|
The old Vasectomy Ask/Tell thread recently moved to the archives, so it's time for a new Vasectomy thread. While I'm making and maintaining the thread, feel free to jump in with your own experiences. Related Links: Something Awful Resources: The old "Ask me about getting a vasectomy" Thread - Now Archived, but a good read if you have access. It started out as a traditional [ask] but transformed into something of a Vasectomy Megathread. The Birth Control Megathread - Vasectomies aren't the only method of birth control. If you want to see your options, look here. The Sex Megathread - This is why you're getting the chop right? E/N Bullshit - This really shouldn't have to be here, but the last thread had posters who would have been better off in E/N. Outside Resources: NHS Choices - Vasectomy - The British National Health Service guide to the snip. Wikipedia - Vasectomy - No user images at time of posting, thankfully! If any of these links are out of date, or if you have any other suggested links, send me a PM or email *my user name*@gmail.com What is a Vasectomy? A vasectomy is a surgical procedure, usually carried out under local anesthetic in an out-patient setting. During the procedure, the patient's Vas Deferens are severed and either tied or sealed in order to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream. In short, your pipes are cut then sealed so your little swimmers can't enter your sperm and ultimately impregnate your sexual partner. There are two variations to the administration of local anesthetic, and two variations to the procedure itself. The anesthetic can be delivered either traditionally by needle, or using a relatively new no-needle method where a special jet injection tool forces the anesthetic into your balls instead. There are then two different types of vasectomy on offer, the traditional scalpel method where two small cuts are made in your ball sack to allow access to the vas deferens and the no-scalpel method (or keyhole method) which instead uses sharp hemostats (clamps) to pull the vas deferens through a single, small hole in the scrotum, allowing them to be cut and cauterized outside the body, then put back in. There is some evidence that the no scalpel method results in less complications and a quicker recovery than the traditional method. After the surgery, you'll be bandaged up (in the case of a scalpel vasectomy) and sent home with painkillers. It's usually advisable to take a few days off work, avoid doing anything at all for 24/48 hours, then avoid scrotal trauma (including sex, sorry!) for a week or two. You also have to carry on using condoms until you get a sperm free test result a few months later. Sperm can still live in your pipes, the first few ejaculations in particular are likely to still be full of swimmers. Common Worries: So, it's basically castration right? Won't I lose my sex drive and grow man boobs? No. Castration is the removal of the testes. After a vasectomy your balls are still very much in their sack. They are still producing sperm, it just has no-where to go. More importantly, it's still producing all those hormones that drive our sexual urges. Some people report a loss of sex drive after a vasectomy, but this is almost always a psychological side effect rather than a physical one, and will be mentioned later in the "Side Effects" section. I'm rather proud of both the volume and force of my ejaculate. Won't this massively reduce that? The testis only contribute approximately 2-5% of your ejaculation. The vast majority of it is made in the seminal vesicle (65-75%) and prostate (25-30%). They don't contribute to the force of your ejaculation at all. So, in a nutshell, your semen should still look and taste the exact same to the naked eye, and the volume and force won't be perceptibly affected. So, I heard about this post vasectomy syndrome thing where your balls hurt. Is it real? This does actually affect approximately 1 in 10 men after the procedure. Again, see "Side Effects". Why should I have a Vasectomy? There are five major birth control routes. Firstly, condoms. This is probably the most common form of birth control. And guess what? Most people prefer sex without a condom. I sure do! Secondly, you have hormonal birth control and copper IUDs. I'm lumping these in together, because they all fall under the "pass the responsibility solely over to the woman, and have her suffer through the side effects" umbrella in my eyes. As a short term form of birth control, when you want children later but not yet, they are better than having to use a condom. However once you are sure you don't want any more children, I'm not convinced it's either wise to rely on short term methods or fair to ask the woman to shoulder the responsibility. Thirdly, you have fertility based birth control. I'll leave any discussion of this method for the birth control thread, but my wife and I personally decided it wasn't a viable option for us. Fourthly, there's the pull out method. Again, one for the other thread. Or the pregnancy thread, perhaps? Then finally, there's permanent sterilization. This can take the form of a vasectomy or female sterilization. I personally believe that once you are done having children, this is the form of birth control that makes most sense. So why a vasectomy over female sterilization? Well, it's an out-patient procedure, while female sterilization is an in-patient procedure. It's also safer, less invasive, offers a quicker recovery and costs less if you live somewhere that this is an issue. The only time that female sterilization is a better option than a vasectomy is when there is a medical need to do so, or perhaps as an "add on" to a medically required Cesarean section. So in short, it's the safest, easiest permanent option available. Plus being a man and taking responsibility for birth control, easing the burden from your