What to do about "wimpy" sperm?

BenJay · January 2017

Well, that's how DH put it after his very first visit to the urologist (aka "the junk doctor" in our house). I empathize - no one wants to have to go in to have their fertility scrutinized. I have had a lot more eye-opening, awkward infertility moments than he has. Frankly I am so very glad it's not me today.

So, he has plenty of sperm but they aren't really doing much of anything. (Sorry, I will snicker at this now because that's how DH is, loves to laze around...)

But seriously, aside from Clomid, multivitamin, CoQ10 and exercise, what should we be doing?

PoeMasque · January 2017

Is it just motility? Or does "wimpy" also mean the morphology is low?

I know men men can also take HCG.....it would increase sperm production, not sure if it helps with morphology. I would assume a urologist is going to be better at suggesting therapies than we are.

BenJay · January 2017

I wasn't there at the appointment but the urologist was pretty much like the quantity is there, so there's not much I can do. Sure, try Clomid, what the heck.

DH didn't specify on morphology/motility.

Didn't know if others had partners with similar experiences.

kaitlink33 · January 2017

**TW**
I don't personally have this problem with DH, but I just wanted to throw out there that my cousin is currently pregnant with twins after her and her husband had issues with his motility and he took clomid for it and now twins. Just putting some positive thoughts out there.

BenJay · January 2017

Thanks for that @kaitlink33

It's been a tough night but I have to remember there's still a chance.

funkykey · January 2017

BenJay said:

Frankly I am so very glad it's not me today.

Amen. I mean, I know infertility is a "couple's disease", but sometimes... Like after I've had 8 vials of blood drawn to DH's one...

FX at least one of those too-relaxed sperm becomes a go-getter!

kaitlink33 · January 2017

@funkykey I definitely do not feel like this is a "couple's disease" majority of the time...DH is so not worried about anything

BenJay · January 2017

@funkykey - Have you seen the clip of Ali Wong's stand-up where she goes off about how much credit her husband got for showing up to all of her appointments? And while she got her blood drawn, he plays Candy Crush? So funny. She's preggo in the video so maybe triggering?

All I know is that he finally has a taste of the emotional part of the infertility. It did feel good to hear him say "wow, now I know what it's like to just want to be done with trying." Yes! What, 1 year 7 months in and we're on the same page!

Worldtravler0522 · January 2017

@BenJay I don't have any advice for you but I get the feelings of geez at last I'm not the mutant. It's a blessing and a curse when your partner has issues too. I also love that you call it the junk doctor haha. Sending good thoughts and prayers his little men get their crap together and do something.

BenJay · January 2017

@Worldtravler0522 - It was kind of a surprise since he was eliminated early in the process (not post-wash, so... All those wimpy troops got counted). How much time I could have saved! But, now I feel bad for DH. He is the one that really wants kids...

Thanks!

BenJay · January 2017

Oh I forgot share that DH's junk doctor is Dr. Johnson.

Heh heh...

Vagarcia16 · January 2017

**Lurker** & **TW: BFP Mentioned**

@BenJaySorry for lurking. My DH and I struggled with IF for a few years (and still do), and I found this board to be helpful. Sometimes I lurk because I still find others' success to be uplifting.

My DH has a similar issue to what you are describing as "wimpy" sperm. Our RE called my DH's sperm "sluggish." I just wanted to jump in and share some interesting advice that we got from our RE that I don't ever see posted. Our RE said that my husband had an excess amount of mucus in his sperm, which she believed was making them "sluggish." She recommended that 72 hours prior to our IUI procedure, my DH take Mucinex. Our RE said that there was a marked improvement in the motility of the sperm sample after using the Mucinex. It's hard to say exactly how much that added to us having a successful IUI, because there were a number of factors to our protocol, but there you go. We did the Mucinex among other things and it worked!

Fx crossed for you and sending positive thoughts your way!

mountainlady · January 2017

@BenJay Dr Johnson... that's fabulous!

funkykey · January 2017

BenJay said:

Have you seen the clip of Ali Wong's stand-up where she goes off about how much credit her husband got for showing up to all of her appointments?

Um, yes. I loved that whole Ali Wong special. I actually feel like Ali Wong and I have a lot in common, although I don't have a progesterone deficiency... I made DH watch the special and he didn't like it quite as much as me, but that's ok.

I think about how much I want to be a housewife in yoga pants all the time. Just yesterday, getting dressed for work, I was like: "God, I cannot wait until I'm wearing yoga pants and just exercise and have my nails done all day." Like, to do a full-on ladies who lunch lifestyle. Even DH is now like: "I can't wait for that either, honey", I talk about it so much.

I laughed so hard when she was like: "those women are geniuses" and talked about the Whole Foods pre-sliced mango.

lund · January 2017

@BenJay I strongly suggest contact your DH's urologist to get the full picture of his SA results. There are different things you can try, depending on if the problem is motility or morphology.

I don't think that this is a super-credible, super-scientific article, but at least it has some general information

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2012/12/reversing-male-infertility/page-01

BenJay · January 2017

@Vagarcia16 - Wow, Mucinex?? Seems worth a shot. Thanks for jumping in! I really appreciate you lurking.

@funkykey - Ali Wong is just brilliant. I want to be in yoga pants all day (maybe not exercise, or the nails) but the yoga pants, yes.

@LuND - I am uncertain that hubz gave me the whole story or that he really asked any questions. He likes things "simple" and he thinks I "make things complicated and overthink". Let me see if I can get him to humor me and contact the urologist. Thanks!

ReesaAnne16 · January 2017

My DH has had low motility, but then counts were dropping too. His urologist put him on a supplement called Coast Science. 3 months after starting, his post-wash total motile count has jumped from 4-10M to 23-45M for our last 2 IUI's. He's done a lot of other things, like limiting caffeine, reducing environmental toxins, exercising more, drinking more water, but at any rate, we're going to continue the supplements since I think they've helped ALOT. Still waiting to see if out 5th IUI is more successful, now that he's been on this supplement.

BenJay · January 2017

@ReesaAnne16 - Holy crap, $100/120 capsules on Amazon. I guess it's worth it in the long run if it helps.

ReesaAnne16 · January 2017

@BenJay we had a coupon from the urologist so it ended up being $70 per month for 3 months worth. Now that we're spending $1000 a month on IUIs and looking at possibly $15,000+ for IVF, it is really a drop in the bucket.
I'll let you know if it ends up working for us.

BenJay · January 2017

@ReesaAnne16 - Fingers crossed for you!

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