Anyone had varicocele surgery?

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My partner has a low sperm count caused by a varicocele (they couldn't find any other reason).
We had ICSI to conceive my son in 2021. I also have PCOS and ovulate irregularly but my cycles are regular when I take metformin.
We are thinking of trying naturally first but not sure how much point there is trying due to the low sperm count. I can't remember off the top off my head the exact numbers but think it was 5 million total count.
He was offered surgery for the varicocele but didn't take the offer (I was pregnant at the time so was last thing he wanted then).
Just wondering if anyone/anyone's husband has had the surgery and it has improved sperm count?
Or any supplements that might help?
Thanks in advance!

@SocialPR I'm glad it helps! It really was very straightforward. I worried a lot as well, which is funny because I've had a bunch of surgeries to facilitate us conceiving but the minute someone I love has to go under the knife (even in a minor way) to make this possible I suddenly wonder if its worth it 😂

I worried about side effects (like ongoing pain from the surgery, esp because my partner had never had pain from the varicocele) but the consultant told us that any side effects you read about online were so rare that none of his patients had ever had any of them.

And like @toriistrying i agree getting the sperm as healthy as possible is so important. Even if we are still going for ivf, we're now probably not going to need icsi where we would have had to before. I am hopeful we'll end up with healthier embryos maybe as a result.

Anyway good luck with it! x

@Tiredkittens thanks so much and really appreciate your honesty! I’m the same and when you go through procedures it is different seeing your loved ones. How is your DH getting on? It’s such a journey isn’t it and can’t thank you enough for all your advice! Xx

@toriistrying thanks for all the help and support. DH is having the OP next week and just want to know as much as I can about the aftercare and you have helped so much! How is everything all going with you? Xx

@SocialPR

I can't stress how fine my DH was afterwards - struggled to unload the dishwasher for two weeks mind....i think ill let him off

Avoid lifting heavy things for a few weeks and get some rest the day afterwards

The surgeon did say we shouldn't ttc for 2 months post surgery.

We are coming up to 2 months

DH Sperm tests are in one month. We will know how much they have improved then. Can't come soon enough!

Where is the op? Xx

@tortoriistrying thank you so much for being so vocal on here about what you've been through. We just got our SA results and they are very similar with the ones you posted. So, we are now trying to find a specialist to see us, hoping the issue is treatable. Did you have to get a referral from your GP to see Dr. Ramsay? We can see he is in London which is far for us, but we'll see him if he's the best!

@olivetulips

I'm so sorry for the late reply.

I am now 35 weeks pregnant 🥹 I conceived first try, miscarried at 5ish weeks. Ovulated 2 weeks later and now I'm pregnant and due in a month. What a rollercoaster.

We haven't involved the GP at all.

DH has private health insurance which I'm on. If you have insurance, you can get diagnostic testing asap and for free. Excess paid.

If anyone is reading this

The NHS will not treat a varicocele for fertility reasons. Perhaps you have a pain down there 😏

As far as I'm aware, the nhs does not investigate male factor infertility. You may well just be sent for ivf / icsi.

I am in Hertfordshire and the waitlist for IVF is 3 years. YOU HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR 2.5-YEARS.

I also want to say, I'm no dr but I took the view that we should get the sperm as healthy as it could be, before any ICSI / IVF

Every situation is different

We investigated, got the surgery and conceived naturally.

Any questions. Let me know xx

And also

6mm varicocele.

Sperm count improved from 3million to 57million at the 3 month mark.

Safe to say we were all shocked.

Xx

I just wanted to update this thread. At the end of April I got pregnant naturally and have my 20 week scan next week.
So we didn't need the operation in the end despite the awful sperm count. My partner had started to take proxeed twice a day but had only been on it a couple of weeks before I fell pregnant. He was having cold showers to for a few months before.
I had given up most hope of a pregnancy and got very into the gym and was going 4-5 times a week. I think we had sex once or twice that month and I wasn't tracking!!

Meant to add it took us just under a year to fall pregnant . About 10 cycles

Congratulations! Sorry to hear about your MC, so glad you got there in the end!

Just wanted to add in case anyone see's this post my partner is due to have varicocele embolisation through the NHS for fertility issues, we had a round of icsi with really poor drop of rates so hoping for better results after the procedure x

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! Sorry to hear about your first miscarriage but congratulations, glad it worked out for you in the end! 🙂

Can I ask, do you remember what your husband's hormone results were before the embolisation? We are looking to get the embolisation done soon but were also advised by Dr. Ramsay to take some hormones too, so would be interesting to hear from others that might have had similar advice?