partner, is sexy as hell. Side Effects / Risks: Haematoma - blood from broken blood vessels from the operation can collect and clot, forming haematoma. They are usually pea sized, but rarely they can fill the scrotum leaving it swollen and painful. As always, if your sack turns into a watermelon, seek medical advice. Infection - A vasectomy is a surgical operation, so there are always risks. Try to keep the surrounding area clean. Some doctors will prescribe antibiotics as a precaution. Sperm granulomas - If the vas deferens aren't properly sealed, sperm can leak out creating small hard painless lumps. If they are particularly large or painful surgery may be required. Long term testicular pain - The biggie. Around one in ten men report some form of long term pain. In most cases it's an infrequent dull ache, but some people do report sharp, intense pain. Personally, I wouldn't take back my vasectomy despite occasional dull aches. Psychological issues - Some people feel like less of a man after surgery. Others report a lack of sex drive. This is always purely psychological, but is still a risk you have to consider. Reasons against having a Vasectomy Some people feel like less of a man after a vasectomy. I've had friends ask if I do / why I don't. For me, being a man isn't about having swimmers in my spunk. Simple as that. However, if you are worried about being less of a man, it might not be for you. A vasectomy is permanent. While it is reversible, the procedure is invasive, painful and doesn't offer particularly high success rates. It's best to go into this with the idea that there's no going back. Unless you are sure that you wouldn't want any [more] children, in any circumstances, a vasectomy is not right for you. Wear a condom or look into shorter term birth control. A vasectomy won't repair a broken sex life any more than a baby or a wedding ring will. If your sex life is dead, don't go through surgery in a bid to reignite it. Couples therapy is probably a better use of your time and money. You should always go into this freely, of your own free will, unpressed by your spouse. Towards then end of the last thread there were two posters who were being pressured into vasectomies by their spouses, didn't really want to go through with it, felt pressured and didn't feel they could talk to their spouse about it. One even compared being a husband and father to prison. These are bad candidates for a vasectomy, and the reason I included a link to E/N at the top of this thread. And finally, you may be under 30 and/or childless. This makes doctors squeamish about performing the procedure. If this is the case, make sure you are 100% certain that this is the right decision for you, then try a new doctor. Something Awful User Experiences / Testimonials: These are pulled from the old thread and the sex thread. If you want yours removed, just let me know. If I miss yours (I'm only grabbing a select few) feel free to re-post it. Masonity posted:
Brickswereshat posted:About 6 months ago in March I went to the doctor and got voluntarily sterilized. This is my story. Campbell posted:I got snipped around 5 years ago and it's fantastic. My wife and I had 2 kids and were done for a variety of reasons. If we want more, we'll adopt. Surprise Witness posted:The procedure went pretty well. To begin, the right side vas was severed without any complications. There was the expected discomfort as he kneaded the testicle to try to work the vas into a manageable position. The no-needle anesthetic worked pretty well, felt mostly like a mini-kick to the nuts and after that I felt nothing but a little pressure, tightness, and slight tugging as he worked. A couple of sizzles from the soldering iron and the first one was done. Mr Clownfish posted:Since we are all sharing vasectomy stories... G_mangler posted:I had one about 5 years ago after my first and only child was born. I did not want any more children. That is why I did it. I did it for me and that is the only reason to do it. I have not regretted it once. Best money I ever spent. Cost me about $700 as my insurance didn't cover it. Don't know what they cost today. Junubee posted:I had my vasectomy in the summer of 2009, shortly after the birth of my second child. While my brother-in-law went to the general clinic to schedule his appointment, I did some research and booked an appointment with the local specialist (who also does plastic surgery). His website includes a 10 minute video explaining the whole procedure, with a joke at the end of "in the time it took you to watch this, you could have had a vasectomy!" And Finally... If you are a woman, and your partner is undergoing a vasectomy, here's a little advise: Your man has had his scrotum sliced open, his tubes pulled out, sliced apart and burnt, then stitched back inside. For you. So you don't have to take pills. for the next few days you should be waiting on him hand and foot. Make him feel like the king he is! This will both make his recovery easier and encourage other men to do the same thing for their loved ones! Also, medical research shows that a blowjob the day he's first allowed to masturbate again will significantly speed up his overall recovery and well being. ;-) Masonity fucked around with this message at 23:34 on Aug 2, 2015 |
#
?
Aug 4, 2013 23:20
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 20, 2024 06:03 |
|
|
Nice OP! Well thought out with muchos resources and other's experiences.  Masonity posted:And Finally... Clever rabbit. I've heard through the grapevine that waiting on your poor suffering man in sexy lingerie, making sure to bend riiiight over in front of him to pick things up is key to recovery while he sits on a bag of ice. 
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 08:10
|
|
|
I thought I heard that a vasectomy has like a 50% chance of "fixing" it self. Any truth to that?
