DH just been diagnosed - looking for info/advice

[Lis]

Hi,

This is my first posting apart from on the introductions forum. Just found this site yesterday. I'm 30, DH 32 and ttc 18 months. Semen analysis has rendered a sperm count of zero. Totally devastated. Now waiting to be referred to see (afer tests) if we're suitable for ICSI. I feel hopeless in the sense that I want answers now and can't get them so this site is a god send. Is anyone else in same position or been thro similar?? I'm really worried how DH will cope (you know, the male bravado thing ). Also I wondered how much testing I will get since my cycle is normal. Do they assume i'm ok or still have to test me? Also trying to block out the negative thoughts - ie. what if we can't even have ICSI and that's it?? Anyone have tips on how to get thro this in one piece? The wait for referral to clinic seems agonising too. Trying to but hard not to

[princess]

Hi Lis,
My Dh and I have the same problem.
We decided to go with donor semen. I think it's kind of hard sometimes for him but what he says is all that matters to him is that we have a family, he doesn't care how we do it.
I hope things work out for you.
Joy

[dancola]

I can empathise here as my DH was diagnosed with low count and we have had 3 ICSI cycles so far. He was devastated and tends to shut himself off from the process. He doesn't come with me to the clinic for scans etc and I've even been through ET and a hysteroscopy on my own! But I'm OK with that.

In terms of testing you - DON'T assume you are OK. I was never tested and outwardly seem to be very fertile. It was only after the 2nd -ve (first was a +ve but then m/c) that I was tested for killer cells. Levels were found to be high so I was then prescribed steroids. Unfortunately this still didn't get us the +ve. We don't know for sure that the killer cells are/were even the reason why I m/c and then have -ves, but I do wish I'd been tested at the start, as then I might have held on to the first pregnancy. I've now been through a hysteroscopy as well but am fine and there are no problems.

For my last cycle I put DH on Proxeed - a highly concentrated form of carnitines - at my clinic's recommendation. His sperm levels (count, volume, quality) improved considerably. Not enough to let us do IVF instead of ICSI, but if you were wanting to get his levels enough to get you to ICSI, then I really recommend it. This last cycle that he was on it, we managed 25 eggs (OK, that';s down to me!) but more importantly 16 fertilised - 70% rate - and we still have 7 frozen blastocysts meaning I can do a FET.

Good luck,

Nicola

[Lis]

Thanks Dancola and princess for your replies and info. Its really appreciated. When I go to the clinic I'll be asking about Proxeed for sure.

[Inhale, Exhale]

Hi Lis,

I have no experience with male factor, but wanted to give you HUGS. Welcome to the site, you will find the support and understanding that you need. We all feel like sometimes. Take time to soak it in and regroup. It can be a long journey. Luck with yours!

Steph

[KarenSmiff]

Hiya -

We have a sperm prob too. My dh had a vasectomy during first marriage, then reversed it for me (bless him) . well anyway the reversal worked - his last count was 20 Mil 40% motile which is quite normal but he has antibodes in it - so each time my bodily fluids (oooeeerr) come into contact with his sperm, they kill em off! GRrrrreat..not! If anyone knows of a magic tablet to erradicate this, plse let me know!

We have had 5 ICSI's (Two of which were cancelled due to my response), the last one worked 18 months ago after transferring one 2 cell embie uurrgh?, but mc at 9wks. I am an absolute cr@p responder! Starting another go now (The last go ever). I am sure for your circumstances that they can carry out TESA? Where they take sperm from the testicles direct with a needle??? Do not despair - I am sure they will find some spermies somewhere, (With ICSI they only need one per egg)
it will be alright in the end. Easier said than done i Know.


GOOD LUCK
Karenxxxxxx

[k]

Hi Lis

We have had ICSI due to my husband having a very low count due to chemotherapy he had for cancer several years ago. Just to say that my hospital did routinely check me out while we were on the IVF NHS waiting list. I had blood tests to check my hormones levels and that I was ovulating, a transvaginal scan to check out my ovaries and a hysterosalpinogram to check my tubes were ok. I found it reassuring that they did all this, rather than jumping straight in with an IVF cycle and then finding out I also had problems. (I also have a normal cycle and didnt have any problems that I was aware of). I guess some clinics are different, but if they do check you out I think its a good thing.
Have a look at the information on this website on the left hand side of the page (In blue). Its very informative. Procedures such as 'TESA' that Karen mentioned are under 'surgical sperm retrieval'.
I wish you all the best. You've come to the right place for advice and support.
Take care
Love Kim

[marcie17]

