Dealing with azoospermia?

[waitingginger]

now i dont normally watch jeremy kyle but i was in the gym and title was 'why cant we have a baby? fertility test results' so came home and put it on itv+1 hour and looks like its male feritlity issues.... just waiting on results....

 

[waitingginger]

it was a low sperm count came back at 13million. trying for 5 years and still no baby! doctor said under 10million sperm would take on average 6 years. 15 million would take around 3 years!! well that was actually very interesting!!! x

 

[Flake-y]

Gosh most of the girls on this thread would be quite pleased to have a sperm count of 13 million! Or even 1 million for that matter!!! Love Jeremy Kyle!

 

[waitingginger]

I know was very shocked at the average years and here i am thinking it only takes one! if 10 million takes 6 years god knows how long it would take one

 

[chelenic]

Hello

My husband was diagnosed with Azoospermia last year. i really want to give you some hope and encouragement.

I am now on day 20 of my first IVF cycle!!!!

I know sometimes it seems so scary and at times we felt hopeless but I wanted to share our journey with you because it may give you hope.

I know when we got this news we didnt know where to turn to find hope.

I have been lurking on here now for a few years. I have recently started a channel on You Tube so that I could reach out to others going through this and see if I can help them and also to show the injections etc.

If you go on you tube and search chelenic you will find me

I thought I would put a reply on here incase you wanted to check out my channel as you may find it useful. I went on youtube a lot before i started so that i could see what others were feeling and how to do injections and side effects etc.

I have had a good response so far and have made a lot of nice friends who are going through this jorurney, they have given me advice and I have been able to give it too.

If you would like to look, please feel free, i will help in anyway I can.

Here is a brief outline of how we got here.......

Andy and I married in May 2008.
We immediately began trying for a baby.
We tried naturally for about a year with no success so I went to the GP for tests.
I had blood tests and they all came back ok. The GP would not test anything further with me until they ruled out any problems with Andy by doing a semen analysis.
It took some months to convince Andy to go for tests, he has since said that he was delaying it as he was so worried about the outcome.
Andy's results came back showing there was 0 sperm in his
semen. This condition is known as Azoospermia.
They then performed an ultrasound on Andy.
We were told at this point that we would not be able to have children together, this was devastating.
Meanwhile I had a HSG, where dye is flushed through the fallopian tubes to check for blockages. This came back fine,
We were then referred for IVF in September 2010.
We had various consultations and were due to start IVF in November/December 2010.
We went to our co-ordination appointment and at this point were told that Andy tested positive as being a carrier for Cystic Fybrosis and that this would most likely be the cause of his Azoospermia, non-obstructive Azoospermia.
The IVF cycl was then put on hold as they had to test me for Cystic Fybrosis. If both partners carry the gene there is a high risk of their child having Cystic Fybrosis. This was a worrying time as this could have meant again that we wouldnt be able to proceed with the IVF due to the high risk factor if I was also a carrier.
I had a blood test and we waited two weeks for the results, thankfully I was not showing as a carrier. They only check 23 parts of the gene as there are hundreds of different mutations but they considered us low risk as it suggested I didn't carry the gene.
They concluded then also that Andy's Azoospermia was attributed to the absence of the Vas Defrens.
We were given the go ahead to proceed with IVF.
On 14th February 2011 Andy had a surgical sperm retrieval proceedure, hoping they could find some sperm to freeze so that we could have the IVF.
They found loads!!! This was the best news ever!!!
I started my Buserelin injections for our first cycle on 28th April 2011......and here we are now at day 20 of injections. This is my 2nd day of the GonalF, Stimulation injections.
So far the side affects i have are achy, bloated tummy and a bit of nausea, and some hot flushes.

Thank you for reading and if I can help in any way, I am so so happy to do so.

Babydust to you!!! xxxxxxx

 

[Pink Lolly]

Hello

My husband was diagnosed with Azoospermia last year. i really want to give you some hope and encouragement.

I am now on day 20 of my first IVF cycle!!!!

I know sometimes it seems so scary and at times we felt hopeless but I wanted to share our journey with you because it may give you hope.

I know when we got this news we didnt know where to turn to find hope.