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 08:39
|
|
|
I had mine done when I was 20. Amusingly enough my doctor wouldn't perform the surgery until I got my mother to call him and reassure that I had no plans to ever have children. The operation was short, and only, mildly painful. I had the hemostat method, which, as quoted "Uses sharp hemostats (clamps) to pull the vas deferens through a single, small hole in the scrotum, allowing them to be cut and cauterized outside the body, then put back in." They let me watch while they performed it. It did hurt, the initial incision as mostly painless. Once he poked his finger through the hole and fished out the little white tubes I had a pretty horrible gut churning kind of pulling feeling. He yanked the little tubes out, clamped them, removed a large section from the middle and cauterized the two ends. Recovery was fairly quick. Honestly the annoyance from having my testicular hair grow back after shaving my scrotum for the first time was worse then the pain. It cost me about 350 dollars cash. I do have the occasional ache, which I know is related to the surgery as it is a very distinct feeling, and is exactly the same. It's not too bad though and I just ignore it honestly. I am am 29 now and still completely happy with my decision. I did ask to keep the little tubes he removed from me, hoping to put them in a small jar and have around as a keepsake, however due to medical waste laws this was not allowed. That was probably the most disappointing part.
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 08:44
|
|
|
Volume posted:I thought I heard that a vasectomy has like a 50% chance of "fixing" it self. Any truth to that? If they are simply snipped it can happen. Nowhere near 50% though. Mine, however, were snipped, bent in half and clipped together, then buried in different planes, making it all but impossible for them to reattach.
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 10:35
|
|
|
I'll post my experience later, but just to answer the question of random reversal, it can happen but is extremely rare. The doctor I went to exclusively does vasectomies and has for years. After the first three months, about 1 in 2000 patients had sperm in their semen. Since it takes about that long for the tubes to clear anyway, this is nothing to be concerned about. The surgery just needs to be performed again if sperm shows up after a subsequent check (usually a couple months later). Really, alternate forms of birth control need to be used until the all-clear is given. After that 3 months, about 1 in 4000 patients impregnated a woman (most men don't do semen checks after that initial one at around 3 months), and I believe they were all within 6 years. I consider this to be a good success rate, but as an extra positive, the doctor I went to will do free semen checks as often as desired for his patients.
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 10:44
|
|
|
SilverSliver posted:Nice OP! Well thought out with muchos resources and other's experiences. Honestly? That would have got nothing more than a "you look nice dear. I'm going to bed." While I claimed a vasectomy doesn't affect libedo, it most definitely does for a day or three while everything is sore and swollen and unrecognisable. I think it was the first time since puberty I went a day or two without a single erection or sexy thought. The lingerie and bending over on day 3 or 4 when everything is back but sex is a no-no... Now that'd be evil!
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 10:50
|
|
|
Are they any closer to bringing over that Indian vasectomy method where they inject a polymer compound into the tubes?
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 15:36
|
|
|
The Rat posted:Are they any closer to bringing over that Indian vasectomy method where they inject a polymer compound into the tubes? The latest on that is that the group that's trying to bring it to the US is going to set up an indiegogo to fund their human trials at some point. Even if it works perfectly and just as well as claimed, you're looking at 5-10 years before you'd be able to actually get it as an approved. And there's a lot about it that's a bit suspicious. The aspect of a small group fighting against big pharma, the fact that they claim perfect results (no failures except when it was injected wrong, except maybe they made the inference the other way), and the part where they can't seem to decide on what the mechanism of action is (it's electrostatic! no, it's pH changes! err, it's a physical blockage. hey, let's get some magnets in there! ), there are a lot of red flags that are suggestive of bad science. None of this means it doesn't work, but it does shake one's confidence. If you look at original Indian research groups work on pubmed, rather than continue on to larger human trials, they now seem to be claiming that it can prevent HIV as well.
|
|
#
?
Aug 5, 2013 18:49
|
|
|
CthulhuBill posted:I had mine done when I was 20. Amusingly enough my doctor wouldn't perform the surgery until I got my mother to call him and reassure that I had no plans to ever have children. You sound exactly like me up until the actual procedure. I went to a VA hospital to have mine done and despite the doctor reassuring me how easy it was and how many he had done he couldn't find it because I guess my vas is deeper than most (closer to my spine). I was a bit nervous, not because of the aspect of not having kids but because of my experience with two other unrelated surgeries I had which is a story better saved for E/N. there was some degree of pain afterward but nothing intolerable. Now here's the scary part: He cut some connective tissue "not sure what it was he cut" and I insisted on him backing out of the procedure because there's something unnerving about the sight of blood at where my scrotum is and a doctor not knowing what he just cut. At the time he had to take the tissue in for testing to confirm what it is (thankfully it was only connective tissue). I still want to get it done but this time around I'm going to a different hospital, especially after them suggesting I get numbed from the chest down. I wouldn't want them messing that up.
|
|
#
?
