Infertility

[bambamm89]

I've been really anxious lately and feeling stressed about my current situation. Over the past few years, my health has just continuously declined. At this point, there is no denying that major changes need to happen. I'm currently in the process of getting on 2 different organ transplant lists and having great difficulty getting where I need to be health-wise to be approved. The problem is that I'm unable to do that without some form of assistance. For a little over 5 years, I've been suffering from low testosterone. It has gradually gotten lower and lower every year. At the recommendation of a doctor, I'm set to start hormone replacement therapy soon. The benefits from the treatment are said to be a great help and could help me to reach my goals. However, the big risk is becoming sterile.

I've honestly never given much thought to having kids. I'm in my early 30's, single, and I simply haven't met someone that I felt I would enjoy parenting with. That being said, I am currently at an age where a lot of women are kicking it into gear. They either already have kids, or are looking for someone who can give them kids within the next few years. I feel like now I'm sort of limiting myself and cutting down my chances of finding the right person for me by giving up the opportunity to have kids.

On one hand, I've never truly been against having kids as much as I've been against having kids before meeting the right person and feeling like I'm in the right place in life where it would be appropriate. On the other hand, if I don't do whatever I can to improve my health and work on myself, I likely won't be around to see my kids grow up or even be born. Not to mention, as a side effect of the low testosterone, my body has barely been making any sperm at all. I'm lucky on days when I can squeeze out some seminal fluid. Not to mention, with my health being like this, I'm almost certain any sperm that I do produce wouldn't be my first pick for continuing my bloodline.

I can't help but kind of obsess over this lately. My treatment is set to start either this week or next week, so I still have time to back out of it. But at the same time, I feel like I really need to do this. Have any of you had to deal with issues stemming from infertility?

Side note: I know there's always the option of adoption or even going to an infertility clinic, but it seems like already just mentioning to women that I'm not sure about kids is a major turnoff. Telling them upfront that it's a dream I can't help make come true seems a like a major blow to my chances.

[BigO]

I would stick with the treatment.

You may find a gal you fall in love with that already has kids. you may adopt, you may eventually be able to have kids.

I would focus fully on your health for now and if the right girl comes along, maybe other great things will happen.

I don't know what you are going through but do what you have to do to be healthy first, the rest will sort itself out.

[Pegasus]

Get some sperm frozen if you are worried .

[bambamm89]

Get some sperm frozen if you are worried .

I thought about that and did a little research, but not much. I also bought it up with my urologist. The main concern with that is that right now, I'm barely producing sperm. And I don't mean I'm only getting a little when I orgasm. I mean, in the last 4 weeks I've been lucky to get a single drop or seminal fluid. The urologist said that once I'm on the treatment, I should see a major increase. I'm thinking that if I do see an increase, I've visit a fertility clinic and speak to them about my options. But I'd still rather wait until my health improves dramatically.

[southernprince]

Unless your health problems are directly related to your reproductive organs, I assume that your sperm production will resume to normal levels when your health recovers. Your sperm quality and quantity are directly related to the health of other parts of your body. So I agree with BigO, focus on your health for now.

[Thick_Unit]

I've been really anxious lately and feeling stressed about my current situation. Over the past few years, my health has just continuously declined. At this point, there is no denying that major changes need to happen. I'm currently in the process of getting on 2 different organ transplant lists and having great difficulty getting where I need to be health-wise to be approved. The problem is that I'm unable to do that without some form of assistance. For a little over 5 years, I've been suffering from low testosterone. It has gradually gotten lower and lower every year. At the recommendation of a doctor, I'm set to start hormone replacement therapy soon. The benefits from the treatment are said to be a great help and could help me to reach my goals. However, the big risk is becoming sterile. .

You can start by exercising. mine had a peak low of 225 after excising it's over 356 now (had it checked 3 months ago...) 58% improvement.. bio available is 2.7% though that is the highest number on the reference..

it's probably over 400ng/dL by now

TRT is no longer an option since it has to be below 280..

I started gaining a lot of upper body muscle mass... since and dropped 30 pounds as well without losing any muscle mass...

[bambamm89]

You can start by exercising. mine had a peak low of 225 after excising it's over 356 now (had it checked 3 months ago...) 58% improvement.. bio available is 2.7% though that is the highest number on the reference..

it's probably over 400ng/dL by now

TRT is no longer an option since it has to be below 280..

I started gaining a lot of upper body muscle mass... since and dropped 30 pounds as well without losing any muscle mass...

Exercising used to be the suggestion. I weighed a little over 300lbs back in 2014. During the year of 2015 I got down to 207lb. For my frame and build that was considered great for me, I have decent amount of muscle mass. But that was also when my doctors started noticing that my T levels were still dropping. I kept the weight off for a little over a year or so and then slowly started gaining back. During that year, my levels just kept dropping and dropping. My last test results show that I'm now at 87.2 Total and 21 Free. I have a physically demanding job, so I'm up and about all day long, and I tried going to the gym after work to get in some extra cardio. Right now, the energy levels I have just don't allow for that. I biked for 30 minutes then somewhat speed walked for another 30. After that I had to sit on a bench outside the gym and do my best just to find energy to make it to the car. I don't currently have the energy needed to exercise like I did in the past to get down to the weight I was at before.

[bambamm89]

Unless your health problems are directly related to your reproductive organs, I assume that your sperm production will resume to normal levels when your health recovers. Your sperm quality and quantity are directly related to the health of other parts of your body. So I agree with BigO, focus on your health for now.

That's what I'm hoping as well. But my urologist couldn't give me a good deadline on how much time I'd have after starting the hormone therapy until I'd be looking at becoming sterile. Could be months, could be years. It's the not knowing part that makes me anxious the most. If my health gets where it needs to be within 2 years and I can freeze some sperm, that would be ideal. But if my health improves and then I'm shooting blanks, that'll kind of feel like a double edged-sword. There's also the issue that, if I start this treatment, I'll most likely be committing to something for the remainder of my life. If, and that's a big if, my T levels start to naturally come back after my health improves, I was told that would be a miracle at this point.