At home Male Fertility Test

[Mom]

Thanks, Joe, I'm going to take you up on it! We are going to set up our own little nursery and send them on trips so we can take care of the baby! Bill, you should be banking that $900 in a real bank because if Jason needs IVF, that money will go a long way to making it happen. Unfortunately PA doesn't require health insurers to fund IVF like some states. I thought it was very expensive until I learned that my friend's family spent close to $40K on a little girl from China. That made IVF a bargain! Dianne

[Already Bald]

Bill, I have it on good authority that if Jason is producing sperm, even in small quantities, the fertility doctors (if he needs one) will prefer to use fresh sperm than banked sperm. As of October 2006, 1 1/2 yrs post chemo, Jeff had regained 13 million sperm but a lot weren't swimming. The fertility specialist however felt that it was not a good idea to wait any longer for a full count (20 million swimmers) because of his wife's age so they decided to do IVF last October. They looked at his banked sperm and fresh sperm and they used fresh sperm. The egg retrieval was great and the fertilization was great but the transfer wasn't. It was very emotional and stressful. It boiled down to "don't ask." We didn't. We got the news 12 weeks ago (they count by weeks now, 40 of them!) that we are "expecting to be Grandparents" in October!!! I am just now starting to believe it, and they are just now starting to believe it. They have passed the most critical period so they are allowing me to tell people! So, Margaret, don't give up. Bill and Nancy, if Jason is just producing a good few, that is all it takes. You will be grandparents too!! I have to tell you, though, I haven't stopped worrying since I found out!! It never ends. Dianne

Dianne,
That is wonderful news!
My youngest turned two in March- and we are done. I had a failed yard sale of mucho baby gear- I would much rather give it to a good home. as you get nearer, let me know if you are interested.
Best regards,

[IowaBrian]

Like I said those test don't work too many things can cause it to not show over 20 mil. Lab test will tell you everything you need to know.
Brian

[Margaret]

Well....you guys were so right...I looked at that test for 30 min...like it was a home pregnancy test, anxious for results. No 'bright blue' dot appeared so I am left with even more questions...like just because he may not have over the 20 mil mark to read 'bright blue' maybe he has 10 mil....or less...or more...or nothing.

This was a stupid exercise on my part...trying to control something that I can not control..guilty as charged. It was fun doing the experiment, that was the only plus . I am supposed to do it twice, and so i am sureI will repeat the process just for the sake of it. But nothing beats a REAL doc telling you what is actually going on.

Thanks guys for the advice and the smiles on this one.

M.

[IowaBrian]

Great news MOM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IowaBrian]

Don't use the take home test a number of things can show a false neg or under there 20 mil number better to have the lab do the test you can get a take home cup and bring it to the lab as long as you get it there in or around 30 minutes you just have to keep it warm. It was sort of funny the wife's OBGYN had a whole cabinet full of the made up test kits (paper bag, cup, instructions and Rx to get the test done) it is a lot cheaper and easier to have the male test done then the female!!!!!!!
If anyone wants more info on the testing and what they look for let me know.
Also the URO should be able to talk to you over the phone and let you know the results that way you don't have another DR visit.
URO or OBGYN are the ones that can really tell you if there is anything to worry about , I don't think the other DR see enough of these test to know when to worry since if they see anything on the lab sheet that says below normal they worry when there may be nothing to worry about at all.
Brian

[dadmo]

You guys must be thrilled. That really is grand mom.

[Fed]

That is wonderful news, Mom! My parents tell me that becoming grandparents is twice as nice. Many congratulations to you, Jeff, and your growing family!

[Mom]

Bill, I have it on good authority that if Jason is producing sperm, even in small quantities, the fertility doctors (if he needs one) will prefer to use fresh sperm than banked sperm. As of October 2006, 1 1/2 yrs post chemo, Jeff had regained 13 million sperm but a lot weren't swimming. The fertility specialist however felt that it was not a good idea to wait any longer for a full count (20 million swimmers) because of his wife's age so they decided to do IVF last October. They looked at his banked sperm and fresh sperm and they used fresh sperm. The egg retrieval was great and the fertilization was great but the transfer wasn't. It was very emotional and stressful. It boiled down to "don't ask." We didn't. We got the news 12 weeks ago (they count by weeks now, 40 of them!) that we are "expecting to be Grandparents" in October!!! I am just now starting to believe it, and they are just now starting to believe it. They have passed the most critical period so they are allowing me to tell people! So, Margaret, don't give up. Bill and Nancy, if Jason is just producing a good few, that is all it takes. You will be grandparents too!! I have to tell you, though, I haven't stopped worrying since I found out!! It never ends. Dianne

[dadmo]

Margaret:
Nancy and I had a bit of a laugh talking about this thread but then it lead to some serious discussion. We pay $900 a year for the storage of Jason's sperm and we don't know if it's necessary. We thought about the home kit and then decided that no matter what that showed or even what a full lab found we would keep as insurance his frozen sperm. Just incase he get TCx2. What I was wonder is if it might be a good idea for your son to get tested and if he is fertile put some in the bank just in case.

[Fed]

Dadmo is right. You won't know until it's tested, since banking is, as he said, insurance. I am unsure of the reliability of the "at home" test, but hey, it's worth a try. I would confirm with an actual lab exam though. An actual lab analysis will run you about $125 or so (that's how much it costs at the place where I banked).

[dadmo]

Margaret:
Remember banking is just a precaution, infertility is not a given.

[Margaret]

Margaret,
I checked out the link you sent, and all I could dig out is that indeed it measures quantity; however, like with almost everything, quality is more important. You can have a gazillion swimmers, but if they are not swimming, then they are pretty much useless.
Did he bank sperm? I'm just asking this because if he did, they usually test for viability before freezing them down. Of course, my guess is that if he did, it probably was before treatment, so the data is unlikely to correlate pre- and post-Tx.

We did not bank...no time before chemo.

[Fed]

Margaret,
I checked out the link you sent, and all I could dig out is that indeed it measures quantity; however, like with almost everything, quality is more important. You can have a gazillion swimmers, but if they are not swimming, then they are pretty much useless.
Did he bank sperm? I'm just asking this because if he did, they usually test for viability before freezing them down. Of course, my guess is that if he did, it probably was before treatment, so the data is unlikely to correlate pre- and post-Tx.

[Margaret]

Fed, I gotta agree with you...I am skeptical too.

Here is the link to the product I purchased:

http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/lakeconsumer/Detail?no=1