Aug 6, 2013 15:54
|
|
|
Is it worth it to even bother trying to get one of these? I'm 20. None of the Planned Parenthoods in my state offer vasectomies and paying for endless consultations with urologists to be told "I'm not doing it until you're 40 and only called you here to bill you" over and over again is a waste of my time. I'm not sexually active or planning on changing that for the time being. On the other hand, there is not a single reason why I would turn me down if I were a urologist. I've known for years that the way I want to live my life is incompatible with children, that I cannot ethically deal with creating a being capable of feeling pain, that the best thing I could do as a father would be to give the kid up for adoption to someone capable, that I don't want to pass on my lovely DNA laden with diseases and disorders going back four generations, that I'd be totally down with adoption if any of these things were to change later in my life, and that none of these things will ever change so long as I live. My theory on this is that the sooner I get any type of surgery, the easier recovery will be since I'm still young and pliable, so I might as well get it over with.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 02:09
|
|
|
Alvarez IV posted:Is it worth it to even bother trying to get one of these? The sheer number of 20 year olds who feel that way then change their mind by their mid to late 20s is why doctors are uncomfortable with under 30s and rarely touch under 25s. Even at 27 I was only accepted because I was married, had 2 kids, a difficult 2nd pregnancy that meant a third one would be dangerous, had done a load of research and had already considered all the future possibilities and decided I wouldn't want kids if the wife and I split anyway, and could articulate why. Even then it took me pointing out my wife's birth control history to our doctor before I got the referral. She literally tried to get me to accept every possible medium term birth control method before referring me. Edit: in short, just wait a few years and it'll be an easier sell to the doctor. Unless you are in a long term monogamous relationship you should be wrapping it up anyway for other reasons. Masonity fucked around with this message at 03:20 on Aug 12, 2013 |
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 03:18
|
|
|
Its definitely going to be an uphill battle. For reference, my wife started trying to get sterilized at PP with Essure and their five doctors all said "no." We called another five private practices and basically got either "you'd have to have a life-threatening condition for us to consider it at your age" or "come back when you're 30/35/40 because you're going to change your mind/everyone wants babies!" We've been married for going on four years and in a stable committed relationship for eight. I'm 30, she's 28 and we're both on the same page concerning never having children, and we gave up and just had her get an IUD instead. I'm not telling you its impossible, but if I had to guess you're going to have to call a lot of urologists before you'll find one willing to sterilize an unmarried 20 year old.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 03:23
|
|
|
As a young woman who was looking for sterilization, I think you'll have a lot more luck arguing the "I don't want to pass on my disability or my family's genetic disorder" point rather than starting off with "my ethics don't allow me to create a being who can feel pain" or anything else that abstract.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 03:43
|
|
i like nice words
|
Anne Whateley posted:I think you'll have a lot more luck arguing the "I don't want to pass on my disability or my family's genetic disorder" point We tried this; my wife has a family history of various cancers, heart disease, fibromyalga and hypothyroidism on top of issues conceiving and carrying to term without complications (she had a twin that was still born, her one sister has had 4 miscarriages and the other had two out of her three pregnancies classified as high risk) and I have a family history of diabetes (grandfather died after falling into a diabetic coma when my father was 3 and his brother has had type 2 since his early 20s.) It didn't matter to any of the doctors we spoke to; the most polite response was "people have children despite poor genetics all the time" and we actually had one ask if we were in fact doctors ourselves and therefore qualified to know our family medical history and what we might pass on to our offspring.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 07:23
|
|
|
Can you just go to Mexico and get it done? I figure that will be my backup plan.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 10:52
|
|
|
Jesus Christ. Where the gently caress do you people live that this procedure is so difficult? I know California is known for being different but gently caress. Planned Parenthood was willing to perform my vasectomy when I was 22 (had to sit through a 15 minute counselling session though). I opted not to go through with it then (although I always regretted it) but ended up asking a doctor after I received health insurance through work. I was 25 and still unmarried and childless but they never second guessed me or tried to change my mind. They explained everything thoroughly and made sure I understood what I was getting but basically no argument or explanation was required on my part. It seems like my experience is faaaar from the norm, which just boggles my mind. Guess I should just be glad I lucked out. Oh and it was free too. Not a day goes by that I'm not eternally grateful to be shooting blanks.
