I am the 0.05% - I just had a second vasectomy after my bits naturally reconnected after the 1st one. AMA about the procedure, the effect on your sex life, or anything else you've wondered about vasectomies and post-op life.

Could you physically feel a difference between after the first surgery and after your vas deferens reconnected?

Yes! There was a weird feeling that something was "wrong" in there.

That and my semen changed consistency over the course of a month. When the consistency went back to how it was pre-op, I was 90% sure it had reconnected. A follow up appt confirmed it.

What do you mean, consistency? What's the difference in the feel of ejaculate full of sperm and one that's infertile? If you're able to shoot your load across the room, is that a sign?

I was wondering why this didn't get asked sooner! This was my number 1 question.

So most of the stuff you read says that only about 5% of your ejaculate has sperm, so post vasectomy there's no difference supposedly in how it looks, feels, etc.

For me, however, there was definitely a noticeable difference. Directly post vasectomy ejaculate still came out, orgasms felt totally normal, not weaker or anything like that. However for me the ejaculate was much thinner...like 66% thinner than before the operation. Same amount came out and everything - it was just thinner.

As the weeks went by and the sperm count in my post vasectomy tests went up, the ejaculate got thicker until it was exactly as it had been pre op. That's when I knew something was up.

So though they say sperm is only 5%...I think for me it was a little different

That's really interesting because my husband may be infertile due to unfortunate bike-curb accident and his boys when he was 14. The dr told him he may have trouble using them but he's never been counted. There's also weird facts like being able to shoot for distance and the actual consistency is thinner than other guys I've been with. I was just wondering if you noticed a change although I'm sure that it's anecdotal. You take everything with a grain of salt.

Edit: fuck words

Yup I think you hit the nail on the head - it's all anecdotal. He should get it tested though - it's a quick turn around for results (a few hours)

Did you get a second opinion? Sounds like your 1st operation may have been done incorrectly.

I haven't yet. I just had the second procedure yesterday and didn't talk to the urologist afterwards, as I was all doped up. This next week I'll be able to talk to him and see what the heck he found in there.

This is the question that I always wanted to ask my Dad but couldn't bring myself to do it. As someone considering the procedure this was something I wanted to hear about. Thanks.

Yeah I always thought it would be a puff of air coming out lol. Not the case. It's pretty much the same as pre vasectomy

I had mine done in 2002. When providing the post sperm sample, did you have to do it there or could you do it at home and then bring it in?

Either way was fine. They only cared that it was done directly into the container, no lube or condoms or anything (to include interrupting sex), and they had to have it within 30 minutes of you ejaculating. Where you did it was of no consequence.

They had a room there, and I used that. Quick and easy.

I lived close to the hospital, about a 5 minute walk. I did mine at home with major support from the wife. Good luck with your 2nd procedure, getting a vasectomy is so much better than the wife getting tubes tied.

Thanks! And you are totally right. My wife would get her tubes tied but we decided this was the way safer option, so I feel ya!

That's lame why can't they remove the pieces completely so they can't possibly reconnect?

I'm honestly not sure. I saw them remove the pieces (and even saw the pieces on the table afterwards). The doc explained it to me that it's just a biological thing - our bodies REALLY want to reproduce - so self-healing cut vas defrens can occur. They even cauterized and clamped them as well!

I had a vasectomy a few months ago. In addition to cutting a section of the vas out he also clipped each end with titanium clips. Two months later I was shooting blanks.

I had the same. Cut burned and clamped. Turns out biology won out!

If you go the 6 months or whatever and you aren't producing sperm anymore are you good to go or can it still heal randomly years later?

Edit: you would still technically be producing sperm but I mean it wouldn't be in the semen.

But once you get 2 "all clear" tests after your procedure (normally both done within the first 3 months) you're good to go

It can heal later. It's called recanalization and there's early and late recanalization depending on how recebtly you had your procedure.

The longer since your procedure the less likely recanalization is to occur, as the scar tissue is pretty set in place and less maleable, according to my doc.

How much did it cost you?

