Recovering From A Vasectomy
While a vasectomy is usually a straightforward surgical procedure, there are some potential complications that can occur. First, some reminders:
Get off your feet for a few days, and avoid strenuous activity for at least 5 to 7 days.
It may take up to 2 full weeks for the discomfort to resolve.
An ice pack, or frozen vegetables, can be a useful adjunct for the first one or two days.
Avoid aspirin type products or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or Aleve for a week unless instructed otherwise by your doctor, as they can thin your blood and result in bleeding.
Use Tylenol or other pain medicines as prescribed by your doctor.
You may shower the day after your procedure, but do not soak in the tub, a lake, pool, or ocean for at least 7 days.
Supportive underwear can help prevent pain and is recommended for the first week.
It is a good idea to avoid sexual activity until the pain resolves, typically 5 to 14 days.
CONTINUE TO USE CONTRACEPTION UNTIL STERILITY IS CONFIRMED! This is done by checking the semen, which usually takes 15 or 20 ejaculations to clear completely. There is no timetable for this.
Checking Sterility
Vasectomies can fail by growing back together, so there is no guarantee of sterility. Please remember to get checked! It is a good idea to call the doctor’s office to make sure someone will be there to check your specimen on the day you plan to bring it. Place the semen in the cup provided, and if you do not have one, any small jar or container with a lid will do. No condoms, please! The specimen does not need to be rushed in, nor kept warm or cold. As long as you get it to the office in the same calendar day, it is usually adequate. Remember, we are looking for sperm, and one dead sperm is still one too many!
Remember that some bruising and swelling is expected. If the entire scrotum becomes black and blue, or if you feel you are experiencing more swelling or bruising than is typical, please call your doctor. Often the skin is somewhat red at the incision, and as the stitches dissolve, a small amount of pus may drain from here. Occasionally, the stitches come out sooner that expected. Keep it clean with soap and water as best you can. Over the counter antibiotic ointment is not required, but you may use some on the incision if you wish. Any bloody drainage usually stops in a few days, but a few gauze pads in your underwear can prevent this from soiling your clothes. Change these daily beginning the morning after your operation. If you are experiencing more than a little redness (more that a dime size), or if you experience fever equal or greater than 101 degrees, or a significant amount of draining pus (especially if it does not appear to be decreasing), please call.
A swollen testicle or a firm lump at the vasectomy site, while rare, does happen and can be associated with much more pain than the typical patient experiences. If you feel your pain is significantly more than expected, notify your surgeon.
Contacting Our Office
It is always better to speak directly with the office where you had your procedure performed, rather than with the physician on call who does not know your case and cannot provide follow up care. For this reason, call your urologist’s office after 8:30 am, but not so late that he cannot respond to your call. Before noon is best, so your chart can be located and recommendations made. These recommendations may include light activity and avoiding sex for a longer period, warm soaks, supportive underwear, ibuprofen or aspirin, and occasionally antibiotics for infection.
Since some problems arise after the office is closed, and they can be frightening, you can call the office after hours and speak to the doctor on call. If more than a week has passed since your procedure, and you are experiencing pain or swelling, which can happen as your activity increases, feel free to start taking 600 milligrams of ibuprofen OR 2 aspirin up to 3 times a day. Get off your feet, and it is okay to use ice packs again. Sometimes a hot bath can improve your symptoms. It is permissible to take the pain medications your doctor prescribed at the time of your procedure as well. You may feel well enough to touch base with your doctor the next business day.
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