Pato fucked around with this message at 13:39 on Aug 12, 2013 |
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 13:37
|
|
|
It can be hard to find a Doctor willing to do it for anyone under 30. It took me a few years to get my doctor to pass me off to a Urologist and I was warned I would likely have trouble trying to convince him, which was hilarious because the Urologist was amazing about it. He knew why I was there, so he explained the procedure, asked me if I had children already (I don't) and asked me if I was married (I'm not) and then checked to see if I was a candidate and booked the procedure. He didn't tell me about how I would change my mind or give me grief because of my age (27) I understand why Doctors give you a hard time about it but at the same time, people getting refuse just because of their age (despite already having children) is ridiculous. If I had pushed my family doctor a bit more when I first asked for the procedure at 24, he would have passed me off but I imagine at Urologist would have hesitated at that age. You also need to make sure they understand you know the procedure is permanent. No hesitation on your part. Avoid telling them if you have sperm frozen. Honestly, if I couldn't get it done here I would have bugged my Doctor to send me to another Urologist until I found one to do it. Though I'm in Canada and don't have to pay for the visit.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 14:35
|
|
|
Pato posted:Planned Parenthood was willing to perform my vasectomy when I was 22 (had to sit through a 15 minute counselling session though). AFAIK Planned Parenthood doesn't offer the procedure in most areas; it seems that the PP surgical centers that do tend to only be in major urban centers. Not to mention it all comes down to the doctor performing the procedure, see my comments above about my wife getting turned down for sterilization by all five of the doctors at the PP surgical center in Cleveland.
|
|
#
?
Aug 12, 2013 16:21
|
|
|
Thank you for the awesome resources! I'm actually going in to have mine done in about two weeks. I consider myself lucky, I'm only 26 and almost no doctors in the Boston or New England areas are comfortable performing this procedure on someone below thirty. Ironically enough, the doctor performing my operation was the first one I spoke with months ago when she declined to do it due to my age. After a waiting period and visiting other doctors I was fortunately able to convince her that I intended to have the operation for me - not for someone else or on a whim. I'll post about my experience after it's finished in a couple weeks.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2013 21:07
|
|
|
Alright, so I'm several months out from the procedure and figure it's about time to post my experience. For background, my wife and I have two kids. Both of them were C-sections due to complications, and our second daughter actually came out not breathing due to some of these complications (she's fine, but it was a scary first minute). When my wife and I went for her follow-up appointment, my wife's doctor told her that a third pregnancy would be extremely risky due to built-up scar tissue from the earlier problems. We always figured we only wanted two kids anyway, so this was fine. After some research, I made an appointment with a local urologist that specializes in vasectomies. It was easy enough to get an appointment. Even though I was below 30 at the time, I'm married with two kids. They have an online questionnaire I needed to fill out, but that was it. They require patients to shave the appropriate area the day before the procedure, and honestly this was the worst part (as well as it growing back in, which itches). My hands are not particularly well-trained, it's an odd angle, and razors are sharp. I successfully accomplished this task, but it was not pleasant. I also seem to have shaved a good deal more than needed having not completely understood the instructions, but that one's on me. The office was one of the strangest doctor's offices I'd ever been in. It's pretty much all nature and relaxing stuff. When it was my turn, they had me sign a couple things, take an antibiotic, and put on the supportive underwear ahead of time (so it could just be pulled straight up afterward instead of messing about with getting legs in). This doctor uses the no-scalpel, no-needle technique, which is one of the reasons I went with him (I have a thing about needles, so having them down in that area was a big concern). All I had to do was pull pants down, lay back, and watch a strange music video on a ceiling TV with robots playing instruments. Oh, and we also talked about Gulliver's Travels. With the no-needle method, the anesthesia is some sort of air thing. It feels exactly like being flicked in the balls with a small rubber band. After that, there's no pain at all. I didn't even feel the typical tugging that people describe in most surgeries. About 10 minutes later, it was done. At first, there's not really any pain at all. As the anesthesia gradually wears off, it just felt like I was kicked in the nuts earlier that day. I took a strong pain pill as a sort of pain buffer, but it probably wasn't needed. The first day, definitely take it easy. I didn't have any major pain issues, but just relax for the sake of healing properly. Same thing applies to the next few days after that, as well. About 4 days after the surgery, I went to Busch Gardens. It wasn't too bad. I just started to feel a little sore in that region after several hours of walking (just make drat sure you keep wearing the support!). Really, though, just use it as an excuse to sit around and play video games or whatever. As an extra note to anyone with small kids when they do this, avoid nut shots at all costs. They will be extra painful for a couple months, but especially so in the first couple weeks. This is difficult to accomplish if you have a toddler, but well worth the extra vigilance. In the first three months after the surgery, make sure you're getting off fairly regularly. My doctor gave a guideline of 20 ejaculations and 12 weeks (must be both) before even bothering to test for sperm. I went in right at 12 weeks and came back clean. His office says they'll recheck as often as I like for free, too, which is cool. So, after all that, I'm quite happy with my experience. It's nice knowing that I always have a form of birth control up and going.
|
|
#
?
