Dealing with azoospermia?

[MoBaby]

Hey ms ripple! Just want to tell you don't lose hope. You'll most likely need ivf/icsi. The way they get sperm is up to urologist and infertility dr. Our story is very long but if you click on my blog link you can read all about our diagnosis and what we've done. We've been lucky to get to use fresh (sometimes frozen) Soren as my hubs makes just enough per sample for ivf. We refused the mtese because the urologist we saw was a total ass so we said they would work with what they got (literally 100 per sample with a couple "good" samples with 100,000 - 500,000). It took us a long time to get our son but we did

Now I'm over 22 weeks preggo with another boy!! We changed clinics and got successful our 2nd round of ivf for a sibling (#5 overall, 11th transfer but first at new clinic). Details are long but basically dh left a sample night before er. Dr wanted a modified tese. We had 140,000 sperm per ml with fresh sample they kee warm overnight. Modified tese found 3 sperm all non-motile. Dh left a fresh sample before tese and had 40,000 with good motility so they used that. And we were successful!!Azo just means a different way to have a baby

 

[deafgal01]

Ms Ripple, May I ask how old you are? I am just curious.

Success nearly a 0? Eh, like one of the other ladies have said, azoospermia diagnosis just means we have to get our dreams a different way - whether with the help of doctors thru ivf or iui (or even using donor) or adoption, or it could be something completely different. I like to think it's not impossible - that there's always a possibility somehow.

 

[MsRipple]

That's what I think DeafGal, but my husband is not in agreement right now. But when he said impossible, he just meant that there is no chance for us to get a bfp from home insemination in the next few days - we both think there is otherwise hope (though we have not yet sat down and discussed all options). He's a scientist, so he does have more of a grasp on this issue than I do, but I can't think that there is no chance, especially after reading a few studies online that say that there are often a low number of sperm in samples that can't be seen during standard analysis. But I'm not gonna stir the pot on this one right now, as we are both struggling with this and we have a urologist visit at a really great hospital set up in 2 weeks.

I am 37 We got married last year and started ttc shortly after. Got into charting/opks to confirm I was ovulating and when. I did however (perhaps in a pique of foresight) freeze my eggs 4 years ago. So I have 20 mature eggs and a few semi-mature eggs sitting on ice that are "younger" than my current egg age. While I was hoping to never have to use them, I will kind of be proud of my planning self if they help us.

Thank you @MoBaby and @DeafGal. Sending you both best wishes.

 

[MoBaby]

The fact you have eggs already is so nice!! You could chose to thaw like maybe 10 of those for a cycle and wouldn't have to go through all the cycle monitoring and such. Just embryo transfer timing and cycle meds that go along. Once they figure out how to get sperm you have the eggs to inject. Or you can choose to go through everything again and do a fresh cycle.

 

[deafgal01]

That was a smart choice you did with your eggs. I haven't done that yet - I'm only 33 but yeah...

Good luck to you too!

 

[lisap2008]

Its very wise to have your eggs banked, so your in luck there. not trying to give false hope but my DH had azoospermia last year after taking and then stopping clomid and now a year later we have sperm again, its a low count but hopefully it will increase over time.

 

[Stinas]

Hi my fellow azoo ladies!!! I haven't posted in a long time...twins can keep you busy!

For all the newbies....there is hope....my azoo twinkies just turned two!

MsRipple - The first few months after being "diagnosed" are the hardest. We were so lost...very hard time in our marriage, but luckily it brought us a lot closer.
Freezing your eggs years ago was genius!!! Sure will save you a lot of time and money if you are able to use them!!!

 

[MsRipple]

Hi guys,

Partial update as we have not yet been to the RE. The urologist diagnosed DH's Azoospermia as non-obstructive (his LH and FSH were high) and prescribed Clomid to help raise low testosterone. No genetic issues identified. We are exploring a TESE in July. He gave a 60 or so percent change of finding sperm.

I truly felt emotionally exhausted after that visit.

Has anyone had success with Clomid raising sperm levels (either through TESE or non-TESE)?
Also, the urologist recommended that we freeze the sperm from TESE rather than doing a fresh cycle - I was under the (possibly mistaken) impression that fresh was better with TESE. Curious- what advice have you guys received on this issue?
Finally, any luck with insurance (with a fertility exclusion) covering any part of the TESE?

 

[SunUp]

MsRipple our clinic liked fresh cycle with tese... But they would freeze anything "extra."

Went back and realized I didn't announce in here my DD was born- she is doing well and big brother loves her! Just wanted to share.

 

[MoBaby]

Congrats sunup!!

