Home men's Health How to prepare for a vasectomy: side effects and recovery

How to prepare for a vasectomy: side effects and recovery

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Vasectomy is a minor surgery in which the man’s vas deferens are cut, which are responsible for transporting sperm from the testicles to the urethra. After a vasectomy, sperm cannot leave the testicles, that is, the possibility of getting a woman pregnant is nil, which is why this surgical intervention represents the most effective contraceptive method for males.

The decision to undergo a vasectomy can be due to many factors, such as men with genetic disorders who do not want to transmit them, with partners who can put their health at risk if they become pregnant or with an unstable sex life; Regardless of the cause, the goal is always the same: to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. If you are considering vasectomy as a male contraceptive method, we invite you to carefully read this article by FastlyHealon how to prepare for a vasectomy .

Before you make the decision: vasectomy side effects

Vasectomy is a minor surgery, in fact it is performed in the surgeon’s medical office using local anesthesia, which is why it is considered that this intervention does not suggest any serious risk to men’s health. However, because it is a surgical procedure, there is the possibility that an infection, inflammation and prolonged pain may occur.

It is important to follow your doctor’s postoperative instructions to avoid complications after vasectomy. In very few cases it can happen that the vas deferens that were cut during the surgery grow back and rejoin , allowing the sperm to mix with the semen. If this were to happen, the man would be at his best to get a woman pregnant.

It is also important to bear in mind that vasectomy offers more than 90% contraception success , however, this percentage decreases over the years, so a man who had a vasectomy 15 years ago will only have between 60% and 70 % chance that your ejaculations do not contain sperm.

How to prepare for a vasectomy

If you have made the decision to have a vasectomy, you should know that there are certain steps prior to surgery that you have to do. Below we inform you of the most common requirements requested in medical centers for this type of intervention:

  • Medical indications : the surgeon will offer weeks before setting the date of the vasectomy a list with all the blood tests that you must perform and that are necessary to verify that your body is in perfect condition to undergo this procedure.
  • Consent form : The surgeon who will perform the vasectomy will ask you to sign a consent form where you authorize the specialist to perform the procedure and where it will also be in writing that the surgery does not guarantee 100% male sterility.
  • Medications : it is important that you tell your doctor about the medications you consume, even those that are over-the-counter, since it is important to know the risk that they may pose to your health during surgery.
  • Stop the use of certain drugs : Two weeks before the vasectomy, the consumption of aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen should be stopped, since these drugs can cause excessive bleeding during and after the intervention.
  • Previous procedures? It is also necessary that you inform your medical specialist if you have had any previous surgery on the scrotum.
  • Seek support : it will be necessary for a family member or friend to drive you home after surgery, as you will not have to drive until your doctor tells you to.
  • Shave the scrotum . It will be necessary to thoroughly clean the scrotum and shave it before the vasectomy, preferably hours before the intervention.
  • Comfortable clothing : on the day of the surgery you should wear comfortable clothing and comfortable and elastic underpants.
  • Jockstrap : On the day of the surgery you should come with a scrotal jockstrap.

Postoperative vasectomy: recovery

After the intervention you can return home as soon as you feel well, it is even likely that if you do not feel much pain you can go to work the next day, although the recommendation is to keep between 2 and 3 days of rest , completely avoiding lifting any type weight or exertion. After a week you will be able to lead your life as usual and do all your activities. It is normal if the scrotum is swollen, bruised or red, usually these symptoms disappear within 2 weeks .

After the vasectomy it will be necessary to continue using the scrotal support for at least 4 days. Here are some indications that you should take into account during your recovery:

  • Use a cold compress to decrease inflammation.
  • If the pain is very bad, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to control it or one of the best natural pain relievers .
  • The use of elastic and tight boxer shorts is helpful in offering support to the area.
  • Allow 48 hours before showering.
  • You should not do any type of physical activity for 1 week.
  • During the first 2 days of rest, avoid walking or standing for a long time, the ideal is to rest in bed or on the sofa.

How long to wait to have sex

Sex can be resumed 1 week after vasectomy . However, it is important to remember that the sterility effect of this procedure is not immediate, which is why it is recommended to use other contraceptive methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies. It is also recommended that the man have several ejaculations to remove the sperm that are still in his semen.

Vasectomy is considered successful for contraception once the doctor has analyzed the composition of the semen and determined that it does not contain sperm . Semen may need to be taken several times and analyzed under a microscope until the composition result indicates that there are no sperm in the sample. Once the doctor confirms infertility, you can start having sex without any contraceptive method. It is important to remember that vasectomy does not protect against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases , so it will always be advisable to use a condom to prevent these types of conditions.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to prepare for a vasectomy , we recommend that you enter our category of Male reproductive system .

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