Hubbys SA Results (also posted in LTTTC)

nicolat2 · Jul 9, 2009 1:55AM

Hi Ladies

Hubby got his SA results yesterday, the GP said his sperm levels were all good but he only had 5% motility which I know is really low
I just wondered if any one can offer any advice as to whether this can be improved by diet etc or whether we will have to have help such as IVF etc??

I am not ovulating either which means we both have problems!! ;-(

The GP said she will refer us to a fertility specialist, any advice would be great thanks xx

fairy20 · Jun 17, 2009 10:36AM

Hi Mrs Baby No.1,

I'm sorry i'm not really sure and don't want to give you any wrong information. I've just had a quick look on the net and most websites say taking a Zinc supplement has been proven to help with motility.

Sorry for being rubbish!

xxx

juliazhumphries · Jun 17, 2009 11:17AM

Hey hon
Our doctor recommended antioxidants (have green lable boots own brand) for hubbies morpholgy. I would add vitamins and mineral A-z type supplement to those as that will contain zinc and selenium
Lifestyle wise smoking and particularly cannabis smoking are meant to be bad for motility but those may not apply at all
HTH

nicolat2 · Jun 17, 2009 12:56PM

Thanks for your replies, he is going to go back to the gym and eat a bit healthier so hopefully that will help. He isn't overweight and he rarely drinks and has never smoked (cigarettes or otherwise ha ha)
He is 32 and fit and healthy it just seems so unfair

x

MrsBambino · Jun 17, 2009 3:37PM

Mrsbabyno1 - I totally understand how hard this is - as someone awaiting ICSI (IVF). BUT I wanted to let you know although we are going down this route, there is always potential for improving spermies. My DH has been really uping the exercise, healthy eating, male multi viits etc and at our appointment just passed on Friday, his motility had gone from readings around 7, 15, etc - always pretty low...to 35+!! A good jump. Morphology is also an issue for us, hence going for ICSI, but I found it heartening to see that (hopefully) some lifestyle changes can help. Like yours my DH is early 30s, fit and non-smoker etc etc, seems so unfaair. Thinking of you xx

nicolat2 · Jun 18, 2009 4:25AM

Thanks Mrs Bambino, sorry that you are having to go down this route it must be so hard. It's encouaging to hear that small changes can make a difference though. Can you suggest any vitamins that may help?
Was ICIS the only route for you or did the hospital try any other things first like medication etc? Hope you don't mind me asking but I don't really have any idea of what we are looking at in terms of treatment until we go and see the specialist etc xx

MrsBambino · Jun 18, 2009 1:26PM

Thanks MrsBabyNo1 - my DH just takes tesco own brand male multivits now, although we have tried various (expensive!) versions of the same thing. he also takes cod liver oil/fish oils which are supposed to be good.

As far as I understand, all the fertility websites seem to point to Zinc and Selenium as the 2 really important supplements to take but a good male multivit tablet should have these in it anyway.

You asked about our ICSI route - we have been trying 'naturally' for just uner 3 years now and after various SA results showing low motility and low normal forms we were referred to IVF clinic for more tests on both of us. And because the waiting list in our area is about 4 years, we're self-funding the treatment (nightmare!). So we start in September/Oct. You asked about if the hospital tried anything else first - to be honest, no, not really. In our case, all my initial tests (HSG dye test, 21 day bloods, transvaginal scan etc) came back fine, so it seemed they had 'isolated' the issue. As you might have seen on one of my earlier posts, the docs have recently discovered I have low AMH , which is a hormone test that shows how well (or not!) I will respond to the IVF drugs. Unfortunately it isn't looking like I'll respond terribly well, but I am trying to stay positive and believe it will work

My advice would be to do all you can to keep both your lifestyles as healthy as possible, sounds like you're doing this already - and then when you see your fertility specialist take a pen and paper and don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions and I would ask them to really explain the SA and to explain it in terms of what they are looking for each result to ideally be. I found i had to be quite 'firm but fair' and at times a little more demanding than I would want to - but it helped get the answers we wanted, lol!

I have also found this site to be so useful in answering questions and learning about all the different options.

Wishing you lots of luck and hopefully your next appointment will get the ball rolling. xxx

nicolat2 · Jun 18, 2009 4:20PM

Thanks so much Mrs Bambino, I am sorry about your results but like you say it's good that you are positive and I will keep my fingers crossed that you get your BFP!

Hopefully we will get our first appointment in a few months so we will know more what we are looking at etc. It seems morphology is also a problem (only 5%) and motility is just 1% so slightly worse than we first thought

But on a good note hubby's volumes are above the normal range so I am hoping there are still some good ones in there!!

Keep me updated with your progress etc and good luck with it all xxx

KayeCee_And_Co · Jul 7, 2009 1:26PM

Hi Mrsbabyno1. I've just started posting on here as we had our first Gyn appt last Weds. DH has motility of only 7%. The doc semed very fatalistic that nothing could be done to change this but we bought some vits anyway and he is trying to be a bit healthier. The doc has referred me for an HSG and hubby will have one more SA before we go back. We were told that if his motility is the same he would start the procedure of referring us for IVF as we have to assume that on that level it will not happen naturally. I forget what the morphology number was but that was also below what it needed to be. I'd be interested to see what's happening with you now - hope all is well x

Mrs Bambino - is ICSI what you are recommended if you have low motility. Also, can't believe the wait is FOUR years?!

nicolat2 · Jul 8, 2009 3:36PM

Hi Kayecee

Not much happening with us at the moment, we have got our first appointment at the fertlity clinic (at the hospital) on 11th August
Hubby's taking lots of vitamins and changed his diet etc so I am hoping his result may be better next time but I doubt he will be tested for a while.
We had to wait 8 weeks for his last SA appointment so I can't see it being earlier than October, but I am hoping this will give him chance to improve things
The Zita West clinic in London do more in depth SA tests and look into diet etc so I am tempted to pay out for this before going down the route of IVF but will see how things go
When is your next appointment etc? Hope you are ok xx

KayeCee_And_Co · Jul 8, 2009 3:45PM

Thanks for the response Mrs. I hope the vits and diet changes work for both of us. 11th Aug isn't too long to wait. My hubby doesn't need an appt for his SA where we are - he just hands it in when he fancies! I am waiting for the HSG so he is going to do another test around the same time and then the plan is that we can go back and get all the results together. I got a letter today saying that I have to phone for my HSG the first day of next AF. I know this will be Sat (luckily I'm reg as clockwork!) but I might be a little naughty and ring on Fri rather than wait til Monday. I phoned the consultant' secretary today to try and book a follow up appt but he has nothing until late Sept. I am tempted to see if we can pay private and get an earlier appt - have no idea if that's how it works?!

The Zita West thing def might be worth looking into - coincidentally I've just ordered hubby some of her Vitamen. xxx

nicolat2 · Jul 8, 2009 3:56PM

Hi again

How long ago was hubbys test was it recently?
Only reason I ask is because it's worth giving it 3 months for the diet and vits to work as sperm taking 100 days to re-generate, there may not be much change if he has it too soon

Good luck with your HSG I am sure I will have to have this done at some point I assume the specialist will put me forward for this aswell as more bloods etc!! xx

KayeCee_And_Co · Jul 9, 2009 1:55AM

Thanks Mrsb. He had the first one in April so it has been a little while but we're going to leave it as late as we can before our next appt (results only took a couple of days last time).

I did a bit of reading last night and am now dreading the HSG (I really should steer clear of Google!). I have a tilted cervix and smears always hurt quite a bit. I think this can be similar

Xx

Hubbys SA Results (also posted in LTTTC)

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