Anyone have experience with Varicocele Repair?

[PinkPeony10]

My DH and I have been trying for baby #1 for over a year now. DH saw the Urologist this past Wednesday due to low morphology and motility. He has been diagnosed with a varicocele. Which is visible to the naked eye and you apparently can feel it according to the Urologist. Therefore, his varicocele is considered a grade 3. The Urologist wants him to get it repaired and told us that it should help improve his motility and morphology.

I was wondering if anyone has experience with their DH or significant other getting theirs repaired? Did it improve anything? How long did it take to see improvements, if any? Have you been able to get pregnant at all since the surgery? What were his SA results pre and post surgery? Which type of surgery was performed? How long did you have to wait to start trying again post-surgery?

We have decided on getting the surgery regardless if we get pregnant in the next month or so. Just so we have a better chance with getting pregnant with future children. I just wanted to hear what everyone's experience has been with varicocele repair.

 

[xMissxZoiex]

We have been TTC for nearly 5 years my husband had the Varicocele embilization about 18 months ago, we are still not pregnant, His only issue is motility. I have no idea of his before after %.

I hope all goes well for you both.

 

[Pink Petals]

I don't have any experience to share, but I am in the same boat as you.
DH was diagnosed with varicocele on October 31st. My GP called it small, but it can be felt and seen, so I don't think it is small. DH has since had 2 semen analyses and both came back with normal count and normal motility. His morphology however was 1% the first time and 2% the second time. Not good! We too are faced with making a decision about the surgery. We think we would like to try the micro-surgery before trying IUI or IVF. I have done a lot of reading and it seems to be the gold standard for varicocele surgery. We are on the wait list to see a urologist. It will take a few months to get in.
I hope the surgery works for us!
Baby dust.

 

[PinkPeony10]

Thanks for the replies ladies!

@xMissxZoiex-I'm sorry that the surgery hasn't helped you get your bfp! Do you have any issues besides your DH's sperm?

@Pink Petals-I have done a little research myself and I am leaning more towards the micro-surgery as well. I've read that things seem to improve better sperm wise with that particular surgery. DH told me he doesn't want the embolization due to the radiology exposure. I also feel like it could be more risky. But that's just me. Luckily we have already seen the urologist, and he told us that his varicocele is most likely why we have not been able to conceive. I'm really hoping he is right and that the surgery helps improve his sperm. It sucks that it turned out this way, but I am just thankful that it is fixable. Hopefully the surgery does the trick. Hopefully you will be able to get in to see the urologist soon! Do you only have one in the area?

 

[Pink Petals]

There are lots of urologists in my city, but the wait time will be months. We are supposed to hear from our doctor next week about the referrals, so hopefully she will give us an approximate wait time! Another lady in my city waited 8 months. I am grateful for public health care, but the wait times are tough to take!
Well I am glad I found someone else going through the same thing! Keep me updated. I'm sure the surgery will go well!!!

 

[xMissxZoiex]

Thanks for the replies ladies!

@xMissxZoiex-I'm sorry that the surgery hasn't helped you get your bfp! Do you have any issues besides your DH's sperm?

@Pink Petals-I have done a little research myself and I am leaning more towards the micro-surgery as well. I've read that things seem to improve better sperm wise with that particular surgery. DH told me he doesn't want the embolization due to the radiology exposure. I also feel like it could be more risky. But that's just me. Luckily we have already seen the urologist, and he told us that his varicocele is most likely why we have not been able to conceive. I'm really hoping he is right and that the surgery helps improve his sperm. It sucks that it turned out this way, but I am just thankful that it is fixable. Hopefully the surgery does the trick. Hopefully you will be able to get in to see the urologist soon! Do you only have one in the area?

I don't any problems, no PCOS, tubes clear, ovulate regualrly and egg quantity is fantastic the clinic have told me. DFs only problem is motility too his count and morphology are all good.

I guess we are just unlucky.

 

[PinkPeony10]

There are lots of urologists in my city, but the wait time will be months. We are supposed to hear from our doctor next week about the referrals, so hopefully she will give us an approximate wait time! Another lady in my city waited 8 months. I am grateful for public health care, but the wait times are tough to take!
Well I am glad I found someone else going through the same thing! Keep me updated. I'm sure the surgery will go well!!!

I just realized you are in Canada! That explains the wait. I can't believe someone had to wait 8 months!! I can't imagine how hard it must be to wait for everything. Do you have to pay for any procedures or anything? Or is everything free? I'm not sure how all of that works there. My DH and I actually have pretty good health insurance through my employer. We don't pay as much as a lot of people do...and our coverage is really good. Infertility testings and treatment are covered...so we are really lucky there! A lot of companies opt out of infertility coverage. I really hope you don't have to wait real long!