My insurance covered most of it. Less than 200 bucks

If you live in the US, how much did each surgery cost?

I'm in the USA and my insurance covered essentially all of it. Less than 200 bucks out of pocket

but if you had no insurance...

I honestly have no idea :(

Why would insurance cover that!?? I thought insurance only covers necessary medication.

My plan does. I don't know what to tell ya >. <

A vasectomy is infinitely cheaper for the insurance than multiple births and children

Do you have children? Why did you get the vasectomy? Was there any pain?

We do have kids already, and I got snipped so that my wife wouldn't have to go through another high risk birth.

For the first vasectomy there was no pain as everything was locally numbed up. However they will say "kick!" When they cut and it feels like you got kicked in the nuts. No pain but just a feeling that makes your stomach turn.

The second one I was put completely under, so no pain :)

Can I just ask to be completely put under for the first one?

That's between you and your provider. Lots of docs advise against more anesthesia than you need, and the procedure is uber short (less than 30 minutes total). In all honesty a local anesthetic and a Valium is perfectly fine.

Seeing smoke come up from your nuts is mind-blowing as well...

For any subsequent work though, as its no longer a virgin operating site (yeah yeah....) they do advise you go under.

So my balls would be literally getting fucked. Hard enough to see smoke. Yeah, I think I'm going to opt for all the anesthesia.

I definitely had to go to a happy place in my head

You nailed the feeling of seeing smoke coming up like that! I had the added effect of the local wearing off around that time, which was... Not fun.

Ugh yeah I can't imagine. At that point you just have to find your happy place and hope for the best!

Although I will say going under was way better than being awake. If I could do that the first time I probably would, knowing what I know now

Just to offer a counter, my doctor said it might feel like I was getting kicked in the nuts, but I felt absolutely no pain at all during the procedure. There was obviously some pain once the meds wore off but that is pretty normal and you manage it with painkillers and frozen peas.

Great point. I'm sure everyone's experience varies.

Why not just use condoms..

This is much more effective than condoms.

So do post-op orgasms feel the same as pre-op? And did you feel a difference when the tubes reconstructed?

They feel exactly the same. The first ones post-op were scary, in that you've had some internal trauma down there and you might be a little freaked out. I remember thinking the first one would blow my bits apart.

It didn't and after I recovered psychologically, everything normalized. I would say if this is something people are worried about - don't be.

As far as when the tubes went back together - I felt a difference just in normal everyday life. Tough to explain but I could just tell something wasn't quite right down there.

Regarding orgasms - no difference at all

Does it hurt?

All is great! Of course I'm on codeine so that might have something to do with it :) codeine + peas/ice + a beer and some netflix...all is right with the world

Are you supposed to mix that stuff with alcohol?

There's a minimal amount of codeine in my pain meds. Per the doc a beer with them isn't going to hurt me.

I meant the procedure, does the procedure hurt

You're numbed up, so it doesn't hurt, persay. They are pulling, cutting, burning and clamping your inside bits, though, so while there's no pain you definitely feel uncomfortable.

The worst part was when they actually make the cuts of the vas defrens (2 cuts on each side). Each time they cuz it makes you sick to your stomach like you've been kicked in the nuts. That's the worst part.

But as far as actual pain goes? None whatsoever during the procedure

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That's between you and your doc. Most won't want you to be asleep since it's s simple outpatient procedure.

That being said... After having been fully awake for the 1st one and asleep for the second...I highly suggest going to sleep if you can. Thus far the recovery is so much better - I'm not dealing with the psychological trauma of being awake while someone messes around down there.

Also - not feeling all the pulls and tugs while they operate is awesome. That was the worst part of being awake

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No prob. Good luck to you!

Did you have to pay for the second one?

Nope! Total cost for both was under 200 bucks. YMMV depending on your insurance provider of course

My husband goes in for his vasectomy next week. He is really nervous about being laid up during recovery. Any words of wisdom for him about post of?

