Possible fertility problems, advice needed pls.

[KayD85]

Hi, I only posted about an hour ago but here's my next one! I posted this in TTC but was told that you ladies my be helpful!

I wasn’t going to go into this much detail yet, I was going to settle in a bit but I really need some thoughts and advise from you all. It’s a long story so please bare with me!

About a month ago, just before we started TTC, my DH found a small lump. He went to the doctor who told him it was a varicocele (sp) which is basically a small vein that affects the temperature of the sperm etc, it can also affect fertility, and the doctor told him that he shouldn’t have any problems having children. He wasn’t really happy with what the doctor said so he decided to go private for a second opinion. The 2nd doctor told him a lot more about it and said that although it can affect fertility, it doesn’t always and they wouldn’t look at it as a problem until we'd been trying for a baby for at least a year. So my DH decided that he wanted to get a sperm test done to check. The results are as follows: (I have dumbed the medical speak down for my benefit!)

The count was just below average
The motility (sp - how they move, the speed and strength) was just below average
The morthology (sp - the appearance, shape) was 0%

The count and motility are fine but the morphology is really bad. He did loads of research online and found that people with 0% have pretty much no chance of conceiving naturally but have chance of IVF. He was obviously pretty upset and had given up. He then spoke to a woman who works at the clinic where he had his test done. She said that people wouldn’t normally have their sperm checked until the couple had been trying for at least a year but that the morphology is something that they wouldn’t be concerned about as they only check a small amount of the sperm and the rest could be fine. She said to try to conceive naturally for at least a year then come back.

He's got a 2nd test booked on 9th July which they advised.

What I don’t understand is if the 2nd result comes back the same and we really have got only a very small chance of conceiving then why do we have to wait a year before getting more tests done? Why if it looks like we will struggle will they make us wait a year before helping?!

Sorry for the HUGE post and thank you for reading it ! If anyone has any thoughts or advice or has been in a similar situation I would really appreciate it.

K xx

 

[CurlySue]

Hi, I only posted about an hour ago but here's my next one! I posted this in TTC but was told that you ladies my be helpful!

I wasn’t going to go into this much detail yet, I was going to settle in a bit but I really need some thoughts and advise from you all. It’s a long story so please bare with me!

About a month ago, just before we started TTC, my DH found a small lump. He went to the doctor who told him it was a varicocele (sp) which is basically a small vein that affects the temperature of the sperm etc, it can also affect fertility, and the doctor told him that he shouldn’t have any problems having children. He wasn’t really happy with what the doctor said so he decided to go private for a second opinion. The 2nd doctor told him a lot more about it and said that although it can affect fertility, it doesn’t always and they wouldn’t look at it as a problem until we'd been trying for a baby for at least a year. So my DH decided that he wanted to get a sperm test done to check. The results are as follows: (I have dumbed the medical speak down for my benefit!)

The count was just below average
The motility (sp - how they move, the speed and strength) was just below average
The morthology (sp - the appearance, shape) was 0%

The count and motility are fine but the morphology is really bad. He did loads of research online and found that people with 0% have pretty much no chance of conceiving naturally but have chance of IVF. He was obviously pretty upset and had given up. He then spoke to a woman who works at the clinic where he had his test done. She said that people wouldn’t normally have their sperm checked until the couple had been trying for at least a year but that the morphology is something that they wouldn’t be concerned about as they only check a small amount of the sperm and the rest could be fine. She said to try to conceive naturally for at least a year then come back.

He's got a 2nd test booked on 9th July which they advised.

What I don’t understand is if the 2nd result comes back the same and we really have got only a very small chance of conceiving then why do we have to wait a year before getting more tests done? Why if it looks like we will struggle will they make us wait a year before helping?!

Sorry for the HUGE post and thank you for reading it ! If anyone has any thoughts or advice or has been in a similar situation I would really appreciate it.

K xx

Unfortunately, it's just NHS guidelines and procedures that have to be followed before treatment can take place. They don't like to 'bend the rules' and always prefer that a couple try for 12 months before intervening.

I have it all. PCOS (apparently), fucked up hormones, endometriosis and anovulatory cycles. They still had to go through the motions with me before they'd prescribe Clomid (which didn't work, nor did they check if it worked) or put me on any waiting lists (which was shorter than I expected yet still kept dragging on and on). I later attended a fertility appointment where the woman basically told me I had little chance of conceiving and had most likely had little chance for the entire time I'd been off the pill (some 40 plus months, now) but little chance means some chance and that is why they follow the guidelines.

Their attitude is - how do you know you can't if you don't try?

There are a lot of methods you can try out to improve the motility of the sperm. Have known of people whose OHs had zero sperm count and just diet and changes in lifestyle upped the number and the quality. Or, your OH could think about having his varicocele removed. That's a possibility, too. Either way, it is sadly unlikely that anything would be done without you having tried for 12 months. It sucks, but it's just the way it is in this country. I had to wait a year and then wait a FURTHER year to get to the point of having treatment when all the while I had virtually no chance of getting pregnant. Tis absolutely ridiculous.

ps it'd probably be ICSI for you. Variant of IVF.

 

[KayD85]

Thank you. I sound like such a moaning child now. I haven't even been trying for a month yet and I'm already moaning. I should really just be thankful for what Ive got now and deal with problems when they arise. Just annoying because the problem that he's got cant be fixed with diet or lifestyle, its all genetic!

I really hope you get your BFP soon, you really deserve it.

xx

 

[CurlySue]

Thank you. I sound like such a moaning child now. I haven't even been trying for a month yet and I'm already moaning. I should really just be thankful for what Ive got now and deal with problems when they arise. Just annoying because the problem that he's got cant be fixed with diet or lifestyle, its all genetic!

I really hope you get your BFP soon, you really deserve it.

xx

It IS a pain in the arse, the waiting, but you have only been trying a month. You only know what you have read on the internet. If your doctor says they do not believe it is a problem to worry about just yet then you have to believe in that. Otherwise you could be opting for invasive procedures for no reason at all. It might be that you get pregnant next month. It might be that you get pregnant the month after. You simply don't know unless you try.

I know his problem is genetic, in a sense, but at least he has sperm. I've herd of people with zero count. He doesn't have that. It might be below average but it's only 'just' below average. That is not zero. He has sperm. They say lifestyle changes CAN improve motility and it seems that is the only true problem. I know things can help motility because I've known people who have been through it. Acupuncture. Cold showers. Less alcohol. Cut out caffeine. Better diet. All of these things can have an impact on motility and that is your only problem right now. Might not make it perfect but might improve it

You can only give it time. Believe me, time passes by quite quickly.

 

[chele]

Hiya
My husband told me a few weeks ago he has a varicocele
I don't think it's ever been confirmed by the doctor, but how do I go about getting him to go for an SA?

He has tried for children before in the past with his ex wife (2 lots of 6months) and it never happened - could be easily explained, could just have been one of those things, but I now have it in my head that it's not just me who has the problems, but he might too.

He needs to transfer to my dr anyway and I am seeing mine next week so will mention it to her.
I am in the process of getting my bloods done for my own referral but don't think I can wait that long for his SA to be done

Help!!!