Talk to me about varicocele.

My husband met with a new urologist and they found varicocele with an ultrasound. He has the follow up appointment on the 30th but until then I’ve been trying to find some info. I read there’s a surgery. Some say 3-6 month recovery and some say after a year there wasn’t a great difference in sperm quality. We don’t have any covered iui’s left and are planning to start IVF with ICSI once I get my period. Now with this new info my husband thinks we should wait and try again on our own. January will be 2 years since starting our ttc journey and I don’t think I can start over.

Does anyone’s husband have this? Did you notice a difference after surgery? Were you able to conceive on your own after?

Thanks so much!!!

Re: Talk to me about varicocele.

Having a varicocele can hurt your DH's quality big time. DH has a pretty big one and never followed up with the DR (long story) but needed the surgery and put it off.. Many failed IUI's later with his morph being 2% and low motility, we were recommended IVF with ICSI and still had poor fertilization. ICSI did not work for us for both IVF cycles. Finally switching RE's, we did the DNA fragmentation test and it came back really poor- showed that DH had high oxidation and free radical levels in his sperm causing mutiple issues including poor morph and just poor quality in general. His only option was the surgery. Basically, the surgery will cure the varicocele and allow the damage of the sperm to cease hence successful fertilization. With every man it's different- some Dr's like to wait 3 months while others prefer 6months to a year. See what the urologist and RE recommend.

My DH had the surgery scheduled for June and was told by my RE to start a pretty intense antioxidant regimine and acupuncture weekly to get the blood flowing properly. Two months after this, we conceived naturally- a month before the surgery was scheduled. I am not saying to not get the surgery but my RE has seen improvement in sperm with the antioxidant and acupuncture so we went with that while waiting for the surgery and it worked for us.
I can't remember the exact doses but I know he took a multi, Ubiquanol, pycnogenol, melatonin and fish oil plus the acupuncture.
I know there are many girls who have gotten pregnant after varicocele surgery so do your research and see what works best for you. DH is planning on doing the surgery in the spring just to get it over with for when we are going to TTC again.

Re: Talk to me about varicocele.

Thank you SO much for this response!!! Dr. Wang wrote me this morning suggesting my husband to have the DNA fragmentation test. So we'll do that and follow up with him and the urologist. Hopefully the urologist will agree with what you mentioned for antioxidant regimine and acupuncture before the surgery and maybe we will have a happy ending sooner than later.

That's amazing that you were able to conceive naturally!!! I think we're at 2% morph as well with low motility. Did you still monitor your cycle or did you try to go back to normal life?

Re: Talk to me about varicocele.

Talk to me about varicocele.

DH didbt have that, but a friend did and conceived shortly after the surgery. We did do the DNA fragmentation test which I highly recommend. I think you are seeing Girardi? I would trust whatever she recommends. Good luck!