Yes! A few:

first off he might feel really normal and fine after the operation...I mean like he might feel like he's at 100% and can do everything like normal. DONT! He needs to lay up in bed, ice and relax for a couple of days. Dudes tend to not do this and end up injuring themselves, resulting in possibly another procedure and more down time.

Kids and pets need to stay away from him while he's on bed rest. Innevitably, they will hit the surgical site and cause injury. I know it might suck for you, and he might feel bad about not helping out, but look at it like my wife tells me: 3 days of rest and no injuries means a quicker recovery time to where he can help out again. A kid injuring him can mean another week off, and that's no bueno.

No lifting anything heavier than a milk gallon for a week...and then no heavy lifting for a month was what I was told. I like to weightlift, and even 3 months post op I could feel it down there when I was bench pressing. Take it easy. Of course the doc will give you a more detailed plan.

If he listens to no other advise: ABSOLUTELY USE BIRTH CONTROL EVERY TIME YOU GUYS HAVE SEX UNTIL HE TESTS AS STERILE!! There can be swimmers in his tubes that can still impregnate you, or the vasectomy could have been a failure, and you're playing with live ammo. He might think he's fine....you might think he's fine..but you don't know if he's sterile without the follow up test. It can be tough in the heat of the moment to bust out a condom...but do it.

Which brings me to: he must ABSOLUTELY GET A FOLLOW UP TEST AS ORDERED BY A DOCTOR! something like 80% of men don't and therefore could be fertile. Had I not gone in for my tests I would be having another kid right now.

Stay laid up in bed. Don't walk around, don't go driving....just chill out.

Ensure he keeps pressure on the surgical site by using a jock strap and gauze. Failure to do so can result in what is called a scrotal hematoma and that means another surgery.

Keep in mind I'm not a doc - but this is the advice I was given and what worked for me :)

Also - before the surgery you guys should load up on groceries so everything is ready for him to be laid up for a few days. If you want to cook it and freeze food beforehand as well, that's always a great way to have ready to eat healthy meals. We did this with my wife when our first son was born and it was awesome.

If he has any other questions feel free to post them here or PM me and I'll be happy to answer!

I hope I don't offend you, but did you feel like less of a man? And how did the consistency of your sperm change?

Not insulting at all!

So I dont feel like any less of a man...but there was a real weird day or so when it dawned on me that I can no longer have kids. Like..I wasn't sad or upset or regretful, but it was weird thinking "huh...that's something I can simply no longer do."

Therefore i will say that unless you are 100% sure you don't want kids anymore, don't get a vasectomy. I have kids already so I was fine with it. I think I would have regretted it if I didn't have them, though

As far as sperm consistency, here's what I said to someone else: I was wondering why this didn't get asked sooner! This was my number 1 question.

So most of the stuff you read says that only about 5% of your ejaculate has sperm, so post vasectomy there's no difference supposedly in how it looks, feels, etc.

For me, however, there was definitely a noticeable difference. Directly post vasectomy ejaculate still came out, orgasms felt totally normal, not weaker or anything like that. However for me the ejaculate was much thinner...like 66% thinner than before the operation. Same amount came out and everything - it was just thinner.

As the weeks went by and the sperm count in my post vasectomy tests went up, the ejaculate got thicker until it was exactly as it had been pre op. That's when I knew something was up.

So though they say sperm is only 5%...I think for me it was a little different

Well for one why? What if you change your mind?

Great question. We have kids already, and for all my kids births either the kids or my wife almost died due to ubforeseen medical complications. We figured after going through that, we didn't want to risk another high risk birth

"I figure if a guy if a guy makes a decision like that without thinking it through, he shouldn't be spreading his dumbass genes around anyway."

Well the doc said normally men will change their mind if they get divorced and remarried. Normally they get it done when they are married with kids. Then they will remarry someone new who doesn't have kids and wants them, so the man will get it reversed in order to be able to have kids with her

Did you have any issues with testosterone or lack thereof? How was your hair growth maintenance?

Nope! Testosterone and all hormonal stuff is totally normal.

What do you mean by hair growth maintenance?

