Dealing with azoospermia?

[Deb111]

Hi Hopefulgirl - so sorry you find yourself here but you're in good company

The first thing they will need to do is work out if your dh has a blockage. Sometimes they will do an ultrasound to determine this but often the hormone blood test results can tell them i.e. if the body has detected a problem, it will increase the hormones to try to fix it so the FSH level will be raised. If it's a blockage, the body knows sperm production is fine so doesn't need to increase hormone levels.

There's no point in making false promises, and it's one hell of a tough journey, but to cut a long story short, we were told by the NHS that we only had 2 options - adoption or donor sperm BUT after hormone treatment, an excellent private urologist, mTESE operation where they only got about 40 sperm, we are now 19 and a half weeks pregnant (and that's with me having a stupidly low AMH level too )

 

[raelynn]

MJ - Beautiful picture. Praying your little one snuggles in and hangs on tight!

 

[Stinas]

Mj - that's such exciting news!!!!! Stick stick stick!!!

Hopefulgirl - I'm sorry to see you here, but it's an amazing support group, with tons of information. Deb summed it up pretty good. I hope you don't have to wait too long for answers. We are all here whenever you want to vent!

 

[WANBMUM]

Hi gals and welcome hopefulgirl!

Seems to be a downer on this thread at the moment Im hoping we all have a turn around real soon. We are due some luck. Hopefull MJ your the first to get it

We didnt get great news ourselves today, we were supposed to have IUI tomorrow or Tuesday, our 2nd attempt, but I got a positive on an OPK yesterday, which means tomorrow would be too late and my egg is already on its travels, so because of the fricken weekend, we have missed our window - our clinic only opens monday to friday - how stupid is that, I will have to train my body to ovulate mon through fri in future!!!!
I think I have been crying for 2 hours solid, this is our 2nd cancelled IUI - first time I was over stimulated on clomid.
It makes me wonder is there really light at the end of the tunnel

 

[Deb111]

So sorry Wanbmum - that must be so frustrating.

When we were trying to time things with hubbys mTESE, I was worried I may ov too early and I was told there's something they can give you to hold it off - can't rememebr what it was called, but worth asking for future xx

 

[WANBMUM]

Thanks deb, I will deffo have a look into that. They said next month they would scan me every day to monitor me better. Oh well.
I'm just disappointed as fathers day is coming up and our wedding anniversary. Just feeling sorry for myself but I know I'll pick myself up and get positive. We have to in this process don't we.
Hope your keeping well deb. is it this week you find out the sex? Exciting huh!

 

[CanadianMaple]

hopefulgirl1- Boy, do I remember the day I found out and how difficult it was to take in. It's hard too because you're in shock and it's hard to know what to say to DH in those early days. You will get a good feeling about what's going on with hormonal tests. Some genetic tests will also explain why if they are positive and will alter your treatment plan.

We are at a crossroads now. DH has primary testicular failure. We found that out because his testosterone was very low and his FSH and LH were high. His body was trying to tell his testicles to make sperm with no success. We were given the option of mTESE with a 35-45% chance of finding sperm.

MJ73- I hope your little embie is snuggling in right now!

Stinas- Your biospy is one my first anniversary date! That will be here before you know it.

(page flip, will do more personals in next post)

 

[CanadianMaple]

WANBMUM- What a bummer. I can't believe your clinic is only open on weekdays. I hope they can answer to what they can do to help you ovulate on their schedule. I'm so sorry, I would have been really upset too. It's especially hard with Father's day and anniversaries.

AFM- We have been having a hard time with making a decision. I've been lurking but felt like I was always feeling sad/negative and it was best to process some of this on my own. We saw the urologist again and with a clearer picture of what the mTESE would look like, we have decided against doing it. Chris really couldn't stomach the thought of the surgery, and I really couldn't bring myself to accept that we would be in the middle of an IVF cycle before we would know if he had sperm or not.

