talking male fertility - the testhim podcast

In this month's episode we welcomed Paul Galgey to the studio. Paul was completely unknown to us until one day we got an email from him. Spoiler coming up..... this email he sent from the maternity ward after the birth of his daughter just days beforehand. Little did we know that an insta live he'd seen from us completely changed his fertility journey and he wanted to say thank you to us! Paul's story is one of botched varicocele repairs, lack of support and mental anguish. Not, unfortunately entirely uncommon.Only when he heard our live with Steven Moser did he consider further surgery for his varicocele. This is when things changed. Paul's story is one of determination and resilience and demonstrates the importance of being proactive. Paul wanted to share his story with us as a way of thanks but to also highlight to other men the importance of being proactive. An absolutely great conversation and we wish Paul all the best in his future role as Dad!

How many other couples are led to believe IVF is the solution?The reality is sometimes quite a bit further from that! In this episode Paul talks about the importance of fertility education for couples and actually for him how doing the research, being proactive completely changed their fertility journey and potentially contributed to their outcome.Full episode out 15/09/25

Any other men out there who look down and think things don't quite look right?In this episode Paul talks really openly about how things didn't seem right to him and the nagging feeling that something wasn't right. Paul was diagnosed with a Varicocele in his 20's and with the eventual right intervention things changed for him and his sperm quality. Check out the full episode out on 15/09/25

Coming up in our next episode this honest and frank conversation with Paul Galgey. Paul touches on some really important points of what infertility is really like for a man. Isolation, the feeling of despair and having to face the reality of potentially being infertile! Not to mention the reality of getting your testicles out in front of a doctor. Trying for a family when it's not going to plan isn't fun, as Paul says, it can be one of the hardest things a couple has to face. Full episode out 15/09/25

This month we welcomed Nina Barnsley, Director of the Donor Conception Network (DCN) and we had one of the most thought provoking conversations we've ever had in the studio.'The DCN was set up over 30 years ago to support donor conception families and prospective families. The changes that have happened in the fertility world and specifically the donor conception world in that time are quite incredible. In this conversation we explore some of the complexities surrounding using donors and what couples or individuals may have to consider. How do you choose a donor, who do you tell and how do you tell them? Should you tell the children and how do you tell them? How does using a sperm donor impact men? And so much more!But it also goes beyond that, once a child arrives the conversation doesn't end there. Donor conception brings a whole other world of questions and conversations that others wouldn't even think about.If you would like to find out more about DCN's work head to:https://dcnetwork.org/

Coming up this month this incredible conversation with Nina Barnsley from The Donor Conception Network. How do you have that conversation with donor conceived children? Do you tell, do you not tell?Well actually we now know that being open and honest is by far the best thing but getting support around this is still imperative. Check out the full episode out on 11/08/25To learn more about The Donor Conception Network head to:https://dcnetwork.org/

Coming up this month we're delving into the huge subject of donor conception! This subject is so incredibly complex and we covered so much but one of the big takeaways was that using donor sperm or donor eggs is a big decision and it takes time. Having the right support around you is absolutely imperative and that's exactly where the Donor Conception Network comes in. To learn more about DCN head to:https://dcnetwork.org/Check out the full episode out on 11/08/25

We recently welcomed Saul and Aliza into the podcast studio to share their story. We've known Saul and Aliza for many years and we know how much they've been through. We know the challenges they've faced with their friends and family and how hard it's been for them to share their story. Now however, they're talking openly about both sides of their challenges and what they've been through and are still going through. Quite often we get to hear the stories where couples have completed their treatment but Saul and Aliza are still in the depths of treatment with a big query about whether to use frozen embryo's that were created before a varicocele & DNA fragmentation was discovered!This is such a lovely episode as we hear about the ups and downs of their treatment and how they've got through it as a couple.

