Dealing with azoospermia?

[keziah23]

Got a call from the urologist office this morning (voicemail) confirming that they did save some sperm!!!
Said we would go over the report more at followup. However followup is not for a month and I am not that patient so I sent them a message saying I wanted to see report before then. I'll badger them until they send it to me. Badgering is one of my many fine skills, LOl! Hubby is doing good, he went back to work today, he said the pain was not nearly as bad as he had envisioned it would be

 

[AuCa]

That's so great keziah!!!
Go for it girl! (I wouldn't be patient enough to wait for a month either)

 

[MrsG30]

That's so great keziah!!!
Go for it girl! (I wouldn't be patient enough to wait for a month either)

hi hun
what further tests do you have to have? i curious as our 1st app is only a week away xx

 

[AuCa]

That's so great keziah!!!
Go for it girl! (I wouldn't be patient enough to wait for a month either)

hi hun
what further tests do you have to have? i curious as our 1st app is only a week away xx

Here is the list:

Me - a million blood tests (STDs, Day 3 hormone levels and some general stuff)

DH:
- 2nd semen analysis
- genetic testing (chromosome analysis + Y chromosome microdeletion analysis)
- blood tests (STDs, hormone levels)
- Ultrasounds to check for blockage in testes, and to check for cysts on prostate (those are not booked yet though, as the doc wanted to wait for the other results first); moreover, he thinks it's most likely non-obstructive azoo, since we had a handful of sperm (total of 9, to be exact) in his last SA

Hope that helps

 

[MrsG30]

That's so great keziah!!!
Go for it girl! (I wouldn't be patient enough to wait for a month either)

hi hun
what further tests do you have to have? i curious as our 1st app is only a week away xx

Here is the list:

Me - a million blood tests (STDs, Day 3 hormone levels and some general stuff)

DH:
- 2nd semen analysis
- genetic testing (chromosome analysis + Y chromosome microdeletion analysis)
- blood tests (STDs, hormone levels)
- Ultrasounds to check for blockage in testes, and to check for cysts on prostate (those are not booked yet though, as the doc wanted to wait for the other results first); moreover, he thinks it's most likely non-obstructive azoo, since we had a handful of sperm (total of 9, to be exact) in his last SA

Hope that helps

Ive all a load of blood work don but no doubt it will need repeated!
thanks for run through- did they give you any time frame?

 

[Stinas]

keziah - woohooooo!! Yayyy for finding sperm!!

 

[AuCa]

Ive all a load of blood work don but no doubt it will need repeated!
thanks for run through- did they give you any time frame?

Time frame in regards to what specifically?
We'll probably have all the tests done within the next 1-2 months (genetic testing takes a few weeks here, SA is booked for mid March), and will then have to re-evaluate.
I think they're first trying to figure out what the cause of his azoospermia could be, before going forward with treatment (eg if it was certain genetic causes we maybe might not want to pass that on and would have to think about donor sperm, or if there is a blockage it could maybe be fixed).
We have another appointment end of March, and hopefully we'll find out then what the plan forward will be.

 

[MrsG30]

Ive all a load of blood work don but no doubt it will need repeated!
thanks for run through- did they give you any time frame?

Time frame in regards to what specifically?
We'll probably have all the tests done within the next 1-2 months (genetic testing takes a few weeks here, SA is booked for mid March), and will then have to re-evaluate.
I think they're first trying to figure out what the cause of his azoospermia could be, before going forward with treatment (eg if it was certain genetic causes we maybe might not want to pass that on and would have to think about donor sperm, or if there is a blockage it could maybe be fixed).
We have another appointment end of March, and hopefully we'll find out then what the plan forward will be.

you answered excatly what i wanted to know without me asking properly haha!
im not sure what are timescales are like here but your sound reasonable enough.
our appointment is 1 week tomorrow and i dont know if im excited, fearful or dreading it.at least i know we will get some answers and get the ball rolling.

im sure my hubbs;s is down to mumps but obviously im not a doctor! i will be surprised if its anything else. im just really hopihng they get "some" from him.

girls am i right in thinking if they do find some in my hubby it has to be IVF or can it be insemination? im confused about it. im wondering if they get some from hubby they will suggest ivf as his sperm would be more precious and ivf has more success? or is insemination used?

thanks again xxxx

 

[AuCa]

I'm not a doc either, but I think you are probably right about your suspicion with the mumps.

