Alcohol and sperm?

[TaytumJ]

I had just heard from others on another group I'm a part of that they found studies stating alcohol lowers testosterone and can damage sperm. I'm worried now as DH is leaving right before my fertile period on a guy's trip and won't be back until right before O. Obviously they will be drinking, so now I'm worried that no matter what I do, DH will be basically ruining another chance. I'll be on my third round of Clomid (second month on 100mg), and I feel like I'm going through all of the side effects and crap from Clomid and he's not doing anything to help.

Any thoughts and if it's true, whether it would even be worth me taking Clomid this month if it's going to be another wash.

[Junie]

Hmmm. My H was drinking often with friends before both of our boys were conceived. I think to be on the safe side you could ask him to try and drink a bit less in the 3-5 days leading up to O. Personally I would try not to worry about it and assume you didn't get pregnant the last two cycles due to bad luck and nothing you or your H did wrong or didn't do.

[XXforhubby]

Hmmm. I'm not so sure about this. My DH used to drink moderate to heavy when we conceived DS1 and drank moderately with DS2. DS1 was a one hit wonder, DS2 was conceived in 3 mo. This baby I'm pregnant with DH drank the least and it took me FOREVER (8 mo and 9 cycles!) to get pregnant.

I think it's the overall health/diet that has the most effect and not one thing, yk?

[TaytumJ]

Thanks so much for the reassurance, ladies. I think today my AF hormones got the best of me and I was thinking of any and all reasons why Clomid isn't working for us and just upset and frustrated. I think in my head I thought Clomid would be the answer, and so far it hasn't.

DH will actually be gone days 13-15 and I'm sure drinking all of those days on the trip. I should O around cd 17/18 so as soon as he gets home we'll get in lots of BD, I just felt like the drinking so close to it would just again mean it's a waste. He's going to take his multivitamins and fish oil with him while he's gone too so I hope that helps and I know he's willing to do whatever it takes, but I know he won't be able to not drink at all during his vacation. Just trying to do whatever we can so that a) we get pregnant and b) I can stop Clomid. It's no fun. With trying to do anything we can to help this cycle, did anyone do one baby aspirin a day while on Clomid to help with lining?

[atomic sagebrush]

Most of those things are in chronic alcoholics and not a little bit of drinking. He will be fine.

We got one of our boys with my DH drinking and a girl with him drinking too. It's totally possible to get pregnant with a DH drinking.

[atomic sagebrush]

Don;t do baby aspirin unless you have a GOOD reason to believe your lining is cruddy. I mean your doctor looking at your lining and seeing it on ultrasound (and if they did, they'd prescribe you somehting much more effective than aspirin.)

[TaytumJ]

Thanks again for your reassurance, atomic. I think my AF emotions got the best of me and I just am feeling so hopeless. I know it's still early and, realistically, between the Clomid and the two times I've ovulated on my own we've only had an active chance to get pregnant four months, and one was a CP. Just so hard sometimes and I feel so much more let down when medication isn't helping either.

I'm going to up my robitussin to two 600mg every 12 hours a week before O, preseed every time (we did that last cycle too), going to do as much as SMEP as possible (DH will be gone until right before O though so won't be able to do EOD before) and lots and lots of water. I won't do the baby aspirin. Hopefully third times a charm.

[atomic sagebrush]

This WILL happen, Taytum. I know it feels like forever right now but it's because of those long cycles, I completely agree that you've really only had 4 good tries and it's not unusual to have to go 6-9 months. It can take a little longer with the first one sometimes.

[True Blue]

Taytum I'm hoping and praying with all my might you will catch that egg this cycle

[TaytumJ]

Thanks, ladies. I'm pretty hopeful for most of my cycle - it's those days right after AF I get discouraged. You're right atomic, it WILL happen. Clomid just makes me so crazy...I'd love to just be pregnant and done with it!

Onward and up!