desperately seeking male infertility success stories

[geeup]

Can anyone please post any success stories about conceiving despite issues with their DPs sperm? Mine has poor morphology (less than 2% normal) and we're trying Fertilaid. I'd love to hear that other people got their BFPs despite these issues to help keep my optimism alive! Otherwise I'm happy to support others on the same journey. Thank you in advance.

Ahhhh I don't know what to do friends. The leaflet from my NHS consultant specifically says do not take until the scan is booked in but like you say, there's stories all over the Internet about people prescribed it with no scans, especially as it's only 50mg doses. I could totally start taking the clomid (im now cd3). I suppose worst case I could get a private scan to check for a million follicles but as you say, wouldnt I just DTD anyway

Thought I'd do a little update just to say hi and find out how you're both doing. I took the clomid in the end without telling my consultant. Have booked a private scan for day 14 to measure lining and count follies. Didn't get any symptoms/side effects so not sure if it'll do anything but praying hourly that it does.

Hey ladies, sorry I've been absent. I've been on holiday for two weeks visiting family and have pretty much stayed offline which has been nice.

Friends, I think I read on the pregnancy thread (looking for an update from you!) that all was well with the scan. Hope that's the case and you're relaxing a little now. That must have been so scary.

I have to go and see a friend's newborn this weekend. Dreading it. Thinking I'll duck out as its really a friend of OH and I have another (of my actual friend) due in Nov and then another in December which I absolutely have to go and coo over. Can't bear it.

CD6 here. I did softcups this cycle after your success friends. Didn't work. I don't think anything is going to work for us and I wonder if IVF is just going to be another thing to get hopeful about and then more disappointment. One more failed cycle will make it two years trying for us

Geeup, I have my fingers crossed for you with Clomid. Might as well take it. As friends says, even if you got scanned and you had more follicles or your lining was thin, you'd still give it a go. If you can arrange scans next cycle though, that would be good. How are you feeling?

I'm sorry you're feeling hopeless star. I know exactly how you feel. I swear we have tried every wives tale and medical recommendation in the world and nothing.
I had zero symptoms from the clomid so doubting it's done anything but forcing myself to be positive incase that makes a difference. Am also using softcups (feeling weird about the amount of plastic!). You should have bought shares friends!
Will let you know how the private scan I've booked goes on Saturday.
Thinking of you star. Keep going.

Hi ladies.
I'm okay thanks. I've got a subchorinic hemorrhage. My private scanned showed it hasn't got any worse from 6 week but I'm still spotting, nobody else seems too concerned mind.I went to see the midwife today and I've also got low blood pressure. So I'm currently taking it easy. Nothing is ever straightforward is it.

Star - I'm sorry your feeling so down,It's such a rollercoaster. I turned into a total recluse, so I totally get you on that front. All I would say is you do what's best for you.This ride is bad enough without feeling you have to keep other people happy and do the right thing all the time.

I don't know what it was for us I really don't. It took us 3 years. Both my scans showed that I have a very retroverted uterus, which has never been mentioned to me before.

Geeup. I'm not surprised you took it. I noticed everyone else advising you against it but I think the risk are small.I think it did thin my lining but after I stopped, it sorted it's self out.It did stop me spotting before af so hopefully it wil do that for you to. I hope you stay symptom free

I know it's easy for me to say now but keep going. Thinking of you both.

Friends sorry you're having issues - can't help with the worry but hope you're enjoying it anyway. I had my scan yesterday and lining looks good (11mm) but only one lead follicle at 11mm which sounds a bit small considering my temp shift showed I did ovulate yesterday. So unless it grew a lot in the 12-18 hrs after my scan I'm a bit worried that I'm releasing small under developed eggs. No idea if that's possible. Another thing to worry about...

Hi all,
Can I join you? We have been trying to Conceive since January 2014 without any pregnancies. We now know my DH has severe OATS - count is 0.1 million per ml, 0%morphology and zero motile. We thought it was Game over. Gp refereed him to a urologist locally who did basic tests and referrred on to Ramsay who trailed tamoxifen for 4 months to which we now have 0.4 million per ml and 4% motile (never felt so good hearing that)! So, Ramsay has given another 4 months And my gp has referred us to our local fertility clinic. My fertility seems ok, bloods normal and uss normal. I've reduced my bmi from a hideous 49 down to 37 while DH has been going through his tests. So, while we wait for my bmi to come down to 29 for the NHS ivf we are starting our first private Icsi cycle in a few days time.

2015 was really hard, I'm a health visitor and found my job so hard to do while going through this so resigned and really struggled. The past 6 months I've found some peace and positivity from somewhere thank god. I am expecting Icsi to be stressful and emotional and I'm realistic that it is likely to fail but will give it my best shot!

Welcome mrsdarcy. Sorry you find yourself here. It's not a massively active thread but there's at least three of us who do check in with news so if you have any questions we an help with we'll try! My DH and I are still trying naturally (well with clomid) while we wait for our NHS round. My next appointment is end of Nov. Good luck with the ICSI - keep us posted as it's the next step for me too!

