conception and low-sperm count

[valleygirl]

Hello

finally i can move from contributor on the step-parenting board to conception board!!!
My bf had vasectomy reversal 3 months ago and we found out it was succcessful last week. However his sperm count is low (18 million as opposed to 20-100 million which is normal) and has quite a poor mobility rate within that too.
Has anyone else got similar problem with their dp/dh and had success story, and is there anything that he/I should be doing to increase or maximise chances of conception. He is already taking supplements of Zinc, Selenium and Q-10 Enzyme.

Any other advice gladly received!
thanks
VG
x

Hi Valleygirl. I am ttcing and can be found nose deep in "Natural Solutions to Infertility" by Marilyn Glenville. She recommends men with low sperm count taking Vitamin B12 50 mcg a day, has been shown to improve sperm count AND also 2 amino acids L-carnitine 100mg a day and L-arginine 1000 mg a day improve low sperm counts. It might be worth talking to someone in your local health food shop or doing some Googling to find out more.

anybody else around with happy ending stories?
will go and get the amino acids at holland and barrett tomorrow bunny2 - thanks!
what about stuff like cutting out cafeine, booze, hot baths, etc - is it all true?
anyone had lower sperm count and conceived without too many problems?
i'm really totally bemused by all this and very naive! but quite exciting too though!

VG, just responed on the trying to conceive thread about booze and caffeine. Both should be eliminated I'm afraid.

Hi Valleygirl
No advice really, just to say that we were in a similar situation with low sperm count. My dh had testicular cancer and had a testicle removed in 2002. He then had 3 weeks of radiotherapy. It was grim, but they were always pretty optimistic about the cancer (caught early, very contained etc)they just weren't so positive about our fertility and we'd just decided to start trying for a baby. Dh had to bank sperm prior to the op and his count was low and mobility not great. Anyway, we now have a gorgeous ds - 9 months old - and conceived after only 4 months of trying (felt like an eternity at the time!).

We read all about zinc, healthy diets, keeping cool etc., but the month we conceived was the month were most chilled out, so I echo maryz's comments about trying to relax about it. All the best!

thanks all - so happy for you tassis - your husband's story is identical to that of my brother's - premature testicular cancer, had it removed, all ok after 3 weeks radiotherapy - i am pretty sure that his hospital did not harvest sperm, which might not be so upsetting for him who's not keen to have kids, but to gf who wants kids might be very bad news. I shall have to speak to her about that.

i don't think we are too stressed about this conception things right now - but all those "accidental" pregnancies must be somehow realated to the fact that those involved just weren't trying for a baby, so I think that added pressue and stress can make such a difference!

Cross fingers though, eh?!