Potential fertility issues

[Laura_C]

Me and my hubby are beginning to think that someone really has it in for us as we have had the worst luck the last couple of years and this year especially has just been hell! I suppose we are WTT now and have hopes that we would like to try for another baby by next Christmas. Losing Ethan has been the worst thing we have ever experienced and the nightmare continues daily but looking to the future helps a little. We want another child so badly and it really hurts to think that may never happen.

We are now facing potential fertility problems as my husband has been having some difficulty over the last 18 months. It all started when he was experiencing pain in one of his testicles. They found he had epididymitis and a varicocele. He has bloods taken etc but the pain eventually subsided after a while. About 6 months after this we decided to TTC and as you know we had an early miscarriage in March. We tried again and we conceived Ethan, who then turned out to be a very sick boy and was delivered early and we lost him soon after. Well, this pain/problem has resurfaced an the doctor is quite concerned. Apparently his blood tests from 18 mths ago showed a problem - he was not contacted at all with abnormal results so has left it all this time!! Bloody NHS! The doc wants him to hav a HIV test amongst other things, but for some reason is worried about HIV. If my hubby had it, then I'm pretty sure I would after all this time and I was tested during my pregnancies. Anyway, he may lose his testicle also and we are concerned about why that means for his fertility. What if the other doesn't take over?? So many questions! I am pretty sure if he did have fertility problems after this we would have no support from the NHS for IVF as we have a little girl already.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to write this down my head is all over the place! I just don't know what else we are going to have to face as if what we have been through recently isn't bad enough

 

[LouiseB]

Aww i'm really sorry Laura

I think you are right that if he had HIV that surely you would already have it too and it would have shown up in your tests during pregnancy, but i don't really know anything about HIV except for it being transmitted from male to female easily during vaginal intercourse.

It seems epididymitis is directly related to a varicocele, so it seems more logical to me that it the cause of the epididymitis rather than HIV.

Plus there are lots of other easily treated causes that make up the vast majority of cases... so the odds are greatly in your favour

You are right that you'd get no help from the Nhs, but there are cheaper alternatives. You can clearly get pregnant and hubby's count must be ok so if his sperm quality is the problem they can wash it for you and get rid of the dodgy looking sperm.

I'm really sorry you've had such a hard time lately, your story about Ethan really broke my heart it was so sad but you'll be alright

 

[Laura_C]

Thanks for the info Hun, really helped reading your post. So they can wash his sperm, interesting! Didn't realise they could so things like this. I am hoping our bad luck is just down to freak incidents rather than any specific cause but I think there is something. Can egg quality be a factor? I only have one ovary and Fallopian tube in working order and I also have endometriosis too, I do worry that maybe that isn't helping - doctor has told me not to worry as we have conceived easily in the past. He did say though that it would be better for us to try sooner rather than later in terms of my condition and my fertility can worse much more quickly.

Let's hope the tests are clear hey!

 

[LouiseB]

Egg quality can be a factor, but i don't see any reason why you'd have a problem with your eggs.

You're young and having one ovary/tube and endometriosis shouldn't effect your egg quality

I'm sure the tests will come back just fine, so enjoy your christmas as best you can

 

[PrincessLeia]

Laura, I am truly sorry for everything you have/are going through. I cannot imagine the pain you felt......

Are you ready to take your Docs advice and try again or is it too soon?

Surely, if it is known that you have one falopian tube and that your OH only has one testicle (in the worst case scenario) you would definately be considered for IVF.

I hope you can get answers.

xx

 

[LouiseB]

Hey Laura_C,

I was wondering... can you see your husbands varicocele?

My hubby has a v low sperm count and i found a girl on YouTube that is in the situation where her husband is having a minor op to fix his varicocele and hopefully his sperm count.

My husband hasn't actually had a physical examination yet, surprisingly, so i was thinking of giving him one myself.

Can you see your husbands varicocele?

 

[Laura_C]

You can feel that my husbands Epididymis is swollen, thats where the sperm matures I think - I was wondering if this was causing poor quality sperm, hence a miscarriage and a very poorly baby. I will have to have a look with regards to the varicocele - he has a scan at the hospital and the doc confirmed it from that, not sure if he could see it on from a physical exam. I will have a look!

Luckily at the moment the varicocele has not caused any problems with regards to us conceiving but it could only be a matter of time i fear. He can have an op but the doctor didn't feel it necessary, this was before we lost our two babies. I just don't have a clue if this in itself can cause poor quality sperm and therefore higher risk of pregnancy related problems.

 

[Laura_C]

Just found a couple of things on the internet about epididymitis and a higher level of abnormal sperm. My husband has had two bouts of kidney stones in the last 18 months so I think this is what keep causing the problem for him - well I hope it that.

Must remember to mention to the doctor when our testing starts and see whats he thinks...

 

[LouiseB]

Is it just your GP that you are speaking to?

I've found them to be a bit crap when it comes to an in depth knowledge of anything beyond writing a prescription.

 

[Laura_C]

At the moment with regards to just my hubby's issues - were just going through the GP. I don't think they are even thinking about potential fertility issues specifically at this stage. I totally agree with the GP thing, they are useless, especially around this sort of thing. I'm not gonna waste my time with the GP, althugh they want to do STD/HIV testing and some other tests to rule out anything sinister.

We're also speaking to about 3 other doctors, my Gynae consultant (at Royal Oldham), Ethan's Neonatologist and my Obstetrician from Hope Hospital (where I had Ethan delivered) and doctors at Stepping Hill hospital which is my local hospital which I was transferred from! It's total madness. we are seeing them with regards to genetic counselling and are awaiting results from tests already taken from me and Ethan. My hubby has had no fertility testing at all yet - this is my worry. I've been checked thoroughly due to already having gynae issues and obv having two babies so I know what my issues are so to speak!

My Gynae consultant who I have been under for years has offered and fertility testing we need due to our Neonatal loss so hopefully they will support us as much as possible. It would be nice to know whether we are worrying about nothing and that this whole year has been made up of freak incidents.

 

[LouiseB]

I don't know which is worse - freak incidents or a problem that can be treated

It's so horrible what you've been through...

I'm still optimistic for you though I hope they get a move on with the tests.

 

[Laura_C]

I'm beginning to think the same, at least if we know what were dealing with we can take steps to get treated. I just really don't want to conceive again and the same thing to happen if I could of been avoided. As the days go by, the feeling of wanting to TTC is getting stronger - at first it was out of the question but I think we will do anything we can to make it happen

 

[p1nk11]

hi hunni been reading ur posts & just wanted to send u ((((big hugs)))) try to stay positive we deserve our happy ending & will get it - i'm going to keep reminding you xxx

 

[Laura_C]

 

[Laura_C]

Thought I should add update here, my husband got his HIV results today - negative, thank the lord!!!

We do now know that he has high levels of urate in his blood so whatever is causing this is giving him bouts of kidney stones. I'm hopeful that maybe this is causing the problems in his male area not sure though!

So he is having ongoing invetigations now to try and find out why he has high urate levels. He is still continuing to have pain down there on and off so something isn't right.

 

[cosmicgirl]

What a massive relief hunni, hope you get to the bottom of it all soon xx