# Ask the guy recovering from a vasectomy **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057 "2011-10-09T05:51:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/1 "2011-10-09T05:51:29Z")
I’m lying in bed, approximately 36 hours after the completion of my snipping, with a bag of frozen peas and carrots resting comfortably on my crotch. Naturally, such an occasion made me think of the Dope, and so I offer up my new-found knowledge and experience to all of you. Ask away! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/2 "2011-10-09T06:11:06Z")
What a strange coincidence, applying a bag of frozen vegetables to my balls always reminds me of The Dope too! Vasectomies always remind me of that Australian song, “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport.” ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/3 "2011-10-09T06:21:25Z")
I didn’t have a song going through my head during the procedure. I should have had a song! Granted, the day before, I found myself singing Stone Temple Pilot’s “Creep,” but that song would be better used for a different sort of procedure. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/4 "2011-10-09T14:52:16Z")
what will you do to keep yourself from having an orgasm for the week or so you shouldn’t be having one? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/5 "2011-10-09T15:04:31Z")
Peas AND carrots? My friends always said they just used peas. Must be a new protocol. But how do you know the peas and carrots are actually comfortable? Did you ask them? 🙂 I remember a thread recently that asked if doctors talked to the spouse before doing a vasectomy. Are you married? If so, did the doc want to talk to your wife? Do you mind giving some background on your decision to have it done? -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Sea\_Creature\_Turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Sea\_Creature\_Turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sea_Creature_Turner)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/6 "2011-10-09T15:14:29Z")
How bad is/was the pain (he asked with crossed legs)? ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/7 "2011-10-09T16:31:27Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I didn’t have a song going through my head during the procedure. I should have had a song! Granted, the day before, I found myself singing Stone Temple Pilot’s “Creep,” but that song would be better used for a different sort of procedure. When I went in for my vasectomy, the nurse asked me if it was okay for her to put on some classical music. She chose The Nutcracker. I didn’t say anything about it (I like the Nutcracker just fine), but that had to be intentional. As I recall, the recovery was pretty quick and painless. Hope yours will be as well. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/8 "2011-10-09T17:43:42Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > …with a bag of frozen peas and carrots resting comfortably on my crotch… Please don’t ask me over for Shepherd’s Pie next week. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/9 "2011-10-09T18:19:45Z")
Whoops! Ignore my PM on another matter. I’ve just seen this thread, and it sounds like you’ve been chillin’. Some of you, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/10 "2011-10-09T19:25:18Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > what will you do to keep yourself from having an orgasm for the week or so you shouldn’t be having one? I haven’t had too many accidental orgasms in my day, but my spouse-to-be is being very understanding about not offering any inappropriate temptations. 😃 > [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > Peas AND carrots? My friends always said they just used peas. Must be a new protocol. But how do you know the peas and carrots are actually comfortable? Did you ask them? 🙂 > > I remember a thread recently that asked if doctors talked to the spouse before doing a vasectomy. Are you married? If so, did the doc want to talk to your wife? > > Do you mind giving some background on your decision to have it done? Well, we had bought frozen peas, but one of the bags sprung a leak, and we couldn’t tell which one. So there was a late-night trip to the store, and the peas/carrots combination is what was readily available. 🙂 I am engaged, and I’d read similar threads to yours. We were a bit concerned about how much the doctor would care about her opinion (not that it mattered in our case, as she was fully on-board). But my doctor said that he always assumes that couples have had that conversation on their own, and the decision ultimately belongs to the person getting the procedure. He would not refuse to perform the procedure if the two parties disagreed. As far as background is concerned, it’s fairly simple. I have never in my life wanted children. As it happens, neither has my fiancee. I’m 36, and she’s just a touch older. We’ve both been married before. Our feelings about having kids have not wavered at all. So, eliminating the chance of getting someone pregnant has always been on my mind. I’d been thinking about it in my last marriage, but it was never a high priority. When I met my fiancee, we had conversations about it, and I finally looked into it. Found out my insurance covered basically the entire procedure, so it became just a matter of getting it done. > [@Sea\_Creature\_Turner](#): > > How bad is/was the pain (he asked with crossed legs)? The pain has been interesting, but overall, minimal. The needle used to inject the local anesthetic was a very hot, sharp pain, but thankfully, brief. Other than that, the procedure itself was only very slightly uncomfortable (having things tugged at that you can’t quite feel down there is just…odd), but not painful at all. For the day following the procedure, it felt like someone had kicked me in the groin pretty hard. Just the lingering ache that makes you want to move as little as possible. Not agony, just really uncomfortable. A little pain medication and a lot of peas/carrots has caused that to go down considerably over time. I feel almost normal now (about 50 hours post-procedure), although I continue to wear a jock strap. I get a little discomfort now and then at the point where the stitches are, but that’s about it. I can get around pretty normally. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/11 "2011-10-09T19:28:47Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Please don’t ask me over for Shepherd’s Pie next week. Some people are unable to appreciate the extra steps that go into getting the veggies to _just_ the right consistency! > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Whoops! Ignore my PM on another matter. I’ve just seen this thread, and it sounds like you’ve been chillin’. Some of you, anyway. I responded anyway, but yeah, I’m not even thinking about the half-mile-high club this weekend, I assure you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/12 "2011-10-09T19:45:47Z")
One of the many perks of being a gay man is never having to go through with this procedure 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/13 "2011-10-09T21:02:49Z")
Been there done that… Downside… a few days of mild ache. Upside - excuse to abuse codiene for a weekend, pregnancy free sex for life. And now the jokes… I am a christmas tree - the balls are just for decoration All the flavour, less filling Sports model…not suitable for families ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/14 "2011-10-09T21:46:54Z")
I know why post surgery orgasms aren’t a problem. Did she look up from her reading long enough to see if you were ok? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/15 "2011-10-09T21:57:30Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > I know why post surgery orgasms aren’t a problem. > > Did she look up from her reading long enough to see if you were ok? 😉 You nearly made me choke on my lunch – not nice! She’s actually been quite wonderful. But you knew that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/16 "2011-10-09T21:58:34Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > One of the many perks of being a gay man is never having to go through with this procedure 😃 I am still working on a snappy comeback. I’ll let you know when I think of something. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/17 "2011-10-09T22:00:59Z")
From the “…but were to afraid to ask” department: Will your semen _look_ any different? Our second and final kid has just arrived, and so I’m up next for the snip - just as soon as I book the appointment. Not worried about discomfort at all, but have an irrational concern that post-vasectomy semen might be similar in some way to prepubescent sperm-free semen. (Rationally am fairly confident that if this were so we’d hear more about it.) ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/18 "2011-10-09T22:03:39Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > From the “…but were to afraid to ask” department: Will your semen _look_ any different? I obviously can’t personally testify yet, but from what I’ve read online, it’s not supposed to. I…um…don’t know if I’d paid so much attention in life that a distinction would be immediately apparent to me. ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/19 "2011-10-09T22:12:20Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > You nearly made me choke on my lunch – not nice! She’s actually been quite wonderful. But you knew that. 🙂 Course I do. 😉 Glad you’re ok. Mine has to get his bits snipped now that he’s done with his degree, which was his excuse. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057/20 "2011-10-09T22:22:38Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > From the “…but were to afraid to ask” department: Will your semen _look_ any different? No, it just doesn’t contain sperm. My mine didn’t hurt aside from the first day when I was a bit sore. I put a wash cloth in my underwear and went about my business. The stitches fell out in the tub a few days later. I believe the only reason to not have an orgasm is to not mess up the sperm count they do later to be sure it worked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-recovering-from-a-vasectomy/599057.md?page=2)