I have been lurking on here now for a few years. I have recently started a channel on You Tube so that I could reach out to others going through this and see if I can help them and also to show the injections etc.

If you go on you tube and search chelenic you will find me

I thought I would put a reply on here incase you wanted to check out my channel as you may find it useful. I went on youtube a lot before i started so that i could see what others were feeling and how to do injections and side effects etc.

I have had a good response so far and have made a lot of nice friends who are going through this jorurney, they have given me advice and I have been able to give it too.

If you would like to look, please feel free, i will help in anyway I can.

Here is a brief outline of how we got here.......

Andy and I married in May 2008.
We immediately began trying for a baby.
We tried naturally for about a year with no success so I went to the GP for tests.
I had blood tests and they all came back ok. The GP would not test anything further with me until they ruled out any problems with Andy by doing a semen analysis.
It took some months to convince Andy to go for tests, he has since said that he was delaying it as he was so worried about the outcome.
Andy's results came back showing there was 0 sperm in his
semen. This condition is known as Azoospermia.
They then performed an ultrasound on Andy.
We were told at this point that we would not be able to have children together, this was devastating.
Meanwhile I had a HSG, where dye is flushed through the fallopian tubes to check for blockages. This came back fine,
We were then referred for IVF in September 2010.
We had various consultations and were due to start IVF in November/December 2010.
We went to our co-ordination appointment and at this point were told that Andy tested positive as being a carrier for Cystic Fybrosis and that this would most likely be the cause of his Azoospermia, non-obstructive Azoospermia.
The IVF cycl was then put on hold as they had to test me for Cystic Fybrosis. If both partners carry the gene there is a high risk of their child having Cystic Fybrosis. This was a worrying time as this could have meant again that we wouldnt be able to proceed with the IVF due to the high risk factor if I was also a carrier.
I had a blood test and we waited two weeks for the results, thankfully I was not showing as a carrier. They only check 23 parts of the gene as there are hundreds of different mutations but they considered us low risk as it suggested I didn't carry the gene.
They concluded then also that Andy's Azoospermia was attributed to the absence of the Vas Defrens.
We were given the go ahead to proceed with IVF.
On 14th February 2011 Andy had a surgical sperm retrieval proceedure, hoping they could find some sperm to freeze so that we could have the IVF.
They found loads!!! This was the best news ever!!!
I started my Buserelin injections for our first cycle on 28th April 2011......and here we are now at day 20 of injections. This is my 2nd day of the GonalF, Stimulation injections.
So far the side affects i have are achy, bloated tummy and a bit of nausea, and some hot flushes.

Thank you for reading and if I can help in any way, I am so so happy to do so.

Babydust to you!!! xxxxxxx

Hi Chelenic

Thank you for sharing your story - great news that they found loads of sperm when they did the SSR!

We found out that my DH had azoospermia on 19th November last year and like you we were devestated. We have our first IVF consultation next week, which I am excoited about but DH has not yet had an SSR so I'm a bit nervous about that and anxious to find out whether we can use DHs sperm or if we need to use a donor.

Its funny how your DH avoided having the SA because he was scared - mine was exactly the same and put it off for ages. When we were in the waiting room waiting to get his first SA results, he was so nervous and said 'I just hope there is some sperm in there....' and I said 'Dont be silly, at the worst it will be low...'
If only I knew at that point what lay ahead. Its weird though - almost like their subconscious told them something was wrong?

Good luck with your IVF - hope you get a well deserved - keep us posted! And great news to read about the You Tube section you have started. I am constantly trawling the internet and know this site has been a lifesaver

Take care and keep in touch xxxx

 

[Pink Lolly]

Gosh most of the girls on this thread would be quite pleased to have a sperm count of 13 million! Or even 1 million for that matter!!! Love Jeremy Kyle!

I agree Jo - we would be on if they found 13 sperms let alone 13 million!!

 

[Pink Lolly]

now i dont normally watch jeremy kyle but i was in the gym and title was 'why cant we have a baby? fertility test results' so came home and put it on itv+1 hour and looks like its male feritlity issues.... just waiting on results....

Amy how are you? Havent seen you on here for a while x

 

[Flake-y]

Chelenic; thanks for sharing your story! Lots of luck for your IVF cycle, hope it is first time lucky for you!!!

