Dealing with azoospermia?

[Pamplemousse]

Boo. My consultant's meeting has now changed to the 9th. 2 extra days of waiting. In the grand scheme of things I suppose paitience is a quality I am going to have to acquire!

 

[tigerlily1975]

How are you doing, Deb? Sending you massive, big monster hugs (the kind I give my niece and nephew) I hope you get some useful feedback when you talk to the clinic.

That's great news, MissAma. Sounds like you're good to go!

snd: it's so hard just getting through the day sometimes, isn't it? You're so good taking the frustration out at the gym, I just want to head for the biscuit tin!

I'm sorry they've moved your appointment, Pamplemousse. All the waiting adds to the frustration. Hopefully a good consultation will make the wait all worthwhile. Good luck!

As for us, we saw the consultant this morning. DH's karyotype and CF came back clear, so we're still at a loss as to the cause. So, next up is the TESE which will hopefully be sometime in February (we're moving in Jan and DH has a big lab move at the start of Feb, so we can't do it anytime before). It's weird to think that a huge part of our lives (our dream?) will depend on a biopsy. If we're lucky enough to find any (oh, pleeeeease), I think the Dr said we'd get 3 NHS ICSI cycles - has anyone else been told this?

The words 'sperm donor' popped up during the consultation and we're still not sure whether to go down that route. To be honest, we've not really talked about it. I think we've both thought it's something to discuss when we know it's our only option, although the fact that I'll turn 37 next year, I know time is most defintely not on our side. Anyway, it's the weekend here, I have a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge, so I'm going to relax and wish you all a wonderful weekend.

Much love and BIG to all you lovely ladies.

C xx

 

[Deb111]

I was bearing up today - trying to research the next stage and where we go from here but I've just had some spotting so it looks like my embies are on their way. Feel like I'm grieving again - how many times do we all have to grive in this horrible process?!

That's great news that you can get 3 NHS ICSI cycles - areas differ greatly. Which specialist is your dh seeing? We could have had one where we live, but couldn't use it because we needed private specialist for hubby or chose to do a synchronous cycle.

 

[silverbell]

Deb - as posted on your journal, I'm so sorry Life is so unfair.

Ama - very exciting that things are definitely on track for your second.

Pample - I feel exactly the same about getting angry at people who almost shouldn't be allowed to have children because of the way they are etc. I also think that it kind of is a human right to have a child - procreation is the most natural thing in life. So it angers me no end that so many of us are being obstructed in this regard.

Tiger - 3 cycles is amazing. We only get 1 cycle where I live. It differs depending on where you live, which I think is horrible I'm glad the genetic tests came back clear

AFM - We got the date for DH's microTESE - 10 January

It seems very strange that on 11 January - all being well - we shall know whether he's got any sperm at all or not. It kind of feels surreal that we'll know one way or the other. I have to admit though that I'm feeling there won't be anything at all. I can't imagine how upsetting it's going to be if this is the case, even despite the fact we'll be using donor sperm. It just seems so wrong and so unbelievably sad that some wonderful, perfectly deserving men are completely denied the chance of creating life.

I have to focus on the good things though - I have a lovely, caring DH who I wouldn't change for the world and who makes me smile and laugh every day.

 

[tigerlily1975]

How are you doing, Deb? Have you managed to talk to the clinic? Sending you BIG

Silverbell - Glad you've now got your date. Yeah, I thought we only got one cycle, but I'm sure he said three. You've pretty much summed up exactly how I'm feeling at the moment. You see all these a**eholes on shows like Jeremy Kyle popping out kids left, right and centre, but you have lovely, decent men, like our fellas who would make wonderful dads and by a cruel twist of fate, they might be denied the chance to have a child of their own. It makes no sense.

As always I send you all much love and lots of

C xx

 

[wibble wobble]

Silverbell congrats on getting your tese date through,hope the time flies by for you and that you get a positive result from it.

