Patient Instructions Before Vasectomy

Q: Personal circumstances that men need to carefully consider before choosing to have a vasectomy

Age – Are you young and have no children?Personal Stress – Do you think you might be making a hasty decision at a stressful time?External Pressure –Do you feel pressured into the decision by someone or by circumstances?Relationship Stability – Do you frequently question the stability of your relationship?Permanent contraception may not be for you at this time if you can answer yes to any of the above questions. If this is not the case, and you have decided that no matter what the future brings, you will not want any more children, then vasectomy is a reasonable consideration for you.

The first step is to ensure that you have made a fully informed and considered decision.

Please review the information on our site and elsewhere and proceed only if you feel confident and happy with your choice.

Once your surgery date is scheduled, you must follow the instructions below. Please also review the after-vasectomy information to know what to expect after the procedure.

One Week Before

For one week before your surgery date, do not take any Aspirin or Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Advil, Naproxen, Diclofenac, etc. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is acceptable. Please confirm with your family doctor or specialist before stopping blood thinners or anticoagulants (such as Warfarin). Please contact us with any questions you may have. You can call or request an appointment now online.

Two Days Before

Please avoid alcohol for 48 hours before and after the surgery.

Shave your scrotum two nights before your surgery. We recommend shaving then instead of the night before so that any discomfort due to shaving will have passed before you come into the clinic for your vasectomy procedure. This link shows where to shave, and you may choose to cut carefully with small scissors before shaving with a safety razor or an electric shaver if that is your preference.

No Aspirin or NSAIDs

Starting seven days before the procedure, do not take Aspirin or anticoagulants (blood thinners). You can still take other pain relief medications like acetaminophen. In addition, in the 48 hours before your procedure, you must entirely avoid Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Advil, Naproxen, Diclofenac, and or other anti-inflammatory medication. These medications thin the blood somewhat and increase the risk of bleeding. Acetaminophen is acceptable because it does not impact your risk of bleeding during and after surgery.

Don’t take aspirin and other anti-inflammatories for your safety. Our doctor may not perform your procedure if you have taken these drugs recently. If you have a medical requirement to do so, please discuss the situation with us. Please confirm with your family doctor or specialist before stopping blood thinners or anticoagulants (such as Warfarin).

The Day of Your Surgery

On the day of your surgery, eat a regular breakfast or lunch, as those who don’t are more likely to become lightheaded.
You may take 2 extra-strength acetaminophen tablets just before leaving for the clinic.
Wear very supportive underwear. Please do not wear boxer shorts, as they do not provide the necessary support.
We recommend that you bring a small ice pack with you to apply it immediately after surgery and on your way home.
Wear light clothing because it will be warm in the room.
You will be asked to come 15 minutes before your actual appointment time.

Please call our clinic to speak with us or contact us anytime with your inquiry.

If you would like to make an appointment, you can do so now online, and then we will be in touch to confirm the next steps.

At the clinic

The operation itself is about 10 minutes, and you will be in the operating room for about 20-25 minutes, including anesthetic application.

You will be able to walk out of the operating room by yourself, and you will be able to drive your car or take public transportation to return home. You will be at our clinic for about 60 – 90 minutes, including:

1. Check-In

We will finalize any paperwork that still needs to be completed online.

2. Post-Vasectomy Care Instructions

Our nurse will review what you should do after your procedure and answer your questions. You will have written instructions to take with you as well, and you will have phone access to Dr. Eriki in the days after your procedure.

3. Consultation & Physical Exam

Dr. Eriki will discuss your expectations for the procedure and confirm that you are making a fully informed decision. You will be able to ask the doctor your questions, and he will ask you about your family situation and your reasons for seeking a vasectomy. Dr. Eriki will review your medical history and perform a physical exam to confirm that there are no medical reasons you should not have a vasectomy procedure. Occasionally, the physical exam findings result in the surgery being deferred, which is uncommon, but if it should be the case, you will be given a new appointment date.

4. Anesthesia & Procedure

In one of our private surgical rooms, our staff will wash the scrotal area with an antiseptic solution and place surgical towels around the site. Our doctor will administer the no-needle anesthetic. It is the time for the actual vasectomy just a few minutes later. The operation itself takes about 10 minutes, and you will be in the surgical room for 20-25 minutes, including anesthetic application. You will be at our clinic for about 60 – 90 minutes.

