DH has no sperm - Trying to conceive - HELP

[Lozzza90]

My husband and I (both 32) have been trying to conceive for 2 years now.

I had all my tests done earlier this year and confirmed all ok with blood tests, I'm ovulating and tracking this with clear blue fertility monitor for the last year or so and using the flo app. my cycles are regular and had an internal ultrasound and all ok and looking healthy from that side.

We've both been taking pre-conception vitamins and doing all the right things, having regular sex through my fertile window but every month is a BFN starting back at me.

Today was when those painful BFNs made sense. My husband has had his results back and the doctor advised that there was no sperm visible in his sample. They have asked him to repeat the test to be sure but we are obviously devastated right now with the thought of what happens next, what are our chances, what's possible, how long is this going to take and a million more questions going through our minds.

All our friends are pregnant at the moment and my sister has had 2 babies in the time we've been trying. I know having this news at any time would be difficult but I am finding it incredibly hard to deal with this on top of seeing their bumps and babies all around me and selfishly I'm avoiding them at the moment which I feel utterly terrible about as it's not their fault.

I'm just wondering if anyone would share their experiences with this and what you did? How you got started on your journey, how you felt at this time! I know I'm not alone but I feel like my husband doesn't quite get what this means for us right now or the emotional part either and I desperately need some ladies to talk to!

Thanks 🙏🏻

Hello, so sorry you've had this shock. I felt the same when we got my husbands sample back 8 months ago and found he had sperm, but in such low numbers we would never concieve naturally. We could have IVF with ICSI as he had some sperm, I believe with no sperm they need to try and find a cause first, either a blockage or hormonal for example, and then they can look at doing surgical sperm removal where they find sperm in the epidydimis/scrotum, and then do ICSI that way. I know the feeling of facing a mountain to climb but now you know, and I felt so liberated from the monthly stress and two week wait afterwards. I'm now nearly 6 weeks pregnant from our first frozen transfer, having got 6 embryos from our first IVF round, so there's still hope :) just push push push for referrals!

@Lozzza90 so sorry you are going through this. I was in your shoes 18 months ago. If DP hasn't already I would arrange for bloods to look at hormone levels, an ultrasound, and at least one or two more semen analysis. Also ask for a referral to a urologist (preferably an andrologist). We did this privately due to the long NHS wait. It's an awful situation and probably a shock right now but don't lose hope just yet. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to chat. Also there are a couple of active azoospermia threads on here too.
Wishing you all the best x

So sorry you’re going through this, I remember what a shock it was when we had similar news. I can only describe it as grief, I felt like I was grieving for the opportunity to conceive naturally. First thing to do is push for more tests to identify the root cause and hopefully it is something treatable. If there is an obstruction this can often be overcome. Non-obstructive is often more challenging, from what I understand. There is also the possibility of surgically retrieving sperm when there is none in the ejaculate. So don’t give up hope, you’ll need ICSI but that it is often successful, particularly where the male factor is the only issue. Best wishes

Thank you so much ladies for the replies! I just read them all and sobbed. It really means a lot! I probably forgot to mention that my other half is also type 1 diabetic, which is well managed but feels like another hurdle in the complex Ttc game! I feel like we’re in for a tough journey ahead and it’s not going to be something “simple” enough to get us our tiny human!

@Imisscoffee2021
Oh my goodness how did you cope in the first place with the news? That’s amazing news to hear about your pregnancy, you must be over the moon! I know science these days is so incredible but I’m just so scared with it coming back no sperm so far, could there really be hope with finding the cause and/or by sperm retrieval? I’ve honestly got a million questions going round in my head and googling like there’s no tomorrow! I cried myself to sleep last night, he slept downstairs and has been super quiet today. If I’m reading it right, you had your news 8 months ago and now have the wonderful news that your 6 weeks, do you mind if I asked if you went private or via nhs route? Assume private with that timeline? I think that’s what worries me with trying for 2 years and now the thought of this long journey breaks my heart.

Thank you @WhiskeyInTheJar33
He has been asked to have a repeated test which is booked on 2 weeks. So that’ll be 8 weeks since the first one. (Annoyingly the doctors only got back to him yesterday over 4 weeks after the test even after countless calls to them for the results). But realistically what is the second semen test going to tell us that we don't know now. Surely it's not going to better or worse for this test and it's onto the next set of tests? I believe he had blood tests earlier this year and he had low ish testosterone but not super low. He was told to use this gel, did for months and then when he spoke to another doctors later on, they said he should stop using it immediately if trying to conceive as it has fertility issues! I know I shouldn’t be googling but it’s so bloomin hard not to! I think we would like to go private if possible! I will do anything at this rate. How are you getting on with your journey if you don’t mind me asking?

