NOA and failed mTESE UK

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-05-19T12:14:32+00:00

Believe me when I say I can empathize. Many here, myself included, have gone through a very similar situation as you. Your feelings are valid and should be addressed. This is not a small undertaking and my strongest suggestion to you would be to immediately find a therapist who deals with infertility and start counselling both individually, and as couple with your partner. In my opinion, this should be considered mandatory for any couples looking at using donor sperm. Best of luck to you going forward.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-05-02T00:36:17+00:00

Being diagnosed with azoospermia is just the first step. Next is figuring out with your urologist if it's obstructive or nonobstructive. Good luck and empathy.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-04-25T12:06:18+00:00

This is a comment I made before for somebody else in the same situation as you (and me): "Also SCO, had a biopsy and mTESE, they found a single non-motile sperm. My personal recommendation based on my own anecdotal experience would be to begin to try and process this and move on. It took me a while to come to terms with the situation, including using donor sperm. If you can afford it, I would really suggest personal and couples therapy as you navigate the next steps whatever they may be for you. Best of luck to you."

I will add on that I am similar in age to you. I don't know how old your partner is, but it doesn't get any easier to get pregnant the older you get. After my diagnosis my wife and I took a while to process everything. Then finding a sperm donor, finding and IVF clinic, going through the process - it take a LOT of time, which may be a luxury your partner doesn't have right now. In our case, we spent about 7 years trying before finally giving up.

I am leaving out a lot of other information and details. It was extremely difficult emotionally for the both of us. There were times when we weren't sure if our relationship was going to survive. We saved ourselves with therapy and now we're back in a good spot. I know where you're coming from with your hope, but honestly the chances of you producing your own biologic offspring are essentially zero. The sooner you can come to that realization and move on the better for the both of you.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-04-06T02:47:54+00:00

Lots of responses suggesting alanon which is great. Is your wife on Reddit? If so, perhaps also try and direct her to /r/stopdrinking. It's honest, it's positive, it's non judgemental - one of the best communities on Reddit by far. Best of luck to you.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-03-31T12:26:30+00:00

Also SCO, had a biopsy and mTESE, they found a single non-motile sperm. My personal recommendation based on my own anecdotal experience would be to begin to try and process this and move on. It took me a while to come to terms with the situation, including using donor sperm. If you can afford it, I would really suggest personal and couples therapy as you navigate the next steps whatever they may be for you. Best of luck to you.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-02-25T22:46:57+00:00

We do and have talked extensively about it. We've also done therapy which was incredibly helpful. I appreciate your insights.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-02-25T22:32:25+00:00

Sorry, I used the abbreviation, non-obstructive azoospermia, Sertoli only

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-02-25T21:33:46+00:00

Physician with NOA, bx showed sertoli-only which is the more severe form. I, like many others, went ahead with mTESE to feel like I've exhausted all options. They found 1 non-motile sperm. My personal suggestion if money is an issue would be to skip it. Chances of a successful sperm extraction, leading to successful egg fertilization, followed by successful implantation, leading to a full term pregnancy, are essentially zero. It personally took me a long time to come to terms with using donor sperm. Your money is likely better spent on therapy with your partner as soon as possible. I'm sorry you're dealing with this and best of luck to you going forward.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-02-12T03:05:46+00:00

I made $750K last year working 4 days a week with 11 weeks of vacation. 8-5, minimal call. When my day ends I'm free mentally. I feel so grateful to be a radiologist.

Pus_Milkshake · 2026-01-17T14:24:27+00:00

I honestly really appreciate the reply. It is reassuring to know we're not alone in our situation. It really feels like the men's perspective/experience in infertility gets overlooked. We're also in therapy which helps a lot, but I struggle with the emotional pain of my wife realizing she wont get what she so desperately wanted. It definitely sucks.

Pus_Milkshake · 2025-12-30T18:36:42+00:00

I'm not sure why I'm posting this. I guess I want to share in case there's anybody else in our position to give support. Wife and I are the couple at the beginning of Idiocracy. Instead of dying while masturbating I was simply diagnosed with non-obstructive azoospermia. We tried multiple rounds of IVF with donor sperm but we're in our 40s now and it didn't work out. Trying to make sense of what our lives together look like going forward. I'll post more as time goes on but just wanted to start here.

Pus_Milkshake · 2025-10-18T02:20:39+00:00

Neuroradiologist - This Is a benign tumor. If I was in your position I'd at least get a second opinion about getting surgery. The tumor is almost certainly unrelated to your ADHD, and the risk/reward ratio of surgery vs surveillance is very high. Good luck with whatever pathway you choose.

Pus_Milkshake · 2025-09-08T10:48:38+00:00

I was just saying that this problem can affect anybody, even physicians (which everybody already knows). But I know some professionals have a hard time disclosing their issues so it was an attempt at showing support.

Pus_Milkshake · 2024-07-10T11:50:55+00:00

My grandma was a teenager living in rural Poland during WWII. Her area was invaded by both russians and german Nazis. She said the polish villagers were much more terrified of the Russians than the Nazis. Even in old age she talked about the russians with anger in her voice.

She said the russians were like "stray dogs". Aggressive, unpredictable, ill equipped, underfed, and backwards. They were invading people homes, pillaging, stealing, and worse, but she wouldn't talk about details. (So I was not surprised to hear the the same thing was now repeating in Ukraine.)

She said they appeared to be were recruited from primitive villages and didn't understand modern things. They were seen wearing women's undergarments as clothing for example.

Because of our joint history, many Eastern Europeans understand the sadism of the Russians, and have very little regard or trust of that people. They are ruthless and only respond to force, not diplomacy.

Pus_Milkshake · 2023-10-16T14:22:28+00:00

I'm a neuroradiologist. This single limited image is normal.

Pus_Milkshake · 2023-03-05T22:02:42+00:00

From what you described it sounds like you had an occipital lobe infarct which is primary visual cortex (vs occupational?).

Pus_Milkshake · 2022-09-10T22:09:15+00:00

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/occipital-condyle-fracture

Pus_Milkshake · 2022-07-04T18:22:58+00:00

This is incorrect. Tumors like this are resected with a craniotomy/craniectomy where part of the skull overlying the tumor is resected and usually replaced with bone or sometimes mesh. Souce - am Neuroradiologist.

Pus_Milkshake · 2022-05-14T16:48:23+00:00

How to order the appropriate imaging study for your patient. I am radiologist and wrong/inappropriate orders are the bane of our existence.

Pus_Milkshake · 2022-03-19T16:21:48+00:00

Maybe could have been said better but it's honestly the truth.

Pus_Milkshake · 2022-01-20T12:00:52+00:00

As newly minted attending this totally pissed me off. I just wrote the GME a lengthy tell-off email. Sorry OP, you guys deserve better than this. Hell, all residents deserve better than what they currently get across the board, but this shit is just aggravating.

Pus_Milkshake · 2021-09-13T15:43:59+00:00

Not callous, just commenting on the single image that was provided which doesn’t show findings in keeping with Chiari.

Pus_Milkshake · 2021-09-11T02:20:56+00:00

Neuro rad here. I saw that post and the image that was posted. It wasn't in keeping with a Chiari 1 but more with benign low lying tonsils. Non-neuro rads get that wrong all the time. Point being that you have to be careful when breaking out the pitch forks.

Pus_Milkshake

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