Men: How do you feel about your vasectomy now that you've had it for a while?

thelaughingbuddha · 3 months

Oh my god... I had a vasectomy!?!?!?

brauhze · 3 months

Thrilled about it. Have never regretted it a single day. Nor have I found there to be anything different in my libido, sexual performance or anything like that. Business as usual.

sexychippy · 3 months

My (now ex) husband had a vas after we got married and knew neither or us wanted kids, ever. He had a mild recovery - two days of ice and tightie whities, and that was it. 15 years later, he has no regrets. It was a relief for both of us to not have to worry about me taking shots or pills or whatever, and as long as you follow up after the requisite 25 ejaculations with a sample to confirm no swimmers are breaching the dam, you're golden. As a side note, this "freedom" of shooting blanks led him to have an affair, not use protection and ruin our marriage. I know, happy ending, right? lol

clrlmiller · 3 months

I will paraphrase Shakespeare a bit here, but it's much ado about nothing, had mine a decade ago and was doing house fix ups the day afterwards. But I'd highly recommend checking if the doc will be using the newer procedure of a single small incision through which the vas deferens are extracted slightly, cut and cauterized. It's essentially a laproscopic method and the discomfort was akin to a long hard bike ride. My brother in law had his a few months earlier but had an old school doc who cut him terribly and he spent two nearly two weeks in misery.
As far as "differences"...afterwards, there are NONE once you're back to feeling 100%. If anything, a man can relax knowing there's no fumbling with a condom or worrying when your lady is late.

fatfoo · 3 months

I get uncomfortable granulomas when I have lots of sex in a short period of time. Other than that, no complaints.

arthur_sc_king · 3 months

I'm 48. Had it just before my 35th, after my sixth kid. After the week-with-frozen-peas-on-nads was over, never looked back. It's been great, no worries, no problems.

imhere2ask · 3 months

I had mine when my daughter was 5 and my wifes IUD was expiring, about 5 years ago. We'd decided on no more kids, so it was kinda my turn. I don't remember how long I was sore.

I haven't regretted it at all, and am even more glad since we opened out marriage last year... I'm practicing safe sex, but that's one huge thing I don't have to worry about.

mushmouth26 · 3 months

I got the snip about 2 years ago. Although the actual procedure pretty much sucked for me, it has overall been fine. There is no physical difference when having and orgasm. I'm married with kids so when I tell people it doesn't really seem to phase them.

hbell16 · 3 months

I had mine done in March of 2011. I had the no-scalpel technique, but with two punctures because one of the balls is closer to the body than usual. I also had a doc that liked to use a lot of lidocaine, with helps reduce the pain a lot.

The doc cauterized the ends and also used the titanium clips. I don't notice them but I can find them easily. It occurred to me that if I were ever dating again the clips might be the only proof that I've been snipped, since I can't find either of the puncture scars already.

My doc was great and answered all of my geeky questions without rushing. However...

Tip #1: The doc may be in more of a rush to get going after the lidocaine injections than s/he realizes because they do lots of these. I suspect waiting a few more minutes may have made the pain truly trivial. But all told it was like 8 seconds total of pinch-level pain, and some odd tugging on the immediate area. Have you ever had any teeth removed? If so you know the idea is way worse than the event.

Tip #2: Don't drink a Red Bull and eat a pack of Skittles for breakfast before your appt. It'll make your legs shake more and you'll seem more nervous than you actually are. Or you may (based on a psychological principle I can't remember the name of) interpret your jittery legs as nervousness.

In terms of long-term effects, in general there isn't much difference, but I would hesitate to say none. 1) (borrowing a great simile from another redditor in a different thread): It's like an ejaculation used to be a 5-key chord, and now it's a 4-key chord. Still great, but not entirely the same in terms of the expelling fluid part. In terms of the sensory waves, it's basically the same. 2) I do believe the balls feel a bit full all the time, but it isn't an issue. I had worried about sensitivity beforehand but it hasn't ever been noticeably uncomfortable. 3) The texture of my semen is a bit less sticky, and it smells a bit different. I want to say cleaner or something. I can imagine it might taste different but I don't have any data to offer.

Speaking of sensitivity, I never used ice after. Just popped the max-safe doses of tylenol and wore a jockstrap for 3 days (maybe a week? I can't remember). I was walking a bit slowly the day I had the procedure but not to the extent that I couldn't have passed it off as typical back pain if I had wanted to.

It cost me about $700 total to get it done at a Planned Parenthood in Maryland, including a consultation a week (month?) before. That's basically one month of child support. I do a little victory lap around the coffee table in the living room every time I hear about some poor sap who is paying child support for a kid he didn't want to have. So much long-term soul-scarring resentment for multiple people (not to mention depleted retirement accounts or whatever). Come on guys (not just the OP), suck it up and get it done before you regret it.

Maxxters · 3 months

My ex had one done when he was about 39. He had been married for 13 years when he got it done. He's a bit upset about it now, since it means he can't have kids with anyone else if he ends up meeting someone who wants them (can't really bet on the reversal working). The procedure went fine but he ended up with bruising all the way down his thighs which was really painful. In terms of sex, no effect other than not having to wear condoms (as long as they're both clear of STIs).

NukemJim · 3 months

Had it done 15 years ago, been very happy. As to recovery bruising it depends on your surgeon. I can say that for certain, the surgery was done at a teaching hospital. One side was done by an experienced surgeon minimal feeling (pressure not pain) during surgery, slight tenderness afterword for about a week. The other side was done (with my permission, they asked) by a resident. That one HURT during surgery and was much more tender afterwords for about 2 weeks. My advice, make sure the person doing the surgery had done a many, many vasectomies. NukemJim

Frolb · 3 months

Had one twenty years ago, before getting hitched (still together). No regrets. No real difference, either. Although I longer look at bags of frozen peas quite the same way again. Mine was an in-office procedure with my family physcian.

