# I just got snipped **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 12, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705 "2003-03-12T01:18:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/21 "2003-03-12T15:52:05Z")
Not so in the States, **elfje** , I have 2 friends who were snipped, both when they were in their late 20s. One is married with twins; the other is single, no kids and never wants there to be. Both think it was the best thing to do. No long term trouble at all. (Yes I’m female, but I’m the den mother. I get told EVERYTHING.) ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/22 "2003-03-12T16:09:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tunabreath \* > **I had to go through the injections again. They burn!** Hmmm … when my surgeon numbed me up, I felt the prick of the needle and a slight pressure, but no “burning” sensation. I wonder if they used a different anesthetic on you than they did on me. (I got regular old garden-variety novacaine.) > [@](#): > > **My balls turned black and took quite some time to get anywhere near close to a normal skin color.** Yikes! I’m glad nothing like that happened to me. 'Though I did have one close call. The athletic supporter I’m wearing, despite being size “large”, wasn’t quite wide enough. (I was required to wear an athletic supporter for a week afterward, and said week still isn’t up yet.) A smooshed-down scrotum inside an athletic cup can cover a wiiiiide area, even if your package is only average-sized. So, while driving around on Sunday, the portion of my scrotum **right** where the right-hand-side incision was got pinched under the edge of the supporting cup. This apparently caused the sutures to pull out prematurely! :eek: The stitches were supposed to fall out on their own after a week or so, and here one set had worked its way loose after only two days! I panicked at first, but since the incision had already sealed itself shut and didn’t start bleeding again or anything, I think I’m safe. ---
**Author:** ![MissBungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@MissBungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBungle)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/23 "2003-03-12T16:14:25Z")
tracer congrats. I think it’s wonderful that you did what YOU wanted to do. And, it’s so responsible for a man who doesn’t want kids. good onya ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/24 "2003-03-12T16:23:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeVena \* > \*\*Not so in the States, **elfje** , > > I have 2 friends who were snipped, both when they were in their late 20s. One is married with twins; the other is single, no kids and never wants there to be. > > Both think it was the best thing to do. No long term trouble at all. (Yes I’m female, but I’m the den mother. I get told EVERYTHING.) \*\* I take it you’re talking about female friends? I’m a belgian living in Ireland, 2 very catholic countries, and there’s just no way I’d find a doctor that would want to sterilize me at my age. Unfortunately. I’m not the mothering type, i KNOW i won’t change my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I love kids, I’ve two nieces, one of which is my goddaughter, but I don’t want to have any of my own. People are either very condescending when I say so (oh, you’ll change your mind, you’ll see. Once your clock starts ticking, you’ll want a child…) Or think i’m abnormal (how can you not want a child? Everybody wants a child! you don’t know what you’re missing etc…) very annoying. As if I don’t know my own mind and body sheeshh… ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/25 "2003-03-12T16:30:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*I now have nearly 3 dozen vials of my own personal baby-batter \*\* 1. Did that take a lot of time, or was there _serious_ chafing? 2. Is baby-batter for making deep fried baby or tempura baby? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/26 "2003-03-12T16:34:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*Hmmm … when my surgeon numbed me up, I felt the prick of the needle and a slight pressure, but no “burning” sensation. I wonder if they used a different anesthetic on you than they did on me. (I got regular old garden-variety novacaine.) > \*\* Are you sure you don’t mean lidocaine? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/27 "2003-03-12T16:52:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mockingbird \* > **1) Did that take a lot of time, or was there serious chafing?** Heh. No, it took a month and a half to accumulate all 14 deposits of my sperm prior to the operation. You **have** to wait at least 2 days between each sperm deposit, to ensure that you build up a high enough sperm count. > [@](#): > > **2) Is baby-batter for making deep fried baby or tempura baby?** It’s for making a stack of babies that you can pour maple syrup over. (But seriously, folks, I got the term “baby batter” from _There’s Something About Mary_, which is slightly more famous for calling it “hair gel”.) > [@](#): > > \*\*Are you sure you don’t mean lidocaine? \*\* Well, the doc **called** it novacaine. Maybe he was speaking in the generic. (This same doc also said, “I’m just the janitor. They told me to come in here and take your balls out.” So I think he wasn’t necessarily being literal at every step of the way. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/28 "2003-03-12T20:33:50Z")