Tigerlily thats good news getting 3 cycles, hopefully you wont need them all

Deb thinking of you

pamplemouse good luck for tomorrows appointment


afm got some info from a girl who is needing donor sperm from the clinic I'm also at, she got told that there is a 1 year wait... gutted doesn't even come close to how thats made me feel. It wont be a year from now it'll be a year from when we see the donor nurse which most probably will be the last appointment we get, so right now I'm thinking it'll be say 6 months for all the appointments we need so add a year to that and it'll be mid 2013 before anything starts to happen. I'm feeling really sorry for myself right now, lost my enthusiasm for next weeks appointment too... just know not very much is going to happen so fed up of life right now

 

[Antoinette]

Hi All,

Im just new to this forum and its like a complete relief to me to come on here and read similar stories to mine. I feel like im not alone.
My husband has Azoospermia and has had all the tests, it isn't blocked sperm, he has no sperm at all we are both gutted but have decided to go down the donor sperm route.
I was refered to the hospital by my GP and we received a letter from the hospital (Glasgow) in Aug saying they would be sending us another letter out in 6 months time with an appointment to see about getting on the waiting list to do IUI with an annoynomous sperm donor.
Has anyone else been down this route? Could you tell me how long it took you from start to finish? I feel disheartened because if it is taking 6 months just to get a letter out for an appointment to SEE about getting on the waiting list... I just don't want to imagine how long it is going to take to get on the waiting list and how long the waiting list is.

Thanks for any replies I get

 

[wibble wobble]

Hi Antoinette welcome to the thread

I haven't finished my journey yet but so far it's taken me since March this year, we also need a donor and I've heard from someone (not our consultant) that there is a year waiting list for donors then after that and your at the top you then have to wait to be matched and that to can take a while. There is options to buy/import from other countries I'm not sure at the minute if this would be right for me.... I don't really want to use money that should be paying off debts to save for sperm

 

[Antoinette]

Thanks for your reply. I was worried it would be that long, its so disheartening when its going to take so long. I have also looked at sperm that you can buy and it really is expensive. I have also seen other websites that people are offering to be sperm donors for home insemination. There are loads of success stories but I dont know how I feel about this.
xx

 

[wibble wobble]

If you inseminate from home you don't really know what you'll be getting. At a clinic they check for gene abnormalities as well as infections... it just depends on how much of a risk you want to take..

The girl that told me of the year waiting list asked about buying sperm from elsewhere and got told matter of factly don't expect much change from 2 grand!!! to say I'm in a bad place emotionally right now is an understatement!

I've been on european sperm bank so far without additional uk costs it's up to £1680 (6 iui's worth)thats if I can match with an anonymous donor a lot seem to want to be known on their list and that'd add almost an extra 1000

 

[Deb111]

Hi Antoinette and welcome. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this.

I can't believe the donor thing takes so long. This journey really is one long waiting list and it's so unfair!

I agree with wibble about just buying sperm from websites - you have no idea what you are getting.

Wibble - so sorry this has all out you on such a big downer. I really don't know what to say. You ust have to look ahead to your next appointment I suppose. Thinking of you xx

 

[Antoinette]

I know Wibble I was looking at prices too and it was going to come to at least a couple of grand. I feel pretty down about it too, its like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I was on the GCRM website (Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine) and to even just get a 'pregnancy slot' is £750. Then one straw of sperm is £175. Then to get the IUI treatment is £885, and thats not even including all the consultations etc you need to pay for.
I have also been on websites such as Pride Angel and looked at people donating sperm. Its free and apparently to register to the site they need to go through checks etc. I think you pay to contact a donor but it isn't much. I keep thinkng about this option as it would be so much less money and would get results quicker but I just don't know. I wouldn't want the donor to have any contact with the child as my husband would be the father in our eyes.

Debs, thanks for your support, it is just unfair. Especially when you hear of people that are horrible to their kids and do awful things, why are they able to have children when the people that would give them an amazing life are subject to waiting lists and endless heartache.
xxxx

 

[wibble wobble]

I'm not going with a website like that for the very same reason, my husband will be the father of my baby, pride angel would complicate things as there is no legal 'paperwork' to stop the donor from being in their childs life... whereas having treatment at a clinic makes your husband legally responsible for the baby,their name goes on the birth birth certificate.

If only there wasn't such a wait for sperm, I already know deep down that I have no choice but to wait it out. I could sacrifice paying off credit cards to save the money, but that would be stupid as the reason I'm paying them off is because I don't want the bills dropping through when I do have a baby to look after. This way I'll most likely have paid off the lot by the time we start.... a silver lining just not an easy one to see the bright side in at the minute

 

[snd80]

Hi Antionette and welcome! Sorry to see you here, but some of us on here have been down a similar road you are on now, each a little different though. Life can be SO unfair! But it is what it is and what else can you do about it? Just take it one day at a time. Great big to you!