Aug 17, 2013 08:02
|
|
|
I'm a 26 year old male, married, no kids, and I just had my no-scalpel vasectomy 4 days ago. The urologist basically just asked me, "You don't want kids? Ok. Cool." I live in California and my insurance (Tricare) covered everything. Zero hassle whatsoever. In fact, on the operating table, the nurses were cheering me on. Maybe they just love chopping Vas in SoCal \/ \/, I dunno. I was expecting a much, much more difficult experience. Went into the surgical clinic, they took my vitals, gave me an IV, then wheeled me into the OR. They knocked me out with propofol (the surgeon and nurses were all in agreement that it was easier, and poo poo, I wasn't going to argue, since I already had a catheter in my arm, no reason to experience more needles in my scrotum), and however long later I woke up with my wife on one side and the nurse on the other saying, "It's all done!". After watching this video (NOT WORK SAFE): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAiVi4O-Eok I am extremely loving glad they knocked me out. There's an awful lot of pulling involved, local anesthesia or not, it just seems kind of...uncomfortable. Anyways, it's 4 days later, I didn't need to take a single painkiller, I was back at work the next day, and I just had sex and everything feels fine. The swelling is completely gone and the bruising on the scrotum is greatly reduced. All in all, A++++ would get my tube chopped again.
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2013 07:32
|
|
|
Nostrum posted:I didn't need to take a single painkiller, I was back at work the next day, and I just had sex and everything feels fine. The swelling is completely gone and the bruising on the scrotum is greatly reduced. All in all, A++++ would get my tube chopped again. Grats. Welcome to the blanks club. You are using birth control still right? Until a sperm test comes back negative you really need to. Right now you almost certainly have swimmers in there still.
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2013 10:57
|
|
|
Masonity posted:Grats. Welcome to the blanks club. Of course! My wife still has her IUD, which she'll get taken out once I'm given the all clear by my urologist
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2013 20:31
|
|
|
Got my 'sectomy at the beginning of this year at 25, no kids. $500 cash. Procedure was painless except for one excruciating moment., and I was so stoned off the valium it didn't really register. I was up and doing stuff in a couple of days and back to 100% (able to run, jump, etc.) within the month. 90 days later my semen is sperm-free. After all the joy-killing stress of birth control, condoms, abortions, I had gotten pretty depressed about sex generally but being cleared for worry-free sex I'm getting random troublesome boners like a teenager again. Plus my partner doesn't have to deal with the stress and health risks involved with hormonal birth control so this is the best my sex life has ever been. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made. You can always adopt.
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2013 23:29
|
|
|
I'm a year out from mine, and figured I'd chime in with a cautionary tale to go along with all the "procedure went swimmingly" recaps that come up. I had the no-scalpel single-hole method done for my 32nd birthday, about the time our 2nd was 9 months old. Procedure was mostly uneventful, but the upper section of my left vas tore after it was clamped and retracted before it was cauterized, and the urologist was unable to get it back out to cauterize it. Other three ends were cauterized OK, stitched up, sent home and grabbed some peas. When the doctor stays stay off your feet, do it. I had my procedure on a Wednesday AM, took Thursday and Friday off, intending to go back to work on Monday and spend all of Wednesday and most of Thursday, including sleeping, in the spare bed that in my combination computer room/office/mancave in the basement. Portable fridge, snacks, computer, projector, etc. I got home from the doctor around 10am and managed a solid 2 hours in the basement with 15 minute interruptions between my wife and the kids before I got a combination "it's so lonely with you down here" and "I could really use your help" guilt trip from the wife. And she's an RN and should know better. So instead of laying down for a solid 24ish hours, I ended up on the couch upstairs and being up and down doing pretty much the same poo poo I do every day at home and would have gotten more rest if I had gone straight to work and sat in my chair. Second, when the doctor says no masturbation or sex, HE MEANS IT. I'm sure there's a psychological reason that telling someone "you cannot have sex" is sure to make them go stircrazy wanting to gently caress like bunnies, but I ended up borderline getting my leg humped in bed on Thursday night and gave in on Friday night because I was feeling better and my wife is never horny like that. BAD IDEA. Combination of the uncauterized vas, the lack of rest, and the scrotal trauma, I ended up having to take another full week off of work and was in pain for almost two months when transitioning between sitting/standing, and maybe two months ago during a ball check noticed that the walnut-sized haematoma on my left nut with the 3" long tail running up the vas channel in my scrotum had finally completely disappeared. Even with all of that, it's still worth it to be able to bareback my wife without worrying about more kids and dealing with the horrorshow of side effects that the Mirena IUD and hormonal BC pills put her through. Also, since we're not doing the whole "start without a condom then don't want to stop to put one on and don't want to pull out at the end" dance and then worrying afterwards, our sex life has gotten ridiculously more awesome.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2013 20:23