 

[april4jdg]

I am getting a d-iui today. DH is coming with me. I have done Follistim (I think y'all call it Puregon overseas) 75 iu's cd 4-9 and triggered with Ovidrel cd 10 at 10:30 pm and I have my d-iui today at 10:30 am... I hope this works!
I have been thinking about y'all- Looks like lots of new faces here! : )

 

[mumanddad]

Hello

My husband was diagnosed with Azoospermia last year. i really want to give you some hope and encouragement.

I am now on day 20 of my first IVF cycle!!!!

I know sometimes it seems so scary and at times we felt hopeless but I wanted to share our journey with you because it may give you hope.

I know when we got this news we didnt know where to turn to find hope.

I have been lurking on here now for a few years. I have recently started a channel on You Tube so that I could reach out to others going through this and see if I can help them and also to show the injections etc.

If you go on you tube and search chelenic you will find me

I thought I would put a reply on here incase you woanted to check out my channel as you may find it useful. I went on youtube a lot before i started so that i could see what others were feeling and how to do injections and side effects etc.

I have had a good response so far and have made ia lot of nice friends who are going through this jorurney, they have given me advice and I have been able to give it too.

If you would like to look, please feel free, i will help in anyway I can.

Here is a brief outline of how we got here.......

Andy and I married in May 2008.
We immediately began trying for a baby.
We tried naturally for about a year with no success so I went to the GP for tests.
I had blood tests and they all came back ok. The GP would not test anything further with me until they ruled out any problems with Andy by doing a semen analysis.
It took some months to convince Andy to go for tests, he has since said that he was delaying it as he was so worried about the outcome.
Andy's results came back showing there was 0 sperm in his
semen. This condition is known as Azoospermia.
They then performed an ultrasound on Andy.
We were told at this point that we would not be able to have children together, this was devastating.
Meanwhile I had a HSG, where dye is flushed through the fallopian tubes to check for blockages. This came back fine,
We were then referred for IVF in September 2010.
We had various consultations and were due to start IVF in November/December 2010.
We went to our co-ordination appointment and at this point were told that Andy tested positive as being a carrier for Cystic Fybrosis and that this would most likely be the cause of his Azoospermia, non-obstructive Azoospermia.
The IVF cycl was then put on hold as they had to test me for Cystic Fybrosis. If both partners carry the gene there is a high risk of their child having Cystic Fybrosis. This was a worrying time as this could have meant again that we wouldnt be able to proceed with the IVF due to the high risk factor if I was also a carrier.
I had a blood test and we waited two weeks for the results, thankfully I was not showing as a carrier. They only check 23 parts of the gene as there are hundreds of different mutations but they considered us low risk as it suggested I didn't carry the gene.
They concluded then also that Andy's Azoospermia was attributed to the absence of the Vas Defrens.
We were given the go ahead to proceed with IVF.
On 14th February 2011 Andy had a surgical sperm retrieval proceedure, hoping they could find some sperm to freeze so that we could have the IVF.
They found loads!!! This was the best news ever!!!
I started my Buserelin injections for our first cycle on 28th April 2011......and here we are now at day 20 of injections. This is my 2nd day of the GonalF, Stimulation injections.
So far the side affects i have are achy, bloated tummy and a bit of nausea, and some hot flushes.

Thank you for reading and if I can help in any way, I am so so happy to do so.

Babydust to you!!! xxxxxxx

Thankyou for sharing with us my other has just had a read and his words where see the doctors where wrong there

(they told him on the sperm retrival op the would probably not find anything just to low hormones) so he is thinking more positve as he reads each success story xxx

 

[Deb111]

Thanks so much for sharing chelenic. Good luck with your cycle

Sorry I've been MIA a bit lately - not been an easy time

Great to hear your news april - have updated the front page. Keep us posted xx

 

[waitingginger]

Thanks for sharing chelenic! really good to hear your story! i hope you get your BFP very soon!
April good luck for you too!!

