Well, I apologize for disappearing. My wife had our baby a couple weeks before we expected (not premature, just a little early). I didn't get to finish the last week of the treatment.
With a newborn in the house, I haven't had time to continue the treatments. This method is fairly time-intensive and I just haven't had that commodity.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Where have I been?
As you may have noticed, I haven't posted in over a week.
To make a long story short, my wife had a baby! I was hoping to get my full 3 weeks of heating in before the bundle of joy arrived, but he was a little bit early. Mother and baby are both doing perfectly!
I haven't been able to continue to the experiment, 1) because we have been busy and 2) my mother-in-law is staying over.
I plan on restarting things in about 2 weeks. You can check back then.
The last day of my experiment was Day 15. Here is what the sperm looked like then: (The first one is at 40x and the second is at 10x)
I can't do a true sperm count, but things aren't grossly different.
To make a long story short, my wife had a baby! I was hoping to get my full 3 weeks of heating in before the bundle of joy arrived, but he was a little bit early. Mother and baby are both doing perfectly!
I haven't been able to continue to the experiment, 1) because we have been busy and 2) my mother-in-law is staying over.
I plan on restarting things in about 2 weeks. You can check back then.
The last day of my experiment was Day 15. Here is what the sperm looked like then: (The first one is at 40x and the second is at 10x)
I can't do a true sperm count, but things aren't grossly different.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Day 13: Back to Sci Fi
Now I'm reading Old Man's War by John Scalzi. I think it's going to be a standard space marine story, but with 75 year-olds in regenerated bodies.
The balls have been aching a bit more today. Although that may have more to do with my 10 mile bike ride in jeans. (Bike shorts tend to be more comfortable)
The balls have been aching a bit more today. Although that may have more to do with my 10 mile bike ride in jeans. (Bike shorts tend to be more comfortable)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Day 11
I need a new book now. Overdiagnosed was brilliant. I think I have some sci-fi lined up. I should probably make a slide this weekend.
I read today (again) that a semen analysis is a standard part of the workup for low testosterone. I'm not really sure if that's necessary for a man that's over 40 and not trying to conceive. Especially if he has successfully conceived in the past. I have never ordered it.
I read today (again) that a semen analysis is a standard part of the workup for low testosterone. I'm not really sure if that's necessary for a man that's over 40 and not trying to conceive. Especially if he has successfully conceived in the past. I have never ordered it.
Day 10: Hot!
I was able to keep the water temperature above 105 for the entire bath this time.
What do I do while I'm on the pot for 45 minutes? Currently, I'm reading Overdiagnosed by Gilbert Welch. It is about the harms of turning well people into sick people by over-aggressive screening.
My favorite (and most clinically relevant) chapter so far is on incidentalomas. This is a cheeky bit of medical slang for incidental lesions found on imaging studies, when you were looking for something else. For example, you order a CAT scan to rule out appendicitis. The appendix looks fine, but there's a cyst in the liver! Then as a doctor you have to decide what to do with that information.
I had a wonderful example of an incidentaloma yesterday. A patient had a MRI of her low back because of back pain. The study showed stuff wrong with her lumbar disks (not surprising). But it also showed something in her pelvis. The radiologist said it was either a cystic ovarian mass, or fluid in a loop of bowel. He recommended an ultrasound.
As Overdiagnosed would point out, there is no proven benefit to screening for ovarian cancer. There's a lot of potential harm here. An incidentaloma is not screening. It has even less value. At least with screening, you started out purposefully looking for cancer.
What if I get an ultrasound, it finds a mass, she gets surgery for it, has complications like an abdominal infection? And the mass could still turn out to be benign.
So do I take the patient down this very dangerous road, with high chance of harm, and low chance of benefit, for something that may be a loop of bowel?
What do I do while I'm on the pot for 45 minutes? Currently, I'm reading Overdiagnosed by Gilbert Welch. It is about the harms of turning well people into sick people by over-aggressive screening.
My favorite (and most clinically relevant) chapter so far is on incidentalomas. This is a cheeky bit of medical slang for incidental lesions found on imaging studies, when you were looking for something else. For example, you order a CAT scan to rule out appendicitis. The appendix looks fine, but there's a cyst in the liver! Then as a doctor you have to decide what to do with that information.
I had a wonderful example of an incidentaloma yesterday. A patient had a MRI of her low back because of back pain. The study showed stuff wrong with her lumbar disks (not surprising). But it also showed something in her pelvis. The radiologist said it was either a cystic ovarian mass, or fluid in a loop of bowel. He recommended an ultrasound.
As Overdiagnosed would point out, there is no proven benefit to screening for ovarian cancer. There's a lot of potential harm here. An incidentaloma is not screening. It has even less value. At least with screening, you started out purposefully looking for cancer.
What if I get an ultrasound, it finds a mass, she gets surgery for it, has complications like an abdominal infection? And the mass could still turn out to be benign.
So do I take the patient down this very dangerous road, with high chance of harm, and low chance of benefit, for something that may be a loop of bowel?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Day 7, 8, 9. Inconsistent
I was on call this weekend. My day 7 treatment was cut short and not very hot. I didn't do day 8 at all, as I had to rush in for a delivery.
Tonight was day 9, and I kept the temperature over 100F the whole time. I will make some slides later this week.
Tonight was day 9, and I kept the temperature over 100F the whole time. I will make some slides later this week.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Day 6: is aching a good sign?
My goal temperature is 116F. Yesterday the tap water was 118, but today it was only 114. I wish I knew why. The difference in those two temps is quite dramatic. 114 is quite soothing, while 118 is difficult to take.
Yesterday, I had a slight ache in my testicles but wasn't sure if it was for real. Today, it is definitely not my imagination. If this ache continues at this level for the whole 3 weeks of soaks, it's not a big deal. If it aches like this for the entire 6 month cycle I might not try it again. If the achiness continues to worsen as my spermatogenesis shuts down... We'll try not to think about that.
Yesterday, I had a slight ache in my testicles but wasn't sure if it was for real. Today, it is definitely not my imagination. If this ache continues at this level for the whole 3 weeks of soaks, it's not a big deal. If it aches like this for the entire 6 month cycle I might not try it again. If the achiness continues to worsen as my spermatogenesis shuts down... We'll try not to think about that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)