My first post... TTC for a year now ... :-(

[Nautical1985]

Hi all, we are new to the forum but just looking for some advice.



My wife and I have been trying to conceive for about a year now. She had a BFP in December 2013, unfortunately resulting in a miscarriage, I still don’t know to this day if it was a true pregnancy or a chemical one.



We have been to the doctor regarding our concerns and trying for a year without any success as most couples would and we have had some tests done on both of us.



My wife has had scans and has been told she is fine and everything is normal and there is no reason why she shouldn’t fall pregnant, unfortunately I have low motility and aggluation of my sperm. The doctor is now going through the form filling for IVF, and they have said that ICSI is not suitable for us. We are both taking supplements and trying to make changes to diets and lifestyles to help.



I work offshore 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off so timing is difficult with regards to ovulation windows for us anyway. We would really like to conceive naturally however feel this might be out of our control so we would like to hear if any of you have some advice for us and if there is hope on the horizon it would be good to hear some success stories too. Do you know why ICSI would not be suitable?



Also be good to know how many times we should be doing the deed during high fertility periods with the nature of my sperm. This really is an emotional rollercoaster, and it is heart breaking every month.


Thanks
Bryan

 

[SR35]

Hi Bryan

In a previous relationship a few years ago my partner and I tried for a long time for a baby but with no success. We too had tests and were told everything was ok with me but there was a problem with his sperm and that IVF would be our only chance.

I did a lot of research and bought the Marilyn Glenville book, Natural Solutions to Infertility, which gives a great deal of information on which foods can help/hinder conceiving, which vitamins to take to increase your sperm count and what lifestyle changes you can make, all of which hopefully could result in improving your sperm count and also ensure your wife is in optimum health to become pregnant.

We decided to follow the diet plan and vitamin recommendations and were shocked to be told a few months later that my partner's sperm count had increased from less than 5 million to over 20 million in that short space of time.

It is quite a strict diet but you do get used to it and start to feel much healthier. In the end my partner and I went our separate ways but he went on to meet somebody else and conceived a child naturally so I think that there is definitely something in it.

Good luck x

 

[Nautical1985]

thanks for your reply. Ill look into buying that book, a change of diet can only increase our chances. Im sorry to hear about you and your partner going your seperate ways..

To be honest its just an emotional rollercoaster every month, lots of high hopes and then nothing just adds to the stress of it all.

Im hoping something comes of this IVF as we are both ready to be parents so much

 

[Imber]

Hi Bryan!

Me and my husband had a similar issue this month. I was diagnosed with PCOS as well, but also his sperm count was at a 7. So we got told that we could only hope for IVF. Even though your problem is not the same, the fact is that we ended up begging our doctor to just let us take another test, just in case he was too nervous during the first one.
So he repeated the test the next day and the number went up to 30! We were quite shocked and asked the doctor and all she said is that sperm tests can be so different from time to time that all we could really do was to try to live healthy.

I think it´s great you are concerned and want to talk about it! My husband was devastated to the point that he did not even want to discuss the subject, at first. If you are unsure why you got told they are not suitable for ICSI then just try to get your doctor on the phone and ask? It´s the easiest way! I understand your feelings, it´s so hard to have to face these facts in such short appointments that all the questions seem to disappear from our minds while we have the chance to ask them!

Hoping for the best for you!

 

[ema-lou24]

My OH too has a low sperm count of less than 5mil and a mobility of 20%. We did as SR35 suggested regarding diet etc and we now have a near 3yr old daughter and im pregnant with a little boy, so some of his swimmers are going the right way after our diet changes etc. I also have fertility issues but our specialist was more concerned about getting my body to ovulate and stated that it only takes one sperm to make a baby. I do feel they throw the words IVF at couples far too quickly, its devastating. It did take us 18months to conceive our daughter and im a firm believer that stress can be a huge factor in fertility issues.
The fact your wife did fall pregnant in December 2013 is a good sign, but im very sorry to hear of your miscarriage.

I think some diet changes and another sperm test should be done before going down the route of IVF but I do understand how heartbreaking it all is and the quicker the better for some people.
I sincerely hope you and your wife get your baby soon. Lots of love xx

 

[keeptrying14]

I went through acupuncture while ttc. This was an aid for me as we had only been ttc for 6 months. While I was there I was reading a leaflet how acupuncture helps increase men's sperm counts and it's really affective maybe worth looking into this too? Good luck with everything c