Low Sperm Count- What's next?

[Mbrink]

My DH and I have been going through diagnostic infertility tests for the last three months. We found out this month that I'm indeed ovulating BUT his sperm count is 900,000, with the rest of the analysis coming back very, very poor. I'm waiting for them to mail me the lab details so I don't have exact numbers. We are meeting with an RE next month, so I'm curious to know what is next? Have any of you ladies experienced this?

 

[sailorgirl20]

we got sent to a specialist, to do more tests, and then were told IVF was recommended but was also told it only takes one sperm. but they will go in depth with options but first they will check him over, my husband had an ultrasound on his goodies and a few other tests just to make sure theres nothing there to cause it, such as a blockage. but i have my husband on a bunch of vitamins and it seems to be helping! i wish you luck and LOTS OF BABY DUST

 

[Mbrink]

we got sent to a specialist, to do more tests, and then were told IVF was recommended but was also told it only takes one sperm. but they will go in depth with options but first they will check him over, my husband had an ultrasound on his goodies and a few other tests just to make sure theres nothing there to cause it, such as a blockage. but i have my husband on a bunch of vitamins and it seems to be helping! i wish you luck and LOTS OF BABY DUST

Thank you SO much for your response! So, are you going to do the IVF then? I honestly just want to skip any other procedures and go for the IVF. Its been two long, emotional years (I know I shouldn't complain because others go through 5-10 with no BFP) and I'm just ready for this to be over. I'm sure you understand that feeling!! Did they give you any other options or was it just IVF?

 

[sailorgirl20]

right now we are not planning on ivf! our plans consist of the vitamins, bedding every other day. ivf sounds good, but discuss it with your FS first, and like i tell everyone do your research! same with vitamins. i spent a while going through every vitamin the hubby is taking make sure that they were right for him. (mind u i think the vitamins are improving his count and such, which is why i cant wait to get another sa done with him in the new year)

 

[PinkPeony]

I think if his sperm is very poor quality all round they'll probably recommend IVF with ICSI. That way they put it right in the egg so it'll get fertilized for sure. I know what you mean though.... we just got our tests back recently and mine has a lowish count with poor motility. We're trying the vitamin thing and he's stopped drinking so much but honestly I kinda feel like if we're going to end up doing IVF anyway let's just stop faffing about and get on with it. But who knows - maybe the lifestyle stuff will work.

 

[Mbrink]

I think if his sperm is very poor quality all round they'll probably recommend IVF with ICSI. That way they put it right in the egg so it'll get fertilized for sure. I know what you mean though.... we just got our tests back recently and mine has a lowish count with poor motility. We're trying the vitamin thing and he's stopped drinking so much but honestly I kinda feel like if we're going to end up doing IVF anyway let's just stop faffing about and get on with it. But who knows - maybe the lifestyle stuff will work.

Thank you everyone for your responses!

Pinkpeony, I feel ya. I've read so many stories and seen so many posts/signatures on BnB where ladies have done several IUI's to only move onto IVF and get a BFP that month. My DH is already on multivitamins, doesn't drink a lot of caffeine, has a beer occasionally if we go out for dinner, and is in shape. He has also been taking a zinc supplement, so I don't know how much more we can do to boost his swimmers!

Have you been to the RE yet?

 

[PinkPeony]

This might sound dumb but I don't think they have those here. Lol! I'm seeing a FS/gyn which seems like the last stop on the doctor journey.
It's so strange how sometimes the healthiest ppl have trouble conceiving but all these pot heads and heavy drinkers I know have no problem. From your pic you guys certainly look like very healthy folks. Bah! I don't get it.

 

[Mbrink]

Its the same there if you are seeing an FS! They call themselves Reproductive Endocrinologists (RE) here but they are FS's The OB who I go to now (my general practitioner) doesn't have much experience with infertility. She also is insensitive towards infertility patients so she waits forever for tests and referrals. So annoying!

I know what you mean about those situations- I work in foster care services and I have to see parents all of the time who already have their children taken away, and they come in pregnant. Its been making me VERY stressed at work because I just don't get it. I know that "there is a plan for everyone", but I don't like this plan if it means I have to stand around and watch druggies and people who can't take of their children have babies instead of those who deserve it, like you and me. It makes me want to rip my hair out!

 

[PinkPeony]

That must be so rough. That's a difficult line of work to begin with and then to come at it from a LTTTC perspective just ads a whole other layer of stress and emotion onto it.
Lately I'm going back and forth btwn believing there is some reason as to why I'm going through this and others don't and just thinking it's all a random crapshoot. It's hard making sense of it all. I feel like I've gained a lot of wisdom and perspective after going thru this and sometimes I think it'll definitely give me more to offer my future child.

 

[aimze]

hi ladies...

my Oh had low sperm quality an quantity...5mil with 50% motile (ish) i read up to take 2000vit c for 3 months followed by 3 months vit e an selenium...

6 monts later he got 19mil with 87% motile!! These bad boys proceeded to fertilise my egg in iui round 1.

unortunately it did end in a partial molar pregnancy but still shows what an amazing thing vitamins can b....he's back on vit e an selenium for Jan iui #2.

Best of luck!

x

 

[Briss]

my DH has 2.8 million SC, he's been on vitamins for months but his problem is that he likes his beer and beer causes testosterone and sperm count to go down. I am so upset that he cant quit it completely. he says that working in the City he cant not to go with colleagues to have a few beers after work that's his career but at this point I think babymaking takes priority. I cant get it into his head, this is so upsetting.

 

[PinkPeony]

my DH has 2.8 million SC, he's been on vitamins for months but his problem is that he likes his beer and beer causes testosterone and sperm count to go down. I am so upset that he cant quit it completely. he says that working in the City he cant not to go with colleagues to have a few beers after work that's his career but at this point I think babymaking takes priority. I cant get it into his head, this is so upsetting.

That's my problem with my DH exactly. He's done much better lately but I was so annoyed that I've been telling him for months to cut back and it took actually getting the bad SA and having the doctor tell him to stop drinking for him to even scale it back. Even this week we're going to have an IUI and he still was having drinks this weekend.
We lived in London for a while and DH worked in the City too... so I know what you mean about that.

 

[Briss]

Oh Pink, at least yours is trying to cut down. I was told that at least during the week of your IUI he should try avoid drinking (easier said than done). Mine finally went to GP and asked for a referral to urologist, he was so upset afterwards I think he only realised the extend of the problem when he actually had to say it out loud. Before that I was the one talking to FS about his results, now he finally had to face it. may be it will change things

 

[Mbrink]

For you ladies moving on to IUI, did your doctor make the decision to go for it during the first appointment or did it take testing and more appointments to make that decision? I'm not sure what to expect with our appt. next month since we've already done two months of blood work on me, and one SA on DH.

 

[PinkPeony]

For you ladies moving on to IUI, did your doctor make the decision to go for it during the first appointment or did it take testing and more appointments to make that decision? I'm not sure what to expect with our appt. next month since we've already done two months of blood work on me, and one SA on DH.

I had all the testing and they monitored my cycle for one month to see "how I ovulated". Then when that was BFN we had another sit down to go over all the tests (various bloods, ultrasounds, sonohysterogram and SA) and she recommended IUI from looking at everything there.