Thanks @GreyZebra I think you describe this feeling perfectly. I keep crying on and off today and then I like shake it off and say to myself get on with it. Working today probably helped with that as I was super busy and now it’s the weekend I’m worried my mind is going to explode! I know we will find a way through this whatever the outcome for us and I love him more than words can say but I guess I do feel a little angry right now too knowing that my tests were all ok and can’t help but think what would my chances be if it wasn’t with him or what if and I know that sounds bloody awful to say and feel and believe me I’m mortified that it even crossed my mind today but I would be lying if I said it didn’t come into head today (amongst a million other things)! But then on the other hand I feel like it could make us stronger!

Apart from the obvious issues here, how has this affected your relationships with you partners? Was you both able to open up to each other? Sorry to waffle on, I'm generally a big stewer on problems and over think things to the absolute max!

Also just to add, the last bit where I said I feel angry, I think that's also come from the fact that I've been asking him to go for his tests since we hit our 1 year mark of trying and he kept putting it off and then made the comment of well I think I'm fine as I got someone pregnant when I was younger which at the time made me feel like I was the reason why so I went straight for my set of tests. So all those nerve wracking Tww and negative tests staring back at me, I feel like he could of saved me some heartbreak in a way by going sooner? Like you said @Imisscoffee2021 when you know the results it makes it weirdly better in a way (well not better but I know what you mean). I don't know, I'm a mix of emotions right now! Don't know what to do with myself!

Hi @Lozzza90 I'm so sorry you are going through this. We have a few of us going through similar on another thread and you are welcome to join if you think this will support you

Azoospermia support, stories and timelines www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4558984-azoospermia-support-stories-and-timelines

It is such a hard journey and I am sending you the biggest hug.

@Lozzza90 hi there,

So sorry you're going through these. We started doing ICSI due to low sperm count/quality.

In summary:

• Was that gel he was using testosterone? taking testosterone can make him infertile.
• Review the medicines he takes maybe one of them affects another hormone that affects sperm. Perhaps an endocrinologist could help with this.
• Get an ultrasound and all hormonal blood tests
• Did he recently started or stop a new medicine?

DH results were low usually but on one IVF cycle it was zero, they did testicular surgery to get sperm. it turned out that a medicine he had just stopped caused that.

After swapping his medicines, doing accupuncture and taking chinese herbs his sperm is almost normal.

Don't lose hope, but get help and get your list of questions before you see a dr.

@Lozzza90 yes we went private. We saved towards a deposit in covid so we used that, and after 8 months of no success we got tests done really fast, fibbed to gp we'd been trying longer and glad we did as hubby's analysis was so bad, all three were. For him he has a severe varicocele, we tried to embolise it but the surgeon couldn't get the vein, happens to 10% of men apparently, so we went to IVF. I'm still going through NHS referrals as we don't lose rounds by doing private in our CCG but hoping we don't have to use them. We paid for a multicycle package with Cate fertility, was about £8500 fortwo rounds of ICSI which includes all frozen transfers (usually pay about 2 grand per one otherwise and we didn't want to roll the dice on being successful first try). The neds were on top so I estimate we've spend nearer £12,000, but I'm 34 so wanted to go ahead fast. Just had a 6 week viability scan and saw the bean with a tiny heartbeat :)

@Lozzza90 semen parameters can change between each sample. I've read a couple of posts were no sperm were found one month and then there were sperm (albeit low in numbers) the following month. Recent infection, lifestyle etc can really affect sperm production. If 2 samples confirm azoospermia then I think it's unlikely to change.

DP has been undergoing tests since Feb this year. He also has low testosterone but not too low. Chromosomes were normal and was also tested for y-microdeletion which was ok. We saw Mr Ramsay who prescribed anastrazole, and said there is no obvious reason why he has azoospermia. Anastrozole has improved his testosterone but still no sperm. He also has a varicocele. We are now under an NHS IVF clinic who recommended embolisation of the varicocele which he had done 3 months ago. He's having another semen analysis next week to see if this has restored sperm production (can take 3 months after surgery). Depending on the results of this, if still no sperm we won't qualify for nhs funded treatment so will go private micro-TESE to find sperm and then ICSI.

Haven’t read all the replies but I’d suggest seeing Jonathan Ramsay. I think we paid approx £1000-1500 for consultation, physical examination, SpermComet and urine culture. My partner had a hidden infection which we were both treated for before going onto have a successful round of ICSI IVF. I recently had my FET and am currently 10 weeks.

There were female factors for us to consider too but our male factor issues were overlooked for years.

Any news on this OP? Just wondered how you’re getting on with it all x