Post-vasectomy - how long til his 'all clear' ?

[scaevola]

DH sent of his first sample at 17 weeks (should have been 16 but he wrote it down wrongly - grr), and the result was rare non-motile sperm present.

He needs to do more tests at fortnightly intervals until two are clear.

Anyone been in the same boat? How long did it take you to get negative results? Especially if he had RNMS (which I understand means the vasectomy was successful as no swimmers getting through, but still not totally clear tubing; risk of pg apparently very, very low but they don't give the all clear on this).

I suppose they'll tell us what's required as he goes through it. I wanted to know if anyone else had been through this so I can adjust expectations accordingly. My hope (earlier in the thread) that he'd be clear in time for the summer hols seems so wildly misplaced now! If it's 2 samples with only rare dead/broken ones, then it's looking unlikely even in time for Christmas.

Still, could be worse! TheFuzz: how's your undercarriage? Did I read on another thread that you've had the first op now, or did I imagine that?

First op done. It's obvious the GP doing the original made a mess which was causing me pain. Just waiting for things to settle down. Down side is a big scar to which my operated on testicle is now anchored so it doesn't twist (same technique used in torsion repair). Despite this being a fairly invasive operation, the post operative pain has been much less than the vasectomy. Bonkers. Fingers crossed this will fix it to some extent. Still think there will be some pain, but it's much better now.

I hope the reduced pain is a good sign, and that it heals up to be pain free.

DH had alternating clear/not clear samples for a good 8 months before they redid one side. Apparently they hadn't cut it properly.
Seriously, there's only one tube there, how did they miss?
Anyhow, it was another 5-6 months before the all clear on that one but we've been clear for years now.

There's on tube per testicle. If they do a single incision, they then have to fossick around for each vas, and the surgeon is meant to tug it to see which ball jiggles as a check that they have severed/frazzled each tube once, not one tube twice. It is straight surgical error (rare, but happens) if they get that wrong. It's unusual to have any clear tests, if there is still one intact vas.

DH has, after all, one more test kit to see if there is azoospermia (test next week). If clear, then one more postal one to check and if clear again, all clear (which would mean clear in time for Christmas). But if either of those has gubbins, then that's when he has to perform against the clock for a fresh sample to look for motility, and they haven't yet told us how many non-motile samples are needed nor interval between if more than one.

We are now 'celebrating' one year since the procedure and still no 'all clear'. I've actually lost track of when which sort of test is to be done and when as it's just become too dispiriting.

DH has however said nothing about a need to repeat the procedure, which I am glad of, because the more I see about what PVPS actually means, I'm not sure I'd want him to do it again.

All the best and I hope you do get a clear soon.

I'm still in loads of pain despite my second surgery. On high strength codeine at the minute and in bed.

I've got to make a decision in April whether to have one of my testicles removed. Only down side is it may not remove the pain.

Thank you for your good wishes, especially when you are in such an immeasureably worse position yourself.

As there was one clear test amongst those with small amounts of gubbins, the adviser is saying he is confident that DH is infertile (and some providers would have given clearance on that one clear test as it was over 6 months after the op) but hasn't explicitly said 'you're clear' because MSI require two clear tests. so we're stuck in a bit of a limbo. They will repeat the op, or we can wait and do more tests. I think we'll probably try at least one more test, but they are recommending a longer interval now.

In reading up on this, it seems that the significance of RNMS post-vasectomy is not a well researched area. There are hardly any known cases of pg resulting from only RNMS after 6-9 months post op (risk not significantly different to that of recanalisation, but there are also cases where RNMS producers have been deemed to have had a failed vasectomy; all very confusing). Different countries and providers have different guidelines for what advice to give about abandoning other contraception in such cases.

And from reading up (again) on this, it seems up to 5% of men have RNMS one year after procedure, so our situation can't be that uncommon. Though as so many men don't comply with PVSA, the data is often pretty ropey.

There appears to be very little research generally post chop, be that not being sterile, or indeed PVPS.

Can you possibly see a Urology Specialist, even if it's for advice ? My specialist has been great, just very honest - you may need someone more specialist to review the results.

It would be very difficult for you to conceive with his current results, but as you say, you've not been given an answer. I'd try speaking to a specialist.

Good idea! We'll perhaps go that way after the next test if still in limbo.

I noticed PVPS stuff when looking for PVSA literature. It's not a good picture is it? I did however notice that some cases there is spontaneous improvement/recovery (usually in the first year but there have been documented cases beyond that). I suppose as no-one really knows why it occurs, it does seem plausible that it can lift for no known reason as well. And can hope that happens for you before April decision time, even though that must seem like wishing for a miracle.

It's just over a year since I started this thread (hard to believe).

DH is doing another test this week, after several months interval since the last one.

I don't quite know where we'll go from here if still not clear.

Hope the test does come back clear finally.
My dh has several friends that have had a vasectomy and theirs have all been straightforward but I've been reading so many posts here about complications.

We have 4 dc and have definitely decided no more but I'm not sure a vasectomy is the way to go now. The GP isn't keen for me to be sterilised saying it would be better if my dh has the snip but I'm sure if my dh read the posts on mn he wouldn't want a vasectomy!

Hope you're feeling better TheFuzz

Thanks!

I just hope he's sent the damned sample off (he's working away until the end of the week, he left the day the kit arrived and took it with him). I'm not sure when we can expect the result. It's usually a couple of days after sample received, but I don't know when/if sent.

Obviously, our situation is nothing like those for whom there are the serious complications, but it's had it's stressy/depressing moments when you get repeated evidence that it's not worked as intended and it all seems so pointless.

No improvement for me. Going on quarterly steriod/pain killer injections into the 'worst one'. If it doesn't work, it's chop chop !

We've got there. Two tests completely clear. Almost exactly 18 months.