DH - zero sperm count

[ThePopeMobile]

Hello.

after 14m ttc, we had tests. DH has had sperm test back and been told there are no sperm for testing. He has been referred to urology.
I am having blood tests for hormones, but not a another few weeks (getting an appt with my doctor is like gold-dust!)

Is all hope lost? or will Urology take more samples?

[danikagrace]

Hi Pope - all hope is certainly not lost. They will do more tests on your DH and will hopefully be able to determine the cause and help him. Fingers crossed for you both

[ThePopeMobile]

Thank you :)
That's good to know
He is quite upset atm. Not sure what to say to him.

[danikagrace]

Read up on it, I find the more I know about health issues etc. (and I've had a fair few!) the more 'in control' I feel. And just keep reassuring him that it's really common and everything will be fine, it could just be that there's a blockage somewhere that can be sorted (just bc there's not making it's way out it doesn't have to mean there's none being produced). It's okay for him to feel a bit down but just let him know you love him and you'll figure things out together.

[MrsH14]

Hey, we had the same diagnosis last September. All is not lost but it isn't the fastest journey. There are blood tests that should determine what is causing it.
We are on the waiting list for M-TESE (sperm retrieval) which is a 7-8 month waiting list here. I'm here if you ever need a chat

[ThePopeMobile]

is that 7-8 months from September, or from now? I'm 33 and time is ticking :/

[MrsH14]

7-8 months from last month. You can pay for it yourself which we are thinking about but it costs £3,500 just for the surgery.

[ThePopeMobile]

blimey! expensive stuff

[ThePopeMobile]

we have done some reading about things and feel a bit more informed.
DH had a wobble yesterday and was very upset saying he feels like a failure and he can't give us our family. I told him that isn't necessarily true and we don't know that. he's feeling a bit better today, but i guess it will come in waves.

also we need to prepare for what might be if he hasn't got any sperm (or i haven't got eggs)

[ThePopeMobile]

sorry waffling away there

[Out2pasture]

my son was diagnosed with azoospermia. after all the necessary investigations (testicular biopsies and MRI of the pituitary)were concluded no cause was ever found.
it took some digging on the internet but I did find a gold standard algorithm that urologists follow when investigating azoospermia.
him and his wife choose IUI

[danigrace]

When do you next see/hear from the docs Pope? Do you know what your next step is?

[simplydivine05]

They will test your ovarian reserve to see what kind of time limit you are on. Even at 33 you will be ok. I'm 31 and have been told my reserve is potentially low and our best option is icsi. We can have another test for my eggs but it is £60. This will tell us how quickly we have to make the decision. Of course, spending just shy of £5000 on icsi is a decision you can make quickly.
Go through all your tests and then you will know. You also need to find out why dh has no sperm. There could be a blockage. Don't worry about your age. It probably isn't as much of a factor as you think. My sister in law had her third child at 38.

[ThePopeMobile]

I have an appointment today to ask for the blood tests.

But we're at different surgeries (but in the same town) and DHs doctor has just said that DH will be referred to urology. Not terribly helpful!

I don't know how to "join up" our treatment for future fertility stuff.

I am going to ask my doctor today if they know what happens and time frames.

[ThePopeMobile]

I guess we need to know if DH has any sperm first, then take it from there.

[ThePopeMobile]

I just got back form the doctors . I had a previous blood test, but had missed the second so was going today to get them re-done. But doctor said the blood test came back normal,so there was no need for them to be redone. She is referring me to Gynaecology to get a scan just in case. She didn't know how long things would take and said I should speak to DHs surgery.

[Out2pasture]

once my son's count was known and confirmed the rest of the testing took 4 months (biopsy and mri) but that is in Canada.

[Underbeneathsies]

Pope, my DH has very few sperm, technically none- they are badly formed, short lived, terrible swimmers and we were not viable for any assisted reproductive technology. We were refused IVF and ICSI.

We were offered IUI with donated Danish sperm, and we turned it down.
I was 33, and after having an ovarian scan which showed an egg being released we did the deed as a last ditch attempt, and got pregnant against all the odds.

Don't lose hope. My DH doesn't feel his masculinity is wrapped up in his sperm numbers, just like I don't feel defined by my egg release capacity. It is a stressful diagnosis but doesn't have to be defining.

Life is for living, not thinking about what could have been. Honestly, after three years of TTCing and fretting over temperatures, ewcm, timed sex, loose underwear, ice baths, multi vitamins, tests and diagnoses, we had given up on the idea of being parents. I was beginning to like the idea of just being a couple!

Good luck to you both: don't forget to have sex just for pleasure!