Hi, my partner and I start IVF in 3 months. He’s on 20 mg prozac per day for depression, after going through a stressful time at work lately. He started on them a couple of months ago.
I’ve read consistent reports that anti d’s can affect sperm quality and lower the chance of IVF working. Our IVF consultant thought he might be ok on a low dose but couldn’t guarantee there would be no effect.
I want us to do everything we possibly can to improve our chance of success and ideally would prefer that he wasn’t on any medication. At the same time I don’t want him to suffer from depression.
Sorry if this is tmi, but the tablets have already affected his sex drive and ejaculation is very difficult for him now, so I can imagine that the tablets would have an affect on his sperm.
I don’t know whether I should ask him to consider weaning himself off the tablets and discuss alternatives to medication, such as plenty of exercise, counselling, healthy diet etc. or just not mention it and just accept the way things are. He doesn’t think the tablets have made much difference, only taken the edge off his feelings.
Can anyone advise me?
Thank you, Sarah
depends on your relationship I guess, let him know the facts then leave it to him what he does about it, is what I would do. my husband is a smoker, boozer, works 90 hour weeks in the desert far from home and drinks a vat of coffee a day. not ideal sperm conditions! what could I do? order him to stop smoking? that’s the man I chose to start a family with, warts and all.
we got our timings all messed up in the lead up to The Big Day as my eggs had raced away and had to be taken earlier then planned. and to be blunt there wasn’t enough sperm produced on the day. a nurse popped her head round the curtain after my egg collection while I was recovering, to ask my husband if he could possibly produce some more. he went out for a smoke, had a pie in the hospital cafe and went back in the room to well, get some more. he was 46 and rather pleased with himself. we went home and waited the rest of the day for them to call and let us know if they were able to do IVF or had to do ICSI
anyway I doubt my witherings have helped much but didn’t want to read and run
Angie xx
ps not stalking you!
Hi Angie, I don’t think you’re stalking me! I really appreciate your help and I think you have a really good attitude towards things.
Thanks for telling me about your hubby and it’s reassuring to know that IVF worked despite his smoking, drinking and long hours!.
Did you end up having ICSI in the end or regular IVF? As you suggested, I’ll give my partner the facts on anti d’s and let him decide.
You seem to have such a positive, chilled out attitude, have you always been like that? I’d like to be a lot more like that rather than worrying all the time.
Thank you,
Sarah x
they were able to go for IVf instead of ICSI which they do prefer if possible as it mimics natures way a bit more, is what the embryologist said to me I seem to remember.
gosh no not always been chilled out and positive. we started trying for a baby in 2002. first EP in 2003 and second in 2005, no further pregnancies without help. eventually we just gave up trying. I learned to make peace with the fact we wouldn’t have children, actually learned to see the positives in that for several years, I still do see the positives in that. iVF was a bit of a whim decision, just in case I had any regrets when I was older, that’s all, I wanted to be able to tick it off. I never thought it would work at all, let alone first time, my son was born in 2012.
your posts resonate with me so much, I remember searching for information, statistics, tracking my cycle like it was a scientific experiment! I don’t know, maybe it’s a way of trying to get control over an uncontrollable situation. But in the end … what will be will be. I now have the benefit of hindsight, that’s all. you just need to do whatever gets you through right NOW. and if that’s thinking and questioning and figuring out and more thinking then so be it but try to find a little brain time every day to just be Sarah and do and think about something that has absolutely nothing to do with any of this awfulness x
Hi Sarah,
I can see the conflict between not wanting him to be depressed and wanting IVF to have the best possible shot at working.
Just an idea the two of you could discuss if you thought it was worthwhile… Is there a medium ground where he came off the Prozac temporarily and instead tried ‘talk therapy’ as his treatment for depression while you go through an IVF cycle to see if he can cope on the talk therapy instead and to give the IVF it’s best shot?
Chances are the trying to conceive is contributing to his depression too, as men feel it but don’t discuss it, and it may make him feel more down anyway if he decides he is responsible for IVF not working because of taking Prozac.
Best wishes,
EPT Host 13