This month we were joined by Dr Anand Patel, a men's health expert. Anand has got over 24 years experience in general medicine, general practice, sexual function and more recently male fertility. He is also known in the media for his work on channel 4's embarrassing bodies and hosted the channel 4 documentary "celebrity save our sperm". Anand has got extensive experience in sexual function and testosterone deficiency and you're always guaranteed a fascinating and varied conversation! And this is exactly what we got. From willy's as wind socks and shrinking testicles we covered so much. We also dug into the politics of General practice and how the system is failing men. This is a fascinating episode. To find out more about Anand and his work head to:https://dranand.com/

Just a little reminder that the average volume a man ejaculates is between 2 and 5ml!In this very entertaining and insightful conversation with Dr Anand Patel we explored so much around fertility and more. Part of the conversation was aroud how and what young men are learning when it comes to sex and their bodies! So many young boys have viewed porn that their perception of normal is grossly out of line and this is no more evident in what they believe is normal in terms of ejaculation! Check out the full episode out on 14/07/25

You can always be sure of an entertaining conversation with this great man, Dr Anand Patel! Night time erections, your willy is like a wind sock and don't buy testosterone from Gary or your balls will shrink! Check out the full episode out on 14/07/25

In this incredibly open and honest episode we hear from Declan Petley a guy who has been through so much! Declan faced some incredible challenges growing up. He went from being the shortest to the tallest in his class, he lost track of how many broken bones and injuries he picked up through his life whilst also battling intense emotions including anger, depression and suicidal thoughts. He struggled at school and constantly felt like he didn't fit in! Only in his 30's did someone finally piece it all together. Having hand countless medical appointments and misdiagnosis's and being told to just get on with it he finally discovered that he had Klinefelter syndrome. A life changing diagnosis but also a chance for him to make sense of the world and his place in it! Now he has to face the fact that he may never have his own biological children! And you have to listen to the end for the most incredible ending to any episode we've ever recorded!

Coming up this month an incredibly open and honest conversation with Declan Petley who was diagnosed with XXY! For years Declan was in the dark around his health and why so many things seemed to not be working. Seeing the right clinician meant the missing part of the jigsaw puzzle was put into place which was a huge relief but then also opened up masses of questions about his fertility, something he'd never thought about. Full episode out on 16/06/25

What happens when a man is misdiagnosed!! This month we hear from Declan Petley about his life living with XXY! A simple genetic test could have completely changed Declan's life so much earlier but unfortunately it was missed. Declan faced depression, suicidal thoughts and years of pain, all because no one understood what might be going on for him. Check out the full episode on 16/06/25

In this incredible episode we hear from consultant Urologist Jas Kalsi and consultant Gynaecologist Fatima Husain about their combined approach to fertility treatment. This episode is a breath of fresh air and incredibly powerful. It demonstrates that actually when you truly approach fertility in a way that assesses and treats both sides of the equation it can make an incredible difference. Jas and Fatima explain how they have set up a brand new and unique service within the NHS that encompasses many aspects of male fertility support alongside the standard female pathway. They work with amazing nurses and GP's and ensure that all aspects of both the man's and the woman's health are fully considered. The results they get, speak for themselves. To find out more about Jas Kalsi head to:https://myfertilitynow.co.uk/To find out more about Fatima Husain head to:https://www.windsorgynaecology.co.uk/

The impact of infertility on men can never be underestimated. Whether it's performance issues or psychological challenges the facts remain the same, it's a challenging place to be and it's hard to reach out for support. Check out the full episode coming on 19/05/25

Are men being ignored? Is it a case that if his semen analysis is average or OK that he's then disregarded. But actually we know that even a normal semen analysis doesn't mean everything is actually ok!Check out this fantastic episode where Jas and Fatima talk about the importance of treating both the man and the woman, available on 19/05/25

What happens if both the man and the woman get investigated and treated at the same time?Well funnily enough you potentially increase the natural birth rate and the IVF success rate. You also potentially stop that couple needing IVF!Is that not the ultimate outcome we all want, a healthy natural pregnancy?Of course there are times when IVF and even ICSI are essential and much needed but optimising the couple is still essential. This episode with Dr Fatima Husain and Dr Jas Kalsi has to be one of the most refreshing, heart warming and encouraging episodes we've ever recorded. Keep your eyes peeled for more teasers and the full episode out in May.

This month we were joined by Angela Pericleous Smith a specialist fertility counsellor and chair of the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA).Why is it men are nervous about going to see a counsellor? Is it just men who are nervous about it?In this episode we explored the ins and outs of counselling, what to expect and what your clinics should be offering you. We also explored some of the common themes that come up in patients sessions and how much of a difference counselling can make to your fertility journey. To find out more about BICA or to find a counsellor head over to:https://www.bica.net/

Is seeking support and counselling a sign of weakness? Might it mean you don't get put forward for IVF?How many patients feel like this and then don't seek support for fear of judgement?Check out the full episode out on 14/04/25