Teratozoospermia

[onelifeonechance]

Anyone?
We've been ttc #1 with no sniff of a BFP, currently on cycle 9. Got fed up of being an emotional wreck so told a porky to the GP that we'd been trying for 12 months so that we could both be tested in the naive hope that it would all be fine, we'd feel reassured and could just relax and wait for things to happen. That has just blown up spectacularly in our faces as we went to GP yst who has said my bloods are all fine and show I am oving but my husband's sperm test has shown an issue. Sperm count and progressive motility all fine/good, no antibodies killing his sperm. But his morphology is abnormal. He's been diagnosed with teratozoospermia. Apparently they like it to be greater than 4% and his is 1% (cut off for 'severe teratozoospermia is less than 1% so he's only just not in that category).
GP admitted he didn't know much more and has referred us to fertility clinic, no idea how long that it going to take. From googling it's looking like ICSI route but not sure that's right?? Don't know what to think til we speak to expert but no idea how long that's going to be and already feeling it.
Has anyone got any experience of this - the positive and the negative, don't hold back, rather know what we're dealing with.

How's yours?

He's heroic as always!

I am doing some extra whooping this end too!!!

X

Thanks ladies. You are ace. Xx

one I thought you'd been trying longer: I would also bet on you at85% return for BFP in next three minths! :-)

No probs, seems like forever!! But yes cycle 10 here. Think our chances are somewhat lessened with the dh sperm issues but carrying on regardless in blind hope!
M33r, remind me, did you ever use opks? And if so are you still doing those things now or just waiting for appointment? Also where do you stand on alcohol/diet/dtd regularity?? Sorry to bombard you with questions, feel free to answer all or none, I'm just curious!

Happy to answer.

I've been opk-ing religiously since June. Never missed and always get a positive AND never missed dtd lots round that time.

Diet and alcohol I haven't done anything or changed anything. I am size 12 and my hubby is not svelte but is no skinny mini: I eat what I like. I didnmt want to change my life. I stopped coffee for a bit but changed my mind.

I do some exercise but no much and with no structure.

Part of me thinks - 15 months in so I'm glad I didn't stop living; another part thinks if I had tchanged then maybe I'd be pg.

Oh and re dtd: I usually start after AF (cause I've missed it - blush); then try to dtd two of the three days before ov; day of ov and day after. DH had always performed but we've had a few months where it's been really hard to motivate...

And that's where we are.

Btw, on 6dpo I always gets loads of cm. I remember one month thinking it was a mucus plug and I must be pg but I've noticed I get it often. Any ideas? I wondered if the pos opk wasn't my ov and actually I'm 6 days early every month?? No idea...

Oh yeah, and I gave preseed a go for the last three months but have now run out. I tend to O before hubby (sorry tmi) but was thinking I might be killing the little guys - something about a ph level - so I hoped preseed would balance my ph. Have also tried not to O at all but there's something fundamentally wrong with that ... !

Nothing is tmi on here m33r!!

That's the bugger of this whole thing isn't it, it completely makes you question everything!! I absolutely agree that trying not to o at all def seems just plain wrong. But it makes you constantly question 'maybe it's not working because I did this/ate that/drank that/didn't o/did o/dtd then/didn't dtd then'.....it's so draining. When dh first got his results back I declared an outright ban on alcohol. But I've softened (it lasted all of one week!) as it just seems like we could be here forever and surely the odd beer or wine can't make that much of a difference and does help life to seem bit more normal. I just can't face us being here in two years time having toasted every birthday, anniversary, christmas etc with fizzy water, meh.

We too have opkd religiously and always dtd during the 'right' time each month. Like you we've had months where we've had to 'dig deep' with the dtdeeding but we've always done it (then when af arrives it's like yet another sock in the teeth!) I'm not sure what to do about opks now though as I'm on my last pack. I like them. They give me reassurance. But for most of my cycles I'm spot on the same give or take one day and my 21 bloods confirm I ov'd the month I had it done so I'm not sure whether to continue or not from a money point of view (and also because I keep reading that it may help not to use them as it takes pressure away - but that's just the same as saying oh yeah relax and it'll happen , as if we are ever going to forget we're trying for a baby!!! I know full well even if I do stop using opks I am still going to know exactly where I am in my cycle!!)

In terms of your cm at 6dpo, I'm afraid I don't know! I still get a bit of clear cm after ov but not lots, is it always at 6dpo?? Do you carry on with dtd after ov? Must admit we usually dwindle a bit after ov, tend to maybe make it another once or twice. Might be worth keeping going if you have the stamina just in case it is ov? Have you ever opk'd at that time??

In have decided to leave the ovulation predictors behind. I used them for 6 months and they showed I was getting lh surge each month. I have now had a normal day 21 progesterone also. I don't really see the point. Also there have been a couple months when I have reached day 14/15 ad still waiting for positive opk (which I usually get on day 14) and started worrying. I have always had it the following day, but I think it has added a small amount of additional stress.
I was thinking of trying pressed. The more I think about it, the more I think luck has a huge part to play, sadly.
My gynaecologist friend says dtd every day for some people is too much, partic if certain types of sperm issues, and nhs advice advice is every other day.
So much to consider .......

Has your dh done his sample Jesse? How is he about it? Do you have a follow up appt booked for the results or will they contact you?

That's what I'm thinking with the opks. Got one more cycles worth, so think may leave them after that, we'll see!

His sample is Monday. Gp asked for us to make appointment for results, and we can phone to make sure the result is in first. Feeling really nervous either way. If completely normal, we need to keep going and hope one of these months, luck is on or side. I am not a pessimist but for some reason I have a bad feeling about it. No point in guessing at this stage. Either way, I want a referral to gynae at a year or before.
Are you doing another sample or waiting 3 months first?

Ps - he has been amazing about it. I am trying not to ask to many questions and talk about it too much.

He has a day off work on Monday to do it and I am at work, so not around to annoy him! X

Oh sorry, blonde moment, knew it was Monday but getting my days mixed up! Yes think best not to say too much about it, easier to discuss things once the sample is done I think. Our gp has referred us to fertility clinic based on one sample. Reading the clinics criteria I know for sure it will have to be repeated but I presume the has to be three months in between tests because of sperm production? So think by time we're seen it will be time to retest anyway. Not sure whether we got referred straight off as results so bad or just cos he thought it's best to get us in the system

Again one I could have written your post down to being on my last batch of opks. I think I'm going to stick with it though as I vary between 14&16 days which doesn't sound like much but it's enough especially as DH works away sometimes. I may change my mind.

The alcohol thing I agree with. I cut back as was a little too partial to weekday wine and that's all in the past but weekend wine lives on!

Like you after ov we're not exactly every other day or anything like it!! It just gets exhausting!

The preseed I think I may also stock up again but then it does add another clinical angle ... I dunno! I dunno!

I'm lucky my appt is in at least!

Oh and re gp: my DH's sa the first time was fine and he called and the receptionist said I don't know your result but there's a note that you've been referred. He was beside himself. I called up to ask sensible questions - turns out, they refer everyone at this stage. His results were fine and we got put in system so not because of the low result - it's everyone.

It only takes one one! :-)