Preparing for ICSI

[golden1989]

Hi everyone!
I have recently became a member of this page and this is my first post, please bare with me lol.
Myself and my partner are currently on the waiting list for ICSI (due to low male sperm count) and have been advised we may get word around spring time 2020 to start treatment.
Obviously we are absolutely determined to give it our best shot but have no friends or family who have ever gone through fertility issues before which makes this a bit more difficult for us to deal with.

Can I please ask advice from anyone who has ever gone through ICSI before? Like how to prepare yourself for the treatment? what to expect? what side effects did the treatment have on you? did anyone else's partner have a really low count but still be successful? and if it worked 1st time for you?

Its such a huge burden I feel like I need to know every single detail and would really appreciate any advice at all :-) TIA x

[nextweek]

Hi, I don't have an advice or information I'm afraid but I'm also interested in the experience that others have had as we're at a similar stage to you. My husband has low sperm count and poor morphology and we're hopefully start our first round of IVF/ICSI in the summer of 2020 depending on the waiting list times.
I've seen others posting on threads about documentaries they have watched that might be useful, sorry I can't remember the names of them but hopefully someone on here will know.

[Colly1984]

Hi, I’ve done icsi for same reason, my partner has a low sperm count and poor motility! We done it in the December of last year but I sadly lost it and had to have a d&c 9 weeks later.

We were lucky enough to have 4 embryos frozen and yesterday I have just had one of those embryos transferred

We do have a gorgeous 4 year old boy who was conceived naturally but we got told the chances are so low of it happening again that it would be best to proceed with IVF/ICSI.

I personally found the fresh cycle easier than I thought it was going to be. I have a massive needle phobia but I just got on with it an found it easier to inject myself rather than my partner doing it as I felt more in control that way an in the end they became part of my normal routine and weren’t an issue at all! I couldn’t believe it! Side effects wise, again I was ok...I know everyone’s different but I sorta expected IVF to be this massive deal but when I was doing it, I felt pretty relaxed...all I can remember really is feeling tired, few headaches and a bit bloated.

I’ve only ever posted on here once before but if you have any questions, feel free to ask

[shazzz1xx]

Hi
I had IVF ( ICSI ) due to male fertility (really low/poor sperm)

my first cycle last year resulted in 5 eggs only 1 fertilised.. transferred that one 3days after and it was successful but we miscarriaged at 10 weeks.. no eggs left so had to start another cycle 2month after my miscarriage and it cost £5000 as we are only entitled to 1 round on the NHS in leeds... we got the same outcome at egg collection only 5 eggs retrieved and only 1 fertilised.. so we transferred it again 3 days after and ive just got my baby girl 🥰 she’s 15 week old... July 2019

Good luck for the future ❤️

[shazzz1xx]

also I’m 34 and been with my partner since I was 15 and never been on contraception in my life.. that’s how poor my partners sperm is... it never go me pregnant in nearly 2 DECADES 😲

[ArsenicGreen]

ICSI after 7 years of trying. One round, lots of embryos (20 years ago and I can’t remember exactly how many but loads) and DD1 was the result. Having been told we could not conceive naturally “in a million years” we ended up with DD2 and DD3 within a further 3 years. That was a surprise!

[justbeingelle]

Following as we're at a similar stage.

[nextweek]

Thank you to those who have shared their experiences, it's really helpful.
We're awaiting the results of my husbands blood tests, which are to test his hormones (and I think chromosomes). Just wondered if anyone's husband had been given any medication or treatment based on the results of those types of tests prior to IVF/ISCI and if it made a difference?

[itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted]

I've had two cycles of ICSI - definitely put your man on conception supplements - Proceive Max for men and women has the most 'stuff' in them and both keep on a high protein healthy diet with minimal caffeine and alcohol

[golden1989]

Thank you so much to everyone for sharing your experiences this has been really helpful. Really sorry to hear of the miscarriages, my heart breaks to hear that, but such a delight to hear of your success stories, no two couples will ever be the same but it gives some reassurance and hope at this stage where it feels like we are in ''no mans land'' waiting for our treatment to start.
Myself and partner have already started to take supplements but I will be buying the ones suggested in one of the previous posts, thank you @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted for recommending these.

Good luck to everyone on their ICSI journey and I hope everything goes well for u all in the new year xxx

[Bridget87]

Hi all,
We have been told we will qualify for 1 round of ICSI on NHS hopefully will start March/April time as the only thing stopping us now is my weight 😢 as at my last appt was just over my recommended BMI.
Fabulous news for the success stories.
Hope you're all doing ok because this journey has taught me infertility can be a very lonely thing to go through.

[BeaCat]

Hello, we recently had IVF ( not MFI) but our first round we had low fertilisation rate even the thought the sperm was "normal"
So for this round of ivf my DH made a few changes: he took coq10, two Brazil nuts a day and impryl supplements. And we had a much better fertilisation rate. Don't know if it was down to these but it might have helped! Good luck X

[ckc45d10]

Ditto for CoQ10 as it may support fertility in both men and women. And, forms that are water and fat-soluble absorb better.