Stephen’s experience: Vasectomy with titanium clips

My wife and I had three boys. The oldest is 22 years old and in the army and the youngest is 15 years old. Three years after our third child was born we went to see the Urologist. He went through the usual routine of describing the related risk. Then he described some of his less than satisfied patients who were dragged in by their wives. Later they were divorced, remarried, and returning for reversals. He then took me into his room with “The chair” and asked me to drop my drawers at which time he felt around my scrotum with gloved fingers and pulled on my Vas Deferens to determine my ability to tolerate an in-office procedure. After returning home and thinking the whole thing over, I announced to my wife that I didn’t feel comfortable with the idea. At the time, the IUD had been taken off the market in the USA and she was fast approaching the three-year expiration of the one she was currently using. With no replacement IUD available, the options were limited. I persuaded her to get a Tubal Ligation which I have always regretted. At the time I was insecure in our relationship and did not want to be divorced and sterile. I now see how foolish that notion is since I would still have to support the three children, how could I afford to have more?

We are still married and I am now 50 years old. I have had sex with only one woman my entire life and have no plans to fool around now. However, unlike women who lose fertility with menopause, men are naturally fertile forever. The older a man gets, the more he should consider a vasectomy. In December of 1999, I finally got the snip. Sort of a Christmas present to myself.

The vasectomy

I had a 4:30 pm appointment with the Urologist and arrived at 4:25 pm. At this time I was handed a stack of forms to be filled in and signed while my insurance was verified. I was led down the hall and into a small room where I removed my pants and underwear. The instruments were already prepared and laid out on a sterile tray for the surgeon. He entered the room, shook my hand, and instructed me to hop up on the table which was shaped like a chair with stirrups for my lower legs. He sat on a stool in front of me where he was eye level with my now spread open crotch. At this time, he had me scoot down so I felt like I was hanging slightly over the edge of the padded table. Then he sprayed my scrotum with Betadine solution. Next, he asked me if I preferred my Martini made with Vodka or Gin as I would soon feel slightly drunk from the valium injection. Being a Scotch drinker, I almost completely missed the humor, and the injection had very little effect anyway. Then came the big Lidocaine 2% shot into the left side of the scrotum. I had heard so much complaining about the initial nerve block and was expecting it to be painful. Frankly, I didn’t feel anything and was somewhat surprised when he made the first cut because I didn’t expect to be numbed up enough yet. Neither the shots nor cuts were painful and he was helping me put my jock strap on before I realized it was over. I had arrived at 4:25 and was in my car driving home with an ice bag on my crotch when I noticed the time was 5:05. Less than 1/2 hour and the surgeon wasn’t even hurrying.

After the procedure

Now for the horror story. From what I could tell, the Urologist did a good job. He uses very small titanium clips instead of cauterization which he claims makes less scar tissue and easier reversals. Unfortunately, there was a small bleeder he did not notice. Shortly after the surgery in spite of relaxing with my feet up and crotch packed in ice, the scrotum swelled up to the size of a grapefruit and turned dark blue/purple. I stayed on my back and even slept packed in ice but by day three, I was black and blue from my navel to my knees and the scrotum stayed the size of a grapefruit for three weeks. After one week I went back to the Urologist to show him my problem. He put me on a Medrol dosepak and Tylenol/Codeine 60mg. Believe me, the pain was awful and I needed the T4’s. By week 5, the black and blue was gone but the hematoma in my scrotum was not. I passed my semen check with a zero sperm count by week six which is remarkable since it looks like I have three testicles. After all that, I would still do it again. Procedurally, it’s less inconvenient and uncomfortable than having your teeth cleaned. In fact, I would rather have a vasectomy than get a tooth filled. I can’t believe I was so foolish not to have it done years ago when it would have meant something to my wife. Men, it’s the right thing to do. Why not take advantage of the appreciation of someone who loves you?

Submitted by Stephen