My DH also has zero sperm, due to absense of one of his vas, and the vas on the other side is incompletely formed. i was in your position just a few months ago. They will want to do a number of tests on your DH to determine if the cause is obstructive or non-obstructive. ours is considered non-obstructive since it could not be surgically repaired. other reasons can be chromosomal. So they will do physical, blood, chromosomal tests to determine the cause. Usually if it is obstructive or absence of the vas, then there is no affect on sperm production. This is important, because it means that a) surgery could repair the obstruction and you could conceive naturally or b) sperm can be retrieved to do ICSI. If the problem is chromosomal, then your issue might be production. In such a case you would probably have to do donor sperm. The same production problems can be due to hormone imbalance, which sometimes can be treated with medication. The good news for you is that there are many reasons you could have zero sperm, and few of them result in "you cannot conceive your own child". I would recommend going to a urologist that specializes in male infertility to get a complete workup. Once you know your diagnosis, then you can try another site I have found for great support groups for specific causes. For example, I have a great little group of other CBAVD (congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens) ladies (and guys) that are having to go through the same specific procedures (MESA and IVF/ICSI) that DH and I are going through. That site is ivfconnections.com. We got our answers fairly quickly -- 1st SA was in April, and MESA was in August, with our first attempt at IVF/ICSI in October. Unfortunately it was BFN, but we have 6 embies frozen for a FET cycle and we will try IVF/ICSI again if necessary.

In terms of testing that I had to undergo, yes they did want to rule out a number of things. they will want to test your hormone levels on specific days of your cycle to be able to predict how you will respond to stimulation drugs if you have to do IVF. They may also do HSG and other blood tests. For me, I had the complete workup (post-coital, FSH, HSG) and it was the post-coital that hinted at problems being DH. Then he had 2 SAs, we figured out that IVF/ICSi was our only option, followed-up with the IVF clinic, and had to do just a few other quick tests (HIV for both, some other blood draws) for genetic testing (CBAVD men are usually CF carriers, so I had to be tested for specific mutations). It was all pretty minor. I do think they would've done the work-up on me regardless, just to know the score.

You have found a great source of support on these boards. ood luck to you!!

Marcie

[CARINABOO]

HI,

We have been there too any know how devestated you must feel. However, please dont get too down until you are really sure what zero means. 1) it can be classed as zero but when they centrifuge it they may find an occasional sperm in there which is suitable for ICSI, thats what happened to us and we now have 3 frozen embryos!!! 2) We also found out that a zero count meant under 100'000 sperm in an ejaculate of 3.0mls that should have 90million sperm! 3) when we were told my partner had 4 sperm in the centrifuge we found out later that it was 4 sperm per unit of measure which was around 1000 sperm per ejaculate. Evn in the low count there was still viable sperm for ICSI, 4) It has been proved that a man may produce a count of zero one day and then a few weeks later produce a count!?!?!?

So anyway, please dont be to down and out until he has had a couple of test and the scientists have explained EXACTLY what they found.

Goood luck and I hope you get to have ICSI and make great embies!!

x
x
x

[Sand]

Hi Lis

I've said Hi on the other Forum, but Hi again. We too are male factor. I too wasn't originally checked out much, due to obvious sperm problems. I had a quick u/sound on the tummy, and that was it.

At my latest clinic I asked about NK (immunolgy) testing, but was told this would be a last resort - ie. they too are banking on the fact that it's all male. Dancola .... Just how far / how long / how many cycles do I have to wait before they'll test me I wonder ??

Good luck with your cycle Lis ..

Sandra x

[Lis]

Thanks so much everyone for the support and advice. I feel overwhelmed by it already. Just wondered if anyone knows - maybe Carinaboo?? About the zero sperm thing - we saw the SA results on screen. There were zero's all the way down, for every part of the analysis. Do you mean then that they mean less than 100,000 or whatever it was rather than actually zero? We're doing another SA on Tuesday to confirm but I'm presuming that it will come back pretty much the same but ? you think there's a slim possibility it may be slightly better.

Also I was speaking to someone yesterday at a private hospital as we're thinking of going down that route (as initial NHS consultation 5 months away, and then ?how many months more for DH's tests). She said DH would need a blood test to look for ??FFH or something in order to decide if he is producing sperm at all in order to decide if suitable for SSR. Have I picked that up wrong??

[LISA@BELLASALES]

HELLO,

DH DIAGNOSED WITH ZERO SPERM COUNT, CF CARRIER. HAS SURGERY IN SEPTEMBER (MESA) THEY GOT PLENTY OF SPERM AND WE FROZE 7 VILAS ALSO. IT IS VERY DEVASTATING, BUT IT ALL WORKS OUT. MAKE SURE YOU GO TO A REPRODUCTIVE UROLOGIST.
GOOD LUCK......
WE HAVE 6 FROZEN EMBRYOS WAITING.......
NEXT MONTH WE GO......

[Sand]

Lis - It could be FSH (same as us women) ? FSH in men stimulate testosterone production. A lack of testosterone means impaired sperm.

Sandra x

[Lis]

Hi LisaMarie and Sand,

LisaMarie - that's given me the most hope yet! I'll tell DH, that will comfort him. Sand, yes your right, have been reading up, it is the same as us ie.FSH! Learning every day - soon to be an expert!

[Lavender1]

I so know how you feel. We were told by our GP 'no way, no chance, don't bother' after 2 zero sperm counts.

DF has since had PESA where they got a good retrieval, and I start stims tomorrow. This is NOT the end of the road, just the beginning to a very special (and bloody emotional!) journey.

Wishing you all the best - don't give up and don't be fobbed off by docs that don't give a s***. Find a lovely one that really cares!

LOL
xxxx