Billtannica · 3 months

I've never noticed anything odd about how people treat me or relate to me with regards to my vasectomy. Nor do I feel any differently other than I simply do not worry one little bit about pregnancy. I'm certainly glad to have done it and have not a single regret. If you are done having kids or never want any, I'm inclined to recommend it.

afkreddit · 3 months

I had mine shortly after our 3rd child was born. Awesome no more condoms or pills. Oddly i feel more "ready" for sex more often.

loonidood · 3 months

First time I ever heard a doctor say "oops". Balls swelled to the size of grapefruit.

evil_neanderthal · 3 months

Love it.

chumbaz · 3 months

My girlfriend said one of her ex boyfriends had one and it totally changed the taste during blowjobs to the point she stopped giving them. Anyone else heard this or was there just something wrong with that guy?

Meterman · 3 months

Had the no-scapel with clipped done here in Canada about 3 years ago (paranoid doc) after my second was born.
Worst part is the anticipation. Achy after, but other wise mostly fine 2 days after. Worst part of the ordeal was the somewhat cold iodine disinfectant everywhere. Occasional aching for about a year after, but now things are fine.
After the no swimmers test, now no baby worries!!

lifeaftersex · 3 months

Mine was a little over a year ago. The procedure was more "ew" than "ow". I was back to work (if gingerly) the next day, I only took painkillers for one day (wife got the rest to save for a rainy headache), fapped in a week, had sex in two or three.

Long-term, no problems at all. One possible annoyance: my balls have always been pretty tight to my body, sometimes retracting entirely when I'm really turned on, and that effect may be a little more pronounced now. It doesn't really bother me, though.

Overall, I love it.

[deleted] · 3 months

I figured I would chime in on behalf of my brother, a non redditor. He had one, and then every time he ejaculated afterwards, he was in severe pain.

We are in canada. So getting the procedure cost him a few hundred dollars all in.

Getting the reversal so he didn't live in constant pain was about 12,000 dollars. Luckily for him it was successful.

He tells me the complication rate from a vas is about one in fifty. Not too common, but after watching him barely walk for 5 months, i decided i would find something better.

Check out RISUG, done in India.

blackberrydoughnuts · 3 months

I've had mine for over a year now, and love it. Best decision I've ever made.

There have been a few people who have been turned off by it and not wanted to date me, but almost everyone I've dated or had sex with has really liked it, even if they want kids later down the line.

I feel "fixed", literally. As if there was something wrong with my body before, and it's been corrected. Not having to worry about birth control is amazing. It just feels right, like how my body should be.

davePM · 3 months

Had mine at 34 after the 5th kid. Best.thing.ever. No more worries, no after effects. Completely painless procedure and was back to cycling 10 miles a day after 3 days. Only scary thing is the blood in the semen the first few times ! It's the psychological stress building up to getting it done that's the worst, but seriously it's so quick and painless its unbelievable.

mad_wooder · 3 months

I have had mine for about six years. I think it's terrific. However...

I had a single incision vasectomy. Because I heard these were cakewalk procedures, I opted not to take the pre-procedure valium so I wasn't wonky for the ride over and back. That was a mistake -- the valium works as a soft tissue relaxant as well, which made manipulating the tubes a bit more difficult. My doctor had to essentially heat me up with a lamp to try to get things work workable. I think this resulted in a bit more pain for me than most. It was still all cleared up within five days, but not the back-to-work-Monday story we usually hear.

Additionally, my libido tanked for nearly six weeks after the procedure. It was easily restored, and there are probably other physiological factors involved there, but again, just something to be aware of. For me, getting back to sex was something I basically had to do a couple of times in a more obligatory manner, and then everything was great.

And ever since then, it is very liberating. My wife still takes the pill to regulate her period, but if she misses it or anything, there's never any concern.

spasticpoodle · 3 months

I got snipped about 9 months ago. I'm in my late 20's, no kids, and just recently got engaged.

Fucking awesome.

Sex can be truly spontaneous, without having to worry about pregnancy. I would recommend something even more supportive than tighty-whiteys. My big mistake was not using supportive enough underwear after. An athletic supporter or a male "bikini" type thing that really squishes your junk tight to your body would be best.

I got mine done at a planned parenthood in my area. They used the most recent techniques, and while not the most comfortable thing to ever happen to me, was less painful than a root canal.

cruxix · 3 months

I had mine done about ten years ago. Overall i can say it was a positive experience. The doctor didnt quite inject the pain killer right so there was a moment where he had to add more but other than that it was uncomfortable but painless. Plus the nurse looked like queen Latifa.. that was pretty odd when she was holding my junk. I dont feel that I am not any different now than I was before the surgery. The only issue i have with it, is now that I am divorced i worry that not being able to have kids (without another surgery) will ruin some long term relationship with a woman but that is probably just me being pessimistic.

Beakerguy · 3 months

Don't feel any different.. No sex before, no sex after. My right hand is much more secure now, however....

achancesw · 3 months

I wish I had it done last year, now Ive met someone who wants kids...

kworbust · 3 months

For me, procedure was fine, no change to habits or desire or anything......however, coincidentally or not, my wife's desire dropped fairly rapidly after and hasn't recovered....i constantly wonder if somewhere subconsciously or otherwise, my voluntary sterility has made me less desirable

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