Have you noticed a change in your routine for maintaining body hair or head/face hair?

Oh no not at all. A vasectomy should have absolutely no effect on your hormonal levels whatsoever.

This may sound stupid, but are you able to cum?

Yup! Just like pre op. Everything feels and happens the exact same way. 0 difference.

I used to think there would just be a puff of air or something, lol...but that's not the case. It's all completely normal.

Lol that's awesome! I'm bit confused, Ive honestly thought your not able to produce semon? Or just not sperm

See my previous replies regarding ejaculate and sperm. Long story short is you most definitely produce semen - just the 5% that is sperm isn't present

When considering the move, especially given the surgery has become less invasive, did you think of it as a permanent life-changing move, ore something that you probably wanted for life with the thought that it could maybe be reversed if you wanted?

Ot is most definitely a permanent form of birth cotrol, in my opinion. Even though it's not that invasive it is very difficult to reverse, and the success rates for reversals vary depending on how long it's been since you got snipped.

My docs all believe the same thing. In fact during my pre op consult and directly before the surgery each time the doc said "this is permanent - are you sure you want to do this?"

My insurance doesn't cover reversals eother...so that would be like 9 grand out of pocket of I wanted to do it.

So....it's permanent :)

Why did you get this procedure, and have you ever once regretted it?

Great question. We have kids already, and for all my kids births either the kids or my wife almost died due to ubforeseen medical complications. We figured after going through that, we didn't want to risk another high risk birth

Even though it's been complicated post op - 0 regrets I can truthfully say!

"Naturally disconnected"? Is that what the same doctor that gave you the first vasectomy said? Maybe he's just incompetent.

None of them said that >. < they said they reconnected, not disconnected.

They used actual terminology such as recanalization and whatnot.

I imagine anything worse than getting snipped. What were your feelings when you heard you had to go through it a second time?

Honestly I was more annoyed than anything else, because it sets back the amount of time until you can have sex with your spouse unprotected. We found out 2 months ago, scheduled the procedure for today, and then I won't get the "all clear" for at least 8 weeks.

So for a procedure that should allow you to have unprotected sex after 6 weeks, it's annoying to have to wait essentially 6 months :(

Why is that? You said earlier something about consistency meaning you've masturbated so it can't be that it would mess up the procedure, does it not take effect for a while?

Really good question.

The answer is: Potentially. So when they cut your tubes you have no more sperm coming from your testes into your ejaculate. However you might still have sperm residing in your tubes that are no longer connected to where the sperm is made.

So, docs orders will be that you wait a certain time period AND mastrubate a certain number of times before getting checked, to ensure you've cleaned the pipes. I think my initial orders were at least 4 weeks and 20 ejaculations before getting tested.

Thanks for the answer!

No prob! Let me know if you have more questions!

At least you somehow noticed before your wife was mysteriously pregnant and it blew up the relationship.

Yes! They say close to 80 or 85% of men never go back in and get checked...so I imagine it causes a lot of undue stress on the relationship if they accidentally have a kid while thinking the dude is sterile

Sounds crazy to not go back and get checked... I mean if you get the procedure you obviously very sure you don't want your girlfriend/wife pregnant, and I would assume that you would like to know for sure it worked to not be paranoid.

I can't imagine not getting checked. If you're going through the whole procedure anyway, you should want to see if it was successful at the end!

I bet you are "circumcised". Am I correct?

Yup!

Why would you do this to yourself? Don't they tie something inside the testicles to prevent the sperm from coming out? Thinking about that makes me squirm...

Didn't want any more high risk births for my wife. The last 2 almost killed her or the kid. They tie, cut, burn, etc.

All well worth it to not watch my wife or newborn almost die

Do you think parents should have the right to elect vasectomies or circumcision for their boys (if not medically neccessary)?

Totally not. I think that those are both uber personal, life-altering surgeries that only the individual should elect to have or not have.

Unless there was something putting the boy's life at risk that only could be solved by circumcision or vasectomy (read: pretty much nothing) that should be left up to the individual