So, he has been doing for months. He was struggling a lot this weekend and knew we had to do something. His parents are amazing people and such great people to talk out a problem with. Much to his relief, they agreed that the surgery was too much for him, especially with such a small success rate. 35-45% wasn't high enough and to add a 50% chance of IVF working with that sperm dropped us down to a 1/5 chance of having a bio baby. For the cost and the pain (and time), it just isn't something we can do.

So, his parents spontaneously asked us about donor sperm and both made it clear that they would support that. So, he is still wondering if he should do the TESA, just to say he tried it to avoid having regrets, go straight to dIUI or walk away completely.

He is suddenly pouring over my book "Helping the Stork" and was on the xytex site trying to find a donor. We even agreed on a first choice if we decide to go that route. We see the RE on June 27th, so it would be great to have a plan when we see him.

(Sorry for the huge update!)

 

[MJ73]

Thanks girls for all the support Tang the emby is hopefully settling in nicely xx

Wanbmum, so sorry hun, that really sucks. Sending loads of your way.

Canadian, I'm pleased for you that you've made a decision, in some ways that is the main part of the battle. I think to see that you have options, needle aspiration or DS also helps. If it's any comfort, Simon has taken about 2 years to get his head around DS. He went from being completely against it, to may be considering it, to saying that he only wanted de-identified DS to saying he would consider using a known donor to last wednesday night being happy & comfortable with using our known donor (our clinic will only use known donor). So, it's been quite a journey, just to get to this point.

hopefulgirl, welcome . Sorry you've found yourself here, but you're in the right place to get info & support. Finding out your partner has azoo is devastating & I really feel for you. I agree with the other girls the 1st things they will do is to screen for blockages (a blockage is really best case scenario, as it will usually mean that DH is producing plenty of sperm that can be found on TESE), hormonal issues (testicular failure etc) & genetic issues (klinefelters, CF carrier etc) & that will give you & the drs a better idea what is causing it & the chances of finding sperm in sugery. Be aware, Drs (GPs in Aus anyway) seem to know very little about it & we were told firstly that we had no chance of having Simon's bio child, our GP even asked Simon if he'd had a vasectomy & not told us about it!!! (We left that GP) But now we have a great specialist, who is very sensitive & kind. I wish you the best of luck

 

[hopefulgirl1]

I'm assuming the hormone test came out fine because the gyno did not say anything about those results, he just asked the DH to do chromosome testing? He told us this will help the specialist when we eventually get an appointment.
What will the chromosome test results show?

 

[hopefulgirl1]

P.s sorry thanks ladies, you all seem like a very lovely bunch I'm so glad I sound this forum!
I'm so new to all this. Never even thought that we would ever have these kind of problems. All my friends around me are having babies and keep asking me the question when we are going to, I haven't told anyone of our problems as it really upsets me talking about it.
My husband is soo devastated about it aswell and I don't know how to explain to him that he hasn't let me down as he really thinks this.

 

[SunUp]

WANB Oh I am so sorry for you. I cannot believe it, how STUPID for them to be only available mon-fri. My local office is Mon-Fri so yesterday I had to go for a drive (a little over an hour) for my appointment. I am REALLY hoping July is time for your BFP, you so deserve it!

Canadian - I really feel where you are right now, as we opted against the surgery too, but then were thinking 'what ifs' for a while. Once we chose DS it was such a relief. To be honest, I rarely even call it DIUI anymore, just because in my head, while its not my DHs biological sperm, its still my husbands child! And now, sometimes, I think he is even more hopeful than I am! Best of luck in your decisions. I am here for you if you need anything!

Hopeful - Sorry you have to join us but I hope you find this thread a comfort, as I have.

MJ - you have no idea how much baby dust and hugs I am sending your way!

Rae- Where are you at with IVF... did you have a time frame? Sorry if I missed it, I tried to read back but I didn't see it.

Snd - Fingers crossed your body is getting all lined up for your good side to have a few nice follies!!!

Deb- How soon until you know if baby is team pink or team blue?

