Anyone else awaiting fertility referral?

[MallonMary]

Hi all,

Been ttc (unsuccessfully!) for over a year and just found out there's a problem with DH sperm (low mobility and zero normal forms), so awaiting referral to fertility clinic to seek further help/advice.

Just wondered if there's anyone else in a similar situation about to embark on this journey too?

Also similar success stories welcome :) x

@Morpho123 I have had a AMH test in the past and it showed reserves were normal. Also my husband didn't have morphology issues but his numbers dropped by 80% from very good levels to low over a 3 month period. I was told sperm completely regenerate every 3 months so morphology can be changed with diet, healthy living etc but it's not an overnight thing. Clomid might work. My husbands drop in numbers shows that it only takes one to get there. Avoid heat as much as possible, cut back on drinking and try to forget about it as much as possible.

If my 2 cycles of NHS IUI dont work this town I will pay for clomid privately to keep up with the enhanced ovulation.

I'm just back from GP with another urine infection. Everytime I get my period I seem to end up with an infection. This is the 3rd month in a row.

@Limeflower2 I liked Izzy Judd's book- Dare to Dream To distract me.

Hi @Chochaw Thanks for your recommendation of the book. I'll put it on my list.
Sorry to hear about your infection. Do you take any probiotic? There is one for women which is from OptiBac - Intimat Flora. I took them before for thrush and found it good.

@Limeflower2 I currently don't take a probiotic but I'm going to look into it. Thanks for the recommendation.

Hey girls
So Iv been reading ‘it starts with the egg’
And Iv decided I’ll be taking: seven seas, vitamin c with zinc, vitamin e and 200mg coq10

Iv put my husband on wellman, vitamin c with zinc, vitamin e, 300mg of coq10 and l-caritine 1000mg a day.

Anyone else tried this, apparently coq10 and lcaritine are really good for morphology issues so I’m willing to give it all ago! Xx

Hey ladies it's nearly the weekend!🤗
I've been taking pregnacare multi vitamins for 6 months, I bought loads of them when there was a 3 for 2 offer. And I added vitamin D spray, CoQ 10 and Omega oil 3 to my daily intake 2 weeks ago.
xx

@Morpho123 I heard great review about CoQ10. My DH was taking Wellman, but as soon the SA showed a normal result he has stopped taking them. 😡

I had my husband taking Vitabiotics the His and Her version but he only lasted a few months. He couldn't handle the black poo from the iron.
My consultant told me to stop wasting my money on conception vitamins and just take folic acid and vitamin d during the winter months for me. X

@Limeflower2 why would he stop taking them? that's frustrating! id be forcing them down his throat lol! what were the issues with his SA? sorry I cant remember. im literally forcing vitamins down him at the moment, I don't want to IVF if I don't have to either, so I feel like this is the only way until I just go down that route. even though I think im tempted to start it sooner, but I just want his SA to be better first.

@Chochaw lol! I have never heard of black poo! i agree, its so much money but ill pay anything to make his sperm better lol! the count and motility are already high, so he may end up with super sperm after all these vitamins lol! x

@Morpho123 it is the iron in the multivitamins that causes the black poo lol. When you get pregnant you will see the side effects when you need to take iron supplements.

I had a rubbish day today. I am feeling sorry for myself but I need to suck it up. My 2 best friends are pregnant and I don't feel they appreciate it. I am happy for them but jealous too. 1st one got pregnant 'by accident'. The other was planned but I'm gutted because she and her DH are both massively overweight and got pregnant for the 2nd time on their 1st month of trying. I know it's jealousy but I'm sick of both moaning talking about how awful it is and how they cant wait to get their lives back. A friend at work is also pregnant and she is glowing. I'm so happy for her.

Anyway hope everyone has a lovely weekend. I'm having a wine tonight for the 1st time in 5 months because I am sick of being good and getting nothing anyway.x

@Chochaw I know how you feel! My sister-in-law has 4 kids. And I'm still trying for baby no. 1! It's not easy.

@Morpho123 My DH started to take the multivitamins few months before the SA. So I'm not sure if it helped.

I hope everyone have a good weekend.😊 I'm gona have a glass of wine too!😂xx

@Chochaw @limeflower2
Well I’m due on in a couple of days (I think) Iv already started spotting which means I’m out as it’s the same every month so I’m joining you girls but I’m making my a bottle 😂
Have a lovely weekend girls.
I know how you feel about others being pregnant it’s so bitter sweet! Especially when it’s an accident 😭 I want that accident lol!

Xxx

Hi ladies can I join in?
I’ve just started tests- think I’m fine so far on day 21 bloods- hubby has SA this tue.
I’m 36/hub 43 and been trying 14 months.
Do my numbers look ok to you ladies? X

Hi ladies, hope you all had a relaxing weekend! :)
Welcome @Lammoshay, day 21 blood test is for progesterone level. Have you done day 3 yet? I think day 3 is the major one.

Hey lime no the doc didn’t suggest that one x

Hi @Lammoshay, that's strange. The three blood tests which I had done for my fertility consultant were : day 3, day 21 and AMH. x

I was only given the day 21 test also in terms on bloods

hey ladies, hope you are all okay.
today is CD1 for me, I have day 3 bloods Thursday. iv had day 21, ultra sound, HSG but never day 3, so hoping this is all okay.

im hoping my period will last more than 1.5days if im honest, as its always so light, but the ultra sound woman didn't mention an issue with my lining, so lets hope that's okay.

im not sure what else to do, me and my husband are on ALLLLL the vitamins, and hoping it works. were visiting a private fertility clinic Saturday to see what they say, im going to ask about morphology too to see what they say!

xxx

@Morpho123 let us know what they say about morphology!
My partner had 1% and been told it's the head of the sperm that's abnormally shaped for him but they are not seeing it as an issue whatsoever. I've done all my tests now and all back fine but we are still being classed as unexplained. No idea why when if they point something as being below what it should then surely that's the issue? 🤷🏻‍♀️
We are just getting normal IVF too rather than ICSI for it

@willithappen it’s crazy isn’t it! Like there is an issue so maybe address it rather than say unexplained. And why normal ivf? Will the head be able to get into the egg? It really confuses me! Lol.
How long have you been trying and when do you start Ivf? Xx

Hi everyone; just a quick update as I know there's been a few on here with the morphology issue. My DH had a sperm test a few months ago and everything came back fine except morphology. The GP said given the high numbers of everything else it doesn't matter. Months on and we have now had our first fertility Appointment with the nhs fertility clinic. I specifically mentioned the morphology and the doctor took them off for the senior doctor to look at, he then came back in and said the basics that there are lots of swimmers but not many of normal form which can make it difficult to enter the egg. He said of all the measures this one is the easiest to improve. He told my husband to completely cut alcohol, drink 2 litres of water a day "by sipping", and he had a piece of paper with two vitamins on that he wants him to take for three months. They are called "lycapene and L-Carnitine". He also said no loose boxers, and no hot baths. DH was then told he needs to do a retest in three months time. The doctor took the morphology more seriously than the GP however didn't seem overly concerned, he thinks it's fixable by changes to diet, drinking and vitamins.

I have very light bleeds so I bleed for one day maximum, I explained this and I have been put on Provera for 3 cycles, And told to take 10mg a day for 21 days , then have a 7 day break. The doctor explaining this will reset my body after being on the pill for so long. I have been researching Provera and can't find anyone that has been on this protocol. But I am trusting the doctor and going to take it. Also I have had all bloods , pelvic scan and everything came back fine. My next test will be the dye in the tubes and then another blood test after I've finished the 3 cycles of Provera.

Hope this has helped some people.

Xxxxxx

@Maisy24 your whole message about sounds like me!
My husband has the same morphology- what was your husbands % if you don’t mind me asking? Iv got my husband on l- carnitine already so hopefully that’s good!

It’s so nice to hear something positive and that it can be helped!

I also only bleed for 1-1.5days and Iv never heard of that treatment but I’ll be interested to know if it works! I’m going to raise it in my next appointment as it’s a worry and I always think my lining can’t be great!
How long were you on the pill? And how long have you been off it?

Glad to hear you have had such a help from the specialist! Xxx

@Morpho123 the % was 1%. I will keep you updating with our journey and anymore info/success we have along the way.

We sounds like the exact same! We are around 19months ttc, well 19 months off my pill. Then about 13 months actively "trying". I'm 31 and I was on the pill since I was about 17 so 13 years all together! I wish I'd never have gone on it 😡 I am the same as you and I really worry about the lining, I have mentioned it numerous times to the gp who kept saying it didn't matter I only bled for 1 day and as long as I am regular then it's fine. I pushed and went for a pelvic scan, that came back fine, I asked about lining at the scan and he said it was fine ,however this was around cycle day 7 and not in the lutual phase so it still worries me that it isn't thick enough by the time the egg needs to stick. I mentioned it again in the fertility appointment and the doctor said he wants to "reset things" and that some women get back to normal quickly after being on the pill and some need a little help. This is when he said he'd put me on the Provera.

@Maisy24 thank you. my husband is 0.5% but they said basically 0.
im going to a private consultation Saturday and I plan to ask the consultant about morphology, so ill let you know what they say too.

well for my first period since I started, im cd2, and I actually still have fresh blood, which has been unheard of since I came off contraception!
normally cd2 for me is just brown spotting. so im praying this can last a little longer as iv worried about my lining for a long time.
im also eating 3no brazil nuts a day (no more because it can be toxic) - they are really high in selenium and can improve lining and implantation. iv got nothing to loose so iv started them, as well as all my other vitamins. ill let you know what I take....

seven seas trying for a baby
1x vitamin e - 400i.u
coq10 - 300mg
b6 - 50mg
vitamin c with zinc (combined in 1 tablet) 100mg (vit c) & 15mg (zinc)

iv tried to get my balance back to normal so I have longer periods as trying to improve eggs that will ovulate in a few months to stop my spotting before period. I read 'it starts with the egg' so im trying everything I can! xx

@Maisy24 oh and my husband is on:

wellman conception
coq10 - 300mg
vitamin c with zinc (100mg + 15mg)
vitamin e - 400iu
l-carnitine - 1000mg

xx

Hi ladies,

How are we all doing?
I had my 2nd consultation yesterday. Consultant had all the scans and blood tests result. Amh is fine. So it is unexplained infertility for usp. DH and I wanted to try IVF. But consultant suggested IUI first. He said it would give him a better understanding of our eggs and sperm if IUI didn't work. It makes sense, IUI would be like a monitoring trial. And I also asked about ICSI, he said they only recommend it if sperms are weak.

I'm on CD21 today, I was very keen to start with this cycle. But appointment to see the IUI nurse is not until mid March, which is mid cycle. And I will have to wait for The beginning of April to start my IUI. So much waiting around but it gives us time to think and prepare ourselves for it. And I'm happy we are moving forward!

@Chochaw When is your next IUI?