Thursday, February 10, 2011

Sementics

I should not be this excited to talk about sperm. But I am. Super excited! One could even say ecstatic. I'm going to start with a bit of the back story on this first.

Back in October, after my initial consult with the RE, I was sent home with a Semen Analysis Collection kit. He wanted to check hubby out as well right off the bat since it is so simple and way easy. The "kit" was just a bag that had a specimen cup and the associated paperwork. The day of the analysis, the sample is collected and transported to the RE's office on my way to work. I apparently thought it was normal to stick the bagged cup in my lunch bag, next to my PB&J sandwich, so it wouldn't get cold and stay at least room temperature. These were the results we got back that afternoon:

Can you sign sperm up for swimming classes?

Abnormal. Ridiculously low motility, low volume, low count. Ugh. So now we had a male factor on top of my several female factors. Crap. This gave us that very minimal chance on our own and why the RE brought up IVF at my follow-up in December.

Well, since we had made a few changes (added multivitamin and FertilAid's Motility Boost supplement) since then, the RE and I agreed a repeat SA was warranted. That was supposed to be Jan 27th. Well, that was when we found out I was pregnant. We never officially scheduled the appt, but were going to that week. Since I was feeling "off" we decided to wait and see. And you all know what we saw.

So fast-forwarding to today, I had scheduled this appt last week and Boy was on board with providing another sample. We were both curious to see what, if any changes had occurred and if those changes could explain our luck of the draw that Jan. cycle. I was given the Collection kit after the follow-up appt, and it's just been hanging out in the bedroom. Totally not romantic or anything, but where else do you put those things? The paperwork was filled out and the cup had it's collection. Mother Nature decided snow and freezing temps were in order for today and my lunch was a frozen burrito. What is an TTC-crazed infertile woman to do? That's right. That little bagged cup was tucked neatly under my arm inside my jacket. While I was driving, it rested between my thighs. Under the arm was to awkward with steering and that is the only warm place I had to hold it as I'm not endowed. It was back under the arm on the way into the clinic.

There I sat in the waiting room with my Cup O' Sperm, waiting for my "husband" to be called back. Apparently, this go round he was also slated for morphology analysis. His boys were getting the works! I was over-joyed when the following results made their way to my inbox:

Someone's been eating their Wheaties!

I was blown away at the improvement. Those little guys went from a few circle swimmers to almost a decent army! I've been giddy about these results all day! I almost wanted to tell people that my husband passed his sperm test! His dunce tadpoles have become honor roll students! Only 7% shy of being totally, 100% normal!! No more male factor! I don't know if it was the vitamins or the Motility Boost or both. To be honest, I don't care!

I've never been more excited to say that now, the only thing standing between us and our little baby is my wonky hormones. I actually think we might have a chance this cycle! The timing couldn't be more perfect either as I think I saw a hint of EWCM (or vaginal gold as Elphaba likes to call it) earlier today. I also topped off my evening by visiting a friend and her 11wk old daughter. Beyond adorable! Man, do I want one of those!!

5 comments:

  1. Wow! That's an amazing difference! I don't talk about my husband's issues because I worry that it isn't fair to him (in case anyone actually figured out my "secret identity"), but I have to say it after reading your post...my husband's results were even worse than the ones on your husband's first results sheet. Even though the RE says it doesn't matter because we use ICSI now, I might make him use your husband's "protocol" to see if it makes a difference.

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  2. I asked permission to post that info. If anyone does find out "who" we are, they will understand that it's due to health conditions and meds he takes.

    Sorry to hear that your husband's dudes are also duds. I highly recommend it. It could take up to 3 month to see any diff b/c of the turnover cycle of sperm. The vitamins are like $10 and a 3mo supply of the Motility was $56 through the site I ordered from. Considering what we've already spent on Repro things, it's pocket change and definitely worth a shot!

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  3. What on earth did your husband taek to make such a massive difference? I need to get my dh on the same thing. Hopefully that may help us out as well!

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  4. Endo Life- He started taking must a men's health multivitamin, generic kind after the 1st one. In Jan, we added in FertilAid's Motility Boost supplement (I ordered it at early-pregnancy-tests.com). Not sure which one or if both did it, but something worked! Highly recommend them both.

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  5. Thank you Christina I will look into it.

    We have not had the numbers from my husbands tests all we got was a letter saying sub-optimal. I am not worring about it for now there is too much other stuff going on but I will ask for the numbers at our next appt.

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