[Closed] Vasectomies and statistics

for every 100 people with a vasectomy one of them gets someone pregnant

its actually more like 1 in 1000 I thought

The second one.

If the test says clear then should be ok.

There are the odd case of the tubes reattaching but that's rare

according to the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists1 there is 1 in 2000 chance of a pregnancy resulting from vasectomy failure – 0.05%. This figure is generally accepted as being accurate, and the figure most doctors will quote when asked for a reliability figure. This figure is based on men having been given clearance after submitting samples for analysis in order to rule out early failures and recanalization (spontaneous re-joining of the vas deferens). [b]One study puts the rate at 1 in 4000 (0.025%) when DNA proven paternity of post-vasectomy babies was taken into account[/b].

1/100 men have viable sperm.

I would postulate that there is still a possibility after the test of the tubes joining up again - which would then make up some portion of the 1%.

Scotroutes - so, for every 4,000 ejaculations from one person, one is a theoretically a babymaker?

And that one person is someone who passed a test post-snip.

The official numbers that my consultant gave me before I had mine (5 weeks ago) is that 1 in 200 vasectomies will fail and this failure will be detected in the routine semen test. 1 in 2000 vasectomies (as above) will pass the semen test and later on have a sort of spontaneous reversal.

This is people, not number of ejaculations. Of every 200 men who have a vasectomy, 1 man will have an early failure that is detected. Of every 2000 men that have vasectomies, 1 man will have a late failure or spontaneous reversal.

Just like when they say condoms are 97% effective or whatever, they mean that 3% of people using condoms will get pregnant and not that you will get pregnant 3 times out of 100 shags.

What grumpy says, by person not ejaculation

I had a late test as I'm lazy and was embarrassed about handing my cup over to the nurse. 4 months after the op passed the test.

That makes more sense grumpy.

If you're unhappy with the service you've received then you should leave a scathing review on SnipAdvisor..

Someone I knew had five children, and decided that was more than enough, so went for the snip.

It turned out the operation didn't work.

Twins.

When I went I watched the lady cut the pipe, cauterise each cut end, then double knot them.

I think you'd have to be very unlucky to get someone pregnant after having that, or the person doing the work that day couldn't be bothered to do it correctly.

I reckon I'll end up getting it done soon 🙁 Two kids and that's enough for us. Stories like this make me question the point though!
A bloke I know had probs with his, they went black and swelled up bad! (I've seen the pic!)

soon the snip will be replaced by something less invasive. shame i didn't hear about that last year! I will be speaking to the neighbours and the milkman if we have any more kids..

I know the guy who did mine quite well, I was asking him about failures, he said he'd had a rare few come back whose partners had subsequently got pregnant, he told them that they should have a paternity test first. Not one of them came back to take the issue further with him!!

When I went I watched the lady cut the pipe, cauterise each cut end, then double knot them.

I think you'd have to be very unlucky to get someone pregnant after having that, or the person doing the work that day couldn't be bothered to do it correctly.

This, plus a little section cut out as well to make them shorter. If you have kids after that call yourself super virile man and design a costume to suit

This, plus a little section cut out as well to make them shorter. If you have kids after that call yourself super virile man and design a costume to suit

Oh, I forgot that bit.

It's ok, I got vasovagal syncope which caused me to pass out and miss the fun, but the surgical team crapped themselves 😉

A what!?! Of to the doctors for the talk tomorrow so not googling in case I bottle it!

just waiting on the all clear
2nd vasectomy
known as a 'redo'

After having two great sons I had mine done about 23 years ago by a very nice lady called Dr Ball, very successfully with little or no swelling or pain. Just like going to the Dentist except the Dr is a bit further away from your face! Then .....my wife started throwing up about a month later, didn't give it a second thought until the Doc phoned my wife up with 'the results of your test'
😯

He's 22 now and a wonderful person.

The moral of the story is to get the all clear before resuming activities.

However me and the wife frequently thank our lucky stars for the best accident we ever had

[b]flaps[/b]

I'm not the bravest person in the world when it comes to being sliced and iced so went private and had a general anesthetic: I had keloids removed at the same time (old rugby injury 😯 ).

I rode my motorbike home the following day. Bumped uglies with my wife 10 days later.

I think most people have no problems. It's less stressful for me than having a 'wee late one' would have been.

A what!?! Of to the doctors for the talk tomorrow so not googling in case I bottle it!

Basically, if you're susceptible to it, when they are fiddling about with your tubes it can stimulate a nerve that causes your heart to slow. Happened to me half way through nut no.2. Woke up bathed in sweat after a few minutes to see the junior surgeon guy looking sick in the corner, the guy in charge finished the job and all was well. They even manage to cancel the crash team before it arrived.

