SA Results - Awesome

LuckyAngel07 · October 2013

So here's the breakdown:
Count: 450 mil

Motility: 40%

Morph: 30%

So while his count is normal, his motility and morph are about half what they should be. FUuuuuuuuuuck!!

So, as my ob/gyn put it, "So you've got the irregular cycles, and while he's got enough sperm, they're not all moving in the right direction."

Basically, we're both broken. I'm just gonna go cry under my desk now.

ETA: I'm feeling better about these results the more I look through old posts and online. I also feel like this is why you don't get an SA through your OB/GYN's office, because she was saying normal percentages were up at 70-75%, when everything I'm reading now indicates normal is much lower than that. I'm also thinking DH has super-balls considering his ridiculously high count!!

@Panderp, thanks for questioning the normalcy of his findings and spring-boarding me to do just a little digging. Anything anyone else can add on their DH's SA results would be greatly appreciated so I can really get a real-world perspective (because trying to search for that info is like trudging through the Sahara looking for a single piece of glass among all the sand).

blueeyedblossom · October 2013

Boo! I think you should go home early, stop for something yummy for lunch and then take a nice long bath.

LuckyAngel07 · October 2013

blueeyedblossom said:

Boo! I think you should go home early, stop for something yummy for lunch and then take a nice long bath.

Except that I hate our bathtub and haven't taken a bath in it since we bought our house 5 years ago. And I'm in the 2ww, so however low the chances might be, I can't even go home and drown my sorrows in a bottle of wine. Although perhaps a pint of ice cream would be an acceptable substitute.

BruinsBabe33 · October 2013

I'm so sorry, dear.

Do something sweet for you and your DH tonight. You guys can get through this together. (((Hugs)))

seahorse01 · October 2013

Sorry about the crappy news.

nfp147 · October 2013

Sorry. It's not fun getting those results, nor is it fun watching your H get those results. Like Bruins said, do something nice together.

LooneyLife · October 2013

I'm sorry. Together, you will get through this.

brij2006 · October 2013

I'm so sorry Lucky. Many many hugs to you and YH.

Do what you need to do, even if it's eating a whole tub of ice cream.

iwalktheline · October 2013

Sorry for the crappy news

did your dr give you a potential plan of action if this cycle is a bust?

DangerMuffin23 · October 2013

That's sucky news. I'm so sorry. Definitely a tub office cream to take the edge off my dear.

ILoveRedVino · October 2013

That sucks- I'm sorry.

It's fixable, though. I think even Clomid can help men (I don't know details) with sperm issues, and this is why IUI works. It takes the bad sperm out and puts the good sperm right where it needs to be at the right time. Sucky, yes, but treatable.

It does hurt, I'm not undermining that. Be good to yourselves today.

amccul20 · October 2013

I'm sorry:( I suggest going to see a urologist to see if they can prescribe clomid.

The good news is that he has a lot of sperm! You can work that. Hugs, I know how getting those results is a serious smack in the face

GoodWolf · October 2013

((hugs))

Panderp · October 2013

I think I'm misremembering potentially, but...those numbers don't seem bad to me. In fact...they seem really good? If you have such a high quantity of sperm, you don't need your morph and motility to be 60% or above, because you have a huge stockpile to work from. If you only have 8 million cells, well, then you need 60% morph and motility to have good chances.

I'm not saying don't be sad, but I am saying...I really feel like this is normal? Or ok?

callitcompulsive · October 2013

oh no. I'm so sorry to hear you guys got disappointing results.

FX for a great plan for moving forward, though!

LuckyAngel07 · October 2013

@seahorse01: thanks for that; I love Hyperbole and a Half and that made me laugh.

@iwalktheline: she did say that because his count is good, it's still possible for us to get pg naturally, it just might (will) take longer than usual if we want to just keep trying on our own. She also mentioned doing IUI, but obviously we'd be with an RE at that point. She basically said it's up to us how we want to proceed right now and didn't suggest or push anything in particular.

@amccul20: I will definitely see if DH wants to pursue natural or medical remedies to help out his morph & motility. I'll need to check with insurance to see if they'll cover prescriptions for those types of issues. I know we can at least see a urologist, pay the specialist copay, and have a better idea what we might be working with and able to do.

God, I do NOT want to give him this news.

LuckyAngel07 · October 2013

Panderp said:

I think I'm misremembering potentially, but...those numbers don't seem bad to me. In fact...they seem really good? If you have such a high quantity of sperm, you don't need your morph and motility to be 60% or above, because you have a huge stockpile to work from. If you only have 8 million cells, well, then you need 60% morph and motility to have good chances.

I'm not saying don't be sad, but I am saying...I really feel like this is normal? Or ok?

If you're right, I would certainly breathe easier. I'm probably going to spend the afternoon looking up info on sperm (thank god I'm a medical editor!) and doing jack shit of my actual work.

Panderp · October 2013

LuckyAngel07 said:

Panderp said:

I think I'm misremembering potentially, but...those numbers don't seem bad to me. In fact...they seem really good? If you have such a high quantity of sperm, you don't need your morph and motility to be 60% or above, because you have a huge stockpile to work from. If you only have 8 million cells, well, then you need 60% morph and motility to have good chances.

I'm not saying don't be sad, but I am saying...I really feel like this is normal? Or ok?

If you're right, I would certainly breathe easier. I'm probably going to spend the afternoon looking up info on sperm (thank god I'm a medical editor!) and doing jack shit of my actual work.