I might offer this website.... www.xytexinternational.com They are the same bank we are choosing from here in the US, just their international bank, and from what the specialist we are going to told us that Xytex is their #1 choice in donor situations b/c they have the best quality and are truly legit! You can choose from ethnic orgins and even choose from picts (for a fee) to match one as closly as you can to your hubby. I loathed the idea at first b/c I was so mad at the whole azoo situation, but have really become excited about it all the closer the time gets here!!! Just some food for thought....

Hope everyone else is doing as well as expected.... to each of you!

 

[cosita]

Hi there girls, haven´t been around for a while to be honest cos I was spending sooo much time reading all the different stories and trying to make sense of our problem without really having any information. I am trying to accept that there are a lot of reasons for this and so far we don´t know ours so I just have to be patient!!
On tuesday we went to andrologist. He was very helpful and on Friday my dh is going for another spermiogram but this time including fructose and lots of other stuff that got lost in translation! He explained to us that it doesn´t look like its hormonal (getting tested for prolactin) and that quite possible biopsy will be what he tells us next time we go back (22nd). He told us that he prefers not to freeze sperm (in the case any if found).
So we weren´t expecting him to tell us anything else really although dh was a little dissappointed cos I think up until now he believed it was all just one big mistake! So the doc told us that the sperm had to be no more than 4 days and no less than 2 days old. So last night we had to get down to business to release a bit!!
Beware TMI!!!!
So without going into details we both noticed that he ejaculated a very small amount. The urologist did comment that the amount of his first sperm test was low but said no more. So anyway I googled retrograde ejaculation and low volume and to make a long story short. He says his pee is almost always cloudy after we dtd...this seems to be a symtom. Last year he took antidepressants..I´ve found this can be a cause of this. So I´m now back to trying to make sense of this without any information!!
Any ideas??

 

[Deb111]

I hadn't heard about the anti-depressant link (until I just googled it) but have heard of retrograde ejaculation. From what I understand, it just requires a simple urine test. If that is the cause it may be able to be treated with medication or may mean retrieving the sperm either from the bladder or it's source. If he is creating them normally, I would imagine the procedure would be pretty simple and not too invasive. My hubby's first sperm retrieval was just a 20 min biopsy under local anasthetic and if your dh is making sperm normally, that's all they'd most likely need to do to retrieve a decent amount.

I hope you get some answers soon xx

 

[cosita]

Thanks a lot Deb, as you can see I am self diagnosing and that is dangerous!! Cos I know this would be a good case scenario (if it was RE). He hasn´t taken the pills in almost a year, we started TTC after he stopped, they also took away his sexdrive completely.
How are you doing this week hun?

 

[Deb111]

Definitely worth investigating the RE further but like you say, try not to get your hopes up too much. However, I have to say the 3 symptoms it mentions when I just googled it are lack of semen, infertility and cloudy urine after sex - so definitely a possibility I reckon.

We're getting through it thanks hun - you have to somehow don't you

is slightly less painful as of today - been in agony since saturday - but still going strong!

I have put my back out though too and I'm in so much pain with that too - weird thing is I've felt 100 times worse physically the last few days than I did at any point during my IVF cycle

 

[MoBaby]

cosita glad to see you are getting some answers! checking for retrograde ejaculation may not be a bad idea since you notice cloudy urine.....

I had my egg retrieval today. Not as bad as I imagined.
The one thing I am worried about is did DH have enough swimmers for the fertilization? We retrieved 20 eggs! Do you think the clinic would have called by now if there was an issue? They are to call tomorrow morning but I am dying here! I want to know now! I imagine if there was an issue they would have told us instead of making us wait, right?

 

[Antoinette]

Wibble I know exactly what you mean. We keep thinking about the money it would cost and think about putting it on credit cards but we also are paying off debts in order that when we finally do have a baby we are debt free. Me and my husband have had a few disagreements about it, I get to the stage where I get so frustrated that I don't care about the money and just say for us to put it on credit cards, my husband has to bring me back down to the ground and make me realise we can't just do that. Its so frustrating. I suppose we have to accept the fact that there is going to be a wait and reassure ourselves that it WILL happen and it IS worth the wait

Snd80 - I will certainly look on that website you gave me, thankyou . What stage of the process are you at? Have you chosen your donor sperm yet or is it a long waiting list like over here in the UK? This forum is such a relief for me because its nice to beable to speak to people that are going through the same thing.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx