So, yeah, we had our second kid, and now we have a girl and a boy, and both deliveries were tricky in different ways, and my wife’ll be 37 next year, and we’re done having kids.
That means it’s time for me to get m’tubes snipped! My wife did all the hard work (and had all the post-birth repair done) so it’s my turn to go under some kind of knife and get some kind of suturing.
That means I’m looking for referrals (in the San Francisco east bay area) and/or just general advice. Who do I even go to? Is this a specialty for urologists? What’s the typical recovery time? What should I ask when interviewing doctors? I want to get someone really good… what makes for a good vasectomist? (sic)
This is my wang we’re talking about here, and the less complications I have, the better. Best case scenario is after a couple weeks I feel just the same as before, only no new babies are gonna come out of my spigot. What’s the best way to achieve that outcome? MOTHERFUCKIN’ DISCUSS!
Actually I’m interested in what others experiences have been. I’m looking at having this done in the next 2-3 years if we decide not to have any more children as well.
How are you going to “interview doctors”? You can’t exactly get them on the phone. Are you going to schedule paid visits to each doctor you are considering just so you can talk to them?
It’s a routine outpatient procedure performed in the doctor’s office. I had mine done years ago and had very little discomfort and did little more than take it easy for a weekend to recover. That was my experience.
Had it done about 10 years ago–wife had health issues that would have made pregnancy dangerous for her–and honestly, it fell into the category of “no big deal”.
Local anesthetic only, so I was awake during the whole thing, which I think took maybe half an hour (hard to have a good sense of time when you are lying looking at the ceiling while some guy you don’t really know carves on you in tender places). Sent home afterwards, off work for a couple of days more because I could get away with it than that I needed it.
I seem to recall I was instructed not to have sex for a couple of weeks, but other than that, sitting on ice for a while was the extent of it.
I’m somewhat relieved to read this. It’s amazing how many men feel compelled to share that they have sex within 24 hours of their vasectomies. The story is usually told in a macho style eerily reminiscent of Leonidas’ morale-building speeches in 300.
I may have the procedure in the future, and am glad recovery time is brief, but I don’t think I’ll have a problem waiting a week to try out the modification.
Your family practice doctor (or general doctor if that what they are called in your area) should be able to consult you on your questions and wishes, and then give a recommendation to you for a urologist to do the procedure. You may even ask your wife’s OB/GYN for a recommendation as well, as they will definitely know some good urologists.
I’ll just chip in that my experience was much the same as Benny and Mark’s. A quick procedure, followed by not much discomfort, and told not to go nuts (sorry) for a week or two. Very straightforward, all in all.
I don’t even remember how I found him – either had my doctor refer me or just called someone on my insurer’s list.
My experience with doctors is the only time I talk with them is when I’ve scheduled an appointment and they are in the room seeing me. Call their office you get the help and it doesn’t get beyond that. The doctor is always busy seeing patients and doesn’t have time for phone calls.
I had a local too. It was funny seeing my flesh burn as he both cut and cauterized with some kind of electrical thing that burned the tube apart and then shut. Just a little trail of smoke curling up from my nuts. [Insert whatever smoking after sex joke you want here.]
Huh? What the fuck are you talking about? I do in fact have a locked rumpus room (well, actually a rumpus closet), but it’s totally unhelpful with contraception. Quite the contrary, actually. Gives a whole new meaning to “being closeted”.
(And how do you know about my rumpus closet?)
Forgot about that 4-page thread, thanks. Went back and voted “Yes, got a brood already”.
A buddie of mine had this done…but he didnt have it done. Even with the local, he was in excruciating pain…so they couldn’t finish the procedure. The doctor told him only a small percentage of men have that pain so lucky him. His wife got the vasectomy instead.
I’d love to hit you guys up with some statistics to prove what I’m about to say, but my wife, who’s thoroughly researched the option, says that there are several studies out there that show that vasectomies increase erectile dysfunction and can lead to clotting/cysting. The point is moot as far as I’m concerned; the day somebody comes near my boys with a soldering iron is the day I’m abducted and strapped into a mothership on its way to Zeta Reticuli. So: two kids, one more arriving within the month, and no conceivable (no pun intended) end in sight. But that’s okay, because we like kids. Of course, I typically can only say that with a straight face when my children are sleeping and I’ve forgotten how much their voices can resemble fire alarms.
I’d rather get my throat cut, thanks. I mean, what could be higher on your top ten “No fuckin way!” list than men going near your penis with a scalpel?!
And having worked as a secretary/tech support/other in a doc’s office… yeah, we get told to say the doc is busy. I’d say that about half the time, I’d tell people he was busy when he was just screwin around.
