First IVF appointment next month

[babydust235]

Hi girlies,

DH and I have been ttc for over a year now.

My bloods came back fine however DH's SAs have all come back with ZERO sperm. The consultant did do some investigating but doesn't know why.
DH has a DD from a previous relationship as well?? So we have to self fund our treatment.

GP referred us to Birmingham Women's Hospital. We got the letter through with an appointment in 3 months time! I have been phoning up for cancellations but there hasn't been any.

So our first appointment is next month, what can we expect? Has anyone got any advice before we begin our IVF journey

Go private if you have to self-fund anyway. Though it may get be good to see if he has something like a varicocele, which the nhs should treat....

It's very possible he would need surgical sperm removal anyway. But if he has something like a varicocele, you'd need to wait at least three months to see if it helps. Then it could take a year or more to get pregnant, so anyway you look at it, there's going to be more time.

I'm sorry you're going through such frustration.

Be prepared to fill out ALOT of paperwork.
Have ID ready from both of you and be ready for bloods to be taken.

I think the main thing is not to panic.
They bombarded you with lots of info but they break each step down as and when you need to know and remember stuff.

@physicskate thanks for replying! We did look into private clinics but they were so much more expensive. At least through the NHS all the consultations and scans are free. DH's consultant did blood tests to check his hormone levels and an ultrasound scan and said everything is fine, he can't understand why the sperm isn't coming through! We were advised ICSI and surgical sperm retrieval was our only option X

@CrazylazyJane thank you! ❤️

Sorry you are going through this - we are going through something similar at the moment. Last August me and my DH had a feeling that something was up as we had been TTC for a while so we paid for a private SA which came back with no sperm, we then took the results to our GP, and after another two SA with the same results we were referred to a fertility clinic. Our first appointment was back in December, where they carried out a blood test, some kind of genetics test and an ultrasound on my DH which showed no blockages and no hormone problems. The next appointment, back in January, they explained the only way we could conceive would be by surgical sperm retrieval and ICSI (if sperm is found in the surgery), then they gave us lots of paperwork to fill in for the potential ICSI. The surgery had quite a long waiting list so this is finally being carried out early September, and they have promised if successful we can begin ICSI within 6 months. Due to the wait time we actually booked for the surgery to be carried out at Reprofit in Czech Republic as there was no wait and it was pretty cheap, however after doing more research the surgery they perform is TESE, whereas our clinic carries out Micro TESE which has a much higher success rate so we went back to the wait list. In the mean time my DH has cut out caffeine, practically cut out alcohol and the clinic recommended Proxeed so he has been taking 2 a day hoping it will help! Sorry I've just realised I've waffled on a bit and written you an essay!

Go abroad for ivf. It is massively cheaper. We've been to Reprofit clinic in Czech republic twice €2350 per cycle plus accommodation and flights is a hell of a lot cheaper than treatment in UK

3 months is not bad for nhs! When we were going through the system then always says next appointment would be 3 months but we're nearly always 6!!!

We ended up going private after 2 years of nhs hell. Not doctors fault at all, purely admin and the system

@babydust235 hi, in the same boat as you kind of and just a little ahead of you. Husband has zero sperm (no children from previous relationships) we were referred and funded for surgical sperm retrieval and even though the GPs and surgeon said his levels were so high it was unlikely they would find anything, they did!! We have 3 frozen vials and I have now had my 1st appointment (consent paperwork and bloods)with the clinic to start ICSI hopefully this cycle!
Lots of consent and paperwork and I’ve been booked in for a scan next week, I’ll also meet with the nurses to practice injections, ordered medication and get the calendar dates sorted. Overwhelming but excited to get started. Amazing that after my husband samples he was told he would never have a biological child. Not getting too excited but at least have some hope now. As soon as my husband got the news he started fertilix pills.

Hope everything goes well for you xx

Hi hope you don’t mind me jumping on your post , had a telephone appointment with one of the consultants at Birmingham Woman’s yesterday. My partner has Azoospermia they believe it to be a blockage, that was caused from surgery from his childhood. The consultant said he will refuring us for funding straight away so he can perform Sperm retrieval surgery followed by either ivf or ICSI , how long after funding does it take to start treatment ? Hoping to hear a success story , as we got told it was a 50/50 chance.