how many SAs has your OH done?

[foquita]

the reason I'm asking this is because we got the results yesterday and there were only 8 million sperm and only 28% of them were moving, now that I've come home and googled that seems more than just 'slightly under what they look for' like the FS told me yesterday, am I right? shouldn't they have done a retest? is it normal for them just to do one then offload that onto you, put you on a waiting list for ICSI then that's it?

can anyone share their experience with me so that I can compare and see what I should do next? thanks so much in advance

 

[SimplicityD]

Hello

I am new to the forum, but wanted to tell you my story.

Over the last 6 years of TTC, we have had 4 sperm tests in total in which the lowest being 0.9 million per m/l and the highest being 1.2 million per m/l with normal on everything else, so we have good swimmers and strong sperm but low count, in which has improved over the years...

Hope that helps you x

 

[xxshellsxx]

We've had one done, and he had been recalled for a second and goes on 25th july (was supposed to be last week but his boss wouldn't let him come to work late to do it and get it to the hospital in his time slot GGrrrr)

He has a great count of 48million, but has lower than normal strong and sluggish swimmers, this is the reason for his recall.

this was his actual results:

volume - 3ml
liquidation - complete
PH - 8
Viscosity
Count - 48 Million
Strong forward - 18%
Sluggish forward - 28%
Non progressive - 22%
Immotile - 32%
Normal Morphology - 7%

The dr rang him yesterday and wants to see him... we have no idea why this is and hoping its just a crossed wire as he had a telephone consultation about his results with another dr and maybe it's not recorded on his notes and they think he doesn't know them yet

 

[Briss]

My DH had one test done last year and it was not great so they asked us to repeat it. the second came back with 12 millions which is low and now FS asked for another test with sperm separation but my DH is trying to avoid it

 

[foquita]

thanks for your replies ladies

so I am right in thinking that my OH's results are pretty crap? I'm starting to feel a bit pissed off that he hasn't been offered a second SA, they were so blasé about it!

 

[foquita]

I don't know his morphology but I'm assuming that because the FS didn't bring it up there wasn't an issue with it, hopefully I'm right!

 

[xxshellsxx]

From my limited knowledge on SA i believe the count has be a minimum of 20 million to be considered 'normal' and a combined strong and sluggish is to be 50% - which is where his is abnormal at only 46% (which i know is not far away) and why he has to have a repeat.

I would ask if they meant 8 million overall or 8 million per ml... which if he has 3ml would be a count of 24 million... which would be normal.

If they are considering putting you on an ICSI list maybe it was 8 million overall... sorry if i'm confusing you lol

 

[foquita]

no not at all, I understand what you mean it was 8 million overall and she said our only option is ICSI which to me is extremely drastic after one SA, I don't like that we've just been classed as male factor now all of a sudden there was no support or advice or anything. the 28% motility was combined motility, I think that's good swimmers and bad swimmers? so there are only 28% even moving which makes the low count even worse!

it was the biggest shock of our lives because he has fathered a child before (he'll probably never get to meet her because the mum pretends she's someone else's child) so I just don't understand how his count can be so low that when I google the numbers it says a natural conception is practically impossible that doesn't wash with me

he's going to go to the doctor and tell them he's concerned about his low count and wants a retest, I'm really hoping they'll refer him to a urologist or something, someone who is an expert and can help us with this.

 

[foquita]

actually now that you've mentioned that I think I'm going to find out if it was 8 million per ml, because while I was trying to peek at the sheet I saw it was 2 and a bit ml, that would make it 16millionish in total which is still below the 'norm', I guess they won't do IUI or IVF with counts of under 20 million.

thank you so much for mentioning that, I have a tiny smidgen of hope now though that's always dangerous lol

 

[xxshellsxx]

this whole process of TTC and testing is just a minefield! lol We find hope in the smallest things lol

My Dh has 2 kids from previous relationship and assured me he'd get my PG first attempt! yeah ok dear lol 18 months later we're here! lol Although it's 11 years TTC for me - he's finding this harder than me, i've been here and done it all before with no success, so second time round i'm arming myself with as much knowledge as possible lol Spoke to FS nurse this morning trying to get my referral sorted and i was talking the same language as her, she said you clearly know what your talking about just need to brush up on my SA knowledge... getting there slowly! lol I find knowledge is power and won't be fobbed off by any DR any more I ask questions at every stage, i want numbers not just 'normal' or 'abnormal' i want units of measure... everything!