 

[Rainbow123]

Congratulations SunUp - that's wonderful news!

MsRipple - good luck for July!

We will be having our first try for a sibling this month. It should be next Wednesday if my calculations are correct! We have six vials of donor sperm left so hoping to get a sibling for our little man.

Lots of hugs to all! XXXXXXX

 

[MsRipple]

Sunup, Rainbow, Stinas - you all are giving me hope!

For those that had tese, how much did it cost?

Also, for those whose have tried medicines, what did you use and how successful were they? DH is on 25 mg/clomid to try to raise his testosterone (under 300 right now). I'm reading some studies where medicine has raised sperm levels enough to avoid surgical extraction (though still need icsi/ivf for fertilization)

 

[MoBaby]

ripple I'm going to be honest- those meds usually don't make a difference in non-obstructive Azo. Some have had success and sometimes it makes what's there a little more usable. I'm hoping it works for your hubs. My hubs took clomid and hcg shots. A min of 3 months for treatment is required to see a change. But we did avoid surgical extraction even off meds because they always found enough usable sperm. I swear fertile aid, count booster and motility aid helped more than anything because they cycles he took those he produced the most sperm.
Our quote for mtese was $7000. I'm not sure about tese as its a little different but I would think in ballpark of 4-5k.

 

[rdleela]

SunUp, congrats on the birth of baby #2!!!

Rainbow, so exciting to be trying for #2! I wish you all the luck in the world!

Ripple, serious genius on freezing your eggs, you've got a lot to work with! My husband was obstructive azoos, so I can't offer much help to you, but I wish you the best!

 

[tulip11]

hi everyone
After a long time am posting here. From tommorow going to start IVF/ICSI injections. This is our first NHS funded cycle. Hubby has NOA azoospermia FSH is 13 and testosterone is on low side but with a slight margin. Both these hormones are not within normal range but still the difference is not too high or low. His chromosomal and other tests came back normal. He will be having M TESE at end of next month. I hope to hear some positive stories who had similar cases .
Congratulations to all those who have babies and those who got their BFP'S .

 

[MsRipple]

hi tulip, I don't have any positive stories (yet!), but my husband will likely do Mtese late July. He was very recently diagnosed with NOA and is taking clomid with the hopes that it will improve things for mtese. We are in a similar situation to you - lowish t (under normal range), no chromosomal issues, although my dh's fsh is higher. Are you doing an ivf cycle parallel with the mtese?

Our mtese quote without insurance ended up being 11k. Ouch. But what other choice do we have?

 

[tulip11]

hi tulip, I don't have any positive stories (yet!), but my husband will likely do Mtese late July. He was very recently diagnosed with NOA and is taking clomid with the hopes that it will improve things for mtese. We are in a similar situation to you - lowish t (under normal range), no chromosomal issues, although my dh's fsh is higher. Are you doing an ivf cycle parallel with the mtese?

Our mtese quote without insurance ended up being 11k. Ouch. But what other choice do we have?

Yes hun you can say its going to be parallel as after MTESE depeding on results whether they found sperm or not i will inject HCG injection then next day will be egg retrieval . Whats your hubby FSH level ?

 

[MsRipple]

I can't recall the exact number, but it was low 20s

 

[MsRipple]

If your egg retrievals were timed with tese/mtese, can you tell me how that was done? - my july cycle is estimated to start July 1-5. For scheduling reasons and to have the best timing for my husband (mature and grow sperm cells!!!), I was aiming to do ivf late july (so 1-2 weeks after estimated egg retrieval day if I went natural and then stimmed). Is it possible to delay my cycle 1-2 weeks (like through birth control, how ironoic) and if so, how and when does one start? Additionally, our urologist does surgeries Monday and Friday, but what if they need to trigger me on a Wednesday etc? Will the urologist have to do a different day or are they able to time this in some way?

 

[tulip11]

If your egg retrievals were timed with tese/mtese, can you tell me how that was done? - my july cycle is estimated to start July 1-5. For scheduling reasons and to have the best timing for my husband (mature and grow sperm cells!!!), I was aiming to do ivf late july (so 1-2 weeks after estimated egg retrieval day if I went natural and then stimmed). Is it possible to delay my cycle 1-2 weeks (like through birth control, how ironoic) and if so, how and when does one start? Additionally, our urologist does surgeries Monday and Friday, but what if they need to trigger me on a Wednesday etc? Will the urologist have to do a different day or are they able to time this in some way?

My egg retrieval will be at end of June . I have started my medications last wednesday. Your coordinator will give you all the schedule when will you start your injections ?