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Ok guys …VASECTOMY …VASECTOMY… VASECTOMY

I want to lessen the pain of hearing this word by repeating it… VASECTOMY

Ok so I’m guessing you guys can figure out what this post is going to be about yes you guessed it… Vasectomies

I’m going to cover a few topics today:

1. What is a vasectomy?
2. What is the process of a vasectomy?
3. Does it work? Is it reversible?
4. What’s the recovery plan?
5. What’s the cost?
6. Why I decided to get one done?

What is a vasectomy?

A vasectomy is a procedure that prevents a man from delivering sperm, which stops him from fertilizing an egg. 

It is a process that leaves a man sterile (no sperm delivery to the penis). Sperm delivery is blocked by cutting the vas deferens (delivers sperm to the penis). It is done when a man is sure he does not want a future pregnancy.

What is the process of a vasectomy?

A vasectomy is routinely done in a physicians office. There are 2 types of Vasectomies: Scalpel (scrotal incision) and Non-scalpel (Less bleeding, less pain, and less risk for infection).

Before the procedure is started your physician should do pre-counseling to ensure this is something you truly want done.

The physician may prescribe you a medication to help you rest that you take 30 min before the procedure.

Next your physician will inject local anesthetic into the scrotum (this will numb the area so you will not feel the pain) , you will feel the needle but it’s only a slight prick.

The physician will locate the vas deferens and grip it using a specialized medical tool. One he has gripped the vas deferens he will make a small puncture hole and pull the vas deferens through the hole and snip it and burn the end or do a surgical clip.

The skin on the scrotum is then closed with suture.

 

Does it work and is it reversible?

A vasectomy is 99% effective.

Over 500,000 men choose a vasectomy as a form of birth control.

Yes there are procedures (vasovasectomy and vasoepididymostomy) to reverse a vasectomy. The success rate of a vasovasectomy is 95% but that only means that you will have sperm in your semen. That does not account for the number of sperm and the motility of that sperm.

What’s the recovery like?

You will need to be off of work for 1-3 days post vasectomy.

A jock strap may help support the scrotum for the first 3-4 days post vasectomy

Your physician should recommend a NSAID (ibuprofen or Aleve) for daytime and an opioid for nighttime relief.

 

Day 1: Use ice to the scrotum for 20 minutes per hour. (Make sure to remove the ice after 20 minutes).

Day 2: Not much activity but you may shower.

Day 3:. Activity as you can tolerate it.

No strenuous exercise and sex no more than twice a week for 2 weeks.

Your physician will want to see you in office of you have any trauma, bleeding, fever, swelling, or discharge.

A follow up appointment is necessary after 3 months to test and make sure that your semen is spermless.

 

What’s the cost?

The cost may be covered by insurance. Most insurance companies cover birth control and a vasectomy is considered birth control. You may want to check it out with your insurance.

If you do not have insurance the cost can range from 500 to 2000. This cost should cover everything that needs to be done including the follow up appointment.

 

Why did I decide to get a VASECTOMY?

My wife and I share 3 kids together. We decided to not have any more kids after our third child was delivered. We searched through a lot of options. We thought about tubal ligation (woman getting her “tubes tied”), but we were informed that our insurance does not cover tubal ligation. My wife would also have to go back in and have a major surgery. They do not offer tubal ligation at time of delivery if vaginal.

This meant that my wife would have to recover for weeks just to go back in and have a separate MAJOR SURGERY. In my eyes that was a deal breaker. I already knew about a vasectomy and knew this was the option for us.

The vasectomy is not a major surgery like a tubal ligation.

The recovery time is a couple days compared to weeks for a tubal ligation.

There is hardly any risk for infection with a vasectomy. A tubal ligation has a risk for infection.
A tubal ligation can lead to an ectopic pregnancy (can cause death for the child and the mother)

A tubal ligation can cost any where from 1500-6000 compared to 500-2000.

So the choice was easy for me.

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