Hi everyone
We had been trying over a year then got the devastating news in Feb that my husband has azoospermia.We feel very alone in our situation as none of our friends are in the same boat. Doctors can't even give us a reason as to why so its even more frustrating.We are waiting for blood tests at the moment but not quite sure what will happen next.Would love to hear from anyone who could give us much needed advice!
Hi Juliet,
Please do not lose hope there are still things that can be done.
Just because they are not coming out doesn't mean that they are not in there.
My husband has a really low count due to a chromosome defect that happened when he was conceived. He is a freak of nature.
Genetically he is perfect he has all of his genes some of them are just in the wrong place and the only thing it affects is his sperm count.
This has never happened to anyone that we know!!!
There are many reasons for azoospermia some of them can be due to something similar to what my husband has a chromeosome defect or some other genetic reason or a plumbing problem with your husband but it doesn't necessarily mean that you have no chance there are many things they can do.The blood tests will give you the answer they did us.
Has anyone offered for your husband to see an andrologist ie male gyny doctor to have further tests this will probably be offered once the results from the blood tests are in they take a good few weeks though don't they.
I started my first cycle of ICSI last week injecting every day to down regulated myself and they I start stimulating the ovaries in about 10 days and then egg collection and hopefuly fertilisation and embryos!!!
Icsi is our only chance of a natural baby of our own and will probably be what you will have to do also but it is not that bad I am feeling fine no horror stories and staying positive.
Do you have problems yourself or are you ok? I had a bit of bother last year with left tube and had minor surgery but I am all fine and functioning normally which helps the success rate.
Please please be positive as this is not necessarily the end. The blood tests and further tests on your husband may reveal some sperms in the testicles even though they are not coming out.
We were ttc for almost 2 years and I always thought it was me. We found out that my husband has azoospermia. We were devastated. Later, from our urologist we found out that it was from the hernia surgery he had when he was 8!! Now there is nothing they can do. Both ends of his vas deferens on both sides have atrophied and they can't sew them back together. HOW UNFAIR!! Now our only hope is ICSI/IVF. I am going for my baseline ultrasound tomorrow so I can start the stimulating drugs. I know exactly how you are feeling. We are very frustrated since all of our friends and family are seem to be having children easily. Alot of people don't understand what we are going thru. Good luck with you and your husband. It is hard but it is nice to have a website like this to hear that we are not alone.
God Bless, Diane
Hi Sharon Thanks for your reply really appreciate it. We'll just have to see what the blood tests results are. My husband was told last week they wouldn't bother doing a biopsy he saw a locum doc so is getting a second opinion! Its so awful seeing him getting upset over it all so I try and remain positive for him. Up to now I appear to be ok fingers crossed. Anyway good luck for tomorrow I'm sure things will go ok.
love Juliet
Hi Diane Thanks for your reply it is nice to know we are not alone .Like you I thought it was me with being 7 years older than my husband!! Sounds like things should start to progress on your front good luck for tomorrow let me know how you get on!!
Success Story - Have Faith & Hope! God is faithful and hears our prayers
Hi Everyone,
I would like to offer some encouragement during this difficult time for all of you. Dealing with Azoospermia/no sperm is incredibly difficult and depressing. But there is a reason to have optimism, yes, really!
My husband and I have been married for nine years. Four years ago, we had testing done to find out why we hadn't conceived a child yet. We assumed that it was my problem because my husband was normal in every way (no obvious problems at all, etc.). Well, to our surprise... his sperm count was next to nothing.
We were referred to an urologist at the University. They could not determine what was wrong with my husband but they guessed that he probably had varicoceles. My husband underwent two surgeries for varicocele repair. After the surgery, his count went to zero! During the second surgery, the doctor took samples and froze them. They thawed one of the three samples and found two living sperm.
In the Spring of 2003, I took a job that offered IVF insurance and we proceeded with IVF. The state we live in does not mandate IVF coverage. This job was a huge pay cut but the insurance value would be worth it. We had to undergo a consultation with a psychiatrist and she said that we should use donor sperm. My husband and I had decided that we didn't want to do this. She pretty much thought we were crazy for proceeding and we needed more counseling (ha ha). We took her advice and got counseling from GOD!
My part of IVF went well and I ended up with 17 good eggs. But... my husband's surgery to retrieve fresh sperm didn't go well at all. There were 12 sperm and none of them could be used (two tails, two heads, etc.). The embryologist sent us home that day and basically told us that there wasn't any hope. He was going to unfreeze the samples and check for sperm and if none, then he was going to freeze my eggs, which at the time was experimental.
The embryologist unfroze the samples from the previous surgery and found only ten usable sperm. BUT... from these ten sperm we got five embryos. They implanted two embryos and praise God... I got pregnant. We have a sixteen month old son who is the greatest miracle on the planet earth. We did another frozen cycle in April with the remaining embryos but it did not work.
So... everyone thought we were crazy for forging ahead. The doctors could hardly believe that it all worked out and I got pregnant. You have to have faith and hope. Jesus loves us more than we know. He loves to hear our prayers and He feels all of our pain and desperation. He loves nothing more than to answer our prayers and have us tell the world about His love and miracles.
We still don't know what is causing my husbands condition. A month ago, we saw the doctor again and he tested my husbands hormones. In previous hormone tests... he was perfectly normal. Now, the testosterone is low. We are praying that God is revealing the problem so that it can be fixed. We don't have a really good chance at IVF again since they haven't been able to find sperm for quite a while. My husband will need a $4250 surgery under microscope just to search for the sperm (not covered by insurance). I have taken another job again that will provide IVF insurance. I feel that God is putting something together for us and I have faith that there are more miracles ahead.
When things seem hopeless and the doctors are even laughing at you... you have to give it to God and have faith that he will do the miracle. He sure did for us. Everyday, I look at my baby and just praise God for the miracle that he is.
For those prayer warriors out there... please pray that the low hormone is the reason for the azoospermia and that hormone therapy will result in enough sperm to do IVF again. We would love for our son to have a sibling.
In regards to: Who do you tell? We told our two sets of parents. The opinions and comments from others become overwhelming. No one understands this situation unless they are going through it themselves. We find it easier to skip others feedback because most of the time it's just painful (they don't mean to but others often say hurtful things). ie: just adopt, etc.
God bless you!
PS: Diane is pregnant... there last attempt worked!!
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