NCCN Guidelines about sperm bankiing

[veryworriedmom]

Reading the NCCN guidelines for the initial workup/primary treatment first line said discuss sperm banking. My sons urologist did not mention this, just got him in quickly for surgery the next day. Even if he had discussed it there wouldn't have been time to do it in the 24 hours. My question is, some people have several days notice of the surgery and did any ones urologist/ surgeon mention it to them? Even after the surgery nothing said. The first mention of it came from the radiation oncologist who suggested getting sperm tested, and then think about banking. How many of you were advised to do this? VWM

[Margaret]

We also went into surgery 24 hours after finding out. Many times, the quality of the sperm is poor due to the TC. Our doctor said, post treatment we had a better chance of more quality sperm returning than to freeze less healthy sperm during TC. One testicle can many times do the work of two post TC.

[Jay68442]

I too went into surgery 24 hours after finding out. I was told about banking shortly after the surgery. Not sure how long after the surgery it was that I visited the sperm bank. Less then a week I think. I remember the doctors at the bank telling me my count was low but I needed to start chemo. So one visit was all I made. Luckily all turned out ok for me and my count returned a few years after I finished chemo.

[Scott]

Can't count me: I'd already had four kids and a vasectomy.

[Russell's Mom]

Post surgery, before chemo. Count was low at the time, but I was reminded that it only takes one. He banked twice before chemo. Sharon

[dadmo]

Jaymo had his removed the same day the problem was discovered. He finished college and then went to the bank about 5-6 times before chemo started.

[Fed]

I was the one that brought up the issue at the post-Dx follow-up with my urologist, but the ER doc that diagnosed me did mention it. Since I was one of those cases in which the docs didn't seem to have a sense of urgency with the I/O (yes, I raised hell about it), I had time to bank.

[MRMRSU]

Hi VWM: For us, sperm-banking was discussed almost immediately but we did have two days prior to Andy's surgery. Please do not worry too much as we've been told the remaining guy can get the job done and there have been many success stories about conception just in this forum alone. Continued well-wishes for your son.

[Fish]

No one discussed it with me during my first TC. It was mentioned by the urologist prior to removal of the second guy. But in our 40's by that time, my wife and I had already decided not to have children.

[Lori]

Our oncologist mentioned it as "something we may want to think about, but first we need to get you into surgery". After our meeting with the oncologist we went right to the clinic within our hospital. Knocked on the door at 4pm and said here is our situation, we want to bank. They were wonderful. Jon banked right then and there (how he did after hearing his diagnosis 30 minutes before is amazing to me). He was at the hospital the next morning for is I/O and was able to bank 3 more times before chemo. We were lucky, as he does have retrograde ejaculation.

[dannysbrother]

Also keep in mind for anyone reading this that some TC patients are very advanced at the time of diagnosis and cannot produce a sample for a number of reasons. In this case, as it was with Danny, a very short painless procedure was done to manually extract a sample. It was 24 hours after Danny's diagnosis and the doctor from the sperm bank came to the hospital and got it.

Mikey

[MRMRSU]

Good point Mikey...I think the procedure is called "aspiration" - it was discussed briefly with us in the event Andy couldn't get to the "bank to make his deposit".

[Russell's Mom]

I have to admit that it is pretty odd to think of my grandchildren in a freezer in Berkley California!! Makes me think we could start a new thread for us mom's in the year 2007! When Russell banked, we had a small party for the celebration of the process. I bought a couple of tiny baby t-shirts for people to write on...years from now, we will put them to use! Kind of like my internet family...here now, but I can't really get my arms around them!! Take care, love you guys, Sharon

[DAWN82]

Also keep in mind for anyone reading this that some TC patients are very advanced at the time of diagnosis and cannot produce a sample for a number of reasons. In this case, as it was with Danny, a very short painless procedure was done to manually extract a sample. It was 24 hours after Danny's diagnosis and the doctor from the sperm bank came to the hospital and got it.

Mikey

when Brian was 1st admitted into sloan kettering, he was VERY sick, and VERY anemic because the tumors were just eating away at his blood. the social worker came in and discussed sperm banking and at that time Brian was devistated of hearing he had cancer. Brian tried and couldnt get it to work (if you know what i mean) he apologized to me and said i just cant do it. i cant even think of doing that. i went outside and cried and thought, this man has cancer, and HE is apologizing to me?! i felt so bad and i explained to him, that it didnt matter, i only wanted him! and i wanted him to beat this so we could spend the rest of our lives together! they even tried to give him a viagra and still no good. here is the kicker, they walked in about an hour later with blood for him because he was 6 pints low of blood!!

Dawn