For those of you who've had it done recently by the NHS, how long did you wait from first seeing your GP to having the op?

I'm looking to get it done, but don't want to miss a week or two cycling in the summer so want to do it next Nov-Feb!

Letter I've just got from the docs quotes a failure rate of 1/1000.

Chronic testicular pain rare or granduloma, again I'm not googling, 5%. Which sounds okay until you realise it's one in twenty...

Not scared off today so I'm now in the system awaiting an appointment. JEngledow when the day arrives I'll post up how long its taken from GP referral...

Chronic pain and pvps are real risks. Granulomas tend to go after a while and are often not painful.

I had a granuloma, fairly big one but then I would think that. Freaked the hell out of me, but didn't hurt at all.

Had it done a couple of years ago, it was absolutely fine. Slightly strange to have two middle aged women handling the goods (and to later find out that the same nurses had also did two of my friends) but the whole experience was not traumatic at all. Didn't even bother with a paracetamol after, and the only thing stopping me riding for a couple of weeks was the risk of infection.

cookiemonster27 - Member
When I went I watched the lady cut the pipe, cauterise each cut end, then double knot them.

Jesus H....

As someone who's been putting this little procedure off, the thought of actually watching someone do this to me freaks me the funk out. Please stop.

I know I need to get it done. Is it just a case of going in as an outpatient and out the same day. I'm not sure what's a worse thought, the idea of some randoms poking and cauterising or the thought of another kid (s)!!!

Had it done last January. Not the bravest soldier on the block when it comes to medical things but it was alright. Went private and paid for it so I could get it done at a time that suited me. One Friday at 4:30, took maybe 45 minutes , a couple of weeks in tight pants and things were fine. I had a few days in week 1 when it was uncomfortable but since then all good.

I generally tried not to think about it. I'm a right wuss and was nervous as hell. Spent most of the time discussing the pentland hills with the nurse (she runs them, I ride them).

I had more pain/bruising after than some pepole report but it was more "walking funny" levels of pain than anything that needed painkillers.

Whole thing took about 45 minutes, took quite a while for me and consultant to be happy with getting enough local anaesthetic in.

I'm a complete wuss but managed to cope. The surgeon realised I needed more local a fraction of a second after I did.

For want of a better place to ask: I'm booked in for March and the paperwork says don't drive home afterwards. Is that them being overcautious after a local? I'd rather drive if poss. Any thoughts? Automatic obviously 🙂

not that you will get pregnant 3 times out of 100 shags

Probably the best statistical explanation ever...!

For want of a better place to ask: I'm booked in for March and the paperwork says don't drive home afterwards. Is that them being overcautious after a local? I'd rather drive if poss.

Very hard to do when you are in traction. Often omitted from peoples description of their experiences of vasectomy. Two-weeks flat on your back with your feet in stirrups, your testicles in traction with a weight 1/5 of your body suspended from them.

Ooooo kaay. I'll book an ambulance then!

🙂

Those of you who went private on your privates, how much did that cost?

600 quid from memory

I'm not sure I could have driven home. I'd just had 2 people attacking my balls with a knife for 45 minutes and felt a bit average. I was a very ginger passenger!

I'm not ready (yet) to have this done, but it's definitely on radar. Did any of you have some of your goods stored/saved?

I have no future plans for being one of the two primary contributors to the whole baby making thing, but just wondered. I know of one dude that did.

You can have it reversed if you fancy, way more complicated procedure though.

For want of a better place to ask: I'm booked in for March and the paperwork says don't drive home afterwards. Is that them being overcautious after a local? I'd rather drive if poss. Any thoughts? Automatic obviously

Well, I drove home but in hindsight it was a bit daft. Local anaesthetic still in the system etc.

You can have it reversed if you fancy, way more complicated procedure though.

And often more painful.

And certainly far less successful.

If you are getting a vasectomy, consider it a one way trip.

Well for those wondering how long from referral to operation I went to the doctors for the chat on the 17th, got the letter through yesterday and have booked my appointment with the shears of contraception for the 17th March. So one month. Luckily, ahem, I got a cancellation slot... Means I'm unlikely to be racing bmx on the 18th...

i had my GP refer me in january. had a consultation 2 weeks ago, and still no date for the op through. so it kind of depends, i think.

Yep it'll vary region to region, and if there wasn't a cancellation I guess it could be a while a way still.

Consultation and op on same day for me though.

You can make the procedure a lot more effective in reducing unwanted pregnancy if after cutting the two small tubes in the scrotum, you ask the doctor to lop off the big fleshy tube sticking out at the front too.