I also think that the road will most likely lead you towards IVF (with ICSI), unless they can figure out a way to dramatically boost his numbers. I think even for just normal IVF (without ICSI, where they will inject one sperm) you need between 50 and 100,000 sperm. Not sure what they need for insemination, but I'd guess a million or more.
If they have to extract sperm from tissue I think they HAVE to do IVF with ICSI, as the quality is usually not the greatest (at least the clinics here told us that).

 

[raelynn]

AuCa is right about this. Unless they end up finding tons of sperm that were just blocked, the retrieval numbers would probably be very low so that would lead to IVF with ICSI

 

[MrsG30]

AuCa is right about this. Unless they end up finding tons of sperm that were just blocked, the retrieval numbers would probably be very low so that would lead to IVF with ICSI

I'm not a doc either, but I think you are probably right about your suspicion with the mumps.

I also think that the road will most likely lead you towards IVF (with ICSI), unless they can figure out a way to dramatically boost his numbers. I think even for just normal IVF (without ICSI, where they will inject one sperm) you need between 50 and 100,000 sperm. Not sure what they need for insemination, but I'd guess a million or more.
If they have to extract sperm from tissue I think they HAVE to do IVF with ICSI, as the quality is usually not the greatest (at least the clinics here told us that).

ah as i expected ladies- you just put it in better terms, i under ICSI much more now, i presume thats why IVF AND Insemination with donor is much more successful?
im not clouded enough to think there going to find a load of sperm- im setting myself for this to be a fail then i cant feel any worse than i do.

thankyou again girls xxxx

 

[tulip11]

hi everyone can I join you guys ? On February 12 we found out that DH is azoospermic no sperm was found in first SA analysis...that was quite unexpected result for us because we dont have any family history from both sides..Idk whether it has effected the results or not but the sample which we submitted for SA was very thin like you can say pre-ejaculatory fluid I even told to my DH that its not like what we used to have after intercouse sorry TMI...After BDing we usually have thick fluid but that was very thin and on the same day when we got back to home so he had masturbation later on so that time the actual semen came out which was very thick so DH said that look its the actual semen but what we submitted was very thin and diluted ( I want to mention that my DH did collect his sample in hospital toilet by masturbation ) now my DH ill be having blood tests on Monday and then second SA as well but still I dont believe first SA result...my question is that does thin sample as I mentioned above effects the result ? and is it possible that we can get different result in 2nd SA ? we are completly heart broken now life is meaningless to us...any positive feedback..

 

[keziah23]

Hey all. Got the report from the TESE back and need some help interpreting it. We don't see the doc until the 6th of March

Total Sperm Count .01 Million
4 vials frozen
475ul per vial

Major defect: elongated spermotaza
Second major defect: mid-piece damage
Also observed small population of broken head/tail

Pre and post thaw motitlity and progression both 0%

round cells-TNTC (too numerous to count)

 

[AuCa]

Hi Tulip, and welcome on this thread I think I remember you from another thread, but not sure which one....
Anyway, I'm very sorry that you guys got the azoo diagnosis. I don't want to discourage you, and I think you should definitely do a 2nd SA, but azoospermia doesn't have much to do with genetics/family history. My husband doesn't have a family history of it either, and his brother just had a baby boy.
I don't know if the consistency has much to do with the result, to be honest. Did he abstain for at least 3 days?
How he gave his sample is very normal; here every man has to give the sample at the semen lab in the hospital (I know there is some places where ppl can do it at home and then bring it, but they don't allow this here).

Unfortunately you won't know for sure until he had his 2nd SA. However, even if something had gone wrong in his first SA, it would surprise me if it would have come up with zero (as it did in your case).

