# New to this and wanting people to talk to



## KatAaron (Mar 13, 2014)

Hi 

My husband and I have been trying for a baby for 2 years and just before christmas we found out that my husband has a low sperm count and low motility. We had our initial appointment at a sub fertility clinic in feb where my husband had to have some repeats of tests and some new ones and i had to have my tubes checked. Our next appointment is in april and this is when we get all results back. It is very likely that we will be referred to the bourn hall clinic in wymondham for ivf treatment following this appointment. The alternative is if my husbands sperm count improves he will be tried on medication for a year. I am 25 and my husband is 27 and we are both extremely run down and struggling at present as i am a childrens occupational therapist so am surrounded by children and pregnant parents and everyone we know seems to be expecting a baby and we are the only ones that cant it seems! We feel very alone and isolated!


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## Pudding34 (May 13, 2013)

Hi KatAaron

You definitely aren't alone! Not here!

Like you my husband has a low count and all my friends are having babies around me, as well as my neighbours, it feels like a horrible conspiracy doesn't it!

This is the place to find the support you need though Hun, check out the coping with fertility page it gives you a good place to rant about stuff If you are feeling overwhelmed! 

My best piece of advice is to have as many tests done as you can before you commence treatment, I am hypothyroid and borderline PCOS which may have contributed to two chemical pregnancies so even if you have to go private for it it will definitely be worth it!

I hope you find some help with your issues here and if you have any questions I would every happy to answer them for you if I can!

Pudding
X


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## sian1988 (Mar 13, 2014)

hello,
my nurse has told me the vitamin CENTRUM is really good for low sperm count .... my boyfriend had been taking it for  few month now, he didnt have that much of a low sperm count but because he has protein drinks and did used to use steriods then my nurse told him to tart takin them and it did help as i fell preg but i miscarryed tuesday just gone  we have been referrd for IVF as i have a scarred fallopian tube and struggle to concieve but i do recommend looking into takin vitamins for his sperm .
x0x0


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## Dory10 (Aug 6, 2013)

Hi KatAaron

Like the others have said, you're not on your own.  We're suffering from male factor IF too.  Dh has been on a cocktail of vitamins for over 2 years but so far we've found nothing has increased his count, it just seems ot go up and down for no apparent reason.  We had our first ICSI cycle last year and are about to start round 2 next month.  I'm an Early Years teacher so am too surrounded by young children and babies daily and am fed up of being ask if I'm broody as I'm constantly surrounded by them.

Take Care and Good Luck  

Dory
xxx


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## KatAaron (Mar 13, 2014)

Hi

Thanks for the replies. It is so nice to hear from people in similar situations to us. My husband has recently started taking centrum multivitamins and i have restarted the seven seas trying for a baby ones but we were told by our doctor that the vitamins and my husband stopping smoking may change his count by a few million but not enough. He has had to have a blood test because his count is so low - does anyone know whether this is common practice as I was surprised at this!? Good luck to all with your next steps xxx


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## KatAaron (Mar 13, 2014)

Forgot to say in previous message the blood test was for genetic testing xxx


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## Fitness Fanatic (Mar 12, 2014)

My husband has low count and low motility but wasn't sent for the blood test?

What was your husbands count?

Mine's was 6 million so maybe that's not low enough to be considered a genetically problem... 

It's good they have done the blood test, at least try are covering all bases!


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## Dory10 (Aug 6, 2013)

KatAaron

Yes completely normal my DH had blood tests for certain genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and some others with names I can't pronounce let alone type!  They need to rule things out when the count is so low, the highest my DH has ever had is around 2 million and the lowest was 0.  These blood tests take a little longer than others to come back as, in our case needed to be sent away to the larger hospital where they specialized in genetic testing.  Fortunately for us they came back negative.  Remember with ICSI you only need one sperm per egg, on our first round I had 11 eggs and they found enough sperm for each.

Dory
xxx


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## Pudding34 (May 13, 2013)

Fitness Fanatic

Anything below the regular parameters which your DHs count is would be considered low and therefore it would be advisable to have further tests.

I don't know if you are NHS funded or not but if you are and your clinic can't offer you a Karotyping test this can beone privately, we did it at the Lister in London. Thank god the test came back all clear.

My DHs urologist suggested that as we have had two chemicals we should consider a DNA fragmentation test but really all this will tell us is if we should go to donor sperm and we definitely are not ready for that yet!

