After Your Vasectomy

Ice and rest

• Use an ice pack: for the first 24 hours, cover your genital area with an ice pack (20 to 30 minutes, two or three times) to prevent or reduce swelling and pain. A Ziploc-type freezer bag filled with 4–5 ice cubes will do the trick.
• Pain relief: if you experience pain, use a pain reliever such as paracetamol. Nurofen and anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided for the first few days after the operation.

Swelling and bruising

The scrotum may swell moderately and take on a bluish tint. This is normal unless the swelling becomes significant (the appearance of a “third testicle”). In that case, contact us. The discolouration will disappear within 7 to 15 days.

Pain should be settling

• Any pain should lessen after 3 or 4 days. Note that testicular pain can radiate to the groin and lower abdomen. This is normal. Remember the first time you fell on a bicycle bar?
• If the pain persists after 3 or 4 days, you can take anti-inflammatory medication (Nurofen).

Showering, bathing and your stitch

• Shower the next day, after removing the pressure gauze. A bath is permitted 48 hours later.
• Your stitch: you will have a small dissolvable stitch in the skin which may take up to 3 weeks to dissolve. If it has not dissolved after that time, please contact us and, at no cost, our practice nurse can readily cut out the stitch.

Activity and intercourse

• Avoid strenuous physical activity for 5 to 7 days after surgery. This includes work requiring lifting more than 25 kg (50–60 lbs) and any form of physical activity (gym training, running).
• Manual labour: you can resume manual labour (construction, mechanics, factory work) after 3–4 days, taking precautions for the first few days.
• Sexual intercourse can be resumed 5 to 7 days after the procedure. It is possible that the first few ejaculations may be tinged with blood, usually brownish. If this persists, consult your doctor.

Semen analysis

A semen analysis should be done 16 weeks after the procedure, and you need to have had 20 to 30 ejaculations during that time. You must continue to use another method of contraception until your semen analysis confirms there is no sperm in the ejaculate.