TTC first baby thread 26

@MIW01 I do more cooking now we’re home more, like you we’re not bad as it is. I could shift a few pounds though, as could he, but not a lot. I say this having just had my paws in a box of Cadbury’s orange Fingers lol.

I had a small fibroid and cyst but not sure if they were still there on the last scan. They weren’t causing any trouble before.

Just been told we can’t see Mr Ramsay until the end of July. I was hoping to start something in August but maybe not.

@thislittlebird at least it will help to manage our expectations with regards to how likely it is to work . . . I'm hoping that if we can "fix" fiancée's sperm in the meantime after we go for round 1 in August then if it is unsuccessful we'll have a much better shot! They also found a fibroid when they did the ultrasound but said it wasn't in the womb lining so wouldn't affect fertility but I was already aware that fibroids sometimes do impact so I'm doubling my efforts to get rid of it naturally so attempting to lose weight and improve my diet etc. Though we're already pretty good! Now I am not working you'd think I'd have more time for this cooking sh*t but honestly, it never seems to happen!

Or rather I should say, if they are able, it’s not something that’s offered which makes me assume they aren’t able to do it. All I do know is that the Comet test is done is Belfast.

I don’t think they’re able to do anything like that. All they do in ICSI is select the most ‘normal’ looking sperm under a microscope. It’s pretty rudimentary in a way, no means to select based on sperm frag before ICSI takes place afaik.

@MIW01 sorry to hear the results weren’t great, I suspect ours will be similar. I also don’t really want to wait for months to see if it improves, I’m already 38. My most optimistic thought on all this is I’m sure lots and lots of men who haven’t had sperm frag tests go on to have successful ICSI whilst none the wiser. I almost don’t want to know but at least I can manage my expectations, if that makes sense.

@Kiza my understanding from what she told us today is they don't check this - they jist look at it under a microscope like a normal SA. She said that they don't take DNA fragmentation into consideration at all!

@MIW01 for ICSI would they be able to select sperm that has low dna frag in the same way they are able to differentiate from the normal/ abnormal sperm for men with low morphology?

We had out initial consultation with the Fertility clinic today! My fiancée got his COMET test results back this morning just before we left and unfortunately they are outside the range for anything being successful (natural, IVF & ICSI). He's got an ultrasound booked for the 11th to see whether he has a varicocele but the consultant at the FERTILITY clinic told us they don't look at those results anyway, they just do a standard analysis and go from there. I had my AFC done and had 5+2 which is within range but not great so I'll be getting a higher dose of drugs and she urged us not to delay the treatment as time is not on my side at the grand old age of 35! We are expecting to start the protocol in August. I hope we have more information about fiancée's varicocele situation but I am not pleased that his COMET results won't be considered. It seems to me like they could be potentially wasting all of our time if they insist on using sperm that are not good! His overall score was 30% & range is up to 24% but at the same time I don't think we can afford to wait for him to get repaired as I'm running out of eggs!

@Lozzlepop lovely to just have some quality time together and great news about treatment- at long last!

@XjustagirlX are they able to spot the defragmented sperm via ICSI in the same way they spot abnormal sperm?

@Annny27 hope ovulation week is going well for you!

Thanks for all the well wishes ladies 🥰

Evening! Thanks so much all the well wishes ladies ❤️ Apologies for my absence, I’ve just been enjoying the first few weeks of married life and being a wife!!!

@orangeloo massive congratulations, I’m so so happy for you guys, how are you feeling?

@Kiza Look at your bump 😍 and how exciting that it’s a boy 💙 hope you are doing well!

How’s everyone else doing? What have I missed?

Eventually got my thyroid retested, last time my last results were borderline with my TSH coming in at 4.34 but this time it was 5.99 so they have agreed to treat me. Finally!!!!

@XjustagirlX yeah, same here. Lots of vitamins, including impryl as docs have recommended.

I'm hoping surgical is our last resort if it doesn't go to plan, good to have that option available if needed I guess.

@thislittlebird we have our consultation on Thursday so I will let you know. My husband is taking all of the recommended vitamins about 15 in total. This was all just research, vitamins recommended in it starts with the egg and vitamins for fragmentation issues.

Those ICSI figures are really scary but fragmentation can definitely be improved and ICSI is more successful than ivf for male issues. Also I was reading that a lot of the fragmentation occurs when it comes out so it’s possible to surgically extract the sperm too.

