That which has been seen/Vasectomy Snip-all

Mine was literally done in an office. Not a hospital or anything like that. I had a similar moment of “wait, this is all there is to it. It feels like this should be more high tech.”

My doctor assured me that even though the advertising had the option of being conscious, it's not a *comfortable* or pleasant thing, and I'm sorry yours didn't do that same. (Also, my doc had a history of men going bugf*ck crazy on him for doing things they'd asked to have done... Really, people, exactly how do you think that stent is going to come out of your kidney? So maybe he was protecting himself too...)

Tried to schedule mine after our baby in Sept and can't get in until Jan.

Didn't want to jinx something with the baby by scheduling it ahead of time. But it would have been nice to get it done while on paternity leave already. Had no idea how busy the schedules would be around here.

So... next year.

Eh, I was awake for mine and it wasfine, but I get that is not for everyone.

Also, yeah apparently it's like an Xmas gift every year and they are booked half of Nov and all of Dec if you don't get in early enough.

Mine was awake, but I specifically requested to lie down to keep the action out of my eyeline.

It was pretty damn uncomfortable for 10-20 minutes, but nothing gritted teeth and the occasional grunt couldn't handle.

For anyone who find this thread and is seeking out this procedure, I really highly recommend looking at no-scalpel options.

Mine was done in an office setting, basically reclined, with a medical sheet covering the business end of things while being administered a local anesthetic. The doctor I went to exclusively did no-scalpel operations, and I can't imagine it being done another way. It was still painful and uncomfortable for a few days, but anecdotally hearing from fellow men who have been snipped and from the men in this thread, being actually cut open sounds way way more uncomfortable.

I will second the no-scalpel procedures. From the time I laid down, to the time I got up to head for a 15-minute wait in the waiting room, was about 10 minutes. No stitches, no pain, no soreness at all.

I too probably didn't mentally prepare myself enough for the day, thinking about other minor surgeries that I wasn't the least bit squeamish for, and then I started to freak myself out the day of.

I sometimes wonder if I hadn't said "sure" to the offer of the Ativan if I would have bailed right before the surgery, because there was certainly a short gap before the Ativan kicked in where my mental state quickly moved from "Oh god, I'm letting someone cut into my balls! This is the dumbest idea in the world!" to "Oh, I guess he's cutting into my balls right now. I feel great."

You know, now that you mention it, when I was doing some anxious "what to do before vasectomy" googling in the days leading up to it, I saw several lists that included "take the anxiety medication your doctor offered you." I received no such offer! Oh well.

It was uncomfortable and a bit worrying, but it wasn't painful (during the procedure, anyway), as uncomfortable as a dental cleaning, but made a little more anxiety-inducing by knowing that someone is cutting into your junk. I wouldn't tell anyone not to do it--one of the things that scared me most about conceiving our third baby was the "what if it's twins" scenario, which would've been rough!, and since then the thought that I might somehow make some kind of mistake that would lead to a fourth kid is a concern I'm glad I can eliminate. But knowing what I know now I would've at least asked about anti-anxiety meds, and probably also might have asked about other ways of doing the procedure, tho here in Vermont we're not exactly awash in healthcare providers, I'm skeptical I would have had an in-network alternative that would've made sense to pursue.

Same experience here with the no-scalpel option. My doctor gave me a monster valium to take 30 minutes before arrival, so I was feeling no pain in there.

I wasn't really sore until about 36 hours later, though. Luckily, my older brother had the same experience and told me not to take all the pain medicine up-front.

In general, no big deal, but a little awkward here and there.

You all are reminding me I still need to get this done.

And I'm also laughing (on the inside) about how a couple incisions have us freaking out (me too) when the mothers of our children basically Captain America'd Thanos to give birth. Sometimes more than once.

The difference in surgeries (Men - 10 minutes, out patient, have some advil and a bag of frozen peas; Women - Major, invasive surgery) is why when we were done having kids, it was a pretty easy decision for me.

mudbunny wrote:

The difference in surgeries (Men - 10 minutes, out patient, have some advil and a bag of frozen peas; Women - Major, invasive surgery) is why when we were done having kids, it was a pretty easy decision for me.

For me, considering my wife was pregnant for nine months and seeing her body go through rough changes, along with her being on BC for years and her not really enjoying taking it for various reasons... yeah the least I could do and the least us men can do is an uncomfortable 30 minute procedure and a couple days rest. We got it easier, gentlemen.

Yuuuuuup

Stele wrote:

Tried to schedule mine after our baby in Sept and can't get in until Jan.

...

So... next year.

So yeah consult appt last week. This doc is highly recommend, long wait, and so first Friday in March is my scheduled date now.

Luckily one of our parents works at a hospital and has the vaccine. So they are coming in for the weekend to help my wife with the kids. Since I've been told not to lift anything for a day or two. Also they told me I can't drive myself home so wife will take me to and from and need someone to watch the kids for an hour.

See y'all on the other side next month.

