Dealing with azoospermia?

[Miraclbaby]

https://theturekclinic.com/services...-count-male-doctors/sperm-mapping-testicular/

Its a procedure which locates the areas with sperms. The doctor uses fine needles for that. after he does that he takes the samples to his lab and studies each sample for the following two weeks. if he find something, he will tell us the exact location and we can use that for mTESE.

 

[Mikihob]

MiracleBaby I have never heard of FNA mapping either. The mTESE and the FNA mapping has pretty close success rates. If you do the mapping and he finds sperm you would continue with mTESE and IVF but if he doesn't find any are you moving onto donor??

Personally, if it were me, and I could afford the $5,000 FNA mapping and had all the information about it I would probably do it. Saving $40,000 is quite helpful in this infertility journey. Does the doctor give you any past history or research showing that it is really accurate?

Sorry I didn't have any more information on FNA. Hopefully my thoughts can help you on your way to a decision.

 

[bubumaci]

It does sound like the perfect approach then. If they do find something, then you have a really accurate location for the surgical procedure and if they don't then you could save DH having to go through it.
We wanted to have TESA done on DH, but the place he went to recommended having the TESE ... the results were devastating for us, because he underwent the surgery for nothing (they couldn't use the samples at all and told me this right before I went in for the egg retrieval). We were very lucky, that we had that one freak try two years ago, where they froze the sperm, and they used those for our ICSI (that brought us our miracle pregnancy)...

To me, even though it will cost quite a bit, it sounds like a sensible step to really get the best possible results! xx

 

[Mikihob]

https://theturekclinic.com/services...-count-male-doctors/sperm-mapping-testicular/

Its a procedure which locates the areas with sperms. The doctor uses fine needles for that. after he does that he takes the samples to his lab and studies each sample for the following two weeks. if he find something, he will tell us the exact location and we can use that for mTESE.

Wow, that sounds amazing! Knowing where the sperm are will help the doctors avoid poking and prodding DH too much during his mTESE. It might even help him recover faster. I wonder why this isn't more available, most of us could have used FNA.

 

[Miraclbaby]

It is actually pretty helpful and minimal invasive. Dr Turek said that my husband could leave after 1 hour. I think I am upset because he gives us just 40% chances I do not know if I should be hopeful with 40% .

 

[tulip11]

Hmmmm, tulip, maybe they are just being thorough? Is it the exact same doc who is ordering it again?

No the first one was urologist and now another Dr Who is looking at all fertility issues

 

[babadespls]

Hi Ladies,

We have our 1st appointment at an IVF clinic on Tuesday, they advised us to get all medical records etc, so I asked my husbands Urologist for all info and he gave me a letter, in which he says that my husband has primary spermatogenic failure. I haven't heard this term before, is it just another way of saying Azoospermic? We've only ever done 1 SA (zero count), and all his tests were normal besides he has elevated FSH levels of 20. Am I giving myself false hope?? This term "primary spermatogenic failure" has really got me thinking negatively suddenly...

I have really been trying to be as positive as possible, and was very excited to get the ball rolling, as we have been living in limbo since January.

 

[Mikihob]

MiraclBaby I think 40% isn't terrible. IVF only has 60% success and IUI can be as low as 10% success. Even the mTESE only has 50% chance. At least with the FNA you can see if they can find pockets of sperm. If they don't, you still have the records of where they looked. If you decide to do the mTESE after that, have the doctor focus on different areas and see if you can't increase the success rate.

I learned that in this fertility battle even a 5% success rate is worth it if I can learn something and move forward. It's hard, harder than anything I can think of, but if it will help, why not? Plus, I bet he has to say 40% due to some study where that was the average. Maybe some had higher success rates.

babadespls that is great about your IVF appointment. I believe that Primary Spermatogenic Failure is azoospermia. Spermatogenesis is what the production of sperm is called. Primary Spermatogenic Failure means primary sperm production failure=Azoospermia.

I am not a doctor or a pro on sperm at all but I think that's accurate. Can you ask your doctor to clarify? Maybe the FS can shed some light. I hope that I helped you feel a little better.

