After your Vasectomy a dull achy pain is normal.  When your anesthesia starts to wear off, you will start to feel it in your scrotum and groin.  It is common to experience swelling and minor pain in the incision area for about 2 or 3 days after the procedure.  The length of healing time and amount of pain will vary a little depending on the person, but there should be no severe pain.  The pain should be described as a dull achy feeling or tenderness for a few days to a couple weeks afterward.

The best way to manage pain after a Vasectomy is to take Tylenol, ibuprofen, Aleve or aspirin afterward.  If your doctor prescribes a painkiller that is stronger, you may take that.  Wear Vasectomy Shorts (www.vasectomyshorts.com) to provide scrotal support and also have a built in pocket to hold an ice pack.  Use an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling the first couple days.

It is not normal to experience any severe pain or pain that persists for longer than a week after your Vasectomy.  Pain that lasts longer than a week could indicate some kind of problem or complication and you should call the clinic.

Make sure to get all the necessary information you need about getting a vasectomy before you make the decision if you should or should not get one.  You want to be completely informed about Vasectomies in order to make the best possible decision.

Once you have made your decision to get a Vasectomy, Call to schedule your Vasectomy.

Follow the below instructions to prepare for surgery.

At Home Preparation Instructions

1. For at least 5 days before surgery, avoid all aspirin and aspirin-containing products.  If you take ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatories talk with your surgeon about stopping at least two days before your scheduled vasectomy.  Tylenol may be used at any time before.
2. Make sure you thoroughly wash the scrotum and groin area well either the day of or evening before your vasectomy.
3. You can shave or trim away the hair from a two-inch circle on the front of the scrotum, just below the base of the penis. Or you may leave the shaving to the doctor.  If you choose to do the shaving yourself, make sure to do it the day before surgery.
4. Instead of boxers, wear a jock strap or better yet wear a pair of Vasectomy Shorts. Vasectomy Shorts are specifically made to provide the snug scrotal support and also have a built in pocket to hold a perfectly sized vacestomy ice pack.
5. You can maintain your regular diet on the day of your procedure. There will be no diet restrictions or rules to follow before your Vasectomy.

The day of your procedure

Arrive on time for your appointment. Plan to be at the clinic for at least an hour and a half and plan to go straight home afterward. It is encouraged that you have your spouse or partner come with you for the consultation and they may also stay with you during the procedure if you want them to.  The doctors do require that you have someone to drive you home for safety and comfort.

• Do not drive yourself home after your Vasectomy.  You should not drive for at least 2 hours after your surgery and you need to rest the remainder of the day.  You may return to driving and normal light activities after 24 hours as long as they are light activities.

• Leave the gauze in place until the next day then you may dispose of it. Wear vasectomy shorts (vasectomyshorts.com) that are snug fitting for support and protection during the first week.  Use vasectomy ice packs as they are much better than a melting bag of frozen peas.

• Avoid touching the incision area and be very careful not to disturb it because it may cause bleeding. If you do notice bleeding from the incision, you should carefully and firmly pinch the skin together between gauze for 10 minutes.

• For the next 7 days, avoid any and all activities like running, jumping and sports. Avoid straining, lifting, and even squatting.  Actions like these can cause bleeding inside the scrotum.  If you have to return to work and your work is physical, you should be sure to request light duty work.  Do not lift more than 30 or 40 lbs.

• Avoid any sexual stimulation for a couple of days at least. Gentle sexual activity is allowed after a couple days as long as it does not disturb the incision.  YOU MUST USE SOME OTHER FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL UNTIL YOUR SEMEN IS TESTED NEGATIVE FOR SPERM.  For the first couple of weeks, you might notice some blood or brown color in your semen and this is normal.

• Only mild discomfort during the first few days is normal, not severe pain. You can take Aleve, Tylenol or ibuprofen.  Patients with a history of kidney disorders or ulcers should avoid these anti-inflammatory medications.  A bruise may appear after about 2 or 3 days around the base of the penis and the scrotum but should be painless.  If you experience severe pain and feel you need stronger medication, please contact your clinic.

• Call the clinic right away if you experience a bluish lump inside of the scrotum the size of a golf ball as it may be a hematoma. A hematoma is the accumulation of blood and should be treated right away.

• On each side of the scrotum, the vas diferens will develop pea-sized or slightly larger nodules. This is normal scar tissue and permanent.  They will be tender for the first few months, but this won’t be noticeable unless you touch them.

• Please call your clinic if you have any questions or concerns, excessive pain, swelling, bleeding, pus or fever.

• Please remember that you MUST COMPLETE A SEMEN TEST NEGATIVE OF SPERM.  Continue to use other forms of birth control until your doctor has confirmed you no longer have sperm in your semen.

To make sure you recover from your Vasectomy successfully and as quickly as possible, here are some simple, yet very important tips:

1. DO NOT try to “tough it out” or “play through the pain”.  Your incision needs to heal!  Get off your feet for the rest of the day and relax.  It is recommended that you rest for at least a couple days after your procedure for best healing results.

2. Take the rest of the day at least off of work. If your job is physical, you may need to take more than a couple days off and request light duty work once you go back to avoid injury.  Most men take 1 or 2 days off.  A good idea is to schedule your vasectomy on a Thursday or Friday if you don’t work the weekend and you can avoid missing too much work.

3. Wear a jockstrap or better yet vasectomy shorts for up to 2 weeks or more.

4. You may take anti-inflammatory medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen if your doctor does not prescribe you anything specific. If you are prescribed a stronger painkiller then you may take that if you feel that you need to.

5. Do not have sex for a couple days at least after your surgery. After a couple days, gentle sexual activity that does not disturb the incision is allowed.  This varies by doctor and depends on the individual's pain or comfort level.  Please ask how much time your doctor recommends waiting before sexual

Full recovery can take up to a few months, but generally, you will resume normal activities within a couple of weeks.  Follow your doctor’s instructions after your procedure to avoid injury.

After your Vasectomy, it is very important to avoid any activities for the rest of the day.  For the next 7 days, you must avoid all activities such as running, jumping, and squatting.  Absolutely no sports or working out!  Do not lift anything over 30 or 40 lbs.  If less weight even makes you strain, avoid it.  ONLY do light duty activities.  It is wise to avoid any and all strenuous activities for 2 weeks to avoid injury.

It is recommended to stay off of your feet for 2-3 days.  Most Vasectomies are done on Thursdays or Fridays instead of the beginning of the week, so that you may take the weekend to relax and recover.  After the initial 2-3 days healing period, you may return to light duty activities only.  Activity should be limited to basic walking for a few days.

It is best to wait at least a week if not longer before doing any exercises.  Start with easy, slow exercises and light lifting.  Do not go straight into your normal exercise routine and make sure to ease into all exercises you do to avoid injury.  Of course, check with your surgeon for exactly when you can start to exercise for you specifically in your situation.

After just a couple days, gentle sexual activity is allowed as long as it does not disturb the incision.  YOU MUST USE SOME OTHER FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL UNTIL YOUR SEMEN IS TESTED NEGATIVE FOR SPERM.  For the first couple of weeks, you might notice some blood or brown color in your semen and this is normal.