@XjustagirlX thanks for those. Yeah, I’m so anxious about it. Everyone talks like male factor is the easier problem and it’s really not if ICSI keeps failing. Has he been recommended anything?

Our results are early July, not sure if we can get an appointment for then though, need to get in touch with with Mr Ramsay’s PA in July.

We’re similar @MIW01. My husband could lose a little bit of weight but not a lot, he eats well, doesn’t smoke and an occasional drink. The pain does not sound good, hope he can get that sorted.

Sorry to hear about the DNA Frag results @XjustagirlX my fiancée' s are due back week beginning 5th July and we know his aren't due to lifestyle factors. He did go to see the GP today who "copped a feel" as it were to examine his testicle and said there was nothing really obvious but doesn't mean it's not there so has referred him for an ultrasound to check the boys out and see where we go from there. He's been in such horrendous pain recently it's really affecting him a lot!

Here are the fertile ranges

@thislittlebird yeah I’m the same. I’m worried that the dna damage will cause ICSI not to work or fur me to miscarry again.

They give you three numbers. One is for % of high dna damage, % of low dna damage and then an average number.

My husbands average was 32% and the fertile range is 0% - 25%.
His high dna damage was 2% and the fertile range is 0-4%.
Low damage was 63% and fertile range is 74-100%. So he is outside the range for two of the tests.

Interestingly it also gives the fertile ranges in which they expect ivf and ICSI to work. He falls outside of those ranges too. I saw that and really panicked thinking ICSI wouldn’t even work. But hopefully his result will improve enough before I need his sperm in 6 weeks!

Sorry @XjustagirlX, I just saw the answer when I scrolled up. I wasn’t sure what the acceptable range was but I suppose anything 25% and under is ok from reading your message.

@XjustagirlX can I ask what his frag results were? My husband’s are due back in early July and I’m certain they’ll be bad.

It worries me, we will be moving to ICSI once we have his results and have met with the two separate consultants. I’m so nervous of it not working because of high dna fragmentation.

@Annny27 we have decided to start ICSI at the end of July instead of end of June to give my husband an extra month to improve his sperm quality and we are seeing a specialist in London next week. The DNA frag issue was such a blow for us. I got really upset because my husband would not accept the results for a few days. I’ve bought him extra supplements following threads on here to improve his sperm dna.

What’s upsetting is that his result is bad and for 2 years he hasn’t had a bath, doesn’t drink and he has never smoked. Just think what the fragmentation will have been like 2 years ago.

And i read a study that showed Women with recurrent miscarriages partners had double sperm dna fragmentation compared to the test group.

@Kiza what a beautiful bump ☺️

Thank you @MIW01

@Annny27 hey my first scan is in 11 days, nervous! I'll be 7+1 then. I feel very tired a bit sick on and off. It's scary when I feel okay tbh as u worry about symptoms going. Good luck for fertile week 😘

Thank you @Annny27 we are very excited! I am hoping things go more smoothly from here. My fiancée is getting a COMET test to check for DNA fragmentation. He's getting lots of pain in his testicle and because they're asymmetrical it suggests he may have a varicocele which may cause DNA fragmentation and infertility. We get the results week beginning the 5th July. Our appointment woth the fertility consultant is 30th June and we'll discuss with her. He wants to sort it out regardless, i.e. surgery if it os a varicocele as he's in a lot of pain with it atm. And it's been getting worse over the years!

Thank you @Kiza that's a beautiful bump! Is he moving around in there now? Bet he's lovely and cosy 😊 I know what you mean I always feel so happy when it's anyone on our thread though as I know it's been such a long journey and so well deserved and I just love a good bump picture! Gives me hope and warms my ❤

@MIW01 I didn't want to upset anyone here as I know how hard I found it seeing and hearing pregnancy announcements and journeys- sometimes I would even say nasty stuff in my head it got to me that much!
24 weeks tomorrow and this was the bump photo from the weekend, I still feel eternally grateful to be in this position and think of you ladies often, sending sticky and positive vibes

Huge congratulations @orangeloo what amazing news, I have everything crossed for you! That must be so amazing to see those BFPs.

You look so lovely @Lozzlepop congratulations to you both. I'm sorry to hear not so great on the TTC side of things. I hope that will improve for you both soon.

Wow 22 weeks and a boy! That's amazing @Kiza - if you feel comfortable would love to see some bump pictures when he start to show 😊