General in Lafayette, Louisiana (LA)

A vasectomy is a safe, simple and effective birth control method for men who feel they are done having children. Vasectomies are nearly 100 percent effective and are intended to be permanent. The vasectomy journey is unique to each person, but there are some general steps to follow:

How to Prepare for a Vasectomy

• Research—it’s paramount to research surgeons in your area for credentials and the types of procedures they use. Make sure the doctor you choose is an American Board of Urology (ABU) board-certified surgeon and uses the most-up-to-date techniques.

• Consultation— the consultation stage is your opportunity to discuss any preferences or concerns with the surgeon, who will present you a set of surgical options and recommend the best one based on those preferences.

• Preparation—preparation for a vasectomy typically starts a week in advance. Here, you'll need to monitor your medication intake. In order to reduce the risk of bleeding, your surgeon will ask you to stop taking aspirin and other blood-thinning medications.    
  
  
• Anesthesia—vasectomies are usually performed with local anesthesia. Your surgeon will comfort and guide you through the whole process. She will apply anesthetic, either with a very small needle or a jet anesthetic (called a no-needle vasectomy procedure). This will numb only the area around the tube that carries the sperm, the vas deferens.
  

• Surgery—if you choose the conventional vasectomy option, expect sutures and a small scar on your scrotum. If you choose the no-scalpel or no-needle option, there is no need for sutures as you will only have a puncture hole that will close up during recovery. A vasectomy will not affect your sex drive or your ability to have erections and ejaculate.
  

• Recovery—you will be able to go home immediately after the procedure. The sooner you start resting, the faster your recovery will be. After surgery, your scrotum will be numb for one to two hours. Once the local anesthetic wears off, you may feel some pain--along with minor bruising and swelling—that can last for several days. You need to plan to stay home from work (or work from home) for two or three days after surgery. You also need to arrange for someone else to help with any heavy lifting or potentially strenuous activities for the entire week. Finally, you’ll have to avoid bathing or showering for 24 to 48 hours after the procedure to allow the incision in your scrotum to heal faster and reduce the risk of infection.

• Follow-up—your surgeon will meet with you 16 weeks after the procedure to do a semen analysis. She does this to ensure that your sperm count reads “zero” on the charts. From there, she conducts a secondary follow-up at 18 weeks, and a third one a year post-vasectomy.

Costs

Vasectomies are generally covered by insurance. Your total out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, doctor visit co-pays and co-insurance. For those without insurance, you’ll need to talk to your doctor concerning costs.