CARE Fertility Bulletin Board

dwri1 · 23 Jul 2012

My husband has been diagnosed with azoospermia with very high fsh (49.5) and lh (24.5) and low T (9.6). Our RE told us that one cannot determine whether sperm will be found by looking at the fsh level. My gynaecologist on the other hand told us that with such a high fsh no sperm will be found.

My husband has a grade III varicocele which he has had since the age of 10 and at the time doctors said that there was no need for treatment. All genetic tests for karyotyping, y microdeletion and cystic fibrosis are normal. So we have no idea whether there were any other consequences as a result of the varicocele.

Is there anyone who has had success with sperm retrieval with very high fsh?

Confused · 04 Apr 2009

Hi dwri1 - so sorry to hear your news. Unfortunately I cannot give an answer to this one, because we decided against sperm retrieval when my dh was diagnosed with azoospermia.Has you hubby had the MERC test?

We opted for donor sperm in the end and now have a little boy. I know the journey ahead won't be easy, so just sending you lots of best wishes and hope all works out for you both.
x

dwri1 · 23 Jul 2012

Thanks Confused. No Dh has not had an MERC test. They do not do it here where I live and we will be referred to Care so hopefully he will get it done there. Although I think I've read somewhere that the test is usually done for those who have had the occasional sperm in the ejaculate but I'm not sure. If that is the case dh will not need to do it because his sperm count was always 0.

Dh does not want to consider donor sperm so our only option is either through sperm retrieval or nothing.

Confused · 04 Apr 2009

We did the MERC test and it came up with nothing and decided against the sperm retrieval because the cause of my husbands azoospermia turned out to be Kleinfelter syndrome and we were concerned about hereditory factor even if successful, and we were painted a very black picture by the doctors, although I know there are stories about even men with Kleinfelter and the extra chromosome having their own children via sperm retrieval.

Well, good luck with whatever you choose to do. My dh was dead against donor sperm initially, but after time when he came to terms with the infertility ( a really big thing for a man), he saw it as the only viable option if I wanted to be pregnant and have a baby. Took me time too to come to terms with it and spent years struggling with the prospect of not having a child of our own as meantime the biological clock is ticking loudly. Wish I hadn't waited so long now though, as it nearly didn't happen - 10 years later from finding out the awful news of the azoospermia I conceived through donor sperm, but by then my fertility was very low. It is the best thing that has ever happened to us and my husband and I are so delighted with our little family that it is hard to even think that in the early days he was so against it, as they are so close now and he was over the moon when I got pregnant.

Wishing you all the luck in the world with the sperm retrieval if you decide to go ahead - probably worth giving it a whirl if there is any chance at all.

dwri1 · 23 Jul 2012

That is what makes it harder for us because we know there are no genetic causes but we still do not have a cause. My only guess is that he has either Sertoli Cell Only Syndrome or else his grade 3 varicocele, which he noticed at the age of 10 (so it may have been there before), may have caused a lot of damage.

Right now dh does not even want to consider donor sperm. I mentioned it once and he got really angry. Perhaps it's because it is still relatively fresh to us because he was diagnozed with azoospermia nearly 9 months ago and maybe he is still hoping for a miracle. Perhaps if doctors tell him that no sperm was found in the biopsy then he may change his mind. At least that is what I am hoping for anyway. Thanks for all your advice.

Confused · 04 Apr 2009

Aw, really feel for you both. It is such a tough time. We started trying to conceive when I was 30 - a year later we had the fertility investigations and it was such a blow. At the time I had no known fertility issues either and we were both devastated by the news. It's a shame you don't have the cause, but then that might mean you have a chance too. When I read about others who have had the surgical sperm removal I sometimes wonder should we have at least tried, but then when I look at our beautiful son, he is irreplaceable and had we gone down that route, he wouldn't be here, had it been successful, and I couldn't have that either. It is still early days yet, and it took us both until we were about aged 35 to decide on the donor option. I felt more comfortable once the law was changed to re; donor anonymity. Of course then there was an issue of no donors being available and we were turned away by Care. So we went through the NHS and were just at the top of the waiting list when I was ill at aged 37 which delayed things by a year or so again, so it ended up me being 39 and starting treatment and even then in that year we had to stop temporarily because I had a breast cancer scare, which fortunately came to nothing. It is a miracle our son is here at all really, but I remember my 30's as very painful years, albeit we did get on with life and have plenty of great holidays.. it is just so hard the journey.

I really hope and pray if you go ahead with the biopsy that this brings some hope your way - keep strong, you will get through this together. It is so hard on the man though and it is a grieving process you have to go through. The donor decision is a hard one, but we have never looked back and was the best decision for us. Although I think if we were to expand our family we would go for adoption now - would find it much easier now I have some experience.

Take care and fingers crossed for you both x

dwri1 · 23 Jul 2012

I am 32 yrs old and in fact I told my husband that if we have to do whatever it takes now because the older I get the more difficult it is going to become for me to conceive.

With regards to donor sperm, I thought that donor sperm would be readily available in a sperm bank. I didn't think that this would prove to be a problem too.

I think we have to go for sperm retrieval first because if my husband sees that there is no other choice then I think he may accept the idea to go for donor sperm. Deep down I know that they will not find sperm given his high hormone levels but I think going for sperm retrieval will give him some sort of closure.

You surely have been through a lot and I do believe that miracles can happen so I am just hoping for that too. Thanks a lot for everything.

Confused · 04 Apr 2009

No worries - just feel for you. It is easier when you can look back retrospectively and say they come when they are ready, but the in between bit is hard. Think donor sperm availability is better now than it was. There was a big drop in donors a few years ago when they brought in the laws re; donor anonymity, but think it is probably better now than it was initially. Well, you never know, there could be a chance with your hubby. We spent a lot of years deliberating about donor sperm not realising that a woman's fertility can drop after age 35 - on NHS you can't egg share on IVF for example, but we also had a lot of counselling. At one stage we were considering donor egg too and went for counselling for that also. But we got there in the end which is the main thing... best wishes x

dwri1 · 23 Jul 2012

I guess if something is meant to happen it will. I try to stick to this believe but it is so hard. The uncertainty about all this just makes it hard to carry on with our lives because it feels as if our life is on hold until we know what's going to happen. Hopefully we will have success with sperm retrieval and life will be a lot easier I'm sure. Thanks.

sazzle · 03 Feb 2002

Hi,

My DH has azoospermia too. We have no idea why.

They were unable to locate any sperm in ejaculate on 2 occasions. One doctor told us that the testicles were under developed. We were referred to Care, who still advised on MERC test. For us it also gave a nil result.

We went on to try sperm retrival, again with no sucess.

We too opted for donor sperm and have 5 yr old twins. This decision only came after lots of crying, anger and grief along with councelling (for us) and anti depressents (for me).

It was important for us to try every option before we gave up on havin a child of our own.

Keep strong, our tests were some 10 years ago, and things have changed.

Whilst we would not change our amazing family, we too would not wish this situation on anyone. I truly hope that they can find some sperm for you.

Wishing you both lots of luck, and if either of you ever need to talk, please feel free to drop us a line sazzle2610@hotmail.com

lol

Sarah x