DrP, no charge.

From visiting GP to surgery was less than a month for me.

Matt.
Father of 3.
Glad it was speedy.

you ask teh doctor to lop off the big fleshy tube sticking out at the front too

Snip, snip and Bob's yer Auntie.

I'm booked in for 17th March, too!

Original referral from GP would have been mid-January.

got a letter through today saying telephone pre-op fitness assessment on 17th may! we're off to crete on the 26th though, so the op won't be until mid june at the earliest now. it's taking so long to get this sorted!

That's why I paid, saw co. Doc on the Monday was on the slab 4:15pm on the Friday as that time suited me.

Yep it'll vary region to region

I didn't do that well in Biology at school, but I'm pretty certain, it is the region at the top of a blokes legs...unless of course they are truly gifted then it might be round their knees!

I'm getting serious mither off the wife for getting the snip.

I know most of us are and without going into too much detail, I seem to be a bit more sensitive around the veg area than most.

Can anyone in a similar situation offer some words of encouragement? (I get mtfu off her daily).

See if the vasectomy episode of Home Improvement is still on YouTube. Great advert for the snip.

Think I waited about 6 weeks for an appt from consultation. They did ring and offer a cancellation after a few weeks but it wasn't convenient with work commitments. Wished I'd manned up and done it years ago.

Just sent the form away to get the ball rolling.... : 🙄

Waiting for my referral now.

I've actually got ball ache thinking about it.

bluearsedfly if your after encouragement then I have to say that it was a very quick experience, less than 15minutes from walking into the consultation room to hobbling out.

Not pain free but I've had worst dental treatments, why the orthodontist needed to knead my bollocks I'll never know...

Recovery has been pretty straightforward, bit of bleeding the following day that freaked me out, over did it because i felt remarkably well the morning after. But other than that I've just had to walk a bit slower this week!

No more kids, three more than enough!

Looking forward to getting out on the bike again, leaving it another week though.

I'm getting serious mither off the wife for getting the snip.

You're married and still having sex, count your blessings dude. (-:

😆

A delivery driver at work has just had it done, he reckons even the consultant had a good grope too!

Went to the docs the other day for the referal and all seems straight forward along with all the usual warnings.

Thanks twistedpencil, sounds like you've let lucky. Three kids here too, 12, 8 and 6. Don't fancy nappies and bottles again.

timings are a postcode lottery. three months for initial consultation app here.

Can anyone in a similar situation offer some words of encouragement? (I get mtfu off her daily).

MTFU 🙂

The crowd of middle aged women gathered around my poor baby mole claimed it was the greatest gift a man could give his wife. Mrs B (when later retold for hero points) claimed the tumble drier was better.

FWIW, it was quick, uncomfortable rather than painful and worth it, but do think of it as a one way trip .. didn't get 'done' till I was in my 40s.

I found it pretty straightforward. Not painful, stitches were a bit uncomfortable but I took them out after 10 days or so.

I rode the Puffer three weeks after the op.

My surgeon used clips rather than tying the tubes. I can feel the clips and, if I had more knowledge/opportunity to discuss, I would have asked about the benefits of this approach rather than tying off. They are not sore but I am aware they are there.

I'll need to send off the samples soon for checking, still trying to convince Mrs S that these need to be extracted orally.

I would have asked about the benefits of this approach rather than tying off.

Reversible, innit?

I'm getting serious mither off the wife for getting the snip.

I know most of us are and without going into too much detail, I seem to be a bit more sensitive around the veg area than most.

Can anyone in a similar situation offer some words of encouragement? (I get mtfu off her daily).

I'm not doing it, reading this thread made me feel faint.
😳

You're pathetic but not alone, not sure this helps but you have my sympathies.

You do just need to mtfu and get on with it.

Two of my friends had theirs done under general anaesthetic due to not being able to mtfu.

Point taken (well it will be).

This reminds me, the paperwork has been waiting for me to collect from the doctors for a week.

As posted earlier, I had mine done on the 17th.

I was first on the list and, after a brief talk with a counsellor, I went straight into the treatment room. The GP who did it had done >14,000 before and we just chatted about the NHS while he injected local anaesthetic and got on with things.

Inserting the needle was a little painful, but comparable to other injections. The op itself was over within around 5-6 minutes and was a little strange in sensation. Overall, though, I'd say it was more pleasant than an endoscopy.

Mine was a stitch-free method, with the tubes and wound being cauterised. All I had was a non-sticky strip of gauze to apply between the wound and my undies.

