Azoospermia support, stories and timelines

[Ljp2022]

Hi All,
Hoping to get a chat going with some advice. My husband and I started TTC 9 months ago but had an inkling something was wrong. We had a private fertility assessment which showed he had no sperm in his semen (azoospermia). We are incredibly overwhelmed and shocked but are keen to explore further testing.

We have gone to our GP however he has explained the wait will likely be several months until we are seen in infertility clinic. We have therefore decided to go privately. My husband has had blood tests for genetic testing and hormones this week (not sure how long it will be until we get results?) and he has a urology appointment in a month’s time for a physical exam.

Id be so grateful if people can share their experiences of azoospermia, outcomes, success stories, other options explored, tests but also timelines if private? How long does it take for tests to come back? How long until he has his sperm retrieval test? What’s next and how long?

sorry for all the questions - so overwhelmed and no one seems to have any answers…thank you in advance.

Hi Ladies, how are we all doing? I feel a lot better this week - not been crying every moment of the day! We are in that limbo period where we are waiting for our initial appt with Dr Ramsay which is in mid December. Trying to switch off from it all and just taking one day at a time and not over thinking. Hope you're all well too x

@2022ttc I am so glad you are feeling a bit better ❤️. Sometimes I think the waiting is one of the hardest bits.

I am onto my next IVF cycle. Day 3 of Stims today and have my next scan on Friday so hoping my ovaries have woken up from the down regulation!

My cancelled cycle felt like a total disaster so I am nervous but trying to be brave.

@2022ttc glad you are feeling better this week. The waiting between appointments and feeling in limbo is the hardest, but it does get slightly easier. Just taking one day at a time and plan things for the short term such as a day trip or a weekend break will just help to give a break/distraction from it all, I found this really helped.

@TheFanciestPants good luck for your scan on Friday, fingers crossed this cycle is more positive for you.

@HoustG welcome, sorry you find yourself here. Has your OH had genetics / chromosomes tested? My DP had low testosterone, high fsh but normal LH and had just had successful micro tese.

@Sleeter0893 @IslaO how are you both doing?

@lemons44 how are you doing? Have you made a decisions about your next steps?

@Ljp2022 Baby must be here by now? I hope you are both doing well.

No update for me, still waiting to hear back for my funding. I'm still not in the headspace for starting IVF so am not going to push and chase the funding application just yet. I'm just enjoying having a break from thinking about every case scenario!

@WhiskeyInTheJar33 yes his genetic tests came back normal so just the hormonal issues that seem to be the main thing. He went for an ultrasound today and all that came back fine so just need to find out when we can get booked in for the Microtese now. Thank you for sharing about your DP, I’m so pleased for you that the procedure was successful it definitely gives us some hope and reassurance :) I hope it doesn’t take too long to hear back about your funding but your right it definitely seems like a great idea to take some time and get into the right head space for what’s yet to come xx

Hi everyone. Hope you’re all ok. @2022ttc gosh, your situation right now is exactly where I was this time last year.. head spinning and appointment booked but had to wait until December to see our specialist. December 7th. I thought about that date so much, it will never leave my mind! For us, that was the day when we finally got answers and a plan of action so I hope the same for you 🤞

@WhiskeyInTheJar33 im ok I think.. I always thought that once I got a positive pregnancy test I could breathe and celebrate but instead I’m a nervous wreck, googling every little thing and the days seem to be passing at snails pace. I had two random days of light brown discharge that sent me in a tail spin. Then I started thinking my symptoms had subsided. Then I decided to get a repeat HCG done 8 days after my one with my clinic and by my calculations it should have raised to 12000 but was only 9000 so was rising by 83% every two days instead of 100%. So all in all you can see that I’m a negative, anxious, over thinking mess. I find it hard to believe that I could be pregnant and a friend who was going through IVF a week ahead of me has just miscarried so I’m just all over the place. I wish I was on here telling you all that I’m great and once the two lines appear on a test, the trauma of the last few years leaves you but so far it really hasn’t been the case for neggy Nora here!

@2022ttc Ask to be put on the cancellation list if you can. Our initial consultation with Dr Ramsay was scheduled for Oct but was offered a date in August as they had a cancellation so definitely worth asking if you are in a hurry to be seen. x

Hi All,
I know this is some bittersweet news but wanted to keep you all up to date as you’ve been there every step of the way on this journey with us.
Last week we welcomed our beautiful baby boy into the world by c section. He was quite poorly for a while but an absolute trooper and we are pleased to finally be home 💕

@Creatingspace @WhiskeyInTheJar33 @IslaO @HoustG thank you! I emailed and asked to be added to the waiting list x

@Ljp2022 congratulations!!! Not bittersweet at all, it's inspiring and hopeful for us all! So happy for you 🥰 hope you're both doing well. Enjoy every moment of this, you deserve it. Lots of love x

@Ljp2022 How lovely. Hope you enjoy every moment of motherhood. Glad to hear that he is doing well now. All the hardships are so worth the reward at the end. 💖

Congratulations @Ljp2022 ive been thinking of you!! This is such great news- another win against azoospermia!!! I hope you’re doing ok and recovering well xx

We are seeing our consultant on Tuesday after finding nothing in the TESE procedure. Has anyone had any success with hormone treatment and a micro-tese procedure? We are trying to remain optimistic but struggling a bit

@Ljp2022 congratulations. Hope you are recovering well and enjoying motherhood and glad your baby boy is doing well and now home!