I know this is tough, but being diagnosed with azoospermia doesn't mean that there is no hope whatsoever. There is still options. Make sure you see a good specialist and get everything checked out. If his 2nd SA comes back with zero too, make sure your DH also gets genetic testing and ultrasounds done, etc. But a specialized urologist or RE will most likely do this anyway.
Good luck, and keep us updated

 

[tulip11]

thanks AuCa.yeah he abstained for 3-4 days. DH ill be having blood tests on Monday before 2nd SA...and GP has already referred us to FS we ill get app letter in four weeks...

 

[maybeBmommy]

Hi, I'm very emotional joining this group, as I never thought it was possible. (Don't we all say that?)
Happy Valentines Day to us, DH's SA dame back with zero sperm found. My oxygen has been no help, saying I should just search for a donor sperm, is that really the next step? Is there anyway I can have a child with my husbands genetics? We are completely devastated. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you.

 

[CanadianMaple]

Hi, I'm very emotional joining this group, as I never thought it was possible. (Don't we all say that?)
Happy Valentines Day to us, DH's SA dame back with zero sperm found. My oxygen has been no help, saying I should just search for a donor sperm, is that really the next step? Is there anyway I can have a child with my husbands genetics? We are completely devastated. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you.

I'm so sorry. Those first few weeks are so hard. We found out just before Christmas last year. It was so devastating.

Right now, we are in the process of doing IVF/ICSI. DH is having a TESA (needle biopsy) to see if he has sperm and if not, we are going to use donor sperm. It took a long time to get to this point emotionally and with the clinic. We really hope that we find sperm in DH but if not, we are looking at the donor sperm as a half adoption but I get to control the gestation.

There are lots of babies on here that have come from sperm they have found from their partner/husband. Some people have chosen the donor sperm route because it's quicker and doesn't cost as much as IVF/ICSI with a TESE or a TESA. Just be prepared that there will waiting for results and between appointments and as hard as it is, you will process everything during that time.

You're in such an amazing group of women and we are all here for you. Many of us have all taken different routes, but there are many azoo babies on the other side of this.

 

[AuCa]

Hi, I'm very emotional joining this group, as I never thought it was possible. (Don't we all say that?)
Happy Valentines Day to us, DH's SA dame back with zero sperm found. My oxygen has been no help, saying I should just search for a donor sperm, is that really the next step? Is there anyway I can have a child with my husbands genetics? We are completely devastated. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you.

I'm very sorry
I also found it almost offensive when DH's doc told us right after his SA that we would probably have to consider donor sperm or adoption. That's definitely not what you should say to a couple that just got that type of diagnosis . And then he went on giving us his opinion about getting donor sperm from relatives (he didn't think it was a good idea). I was honestly really irritated after that.

What you will be able to do depends I think. They'll first have to figure out what the cause for the azoospermia is (if they can find one), and then if they can find sperm somewhere (through TESE or similar procedures).

We are also still in the beginning stages, and I have no idea what will be down the road. But there is definitely a lot of support here, for which I'm very grateful. I wish you all the best, and keep us updated

 

[CanadianMaple]

Oh yes, you are going to hear a lot of crap from people about "just" adopting or "just" using a donor. It still drives me crazy.

If I could do things differently, I would have not told as many people about the azoo. Everyone who knows about it also knows we are doing IVF and DH is having his biopsy and I hope they just assume we find sperm in him. I know everyone is supportive, but there is so much to work through about donor sperm. I kept that as a back burner thought while we worked out what was wrong with DH and decided what we wanted.

How are your husbands coping? Mine was always 2 steps behind me with coping. He was in denial for awhile while I think I read every single google hit for azoospermia I could find...

 

[Deb111]

So sorry to see more people getting this diagnosis but you've found a far group of women.

Tulip - I may be telling you what you already know and may be making an assumption here but at what point was the sample very thin? Was it immediately? Semen liquifies in a few minutes and turns from being thick to very watery pretty quickly.

Keziah - wonderful news

ladies - I'm so sorry I don't get on here much these days. I try and catch up when I can and think if you all often.

If you can all post a couple if sentences about where you are with your journey atm, starting with your name so i can just copy and paste, i will try and update front page at the weekend x x