Vasectomy reversal success??

expat

"they are an excellent idea when people are counselled properly beforehand"

unfortunately this (counselling) did not happen in our case, I am unsure how reliably the rules on counselling are applied in other areas, only that in ours there was NO counselling, a 29 year old first time father with a 6m old baby presented at the docs requesting vasectomy with an unwilling partner - and was given one

I habe since been told that any one under 35, within 12 months of a child being born should be seriously discouraged but this just did not happen with us.

I am sure there are many many cases were its all fine. Doesn't help me though.

Your DH sounds a little more "new man" and emotionally mature than mine (lol) mine is just like "well I couldn't cope with how hard it all was so the perfect solution was to remove any possibility of having any more" et voila - vasectomy - so as you can see - he deserves torturing Only kidding (I think )

Yes it really was that simple - as far as I can see (he has had two sperm analyses now) its just like if you want a blood test or a urine test for something - the practice nurse can fill the form in for you/ give you a sample pot and as long as you have that you just take it to your pathology dept at your local hospital. Ifyou make an app with the practice nurse I have no doubt she will be able to advise you further.

I actually found all this out when first time round (sperm test) we were told by GP it was all fine was really unsure about this and ruminated on it before posting on here asking for help. Someone suggested I ring my family planning clinic - which I did - and it just so happened there was a gyne nurse there. I popped down and spent ages talking to her - she was not surprised at my GP's lack of knowledge - said its quite common - and gave me loads of advice,info on what a normal or "fertile" sperm result should be- including just book to see practice nurse at my docs and ask for the sperm test bag/form/pot (its exactly the same form/bag they use for a urine sample!)

If you are unsure about anything I can highly reccomend ringing your Family planning clinic and asking if there is any one available to talk to you about fertility stuff (they do do this as well as stopping people from getting pg!)

'Don't these posts show that vasectomies and sterilisation are really not a good idea?

personally, when contraceptive is so readily available and effective i don't understand why anyone would take such a drastic decision. But then, I suppose, hindsight is a wonderful thing. '

they are an excellent idea when people are counselled properly beforehand.

contraception as available does NOT suit all people - some can no longer use hormonal methods at all and have other health problems that make the copper coil not good for them. or fall pregnant too easily to rely on condoms.

some folks think very long and hard about their decision or have had significant health problems that make having more children a life-threatening condition.

they are 100% they either want no more children or indeed perhaps none at all.

the vast majority of people who opt for sterilisation do not regret their decision at all.

you'll find many on this board, in fact.

Lol Terrier

after DH bloody well having the vasectomy in the first place giving up alcohol is a small price to pay he'll be giving up his knob if he doesn't make the effort!

Your Dh had the vasectomy before you met didn't he? So he gets away with far more than mine does I just remind him we wouldnt be in this mess if he wasnt so reactive! (I know I am naughty and that will prob back fire on me but for now it works!)

Have you asked for a sperm analysis for your doc yet? I would go see the nurse (thats what I did) and just explain. The nurse and receptionists at my GP's were fascinated (I dont think theyd ever come across a vasectomy reversal before LOL)Once you have the bag/bottle combo you can take your time in persuading DH to produce the goods and then pop it to the hospital for analysis!

I know its a nightmare, DH has given up alcohol and I am trying to eat a low GI diet (bleuch) tis shite.

I would stick with the ciggies and chocolate rather than risk the stress myself.
What about the guilt though, we need a new kitchen urgently had a quote for £10k last night and I can see DH thinking if we have this we can't afford the IVF, it's a bloody nightmare and then my other kids "need" stuff all the time, relentlessly.

KatieDD - I thought that - should we just go straight for IVF but I did some reading (including medical journals and apparently overall its better to try having a vasectomy reversal first iyswim.

Its a crap situation isnt it ? So (KatieDD) did your DH have his vasectomy after your first child?

Oh and yes there should be counselling before hand, I would have done everything in my power to talk him out of it had i been given the chance, but oh no the GP couldn't wait to send him off, without any mention of his partner.
My argument is if I'd had an abortion without discussion we wouldn't still be married

Should we just go straight for IVF then, I thinking that if I pay £2500 for the reversal I won't have the £5,000 for IVF if that doesn't work and I am on a deadline, within reason, I don't want more than a 10 year gap from eldest to youngest.

