Ini lagi satu kejayaan yang paling aku suka baca. Usaha itu tangga kejayaan..jangan putus asa. Aku ingat lagi masa doktor bagi kaunseling kat aku ngan hubby pasal masalah kami tu...Seolah2 xde penyelesaian langsung. Cuma ambil anak angkat je penyelesaiannya..Oh tidak..aku yakin USAHA,DOA dan TAWAKAL..dan ini sumber inspirasi aku yang paling aku suka setakat hari ini..Pasangan ni memang tak kenal erti putus asa..
Hello guys! I wanted to share our story with you, in case any of you are or have gone through anything similar.
Our struggle with fertility started back in 2001. At first the doctors thought that it was me (the wife), so I went through the standard testing procedures once our "official year of trying" was complete. All of my test results were normal, so the doctors put me on Clomid, certain that we would be pregnant by the end of the year. We had no such luck.
After we failed to get pregnant on clomid, they sent me in for an ultrasound, did some more blood work, and came back and said all were normal again.
Now it is time to start looking into my husband and his side of the process...my gynecologist ordered the 1st semen analysis. The results came back...0 sperm...unexplained Azoospermia. Just to verify the results, they ordered a second SA...results the same...0 sperm...Azoospermia.
We were devestated, but tried to remain hopeful. They referred us to a urologist who ran his own SA and again, the same result. They told us that "theoretically" my husband could have obstructive azoospermia, meaning that the ducts were blocked and no sperm could make it out, but that most likely he does not produce sperm at all and that if we wanted children we should use a sperm donor, or adopt.
My husband wasn't comfortable with those options for us as a couple, and asked me to do my research. We visited a 2nd urologist who ran the standard gambit of tests and came back with the same options. Still not satisfied, my husband asked me to keep looking for a "better doctor". (By better he meant someone who would do more tests or give us more options)
I looked into it, and found Dr. Jeffrey Buch, located in Frisco, TX. We made an appointment to get my husband in with Dr. Buch as soon as possible.
Dr. Buch (pronounced Bush), did a SA, with no change, ordered a post-ejaculate urine sample to rule out the chance that the ejaculate was backflowing into his bladdar...that test was negative, so he sat us down and explained our options.
He wanted to do a testicular biopsy to see if there was any sperm production going on at all. Not surprisingly, my husband was quite nervous about this procedure, and needed some time to think it over, but ultimately agreed to do this.
During the biopsy we found out that indeed there was sperm production, however, only one testicle was functioning, and the sperm were few and of low quality. None were making there way out.
Our next step was for my husband to undergo what is called an Epidydimovasostomy. It is the equivilent to a vasectomy reversal, although he had never had a vasectomy. During the surgery, Dr. Buch confirmed that my husband had tubal scarring, that was possibly congenital that completely blocked his vas defrens making it impossible for the sperm to get out.
He wasn't very optimistic about our odds post op, but said there was a 70-80% chance that there would be increased sperm production, but a very slim chance that a pregnancy would occur naturally. IVF with ICSI would be our only chance if sperm production resumed.
So here we are. Currently we have ZERO sperm available to us for IVF or for a miracle pregnancy. He had the surgery and we recieved not-so-encouraging news. All we could do was pray.
They put him on anti-inflammatory medication and anti-biotics and told him to return in 6 months for another SA.
Fast forward 6 months...SA complete, still ZERO sperm seen.
Dr. Buch decides to allow for more time to heal, asks us to come back in another 6 months. No sperm.
In the meantime my husband started a shot for his asthma that is new on the market...(it contains some type of steroid).
6 months pass, he goes in for an SA, the results come back...and we have 250,000 sperm! Still not great, but it was exciting to us. ZERO to 250 THOUSAND is a big deal. We now have some we could use for InVitro!
Treatment continues, husband stops taking the asthma shots. Dr. Buch ordered another SA just to see if sperm production has continued to increase...results come back...only 600 sperm
Dr. Buch put him on a medicine that increases testosterone production to see if sperm production increases...SA back to 200K sperm or so, but less motal and poor morphology.
Dr. Buch decided to put husband on steroid called Prednisone to see if that would help with production...two weeks on the medication, two weeks off, then another two weeks on and two weeks off...SA
Results are in.....12.5 MILLION...that's right...I said MILLION sperm.
Still, that is not a great count, but at least we are in the "Normal-low range" and we have much more sperm with normal motility, morphology, pH, etc.
The point of this story is...Don't give up. You may receive discouraging news, they may tell you that you have no other options, but you have to keep trying. There may be a doctor out there that is willing to put the effort into helping you, you just have to find them.
We have yet to get pregnant naturally, but we aren't holding our breath. We are saving for IVF now, but if a natural mircale occurs we will both be thrilled! At least now it is sort of a possiblity. As they say...it only takes 1! Before, I was so sick of that phrase, but now, there is a little glimmer of hope since they are no longer chasing their tails!
Infertility is a difficult situation regardless of where the problems lay. The important thing to remember is to keep an open mind, don't play the blame-game, and encourage your partner. Look into your options, and don't accept no for an answer. At some point you will have to make a decision whether or not to continue with treatment to try to get pregnant or if you are just going to try IVF, but at least give yourself that option.
Many blessings!
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