Low sperm count

[mslucy]

What can you do if your partner has a low sperm count?

I know this because we have had tests.

It's not a total disaster because we have one child (I had a mc as well).

But it's not great.

it's obviously a VERY touchy subject

Bump - all I know is following

Don't let the storage get warm , wear cotton undies - if any

No smoking (esp cannabis)

Cut back on alcohol

There are probably all sorts of good foods which can help but I am clueless, hopefully someone else will know!

I'm sure it's the booze.

He's not an alcky in the drink gin for breakfast kind of way.

but if there's any booze around of an evening he'll snaffle it.

Also, if he ever goes out with his mates he gets absolutely plastered.

We have a hospital appt soon - hopefully the doc will bollock him.

My friends Dh had same problem, tried for 2 years to conceive, eventually he agreed to change his lifestyle and he went into 'health freak' overdrive for 3 months - she conceived quite soon after and gave birth in December!
Seems so unfair especially when you read of all the drink and drug addled people getting pregnant just like that!

he says he'll stop the booze if a doctor tells him too but not if do - that's nagging!

typical - I sympathise.
We've just decided to try for number 3 (for me) first for dp - I told him there was no way I would accept him continuing to smoke and he refused to stop as it won't harm the baby as long as he's outside..... I think he missed the point.
Don't see why I should give it all up if he doesn't have to make any changes at all.
Plus I gave up smoking with dd1 & dd2 but then ex-h didn't so I started again. No willpower...

I didn't smoke for ages and then had a job from hell last year and found myself sneaking the odd fag from time to time.

Now I smoke one or two in the evening - have no urge during the day at all.

Booze destroys all willpower.

Dh is not a big smoker - I was much more into the fags before I had my son.

Drink is his thing. I think he feels its manly or something ridiculous.

I'm too vain to drink much.

Well you're very good, I drink too much but figure it'll all be stopping in Oct when I have coil out, so I might as well make the most of it!
(PS - I don't think the odd couple of ciggies hurt anyone, watch me get shot now!)

mslucy - there was a programme on tv a few months back about an experiment they did on blokes with low sperm count, they changed their diet, basically a lot more healthy food. In 3 months they had all dramatically improved on their little swimmers.

It took as over a year to conceive dd, not that long I know compared to other people, but we are both super healthy, so we couldn't understand it. I was very lucky that my dh eats well anyway, although I did nag him about booze a LOT, sounds very similar to your dh's habits. drinks a fair bit at home, any excuse, and goes way OTT on nights out.

Anyway, I'm wittering on. The best foods to get DH to eat are...

obvioulsy eat fruit and veg and cut down on processed food, but the best things I read about to help sperm count was SEEDS (how ironic!)
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and if dh won't eat them, then nuts, but not peanuts, brazil nuts, almonds, etc.
I believe you can buy zinc and selenium supplements too. It's zinc that the nuts are full of that help 'libido'.
God, I sound like Gillian McKeith.

I've been stuffing him with so many seeds I'm surprised he hasn't sprouted.

Does anyone know what effect very occasional marijuana smoking has on sperm count? We have been TTC for 7 months and both eat very heathily, don't smoke cigarettes and don't drink that much, but my DH does about once a month smoke dope if its on offer (not much, just a few puffs) but he did used to smoke it fairly regularly until about 3 years ago. Could it all be out of his system by now?

Thanks

DH's sperm count increased dramatically when he cut down on his (ridiculously high) caffeine intake. From v low count, to well above average within 6 months !!

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3186686.stm

Nixo

Your partner's smoking of marijuana is having a very bad effect on his sperm count. He needs to stop smoking this, it is not helping at all with ttc. The above has more information.

NIXO: although I'm not promoting it!, just FYI my hubby reminded recently me that he was smoking pot at the time we conceived first time around as I've been giving him grief lately (now TTC #2) for smoking pot as he now takes it for pain relief as he broke his pelvis 2 yrs ago and doesn't like taking too much of his mega-strength medication as it's not good - this was also giving me cause for concern in case it affected his sperm count as he has to take lots of painkillers every day. I asked my Doctor about it and she said she wasn't aware of any strong painkillers that might affect a man's fertility (I didn't dare ask about the dope though!).

MSLUCY: I've been giving hubby a plate full of vitamins each day I'd read helped sperm count, just in case his medication was killing off his vits! Zinc & Vit C, B-Complex, cod liver oil, selenium, Q10. He doesn't complain too much only occasionally!

If you've got a microscope lying around - or can borrow one - have a look at his sperm to see. My hubby did this unbeknown to me! He said it was swimming just fine (he was very proud .

I saw a fertility prog the other night and the specialist talked to a couple who had a low sperm count and were testing at home. He said the sperm should be swimming 5x the length of the head in a second (think it was a second?! - maybe check that out). This I presume would just show healthy sperm, not sperm count though.

I really want to have a look now!

I am currently just starting ivf. My Dh had sperm test a year ago which was ok but my tubes were crap so no luck. Dh had another one 4 weeks ago motility was crap 32% (should be at least 40%)they said this wasnt good enough for ivf, Dh gave up smoking(he only smoked 5 a day) and change his diet a bit had another test 2 weeks later motility had gone up to 72%. Dh couldnt believe that only smoking a few a day could have such an effect. Good Luck I hope he considers giving up the drink and the fags.

all the advice here is great i was about to start a thread and saw this hope no one minds me gategrashing
ok so i've now just given my dp a big lecture on smoking pot and read the page atilla kindly put link upto.
also i would love to get a microscope and look at his swimmers (if i can find them)
wendyredhead what sort of microscope have you got and where can i get one???