Yep My GP is crap esp when it comes to fertility stuff but if he does the semen analysis just ask for a copy of the printout - thats all I did. I can copy and paste on here what the world health organisation standard figures are (on my printout they were on there any way so you could compare them).

Thats a good point you made about fertility being a gift. I am sure in some areas you HAVE to have colunselling with family planning nurses before they will do it - unfortunately not where I live.

Good luck with getting it from your GP - post back here to let us know how you get on!

xx

it was only 5 .5 yrs ago so not long ago really , I have no doubt the GP would do the same again

Wow Pinkmook that is really shocking.
Your GP was very irresponsible in agreeing to this. I'd like to think it wouldn't happen today but you never know.

Yep Nancy66 I totally agree - I never wanted DH to have the bloody thing done and remember on the day asking him if he was sure...but I had had post natal depression, he was shell shocked by the whole thing and has said since that if at any point someone not involved (i.e. not me) had said whoa hold on are sure about this, wait a few months, or something along those lines he probably wouldn't have done it.

It makes me so sad and frustrated that the GP, surgeon, everyone involved never questioned it - I thought that was standard practice? He was 29 years old when he had the vasectomy, our son was 6 months old and they gave him a really quick appointment because of a cancellation (god how i wish that cancellation was mine )

Don't these posts show that vasectomies and sterilisation are really not a good idea?

i don't mean that in a preachy way but an awful lot of people seem to regret their decision. Either they go on to have new relationships or decide they want more children within the one they've always been in.

personally, when contraceptive is so readily available and effective i don't understand why anyone would take such a drastic decision. But then, I suppose, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Good luck to all those currently caught in the middle.

Terrier, can you not get your semen analysis on the NHS? We did. Just went to the GP and requested it - he never turned a hair, in fact the receptionist filled in the little form/sample bag thingy for us (iirc we didnt even see the GP)

worth a try!

Were you/have you stopped taking the pill? I wish I'd stopped taking mine ages ago (was taking it even after original vasectomy due to getting terrible acne on back which yasmin controlled - now I am pretty sure this acne was a symptom of PCOS )

KatieDD - I could have written that last post of yours! Been there and totally done that!

After we got DH's sperm test results back on Friday I have had a really terrible weekend just really went into to a tailspin after googling the chances of conceiving with those figures and realising its really unlikely without assistance i.e. IVF or something like that. Never ever did I imagine I would be a person who would need IVF - stupid as that sounds it just never was something I thought I'd need. Also I am convinced I have problems now too and am so enormously angry with DH - if he hadn';t had that vasectomy we would only be dealing with my fertility prob now we are dealing with combined reduced fertlity and it feels hopeless. I am signed off work at the moment. I hate my job and now have no chance of getting another because of my sick record!

Life is shit sometimes and I just keep holding onto the fact I have DS.

I have considered a one night stand too! (would never do it in reality but god have I fantasised about it - twould solve everything (wishful thinking emoticon)!!

I swing between being OK about it all and then deeply deeply sad then spectacularly angry not sure how I am going to cope with all this TBH.

Terrier - you are right we should try and keep each others spirits up, its such a weird niche experience I dont think people not going through it can quite understand the range of emotions!!

XXXXXX

Yes I remember you, we've been on holiday since we last spoke, lots of time for big arguments, tears, throwing of rings etc but at least it's sunk in that this is what i want and we have to try if we want to remain married, so I think that's a good thing.
I guess it's now dealing with the practical side which I hate, half of me wants to go and have a one stand and declare a miracle has ocurred, I wouldn't btw but am fed up already.

Hi KatieDD _ I am sure we have chatted before about this! So I guess this is the new thread for TTC'ers after vas reversal!

I found out on Friday that DH is now officially "subfertile" - after the GP telling us the sperm test results were "fine, lower end of normal" I knew something was wrong and insisted on a copy of the results which clearly state thw WHO guidelines on infertlity and show DH's results around half what they should be - how could the GP get it so wrong!!?

Any way think there are also problems with me as my cycles have been totally wacky since stopping the pill (23 days, 56 dyas 31 day etc etc!) so I have an appointment with the gyne specialist on 27th May and hopefully he will be able to look into or refer Dh to someone to look into his "ishooos" as well!

KatieDD - felt exactly like you before hand - but I reckon yours will be more successful as it was 5.5 years since the op when DH had his reversed and he had had loads of pain and problems so I kind of knew it was probably going to be a poor outcome.

Lots of luck to you both x