Thanks for the replies ladies!

@xMissxZoiex-I'm sorry that the surgery hasn't helped you get your bfp! Do you have any issues besides your DH's sperm?

@Pink Petals-I have done a little research myself and I am leaning more towards the micro-surgery as well. I've read that things seem to improve better sperm wise with that particular surgery. DH told me he doesn't want the embolization due to the radiology exposure. I also feel like it could be more risky. But that's just me. Luckily we have already seen the urologist, and he told us that his varicocele is most likely why we have not been able to conceive. I'm really hoping he is right and that the surgery helps improve his sperm. It sucks that it turned out this way, but I am just thankful that it is fixable. Hopefully the surgery does the trick. Hopefully you will be able to get in to see the urologist soon! Do you only have one in the area?

I don't any problems, no PCOS, tubes clear, ovulate regualrly and egg quantity is fantastic the clinic have told me. DFs only problem is motility too his count and morphology are all good.

I guess we are just unlucky.

Wow! Well...at least everything is fine on your end! Hopefully you will manage to get your bfp sooner or later. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later tho! Have you guys tried iui?

 

[Pink Petals]

Well public healthcare covers testing and even the surgery, but fertility meds and treatments like IUI or IVF are definately not covered. Although I hear that IVF is covered in Quebec if you are willing to transfer only one embryo at a time! But I am not moving to Quebec, so I think I will be trying the surgery first!
I am hoping it will not be 8 months. The woman who told me that had asked for a referral to a specific doctor, so that might be why she had to wait so long. Hopefully it will be less for us!
Was there much of a wait for you?

 

[PinkPeony10]

No. Not much of a wait for us. My obgyn is the one that ordered a SA for Dh and after the first abnormal one...they wanted him to do another one. They said that if the 2nd one was abnormal (which it was)...they would want him to see a urologist. All I did was call them up, and I was able to get him in within a week or two. It could have been even sooner...but with our schedules...I only had one morning a week that we would be available. I haven't called to schedule his surgery yet. I'm hoping there's not much of a wait for that. I really don't think it'll be that much of a wait for that either. (At least I'm hoping it won't be) I still need to find out if our insurance covers the surgery. Which I'm sure it will. But you never know!

 

[xMissxZoiex]

There are lots of urologists in my city, but the wait time will be months. We are supposed to hear from our doctor next week about the referrals, so hopefully she will give us an approximate wait time! Another lady in my city waited 8 months. I am grateful for public health care, but the wait times are tough to take!
Well I am glad I found someone else going through the same thing! Keep me updated. I'm sure the surgery will go well!!!

I just realized you are in Canada! That explains the wait. I can't believe someone had to wait 8 months!! I can't imagine how hard it must be to wait for everything. Do you have to pay for any procedures or anything? Or is everything free? I'm not sure how all of that works there. My DH and I actually have pretty good health insurance through my employer. We don't pay as much as a lot of people do...and our coverage is really good. Infertility testings and treatment are covered...so we are really lucky there! A lot of companies opt out of infertility coverage. I really hope you don't have to wait real long!

Thanks for the replies ladies!

@xMissxZoiex-I'm sorry that the surgery hasn't helped you get your bfp! Do you have any issues besides your DH's sperm?

@Pink Petals-I have done a little research myself and I am leaning more towards the micro-surgery as well. I've read that things seem to improve better sperm wise with that particular surgery. DH told me he doesn't want the embolization due to the radiology exposure. I also feel like it could be more risky. But that's just me. Luckily we have already seen the urologist, and he told us that his varicocele is most likely why we have not been able to conceive. I'm really hoping he is right and that the surgery helps improve his sperm. It sucks that it turned out this way, but I am just thankful that it is fixable. Hopefully the surgery does the trick. Hopefully you will be able to get in to see the urologist soon! Do you only have one in the area?

I don't any problems, no PCOS, tubes clear, ovulate regualrly and egg quantity is fantastic the clinic have told me. DFs only problem is motility too his count and morphology are all good.

I guess we are just unlucky.

Wow! Well...at least everything is fine on your end! Hopefully you will manage to get your bfp sooner or later. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later tho! Have you guys tried iui?

IUI is no good for motility problems as the sperm still needs to swim to the egg. IVF is the only option for motility issues, for very bad motility ICSI is the best option but that is a lot more expensive than IVF.

 

[PinkPeony10]

@Miss-I'm sorry! Well I wish you the best!!!