 

[Step Mummy]

Hi Ladies, I hope everyone is well. I have been MIA this month whilst going through the early stages of another cycle of IUI, but am now depressed to give you all an update:

Our IUI has been cancelled so go 5 was a failiure too. I had my Day 8 scan which showed a really big follie at 15m, on day 10 it was the same size but she thought in a different place and was odd shaped and was worried about it. Today (day 13) they told me it had gone, apparantly it had just fizzled away, sometimes this happens, no reason. I have not ovulated because the linging was still getting thicker.

I can't believe it, I never imagined things like this could happen!

She is changing my injection amounts from every other day from day 3 to every day from day 4 next month. So I just have to wait for CD1 again!

I hope you are all having better luck than me right now! Look forward to hearing some more BFP's!

 

[deafgal01]

wan that just sucks.

Hopeful- you've come to the right place. Sometimes they take a few days to reveal blood levels. I think it takes 3 to 5 days for the dr to call my dh back with his blood results for the hormone levels. Think we get SA results same day they do it (cannot remember). Have not ever done a chromonosal test. Right now you are grieving but you will eventually be able to accept the news, on occasion not be bitter at anyone pregnant, and not cry/get upset when you tell others of the diagnosis if you share.

Well, dh managed to tell both his parents as he needed to ask them if anything might have happened as a child to cause this. Both have known at least a month now. My parents on the other hand is clueless. I did manage to finally break the news to my sister last night that we were facing a infertility issue (I do not want to say what til dh feels ok with more people knowing). My cousin (just 1) is aware dh and I have been seeking a dr help to get pregnant (she does not know of fertility being an issue I think). These 4 are the only ones aware I think. I realized last night I made progress cuz I did not cry or get upset telling my sister that infertility is playing a role in our trying.

 

[tigerlily1975]

I'm so very sorry, Step Mummy, it must be so utterly frustrating I'm wishing very hard that everything goes smoothly with the next cycle. I also agree that we need some BFPs on here!

C xx

 

[tigerlily1975]

Oh, I meant to say a BIG THANK YOU for all the birthday wishes! We didn't really do anything this year - I wasn't in the mood, what with losing my dad in January - but we did pop over to see my brother. He lives in this tiny little ye olde English village - I joke that it's like something out of the TV show 'Midsomer Murders', but thankfully minus the crazy murders!

Big to all,

C xx

 

[Chickadeedee]

Hi Ladies,
I guess it is time I joined this thread....
My husband & I have been TTC for a year now. He had testicular cancer in his early 30's. We finally sought help from a FS after his initial SA showed what we were initially told were very few sperm....but we were under the impression that there were at least some... (the analysis was done at our local small town hospital)...We have since done two more SA at the FS office and now we are shocked to learn that he has NO sperm...mind you that we were told the results after driving 2 hours to the office for our follow up to find out when I needed to start meds for IVF w/ ICSi. We had NO idea this is what we were going to hear.
To say we are devastated is an understatement. The FS basically said our only option is donor sperm.
Now reading through this thread, I'm wondering if an appointment with his urologist might be in order? Could he maybe have sperm somewhere that a doctor can access them???

 

[Deb111]

Hi chickadeedee - I'm sorry to hear your story. You are very welcome here.

I don't really know anything about azoospermia cause by chemo so don't really know what to advise, but it may be helpful to speak to a urologist even if it is just to confirm what you have been told. Was he not advised to freeze any sperm before the cancer treatment?

 

[deafgal01]

Chick- that's a good question. I don't know if he's got any somewhere that a dr could retrieve for you guys. But it's something to look into. Deb has a lot of good information in the first post should you want to inquire further with a specialist about what to do/where to go from here.

 

[Chickadeedee]

Thanks! He actually didn't have chemo, just removal of one testie and then radiation. And yes, he probably was advised to freeze, but we hadn't met yet, and at that time I don't think he ever thought he would marry and have children...he was just scared out of his mind at the thought of having cancer
I'll look back at the first post now! Thanks again!!!