 

[foquita]

I need to take a leaf out of your book, I find it so difficult to assert myself to doctors and health professionals! I was devastated with the results yesterday but then today as I was googling I started to get more and more pissed off about the fact they were so blasé about the low numbers I can't fault your SA knowledge because if you hadn't said that I would still be in despair lol

I really think it was 8million per ml because they didn't seem concerned about the count at all and she said it was 'slightly under' which makes more sense at 16

I feel like an idiot

 

[xxshellsxx]

I need to take a leaf out of your book, I find it so difficult to assert myself to doctors and health professionals! I was devastated with the results yesterday but then today as I was googling I started to get more and more pissed off about the fact they were so blasé about the low numbers I can't fault your SA knowledge because if you hadn't said that I would still be in despair lol

I really think it was 8million per ml because they didn't seem concerned about the count at all and she said it was 'slightly under' which makes more sense at 16

I feel like an idiot

Don't feel silly! This is all a huge learning curve, and DR's don't think about feelings and how much we obsess over things - I googled like crazy when we got his a couple of weeks ago, i posted on here, i was a maniac lol The Dr rang as he couldn't get time off work and he was warned to get numbers lol - he gave me the basics, i googled like a mad women... then comes home and gives me all the details, which made much more sense lol I annoy the hell out of our DR's receptionist as i make her give me EVERYTHING, she always moans about it, but i get them

 

[aintlifegrand]

We have had 4 done, lowest being 4 million, highest was 14 million

 

[foquita]

I need to take a leaf out of your book, I find it so difficult to assert myself to doctors and health professionals! I was devastated with the results yesterday but then today as I was googling I started to get more and more pissed off about the fact they were so blasé about the low numbers I can't fault your SA knowledge because if you hadn't said that I would still be in despair lol

I really think it was 8million per ml because they didn't seem concerned about the count at all and she said it was 'slightly under' which makes more sense at 16

I feel like an idiot

Don't feel silly! This is all a huge learning curve, and DR's don't think about feelings and how much we obsess over things - I googled like crazy when we got his a couple of weeks ago, i posted on here, i was a maniac lol The Dr rang as he couldn't get time off work and he was warned to get numbers lol - he gave me the basics, i googled like a mad women... then comes home and gives me all the details, which made much more sense lol I annoy the hell out of our DR's receptionist as i make her give me EVERYTHING, she always moans about it, but i get them

i wish i had the full figures! i wonder if i could get them from them at my next appointment i feel so much better now, 16 million is so much better than 8 million...PHEW! still not great but i'm happy

god the receptionists at my doctors would bite my head off, they're like rottweilers

We have had 4 done, lowest being 4 million, highest was 14 million

do they know why they vary so much?

 

[foquita]

thanks so much for answering me, i feel a lot better now!

 

[RKW]

We only had one SA test which came back as normal but we never got the results from the doctor broken down into motility and count.
I do know that sperm changes over time though and can have great swings depending on illness (even a cold or flu) recent ejaculation, smoking etc, so don't feel too disheartened. Maybe have some acupunture or try and different diet and try and get another test in 3 months x

 

[macca197831]

Hey we are going through treatment on the NHS and my husband has had 5 tests in total.


His first SA was 58 million with 35% motility. We were told that he would have to have another one in 3 months time as it was a bit sluggish. That test came back at 19 million and 45% motility and we were told it was unsuitable for IUI. We were offered a test a month later and the results were the same. He started multi vits and they tested him again 3 months later and it had improved slightly but not by much. I asked if we could have one final test in 3 months as we wanted to try a few things to improve it. His last SA was 58 million with 50% motility. In that 3 months he has been doing accupuncture.

I would request another one in 3 months time and do what you can to improve the counts. Accupuncure has definately helped for us!

 

[xxshellsxx]

Thats really interesting about the acupuncture!

I've just said to dh 'Would you ever consider acupuncture?' 'NO' was the very quick response! Oh well, i'll keep pumping him with vitamins

 

[macca197831]

Thats really interesting about the acupuncture!

I've just said to dh 'Would you ever consider acupuncture?' 'NO' was the very quick response! Oh well, i'll keep pumping him with vitamins

,

Its a shame he wont try it, my husband wasnt over the moon about going but it was only a few needles in his adomen and feet so he didnt mind it. It only took two session for the results to improve.

We also did hair testing through foresight and it came back showing zinc and selenium defficincies amongst other things. It meant we could tailor hubbies vits and im sure this helped too! Good luck!

 

[CanadianMaple]

Mine had two. They needed two to confirm he had no sperm to make an absolute diagnosis.