I really, really, really feel like this is conversation we had with our RE and the embryologist. We had a 9% motility, but his numbers were high (but way less than yours)-- and he still wasn't diagnosed with MFI.

sparklingdiamond · October 2013

I am so sorry for the disappointing news :-(

PandPMeant2B · October 2013

ditto PP's.... lots of hugs, do something nice with H tonight. Be there for each other and you will get through this.

transponster · October 2013

That sucks Lucky.

nightmare_of_beauty · October 2013

Lots of hugs to you. Do something nice with your H really soon.

LuckyAngel07 · October 2013

Panderp said:

LuckyAngel07 said:

Panderp said:

I think I'm misremembering potentially, but...those numbers don't seem bad to me. In fact...they seem really good? If you have such a high quantity of sperm, you don't need your morph and motility to be 60% or above, because you have a huge stockpile to work from. If you only have 8 million cells, well, then you need 60% morph and motility to have good chances.

I'm not saying don't be sad, but I am saying...I really feel like this is normal? Or ok?

If you're right, I would certainly breathe easier. I'm probably going to spend the afternoon looking up info on sperm (thank god I'm a medical editor!) and doing jack shit of my actual work.

I really, really, really feel like this is conversation we had with our RE and the embryologist. We had a 9% motility, but his numbers were high (but way less than yours)-- and he still wasn't diagnosed with MFI.

So WebMD indicates that around 30% of sperm should have normal morphology (which is where DH is), but 50% should have normal motility. Resolve puts normal motility at 60%, but says this about morph:

"Over a decade ago, a new “strict” criteria was introduced. The result is that most men have very low numbers. Fourteen percent of “normal formed sperm” is considered normal."

WHO also seems to indicate that morph can be much lower than 30%.

So maybe we're just dealing with some poor motility? Not horrible, but less than ideal?

sweetpotato123 · October 2013

I am so sorry, doll. You can get through this.

islandmonkey8 · October 2013

When I get home tonight, I'm going to look for the chart DH's urologist gave us and I'll post it for you. It shows normal ranges and stuff. Maybe that will help. What panda is saying sounds familiar to me too.

FX that it's mostly misinterpretation of results from your ob!

PinkinProvence · October 2013

Maybe your doctor uses a difference scale, but those number sound fantastic to me. I was told that normal morphology was 4% (DH was 1%).

But there is nothing more horrible than answering the phone and getting bad news so I am sorry! It especially sucks when you are at work and have to try to act normal for the rest of the day!

But don't give up hope! I always felt that since DH's sperm count was superhigh, it worked out mathmatically that his smaller percentage morph of a large sperm count was just as good as a higher percentage of a normal range number!

nfp147 · October 2013

PinkinProvence said:

Maybe your doctor uses a difference scale, but those number sound fantastic to me. I was told that normal morphology was 4% (DH was 1%).

But there is nothing more horrible than answering the phone and getting bad news so I am sorry! It especially sucks when you are at work and have to try to act normal for the rest of the day!

But don't give up hope! I always felt that since DH's sperm count was superhigh, it worked out mathmatically that his smaller percentage morph of a large sperm count was just as good as a higher percentage of a normal range number!

I think this is what we were told as well and we were at 1.5%.

PinkinProvence · October 2013

LuckyAngel07 said:

Panderp said:

LuckyAngel07 said:

Panderp said:

I think I'm misremembering potentially, but...those numbers don't seem bad to me. In fact...they seem really good? If you have such a high quantity of sperm, you don't need your morph and motility to be 60% or above, because you have a huge stockpile to work from. If you only have 8 million cells, well, then you need 60% morph and motility to have good chances.

I'm not saying don't be sad, but I am saying...I really feel like this is normal? Or ok?
If you're right, I would certainly breathe easier. I'm probably going to spend the afternoon looking up info on sperm (thank god I'm a medical editor!) and doing jack shit of my actual work.
I really, really, really feel like this is conversation we had with our RE and the embryologist. We had a 9% motility, but his numbers were high (but way less than yours)-- and he still wasn't diagnosed with MFI.
So WebMD indicates that around 30% of sperm should have normal morphology (which is where DH is), but 50% should have normal motility. Resolve puts normal motility at 60%, but says this about morph:

"Over a decade ago, a new “strict” criteria was introduced. The result is that most men have very low numbers. Fourteen percent of “normal formed sperm” is considered normal."

WHO also seems to indicate that morph can be much lower than 30%.

So maybe we're just dealing with some poor motility? Not horrible, but less than ideal?

We,, I am no expert but I think it is much better (in terms of treatment) to deal with low motility than morphology. First, I am pretty sure that supplements and lifestyle changes can help motility but not morphology. Also, IUI has a much higher success rate with low motility because it propels the sperm to where it needs to be!

Sewilson33 · October 2013

Sorry about the results. I am glad you are looking into it more than what your doctor told you. Maybe looking into herbal remedies or medical help can increase his motility...

amandaf6383 · October 2013

I'm sorry that the results weren't what you wanted to hear. I hope that you and DH do something nice for yourselves.

Uptowngirl2009 · October 2013

I'm sorry, Lucky. I hope that after you do some more digging and talk to your doctor that the numbers aren't as bad as they seem!

Speaking of not having the SA done at your OB/GYNs, I'm glad our doctor recommended we go to a bigger hospital to get the SA done. He basically said that 9 times out of 10 when they do the SA around here, it's screwed up and they end up having to repeat it. I'm really glad he was honest and told us that. Even though it means traveling over an hour to the hospital, at least we know the test will most likely be done right the first time!

SA Results - Awesome

Re: SA Results - Awesome

Choose Another Board

Search Boards