Starting IVF with Known MFI

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

Just wondered if there is anyone else out there starting IVF with known Male Factory Infertility?

My DH and I are about halfway through the process. Known issues with sperm basically doesn’t have a lot and those that he does have don’t swim in the right direction!

Anyone else out there want to buddy along?!

[OstrichRunning]

Hi whatelse, I'm on the other side of ivf for mif but just wanted to say best of luck. It can be tough but worked for us. If there are no found female factors then that can bode well for ivf. I got an ebook called It Starts With The Egg - presents evidence (some admittedly a bit thin) for nutrition & supplements that might help. Even though the clinic found no female factors, age was not on my side and this book convinced me there was no harm and may be some benefit to a v high protein diet during stimms. I also took a supplement called cq10 and omega 3.

Best of luck with it! Take it easy on yourself during stimms and I'd say if possible don't commit to anything you can't get out of around then.

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

Hi ostrich thank you for responding and I’m glad to hear it worked out for you!

Guess I’m just feeling a little lost and overwhelmed at it all! Very scary and I never thought it would come to this (but who does I guess?!)

Can I ask what supplements you took during the process? Did you do anything specific? Thanks

[smith1986]

hi @whatelsecouldibecalled

we have mfi but i'm not due to start downregging till 16th of next month, your cycle will probably be finished by then. I have one failed nhs cycle april 2017 on short protocol. just wanted to wish you luck xx

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

Hi smith. I’m sorry to hear that you have had one failed cycle. Wishing you lots of luck for your next cycle.

I haven’t had any cycles yet we are currently in the admin stages having done all the main tests etc. Hoping to get somewhere soon really.

[Pumpkin18]

We have recently been diagnosed with mif so researching clinics for ivf with ICSI. Hoping to start treatment in january I think

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

Hi pumpkin. Yes we will be going with ICSI too. It’s the only way for us I think. Are you self funding?

[FlyingCat]

This was me a few years back - i now have twl beautiful daughters... by the way consider having more work done to improve your dh’s sperm too.
Have a look at my blog here. www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=319837.0

[Pumpkin18]

Yes @whatelse we have to as I'm too old to have treatment on the nhs. We are hoping to go to Czech republic.

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

@pumpkin wishing you lots ignored luck. Do you know roughly when you hope to start?

@flyingcat huge congratulations on your two girls. Fingers crossed we have the same outcome. I have just briefly glanced at your blog and it makes for very interesting reading. I shall be readying throughly tonight thank you

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

@pumpkin gosh lots of luck NOT lots of ignored luck! Jesus!

[OstrichRunning]

I used the vitabiotics coq10, you can get it in Boots. Equazen I think was the name of the omega 3 brand.

[Pumpkin18]

@whatelse we are hoping to have treatment in January

[smith1986]

@whatelse

sorry, when you said halfway through the process i thought you meant through a treatment cycle. we are having icsi also with our clinic, have the hospital given you a rough time when they think you can start ?

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

@smith it’s a bit complicated for us as we will be going sort of private funded through DH work. Once all the numerous amount of admin is sorted and accepted it should be a case of starting on next cycle. We just keep getting passed from pillar to post etc. We’ve had all the tests and scans etc and the results just need the go ahead!

[smith1986]

@whatelse

good luck, i hope you get the go ahead soon. be nice to have a cycle buddy :-)
my MFI is partner had undescended testicles as a child :-(
was very low at fist we have managed to double it with a bit of a healthier lifestyle and vit's, we used wellman then proxeed plus, we have just changed back to wellman.

[Pumpkin18]

@whatelse we have literally just found out my DH had an undescended testicle when he was young too! We didn't know until we told his parents what we were going through. Good to hear you have managed to improve your dh's count!

[kelou75]

Hi everyone hope your all well? We are due to start IVF/ ICSI they are undecided but probs be ICSI, on either end of this month or end of September due to MFI. We have been very lucky to get funding for one round on nhs. We’ve been trying for about 5 years ( I’ve lost count tbh) and I’m 36.
Today we’ve seen the nurse and gone through all my meds and learned how to do the injections 😬. I will be on antagonist protocol not sure if this is good or bad?)
Just a bit annoyed that today they’ve realised my smear is due in September!!! My clinic won’t do it so I’ve rang my gp, battled with receptionist to get it done without my letter but the earliest appointment is next Tuesday n I’ll be CD27! So unsure if that will be possible to do, if not I’ll be waiting till end of September to start my round. The rational side of me knows its necessary, but I’m just annoyed I’m so near to starting and it’s taken a year since our initial Gp referral.
Right gonna slap myself and have a takeaway tonight, need to get a grip and think rationally!

[smith1986]

thanks @pumpkin, i've just read back and you are starting icsi in jan ?
bet you cant wait to get started, have you decided on your clinic yet ?

[smith1986]

hi @kelou

what a bummer about the smear, it's never plain sailing!!. fingers crossed its all sorted soon.
i was on the short protocol on my first, think its all decided on blood readings.
my nhs cycle took a long time.
good luck hun.

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

@smith what made you move from proxeed back to wellman? DH been taking wellman for 5 months now. We have just had latest SA results back and whilst the volume has improved slightly (although still low and out of normal range) the morphology is only 1% and only 36% motility! Agh! Is it worth us trying proxeed??!

@kelou I’m sorry to hear about the smear how annoying although great to hear your getting started. Fingers crossed soon!

I’ve got next round of blood tests for Hep A B C HIV rubella and TTfs and then we should be good to go! Blood appointment on Friday so sincerely hoping we might have at least got to the clinic by October??!

[smith1986]

@whatelse
tbh it was the foul taste and price, he had them for 3 months.
just decided to go back to the gravy pill as my partner calls it :-D
we were less than 1% normal forms to begin, it went up to 2%,
we haven't had semen test done since last oct, doctor from new clinic was fine with that sample because its within the year, so we don't know if proxeed has done any good until egg collection day, i'm a bit scare about that in case its made it worse, but the wellman worked for us before so just have to keep fingers crossed.
i might speak to the clinic and get another sample before we start.

[Pumpkin18]

@smith1986 we are hoping to start in Jan but we've not had our first fertility appointment yet. We are looking at going to Reprofit in the Czech republic as we just can't afford treatment in this country.

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

@smith wow that’s great that you guys managed to improve it. Maybe we need to give it a bit longer. Does anyone know if really low morphology affects IVF success? We will be having ICSI so hopefully they can find at least one good swimmer?!

Also if we have ICSI does that mean we will only have one egg fertilised per cycle? I know some people who have IVF but not ICSI might manage to have 5/6 etc eggs fertilised? Can anyone shed any light on this?

[Pumpkin18]

@whatelse I believe you can have more than 1 egg fertilized per cycle it just depends on how many healthy eggs and sperm there are and if they make it to transfer day

[WhatelsecouldIbecalled]

@pumpkin. Thank you that makes sense!