Hello ladies,
Friends, I have a extroverted uterus too, I wonder if that makes things more difficult and with the sperm issues on top maybe? So happy for you though, it really gives me some hope!
Geeup, are you sure you ovulated?What cycle day are you on? 11mm does seem small but apparently they grow 1-3mm per day so it's possible you got to a more decent size. The temp shift may have been an off temp though, is it still up today? Hope this cycle works out for you.
Welcome MrsDarcy, I as geeup says it's quite a quiet thread but we do support each other here :) So so sorry to hear about your journey so far, that sounds so hard. I started in 2014 too, but towards the end so I'm coming up to two years trying. Best of luck with icsi, I truly hope you are nearing the end of this journey.

My OH has had two bad SAs, the first showed poor motility (18%) and the second low count (11mil/ml) the rest of the values were just bang on normal so not great but not too bad. That said, not a sniff of a bfp in two years so we're ready for IVF. Would have started this month but we're getting married abroad in December so can't fit it in and will go in Jan. It's hard but I'm finding the more I open up about this in real life, the more people come out of the woodwork with similar struggles, which does help me feel less alone and like an inutile freak!

Hmm retroverted not extroverted! Not sure what an extroverted uterus would be but it seems likely it would make me more fertile than I am!

Hi all can I join?

DH and I have been trying for 11 months for our first baby. We paid for him to have a private SA last month - it came back with high count and good motility but 2% morphology.

I have an appointment with the fertility specialist dr at our practise tomorrow. She has referred DH for another SA but seemed unconcerned by his results. I'm trying to think of all the questions I should be asking - think i might end up just sobbing saying whyyyyyyyyyy can't I just get pregnant

Hi All.
Geeup I'm glad you just went for it. It makes sense to me. Are you sure you've ovulated? Did you have 3 days of high temperatures? Fantastic lining by the way, fingers crossed for you.

Star, when they told me I was wondering the exact same thing. I was also pretty annoyed that this was the first I had heard of it. I hope your wedding plans are going well and keeping you sane.

Hi Mrs Darcy. Sounds like you've had a rough time. I hope all goes well for you starting icsi.

Londonjem. I'm sorry you find yourself here. My story was a bit similar to yours. My DH had two Sa's done one had low count & low morphology but high motility and the other had average count, high motility and low morphology they told me time and time again it wasn't him. We was later reffered due to low morphology. I think that they often don't know the cause and it's just a guessing game. This is a good group to be on, the ladies are very supportive.

Hang in in there.
This was me.
4 cycles icsi, all private, 2 different clinics. Immunological treatment for cycle 4.
I have twin girls age 8 it was all worth it. Now I find it hard to remember how shit it was at the time. But it was shit. For years. I describe it as a rollercoaster of hope and disappointment.

Persistence beats resistance 💐 good luck

Thanks mouldycheese. Good to know it can work out.
Friends I think I ovulated - can you take a look at my chart and reassure me. Can you ovulate with under mature eggs? I can't believe an 11mm will be any good.
Welcome londonjem! Hope
You find this thread helpful. If you have the time read back as we've had some good conversation on the topic.

I have had a good read! I get very upset reading about morphology problems as I don't feel ready to accept we might need assisted conception - I know that sounds ridiculous but it's where I'm at. When do you draw the line and say enough is enough with trying naturally though?

I've found recently that I am just quite sad most or all of the time. Does anyone else feel like this? I'm usually a really bubbly optimistic person, but this whole experience is sapping the joy out of life for me. I had a brief day last cycle where I convinced myself I was pregnant - and I felt like someone had switched the lights on and my world was back in full colour. I felt so happy - it made me realise how sad I've become the rest of the time. And then my period came and I was back to my dark sad cloud

Sorry to come along and be such a drag! I promise I'm not always this depressing!

Geeup I don't temp so afraid I can't help you there.

Hey ladies, how are you getting on?
LondonJem, I know how hard it is and coming up to the 1 year mark is really really hard. I'm booked in now for IVF on the NHS starting in January, but I still haven't given up. Every cycle I hope that we've been able to do it naturally, but if January comes round and we haven't been successful I'll be grateful we get some help. I just worry about how I'll cope if it fails (which is quite likely). But anyway, you keep going and hoping until one day, fingers crossed, something works. I'm a really misery guts now and hardly see my friends - 3 of my best friends are pregnant and one is due in 2 weeks.
Geeup, it does look like you ovulated and you had good timing for sex so fingers crossed it has worked!
I read an interesting thing online the other day that said for normal fertile couples the average time to pregnancy is 4 months, but if you have a mild fertility issue that reduces your chance each month then the average time stretches to 2 years. Bizarrely it's given me hope that we're due a positive soon as we approach the 2 year mark!

