Would it be weird to want a semen analysis for "peace of mind"?

[Denninmi]

I had a testicular torsion at age 12. I have always wondered if my fertility was normal. Even though I was never in a position to have kids, I would like to finally know whether I could if I wanted to. I know, it's a totally redundant system, one testicle is perfectly adequate for testosterone and sperm production. But I kind of feel the need to know. Would it be weird to see a urologist or fertility specialist about having a semen analysis, given that I am not in a relationship and am in no way father material.

[opiate69]

1. I don't think it weird at all..

If you have the money for it, and it's not an unnecessary invasive procedure, might as well.. hell, there may be other health info in there that they could catch.

[Denninmi]

12. Well, definitely not invasive.

It just involves getting romantic with a specimen cup on the first date. Sorry if that is TMI.

[opiate69]

13. lol.. yeah.. that's what I was figuring

[Major Nikon]

2. Be careful about leaving it in the freezer

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Not if it's important to you.

I wouldn't worry about whether it's objectively "weird" or not. You are going to live in your body, it's reasonable to want to know what's going on with it.

Plus, you never know. The day might come when you want to father kids.

[TheMadMonk]

4. Alternatively, this line of thinking is the first step on the path...

...to body dysmorphic disorders.

What's wrong with sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof?

[Warren DeMontague]

6. You think?

I don't, really.

I guess I just have sort of a scientific, questioning mindset and it seems natural to me to be curious as to what's going on inside myself. I don't think this is necessarily a potential problem for anyone. Plus, who knows, there might be other reasons down the road why this might matter. So why not find out, if it's on his mind?

[TheMadMonk]

7. I think. I too have a very questioning mindset. However,...

...one of the first questions I always ask when faced with a conundrunm, is: "Can I take the answer to this question and do something (other than detrimentally fuck with my brain chemistry) with it?"

If the answer is "No" I go looking for another question, because I much prefer to worry AT a problem than worry OVER one's presence.

[Warren DeMontague]

14. I just tend to think that, as a general rule, people should do whatever they want

As long as its not hurting anyone else.

[Denninmi]

8. That's quite a leap there.

Sorry, try again. You missed by about a mile.

[TheMadMonk]

10. I was afraid of that. That wasn't any attempt to "read" you.

Nor say that it's even likely.

It's just a place some people end up, with excessive fretting.

[Denninmi]

11. Yeah, if it takes a small army of professionals to read me ...

.,. It wasn't a fair fight for you to start with.

No harm, no foul.

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. In what way would the answer influence your life?

I guess I think there is something to be said for the philosophy of Popeye. "I yam what I yam."

But if you really want to know, don't let anyone tell you different - especially me.

[Denninmi]

9. One way.

I wouldn't have to wonder anymore about something that's been a question for me for over 30 years.

I was trying to think of a good analogy, but the closest I could come up with was genetic testing for Huntington's Disease, which gives the person a yes or no answer years in advance of symptoms.

Either way, at least you would finally have a definitive answer rather than just wonder.

[Denninmi]

15. OK, actually two ways. The other alternative is kinda not good for me.

Since I have a few, ahem, "issues" as you may know from this forum, I kind of have to be careful about some things. They are, as referred to by the professionals, "triggering". One of my problems is really low self esteem, there are times that I feel like the absolute scum of the earth, lower than the worst criminal murderer, pedophile, or rapist. Objectively, I know that is completely false, I'm actually a pretty nice guy and pretty responsible citizen. But, it's all part of my problem , it was so ingrained during my abusive childhood that I am worthless, and couple that with my little misadventure last year that really did make me feel like a criminal,and, well, it was a recipe for my self esteem to crash from it's normal abysmal 3 on a 1-10 scale to about -135. Not a good thing, really.

So, if I were to find out I were infertile, it would crash me self esteem and self image further.

However, I think realistically the odds of that happening are very slim, as I stated, it's a redundant biological system, just like kidneys. I think it's extremely likely I produce healthy sperm in sufficient quantities. I know that I don't have low T, that was tested a year ago and it was normal.

So, I guess I would be wiling to take that chance --worst case scenario, good job security for my therapist and doctor. And, they have stuff to deal with it at the Costco pharmacy.

Not easy being nuts, but in my defense, and for the record, I am, thank God, NOT bipolar, it was a crap Dx by a quack. I have a new doctor who is great, she immediately said "C-PTSD" and said what I went through last year was completely unnecessary and frankly very bad medical care. It helped me tremendously just to hear that from her.

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. Your second paragraph is what I was concerned about.

If you're beginning a relationship and you think that you might want kids, then maybe it's a good reason to know.

But if;
a) you don't want kids - ever and
b) finding out that you can't have kids will crash your self esteem

then I don't see how either answer enables you to improve your quality of life.

But like I said, I take a fairly utilitarian approach to things. Do what brings you comfort and peace of mind.

So no, it's not weird. I would say that the answer to that question will have limited utility in your day-to-day life, and as you noted, the potential for harm.

[Denninmi]

17. Yes, I agree, no practical purpose to know this.

Maybe it's sort of analogous to the way adopted kids want to find their biological parents. Unless there is a medical reason to know something, it isn't strictly necessary. But, it fulfills that need to just "know". Which is my reason, I just want to know. I've wondered for 36 years about this. A long time to question what is, in some ways, a fundamental marker of manhood. I know, as someone said upstream in the thread, it's NOT really. Yet it is, too. Not as much as say castration would be, but still, I don't think there are many guys who wouldn't be at least a little upset to find out they were infertile if they were not someone who was voluntarily infertile via vasectomy.

Anyway, not something I would go out and do tomorrow. If I do it, though, I would like to do it before my 50th birthday. My life was rough, frankly, my 40's were hell in the last year, so I really think I deserve some peace and happiness in the future. Everyone deserves peace and happiness.

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. Fully agree with the last sentence.

The challenge is knowing ones self well enough to know what will deliver it.