|
|
|
Interesting posts about the experiences. I'm almost at the 3 month mark from my procedure. It wasn't bad at all. The day before I shaved myself as having the doctor do it just seemed like it would be all sorts of weird. On Friday, the day of the procedure, I got to the hospital just in time for the appointment after being confused about where I was to go. I wasn't offered any drugs or anything, though I wasn't nervous about the procedure either. After I got brought into the room and covered up, he brings out the razor to shave but since I already got to that he puts it away and gets out the needles. First injection was fine, second one stung like a bitch. I'm not sure why the second one always hurts, but after that I couldn't feel anything. Since I'm bad with blood, I didn't watch him do anything. After a few minutes of him working I notice he's already stitching me up. I figure he just got one side done but sure enough he's done everything. I couldn't believe how fast it was. I didn't smell the burning when I was cauterized or anything either. I was then moved to another room and given care instructions, my requisition for the semen analysis (to be used in 3 months time), some ice for my junk, a prescription for T3 and some juice. I waited 15 minutes there with my girlfriend and then was free to go. I'm glad she drove me home, I wouldn't recommend driving. I wasn't in any pain yet, but still did the cowboy walk the entire way home just in case. I spent the rest of the day and most of the next in front of the TV playing video games with a bag of peas/corn. There was a fair bit of travel, from the couch to the chair to the computer desk and occasional snack or bathroom break. I tried to minimize travel but I was fairly restless. The pain wasn't bad, I probably could have dealt with it even without the T3s. It was as others described it, feeling like you had been kicked. I was back at work on the Monday and while I was still walking funny, no one mentioned anything, so I was able to do a good job at hiding it. Sex resumed 3 days after the procedure which was likely not the best idea (Doctor's post care instructions said to wait a week). The stitches I had dissolved with moisture and as a result of the moisture from having sex, mine dissolved early. This resulted in my wound staying open for close to a month. I had a big round wound where the incision was. It was not painful, but didn't scab over or really heal. I kept it as clean as I could but didn't worry about it too much. I started becoming concerned with the wound not healing after a month. I decided, that despite not being in pain, I should probably get it looked at but of course once that decision was made, the wound completely healed within 3 days. So I never went back. As a result of that, I will likely have the scar for a few years before it fades. It's not a big deal, as it's hard to notice unless you know it's there. As far as pain, I spent the first week feeling like someone kicked me pretty hard. The second week was only a mild version of that. After the first two weeks, up until the one month mark, I'd get the occasional pain but nothing severe or long term. Overall I'm glad I went through with it. I just submitted my semen analysis on Friday, so I get to find out in a few days if I'm sperm free. Oh, as others pointed out in the last thread. Before your procedure, make sure you have the following: - Briefs: wear them to the procedure. You don't want your boys dangling at all afterwards. Tighter the better and get a few pairs just in case you bleed through them. - Frozen peas/corn/etc: Get a few bags so you can rotate through them as they thaw. Peas and corn mold well to the area. - Snacks/drinks: Make sure you have them on hand. Use a cooler if you can to minimize movement. - Activities: video games, computer/laptop or TV. Make sure you have something to do where you don't move much for the first couple of days following the procedure. Try to avoid stairs. A c E fucked around with this message at 17:30 on Aug 25, 2013 |
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2013 17:24
|
|
|
I have a consult with the Urologist tomorrow morning, and they wanted my Fiancee to come with me. I'm 29, have a child from a previous relationship and neither of us have a desire to have children. Is there anything special I should be prepared to talk about tomorrow?
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2013 00:33
|
|
|
DGK2000 posted:I have a consult with the Urologist tomorrow morning, and they wanted my Fiancee to come with me. I'm 29, have a child from a previous relationship and neither of us have a desire to have children. Is there anything special I should be prepared to talk about tomorrow? Aside from the most awkwardly clinical shindig about your balls since 6th grade?