Okay, here’s a biggie. Why? You’re not in a relationship. If you _do_ get in a relationship, it’s prudent to use condoms anyway just to prevent STDs, so why exactly did you get snipped? ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/29 "2003-03-12T20:40:52Z")
Why ? Ummm, off the top of my head : - a second contraceptive measure - because condoms can break - because condoms can be sabotaged - because if he ever gets into a monogomous relationship and both test clean, contraceptives won’t be a hassle - because he felt like he wanted to be sterile (he may have done it for himself) - because it’s responsible to take control of your own fertility I’m sure there’s more reasons, possibly personal ones, that led **Tracer** to this decision, which he may or may not wish to share. I know I have about another ten or so reasons, which mostly come down to “I want to” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/30 "2003-03-12T21:27:11Z")
I suppose you wouldn’t believe me if I told you I did it because I saw a billboard on my way to work that said “An unplanned pregnancy is not in my plans”, would you? (Nah, thought not. I’ll have to come up with a better excuse.) ---
**Author:** ![MamaHen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MamaHen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MamaHen)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/31 "2003-03-13T19:51:29Z")
Congrats! I thought you got snipped because you had the secret fear of Fembots sneaking into your house, stealing your sperm while you slept and making a master race of \* Shallow Hal\* lovers to take over the world. I dunno, maybe that was just my own fear 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/32 "2003-03-14T07:13:47Z")
Lola and I decided that the four Feynnlings were enough and there simply wasn’t any question about who was getting fixed. I walked in to the office, listened to some classical music while the operation was done and then drove myself home. It took under two hours. It was pretty painful when the freezing wore off and I had to take it easy for about five days and was fairly sore for some time after that. The most painful part was just after I got home and my daughter took a flying leap into my lap and landed squarely on the boys. I almost coughed up a nut. It took me a while before I had any inclination to test the equipment but I can say that all is well. Welcome to the club tracer… we don’t give out toaster ovens but should you ever be in this neck of the woods I’ll buy you a cold one. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/33 "2003-03-15T00:37:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MamaHen \* > **Congrats!** \ > [@](#): > > _I thought you got snipped because you had the secret fear of Fembots sneaking into your house, stealing your sperm while you slept and making a master race of \* Shallow Hal lovers to take over the world._\* Secret **fear?!** That was my secret **hope!** Bow down before the might of _Shallow Hal!_ > [@](#): > > \*\*I dunno, maybe that was just my own fear 😃 \*\* \ \ If you only knew the power of the dark side \ \ ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/34 "2003-03-15T00:45:01Z")
Well, this morning, I’d finally recovered enough to risk … um … “trying out” the results of the procedure. I was relieved to note that (A) ejaculating wasn’t painful or anything, and (B) unlike **DAVEW0071** , nothing came out that resembled a blood clot . However, I did note that my man-goo was now ever-so-slightly less viscous than it had been previously, and that it wasn’t as white. In short, it resembled the **tracer** -goo I remember generating those times when I’d previously diddled myself for the 3rd or 4th time during the day. According to the little blurb that came with my vasectomy, it can take as many as 20 ejaculations to completely clean the pipes of old sperm. That’ll take a little doing. ---
**Author:** ![Mielikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Mielikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mielikki)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/35 "2003-05-28T14:59:44Z")
Congratulations! I got myself fixed right before I turned 30, unmarried and with no kids. I actually had to go to a psychiatrist before the doc would do it but since my insurance paid for it all (Catholic Blue Cross Blue Shield, ironically) it was just an hour out of my life convincing someone I wasn’t insane, piece of cake. Still and all, they treat you as if you might have gotten drunk one day and decided to get snipped instead of a tattoo; how many times do they do this to someone who wants to have a child? I’d say the consequences of no forethought in _that_ decision are a lot more dire. But I digress- hooray for you! ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/36 "2003-05-28T16:00:03Z")
Just curious… Does it leave a scar? I saw a vasectomy performed once on TV, and it sure looked as if it would. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705/37 "2003-05-28T16:46:47Z")
**When a man wants to get the snip, he doesn’t even have to tell his wife.** Not true here (WV), either. And there is no way any doctor (here)is gonna sterilize a man or woman before they’re oh, 35, regardless of how many kids you already have. Tracer, I just wanna say that I think you did a very responsible, mature thing. A lot of people go ahead and have babies anyway because of pressure (society or familial or other) even though they don’t want them and know that their priorities don’t mesh with parenthood. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-snipped/160705.md?page=1)