Glad to hear you're scheduled, Stele.

Stele wrote:

Also they told me I can't drive myself home so wife will take me to and from and need someone to watch the kids for an hour.

That's the Valium, which takes the maxim "observe more, judge less" to the extreme.


@topic, my urologist shared an odd anecdote during my procedure:
Oh, you're tall and lean, so you'll be easy. I don't know what it is about dudes with thick necks but they always seem to have thick scrotal skin.

I'm glad I could make things easier there for you, doc.

Right on. Picked up that prescription already. 1 pill was 52 cents. Insurance is weird.

Awesome! Hope everything goes well like it did for me. Like I said back in the thread when I pulled the trigger, I would do it every year if that's what it took. SO worth it and made a huge deal for my partner not having to deal with contraceptive stuff.

Just had my snip today. Been waiting months. Fully awake. Took about 8 minutes. Felt nothing after the freezing went in. I've heard what the next few days will be like so hopefully I'm well prepared.

Doctor said only about 35% of men in Canada go through with the procedure. Considering how easy and free it was I should be more surprised than I am.

I wasn't really thinking about getting it done until my wife broached the subject. I think she was surprised how willing I was to do it. Is there a stigma out there that I don't know about?

pandasuit wrote:

Just had my snip today. Been waiting months. Fully awake. Took about 8 minutes. Felt nothing after the freezing went in. I've heard what the next few days will be like so hopefully I'm well prepared.

Doctor said only about 35% of men in Canada go through with the procedure. Considering how easy and free it was I should be more surprised than I am.

I wasn't really thinking about getting it done until my wife broached the subject. I think she was surprised how willing I was to do it. Is there a stigma out there that I don't know about?

There was but I'm not sure how pervasive it is. My grandfather did it but my Dad refused. Many of my coworkers have done it and they are all quite a bit older than I am. My wife and I had discussed it even before we had our first kid. I told her I would do it and she told me of course, since she gave birth.

I've had my consultation (also in Canada) but that was in November and it took over a year just to get that done. Haven't had any communication since then.

Vector wrote:
pandasuit wrote:

Just had my snip today. Been waiting months. Fully awake. Took about 8 minutes. Felt nothing after the freezing went in. I've heard what the next few days will be like so hopefully I'm well prepared.

Doctor said only about 35% of men in Canada go through with the procedure. Considering how easy and free it was I should be more surprised than I am.

I wasn't really thinking about getting it done until my wife broached the subject. I think she was surprised how willing I was to do it. Is there a stigma out there that I don't know about?

There was but I'm not sure how pervasive it is. My grandfather did it but my Dad refused. Many of my coworkers have done it and they are all quite a bit older than I am. My wife and I had discussed it even before we had our first kid. I told her I would do it and she told me of course, since she gave birth.

I've had my consultation (also in Canada) but that was in November and it took over a year just to get that done. Haven't had any communication since then.

I remember there being an episode of Home Improvement about it and how it ties into manliness. I'd need to rewatch to be sure, but I remember it being pretty honest about it.

Important edit- it literally just occurred to me, the hardware store guy is the older guy in most Adam Sandler movies.

Guess panda gets to play all the Rocket League he wants this weekend.

Next Friday for me. Hope to have a very chill weekend after

Congrats Panda and good luck Stele!

I wouldn't call it a stigma per se, but my general understanding is some folks assume some connection between reproductive capability and virility. When I had mine, the doctor took a moment to explain that getting a vasectomy is not the same as castration and I was like, uh, yeah, I'm not an idiot. I assume some portion of wariness of vasectomies is some mix of a medical misunderstanding of what the procedure does to you and a caveman-like sense of the ability to get someone pregnant being some important component of manliness.

Don't discount the "bleurgh" factor - just downright refusing to have someone slice your balls open.

I mean, I got snipped, I get it, it's not a big scary thing, but I'm not talking about a rational reaction to the reality of the procedure, I'm talking about a reflexive NOPE EFF THAT out of fear.

Snowflakes gonna snowflake.

Jonman wrote:

I mean, I got snipped, I get it, it's not a big scary thing, but I'm not talking about a rational reaction to the reality of the procedure, I'm talking about a reflexive NOPE EFF THAT out of fear.

Yeah, it's still an elective surgery, and because of where it's performed, it mentally feels like it's a way more invasive surgery than it actually is.

kuddles wrote:
Jonman wrote:

I mean, I got snipped, I get it, it's not a big scary thing, but I'm not talking about a rational reaction to the reality of the procedure, I'm talking about a reflexive NOPE EFF THAT out of fear.

Yeah, it's still an elective surgery, and because of where it's performed, it mentally feels like it's a way more invasive surgery than it actually is.

And, it is definitely possible that a doctor is bad at the procedure or something and there is much more pain than the norm involved. It should be a very small percentage, though.

T-minus 12 hours. See you on the other side.

Stele wrote:

T-minus 12 hours. See you on the other side.

Way to go! Hang in there.