A partial answer, but poor DH :(

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Professor got the results of his SA yesterday - count of 2 million, where it apparently should be around 15 million They were going to do a morphology and motility, but there wasn't enough, so we've only got the count.

Needless to say, he's pretty cut. He was severely bullied in primary school, the boys would regularly kick him in the testicles, so he was pretty sure that it may be one of our problems - but hearing just how much has shocked both of us. Little jerks, I wonder if any of them think of him now and regret what they did?

So, he's got a follow up referral for a few months time. We're gonna try boosting his count with general health and vitamins, and he's under a lot of stress at the moment so we're working on that too. I'm googling and reading stuff in here, but any advice/tips would be much appreciated

[LizLemon]

to you and DH. It was and still is a huge blow to my DH when we got the results of his tests. For some reason men find it more as a confidence blow to have fertility problems than women do.

I don't have any advice in raising count etc I'm sorry. We tried menevit, which our FS was trialling at the time and it made zippo of difference. We also saw an andrologist who did a heap of further tests (including an Ultrasound) which showed a small varicocele (like a varicose vein around the testicle) which gave us huge hope but it turned out to be too small to treat, and unlikely to be causing the issue. In the end we did ICSI through our FS.

If you want the details of the Andrologist (I'm in Perth too) let me know.

Best of luck, these things are so so hard.

[Teeki]

Oh your poor DH Sorry, I have no advice, but we were worried the same thing could happen to us after a few incidences in DH's childhood. Those kids, I can imagine how angry you are at them - reading your post makes me furious at their treatment of your DH.

I hope things can take a turn for the better for both of you very soon

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[butterfly_warrior]

Keike...

I remember well the moment we got our semen analysis results and told that we had zero chance of natural conception and that ICSI was our only choice. It's a hard thing to have to face.

BW

[Rainbow_Mumma]

Oh hunni I feel so much for you and DH! When we were having our own fertility issues we were told zinc would boost DHs count other than that I can't remember I do have a book somewhere that I can find for you if you want some recipes from it they are all designed to boost both male and female fertility


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[PumpkinZulu]

Oh babe, to you and DH I remember when DF's SA came back...count was fine, motility was low, but the kicker was that only 4% of them were viable - the rest of them didn't have heads, which means that genetically they were useless...may have explaned all our prior miscarriages though. The andrologist we were seeing gave us a 2% chance of concieving naturally, DF's problems combined with my own. We found that out in July, ater an 89 day cycle, AF came. Then I had my HyCoSy, which showed a bit of blockage in one tube, and also cysts on my left ovary. AF came. Then, she didn't. Against the odds, DF's stupid slow headless sperm met one of my tempermental eggs and we made Isla. I know how hard it is to get such solid news, such ****ty news But, now you know. Now you can work with that. Those boys who bullied your poor DH, shame on them! That is disgusting Huge hugs to you and DH...when you're ready, you'll both be able to move on from this stronger people, because, as crappy as that knowledge is, at least now you're armed with it.

ETA: Are you having further testing to find out what condition they're in at all?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

The longer I think about it, the more it affects me BW. We made the decision a long time ago that we wouldn't be using IVF or FET or anything like that, the most we would do was ovulation induction. The FS yesterday recommended we freeze a sample, as the count is likely to go down as he gets older (he's 32 this year), which just hammered it into us. I mean, I know realistically we only need 1 out of 2 million, but we don't know what state they're in! 2 million with no tails is pretty much the end for us.

[Jennifer13]

Oh hun. I can only imagine how this must feel. I hope the two of you get to talk this over and that the boosting efforts work.

[onthefly]

Oh, poor Professor (and you too!). It is good to have some idea of what you are dealing with though

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

You're the example I gave him yesterday PZ, when we got the call. I told him about your miracle Isla, and your odds, and it perked him up a bit

[butterfly_warrior]

Keike, I remember thinking very similar thoughts. DH was initally dead set against IVF treatment, but he changed his mind in the reality of IVF or no children. With my health conditions, other ways to create a family are closed to us. So he agreed to do one cycle and one cycle only of egg collection... two miscarriages later, he agreed to another... and then another and finally we got Sam.

It's ok to revisit the decisions you made once and perhaps change your mind. A book that really helped us was "when the cradle is empty" - it dealt with miscarriage, loss, infertility and IVF from a Christian perspective. I think I gave it back to the friend that loaned it to us, so I can't check the author at the moment. I'm not trying to say that you have made the wrong decision, just that sometimes in the face of new evidence, decisions can change. Not doing well with words today - I certainly mean no offence at all and I do not know your personal reasons behind the no IVF, just guessing.

But you have got me wondering... DH was a victim of school bullying as well, and while he won't tell me the specifics of what he went through, I certainly think the kicks to the groin may have featured highly - and it sickens me.

BW

[PumpkinZulu]

You're the example I gave him yesterday PZ, when we got the call. I told him about your miracle Isla, and your odds, and it perked him up a bit

I'm glad Hold your DH close, he is a very sweet man, much like my DF, and I saw how devistating an effect finding out the news was on DF. He felt every emotion you could imagine...up until then, the assumption was that it was all me with the fertility issues, as I was the one having all the invasive tests, I was the one charting, I was the one that was bedridden with every AF...he just assumed that that was enough bad luck, and that he would be fine It's a shock, for us too, but for them, because they want to be our protectors and providers...and when they can't protect us from the hurt, or provide us with a child, they feel very insecure. My DF did anyway.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

That was the first thing he said to me, 'I'm sorry I can't give you a baby' I said to him that there's every possibility I'm not ovulating, and without something to fertilise it wouldn't matter if he had 2 million or 200 million! It may work out alright though, it's something tangible that he can work on, and I know he'll get stuck into it

Ooh, I'll look up that book BW, thanks

[sarah85]

Oh Keike - I can only imagine how you and your DH must be feeling! I don't have any personal experience, so please excuse me if it's inappropriate that I post here, but would your DH consider seeing a Naturopath? I don't know much about your journey, so he may already be seeing one, but just thought it was worth the suggestion...

Hearing about your DH being bullied makes me so angry - what is wrong with children to want to physically injure another child like that (well, it happens all the time to adults too, and I just don't get it)??

[Hollybolly]

Keike

This whole thing is horrid, and I know how hurt you must be right now

BW's last post was fantastic... definately get a hold of that book xxx

In the meantime, grab both yourself and DH some Royal Jelly (Fresh is best, but otherwise capsules are fine) and I'm one to say that I do believe the Menevit made a difference. They do say that you need to allow 3 months for it to be working to it's full potential.
For yourself, get started (if you're not already) on Blackmores Conception Gold... the combination of those things with us made a huge difference from all of our other IVF cycles and the last one (that gave us Carmelo).
Oh! and CoQ10 for both of you as well

Wishing you all the very very best xoxo

[kimmi]

Have you seen a natural therapist for his count, and your ovulation for that matter... There are many herbal remedies in both eastern and western herbal medicine that can assist improve counts and bring on natural ovulation.

Even acupuncture has shown improvements.

[Taurean]

Oh man, that sucks hon

The only vitamin I'm aware of that's mainstream is zinc - it can help the boys swimmers however, given what you know, I'm not sure if it would be enough IYKWIM.

I'm crossing everything that a sticky bubba is in the near future for you guys.

[Miss.B]

Big hugs hunni and to your DH. I know how devastating this can be to a man, My DF's count was 0. We had to find the swimmers with a needle and then do IVF/ICSI. It sucks