 

[Miraclbaby]

mikihob thank you for your reply. Your are right. It is a average and maybe we have luck. My husband is absolutely sure about the mapping. He wants to do it. And its much cheaper then the mTESE. I think i m gonna be ok with it too. I didnt know that the fertility journey would be an emotional roller coaster

 

[babadespls]

mikihob thank you for your reply. Your are right. It is a average and maybe we have luck. My husband is absolutely sure about the mapping. He wants to do it. And its much cheaper then the mTESE. I think i m gonna be ok with it too. I didnt know that the fertility journey would be an emotional roller coaster

I enquired about mapping, and if we lived in the states we would definitely give it a try. Their blog is very informative, and you can also have a free Skype chat with the doc himself. I would say go for it

 

[Miraclbaby]

babadespls we had a phone consultation with Dr turek. I know he is a great urologist but there is something that bothers me a little. When I talked to him it feels like he wants to sell us something...and thats my impression of his blog as well. He would comment something and then say: That s a perfect case for mapping. Book an appointment today! Here is my phone number ...
Plus I called his office today to ask for an appointment and the cost. Just the mapping is $5000 but them you have to pay office fee, facility fee and and and. It's actually 8k-10k...

 

[Mikihob]

MiraclBaby that seems odd to me too. It makes me nervous when I hear about something and then it gets followed by a purchase it now comment. It's like tv commercials or ads. "Check out our great new, lawnmower 2.0. It's top of the line and it cuts grass with the best of them. Come on down and buy one today."

They have you pay separate office visit fees? You would think the procedure cost would include those. I agree it seems a little off. FNA Mapping sounds great, but you have to make sure he is doing this for you and not to line his pockets.

I am so sorry that you lost some of your confidence in this procedure. Is there a way to get a second opinion or anything?

 

[bubumaci]

Hmmm, it does sound like advertising, doesn't it...
But the fact that there are fees on top seems pretty normal to me. If I think of the procedures I had, the cost of the procedure (whether it was ER + ICSI or FET) was a separate fee to the doctor's visits prior to and post procedure...

Maybe you can get some feedback from people who have had the procedure done?

 

[babadespls]

babadespls we had a phone consultation with Dr turek. I know he is a great urologist but there is something that bothers me a little. When I talked to him it feels like he wants to sell us something...and thats my impression of his blog as well. He would comment something and then say: That s a perfect case for mapping. Book an appointment today! Here is my phone number ...
Plus I called his office today to ask for an appointment and the cost. Just the mapping is $5000 but them you have to pay office fee, facility fee and and and. It's actually 8k-10k...

I actually never got to that point of calling or having the chat as when I worked it out with the conversion of our rand to the dollar plus travel it was crazy expensive.

I googled reviews and this came up...

https://www.yelp.com/biz/paul-turek-md-facs-san-francisco

 

[Miraclbaby]

I checked so many hundreds of websites...at the end I just sent an email to Dr Schlegel. He is absolutely against it. The needles that are used for mapping will cause severe damage to the tissue in the testis. He said if that's the case the chance for a successful mTese will be zero.
My husband actually doesn't care about the money. He wanted the minimal invasive way. We talked openly about both procedures and we decided to go to Schlegel. I like how decent and polite Schlegel is. It gives me more comfort.

 

[MBABY2014]

Miracle- Schlegal is one of the best! So is Cornell!
I think your making the right decesion!!

 

[Miraclbaby]

Miracle- Schlegal is one of the best! So is Cornell!
I think your making the right decesion!!

Thanks Mbaby. I feel good with this decision

 

[Rainbow123]

I'm so glad you've made a decision that you're happy with Miraclbaby.
XXX

 

[bubumaci]

And she has a ticker now too ... you haven't announced your betas (or did I miss it somewhere), only saw that you had your BFP ...

 

[Mikihob]

Rainbow I can't get over how excited I am for you!! Have you had beta's yet?? Super curious!!

I also had a dream about you. I dreamt that you had quintuplets. I totally saw myself congratulating you for having five babies. Is that weird??