Increasing sperm count - success stories please?

[Deb111]

Hi ladies,

A very brief history ... hubby diagnosed with azoospermia i.e. no sperm present in sample.

Had Surgical sperm retrieval yesterday and in the tiny bit of tissue they took, they found 3 live, healthy, motile, fully developed sperm. They wouldn't even freeze them as it would be an NHS ICSI cycle and they wont freeze if less than 100 as they say it's not viable.

We're not ready to go down the donor route yet, especially as we now know his body is capable of making sperm; even if in tiny numbers.

So, my question is - who has had success stories of increasing sperm count and what did your hubby's take? do? or what lifestyle changes did they make?

Hubby doesn't drink or smoke and never has.

Thanks in anticipation
Deb x

 

[kaye]

aww so sorry your having a tough time, unfortunately i cant help.

My hubby has very low count ant motility etc so i have been reading various posts and alot of people recommend lots of vitamins. Worth searching on google

good luck

 

[susan_1981]

Well we started TTC back in August 2008. DH was happy in his job then and I got my BFP in October 2008, although had a MMC in December 2008. Started trying again and nothing. By this time, my husband was absolutely hating his job and I'm pretty sure the stress can affect his sperm count. So we found out my husband has a lower than normal sperm count, 18 million so not that low but not enough to get me pregnant. Then in September 2009, I got my DH to take Wellman Conception tablets, as well as zinc and vitamin c. They say it takes about 3 months to show any results and 3 months later, December 2009, I fell pregnant again although it was a chemical. I'm convinced it was the help of the tablets that worked for us, although saying that it hasn't happened again since.

Maybe it's worth giving the vitamins a go? Good luck x

 

[Sbee]

Hi Deb, sorry to hear about your troubles. Like many of the ladies are saying vitamins and healthly lifestyle help (does your hubby use a laptop on lap frequently? the heat can damage sperm - the following website might be of use

https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fertility/MC00023

My OH takes Fertil Aid and has cut down on caffeine intake and his SA improved over 3 months. Good luck x

 

[Deb111]

Thanks for the replies. He only drinks decaf coffee, hasn't put his lap top on his lap for the last 6 months, doesn't use sauna's or steam rooms or have hot baths / showers and has been taking wellman conception for 6 months as well as omega 3 fish oil, which I read can help.

We're at a bit of a loss

 

[Ebony_Blaze]

Good luck deb111
I've been told stress I'd a major factor so make sure hubby is getting lots of support.
My hubby tends to 'pretend ' everything is ok to stay strong for me
which I now recognise that it is hard for him as the man as he is the one who has to perform as such, and we were told from fs to start taking vitamins too so try that

XX

 

[rachelle1975]

Hey Deb

We've been doing the routine of vits/drugs/exercise/weightloss for the last 3 years and DHs count at the IVF was only slightly better than the 1 million we got from his first SA. His count has fluctuated throughout though and we've noticed that when he is more relaxed he gets a better result??

It's fantastic that they found some sperm with the SSR - what about looking into private but applying to have your NHS funding transferred to that clinic? Some places will do that and it could mean you guys getting ahead now rather than waiting longer? Did they say if the sperm that they found were good quality for ICSI?x

 

[Deb111]

Thanks Rachelle,

I didn't even know transfering funding was an option. Do you know how I would go about that?

With regard to the sperm, they said that the first one they found was a healthy, well formed, motile sperm. None of them had maturity arrest. The other 2 were well formed but not moving. She said they weren't dead, just mot moving and that 1)they are not expected to be moving from the place they take them from as they haven't had to develop enough to swim at that point and b)whether they are swimming or not is not an issue with ICSI.

We're now wondering if it may be worth repeating the SSR in 6 months time as we're allowed to, but to do it privately as I would have my EC on the same day, so there wouldn be no concern about losing 50% when they thaw them. If they could find even a few more next time I'm sure a private clinic would let us use them rather than just disgarding them because the numbers didn't meet their 'criteria' - even if it meant having a donor back up.