Hi star - well sadly I'm out again. Started this morning 11dpo on my way back from holiday. Feeling pretty sad as hoped clomid would help. Your stat about 2 yrs actually makes me feel more positive too. I'm only at cycle 19 but it gives a new (hypothetical) milestone rather than feeling like if it hasn't happened in a year, it's all hopeless.
Glad you have a start month for your NHS cycle. That's something great to look forward to in the new year. I have my referral appointment at the end of Nov so will find out then hopefully what our wait time is. My husband and I are quite nervous as haven't really got our heads round the idea of having to resort to IVF yet but we both really want a baby and it isn't happening naturally clearly! I'd love to be one of those ironi-differs who get pregnant while waiting for their IVF!

Hi ladies.
I got logged out and couldn't remember my log in details. I'm really sorry geeup. Hopefully next month when you have Clomid already in your system. Keep your chin up.

Neither me or my DH wanted IVF either. I suppose you just come to terms with it, eventually when you think about the bigger picture.

I know it's hard star, but you have to stay positive. It will work, you've got 3 attempts to learn from and only if you need them.

Londonjem. It's really hard, for a long time I just hid the way I felt. I still went to baby showers, pretending I wasn't jealous etc. In end I just avoided people, probably not the best way to go about things but it meant I was kind to myself. Sometimes that's just what you have to do.

I've got my 12 week scan a week tomorrow.I'm so scared. My bleeding has stopped ( my DH has been doing all the house work and cleaning so that I don't have to do anything, not sure it would change the outcome anyway but bless him for trying. )

I've had no nausea, no sickness or anything . Everyone else seems to get it. We've not dtd since finding out, we've been too scared to.

Fingers crossed you all will get some good news soon. Xx

Oh wow friends, 12 week scan coming up! That's such a huge milestone, all the best with it. It feels like when you do actually get pregnant things seem to move pretty quick! So happy for you and hope all goes well next week. I think be grateful for no symptoms at this point, later you might be wishing you were symptom-free!

Geeup, sorry you're out - that is rotten timing. I started on the last day of holiday last cycle so I know what a downer it is. IVF was first mooted for us in January so we're starting to accept it may be the best option for us. Also, we haven't had all the tests available for sperm so I think IVF will give us some information on whether anything is even fertilising each month - I'd be quite grateful for some reassurance there. Still trying each month though - I think it's impossible to give up no matter how small your chances.

Hi Star, Geeup.
Just checking in and hoping you're both well.
Star, hope you have a fantastic wedding next month. Enjoy every minute of it because it goes soo quick.

Geeup, How's the second cycle of Clomid treating you? Hope you're both managing to stay sane, January will soon come around. Still rooting for you both like always.

Hey friends, lovely to hear from you how was your 12 week scan? Hope all ok and you have a lovely reassuring scan pic.
All fine here, still plodding along not pregnant but IVF is all booked in and the pharmacy called to deliver the drugs. That freaked me out a bit. My dr has convinced me that my fibroids shouldn't be causing our problems and we should have the same chance with IVF as anyone else our age. Two more cycles to get a miracle natural bfp like you friends, but if not I feel happy we'll start treatment soon.
How you doing geeup? I'm cd10 and haven't been able to dtd yet this cycle as oh has been ill. Better now though, and just in time!

Hi friends good to hear from you. Congrats on making it to your second trimester! Hope you're feeling well and enjoying it (I know that's hard though with the worry).
I'm ok-ish. 2nd round of clomid is fine so far. No real side effects again except some hot flushes. We didn't manage to DTD much in my fertile week either star. We're just both knackered and not really in the mood but hopefully managed two times in the right period. Exciting you have your drugs ready to go in Jan. We have our referral appointment in 10 days so we're not too far behind you hopefully.
Star - Can I ask if you get ICSI on the NHS? We've been given 3 hospitals to pick from for our IVF referral appointment but only one offers ICSI. I'll pick this one if we'll be able to use it but otherwise there's a different one that's closer.

Hey geeup, yes we've been offered ICSI on the NHS and they offer it at our clinic. If you have male factor and you qualify for ivf funding, then you should get icsi funded too. I'm unsure about ICSI - I know that with male factor it really helps with fertilisation, but apparently if you can get away with just IVF that might be better for quality. I'm hoping to go for half and half ICSI with IVF and my consultant said that could be discussed with the embryologist at the time. I would recommend you go with the icsi clinic because if you only get a few eggs, you won't want to risk them not fertilising.

Yes I think that's exactly what we'll do. I'm also keen to do half and half if we have enough.

Hi, The 12 week scan went well. I've just had my results for down syndrome and the trisomy test and I'm at low risk so another hurdle down. I'm constantly still worrying about something else I've read on Google but I feel incredibly lucky to be where I am right now.
I'm glad the fibroids are not having an impact Star but well done for pushing to be on the list.

I'm Glad the Clomid is being kind to you geeup. I certainly don't miss those hot sweats! Again like star I would sway to the one that offers ICSI.

Fingers crossed for a natural miracle for you both before January.