5. Post- Procedure Observation

You will be able to walk out of the operating room by yourself, and you will be able to drive your car or take public transportation to return home. We will ask you to sit in the waiting room for 15 minutes after your procedure for observation – so we can confirm that you are good to go.

6. Go Home and Rest

Go directly home and rest for the balance of the day, icing your scrotum as instructed. You will have your post-procedure care instructions. Most men feel minimal discomfort once the anesthetic wears off. Rarely acetaminophen is needed for pain relief. You will have phone access to our doctor postoperatively for any issues. This service is included for all patients who undergo vasectomy with Dr. Eriki.

Consideration Before a Vasectomy

Choosing to have a vasectomy is a serious decision because it is carried out to create permanent sterility.

Our experience with patients over the years has shown that some men who opt for a vasectomy later change their minds about their desire to have children after their vasectomy is done. Reasons for this include the death of a spouse, death of a child, divorce, separation, or just changing their minds. Please review the questions and considerations below to ensure you make a good decision.

Do I think that I might want to have more children?

If there is a possibility that you might want additional children in the future, you should not have a vasectomy. Your vasectomy will prevent you from conceiving a child and should be considered a permanent form of male birth control. Vasectomy reversal surgery is not an entirely effective way to restore male fertility, and no one should use surgery to suppress fertility temporarily. A vasectomy reversal may be possible, but the results are not certain. A vasectomy is recommended only for men who are confident they will not want to conceive a baby.

Am I a good candidate for vasectomy surgery?

If you are sure you don’t want more children, the remaining questions are related to your current physical condition, and there are not many contra-indications for a vasectomy procedure.

The main ones are to do with any pre-existing issues affecting your scrotum (hernia in that area, scarring) and your general ability to tolerate a minor surgery (abnormal blood coagulation, other pre-existing conditions). It is also vital that you follow the doctor’s instructions on post-operative care.

Personal circumstances that men need to carefully consider before choosing to have a vasectomy

Age – Are you young and have no children?
Personal Stress – Do you think you might be making a hasty decision at a stressful time?
External Pressure –
Do you feel pressured into the decision by someone or by circumstances?
Relationship Stability – Do you frequently question the stability of your relationship?

Permanent contraception may not be for you at this time if you can answer yes to any of the above questions. If this is not the case, and you have decided that no matter what the future brings, you will not want any more children, then vasectomy is a reasonable consideration for you.

Reasons a vasectomy might not be suitable for you

You are very young, your current relationship is not stable, you are having the vasectomy just to please your partner, you are under a lot of stress, or you are counting on being able to reverse the procedure later. Vasectomy reversal is a more complicated operation than the original vasectomy procedure. Reversal success is not certain and will vary based on how long it has been since the original surgery. Vasectomy North does not offer vasectomy reversals.

Can a No-Needle Vasectomy be reversed?

Yes, but reversal operations are expensive and not consistently successful. If you are thinking about reversal, perhaps vasectomy is not suitable for you. We recommend that you consider vasectomy a permanent form of contraception when making your decision.

Pre-vasectomy Sperm Banking (cryopreservation) is a good idea for almost anyone considering a vasectomy.

Is now the best time for my vasectomy?

You will want to be sure that you are content with the number of children you have. If you have a child under six months of age, you might want to wait because of “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),” a condition where a child can die after a few months of life for no apparent reason. Six months of age is often considered the threshold at which SIDS is least likely to occur. Although SIDS is not common (1 in 2000 infants), this might affect the timing of your plans for vasectomy.

Should I Store Sperm?

Choosing to have a vasectomy is a serious decision because it is carried out to create permanent sterility. Our experience with patients over the years has shown that some men who opt for a vasectomy later change their minds about their desire to have children.

The decision on whether to store sperm as a way to conceive a child in the future is an important one. Conception using stored sperm is not certain, and the necessary medical insemination process can be costly. Cryogenic sperm storage is a good insurance policy but not a reliable method. If you are concerned about ensuring the future ability to conceive a child, then the vasectomy itself should be reconsidered.

In the unlikely event that you will want to have kids again in the future, and vasectomy reversal is not an option or successful, sperm storage may be a way of allowing yourself to procreate again. Please consider storing sperm before your vasectomy.