@IslaO it's hard not to be anxious with what we've all been through! I hope it does get a little easier for you soon though.

@Nats140 my partner was on anastrozole and recently had successful micro-tese. He has NOA. A few ladies here have also successful micro tese's (well their OHs) but possibly OA. Hope your appointment on Tuesday goes well and you get some answers.

That's encouraging. Thank you

@Ljp2022 Congratulations!! It's not bittersweet because it gives me hope that I'll be in your shoes soon :D
@WhiskeyInTheJar33 I am hanging in there. Dealing with the 6 week nausea kicking in, super sensitive to smells, and food aversions like crazy. I agree with @IslaO . You never feel confident that you're pregnant. I haven't really been having a terrible amount of symptoms so I'm not confident telling family yet. My hcg doubled in 48 hours which was great news, but I still don't have my ultrasound until next Friday. It's not very reassuring..
@IslaO If it helps, my doctor did tell me she was looking for my hcg to increase by a minimum of 50-60% and doubling is best case scenario. How far along are you now?

@Ljp2022 congratulations!! So happy for you both, enjoy your very special baby bubble!

Just an update from me. Last Friday we did a timed tesa and egg retrieval (number 4). 8 eggs retrieved and twitching sperm found. 3 eggs fertilised and all 3 made to day 3 with transfer booked for Wednesday. Trying to stay sane in between, this is the best outcome we've had so far.

Welcome those that are new, sorry struggling to keep up!

@pomdownunder1 oh my god this is fab news! So happy for you. Such a great update to read. Will be thinking of you Wednesday. I think the wait between egg retrieval and day 5 was one of the worst for me. I found the numbers element really difficult and my clinic only updated me on day 1 and day 5 so it felt like an eternity. You’re more than half way there and all 3 are still going which is a great sign. Keep us posted. Have everything crossed for you!

@Ljp2022 congrats!!
@pomdownunder1 thats great news!

Does anyone know what the wait times are like for the MTESE under NHS?

@Annies1992 DP just had his micro tese on NHS and we waited 4 months from when he was referred for it (this is in London)

Thank you! ❤️ We transferred an early embryo-blast this morning, fingers crossed it keeps growing 🤞🏻

@WhiskeyInTheJar33 how did it go???

@pomdownunder1 massive congrats to you! im so happy for you! Are you going to be an early tester or hold out?

hopefully this doesn’t trigger anyone but we went for our 7w5d scan and saw a heartbeat and a little gummy bear baby. We have now graduated from our clinic. This time last year I couldn’t have even dreamed I would be here. Still a long way to go but I hope this brings some hope.

@IslaO @pomdownunder1 congratulations xx

@IslaO incredible news!! Thrilled for you! Hope you’re feeling well x

Hi all, how is everyone?

@IslaO that's such magical news!! I'm so happy for you 💗

@Ljp2022 a HUGE CONGRATS! we now have two azoo babies in the group (you and @Carla2601) and two pregnancies (@IslaO and @Sleeter0893) unless I am missing anybody? Just goes to show that there is hope for us with an azoo diagnosis! 💗

@pomdownunder1 that's great news! I am keeping everything crossed for this little embryo. I really hope you're feeling ok after 4 egg collections as I felt pretty crap after only 2. Make sure you're looking after yourself 💗 I'm rooting so much for you.

Just a little update from me. We had a consultation with our current clinic yesterday and a consultation with CRGH today, so we can compare what both are suggesting and decide which path to take next.

Anyway to cut a long story short we have decided to go with CRGH. They want to do an egg collection for me at the same time as an mtese for DH so they can try with fresh sperm (so same approach as you have taken @pomdownunder1 ). The urologist they use is doctor Pippa! So at this rate she will have seen half the people on this thread! All being well we should have the egg and sperm collection in January. We need to book in with Dr P now to discuss the mtese.

We are transferring our 2 remaining vials of frozen sperm to CRGH so we have them as back up.

I think we have decided to do two rounds of ICSI with CRGH to see if we are capable of getting any day 5 blasts, as two rounds down and we haven't managed to get one yet. Then if those two rounds of ICSI fail I think we will explore either donor sperm or adoption.

Poor DH is on the Proxceed again ...

xx

P.s thank you @TheFanciestPants for mentioning CRGH. I was really impressed with our consultant there.

oh @lemons44 this is a brilliant update. I can sense a new lease of life from you- you sound reenergised and like the spark have been relit and I’m so happy. CRGH sounds really amazing- so thorough and not just a one size fits all approach. I think your plan of action sounds really solid- timed mTESE with egg retrieval aiming for a fresh transfer. This is very different to what you have done so far and I feel really hopeful for you! Have they outlined your stims protocol and is it different/the same to what you were on previously?

@2022ttc and @Carla2601 thank you ladies. I feel so weird accepting congratulations- I’m in complete denial at the moment and just so so tentative even though I promised myself that if the scan went ok I would finally begin to relax.. maybe at 12 weeks I will… maybe 😂