Vasectomy: How It Works & What To Expect

If you and your partner are considering a vasectomy, you should be aware of certain facts. It is an outpatient surgery with a low risk of complications or side effects, and it is nearly 100% effective in preventing pregnancy. One other important fact is that it is cheaper than female sterilization or the longterm costs of birth control methods for women. With those facts out of the way, let’s dig deeper about vasectomy: how it works and what to expect.

What A Vasectomy Does

In a brief procedure, Dr. Miguel Mercado will cut and seal the tubes (the vas deferens) that carry sperm. This will make it impossible for sperm to mix with semen or leave the body.  Don’t be alarmed by the word cut as you will not feel any pain during the procedure. Local anesthesia is administered to the scrotum area.

A vasectomy will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases.

Preparing For A Vasectomy

Once you have made a decision to move forward with a vasectomy, you will meet with Dr. Miguel Mercado in The Woodlands, TX to discuss your general health and previous surgeries like hernia or any past injuries to your genitals or groin.

The rest of the consultation will include the following:

• You will sign a consent form.
• You will be instructed not to take any medications containing aspirin or blood thinners prior to surgery.
• You will shave all hair from the area near the surgery and clean it thoroughly prior to the surgery.
• Follow all the other doctor’s pre-surgical instructions.

What To Expect After A Vasectomy

You can expect mild discomfort, bruising, and swelling after the procedure.. You can take Tylenol every 4 hours for the discomfort and use an ice pack wrapped in a towel for swelling.

Any bruising or swelling will be gone within a week.

You can expect to return to work in 2 to 3 days.

You can expect to resume your normal exercise routine within one week.

You can expect that a vasectomy will not affect your normal sex drive.

Expect you will have normal testosterone levels after a vasectomy.

You can expect your erections and climaxes to be the same.

Your can begin to have sex again after one week, but use some other form of birth control. You must wait until your semen shows no signs of sperm. Dr. Miguel Mercado will advise when you can begin to have sex again without other means of birth control.