Occasionally after reviewing a semen analysis results after vasectomy reversal we will recommend the use of an oral steroid called Prednisone. Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory steroid, not an anabolic steroid like Testosterone. It often has the effect of increasing both the count and the motility of sperm present in the ejaculate.
This is the same medicine that is commonly prescribed for inflammatory conditions, but short term and long term. In the short term, it is the go to medicine for a bad case of poison ivy, for instance. In the long term, it has commonly been used for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
While all medicines have side effects, the side effects of prednisone can be broken down into two different categories based on the length of use. In short term use, the medicines can cause jitteriness, trouble sleeping, increased appetite, and increased energy. If these were to happen and be intolerable, it's fine to just stop the medicine and let us know, or lower the dose by either skipping a day between doses or taking fewer pills per day. Most patients tolerate the low doses we prescribe without difficulty.
Longer term use can cause a lot of serious side effects like cataracts, weight gain, skin changes, cataracts, etc. This is a risk for people who need to be on this medicine chronically, not for the short duration we recommend.
Typically we prescribe 20 mg per day for 14 days, then 10 mg per day for 14 days then you would stop the medicine. You would wait at least another month before repeating the semen analysis since it takes many months for a sperm to develop from start until it is ready to be ejaculated.
If you are interested in trying this medicine, please contact us with the phone number for the pharmacy where you want the medicine sent and we can send it there. We will also send you another order for a semen analysis. Again, you need to wait at least 2 months from starting the prescription until you repeat the analysis or we won't be able to judge the effectiveness.