your ICSI protocol in 2 weeks it's unlikely to have an impact on the sperm in that time. But also have you checked whether the impacts you read about were reported for the specific antihistamine in piriton? There are lots of different sorts and I think that they are even used in some treatment protocols so assuming not all of them are shown to be harmful. Plus half a tablet is nothing really. Ask your clinic if you're concerned and if there's a particular sort that you should avoid/is safe as people with hay-fever seem to be suffering really badly just now and you don't want to be miserable with that. My OH gets it badly and regularly takes antihistamines and I wouldn't have thought twice tbh when we were doing our rounds but IVF makes us so anxious and second guess everything.

[Minniemouse88 in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Thank you for the reassurance. I know logically that 1/2 tablet is unlikely to make a huge difference and keep telling myself that people who conceive naturally do so in summer months without worrying what they take. I'll ask clinic when I next go and post up if they give advice. Research I read was mainly around H2 blockers but there was a big debate about them around 2018, so lots of stuff on all types. Decided not to read anymore! Thank you for responding xx

[Hopewhite]

hi lovely I hope you’re well, I have just wrote a similar post last night we are also waiting for new treatment to start soon but my husband’s hay fever started yesterday. I also read online that it can have an impact on sperm count etc (which is already an issue for us). I personally don’t think half a tablet should have the impact to reverse everything you’ve done , but I’m hoping someone in the forum will share personal experiences and doctor advice on this situation. I’ll keep you posted if I get any answers on my post, hay fever is very common so I’m sure there will be others !

Sending you all the best of luck for the new treatment xx

[Minniemouse88 in reply to Hopewhite]

Good luck to you too x

[Hopewhite in reply to Minniemouse88]

Hi lovely, another lady on similar situation advised manuka honey with hot water and lemon in the morning and putting vaporub on the nostrils , she said Fexofenadine must be avoid as it’s not even safe for pregnant women , you can see the response on my post , I hope the hay fever is kinder to you today xx

[Minniemouse88 in reply to Hopewhite]

Thank you, since reading the articles, neither of us will be taking anymore medication until after egg collection. I'm just still a bit worried about the small dose we took a few days ago. It always amazes me how these things bother us when we are preparing for cycle. X

[Hopewhite in reply to Minniemouse88]

Hi lovely try not to worry too much about it , if it was a small dose it won’t make much difference, like others said it takes average 3 months to see improvement on sperm or eggs , so probably by now what done is done xx

I know it’s just too much , I’ve changed shampoo, deodorant, cleaning products etc etc it does get crazy haha

[raverg]

I had the same worry about antihistamines - we prepared for this cycle for 3 months and we were weeks away when my husband’s allergies kicked up and he started taking Clarityn daily. I didn’t find anything conclusive online so I let it be. I did ask my acupuncturist and she said that antihistamines tend to dry things in the body, so maybe supplement with more water. Either way, my husband’s sperm on collection day was better than in previous runs and I think that every other thing we’ve done over a longer period of time has helped more (supplements, the med diet, blueberries daily, icing, alternate day ejaculation before collections - he has varicocele btw). Hopefully this helps & good luck! Xx

[Hopewhite in reply to raverg]

Hi raverg I hope you’re doing well , sorry to jump in here , would you mind explaining what was the icing about ? My husband also has small Varicocele although completely dismissed by the NHS, they just recommended life style changes which he has done xx many thanks !

[raverg in reply to Hopewhite]

Yes, of course, happy to help.

After the latest check-up at the urologist, my husband had a pain flare-up with his varicocele so he got himself a pair of Snowballs underwear (you can find it on Amazon, go a size up). After a few days his flare-up started coming down but I told him to keep doing it as some schools of thought seem to think that it’s a good idea to bring the temperature down, particularly after a work out, on a warm day, after a long walk etc. My husband only does it for like half an hour a day maybe, and he’s done it almost every day for the past 2 months.

What the fertility urologist recommended though is to do alternate day ejaculation during the week before sperm collection, making sure to skip the day before collection. That might be more important, but my husband continued with the icing during that week.

Otherwise, loose boxers, good supplements (my husband takes Proceive Max), blueberries, lycopene from tomato concentrate paste.

It’s important to mention that a fertility urologist would be better placed to offer fertility advice compared to a regular urologist. We ignored my husband’s varicocele for years because the first urologist gave poor advice, so I get you!

Hope this helps and good luck! Xx

[Hopewhite in reply to raverg]

Thank you very much for taking the time to share this, it’s all very useful , although not sure what he’ll say about freezing down there 😂 but I guess is the minimum they can do given all that we go through as women !

[raverg in reply to Hopewhite]

Haha I knooooow! They do seem very motivated to try it when in pain though lol

Otherwise do get your husband to do the alternate day ejaculation before collection, as that recommendation came straight from our fertility urologist.

Good luck! Xx

[Minniemouse88 in reply to Hopewhite]

Snowballs underwear made me chuckle. Definitely on my next Amazon shopping list! 😊Xx

[Minniemouse88]

Thank you for this reassuring response. It's really helpful! Xxx