I literally got up and drove straight home, before resting for the rest of the Friday in bed. My wife brought me nice food all day long, then more of the same on Saturday. I only really needed a few doses of Paracetamol once the anaesthetic had worn off. The worst thing at this stage was being advised not to have a shower for the first 72 hours.

It's intriguing how many friends came out of the woodwork with their vasectomy stories when I said I was thinking of having it done, so I had some experiences to compare. The one I was most aware of was a MTB'er mate, who went for a big ride on day 3 and whose balls then swelled up! So, I took it easy!

By Sunday, I was up and about and I drove to work on Monday (instead of cycling). On Tuesday-Wednesday, I did an overnight with work in London and felt fine apart from some ball ache as the tubes try to re-connect themselves during day 4-5.

The wound had healed nicely by Friday (one week after), so I cycled the 15-mile round trip to work. I did a 10-miler off road with my son on the Tagalong on Saturday. I did have a little ache afterwards, but nothing major.

I've since cycled another 2-3 times on road and the pain has almost completely gone (17 days later). It does feel a little rougher than usual when riding on cobbles on my commute, although I'm currently getting more pain from an Unexplained Drinking Injury to my chest muscles...sustained during a Stag on the weekend just gone.

I haven't been bothered emotionally about it and, overall, it's been about as positive an experience as it could be. YMMV, of course.

Bluearsedfly,if she doesn't want to get pregnant,she can have her tubes tied,surely?

And if not,she can wtfu.

Gotta go for my 12 week checkup soon.

It's been arranged just so I have the choice to shoot my muck and then dash for the car, drive about 30 mins, find carp ark and make it to the appropriate drop off point within an hour... or I can drive there and "use their facilities".

Plus there are loads of rules - can't have done this within 5 days, but not more than 7, must be an an approved jar, with lid, labelled, form complete, must be on a Tuesday between 3 and half past, left handed preferred, etc etc. I'm confused - I am a simple creature! 😉

Your check up sounds way more complex than mine. I've got to 'perform' into a pot and post it back to the clinic.

Bit disappointed I miss out on the danger w*nk in the car park outside the clinic!

Suppose I can still do that...

That sounds like a load of complicated nonsense!

I had to get it in to a supplied pot that morning but then drop it off at some point that day - no rush.
I hadn't had my results through for a couple of weeks so I rang up and it turned out they hadn't done the test on it yet. So the doc did it then and rang me back with the all clear.
I guess they're looking for the presence of soldiers. If there's none then all good. If they're there then it doesn't matter if they're swimming still or not - it's a fail.

Just checked. Between 2 and 7 days. Time for the appointment. Miss it at your peril. Approved pot. Approved method. No spillage.

Blimey, talk about pressure! Mind you, it is at a women's hospital so what would they know 😉

I finally got the all clear a couple of weeks ago. I had to go through the same strict procedure as Rich mentions including keeping the sample at body temperature in the 30 mins between producing and handing over to the lab. Actually I had to do it twice as the first was so inconclusive! Seems some of the sperm from before the operation were still present months later despite repeated flushes of the system as you're advised to do. Actually second sample still had dead sperm but the numbers were much reduced like 10's per ml compared to 100M+ per ml for a typical pre vasectomy chap.

My experience was totally fine. Had to wait six months from initial meeting with GP to surgery so no quick turn around. Operation itself was straight forward with local aesthetic followed by laser /heat burning the tubes. As I was last on the day the room had a delightful aroma from the previous operations when I walked in. Not the best way to settle the nerves! Afterwards I took the advice from the nurse and from previous threads on here to stay rested for a couple of days, wear tight pants and then all was fine. Totally back to normal after a couple of weeks although had blood in first sample which was un-nerving.

So in total took ten months from initial meeting to getting the all clear. This was loads longer than I originally expected but this was through NHS not privately done.

No post op check up for me. I've got to send muck samples in the post at 20 weeks and 22 weeks.

^ me too, killed my calfs getting it all into the postbox and the neighbours were a bit testy about it as well.

Just been done, not too uncomfortable after the second dose of local.
The walk to the car was interesting but the drive home was a doddle, wouldn't have fancied operating a clutch mind. Two hours door to door.
Where's the cowboy emoji when I need it?

thread resurrection ahoy!
got my op date through finally, but it's in a week where i can't take any time off work at all and tbh i don't want to postpone as it'll add another 2 month wait on. the op itself is at 6pm so i don't need time off for that, but in your various experiences would i be fine with going to work the following day? i can either drive in or get the train, and my job is largely desk-based- what are the chances i'll be okay to do this, and roughly how long would any discomfort be likely to be present?