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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor. Depending on the likely cause of your dry orgasms and whether you need evaluation and treatment to help you get your partner pregnant, you may need to see a urinary and reproductive specialist (urologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements that you're taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions ahead of time will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. When seeing your doctor for dry ejaculation - the primary sign of retrograde ejaculation — some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my dry ejaculation?
- Are there other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- Should I see a specialist?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
If you are trying to get your partner pregnant, you may also want to ask:
- Will medications help me ejaculate normally?
- Can the sperm be retrieved from my bladder and used for fertility treatment?
- Will my partner and I likely need to use assisted reproductive technology such as intrauterine insemination to achieve pregnancy?
- What is the best course of action to achieve pregnancy?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor will ask you questions about your health and symptoms and may do a physical examination that includes examining your penis, testicles and rectum. Your doctor will want to determine whether your dry orgasms are retrograde ejaculation or linked to another problem that may need further evaluation.
Being ready to answer your doctor's questions may save time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- Do you have cloudy urine after an orgasm?
- When did you first begin having dry orgasms?
- Do you ever ejaculate semen when you have an orgasm, or do you have a dry orgasm every time?
- What surgeries have you had?
- Have you had cancer?
- Do you have diabetes or any other chronic health problems?
- What medications or herbal remedies do you take?
- Do you and your partner want to have a baby? If so, how long have you been trying to conceive?
- Kaplon D, et al. Ejaculation disorders. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/120705265-3/804926975/1701/189.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50008-2--subchapter5_3989. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- Sigman M. Surgical management of male infertility. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: 2007; Saunders Elsevier. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/118643778-10/798827372/1445/23.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50022-4--cesec82_1716. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- Ohl DA, et al. Anejaculation and retrograde ejaculation. Urologic Clinics of North America. 2008;35:211.
- Bettochi C. Ejaculatory disorders: Pathophysiology and management. Nature Clinical Practice Urology. 2008;5:93.
