Sperm prep for treatment

[Mctm123]

We have just all of a sudden been giving a date to start our next round of treatment for end of September. I am now starting to worry my partner has been drinking (not excessively but I would have preferred tea total) recently but going forward will cut right back. We have been taking lots of supplements however and our diets have improved. We’ve both lost weight (we weren’t overweight but just to feel better)

Basically I’m panicking and wondering if we should push it back another month or just go for it. Our virals won’t be valid if we wait but it’s not a big deal we can just get them repeated really. This is ‘our last time’ and my partner does have low motility but we will be doing ICSI and he is actually due to have another sample in a couple of weeks so obviously pending those results we will know a bit more.

Reading that back, the sensible option is to push back isn’t it!

If it's just a matter of drinking, I personally wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm not sure what the research is, but my feeling would be that as long as neither of you are heavy drinkers the odd drink here or there is not going to make that much of a difference. I imagine that it's a bit like pregnancy, where the official line is 'strictly no alcohol at all' when actually small amounts are fine.

But, if it would make you feel more positive then by all means hold off if you feel that's what will give you the best chance.

Thanks @MissHoney85 just had a good talk with my partner and decided to delay it for a month! We have to get the virals repeated which is a bit of a pain plus I am a nightmare when it comes to bloods but so be it.

There are rumours of redundancies in work too so by that time I should know what’s going on. Less stress the better! X

To be honest I'm sceptical about a lot of the standard advice trooped out by clinics etc

We've done 5 cycles of IVF in 18 months so 5 different sperm retrieval's - my DH BEST sample was the one the first week of January after weeks (ok maybe a good couple of months! 🤣) of Xmas drinking and general gluttony and me nagging him to remember his supplements but him generally forgetting more than he remembered

His WORST sample was the one after lockdown having spent 3 months losing weight, religiously taking supplements and eating super healthy......

I'm now pregnant with twins from the 2 embryos we had frozen from that January cycle as didn't get any blastocysts from the June one 🤷‍♀️

@ivfdreaming congratulations on your pregnancy, I’ve read your story before and it’s lovely that it all seems to be coming together for you, fingers crossed!!

That’s just crazy isn’t it, the complete opposite to what the consultants would recommend! See, I’ve made that decision this morning and I think I will stick to waiting that extra month. It’s also to do with the fact I may lose my job so by then, I should know more an hopefully be less stressed! (She says ha)

We are lucky that this cycle will be funded due to us complaining to pals and the clinic investigation and admitting negligence on our previous cycle (which we funded) so I want to make sure that we don’t waste it if that’s the right word x

Well looks like I am being made redundant so god knows when we can start again on our Ivf. I’m absolutely gutted. A bit of good news followed by bad news. Nothing ever goes to plan x