Pink Lolly, i have been a bit absent lately think more because we are just still waiting OH had to give bloods and SAs every 2 months so they can get a better idea of hormone levels and see if SA changes and its not due to be reviewed until september i think!! so just in a state of limbo waiting! although i am so chilled out about it at the minute i thought i would never get to this point! still a bit angry we have been fobbed off with monitoring for 6 months but cant wait to go back in see nothing has changed and be like see i told you! now can you help us please?

Hope everyone else is ok?

Deb, you seem down? everythign ok there?
xx

 

[Deb111]

Can't remember what my last update was on here, but hubby's prolactin was found to be very high which seemed to be the missing link that linked the azoospermia, his underactive thyroid and his low testosterone.

We saw an endocrinologist to try and sort it out and he retested and his prolactin was back well within normal limits - so frustrating! High prolactin can be treated and should at least have made some improvement. Hubby is having an MRI for our peace of mind just to double check the pituitary gland as that is what deals with the prolactin. So that's booked for Monday, but I'm not very hopeful.

I think I'm struggling with not knowing what the cause of the azoospermia is -probably naively, but I kind of feel if we know the cause, we can do something to help

And in addition to the TTC stuff and the total lack of any (due to low testosterone so the urologist and endo say) and his redundancy, he's just becoming more distant and 'shut off' from me. I think it's hard for men - we come on here and have a rant or have a cry on a friend's shoulder, but the men (well mine at least) make out that they're dealing with it fine, but I guess it shows itself in other ways .

Thanks for the concern xx

 

[waitingginger]

so sorry your having a hard time of it Deb!! have they not spoke to you about seeing if injections will work?
i can imagine it must be hard not knowing why, we are in the same boat, but you will get there in the end. they will find a reason and will be able to help. in someways maybe naively i think its better because atleast my OH hasnt been diagnosed with a genetic disorder or something and its a definate for no bio children you know what i mean?
there is still some hope there thats injections or something will work!!
xx

 

[Deb111]

Thanks Amy

Well the urologist is looking at maybe something like HCG / clomid or arimadex to try and boost things naturally - I think the HCG would be injections, but in terms of the testosterone itself, they can't just give him artificial testosterone as this would cause 'negative feedback' and would make his body think that it had enough testosterone and would therefore shut down the production of any naturally which would mean no sperm whatsoever.

So he has his MRI tomorrow and hopefully results within a couple of days and then maybe medication if there is a problem with the pituitary gland, which should help to regulate things a bit and then back to the urologist for the clomid etc maybe?

 

[WANBMUM]

Hi guys,
We are currently in the process of getting some answers. I tried to have a quick glance through alllllll these pages but......
Do any of you have experience of your OH's going for an ultrasound and what to expect?
Is it generally an abdominal or scrotum ultrasound? they also mentioned something being inserted in the penis.
I would be grateful if you gave an insight/ experience shared.
X

 

[mumanddad]

Im gutted i have just found out my oh has been putting a brave face on and is unsure if he wants children now is this depression do you think i try talking to him but he clams up

i found him sitting in the bath crying last night this azoospermia has alot to bloody answer for (

 

[Deb111]

Hi Wanbmum

Welcome to the group. My hubby never had an ultrasound, but I am sure someone else here will be able to help you - just wanted to say hi. Keep us posted on your progress

MumandDad - I'm so sorry to hear this - I would say it could be depression / shock. Would he talk to a counsellor? Our clinic had an excellent one that I saw but hubby said he didn't need to

By the way, I know I mentioned about a support group for our men, but I have got hubby to sign up for a couple and the approval from the admin staff has never come through! I will keep looking xx

 

[snd80]

Im gutted i have just found out my oh has been putting a brave face on and is unsure if he wants children now is this depression do you think i try talking to him but he clams up

i found him sitting in the bath crying last night this azoospermia has alot to bloody answer for (

I'm sorry doll. Mine won't even go to the uroligist to see what the problem is, so your's has gone further than mine has! I'm sure it has to be a pride issue, but still doesn't help us out! has become obsolete in my house since we found out... IDK what to make of it. All we can do is give them space and see what the future holds. The only thing that keeps me going is the thought that in one year to the date I will have lost this weight and PCOS (HOPEFULLY!) and can go forward with IUI through donor. Weither he wants to be part of it or not, that is MY plan! 10 years has been long enough for me... Hope things come together for you soon!