Our private consultant advised my DH to take Proxeed, it's not a nice drink but it was highly recommended, it comes in sachets that you mix in water, we are waiting to see if it has made a difference as he has been on not for two months now!

I wish you every luck in the world!

Pudding
X


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## Fitness Fanatic (Mar 12, 2014)

Pudding we are on NHS but at the same clinic and seeing the same consultant as katAaron which is why I asked!
Not sure why my DH wasn't sent for blood tests then?  I'll ask at our next appointment!


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## KatAaron (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks Dory and Pudding for your responses. It is good to know that the genetic testing is normal, I am praying they come back normal! Ours have to be sent to a larger hospital too so think thats why we have a bit of a wait until our next appointment. Fitness fanatic - My hubbys count is 3 million so considerably lower so that may be the reason he had to have genetic testing and your hubby didnt! Xxx


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## Fitness Fanatic (Mar 12, 2014)

Kataaron our appointment isn't until 29th April and our previous appointment was 26th feb and we haven't had the blood tests so think that's just the wait time!

We were told that after our next appointment the wait is only 2 months so that's good.. If you are struggling at your next appointment ask if you can see the counsellor, they have one that all fertility patients can see
Xx


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## KatAaron (Mar 13, 2014)

Ours was also 26th feb. Oh right I just assumed it was because we were waiting for tests that our next appointment is a bit of a wait. I would rather see a counsellor at bourn hall clinic as we didnt receive great care at jph. I work for the nhs so I guess my expectations are quite high and I work with some lovely consultants so thats what I expected. Good luck for the future!


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## Fitness Fanatic (Mar 12, 2014)

How funny KatAaron!

You must have been the couple that came out as we went in!

Ours is probably a few days later because we didn't book the follow up appointment until a few days later when OH when back to do his SA.

I'm going to mention the blood test the next time we go back. We were told that DH had to do another sample, if it came back the same (i.e. bad) then we would be referred for IVF and I don't need to have the dye test (to look at tubes) but if it comes back normal this time, then I would have to have my tubes checked and would be put on clomid. I really hope this isn't the case as I don't think clomid will help, and just feel like we are delaying having IVF.

OH has done 2 samples (well 3 but the first one was incorrectly processed!) First one just before Christmas, this came back with low motility (Dr said count was normal but the consultant said it was only 6 million). GP then said he wanted him to do another one (about a month after the first one) but this time it would go to the Norfolk & Norwich (rather than Paget, our surgery is now using N&N for tests) and this one came back low motility and low count.

We had an appointment with the Dr at our surgery who then said she would refer us to the Paget. So when we went to the Paget they only had his first SA on file and not the one done at N&N. Consultant wanted OH to do another one just to make sure and for me to have day 2-4 bloods.

Did he say why you have to have the tube test?

I have got problems with my back so have had dealings with consultants over the years and found them all to be quite curt and unapproachable!


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## KatAaron (Mar 13, 2014)

That is funny... funny we should join this at a similar time too! We thought it was only low motility with my hubby and it wasnt until our appointment with the consultant that we found out it was count as well! We have pretty much been told the same... if SA results dont change then we will be referred and I have to have blood test on day 2-4 too. My hubby is going to do his next SA when I go in for that. He just said he wanted to make sure there were no issues with tubes e.g. any kind of blockages.

I have worked with palliative care and paediatric consultants so I guess they are generally nicer but with something like fertility which I see as being a sensitive subject I assumed they would be too! xx


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## Wraakgodin (Jun 17, 2006)

to FF, KatAaron !!!

I know exactly what you mean. I ran out of Ikea in tears once because every woman in there was pregnant! I think when you have fertility issues you notice bumps more. Having your job must make it that much harder . The only way I managed to cope (or cope more than I had been!) was to think "I don´t know what their story is, perhaps they had as much trouble as I had". As Pudding said, there is a "Coping With Infertility" section ~ CLICK HERE which I hope will help you.

Here are a few other links that I think might help you.

Male factors ~ CLICK HERE

IVF General chat ~ CLICK HERE

Keep a diary of your treatment (or read the experiences of others) ~ CLICK HERE

Cycle Buddies (undergoing treatment at the same time) - CLICK HERE

East Anglia ~ CLICK HERE

What Every New Member Needs To Know (includes a list of common abbreviations) ~   CLICK HERE

Chat Zone section which will give you info on upcoming chats in the chat room: CLICK HERE

Please feel free to ask more questions here, or on any other part of the site, there will be wonderful helpful people there to give you lots of support, information and cyber hugs if you need it.

Good luck!            

Sue


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