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 01:54
|
|
|
The Entire Universe posted:Aside from the most awkwardly clinical shindig about your balls since 6th grade? Actually went really smooth and wasn't all cold and clinical. The urologist was quite surprised that I knew so much about the procedure that he actually was joking with me. Couple ball prods later, he said I'm good for surgery and set it up for later this month. Easiest approval ever.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2013 03:59
|
|
|
I have a consult this week and the procedure scheduled next week, contingent on ball fitness for surgery, of course. I'm a bit worried over the prospect of shaving my sack. I shave my face with a double edge razor so I have some technique to draw on (except I'll be using a disposable as opposed to my face razor) but my face is not a scrotum.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2013 20:08
|
|
|
The Entire Universe posted:I have a consult this week and the procedure scheduled next week, contingent on ball fitness for surgery, of course. I have a consult on Friday! We might be ball buddies! I told my wife she has to shave my junk. (In jest)
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2013 23:48
|
|
|
jassi007 posted:I have a consult on Friday! We might be ball buddies! I told my wife she has to shave my junk. (In jest) Hah, good luck. I asked my girlfriend (also in jest) and she threatened to use her leg razor (sounded serious) 
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 03:46
|
|
|
I'm curious, for those of you in your 20s who have gotten it done or are considering it: do you talk to your parents about it and if so, what has the reaction been? I don't want kids, I don't want to use condoms with my partner, and I also know my mother accepting she isn't getting a grandchild from me would be impossible. How do you navigate that conversation, or do you just not have it?
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 06:44
|
|
|
The Bramble posted:How do you navigate that conversation, or do you just not have it? Depends on your parents. Mine couldn't care less if my wife and I have kids or not (we're not) but my in-laws are the polar opposite. It slowly built up to the point where my wife pretty much had to tell them that if they didn't stop hounding us about having children at every opportunity we weren't going to come to family functions or stop by randomly anymore. It mostly worked, but now that her sister just had a baby they've started dropping not so subtle hints again - like "nauseous in the morning? You know what that means!" and "you know - it would be really nice if [sister's baby] had a little cousin his age." It pretty much comes down to setting boundaries and how forceful you have to be to get the point across.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 07:13
|
|
|
I got chopped at 23. I don't want kids, and neither does my wife. I had some small complications with my procedure, so here's my courageous story. I talked to my family doctor about getting snipped, and he didn't give me too much of a hassle about it. He basically made sure I knew that although the process was reversible, the longer I waited, the lower the chance of the reversal being successful. "No worries doc, let's do this." The clinic I went to gave me a little patch to stick on the front of my coinpurse in order to numb the area. I was also given a Valium to chill me out a bit. The Doc wheeled me in, and propped me up in the stirrups. I was given a freezing needle, just like at the dentist. (Only, you know, not in my mouth.) This is when I found that the numbing patch didn't work completely, because that needle hurt like hell. After the needle, I didn't feel a thing. The smell on the other hand... Blech... Nothing like the scent of your tubes getting seared shut. So after the procedure, I got my drawers packed with gauze, and sent home. By the time I got home, I had bled through the gauze, my underwear, and started bleeding through my sweatpants. It wasn't gushing, but there was a steady drip-drip-drip from the incision that hadn't stopped. I ended up going to the Emergency clinic to get checked out. I spent the next 2 hours speaking to various nurses and hospital staff before seeing a doctor. (  ) I also had to whip my nuts out to show half a dozen different staff members. Lots of fun.The bright side was, by the time I talked to the Doctor, the bleeding had stopped. Problem solved. I went home and took a couple days off work. I had some bad bruising develop. My entire package went completely black. Not hot. The bruising went away in about a week, and things healed up fine. A few weeks later, I did my sperm test, and got told that I was all clear. 7 years later, I'm still happily shooting blanks. Total cost to me: $20 for parking at the hospital. Overall, the procedure and recovery had some bumps, but I would absolutely do it again if given the choice.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 10:10
|
|
|
It seems like people generally aren't given prescription pain killers afterwards, huh?
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 10:23
|
|
|
The Bramble posted:It seems like people generally aren't given prescription pain killers afterwards, huh? Advil and ice. Honestly, it's discomfort more then pain when you're recovering. The advil and ice combo takes the swelling down and makes it pretty easy to deal with, as long as you're not trying to do anything too strenuous for a few days.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 10:28
|
|
|
The Bramble posted:I'm curious, for those of you in your 20s who have gotten it done or are considering it: do you talk to your parents about it and if so, what has the reaction been? I don't want kids, I don't want to use condoms with my partner, and I also know my mother accepting she isn't getting a grandchild from me would be impossible. How do you navigate that conversation, or do you just not have it? Depending on your parents you may just be better off not telling them. I have two brothers and a sister, so my parents could hit them up for grandkids. They were initially trying to talk me out of it but have since gotten over it and are fine. If your parents are real holy roller types you might as well just not have this fight with them and just have them believe you never tried having kids.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 12:16
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 20, 2024 06:03 |
|
|
For those of you who don't want to shave, have you considered hair removal cream? I used Veet before my vasectomy and it worked just fine. I got as close as possible with hair clippers and then did everything else with the cream. It took quite a while (I think i left that stuff on there for like 5 times the recommended time) but it worked. Just be sure to test it out on a small patch first in case it burns or something. I didn't have any problems but I wouldn't take any chances with chemical creams on my nutsack.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2013 12:44
|
|