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How Long After Stopping Pain Medications Does Healthy Sperm Production Revert Back?

Posted on Wed, 14 Oct 2015

Question: how long does it take male sperm to get back to healthy levels after said male stops taking pain meds, which he's beening taking wiht some regularity for a year. Said Male already has fathered 2 healthy children.

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
specify name of medicine as pain medicines do not affect sperms

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

As such there is no medicine for pain which can affect sperm production.

Please give me the name of the drug you were taking. Also mention the dose and duration and for which pain were you taking?

If you have nay semen report please upload the same.

I will be happy to help further after your response.

Regards

Dr.Chintan Solanki.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (11 minutes later)

Hello,

The medication was Oxycodine 30 mg, and I was taking them recreationally for about 1.5 years, on and off - in the evenings/afternoons...2 or sometimes 3 weeks in a month. however, Not daily. The Semen analysis came back as an F for 3 main catatagories, but I don't have the report. A month prior to the report, I had annual physical and testosteron level was in normal range. My question is, after getting the semen report and stopping the use of the opiate, how long should it take to get my fertility levels back to healthy for fathering a third child?

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
approximately after 3 months if at all it is affetced

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for information.

You were taking oxycodine irregularly.

Testosterone level is normal that means no significant problem in sperm production is there.
Long-term use of opiates can disrupt the signals that control testosterone production, which can cause low testosterone and decrease the quantity and quality of the sperm. The extent of the impact depends on the opiates being used, the dose, and how long the man is using the opiates.

There is no evidence that the short-term use of opiates has a negative effect on male fertility. Men taking opiates for weeks or months should speak to their doctor about how to cut back on opiate use.
The recreational (illegal) use of any opiates is strongly discouraged however.

It is good that you have stopped already without any problem so there is no dependence and intake was not much.

Spermatogenesis completes in roughly 75 days. So after stopping oxycodine within 3 months there will be completely fresh sperms which do not have any relation with use of opioid.

You can be father before 3 months also but I need to check fresh semen reports for the same.

Hope this answers your concern. Feel free to discuss further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (15 minutes later)

Thanks! However, why would I have a poor semen analysis so close to a good testoserone analysis? Could the Semen Analysis been bad - the summary of the analysis was FAILURE - CANNOT FATHER CHILDREN. Could I have given them a bad sample? I did not ejaculate for 24 hourse prior to the test per their instructions. This anomoly is why I am writing. Any ideas?

I also take adderall 40 mg's every day.. that is from a dr percription.

I do have mild side effects from coming off the opiates, but not awful. The reason I said the pain pills is b/c I was trying to come up with something that would alter the test.

Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
wait for 3 days before giving sample

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for follow up.

In general report should not mention that -FAILURE - CANNOT FATHER CHILDREN. It is a clinical decision.

Adderall would not affect sperm production.

Longer or shorter periods of abstinence may result in a lower sperm count or decreased sperm motility. Samples produced after 3 days of abstinence will usually have the highest numbers of motile sperm with the greatest forward velocity, when compared to samples produced after shorter or longer abstinence.
From your history I think there should not be major effects of oxycodine on sperms. Some problem with semen analysis is likely.

I suggest going for fresh report of semen analysis after 3 days abstinence.

All the best and take care.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar