Ivf with male factor azoospermia

[Cici85]

Hello everyone, I have been here for a while now and I need anyone to reply or give me answers please .

Pardon my long write up as I feel so frustrated.

We have been through several test and scans both at local sub fertility clinic and the main IVF clinic (Barths), we where told our IVF starts after funding is accepted and all. Am confused right now as my husband needs an SSR(surgical sperm retrieval ) for ICSI/IVF .

My question is will the SSR delay IVF , is there a waiting list for that as well? Anyone who has gone through this please let me know ?

The consultant I saw at my last appt did not say much and was his first day at work. There was language barrier as he’s not fluent with English(he was lovely though).

I have called to speak to a nurse but I am not getting any reply. The 18th seems like months away but I don’t want to go back and be told stories of waiting again .

[Charleexn2]

This sounds so frustrating. Tbh I have absolutely no idea but I definitely know the feeling of waiting and waiting for something that you want with every inch of your soul. I hope that by me commenting it will push your post up a bit and someone more knowledgable will know the answer to your query. xx

[Cici85 in reply to Charleexn2]

Thanks your reply means a lot .

[cache_cache]

Hi Cici85,

My husband also has azoospermia. After all the tests we had to apply for IVF funding and only when it was confirmed he was referred for sperm retrieval. The process is very long, we applied of the funding in Dec and had to wait 2 months for a feedback (this part is supposed to be quicker, but we had to deal with some admin errors on top of everything). After that we were referred to see urologist (another few months delay) and finally in April we were given date for the retrieval - 6th August. A few week after that is our first IVF appointment. Good luck to you!!! XX

[Cici85 in reply to cache_cache]

Thanks for your response . Oh Omg that means we have to wait longer 😭😭. Actually we have been referred before our funding was confirmed, we had our forms sent to us and signed and sent . On our first appointment we where told funding was confirmed. I know the consultant talked about sperm retrieval referral but it was hard communicating with him . No letter has come yet apart from one requesting my husband to go for a testis scan. Wow that is a long wait ! But do I have a choice ? NO 😁.

N.B

I am going to read ur response everyday to give myself hope 😁👌

[cache_cache in reply to Cici85]

The wait is long and sometimes not easy to cope with. Do you know the reason for your husband's azoospermia? I think once the doctors know it, they put you on the waiting list for the retrival...I hope it won't be very long in your area

E.

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Cici. So sorry to hear about all the frustration you have regarding your IVF and SSR beforehand. Usually with azoospermia, blood tests are done to check male hormone levels, then a scan of his testicles to see whether any visible pools of sperm are there. If not then comes the SSR, which is usually carried out before ICSI so that any sperm found can be sorted out and stored frozen. It does take time I'm afraid, but at least you are on your way with it all. Obviously I wish you both well with the procedure and I do hope some sperm can be found. Good luck! Diane

[Cici85]

Hi Diane thank you for your reply, I am grateful for the email u sent to me regarding questions to ask on ones first appt, sadly I couldn’t ask much as there was communication problem and most of the questions I asked he did not know/understand. He had to check google most times, I decided to forget the questions as I was not getting what I wanted.

All blood test done including my husband , all test came out good. He had a scan for his testicles 2weeks ago which they said there was nothing bad and that they don’t see why he could not produce sperm? (so they said at d scan).our next appt is the 18th of July hopefully they start us soon as by now we should be on the waiting list for SSR . It’s not an easy journey I know but I wish and pray our next appt comes with good news as that weekend is also our 1st year wedding anniversary.

[hannahding]

Hey, I hope you are doing well. I can understand how hard this all must be for you. It will take time. The process is a little lengthy. However, I would suggest you start the process. Once things start at least progress will be made. Good luck to you and your DH. Sending baby dust your way.

[Cici85 in reply to hannahding]

Thank u

[Stephybivf]

Hey, we had to have SSR, once all the tests where done and he was put on the list it was a 3 month wait for it to be done and that was also NHS. Good luck! Xxx

[Cici85 in reply to Stephybivf]

Thank u. I appreciate all responses

[Vicky-01]

We were given two options, to have SSR first or go straight for icsi and start fertility treatment and gave egg collection and ssr at same time.

We did initially choose to do ssr first we then had a wait of almost 12 months for ivf.

On our second round we did the ssr and egg collection on same day and we are currently 24 weeks pregnant.

Hope this helps

[Cici85 in reply to Vicky-01]

Big congrats to you . I hope it goes well for me on the 18th.

[Flounder84]

Do you know if the azoospermia is obstructive or nonobstructive? My husbands was nonobstructive - we didn’t have to wait long at all for the surgical sperm retrieval at our NHS clinic, just over a month which was amazing, however we were told there was only 40% chance of sperm being found during the procedure due to it being nonobstructive. Have they given you any likely odds of finding sperm / possible causes of the azoospermia? Wishing you all the best, I know how hard it is xx

[Cici85 in reply to Flounder84]

Hello Maggie, we have never been told anything that is the cause of the azoospermia, I hope and wish now that they have a scan they could tell us what it is, also d Monographer told my husband after the scan all was ok with the testis. He said he wondered why he is diagnosed with azoospermia. At the same time he said there was a vein in my husbands testis that there was no cause for alarm☹️. I hope all will go well on our next appt with better explanation to everything.

[Cici85 in reply to Flounder84]

Hi Maggiemay207, I hope u are doing great ? My husbands Azoospermia is non obstructive and he had to have karotype test done which was another delay . We where told once d result was out he did be put on d waiting list which is about a month. I had to contact PALS to help follow up and PALS got replied within two days informing me the Karotype Test is all clear and my husband has been put on the waiting list which is about 3months😭😭. Another 3 long months??

I am upset as the clinic did not contact me or my husband , I only got to know through PALS.

It is not fair as I have not had any holiday this year for the fear of missing out on my appt.

Is it best I contact them by email or keep waiting for them to call me?

[Flounder84 in reply to Cici85]

Really sorry to hear your having a difficult time, you’ve every right to feel upset that the clinic didn’t let you know your results xx i’ll send you a PM

[Ginny27]

Hi Cici85, just wondering if you had any update with your husband's op? I'm in a similar position, currently waiting for my first appointment with the assisted conception unit- which is still two months away. We have unobstructive azoospermia and I'm hoping we don't have to wait for a long time for him to have his op. All this waiting is so hard isn't it?

[Cici85 in reply to Ginny27]

Hi Ginny27 lucky he had his SSR about 3weeks ago after calling and disturbing the clinic daily. We got our results a day after and just been told to come in for information session in December. Any question you can message me .