I'm wondering whether using NHS funding even if trasferring it privately, would mean that we had to meet NHS criteria again?

We just feel that with some, even if a tiny number of healthy, well formed sperm were found, we can't just let it go. His body is obviously not incapable of making sperm as we had first thought.

 

[678star-bex]

hi deb
wud just like to say that our success story has ended in an extremely high count double the norm.. low motility tho. vitimins, no baths, boxers helped.

 

[rachelle1975]

Deb have they said why he has such AZ? Was it something in childhood?

There are obviously the 'usual things' you can change - hot baths, alcohol, diet and exercise. DH had very low libido when he came off some prescription meds and after this was flushed out of his system it really improved - libido up, count/morphology/motility up - there are meant to be some good vits on the Zita West site - might be worth looking at the content and trying to find similar for less ££ as she can be expensive? We also tried Maca and 1000mg of vit c a day?
I'm with you - you have to give it a go. since it takes 3 months to show improvement, what about going for another test in 3 months and seeing - if it's improved then take it from there and if not, re-evaluating your options?xx

 

[Deb111]

We haven't been given a reason for the azoospermia. They say there's not a blockage. He hasn't ever had mumps, groin injury or minor repeated groin trauma like regularly cycling, he's always been tee-total, never smoked, never used steroids and it's clearly not a genetic problem that he's unable to create sperm as he is creating some. So we're a bit at a loss

We may find out more on Wed as we have a follow-up appt and they may know more from the 10% of the biopsy that they send to pathology.

Other than that, he can have the SSR repeated in 6 months if necessary so we have time to work on ways of building up his sperm count either for sperm to be taken from a sample, natural conception or another SSR.

The one thing we feel is having an influence is that he has an underactive thyroid and also low testosterone levels. No one seems to be able to make a connection between these and the azoospermia, but we feel like this may be the missing piece of the jigsaw.

 

[rachelle1975]

That rings a bell for me too - i'm sure i've read something about that?? Have you tried googling it - stupid question i know as you probably have! Maybe a urologist could help rather than an FS - someone who specialises in that area?

Have you and DH thought about what you would do if it does come down to not being able to use his ? We've discussed it - MIL thinks DS is perfectly acceptable but i think we would choose to go down the adoption route

 

[Deb111]

We've seen a urologist - he's the one who did the SSR and also seen an endocrinologist about the hormone imbalances - but it feels like they have their own area of expertise and don't overlap much. I know that in America they talk about seeing a Reproductive Endocrinologist - I'm wondering if there is such a thing in the UK as that may be who we need to see to link it all together.

We have considered donor sperm but haven't got further than agreeing it would be something on the table to discusss - not all family memebrs approve which doesn't help. But as I said, we're not reasy to give up on our own biological child yet.

We would consider adoption if we could adopt a baby, but when hubby is 44 and I'm 36, we know the chances of that are pretty negligable

Low thyroid levels are said to cause low count, but not azoospermia. I guess I need to look into it again now we know there are 'some' being made

 

[rachelle1975]

Well fingers crossed - some sperm is hope and without that, life would be pretty miserable I live my life on hope and PMA!

 

[annj]

I have heard that acupunture may work. There has been proven success stories of increased sperm count after 3-6 months of acupunture treatment for this specific cause.

Nothing is guaranteed but it's definitely worth trying and although the treatments can add up after a few months, it's a lot cheaper than fertility treatments/donors.

Good luck to you.

 

[Deb111]

Thanks Annj

I hadn't thought of that - we will look into it x

 

[fluffystar]

Hi Deb,

I would definitely look into accupuncture. I have been having it to help regulate cycles and now to see me through IVF. My therapist says that not enough couples send the men in for treatment and they all seem to just assume that it is something for women.

My hubby has low morph but he was reluctants to go and have accupuncture saying we'll see if it helps me and then he may consider it!!!!! If your hubby is willing to try then def give it a go.

Wishing you loads of luck

fluffy xx